Driving Tests and Lessons In Snow

Driving Tests and Lessons In Snow:
Originally posted in 2009. Updated for 2013.

Further to my recent post about cancelled lessons due to weather, I noticed on one forum someone getting excited and pontificating about how there is a market for specialised snow lessons.
Let’s have a reality check here.

• Until February 2009, it hadn’t snowed to any appreciable extent in the UK for around 26 years!
• In 20011/12 we had a mild winter with almost no snow.
• When it DOES snow a little it is usually gone inside a week or two.

Admittedly, local councils’ incompetence and desire for bureaucracy (and Nottingham councils are no exception here) means that every time there is any bad weather it is like they have never experienced it before. This makes it seem a lot worse than it really is.
So. Will I be ditching my normal pupils and specialising in snow driving? I don’t think so.
Having a specialised Snow Instructor in the UK (particularly in the Midlands or South East) would be like having a fleet of icebreakers sailing around the Mediterranean: bloody stupid!
I’ll carry on doing things the way I am now. Use whatever weather comes to hand as a teaching opportunity if it is appropriate.
Here are some typical search terms people use to find the blog.
Will my driving lessons be cancelled due to snow?
It depends on how much snow there is, how far advanced you are with your training, and your instructor’s attitude to teaching in snow. There is no rule that says you mustn’t have lessons in snow. In fact, it makes sense to do them so you can get valuable experience. But beginners shouldn’t do it, because it’s just too dangerous.
Also remember that what YOU see as being “advanced”, your instructor might not agree with. It’s his or her decision.
Do driving lessons get cancelled when there is snow?
Yes… but not always – it depends on how much snow and how you are as a driver. Your instructor will decide. You won’t get charged for it – if you do, find another instructor quickly.
Will my driving test be cancelled due to snow?
Quite possibly. And with the amount we’ve had, almost certainly. You need to phone up the test centre on the day using the number on your appointment email confirmation and check. Otherwise, you MUST turn up – even if they cancel it at the last minute. If you don’t, you’ll lose your test fee.
Will snow stop a driving test?
Look, people. For crying out loud. How many more times do you need telling this. YES. Snow can easily stop a test. They tell you that when you book it – it’s on the cover note that that no one bothers to read which goes with the email.
Driving tests cancelled due to snow 2013
It doesn’t matter if it’s 1813, 1913, 2013, or any other date. They will cancel your test if there is snow on the ground and it is icy.
Incidentally, I keep seeing search terms like “cancelled driving test 23rd” from people located in the South East in my stats. PHONE YOUR TEST CENTRE TO FIND OUT IF TESTS ARE CANCELLED – YOU WON’T FIND IT ON THE WEB. Even if you did, you have to let the test centre know you were going to turn up, otherwise you may go down as not turning up instead and then have to argue over your money. Don’t take the chance.

Heavy snowfall hits the Observer area

Heavy snowfall hits the Observer area:
Residents woke to heavy snowfall across the Observer area.

Young female drivers feeling the pinch of gender ruling on car insurance policies

Young female drivers feeling the pinch of gender ruling on car insurance policies:
Filed under: Latest News

PA

The European Court of Justice ruled that the use of gender to price insurance policies was no longer legal as of December 21, 2012.



Since then, MoneySupermarket has analysed 1.3 million car insurance quotes of women aged between 17 and 19 and have uncovered that young women are experiencing an inflation of 22.1% on their car insurance premiums - or a hike of £231 on average.

In an unusual turn of events, male drivers in the same age group have seen an 11.2% fall in premiums, or £184 on average - but still typically pay more than females of the same age.



Despite the tough times for young female drivers, analysis by MoneySupermarket reveals that insurance premiums continue to fall despite implementation of the new rules and regulations.



Female drivers overall are now paying 1.9 per cent less for car insurance than at the beginning of December, with average premiums now £416. Male premiums are also falling with the average overall premiums of £490, a decrease of 7.2 per cent since December 2012.



Peter Harrison, insurance expert at MoneySupermarket said, "The introduction of the gender rules was always going to cause concern as the impact on premiums, in particular, female premiums was always an unknown."



"However, the UK car insurance market is one of the most sophisticated in the world, with insurers using other factors other than gender to calculate premiums. In addition, it appears that the competitive nature of insurance is helping keep premiums down," said Harrison.



Are you a young, female driver on the receiving end of an insurance price hike? Remember, you have every right as a consumer to refuse the renewal quote price. It pays to shop around in order to find the best deal out there.

Prove your driving prowess with new app from the AA

Prove your driving prowess with new app from the AA:

Vauxhall

AA Insurance has released an app that could signal the end to the age-old dispute about whether men or women are the better drivers.



AA Drivescore uses GPS technology already in the iPhone and iPad (Android version to follow soon) to determine whether the driver's speed, braking and anticipation are safe and suitable for the roads being driven on. The app then scores the driver out of 100 as the journey progresses- after 200 miles they are presented with an overall analysis of their safe driving abilities.

The app is based on the AA's Drivesafe telematic system that sees a small "black box" fitted to the car of new or "just-passed" drivers. The system aims to reduce insurance premiums by giving feedback to the insurance company on not only the driver's ability to pilot the car safely and sensibly but also the type of roads travelled on and the time of day (factors that can easily increase or decrease the cost of an insurance policy).



Simon Douglas, director of AA Insurance, points out, "Car insurance premiums for young drivers are higher than ever - especially for young women who have seen a sudden hike in premiums thanks to the European Court of Justice Gender ruling, which came into effect on 21 December.



"AA Drivescore will establish a user's driving style after just 200 miles, providing them with hard data that would indicate the discounts they could expect if they go on to buy an AA Drivesafe telematic policy."



The app is free to download from iTunes now

Government tightens non-EU driving licence exchange - Fleet Directory

Government tightens non-EU driving licence exchange - Fleet Directory:

Government tightens non-EU driving licence exchange Fleet Directory Stephen Hammond said: “The UK's roads are amongst the safest in the world, thanks in part to the rigorous standards demanded by our driving test. By closing this loophole we will not only make Britain's roads even safer, but will help tackle fraud and ... New curbs on foreign licencesTelegraph.co.uk all 2 news articles »

Warning of driving licence fines

Warning of driving licence fines: Many drivers are facing a fine of £1,000 for failing to update their photo-card driving licences, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency warns.

Middle aged drivers most likely to speed

Middle aged drivers most likely to speed:
Filed under: Latest News

Julian Stratenschulte

Middle-aged drivers are most likely to have speeding fines according to an insurance survey, which also shows surgeons, company directors and barristers are heavy-footed behind the wheel.

A survey of more than 14m insurance quotes on Moneysupermarket.com showed that both men and women aged 40-49 had the highest conviction rate with 8.6 per cent and 11.4 per cent respectively. This was closely followed by those in their thirties, and then those aged between 50 and 64 years old.

Younger drivers are least likely to have a conviction for speeding, as male and female drivers aged 20-24 years old have a conviction rate of 7.2 per cent and 4.4 per cent respectively.

Barristers, company directors and surgeons are some of the professions most likely to be caught speeding, while cafe workers, building society clerks and students fall at the other end of the spectrum, and are unlikely to have penalty points for driving too fast.

The research also shows the cars that motorists are most likely to be speeding in - unsurprisingly, Porsche drivers top the list, followed by Aston Martin, Jaguar and Bentley. In contrast, lightly-footed drivers might own cars made by Daewoo, Fiat and Suzuki.

Moneysupermarket.com car insurance expert Kevin Pratt said: "The nation's drivers are living up to stereotype. Our data shows that professionals in high paid jobs driving fast powerful cars are more likely to be caught speeding than the average family car, or a car with a smaller engine. The temptation to speed is too much for some to resist."

Thousands of drivers banned for poor eyesight - AutoExpress

Thousands of drivers banned for poor eyesight - AutoExpress:

AutoExpress

Thousands of drivers banned for poor eyesight AutoExpress Under DfT rules, drivers must be able to read a car number plate from 20 metres in order to pass a driving test. But once a driver has passed their test, there are no further compulsory eyesight tests. Instead, drivers assess themselves when renewing ...

Know Your Left And Right

Know Your Left And Right:
I heard someone recently criticising their pupils’ education because they sometimes got their lefts and rights mixed up.

I encounter left-right confusion frequently when I’m teaching, but never – for even a moment – have I attributed it to the standard of someone’s education. In fact, it is a known – but not completely understood – scientific phenomenon (it’s also one of the symptoms of dyslexia).

Kids are taught their lefts and rights from the earliest age, and when they turn 17 – unless they’re dyslexic and this is one of their symptoms – they know exactly where left and right are.
Indeed, when I was a child I had no problem at all with telling left from right, or in being able to identify one or the other instantly, and I don’t have a problem now. But for about 4 or 5 years in my late teens and early 20s I went through a phase where I often had to think hard about which was which when challenged to do so for some reason. As a typical teenager, it really had me worried because I knew there was an issue where there wasn’t one before. But it disappeared as suddenly as I’d noticed it appear. In later years I have always attributed it to the changes that occur as people mature physically. I am not dyslexic in any way, either.
The problem, as distinct from dyslexia, apparently affects around 20-25% of the population. Even if you leave out my own theory of it affecting young people more than older ones, that still means a quarter of your pupils are likely to encounter difficulties.
It can be a particular problem on driving lessons and driving tests. Why? Well, if someone is just driving to Tesco or to see their gran, they usually know where they’re going and don’t need to think about right or left – it’s just “this way” or “that way”. But on lessons and tests directional instructions are given, and the driver then has to translate “left” or “right” into real actions. That’s when the left-right confusion kicks in.
The one thing to remember is that no matter how badly someone is affected by this left-right confusion, it is not terminal as far as learning to drive is concerned.
There are all kinds of things the instructor can do or advise to try and help them. Here are just a few:

• When you hold your left thumb and forefinger out straight, they make an ‘L’ shape
• Draw a big dot on the left hand remember that that’s LEFT
• Actually write ‘L’ and ‘R’ on your hands
• Put ‘L’ and ‘R’ stickers on the dashboard
• The ADI can use gestures as well as the words ‘left’ and ‘right’ when giving directions
• The examiner can do this, too, so ask them to use a hand gesture if you think it will help on your test
• Stay calm and take your time when making decisions

Some of those are also advised by the British Dyslexia Association.
But one thing you should never do is assume that the person in question is somehow lacking or deficient – educationally or any other way.

Motorway Driving Tips - motoring.co.uk

Motorway Driving Tips - motoring.co.uk:

motoring.co.uk

Motorway Driving Tips motoring.co.uk The Institute of Advanced Motorists has revealed potentially life saving tips for driving on the motorway in the dark. This, I suspect, is for two reasons. Firstly, motorists tend to have no more than eight hours of daylight in the winter months. As ...