For many, the choice about whether or not to drive is an easy one
Cost: This is the most obvious issue, given the cost of owning, maintaining, insuring and running a car, many people simply cannot justify the expense.
Convenience: For someone living in the city, or close to their work and local amenities, a car is a luxury which may not be regularly used. Walking, the local bus, or taxi service, or even a bike may be enough to get them to their place or work.
Never got round to it: In some cases this is the only reason, perhaps lots of friends/family drive, so why bother?
and the benefits???
The biggest issue with the benefits of learning to drive, and owning a car is that none of these benefits are really quantifiable, or are they?
Freedom
Independence
Convenience
These words don't come with a £ sign at the front, whereas £Car Insurance,£Road Tax, £Tyres, £Depreciation all have a serious £ value attached.
However it is important to consider the benefits to you directly, even if you don't own a car, that a license can bring you:
Increased Employability: How jobs are now looking for people who can drive, not as a full time role, but to go between offices, to meetings etc? You might actually be getting paid to sit in a car and drive somewhere! Taking driving lessons, and passing the course also demonstrates your willingness to learn new skills, study a course and take challenging exams! Could this mean a step up the ladder? a promotion? or a new career?
Social Responsibility: For many young people taking driving lessons is their first major step towards becoming an adult, it enables them to demonstrate they are a responsible member of society. For parents, isn't knowing your child has access to safe transport, not waiting on a bus for example, worth more than all the £'s.
Convenience: How much does that bus pass or taxi cost you? How often do you use it? If you had access to transport, would you travel further for your shopping? Would you shop once a fortnight instead of once a week, because you can carry more in your car? Have you ever wanted to go somewhere, but cant, because no one else can give you a lift?
These of course are not the only benefits to having a driving license, remember you will be learning a new skill which will remain with you for life!
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Thursday 5 July 2012
Wednesday 4 July 2012
Rant Number1
These rants are not really rants.
They are all based on real events, and incidents which could escalate and put people at risk. So as well as my own chance to voice the issues which affect many of us daily, I will try and offer advice and support.
Not really a Rant #1
While driving on the dual carriageway, an overtaking vehicle pulls in early and doesn't leave a safe gap between itself and you. This puts both vehicles, and following traffic, at risk if the front vehicle needs to brake suddenly.
This leaves you, in the vehicle behind with an unsafe gap in front.
From a coaching perspective this can be daunting for students, especially first trips on the dual carriageway, although it does provide an excellent example of what not to do!
Remedy: Check your mirrors, ensuring any cars behind you are not too close, and reduce your speed, letting your 2 second rule gap build up, before building your speed back up.
To the driver of the car who pulled in too early: Try spotting the headlights of the vehicle you have overtaken, in your rearview mirror, this should give you a bigger, safer gap before pulling in, and in poor weather conditions leave it even longer before moving back in to increase the gap and keep everyone safer!
They are all based on real events, and incidents which could escalate and put people at risk. So as well as my own chance to voice the issues which affect many of us daily, I will try and offer advice and support.
Not really a Rant #1
While driving on the dual carriageway, an overtaking vehicle pulls in early and doesn't leave a safe gap between itself and you. This puts both vehicles, and following traffic, at risk if the front vehicle needs to brake suddenly.
This leaves you, in the vehicle behind with an unsafe gap in front.
From a coaching perspective this can be daunting for students, especially first trips on the dual carriageway, although it does provide an excellent example of what not to do!
Remedy: Check your mirrors, ensuring any cars behind you are not too close, and reduce your speed, letting your 2 second rule gap build up, before building your speed back up.
To the driver of the car who pulled in too early: Try spotting the headlights of the vehicle you have overtaken, in your rearview mirror, this should give you a bigger, safer gap before pulling in, and in poor weather conditions leave it even longer before moving back in to increase the gap and keep everyone safer!
Monday 2 July 2012
I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who have blogs about driving, particularly instructors. This is one such blog, my opinions are mines alone.
So first things first, a bit of housekeeping and information for you.
My name is Alex Martin and I am a Driving Instructor.
This all began a few years back in the mists of time, when looking for a career with prospects I stumbled onto website which offered to let me be my own boss, set my own hours, work with people, and make enough money to do the things I wanted to do.
So far so good.
A bit of research, a few phone calls and some discussion with family and friends later I decided to take the company up on their generous offer to train me.
This training takes longer than I expected and meant that after a year of theory practice and re-learning how to drive properly(bad habits are easy, getting rid of them is hard!) I still hadn't met a single pupil.
From here I worked with my Trainer to learn how to coach a pupil, bring out their own skills and refine them to make them a safe driver, as well as covering the full syllabus of driving and maneuvers. It was only half way through this that I got myself one of those little cars with the "L" plates and met some real people who wanted to learn, working with them to develop their skills, and working with my Trainer to improve my own.
The next step is the dreaded "Part3" exam of Instructional Ability. This has a horrific first time pass rate of around one in four, and with only three attempts allowed before having to resit the entire course, the pressure is on. Thanks to my Trainer and my Pupils my own skills had developed to a level where I passed on my first attempt.
After a year of training, still working at my previous job, putting in long hours and spending weekends with new pupils rather than going out, I was relieved. I have since come to realise, that is only the beginning!
So first things first, a bit of housekeeping and information for you.
My name is Alex Martin and I am a Driving Instructor.
This all began a few years back in the mists of time, when looking for a career with prospects I stumbled onto website which offered to let me be my own boss, set my own hours, work with people, and make enough money to do the things I wanted to do.
So far so good.
A bit of research, a few phone calls and some discussion with family and friends later I decided to take the company up on their generous offer to train me.
This training takes longer than I expected and meant that after a year of theory practice and re-learning how to drive properly(bad habits are easy, getting rid of them is hard!) I still hadn't met a single pupil.
From here I worked with my Trainer to learn how to coach a pupil, bring out their own skills and refine them to make them a safe driver, as well as covering the full syllabus of driving and maneuvers. It was only half way through this that I got myself one of those little cars with the "L" plates and met some real people who wanted to learn, working with them to develop their skills, and working with my Trainer to improve my own.
The next step is the dreaded "Part3" exam of Instructional Ability. This has a horrific first time pass rate of around one in four, and with only three attempts allowed before having to resit the entire course, the pressure is on. Thanks to my Trainer and my Pupils my own skills had developed to a level where I passed on my first attempt.
After a year of training, still working at my previous job, putting in long hours and spending weekends with new pupils rather than going out, I was relieved. I have since come to realise, that is only the beginning!
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