June 2, 2018
10 Driving Test Tips

10 Driving Test Tips

  1. Familiarise yourself with area on the day of the test

Although there is usually more than one possible test route, prior to taking your test, it is recommended that you take at least 30 mins to drive around the general area on the day of the test. It will familiarise you and more than likely boost your confidence that nothing will be a surprise, taking lesson with your driving instructor beforehand will help to calm any nerves.

  1. Don’t give in to peer pressure – take your test when you’re ready

It is very easy to listen to those among us that like to tell you just how quick they picked driving up and how soon after starting they passed. It is also easy to rush in to your test as it does feel that the whole experience will end up being cheaper. If you’re not ready, then 1) you probably won’t pass and it will end up costing you more in the long run and 2) you will do nothing at all for your confidence going forward.

  1. Learn the basics privately

If you have access to a vehicle and understanding relative or friend, then use the opportunity to familiarise yourself with the basic controls. That way you aren’t wasting time you’re paying for learning the fundamentals of driving. Another nice side effect is that you will boost your road sense and general confidence.

  1. When you park at the test centre

Preparing the way, is the key to feeling confident. Give yourself a head start by parking before your test in a place that’s easy to leave that way you know you can do it calmly.

  1. Do your homework

Just because you’ve passed your theory test, it doesn’t mean that you won’t have to know your highway code for the practical test itself. How galling would it be to fail on your knowledge when that’s one of the easiest things to prepare for. A few good driving schools will help you prepare with resources and worksheets as they want you to pass. Have a look on Amazon for a wide range of helpful books. Another helpful tip is to use post-it notes that you place around your home with important things you need to learn. You will keep seeing them often and subconsciously you will be taking them in without much effort. On the toaster, on the back of the toilet door and the mirror.

  1. Do a mock test

Nothing can completely prepare you for the real thing, but the nearest thing to that is by doing a mock test. All aspects of your mock test are prepared in great detail to best replicate test conditions. Like driving the test route, it is giving you a prior knowledge of what to expect.

  1. Don’t tell everyone you’re doing your test

Don’t put undue pressure on yourself on the build up to your test day. The less people that know, the less you will feel people are ‘expecting’ you to pass. And if you don’t pass, at least you don’t need to do that dreaded call but you will pass if you believe you can. Having a positive mind-set is a powerful tool. Motivate yourself with a goal. Use the post-it notes method to build your confidence. Write what you want to achieve by explaining in detail the exact specifics. e.g. “When I pass my driving test I will drive to London for my holiday with a blue ford focus 1.6 with the windows down, with my favourite music blasting out.” This picture is automatically programming your mind to succeed. Look up NLP for more information.

  1. When parking, don’t be afraid to start again. You will not fail for trying again

There’s no time limit for manoeuvres. If after starting a parking manoeuvre, you feel that you’ve done something wrong. Reposition the vehicle to its original position and try again. The last thing you want to do is persist with the bad manoeuvre and hit a curb or worse still another vehicle. That WOULD be a fail….obviously.

  1. Don’t do your lessons too far apart

You need to keep your experience of driving fresh. The old way of doing 1 lesson per week, will get you there, but much slower. Increasing the frequency of your lessons or time spent in charge of a vehicle will significantly improve the speed of your progress.

  1. Don’t try and watch what the examiner is writing.

Watching the examiner’s clipboard to see if he’s writing not only takes your attention away from what you’re supposed to be doing i.e. driving, it will greatly affect your confidence if you see writing occur. Ironically, if the examiner feels that you aren’t driving safely because you are peering at what he/she is doing, they will mark you down…so don’t do it!

Lastly and perhaps not deserving the title of a full-blown ‘tip’, but essential all the same, make sure you take your provisional licence with you and that your eyesight is up to scratch. Either of these could result in the immediate termination of the test.

Happy driving and good luck!

June 2, 2018
Choosing a Driving Instructor

Driving Instructor: How to Pick the Right One

Take for example, if like anyone else you are in search of a driving instructor in Wembley, Ruislip, Harrow or any location of choice, you will definitely be perplexed when it comes to making the right choice. In fact what you tend to find is brand new driving schools and instructors come out each and every day at a shocking rate. There seems to be a sudden boom in the driving instructor or teach people to drive business.

One major reason for the sudden boom in the driving instructor business category is the current economic climate. The nation is littered with job cuts here and there which has clearly given birth to many people turning to other ways to earning a living. Most of the bigger driving schools have tapped into this as an opportunity to carry out massive marketing campaign to tell people they can make a limitless amount of money from working as a driving instructor and that it is absolutely easy to set up your own driving school business. This means an avalanche of driving schools for learners to choose from, usually leaving them perplexed and not knowing which driving instructor will effectively meet their requirements.

Let’s say you are looking for a driving instructor in Hillingdon or any location of choice; you need to be equipped with the right questions in order to select a properly trained and qualified driving instructor who will be able to customise your driving lessons in order to meet your requirements effectively.

Five helpful tips to help you pick the right driving instructor:

Affordable Driving Lessons Package

The first question asked by most learner drivers is “how much do driving lessons cost?” The thought that comes to mind is I don’t want to pay more than usual hence the price comparison. Coupled with the first question, another crucial one to ask is “how many driving lessons will I need?” This is very important as it will be pointless to pick a driving instructor based on their cheap driving lessons package and end up taking more lessons than you actually need.

Take your Driving Lessons at the right time

You need to have the right mindset before taking any of your driving lessons. Before booking your lessons, take a careful look at your weekly schedule to determine the ideal day and time slots. If an instructor is unable to work with your schedule, simply look elsewhere in order to avoid getting rushed which will have adverse effect on your learning curve.

Tackling Driving Phobias and Fears

It is common with new drivers to experience some degree of anxiety and fear regarding the thoughts of taking driving lessons or specific driving skills like reversing, parking in-between two cars amongst others. Before hand picking a driving Instructor, it is ideal to discuss your worries and carefully listen to his or her response. A savvy driving instructor will be a good listener, empathise with their student as well as instilling them with confidence that their fears and worries can be easily conquered. This is a good indicator for a student to know if he or she will feel comfortable around the prospective driving instructor.

Driving Instructor’s Feedback History

The last thing a new driver wants is signing up with a driving instructor with a track record of more failure than pass from driving tests. You can carry out a quick Google search for possible feedback history as well as ask if you can get testimonials from previous students. If an instructor ignores your request or is simply reluctant to respond, that is a warning sign that you need to look elsewhere.

June 2, 2018
Driving After Your Test

Driving after your test

You’ve passed your driving test and you’re ready to go it alone. Your new-found independence and freedom are something that you just have to try out and all you want to do is get out there and take your car out for a drive. Although the primary emotion you feel is excitement, there can be a tinge of worry as being out on your own can be a little daunting.

Having previously only driven with a comforting relative or an assuring driving instructor, its very normal to feel a little strange when going out on your own in the car. It can take a bit adjustment until it becomes comfortable for you.

Pick a good time

Unless there is a specific reason for going out in your car, then you can pick and choose when to you go out. If you go out at a quieter time, you’ll have more time to practice the parts of your driving that need attention. On the first occasion you venture out on your own, follow a route that you are familiar with.

As you gain confidence in your driving, you may venture further out and into less familiar or busier roads. At the beginning though, it is a good idea to stay on easier roads to build your fledgling driving confidence.

P Plates

It is not a mandatory for you to use the green ‘p plates’ that display that you have recently passed your test, but it is an allowance that you can use to further build your confidence. If the more experienced drivers you encounter are aware that you are still learning your craft, then they will more often than not be more patient with you. Any understandable mistakes or hesitancy should be forgiven, and knowing this might make that first drive more comfortable for you.

Running out of petrol

It’s happened to most of us. We think we can make it just a little further without fuelling up and what happens?…. you run out in just the wrong place on a junction or in the middle of nowhere. If you’re unsure about putting petrol in to your car, it’s not a bad idea to take someone with you who does. It might seem like an over-cautious approach to the task, but there are things that can go very wrong, for example putting diesel in a petrol engine or vice versa. A mistake that can cost you hundreds of pounds in repair costs.

Inform someone where you are going

Tell someone that you are off out on your first drive and approximately when you plan to return. If you only planned to pop round the block or to a local shop, then they will know where to look if you aren’t back within a reasonable time.

Take a mobile phone with you.

In this age of cheap and easy mobile communication, it’s easy to get a means to let someone know that you have either broken down or are in need of assistance. Don’t however, use it when you are driving. Always pull over before calling someone.

Lastly, if you get lost, don’t worry as you won’t be lost for long. Everyone gets lost at some point. If it happens, pull over when it is safe to do so and check either your AtoZ or your SatNav to get you back on track. Just don’t panic!

Your first drive should be just as exciting as you plan it to be. Just remember that you need to legislate for slight mishaps or miscalculations that could turn that drive into a nightmare if you don’t.

Be safe and enjoy yourself. You’ve passed your test!!

June 2, 2018
Learn To Drive

Learn to drive

There is lots of information about what you should do and how you should do it, with regards to going to a driving school and getting professional tuition. But what about when you just want to jump in your car with L plates on (and a driver over 21 with a full car licence with 3 years’ experience under their belt of course!) and get out on the road to get valuable experience. It is definitely recommended that you combine this with professional tuition, so that any bad habits that are picked up are highlighted by your instructor.

Who should I drive with?

Anyone you practice your driving with (without paying them) must be over 21, they must be qualified to drive the type of vehicle you want to learn in, e.g. they must have a manual car licence if they’re supervising you in a manual car and they must have had their driving licence for 3 years. Although this is the legal requirement, it’s important that you feel relaxed and not under pressure when you get behind the wheel, so try and make sure that the person with you is normally calm in the car and has lots of patience.

Keep a log

It can be very useful to keep a log of your driving to pinpoint any points of focus for your instructor to work on with you. If you don’t note it down and forget what you are struggling with, then it will take much longer to get better at it.

Safe driving

When not under the watchful supervision of an instructor, it is easy to let standards slip, but try to obey the same standards even when with a relative or a friend.

  1. i) Try not to turn the radio on as it may distract you
  2. ii) Take time to adjust to different vehicles. There can be big differences between different models and makes of car such as power steering, car size etc.
  3. iii) Try and drive in all the different driving conditions. In the dry, in the wet, and night-time driving are just a few to speak of.

Getting on the road

When you are satisfied that you have accomplished all the necessary precautions before getting behind the wheel, then make sure you;

  1. i) clearly display front and rear L plates, making sure that you don’t obscure either registration plates on the car.
  2. ii) do not use a mobile phone whilst driving.
  3. iii) don’t drive under the influence of prescription drugs. Read all the bumf that goes with medication, so that you are sure you can drive whilst taking them.
  1. iv) only drive vehicles that are stated on your learner licence
  2. v) It goes without saying, but do not drink ANY alcohol prior to driving…just in case. No one can accurately tell whether they are over the limit without a breathalyzer and if you are stopped, pleading ignorance as a learner driver will not cut any ice.

When you get out there, be confident, be legal and above all, be safe.

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