msagb.com
Newslink
The Voice of MSA GB
Issue 336 • January 2021
We work for all Driver Trainers. Want to join? See pg 39 for a special introductory offer
For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
A click of the calendar page isn’t
the end of the Covid chaos
Colin Lilly
Editor, Newslink
Well, here we are in 2021. Up to now it
does not feel a great deal different to the
end of 2020, does it. At least this year
we are starting from a low point so
things should improve.
I sense that some people thought that
a change of year and the release of the
vaccine meant all our problems were
over. I am afraid that is not so. We still
have to be influenced by that element of
society who feel the advice about
lockdowns and restrictions is only there
for people who feel like complying.
Our granddaughter works in a
department store in Bristol, currently tier
3. She spent much of December serving
people who, judging by their accents,
come from surrounding areas that were
in higher tiers. Naturally, she was quite
anxious about the situation. I accept that
given the motorway network in the area
it is difficult to police this behaviour. It
does, however, speak volumes about the
individuals who are willing to spread the
virus contemptuously.
With the tier changes it has been
feeling like a game of business Snakes
and Ladders. In North Somerset we went
from lockdown to tier 3, then to tier 2 for
a week and then back up to tier 3. This
may not have affected driver training but
has had a very severe effect on the
hospitality trade which, in turn, affects
our client base.
I was talking to a trainer in another
sector of teaching a skill to late teens.
They commented that the current batch
of 17-year olds do not seem as prepared
for adulthood as their predecessors. Their
interpretation was that this year group
has missed out on their ‘coming of age’.
Less time in school, no exams to prove
themselves, no standard process of
leaving school including the much-loved
prom. This year is shaping up to be a
similar outcome. Once again, a case of
children suffering for the actions of adults.
During the pandemic income has been
hit and many people have been reducing
their outgoings and cancelling subscriptions
and other regular expenses.
Some expenses are unavoidable: car
payments, insurance, rent or mortgage. I
would also add your MSA GB
membership to that list. Why?
Information. Throughout this pandemic
there have been steps in and out of
lockdown with different rules for each of
the four countries all being dealt with in
a different way. Amid this potential
confusion members were seeking
clarification on conducting driving
lessons, the legal position and DVSA
availability to conduct driving tests.
Throughout 2020 the value of
membership was highlighted by the
sheer volume of members contacting
MSA GB Head Office to seek clarification
on the rules. We tried to keep members
up to date through e-mail notifications,
updates on www.msagb.com and the
News Bulletin and, latterly, Newslink.
Representation: An important issue
during 2020 was the use of driving test
centre waiting rooms by ADIs. MSA GB,
along with other members of NASP, was
able to encourage DVSA to take some
action on this matter.
As a result, access has been granted to
many more waiting rooms than would
otherwise have been allowed; the quest
goes on to convince DVSA to open as
many more as is possible as soon as is
possible.
Other benefits: There are a host of
specific benefits for members that have
been important during the current
pandemic, but many more are available
to members at www.msagb.com. Just
visit the website, click on the Member
Discounts logo, and see what savings
you can make on supplies and services.
A primary benefit is the Professional
Indemnity and Public Liability cover,
which is included in every membership.
The highest successful claim we have
been aware of left the instructor with a
bill of half a million pounds (details
available). They were not an MSA GB
member; if they had been, they would
have been covered.
So, for the above reasons your MSA
GB membership should be there as
essential to your business.
This year, more than any other, I wish
you a safe New Year in the hope that we
will approach 2022 in a much better
position than we currently find ourselves.
Welcome to your
digital, interactive
Newslink
See a pale blue box in any article
or on an advert? It it contains a
web address or email, it’s
interactive. Just click and it will
take you to the appropriate web
page or email so you can find
more details easier.
You’ll also find these panels across
the magazine: just click for more
information on any given subject.
To get the
full story,
click here
How to access this
magazine
You can read Newslink in three
ways:
Go online and read the interactive
magazine on the Yumpu website;
or, if you would like to read it
when you don’t have a mobile
signal or WiFi, you can download
the magazine to your tablet, PC or
phone to read at your leisure.
Alternatively, a pdf can be found
on the MSA GB website,
at www.msagb.com
Follow the
link MSA
GB sends
you to
access
Newslink,
and then
just click
Download
to save a
copy on
your device
COVER STORY
Lockdowns are back:
See pg 8 for help and
advice as the driver
training and testing
sector closes
down again.
www.msagb.com
03
Inside this issue
18
08
20
News
More tough challenges
Peter Harvey mbe offers his thoughts on
what could be a challenging year – pg 6
New restrictions and
regulations for Covid-19
Latest news on the rules regarding
L-tests and driving lessons – pg 8
Fund set up for
hard-pressed ADIs
Can you help ADIs who have fallen on
hard times? – pg 10
Newslink
The Voice of MSA GB
Devon tops the table for horse
related road incidents
Big rise in equine fatalities is causing
concern – pg 12
More test centre confusion
DVSA policy towards driving test centres
is a case of one step forward, two steps
back, says Rod Came – pg 14
Setting up your sat-nav
Make it easier on test by matching the
examiners’ settings – pg 16
L-test failures
Same as they ever were, it apears, as
pass rates refuse to budge from the
mid-40s – pg 17
36
The Motor Schools Association
of Great Britain Ltd
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E: info@msagb.com
Newslink is published monthly on behalf of the MSA
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recently qualified ADIs throughout Great Britain by:
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Views expressed in Newslink are not necessarily
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Although every effort is
made to ensure the
accuracy of material
contained within this
publication, neither MSA
GB nor the publishers can
accept any responsibility
for the veracity of claims
made by contributors in
either advertising or
editorial content.
©2021 The Motor Schools
Association of Great
Britain Ltd. Reprinting in
whole or part is forbidden
without express
permission of the editor.
For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
26
Features
It’s time to re-evaluate the L-test
ADI Simon Elstow opens a two-part look at
the current state of the L-test and asks if it is
fit for purpose as we hit 2021– pg 18
Hesitancy and not making progress
Steve Garrod looks at the differences between
two similar sounding problems – pg 20
Look at the eyes
A rise in traffic incidents in which poor
quality light has played a part, has set Mike
Yeomans on a hunt for the facts – pg 22
Keep in
touch 1
Keep in touch:
Just click on the icon
to go through to the
relevant site
28
If you have updated your
address, telephone
numbers or changed your email
address recently, please let us
know at head office by emailing
us with your new details and
membership number to
info@msagb.com.
If you can’t find your
membership number, give us a
ring on 01625 664501.
2
Regional
The problem with rural roads
London – pg 28
Western – pg 29
Signs of the times...
West Midlands – pg 30
North West – pg 31
Fingers crossed we’ll get going again
Scotland – pg 32
East Midlands – pg 33
‘I love getting an ADI over the line’
North East member Graham Kent is this month’s ADI
under the spotlight – page 36
Goodbye to all that
MSA officials offer their thoughts on 2020
and hopes for 2021 in a three-page review
of the worst year in living memory– pg 24
Follow MSA GB on social media
16
Keep in
contact with
the MSA
MSA GB area contacts are
here to answer your
queries and offer any
assistance you need.
Get in touch if you have
any opinions on how MSA
GB is run, or wish to
comment on any issue
affecting the driver
training and testing
regime.
n National Chairman:
Peter Harvey MBE
natchair@msagb.com
n Deputy National
Chairman: Geoff Little
deptnatchair@msagb.com
n Scotland:
Alex Buist
chair.os@msagb.com
n North East:
Mike Yeomans
chair.ne@msagb.com
n North West:
Graham Clayton
chair.nw@msagb.com
n East Midlands:
Kate Fennelly
chair.em@msagb.com
n West Midlands:
Geoff Little
chair.wm@msagb.com
n Western:
Arthur Mynott
chair.ow@msagb.com
n Eastern:
Paul Harmes
chair.oe@msagb.com
n Greater London:
Tom Kwok
chair.gl@msagb.com
n South East:
Terry Cummins
chair.se@msagb.com
n South Wales:
All enquiries to
info@msagb.com
n Newslink:
All enquiries to
editor@msagb.com or
rob@chambermedia
services.co.uk
News
Examiner advice
for L-tests
The DVSA has shared with NASP the
latest advice to examiners. The
information contained here will help you
prepare your pupils for their tests – when
we get back to them!
Vehicle ventilation
n The car must have the windows open
throughout the test. Candidates are advised
to wear clothing suitable for the weather.
n At least two windows on opposite
sides of the car must be open throughout
the test. Any combination of windows
can be opened, for example, one from
the front and back.
n In bad weather, you do not need to
open the windows so far that it makes
the inside of your car overly wet.
Vehicle cleanliness
You must clean the inside of your car
before your test. This means:
n tidying any unnecessary items away
from the dashboard, footwells, door
pockets, cup holders and seats.
n wiping down the dashboard and car
controls and touchpoints such as door
handles and seat belt controls
The examiner will do an additional clean
of some surfaces.
Completing insurance and residency
declaration
n Pupils will be able to fill out an
insurance and residency declaration and
have their licence checked inside the car
in bad weather.
n Please tell your pupils to bring a pen
with them to complete the paperwork.
Examiners will only offer a pen if they do
not have one, which will be wiped with
an anti-viral wipe on return.
For more information:
NASP has all the latest and
updated guidance here
(click button right)
On theory tests
(click button right)
More tough challenges ahead
but by working together,
we can get through this
Peter Harvey mbe
National Chairman
MSA GB
May I start by wishing you all a very
Happy New Year and hoping it brings
good health to you and your families.
I hope you all had an enjoyable
Christmas and New Year; the
celebrations were probably not what
you are used to, I’m sure.
Hopefully this year will see us getting
on top of this virus and all of us learning
to cope with it much better.
January 1st saw MSA GB taking over
the chairmanship of NASP; I’m sure
that will bring its challenges, however
we as a group will work together to
influence DVSA, DfT and other groups
on your behalf and bring you the most
up to date information as and when it
becomes available.
Looking ahead to this year, we had
planned for our annual national event to
take place on March 21st at Gaydon
Motor Museum; we hoped it would be
our first face-to-face event for a very
long time. However, looking at the news
it looks unlikely the UK will be back on
its feet by then, but we are planning to
host it as an online event as we try and
get some normality back into our lines.
What’s the
latest on
Covid-19
restrictions?
The event will be held on an
interactive platform and will include a
couple of topical speakers and our ever
popular awards ceremony.
We will publicise details in our
February issue of Newslink and through
our regular emails, including details of
how you can sign up to the event.
For the time being save the date in
your diaries:
SATURDAY, MARCH 21st, from 2pm.
If you have not done so recently, I’d
urge you to go and have a look at the
Members Discount page on the website.
We have recently added a new
discount, from Ford, which is offering
substantial exclusive discounts to MSA
GB members.
I would just like to conclude with
thanking all our members for your
loyalty during 2020. We know times
have been hard for everyone, after what
has been an unprecedented year for us
all. The many messages we receive
from you really are appreciated. Let’s
hope this phase of lockdowns in various
formats are brought to a close fairly
soon; we can, I’m sure, all help end the
grip of this virus by following the
relevant Government guidance.
By working together we can get
through this and find some normality,
whatever that may look like.
Stay safe, and all the best to you all
for 2021.
L- tests
(click button right)
06
Instructor guidance
(click button right)
The latest advice and guidance on Covid-19 tiers can be be found at
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/full-list-of-local-restriction-tiers-by-area
https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-protection-levels
https://gov.wales/covid-19-alert-levels
NEWSLINK n JANUARY 2021
News
ADIs hit hard again as new lockdowns
suspend driver testing and training
As all MSA GB members will be aware,
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, along with
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in
Scotland, instigated a raft of new
restrictions on Monday. They effectively
mean all driver testing and training
activity in mainland Great Britain will be
suspended throughout January, with little
hope that any in-car tuition or tests will
be conducted until mid-February at the
earliest.
The decision was taken, Boris Johnson
said, with a heavy heart, but with
soaring new cases, pressure on the NHS
worse than in March and April 2020 and
deaths rising, he felt he had little choice
but to call for a second lockdown in
England. Nicola Sturgeon’s interpretation
of the data for Scotland led to her
arriving at the same conclusion.
Wales is currently in the middle of its
own lockdown which began before
Christmas, and this has forced the
suspension of driver testing and training,
too. While the regulations are due to be
revised on Friday (January 8), this
position is unlikely to change. The same
is true for Northern Ireland, where all
testing and teaching is suspended as part
of its own running six-week lockdown.
Peter Harvey, MSA GB National
Chairman, said the news was not
unexpected, but would still be difficult
for instructors to handle for all that it was
predictable. “We have all seen the figures
showing cases rising over the past few
weeks, and it was inevitable that
stronger action would be needed,” Peter
said. “To that extent MSA GB supports
this suspension of driver testing and
training.
“However, it will be a devastating blow
to many instructors who are worried
about paying their bills over the next few
weeks if they cannot work. I hope all the
franchises will be reasonable about fees,
and instructors can be given time for this
lockdown to finish and get back on their
feet.”
However, he stressed that “despite the
financial worries this lockdown will
cause, it’s imperative we all follow the
new rules. We all are really in this
together, and if we can get through to
spring I hope we can say the worst of the
virus will be behind us.”
He reminded all instructors to take
advantage of the Government support
schemes that are available, and said
MSA GB was standing by to offer any
assistance it could to help members who
are struggling. “We are a member
association, run by members, for
members. Remember that. We are ready
to help in any way we can. See pg 5 for
our contact numbers.”
• See also a new scheme set up to
help ADIs, on pg 10
Theory tests: Pearson Vue has taken
the decision to close its call centres after
it was proving impossible for staff to
handle the volume of calls and signpost
candidates to available testing slots. In a
statement Peasron Vue said: “All
enquiries will need to be made by email
until restrictions are lifted.
“Please email customercare@pearson.
com.”
It stressed that ADIs or candidates
“must not call the DVSA’s contact centre
as they will be unable to help with theory
test enquiries.”
If you do need to contact Pearson Vue,
the exam body has asked that any urgent
enquiries about a test in the near future
are marked ‘Urgent Action’ in the email
subject.
CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST POSITION ON RIDER AND DRIVER TESTING AND TRAINING
Standard Operating Procedures...
the latest guidance
The latest rules and guidance for driving instructors is changing all the time. Make
sure you know the latest rules affecting you, wherever you are in Great Britain.
Even if you checked them recently THEY MAY HAVE CHANGED, so check them
again. Click on the appropriate link below for more details
Driving Test SOP
Driving test
SOP
Vocational Test SOP
Vocational
test SOP
Motorcycle Test SOP
Motorcycle
test SOP
ADI Part 2 Test
ADI Part
2 Test
ADI Part 3 Tests and
Standard Checks
Part 3s,
Standard
Checks
08
NEWSLINK n JANUARY 2021
For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
Somewhere to sit while you
wait for tests to resume?
There are now approaching 200 driving
test centres where the waiting room has
been re-opened by the DVSA.
Unfortunately, of course, testing has
been suspended ... but it is hoped that
when testing does re-start, the DVSA
will keep the waiting rooms open...
fingers crossed.
To see the full list of which waiting
rooms are open, click here
To get the
full story,
click here
What are the rules for using waiting rooms?
Pupils are not allowed in test centre waiting rooms. However, they may still use
the toilet where provided and the examiner will still meet you and your pupil at
the vehicle.
If your local test centre is in the latest roll-out you will receive an email from
the DVSA to explain the measures that have been put in place to help keep
everyone waiting at the site safe.
These measures will include:
• wearing face covering at all times inside the waiting room
• recording a visit by scan the QR code and ‘check in’ or recording it on a paper
log
• asking visitors to wipe down touch points when they enter the waiting room
and before they leave
Your safety and that of candidates and staff is a priority and the DVSA is
working to safely open up other waiting rooms around the country. You can
provide feedback on the Covid-secure procedures in waiting rooms at
waitingroom.feedback@dvsa.gov.uk.
Wear a face covering in Scotland
In Scotland, ADIs and pupils must wear face coverings during driving lessons
and practice sessions. If you do not wear a face covering, you must have a good
reason, eg:
• you have a physical or mental illness, impairment or disability
• wearing it would cause you severe distress
• you and the person you’re teaching live in the same household
Wearing glasses does not count as a good reason. You can be fined £60 if you
do not wear a face covering.
Advice for motorcycle trainers can be found at
https://mcia.co.uk/en/mcia-ride/information-for-atbs-and-post-test-instructors
What help is
available?
Many ADIs will be very concerned by
the latest news, and worried if they
will be able to cope financially with
the latest lockdown – particularly if it
goes on for a long time, as the first
one did. Remember, that there is
help available, from both the
Government and MSA GB. We have
highlighetd some of the support
mechanisms open to you below.
If you cannot pay your
tax bill on time
Contact HM Revenue and Customs
(HMRC) as soon as possible if you are
struggling to make payments.
If you did not make a Self Assessment
payment on account due in July
2020, your payment deadline will
have been delayed (deferred) until 31
January 2021. You do not have to
contact HMRC and will not have to
pay a penalty.
Contact the HMRC helpline if you
cannot pay any other tax bills because
of coronavirus.
To get the
full story,
click here
If you’re self-employed
If your business has been affected by
Covid-19, you may be able to claim a
grant through the Self-Employment
Income Support Scheme.
To get the
full story,
click here
You can set up a payment plan to
spread the cost of your latest Self
Assessment bill if:
• you owe £30,000 or less
• you do not have any other
payment plans or debts with HMRC
• your tax returns are up to date
• it’s less than 60 days after the
payment deadline
You do not need to contact HMRC if
you set up a payment plan online.
Call the Self Assessment helpline if
you’re not eligible for a payment
plan or cannot use the online
service, via 0300 200 3822
Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm.
To get the
full story,
click here
www.msagb.com
09
News
Can you help? New fund set up
to help hard-pressed ADIs
2020 was a hard year for everyone, but
our industry was particularly hard hit.
Most driving instructors are selfemployed
and have been unable to
work during the various lockdowns and
more restrictive Tiers in operation.
Although the Self-employed Income
Support Scheme has provided an
income for some, there are a number
who have been unable to access funds
under the scheme. This group includes,
but is not limited to, those who have
not been self-employed long enough or
have earned enough prior to the start of
the 2020-21 tax year. This has left a
lot of people wondering how they will
survive this current pandemic and its
related challenges.
Bobbie Hicks and Susan McDonald
are two well established ADIs who
have set about organising a fund to
help ADIs and PDIs who are struggling
financially.
The ADI Fund: How it will work
Bobbie and Susan say: “As driving
instructors ourselves, we want to help
others who are struggling financially,
even if it is only with small amounts. In
these trying times everybody needs a
little help and if the Government cannot
help us all, then the least we, as driving
instructors, can do is help each other
and share what little we do have.
By doing so we also show those less
fortunate than ourselves that we care
about the predicament they are in.
We are asking driving instructors and
driving schools if they could make a
small donation – as little as £1 if you
want, but more if possible – to a fund
that will help instructors who will not
receive Government assistance through
the usual channels set up to respond to
the Covid-19 pandemic.
We know it is hard for everybody at
the moment, but with around 39,000
ADIs on the register, if everyone was
able to donate £1 to this fund it would
show that while we may work alone
and vie for the same customers, we
don’t have to be alone when we need
help.”
Who will decide if a grant
is to be made to an ADI?
Grants will be considered by a panel
drawn from members of the leading
‘‘
As driving instructors ourselves,
we want to help others who are
struggling financially ...
everybody needs a little help
and if the Government cannot
help us all, then the least we, as
driving instructors, can do is
help each other and share what
little we do have...
‘‘
national associations. The panel will be
unaware of the identity of the applicant,
who will have had to provide supporting
evidence of their need when making an
application. Small grants will be made and
will be on a one-off basis only.
We will have an independent person,
not an ADI, to monitor and audit our
income and expenditure and bank
account.
No expenses will be taken by us or by
the panel; all monies received will be for
the fund to help ADIs and PDIs, other
than any bank charges that may be
incurred. Payments will be made via bank
transfer into the recipients’ bank accounts.
Selfemployed
support
Ongoing plans
Although this fund has been set up as a
result of Covid-19, and to help people
through the current situation, it is hoped
that if funds can be secured on an ongoing
basis this project can continue to help
those in our industry who need it in the
future.
Thanks must go to everyone who has
donated so far and made the fund such a
success to date.
The link to the fund is:
https://campaign.wellinformed.
co.uk/t/r-l-juhhtrkk-l-u/
The link to the rules is at:
https://campaign.wellinformed.
co.uk/t/r-l-judittyd-oitiyhtlki-u/
By going to the link you can see the
amount that has been raised so far.
Everyone who has been working on this
fund for the industry is extremely grateful
to the people who have donated. These
include Marmalade Insurance, which has
donated £2,500 at the beginning and has
promised to donate another £7,500 if the
fund can reach £12,500.
This would make an amazing
achievement of £20,000 as a starting
point. All the organisers would be grateful
for any small donations to help our
colleagues.
The Government’s Self-Employed Income Support scheme
MSA GB members are encouraged to check out the latest on the support packages
available from the Government, through the Gov.uk website.
Click here for the latest
on the support for the
self-employed...
... and on the
Bounce Back
loans here...
Bounce
back
loans
10
NEWSLINK n JANUARY 2021
For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
Saudi Arabia on the hunt for new instructor
trainers in bid to raise standards
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is on
the look-out for high quality ADIs to lead
an instructor training programme as part
of a long-term collaboration with the
European Driving Instructors Association
(EFA).
For this purpose, KSA wants to recruit
female and male driving instructors with
at least five years’ experience. We offer a
challenging and independent position
within a young and growing organisation
with a pleasant working atmosphere and
good working conditions.
Are we looking for you?
Task: Train trainers (lectures and
practical)
The requested qualifications are as
follow:
• English speaking and preferably
Arabic
• Skilled in running lectures
• Skilled in basic IT and management
of PowerPoint, Word, and online
programmes
• Skilled in teaching methods
• Flexible personality with an open
mind
• Willing to work abroad for a lengthy
period
• Minimum five years’ experience as a
driving instructor/trainer
• Minimum three years’ experience as
an ADI trainer
• Maximum age 55
• Appropriate Health condition
The position offers:
• US $4,500 per month based on five
days a week and eight hours per day
• All travel expenses, including visa,
will be reimbursed
• Accommodation including food is
provided by us
• The insurance and transport will be
arranged by us
• Project is for a minimum of three
consecutive months
• A KSA visa allows you to stay in
Saudi for a maximum of three
consecutive months
• The target is for you to spend as
much time as possible in Saudi for the
next three years.
If you are interested in this special
challenge, please send your CV, a copy
of your passport and your reasons for
applying to: info@efa-eu.com
www.msagb.com
11
News
Equine fatalities on the rise as
drivers struggle to handle horses
Colin Lilly
Editor, MSA Newslink
Following a presentation at the MSA GB
National Training Day at Nottingham in
2019 by Alan Hiscox, director of Safety
at the British Horse Society (BHS), there
have been a number of follow-up stories
in Newslink on the particular challenge
presented by horses on the roads.
In November 2020, in conjunction with
the Brake Road Safety Week, the BHS
published the statistics for 2019-20 of
traffic incidents involving horses and
other road users. That year saw 1,037
incidents involving horse and other road
users, an increase of 23 per cent on the
previous year. Sadly these resulted in the
deaths of 80 horses and one person,
with a further 136 horses injured along
with 135 people.
Further analysis revealed that:
n 40 per cent of the incidents involved
a vehicle travelling too fast.
n 81 per cent involved a vehicle
travelling too close.
n 43 per cent riders reported road rage
and abuse.
Looking at these figures the survey
showed that 203 incidents were in the
south west. More than half, 104, were in
Devon, and they involved one rider and
33 horse fatalities.
These figures are particularly worrying
in a county like Devon which is
principally a rural county with active
farms, stables and riders; it is a county
where animals should be anticipated as
part of the environment.
Nationally, a number of incidents
involved semi-feral ponies such as those
found on Dartmoor, Exmoor and in the
New Forest. These covered 127 of the
incidents – well over 10 per cent. It is
worth noting that two of the named
national parks are in Devon.
In December four ponies were killed in
a collision in the New Forest on Roger
Penny Way, a road with a history for
such collisions. It is thought that the
ponies had wandered on to the 40mph
road to lick salt from the freshly gritted
road. The vehicle involved, a Land Rover
Discovery, was severely damaged.
Earlier in the month three donkeys had
been killed on the same stretch of road
which is known locally as a blackspot for
similar incidents.
The New Forest is the largest remaining
area of land where ‘commoners’ can
allow their animals to roam freely on the
heathland; this includes cattle, ponies
and donkeys.
The New Forest National Park
Authority (NNPA) reported that in 2019,
58 animals were killed and 32 injured; it
added that as the animals roam
throughout the area 24 hours a day,
motorists should anticipate their
presence.
But do drivers take the issue seriously?
Earlier this year Warwickshire Police held
a campaign highlighting riders being two
abreast. Many drivers claim this is not
allowed, despite the Highway Code
suggesting that this is sensible if one
horse/rider is accompanying a young or
inexperienced horse or rider.
There has been talk recently about the
need to train drivers on rural roads where
possible. Even if this cannot be factored
into your training plans because of
distance, discussions with your pupils
about some of the potential hazards
peculiar to a rural environment should be
an absolute must.
ADIs asked to shape the future of autonomous cars
A major new survey has been launched
to assess how motorists will accept and
use connected, co-operative and
autonomous and automated transport in
the future.
IAM RoadSmart is part of this
EU-funded research project, which is
called Drive2theFuture. The outcome of
the survey will also assist the developers
of these technologies to understand and
meet users’ needs and wants.
Driver trainers’ views are very
important to this project, and IAM
RoadSmart has asked MSA GB
members to complete a short online
survey which will allow the consortium
to consider their views going
forward. The survey is being circulated
to driver trainers and driving schools
across Europe.
More about Drive2 the Future ....
Drive2the
Future
To take part in survey, click here
Drive2 the
Future
Survey
12
NEWSLINK n JANUARY 2021
Comment
Test centres: it’s a case of one step
forward, two steps back
Rod Came
MSA South East
DVSA has invented the wheel. Not that
wobbly, out of balance, circular, spoked
thing that you used to have on the front
of your bicycle. Oh no, this time it is the
fully fledged gold plated alloy example. It
was many years ago ... sorry, I will come
back to that later.
Gareth Llewellyn, the Chief Executive
of that august body the DVSA of whom
we have all heard, appeared before the
MPs of the Transport Select Committee
and said, probably with a straight face,
that “We haven’t had a fee increase for
10 years... ” which is true. He then went
on that with increasing costs there is
only so much that can be done. Which is
also true.
I was not at the meeting and did not
Zoom in on it so I cannot be sure of what
was said, but I wonder if he mentioned
that about a decade before the DSA (as it
was then called) launched head first into
providing 66 super test centres so that
motorcycle candidates could be tested on
site for their ability to stop as in an
emergency from 31 mph.
Apparently, the EU would not accept
30 mph on a public road as being
realistic enough.
This little shenanigans cost a fortune
and probably locked DVSA into leases as
long as your arm which still have to be
paid for.
Where was I? Oh yes, the wheel. It
was many years ago, when the Earth
was flat and all the trees were little, that
DSA had a nice driving test centre in
Crawley, West Sussex. The examiners
lived on the first floor and their visitors
sat in a comfortable room on the ground
floor, expectantly waiting for them.
Outside there was an asphalt car park
with a pretty blue painted low steel fence
around it, and an area of grass with
some little trees on it. Perfect.
One day, without let or hindrance,
some ‘gentlemen’ of the road and their
‘ladies’ accompanied by some smaller
examples of themselves, thought that the
car park looked inviting and decided to
set up home within its precincts.
Of course, this meant that there was
not quite enough room for driver trainers
to park their cars alongside the Transit
pickups and twin-axle caravans,
especially as the ADIs rather liked their
cars to have shiny paint and remain the
same shape as when they left the
factory, so an executive decision was
made for the DSA to debunk to a suitable
location.
The George Hotel, High Street, Crawley
became the DSA Driving Test Centre for a
time. Well, not all of it, but with the use
of the car park and a comfortable lounge
area it became a home from home for
examiners and ADIs alike.
It has apparently now occurred to
DVSA that premises other than their very
expensive super test centres could be
used for driving tests. Sports centres,
supermarkets, maybe even village halls
could be requisitioned by the DVSA in
order that they can meet and greet their
candidates in the car park, thereby
making it more convenient for them, the
candidates that is. Really?
Huw Merriman, one of my local MPs
and who chairs the Transport Select
Committee, displayed his understanding
of how ADIs work when he expressed the
thought that this would be a ‘positive’
move, in that the DVSA could save
money and that the ADI, who has lost
his car for an hour, would have a better
Cheadle Fire Station,
Stockport. As cosy a
driving test centre as
you’ll ever find...
environment to spend his time in. That
was a quote from him.
But some questions remain.
1. How will this save the DVSA
money? I imagine that they will have to
pay for the use of the facilities. Perhaps
they are going to close more test centres.
2. The owners of car parks endeavour
to keep ADIs and their pupils out of their
premises, not invite them in. Maybe
money will talk.
3. Business premises have car parks
for their customers, not driving test
candidates.
4. ADIs should be in the back of their
cars on test where they can learn a lot,
trust me. But the DVSA has done an
aboutface on this for now.
5. “I would like you to reverse into that
space and stop before you hit my Range
Rover behind you.”
6. “Do I really have to use the same
toilet as the public?”
7. “Have you got a test today, dear?
Oh good, here’s the shopping list”. No!
No! No!
The wheel has gone round but lost all
of its golden gloss on the journey. The
DVSA is suggesting a square wheel for a
round hole to solve a problem of their
own making.
As always – one step forward, two
steps back.
14
NEWSLINK n JANUARY 2021
For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
Maximise your income with minimum effort
As driving instructors, your opinion
around all things car-focused is often
sought after and well respected by your
pupils, and insurance is just one area
they may have no idea where to start
and so turn to you for advice.
To assist with this, Marmalade has
designed an informational booklet to
encourage wider thinking and discussion,
and if the young person goes on to
choose Marmalade to buy from, there’s a
commision bonus for the driving instructor.
Marmalade has a suite of products for
young people to choose from, from
learner driver insurance – a ‘bolt on’
policy to the main driver’s insurance – to
products that convert from learner to
post-test with no increase in price on
passing.
For more details visit
https://www.wearemarmalade.co.uk.
Excitingly, Marmalade’s latest product
to market is Pay as You Go insurance.
Young people aged 17 to 27 who’ve
passed their test are able to get
insurance on demand on a parents’ car,
paying only for the miles they need.
Safer, Fairer, Simpler.
Young driver safety is at the heart of
everything Marmalade does, and in the
knowledge that a new car is a safer car,
Marmalade’s Cars for Young Drivers
scheme enables young people to buy a
brand new car with two years’ FREE
insurance (ts&cs apply).
ADI bonus
Driving instructors can earn commission
on all Marmalade products at
https://www.marmaladenetwork.co.uk
There are many pupil referral schemes
out there, but Marmalade Network focuses
solely on supporting and rewarding ADIs,
and with commissions ranging from £25
- £250, it’s one well worth joining.
Suzy Walsh, Marmalade Network
manager, says: “There’s no limit as to
how much an instructor can earn, all we
ask is that they hand out a booklet,
leaflet or business card. Many ADIs pop
one of these into their pupils’ Welcome
Pack, others may hand them out during
a lesson. If an instructor wants to be
even more active, we can provide
banners for their website / social media
that automatically link the ADI for
commission via their unique referral code.
“There’s no selling involved and many
members receive multiple payments with
very little effort on their part when their
pupils take out Marmalade policies. ADIs
are generally happy in the knowledge
they’re going that extra mile by informing
their pupils about reputable companies
offering tried and tested products.”
The Network is well established, with
several thousand subscribers. Over time
it has listened to the needs of instructors
nationwide and added to its offerings.
Suzy says: “We have a dedicated team
ready to answer enquiries and to
signpost ADIs to Marmalade products
ranging from commercial breakdown
cover to tuition vehicles with the option
of insurance included.”
See https://www.instructorcars.co.uk
Bearing all this in mind it makes sense
to consider referral schemes when
looking at ways of supplementing your
income. Visit www.marmaladenetwork.
co.uk/faqs to find out more!
News
Setting the
sat-nav: how
examiners
do it on test
MSA GB has received a few calls from
members asking which set-up to use for their
Sat Nav, to ensure it is the same as the one
used by examiners on the L-test.
Below we have compiled some helpful tips to
ensure your pupils see the same on their
lessons as they will see on the test if the
examiner is using the SAT Nav.
DVSA Standard settings for current Sat Navs
First time use and settings
When using the satnav for the first time, you will need to apply
the following standard settings.
Volume
To set the volume to 80%:
1. From the main screen press MENU
2. Move the slider along the bottom of screen to adjust the
volume to 80%
To change the display settings on the satnav:
1. From the main screen press MENU
2. Press the right arrow tab twice, then press the settings icon
Appearance
Display
Theme Colour
Summer Blue
Brightness 100%
Switch to Night Colours When Dark On
Route Bar
Arrival Information
Show Arrival Information for
Route Information
Show Current Time
Show Wide Route Bar if Possible
Guidance View
Show Current Street Name
Guidance View Style
Automatic Zoom
Based on road type
Automatic Map Switching
Show Previews of Motorway Exits
Show remaining time
Final destination
Turn all options off
On
Off
Off
3D
Based on road type
Off
Off
Voices
Choose a voice
Read aloud arrival time
Read aloud early instructions
Read aloud road numbers
Read aloud road sign info
Read aloud street names
Read aloud foreign street names
Route Planning
When a faster route is available
Always plan this type of route
Avoid on every route
Ferries/car/shuttle/trains
Toll roads
Car pool lanes
Unpaved roads
Sounds & Warnings
Warning type
Speed cameras & hazards
When speeding
Screen touch sounds
Read aloud traffic warnings
Language & Units
Language & Units
Country
Keyboard
Units
Time & Date
Date Style
Serena
Off
On
Off
Off
Off
Off
Don’t ask me
Fastest Route
Off
Off
Off
Off
None / Visual Only
Off
Off
Off
Off
English (UK)
United Kingdom
English (UK)
Miles & Yards
Use 24-hour clock - ON
DD/MM/YYYY
16
NEWSLINK n JANUARY 2021
For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
L-test pass rate refuses to
budge out of mid-40s range
but zero faults rises again
A review of the DVSA’s pass rate
statistics for 2019-20 has revealed that
the pass rate has fallen from a high
watermark of 47.1 per cent in 2016-17
to 45.9 per cent in the year 2019-20.
The 10 top reasons for failure on test
for 2019-20 were identical to those in
the previous year, with only marginal
changes on the years prior to then.
The only crumb of comfort on the pass
rate front was that the 45.9 per cent
level for 2019-20 was up by 0.1 per
cent on 2018-19.
The number of tests passed with zero
faults also rose but by a larger
percentage – from 18,922 to 19,346 –
on marginally fewer tests, as the year
under review was slightly affected by
Covid-19, which saw tests cancelled
from mid-March onwards.
By way of comparison, pass rates in
2017-18 and 2016-17 were 46.3 per
cent and 47.1 per cent respectively, and
the number of tests with zero faults was
18,410 and 17,950 respectively.
The top ten reasons for failing the test
in 2019-20 were:
• Junctions (observation)
• Mirrors – (change direction)
www.msagb.com
• Control (steering)
• Move off (safely)
• Junctions (turning right)
• Move off (control)
• Response to signals (traffic lights)
• Positioning (normal driving)
• Reverse park (control)
• Response to signals (traffic signs).
Exactly the same 10 reasons appeared
in the list for 2018-19, with marginal
changes in position. The top three were
identical, however.
Looking back over the past 16 years
reveals that the pass rate rose steadily
from 43.3 per cent in 2006-07, going
up year on year until hitting 47.1 per
cent in 2012-13. It then plateaued for
four years before dipping down in
2017-18 to 46.3 per cent, followed by
further falls in the next two years.
The only marked change is on zero
fault L-tests, which have shown a major
improvement over the past decade and a
half. In 2006-07 there were just 3,329
tests where the examiner reported no
faults. This figure has grown steadily over
the years, passing 10,000 tests in 2011-
12 and continuing to rise every year to
its current mark of 19,346.
Covid drives huge fall in traffic levels
New DfT figures have highlighted the
impact of Covid-19 on traffic levels, with
an 18.9 per cent fall in the year ending
September 2020 representing the largest
on record.
The figures show 288.7 billion vehicle
miles were travelled in the year ending
September 2020 – compared to 355.9
billion in the previous 12 month period.
The fall was highest among car traffic
– down 20.9 per cent to 219.9 billion
vehicle miles – while van and lorry traffic
decreased by 11.4 per cent and 10.0 per
cent, respectively.
The DfT says exploratory analysis,
based on provisional road traffic statistics,
suggests that without the impact of
Covid-19 on travel, the total figure for the
year ending September 2020 would have
remained broadly stable at 357.0 billion
vehicle miles.
Therefore, the provisionally estimated
impact of the Covid-19 pandemic is to
have decreased road traffic by 68.2
billion vehicle miles, or 19.2 per cent of
rolling annual traffic levels.
Reacting to the statistics, the RAC says
the “million pound question” is what
happens next?
Rod Dennis, RAC data insight
spokesman, said: “After two decades of
increasing vehicle traffic, the drop in
traffic volumes we’ve seen this year is
nothing if not dramatic.
“The million pound question now is
what happens next?
“Will 2021 see a return to historically
high levels of vehicles on the roads, or
will a longer-lasting effect of the
pandemic – and the economic fall-out
from it – be lower numbers for the
foreseeable future?”
Green plates offer
access to low
emission benefits
The Government has given the go-ahead
for green number plates which will, it
hopes, help motorists benefit from local
initiatives such as cheaper parking and
cost-free entry into zero-emission zones.
The new number plates took to the
road for the first time just before
Christmas, and are also designed to
raise awareness of the growing number
of zero-emission vehicles on UK roads.
Figures on electric car sales released
by the Society of Motor Manufacturers
and Traders (SMMT) show that low
emission cars continue to gain in
popularity, with 86,291 pure electric
cars registered between January and
November – compared to just 37,850
during the entirety of 2019. The sharp
rise in EV sales also came during the
pandemic lockdown when car sales as a
whole were far down on previous years.
Transport minister Rachel Maclean
says introducing the green plates will
help accelerate the transition towards
electric vehicles – and builds on the
Government’s surprise announcement
before Christmas to end the sale of new
petrol and diesel cars and vans in the
UK by 2030, adding that “not only will
green number plates raise awareness of
the increasing number of cleaner
vehicles on our roads, they could also
unlock a number of incentives for
drivers. It’s clear there has never been a
better time to make the switch to a
zero-emission vehicle.”
The new number plates can be
retro-fitted to any existing vehicles,
including cars, vans, buses, HGVs, taxis
and motorcycles – as long as they emit
no CO 2
emissions at the tailpipe.
They will consist of a green flash on
the left-hand side of the plate and can
be combined with the Union flag and
national identifiers already permitted by
the regulations.
The move follows the conclusion of a
consultation involving the public, local
authorities and stakeholders on how
best to introduce green number plates.
17
Towards your CPD: The L-test
Stress: It’s the
failure box the
DVSA has left
off the DL25
Simon Elstow thinks it’s
time the driver training and
testing sector takes a long,
hard look at the current
L-test and asks, is it still
fit for purpose?
This is a two-part editorial. In this
issue I want to look at what the
current L-test really does. In Part
2, I want to see if the L-test
supports client-centred learning and ask
the big question, is the L-Test still fit for
purpose?
The following is a criticism of the
L-Test. Throughout I hope, dear reader,
you will see evidence of my humility
about the brave examiners and DVSA
who have to deliver it.
What is the L-Test’s true aim?
Many years ago I sat with John Cullen,
then the DSA’s Assistant Chief Driving
Examiner. I remember how open and
friendly he was. He told me a story of
two tests he observed. One was at
Bettyhill, in the north of Scotland. It
involved a left reverse on the beach,
where the examiner drew an ‘L’ in the
About the author
18
sand with his shoe, so he could
check if the candidate had gone
over the line – genius!
After a drive into the countryside, on a
single track road, and no traffic at all, the
candidate didn’t slow down in response
to a sheep which looked like it might
cross the road. Under the line on the
DL25 which then read ‘Anticipating the
actions of pedestrians/cyclists/drivers’;
the examiner crossed out the word
pedestrian, wrote ‘sheep’ and failed the
candidate.
The second was overseas. While on a
world cruise, John Cullen stopped at Fiji
and asked if he could sit in on a driving
test. The test wound its way around the
island and on returning the examiner
said that unfortunately they had not
passed on this occasion, because
“nothing had happened that sufficiently
challenged” the candidate.
Are we looking for a fail or assessing a
pass? One thing is for sure: if you have a
pedantic test you will get a pedantic
result.
Does the L-Test assess a person to drive
for the real world?
Real world driving is complex. There is
vehicle control, anticipating to blend in
Simon started teaching learners in 1988. He was an instructor trainer for BSM, a
fleet trainer at Drive & Survive plc and training manager for the Institute of
Advanced Motorists. He sat on the DVSA steering group for CPD and was
recently a consultant for ROSPA. He has returned to teaching learners and is a
Porsche Driving Consultant at the company’s experience centre at Silverstone.
Simon holds an MSc in Coaching, a 7307 Teacher’s Certificate and has been a
Grade A (previously Grade 6) instructor for the whole of his professional career.
His passion is Continuing Professional Development – making things better.
with other road users, managing your
journeys and applying emotional
intelligence to driving.
Tricky, that last one. In driving we
might say emotional intelligence is being
aware of your own ‘agendas’ and that
other road users have theirs. And it
means managing the risks of both. So
not just one thing then! This list of skills
is my derivation of the GDE (Goals for
Driver Education) hierarchy; the
European standard, via Finland, Michon
and Maslow.
Can a 38-minute test assess all of this?
I ask my clients what they think
passing the test means, as opposed to
when they are ‘on their own’. One said;
“The test is showing you can control
your vehicle, and driving after your test is
about controlling yourself”. As Gregor
Bartl (an Austrian traffic psychologist)
put it, “The test shows you can, not that
you will”.
It’s important, I think, to make a
distinction between what experience is
and what skills are. I put this as a
question to my clients. One said: “Skills
are things you learn to do, but
experience is learning from different
situations you come across”.
But the L-Test can’t mandate for
experience. The traffic conditions can
mean that the candidate isn’t ‘challenged’
(as in Fiji). It’s too dependent on luck –
what if those sheep hadn’t been there
that day? (as in Bettyhill).
To what extent does the test marking
sheet DL25 reflect reality?
All this test malarkey might pass as
okay if the test criteria was easy to
NEWSLINK n JANUARY 2021
For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
understand and ‘real world’.
There are 45 digital boxes (for car
drivers) where an examiner can mark a
fault. So 45 different reasons for failure.
No, not really real world, then.
Imagine a counter, like a black cab fare
meter, counting up all the different
combinations of faults.
Then there are many faults on the
DL25 form which are masquerading as
one thing when in fact they are many
different things. Common use words like
‘observation’ and ‘judgement’ are limited
to very specific situations. And then
there’s the ‘what if’ scenario.
It’s as if the DL25 had invented its
own dictionary.
What number of reasons for failure will
our fault-counting clock cost the pupil?
With the introduction of the new digital
DL25, the feedback to the candidate has
been streamlined in an attempt to ease
confusion. But could anyone, not in
DVSA or ADI-land, list all the reasons for
failing the L-Test, let alone list concise
examples for each? Of course, mums and
dads (and most pupils) don’t take any
notice of the DL25; why would they, it
doesn’t make sense.
But the real problem with the DL25 is
that it only records failure – not what
skills the candidate actually has.
What is the L-Test really assessing?
One experienced driver I ‘prepared’ for
the L-Test failed for not using their
mirror(s) when leaving roundabouts, via
the ‘totting up’ rule. They said to me
afterwards: “I knew there was no one
close by, because I had monitored the
situation”. This introduces a conundrum:
the examiner can’t see what the
candidate is thinking; because they can’t
discuss that as ADIs do. Result: some
weird decisions.
But here’s the thing: examiners don’t
know what the ‘normal’ learner’s
awareness level is, in any situation.
The L-Test doesn’t really assess
awareness, it really assesses process
What can we learn from L-Test statistics?
Ah! The murky waters of the L-Test
pass/fail rates. Can examiners only pass
a certain percentage of people? Can Craig
Revell Horwood give a perfect score on
Strictly? Yes and yes! There is much
confusion here; ‘regression to the mean’
et al. Read for that: no examiner wants
to be (can’t be) the ‘odd one out’.
When I sit in on tests, I don’t see that
examiners ‘find fails’. I do mock tests
with all my clients. And here’s the thing:
It’s rare for me to find a definite pass. In
‘‘
There’s no such thing as a
‘perfect drive’... but that’s not
what the L-Test purports to be
about. It’s a test of competency,
not perfection...
‘‘
other words, I can almost always find
something which is ‘potentially
dangerous’ – a criteria for failure.
The examiner must decide, there and
then, for each fault, between four levels.
Was it dangerous = actual danger?
Serious = potentially dangerous? Driving
= could add up to being serious? Or not
worthy of mention = which does not
compromise safety? More complexity!
Mums and dads quite reasonably ask
me “Will they pass?” I laugh – if only on
the inside. Maybe that’s what a test
should be – a device that can fail
anyone, however good they are. Really?
There used to be a phrase trotted out
in driver training – ‘there is no such thing
as the perfect driver, and the perfect
drive has never taken place”. That’s still
true – we are human! But that’s not what
the L-Test purports to be about. It’s
supposed to be a test of competency not
perfection.
What part does stress play?
The stress of the L-Test is really the
test.
Do you remember Stavros from
Britain’s Got Talent? He was asked who
invented a string of things and to each he
said (with an appropriate dramatic
pause), “Greek!” As in everything was
invented by Greeks. I would like to
borrow from Stavros. Whatever fault the
candidate commits you can quite
reasonably say “stress!”
Did our very fine England manager,
Gareth Southgate, miss that fateful
penalty in Euro ’96 because he can’t
score penalties? (careful!) Or did he miss
because he reminded himself that the
whole country was watching and if he
didn’t score…
Sports psychologists tell us that we
underperform because we think about
the consequences of failure rather than
focus on ‘the doing’. The best sports
performers are those who focus on the
action and block out other distractions.
In any event failing the L-Test can be
such a set-back for a young person that
they give up. Every year I teach people
who are later in their life and who gave
up on driving years before. But some
never return. This is real failure. But
whose failure?
When all said and done, stress is the
main barrier to the L-Test’s veracity.
So where are we up to?
Examiners and DVSA do their best,
both to deliver the piece and be
considerate and kind while doing it. But
the current L-Test has many serious
faults.
• Simon will continue this look at the
L-Test in the February issue.
www.msagb.com
19
Towards your CPD
Hesitancy and progress:
you can link them
both to pupil confidence
Steve Garrod looks at the
twin problems of making
progress and avoiding undue
hesitancy, and asks if better
planning can eradicate them
from your learners
I
am often asked how to deal with the
two issues of making progress and
avoiding undue hesitancy, or what the
difference is between being hesitant
and not making progress.
Now we are not able to sit out on test,
it can be tricky to interpret these faults if
you are not present on the debrief after
the driving test or you do not receive the
email of the driving test report form.
From my examining days, I can share
the following (although thinking can
often change and there are those who
may not agree!)
Being hesitant means not taking safe
opportunities to proceed when safe to do
so. The reasons for not doing so (the
analysis) could include the pupil:
• has not prepared the car and is
therefore not ready to move off when
safe
• is unable to identify a safe gap
• is unsure of who has priority
• being over cautious (when deciding
to move off)
Not making progress means driving
well below the speed for the road and
traffic conditions. It is NOT simply failing
to drive at the speed limit. Some of the
reasons for not driving at an appropriate
speed could include:
• missing speed limit signs
• failing to understand the national
speed limit for the type of vehicle being
driven
• lack of confidence
• mistaking KPH for MPH
• being over cautious (mistaking
driving slowly for being safe)
Although both faults are relatively easy
to identify, they are not always so easy to
analyse, because they can often be to do
with a lack of confidence, therefore
telling someone to ‘Go now’ or ‘Speed
up’ is not helpful (although tempting!).
As with all faults, if they are not
analysed correctly it is unlikely they can
be cured. The remedy for hesitancy is not
moving off quicker, but moving off
earlier. It is more helpful to explain the
importance of moving off earlier and
what steps can be taken to prepare the
car earlier to achieve success.
The origin of this fault can stem from
the first few lessons when dealing with
junctions. For example, when pulling up
at the side of the road (for a normal stop)
pupils are correctly taught to stop the
car, apply the handbrake then select
neutral. If pupils are allowed to transfer
this procedure to stopping at T-Junctions,
‘‘
Although both faults are
relatively easy to identify,
they are not always so easy
to analyse, because they can
often be to do with a lack of
confidence...
‘‘
however, they are likely to develop a
habit that is hard to break. In most
situations, hesitancy is caused by failing
to prepare to move off before the car has
stopped or, if the car has stopped, not
selecting first gear before deciding if it is
necessary to apply the handbrake.
Some learners are unaware that they
can select first gear while the car is
moving, although the speed must be at a
slow walking pace. Whether you
encourage your pupil to select first gear
as they are coming to rest or when they
have stopped will depend on their ability
and the layout of the junction, but when
dealing with emerging, learners should
be encouraged to be ready to move off
when the opportunity is first identified
and not wait until the gap arrives before
preparing the car. (This is a fault ADI
trainers will role-play during their training
sessions).
ADIs are taught to watch their pupils’
eyes, hands and feet when they are
teaching. If you look at a pupil’s feet you
will often find (in a manual car) that
when a pupil is waiting to emerge from a
side road or at traffic lights, their right
foot is on the foot brake and not covering
the accelerator and very often the
handbrake is not applied. This could lead
to a number of faults when they try to
move off. If the handbrake is not applied
the car may roll backward or stall as they
try to quickly counteract the car rolling
by moving too quickly from the brake
pedal to the accelerator; they could over
accelerate and move off into the path of
passing traffic, or if the car does move off
then it could be too slowly, as their foot
is not on the accelerator pedal as they
rely on ‘tick over’ to move off.
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NEWSLINK n JANUARY 2021
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Even with the handbrake applied,
some learners try to find the biting point
between the clutch and brake, rather
than the clutch and accelerator once the
handbrake is released, which can cause
its own problems.
I appreciate that some diesel cars act
like automatics insomuch as little
acceleration, if any, is required to move
off, but it takes time to build up such
delicate footwork in a petrol car.
Part of any discussion on emerging
should include the risks of not being
ready to emerge when opportunities
arise.
If learners are encouraged to be ready
to move off when a safe opportunity can
be seen, once the last vehicle passes
them, they can move off earlier and
under control rather than any quicker. If
following drivers can see you are moving
forward then they are less likely to
become agitated and add more pressure
to your learner.
Teaching learners to select first gear
before deciding if the handbrake should
be applied encourages them to look at
the layout of the junction, for example is
it up hill or down hill, and develops
fluency. Although I have mentioned
selecting first gear in these examples,
second gear can be used for some
downhill junctions.
As ADIs we can be a little negative, eg,
focusing on looking for hazards as we
approach junctions, when we really
should be encouraging learners to
‘‘
As ADIs we can be a little
negative, eg, focusing on looking
for hazards as we approach
junctions, when we really should
be encouraging learners to
identify safe gaps to proceed on
approach to all hazards
‘‘
identify safe gaps to proceed on
approach to all hazards to avoid them
approaching hazards too quickly, for
example arriving at a junction when a car
is passing causing your learner to stop.
In some situations arriving a little slower
would allow the passing car to clear the
junction leaving it clear to emerge.
I heard a good saying some years ago
on a Lancashire County Council course:
‘Slow to Flow’. Slowing on approach to a
hazard, such as a meeting situation or
roundabout, increases the chance of
being able to flow into the clear road.
Making progress is driving at an
appropriate speed, not necessarily at the
speed limit, and I have listed some of the
reasons above. If you can identify
potential faults you will be able to find
solutions to reduce the likely hood of the
faults happening. For example, a
questions and answer session on road
signs and speed limits and where to find
them, such as a the end of the road,
repeater signs on lampposts, or at the
mouth of a junction. Many signs are
quite high on poles which means they
can be easily missed because there is a
tendency to look at eye level for hazards
rather than out of the top of the
windscreen. Learners should be
encouraged to look into side roads for
speed limit signs. If the side road is
displaying 30mph signs the chances are
the road you are on is a higher speed
limit.
The practice of aiming the eyes high
and keeping them moving to take in the
big picture (Taken from the Smiths
System of Driving) on approach to
hazards is still valid. Look for speed
limits and other signs to help you plan
your approach to hazards, and look for
safe gaps to proceed and reduce the risk
of missing vital information, such as who
has priority.
Not making progress can become a
serious fault, particularly if following
traffic is being held up. Some learners
feel that driving slowly or giving way to
other traffic when they have priority is
safe, but in reality can be dangerous.
The risks of driving too slowly can be
discussed as risk management before
you take learners out on to faster roads,
and help make sense of the subject.
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21
Towards your CPD
Mike Yeomans, Chairman of
MSA GB North East, has a
theory about seeing in the
dark when driving
Over the years I have observed
many students struggle with
driving in the dark, particularly
coping with low-light situations.
Not all of the people who struggle need
eyesight corrections, though some with
glasses or contact lenses have reported
that they suffer from the starburst effect
with lights during a night drive.
I have often wondered why this is and
I have come up with a theory, that there
is a link to the colour of the driver’s eyes
and this has an impact on your ability to
cope with poor light conditions.
It’s something I’ve seen evidence of
during my time running National Driver
Improvement Schemes (NDIS: see panel
below for more on these). While over the
years the people behind NDIS courses
have looked in depth at the causes of
traffic collisions, there has never been a
serious study around incidents at any
time of day, and linking that to eyesight
capability.
Certainly, however, in NDIS’s early
years, it was noted that many of the
traffic incidents recorded happened
during poor light, whether that was the
time of day or to weather conditions
affecting the light available for driving.
Therefore, the following is more of an
anecdotal study, but it does answer some
questions as well as ask some. It is by no
I blame the iris:
What’s behind
drivers’ problems
with poor light?
means a scientific study.
But let’s step back to a time when no
one had transportation and could not
easily move from one continent to
another. (Not quite dinosaur times but
the time of man in each continent for the
NDIS: a little background information
The National Driver Improvement
Scheme (NDIS) is a driver rectification
scheme currently employed by an
increasing number of police districts in
the UK as a direct alternative to a court
prosecution for minor traffic offences. A
study evaluated the effectiveness of
NDIS in terms of changes in the
self-reported attitudes and behaviour of
clients, with significant improvements
in both driving behaviour and attitudes
towards traffic violations immediately
after completion of the course, and
again after three months.
NDIS came as a result of the North
Report in the late 1980s. I was
involved with the first courses, from
October 1997 to September 1998.
These early evaluation courses became
the national model over the coming
years, and although the name and the
hours of delivery have changed, it still
thrives today.
The criteria for attending an NDIS
course covered much of the psychology
studies from the 1980s and 1990s.
For a relevant link to information about
the history and formation of the
scheme, I recommend articles from
Chris Burgess and Paul Webley from the
school of Psychology: University of
Exeter. https://people.exeter.ac.uk/
cnwburge/pages/ndis03.html
It is worth looking at the link to
establish reasons for accidents /
incidents on the road. Such topics that
should be included in the intervention
schemes were:
• Participants’ beliefs regarding the
causes of traffic collisions
first time). In the lands we currently
refer to as Iceland where the daylight can
be limited to four-five hours a day, and in
the Scandinavian countries which also
have short daylight hours, the indigenous
human at that time would have fair hair
• Research into traffic collisions
• Social influences
• Anatomy of an accident
• Client perceptions of risk
• Hazard perception and risk control
• Stress and time management
• Fatigue
Practical driving sessions to observe
the driver and their link with the above
or later in the course the GDE Matrix
can be found at https://www.
researchgate.net/figure/GDE-matrix-
Goals-for-Driver-Education-Essentialelements-of-driver-training-Knowledge_
tbl1_263138950
The link lists the Goals For Driver
Education references from John
Passmore’s research.
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NEWSLINK n JANUARY 2021
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UV light rays will pass through the irises
of those with lighter coloured eyes and
cause damage through the development
of cataracts or a disease called macular
degeneration. UV-blocking sunglasses
can be worn to reduce these risks.
and light blue eyes. In the areas nearer
the equator where daylight is on average
longer but brighter (for example, Central
Africa, parts of South America and also
South-East Asia) the indigenous human
at the time had very dark eyes and
darker hair.
Humans developed to meet their
environment. Even now if you have very
blue eyes you may suffer from watery
eyes in bright light conditions, whereas
those with darker eyes tend to be less
affected by the brighter light.
Could it be simply that the darker the
iris, the less light sensitive the eyes are
and therefore one could almost consider
such eyes as having almost built-in
sunglasses to act as a screen against
bright light? But there would be a
balance to this: such a person would see
less well in poorer lit situations.
This correlated to many of the
attendees on the courses I observed,
where those whose incidents had
occured during poor light situations also
had darker irises.
As humans over many years have
mixed their gene pool, through the
crossing of continents, then I will assume
the results of any study would not be
fully conclusive. It does more recently
appear that the darker eye colour gene is
more dominant in a family, so that even
those with blue eyes are sometimes not
affected by watery eyes/sensitivity to
bright light in the same way I observed
maybe 15 years ago.
But my own conclusions would suggest
to me that many with poor night vision
may well be those with a darker iris.
So does the colour of someone’s eyes
affect their ability to see objects in low
light situations? It’s an interesting idea,
and one medical paper looked at it in
depth in a study called ‘The Relationship
Between Eye Colour and Sight.’ It can be
read at https://www.scienceforkidsclub.
com/eye-colour.html
So why would this be the case? We’ll
look at some facts about our eyes.
Eye colour
Melanin has an effect on the way light
distributes the colours and are reflected
or absorbed by the eyes. The melanin
concentration in the pigment of the iris
cells acts as a way to protect the iris
from higher sunlight by spreading the
light out.
While eye colour doesn’t affect how
people see something, the colour of
someone’s eyes can cause them to have
different sight abilities in various lighting
conditions.
Darker eyes
Someone with darker eyes has a higher
amount and density of melanin.
This means that in bright sunlight, the
melanin reflects light inside the eye, and
they experience less problems with glare
from the sun.
Melanin acts as a kind of protector,
spreading the light rays away from the
iris. This does give them better contrast
ability in these conditions.
An example where darker eye colour is
an advantage might be in the glare of
headlights when driving at night.
Lighter coloured eyes
People that have less melanin tend to
have lighter coloured eyes and therefore
they lack the protection from the brighter
light and can experience more discomfort
of glare and less contrast.
In sunlight, the risk is that the harmful
Scientific studies
There have been some scientific
studies that suggest that there is a
relationship between eye colour and
reaction time. Those with darker coloured
eyes did well in things like hitting a
tennis ball or boxing. These are called
reactive tasks.
By way of comparison, those people
with lighter coloured eyes performed
better at golfing or bowling.
These are called self-paced tasks.
Lighting conditions
While the colour of someone’s eyes
does not directly affect how they see
things, the lighting conditions can be a
secondary level that can affect sight.
No matter what colour of eyes,
everyone is recommended to wear
UV-blocking sunglasses when they are
outside in the daylight.
In conclusion, I propose the following
statement: People with darker eyes cope
less well in low light/dark conditions;
genetically they have have poorer night
vision.People with lighter eyes should be
able to see better in low light situations
but struggle with brigher light. However,
for driving during the day we have
sunglasses to help us; it is at night when
they are dazzled by others’ headlights
that they in turn struggle.
However, as previously mentioned, the
dark eye gene could become more
dominant in the future, so could we see
an increase in low-light driving incidents?
As motorists demand even brighter
lights on their vehicles and better/brighter
street lighting technology to empower
them into feeling safer on the road, while
at the same time having the increase of
the dominant dark eye gene and more
traffic on the road, are we in danger of
creating a situation where instead of
making the roads safer, we increase low
light incidents due to drivers ‘out
dazzling’ other road users?
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23
So that was 2020... roll on 2021!
Goodbye to bad rubbish!
There can’t be many years where there is
a unanimous response to the question
‘so, how was your year...?’, but 2020
pulled off that remarkable feat with 12
months of pretty much undiluted misery,
stress and sadness that sucked the joy
out of life and left the vast majority of the
public on their knees.
Even those people who used their
lockdowns wisely and learnt a new skill,
relaxed, enjoyed more time with close
family or managed to keep working
through, can’t have got away unscathed,
as they mourned lost loved ones or
friends... or were simply left wondering
what the long-time impact the pandemic
was going to have on the nation’s
finances. Big tax rises and spending cuts,
anyone?
But we’re through it now, and with
vaccines making their way through the
most vulnerable, let’s hope 2021 will be
a marked improvement on the year we’ve
left behind. Let’s face it, it can’t be much
worse... can it?
We asked a few MSA GB committee
members for their views on the year that
has been and the year ahead, from both
a personal view and a professional one.
See if their responses chime with yours.
Take the hint, 2020
Cartoon by Amy Beswick
What did you learn about yourself in
2020?
Colin Lilly, MSA Western: Over a
working life of almost 60 years I had
been unemployed for three weeks – until
March this year, that was. Since then I
have been struggling with the decision,
should I retire now or not? I still keep
coming back to ‘I don’t feel ready to
retire’.
Guy Annan, MSA Western: I learned
that I want to retire! Never thought about
it before because I really love the job, but
I enjoyed lockdown so much it got me
thinking, I not due to retire for another
seven years...
John Lomas, MSA North West: I
learned that, while I can withstand 1m
distancing for a short time, I prefer the
2m distance as my personal space.
Karen MacLeod, MSA Scotland: I
learned that work wasn’t everything and I
really enjoyed not doing it!
Mike Yeomans, MSA North East:
Resilience and being positive despite the
constant bombardment of the media
negativity – and the value of friends.
Paul Harmes, MSA Eastern: Sorry, this
is going to sound boring and clichéd, but
the importance of family and friends, and
my admiration for the everyday folk who
worked continuously throughout this
year. My own wife and son were among
them. We saw who supports the country
and keeps us going in these dire times. A
big slap on the back to you all.
I also missed interaction with others;
Zoom can only do so much.
I have become very good at sudoku,
completing most puzzles in under 20
minutes ... and I’ve finally built my man
cave after years of talking about it!
Rod Came, MSA South East: ‘God give
me patience, to reconcile with what I am
not able to change. Give me strength to
change what I can, and give me wisdom
to distinguish one from another.’
I have yet to receive this wisdom.
Russell Jones, MSA East Midlands:
No matter how tough life was for learner
drivers there were still enough of them
willing to pay ‘top dollar’ for lessons, and
with just a little initiative it was easy to
find them.
Terry Pearce, MSA West Midlands: I
had the resilience and willpower to
overcome problems.
What’s the one thing that cheered you
up in 2020 – your beacon of hope?
Colin Lilly: A Lilly family funeral is a
time when we reflect on the happier
times involving the individual. My uncle’s
funeral in June followed a similar format.
The coffin was moved to the crematorium
to the strains of the Ying-Tong
Song by the Goons; even the undertaker
and crematorium staff were amused. It
told me that even in the midst of a
pandemic, a sense of humour can be
24
NEWSLINK n JANUARY 2021
‘‘‘‘
For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
maintained.
Guy Annan: My beacon of hope was
awaiting the arrival of another
grandchild, and Thomas was born
Saturday, 13th November. Unfortunately
he lives in Australia so thank goodness
for Skype.
John Lomas: D-Ream already said it.
Things Can Only Get Better.
Karen MacLeod: The arrival of my first
grandchild.
Mike Yeomans: The strength of my
colleagues to give support and humour in
difficult times. Mainly through zoom
meetings and social media
Paul Harmes: Seeing my grandson
come round and spend time with us. He
struggled with not being able to go out,
then going out and stopping again.
And a glimmer of hope is we could
spend Christmas with him this year.
Peter Harvey, MSA Scotland: To see
everyone starting to be able to get back
to work even with all the restrictions;
hopefully the vaccines will help even
more.
Rod Came: To wake up each morning,;
my beacon of hope is to achieve that
small miracle the following morning!
Russell Jones: One thing that cheered
me up in 2020 was that, despite having
a family bereavement in the first 48
hours of the year, I was able to take a
young driver for her test the next day.
She had been born with sight in one
eye only, and her learning curve had
been particularly challenging for both of
us, so her success on her driving test
really cheered me up a great deal given
my circumstances, which she knew
nothing about.
Terry Pearce: The development of a
vaccine and hope of getting an injection
early in 2021.
What’s the one thing you’re looking
forward to most in 2021?
Colin Lilly: A vaccination
Guy Annan: Going back to keeping
racing pigeons.
John Lomas: Getting back to work and
meeting more instructors. (Sorry about
that, because it means you will have had
a crash if you get a visit from me)
Karen MacLeod: Being there when my
grandson is learning to walk and talk.
Mike Yeomans: Delivering classroom
interactive presentations, and being able
to spend time networking and meeting
family and friends.
Paul Harmes: Normality would be nice
or even getting close to it.
People to understand we are all in this
situation together, and we should follow
the rules and help built this pandemic.
What did I learn? That I have the
strength and the willpower to
overcome problems when things
look bad...
We did so well in lockdown #1 and
then it all went wrong again.
Peter Harvey: To be able to meet
friends, family and fellow MSA GB
members in real time rather than via the
various digital platforms.
Rod Came: Well, it has got to be
Brexit. Other than the end of WW II,
which I was too young to remember,
Brexit has to be the greatest change that
this country has known in the last 75
years. Whether the decision to leave the
EU was the right one only time will tell,
but the die is cast and we have got to
live with it. The future is unknown to us
all but history has a peculiar way of
repeating itself, this country has excelled
in the past and can do again given the
right impetus. Once we have beaten off
the shackles and restraints of the past 47
years, the only way is up.
If this upsets any Remainers please see
comment under ‘build back better’.
Russell Jones: The one thing I’m
looking forward to in 2021 is for those
ADIs who persevered through the
Covid-19 pandemic and not ‘jumped
ship’ to realise that success is possible
no matter how much difficulty they are
finding it, and they can reap the rewards.
Terry Pearce: Being able to continue
safely travelling around Britain by train.
Who did you raise a glass to on
Christmas Day?
Colin Lilly: The scientists and volunteers
who have assisted with the development
of vaccines and treatments for
Covid-19. Often forgotten but are most
likely to take us out of this pandemic.
Guy Annan: Absent friends.
John Lomas: Ebenezer Scrooge and to
acknowledge that I have woken up again.
Karen MacLeod: On Christmas Day we
‘‘‘‘
We need to restructure both
practical and theory testing... the
long waiting list for both is starting
to affect ADIs’ businesses...
raised a glass to the swift departure of
this virus.
Mike Yeomans: A glass to the
remarkable achievements in science over
the year and to a brighter future
Paul Harmes: A few friends have gone
this year and they will be missed sadly.
Peter Harvey: Good health, wealth and
to see coronavirus under control all over
the world.
Rod Came: I raised a glass or two for
my wife’s birthday on Christmas Eve,
and on Christmas Day - to Brexit on 1st
January.
Russell Jones: I raised a glass on
Christmas Day knowing that because I
don’t need to work, and while hoping to
maintain good health, I’ll be able to
spend a little more time on a golf course,
as well as working as much as I wish to.
In my view it’s a continuation of onwards
and upwards.
Terry Pearce: My family and memories
of relatives I have lost.
What’s the one thing the DVSA has to
do first in 2021?
Colin Lilly: Simply, to get its act
together. Driver training and testing is an
important part of its remit and needs
more attention. The clients will not
tolerate slipshod short notice treatment,
when aspects of their lives are at a
crossroads.
Guy Annan: To continue to try and
bring the waiting list down. However, I
was advised by an examiner in Taunton
that to do that they may need to take
back the waiting room!
John Lomas: Ensure that priority is
given to candidates whose tests have
been cancelled multiple times, whether
due to Covid, weather or their own
examiners’ actions.
Karen MacLeod: Sort out the
availability of theory tests in Scotland.
Mike Yeomans: Improve its
communication with the ADIs to restore
confidence in the DVSA.
Paul Harmes:To make a big effort to
bring as many examiners to a full day of
testing, whenever testing is available.
Weekends to be opened back up on both
days again.
To go back to the previous situation,
that if a pupil does not attend they will
not get a refund. Too many pupils are
booking and not arriving after knowing
they’re not ready and not losing the fee.
Perhaps create a standby service for
pupils waiting at the test centre for any
no shows. I understand this could be
both controversial and difficult, but we’re
in strange times so need different
responses. Continued on page 26
www.msagb.com
25
Review of the Year
Continued from page 25
What’s the one thing the DVSA has to
do first in 2021?
Peter Harvey, MSA Scotland:
Restructure the way it is dealing with
both practical and theory testing; the
long waiting lists for both, but
particularly theory testing, is starting to
affect ADIs’ business.
Rod Came, MSA South East: Acquire
a computer-based booking system that is
capable of performing the simple
operation of booking driving tests.
Like many other Government computer
systems the one that DVSA is using is
out of the Ark and not fit for purpose.
Without up-to-date technical equipment
there is little hope of them achieving any
other goals, of which there are several.
For example, when testing is cancelled
those people at the front of the queue are
dispatched to the back, which is
ridiculous; a decent system should be
able to move everybody who has a test
booked to be shunted back by whatever
the non-testing period is, thereby
inconveniencing a large number of
people by a small amount rather than a
smaller number of people by a totally
unrealistic large amount of time.
Then, and only then, will there be the
slightest chance of getting the driving
test waiting times to a sustained, realistic
level to the benefit of both candidates
and ADIs.
Russell Jones: The one thing DVSA
should do in 2021, and preferably during
the first week, is to give contracts to
recently retired driving examiners, plus
hundreds of advanced driving examiners
from RoSPA, IAM Roadsmart, and
DIAmond, to reduce the very long
backlog of people waiting for driving
tests. The role is far from being ‘rocket
science’ and requires no further training
for contractors. A 30-minutes ‘safe drive’
is easily recognised by those who have,
‘been there and got the T-shirt’. Driving
tests should be arranged to take place at
ad hoc venues, with existing examiners
being assigned to prioritise the testing of
candidates with special needs. Even the
Prime Minister would view it as an ‘oven
ready’ solution to the problem.
Terry Pearce, MSA West Midlands:
Rebuild trust with ADIs.
How can we ‘build back better’ – in any
area, not just driving instruction?
Colin Lilly: A recognition that we are
all in this life together. If you need to
break or pause aspects of your habitual
life style it will not just save you but
many others also.
This life is not just an easy route for
you.
Guy Annan: ADIs must work together
more. As secretary of the local ADI group
I’m doing my bit to encourage that to
happen: United we stand, divided we
fall!
John Lomas: Acknowledge that
everybody is entitled to their own opinion
and you have no right to try to convert
them to your way of thinking.
Karen MacLeod: This virus has taught
us that we can work from home. I would
like this to be a great kick-start to getting
the country ahead on being greener and
lowering our carbon foot print.
Mike Yeomans: Continue sharing the
humour and interaction which we have
shared among our colleagues to improve
greater understanding of life together and
respect.
Paul Harmes: I would love to see
people really following the rules regarding
Covid-19. I can’t put into words for this
magazine my thoughts about those that
don’t.
Peter Harvey: We all, including
politicians, need to work together to start
building the new future, whatever that is
going to look like, and make a start at
getting all our small businesses open
‘‘‘‘
Let’s go back to basics, with no
more ‘cottage industry amateurs’
allowed within a million miles of
our profession
again.
Rod Came: When I write for Newslink
I read back what I have written time and
time again to try and ensure that I am
not going to upset anyone, be they
members, ADIs, DVSA staff (as
individuals) or any occasional reader.
I grew up in an age where I could call
a spade a spade, but now some people
need to find something to complain
about when there is nothing there.
I well remember the father of one of
my pupils telling me that he worked as a
lecturer at a technical college where he
taught plumbing. A complaint was made
about the terminology he used, ie, he
referred to male and female parts,
technical terms used when describing
two pipe ends that fit together. Whether
the young lady completed the course I do
not know, but it illustrates how people go
looking to make an unjustified complaint,
which could have serious repercussions.
If only we could build resilience by
going back on occasion life would be
better.
Russell Jones: Build back better?
Exterminate the DVSA and have the
Department of Education take over the
role for delivering driver education and
training, led by a team of professional
educators and trainers.
The disarray experienced during the
pandemic has presented a huge
opportunity and should be urgently taken
up. Let’s go back to basics and start
afresh, with no more ‘cottage industry’
amateurs being allowed to get within a
million miles of the driver training profession.
Terry Pearce: By valuing each other
both personally and professionally.
26
NEWSLINK n JANUARY 2021
For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
Caveat emptor – a classic
case of ‘buyer beware’
Rod Came
MSA South East
Let me tell you a story. Just over a year
ago my daughter bought a used car from
a large local dealership complete with
an extended warranty.
It was a four-year-old BMW 3 Series
diesel, all black and shiny with all the
toys, just what she wanted. She went to
Inverness in it in the middle of winter,
really enjoyed the drive, used it locally
for eight months, no problems.
After she had the car for eight months
her husband noticed a ticking noise
from the engine that was a new sound,
so it was booked into a local garage for
a service and a diagnosis of the new
noise. On collection the noise was still
there and could not be explained. Four
days later he was driving to work when
there was a loud knocking from the
engine, He dropped it off at the servicing
garage for their thoughts, which were
that it should be recovered to the local
BMW dealership for their opinion.
BMW stripped the bottom off the
engine and found that the crankshaft
had snapped. But not to worry, the car
was covered by a warranty. Not any old
warranty but a GOLD warranty which
covered all the mechanical parts
including any sudden failure of the
engine.
For those not of a mechanical bent,
the crankshaft is a big bit in the bowels
www.msagb.com
of the engine which links most of the
moving parts; it is not a service item as
it is not accessible.
She approached the warranty
company and told them of the problem,
at which point they started to backpedal
as fast as their little legs could
carry them using every excuse under the
sun, from you must have broken it, to
the servicing garage didn’t put any oil in
the car. Their contact is either on
holiday today, in a meeting, on another
call or has just popped out; which ever,
he does not like returning phone calls.
We are talking about a substantial
claim, circa £16,000 for a new engine
and fitting, the original one cannot be
repaired because of swarf in the oil
ways.
It must be said that the BMW
dealership has been more than helpful,
but the problem remains unresolved four
months after it happened. I must stress
that the car was not bought from a
BMW dealership.
The point of this tale is that if you are
thinking of purchasing a used vehicle
which is either out of the manufacturer’s
warranty or does not qualify because of
missed servicing and you are
considering an after-market warranty, be
very careful. Make sure that the
warranty is backed up by an insurance
policy from a named company. If you
have any doubts about the provider
check their entry on the Companies
House website, that could save you a lot
of grief.
The saga continues, with many
avenues still being explored.
Driving test centre update
Bristol (Brislington)
As reported in the December issue of
Newslink, the driving test centre at
Bristol (Brislington) will be closing after
the landlord served notice for DVSA to
leave the site.
The last day of testing at Flowers Hill
on Bath Road will be February 19.
The DVSA is hoping to minimise
disruption to ADIs and candidates by this
development and is holding an online
meeting with stakeholders at 7.30pm on
January 7.
Please register
your details to
attend the meeting
by clicking here:
To get the
full story,
click here
Birmingham South Yardley driving test
centre: temporary closure
Driving tests at South Yardley driving
test centre will be unavailable from
Monday, March 22 until Monday, May 3
to allow refurbishment work to be carried
out.
The DVSA expects to be able to restart
driving tests at South Yardley on Tuesday
May 4 and will confirm whether testing
can restart on this date nearer the time.
Examiners from South Yardley will
move to Garretts Green driving test
centre, where they will take tests while
the refurbishment work is carried out.
The address of the alternative centre is
Garretts Green driving test centre, Granby
Avenue, Garretts Green S33 0SD
Bad weather
driving advice
GEM Motoring Assist has produced an
online video highlighting the dangers of
driving in times of heavy rain and
flooding.
It can be viewed at https://www.
motoringassist.com/driving-in-floods/
It highlights how rain causes tyres to
lose traction, increasing the dangers of
skidding and loss of control.
In addition there is helpful advice,
such as using dipped headlights, as well
as a discussion on the safe depth of
water that can be driven through.
GEM’s advice is ‘driving through any
depth of water can be dangerous. Even
just six inches – or 15cm of water – will
reach the bottom of most passenger
cars. Above this depth you can lose
control or stall the engine because water
can be sucked into the exhaust or
washed into the air intake.’
27
Regional News
New research on the threats posed by rural roads prompted two
contributions on the subject this issue. On this page, Janet Stewart from
MSA Greater London offers her thoughts and, facing, Guy Annan from
MSA Western does likewise. By their nature they cover the same facts and
figures but offer different takes on what is an important subject
Rural road risks make it vital you take
your learners out into the country
Alex Brownlee
MSA Greater London
A quick note on the MSA AGM Greater
London meeting, held at the end of
November. It was very well attended –
via Zoom, of course! Many thanks to the
National Chairman Peter Harvey MBE
and Geoff Little Deputy National
Chairman for taking part, and to all those
members who participated.
Do you teach on rural roads?
I have been supplied this article by
Janet Stewart, one of the MSA GB
Greater London committee members.
It’s easy for me to teach on all types of
roads. I live almost on top of the M25
and can easily reach the M1, the M40,
lots of dual carriageways and the city
roads of central London.
However, I actually live on a rural-style
lane with passing places, and some of
the roads around here are such
backwaters that they have grass growing
down the middle.
So, I’m lucky – though despite my
good luck (in a manner of speaking) to
have a broad range of road types on my
doorstep, I’m pretty certain that most
instructors can find some rural roads to
teach on with a bit of effort.
After talking to a few instructors it
seems that there is still a tendency only
to teach what can come up in a test –
and for most candidates, that won’t be
rural roads. I’m happy to stick my neck
out and say that this is not good enough.
In a recent survey 58.61 per cent of
crashes on rural roads involved cars, 9.1
per cent bicycles and 8.7 per cent
pedestrians (the rest miscellaneous).
The drivers at most risk of crashing are
the elderly and new, inexperienced
drivers.
A survey carried out by the DVSA
found that a fifth of new drivers had had
very little preparation for driving on rural
roads, and that 10 per cent had no
experience of them at all.
The four top crash types are:
a) head on collision (at over 45mph
the fatality rate is very high);
b) single vehicle run off the road –
taking bends too fast, trees and ditches;
c) side impact at junctions usually
turning onto a faster road (again, a high
fatality rate); and
d) pedestrians on the road.
That brings me to the three Es.
Enforcement is not our business.
Engineering is something we can lobby
for. Education is very definitely our
business.
The biggest issue remains speed. Neil
Greig of IAM RoadSmart has pointed out
that “people take their speed cues from
the environment”. My lane has a speed
limit of 60mph. I cannot get even close
to that with my very best efforts. What
are we always (I hope) telling pupils? –
“it is a maximum not a target”. We need
to get learners onto these roads and talk
to them about risks and hazards. We
spend so much time telling them to keep
an eye on their speed in a 30mph area,
reducing it for parked cars, visibility, etc,
that perhaps we fail to talk about
appropriate speeds on other types of
road enough.
We are in unfamiliar territory with
Covid-19. More people than ever have
been walking and cycling. More people
than ever have been speeding because
they feel more confident in lower traffic
volumes. Various organisations such as
the Road Safety Foundation and GoSafe
Wales are looking at how to effect
change in road systems and markings/
signage and also in attitudes. Perhaps we
too, as driving instructors, should
“capture the moment” as Teresa Ciano of
GoSafe Wales has said.
I know I am preaching to the
converted, but I am saying it anyway.
Many thanks for supplying that, Janet.
As ever, if other members in Greater
London would like to contribute to
Newslink, just get in contact at the
address in the panel below.
It just remains for me to say that I
hope everyone has had a Merry
Christmas and I hope this year will be
better than the last!
CONTACT
To comment on this article, or provide
updates, contact Alex at
msaeditorgreaterlondon@gmail.com
28
NEWSLINK n JANUARY 2021
For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
Poor road
conditions
play a key
factor in rural
road threat
Guy Annan
MSA Western
New research has proven that rural roads
are the most dangerous roads for all
users, with more than half of all fatal
crashes in Britain occurring on these
types of roads. Per mile travelled, rural
roads are the most dangerous roads for
all kinds of road user.
I thought it was timely to ask why rural
roads are dangerous for all road users, as
well as look at the most common types
of collision that take place on rural roads,
the speed limits on rural roads and
overtaking and other risky driving
behaviours.
We must start by saying that rural
roads pose high risks, accounting for well
over half of all fatal crashes. Cyclists,
motorcyclists and car drivers are more
than three times as likely to be killed per
mile travelled on a rural road than an
urban road.
Speed is often a major factor in rural
road crashes. A study of singlecarriageway
rural roads estimated that a
10 per cent increase in average speed
results in a 30 per cent increase in fatal
and serious crashes.
The most common crash types on rural
roads are collisions at junctions, head-on
collisions and running off the road.
Why are rural roads so dangerous?
Many rural roads are narrow, with
blind bends and brows and limited safe
places to pass. They often don’t have
pavements or cycle paths yet are
frequently used by some of the most
vulnerable road users, such as people
riding or walking.
Many rural roads have poor road
surface conditions and limited or no
crash protection (such as no crash
barriers either at the side or in the
middle of the road).
Traffic often includes vehicles travelling
at a wide variety of speeds, including
slow-moving farm vehicles. There may
also be animals.
Speed limits on rural roads.
Most rural roads in the UK have a
60mph limit. However, due to their use
by vulnerable road users and the design
and condition of many country roads,
60mph (or anywhere near it) is rarely a
safe speed to travel.
Rural roads frequently have debris
such as mud and leaves on the road
surface, meaning that in wet and icy
conditions stopping distances are much
greater. These factors mean that if a
driver is going too fast, they won’t be
able to react in time to people or hazards
to prevent a crash. They also mean that
if a driver is going too fast, they may lose
control and end up in the path of an
oncoming vehicle or running off the road.
Yet despite these stark threats, in a
Brake and Direct Line survey, more than
six in 10 (68 per cent) of drivers said
they feel it is acceptable to drive above
the speed limit on rural roads. Nearly
half (48%) of drivers said that they had
driven faster than the speed limit on a
single-carriageway rural road in the past
year.
Perhaps that’s why the following
sobering statistics apply:
• 10 times as many people die on
rural roads than on motorways
• Motorcyclists are more than twice as
likely to be killed on a rural road than an
urban road
• Finally, cyclists are almost three
times as likely to be killed on a rural than
an urban road.
Perhaps it would be a good idea to
make sure your pupils understand these
statistics, and if you can, get them out on
rural roads as much as possible.
CONTACT
To comment on this article, or provide
updates, contact Guy at g.annan@
alphadrivingtaunton.com
‘‘
Rural roads frequently have debris such as mud and leaves on the road
surface, meaning that in wet and icy conditions stopping distances are
much greater. These factors mean that if a driver is going too fast, they
won’t be able to react in time to people or hazards to prevent a crash
‘‘
www.msagb.com
29
Regional News
A
B
C
Signs of the times
Terry Pearce
MSA West Midlands
In the October issue of Newslink, Colin
Lilly wrote an interesting item about
bridge strikes.
You would think councils would take
the possibility of this kind of incident
seriously, but that is not my experience in
Coventry.
Over six years ago my local council
updated the 13-foot-high safe
clearance signs on a railway
bridge to show both metric and
imperial. Although the road
height stayed the same the
signs on the bridge were
changed to show a reduced
clearance of 3.8m/12 foot 9 inches, one
approach sign was changed to 3.9m/13
foot while the other approach sign stayed
at 13 foot (See photos A, B and C).
No rhyme or reason for what they did;
let’s hope the safe height is still 13 foot!
I informed the council at the time, but
they ignored me. Recently I contacted
Network Rail and they confirmed it was
the council’s responsibility to update the
signs.
I am in the process of trying to get
some clearway signs, which were all
incorrectly put up over ten years ago,
Drink-drive bill adds up to 70k, says IAM Roadsmart
Next time you are giving your pupils a
pep talk about the perils of drinkdriving,
don’t forget to slip in the
financial cost of being caught.
For the amount might make them
think twice, says IAM RoadSmart.
The charity has calculated that the
personal financial cost of drink driving
could be as high as £70,000 or more
when taking into account fines, legal
fees, higher car insurance premiums,
alternative transport costs and potential
loss of earnings following conviction.
Costs following a conviction now
include: fines of £5,000, although since
these are now unlimited this could be
much more; legal fees of £11,000
which is the average following conviction
after a not-guilty plea; increased
insurance premiums of £13,500 over
five years after a driving disqualification;
£2,000 for taxi and public transport
costs for alternative transport during a
ban; and £38,500 loss of earnings for
15 months following a conviction,
based on an average UK salary.
Neil Greig, IAM RoadSmart Director
of Policy & Research, said: “It’s
important to remember that an extra
drink comes with a huge hidden cost if
it pushes you over the limit.”
He added: “Drink driving wrecks lives
and is totally unacceptable. However,
some people still think they are safe to
drive when they’ve had just a couple of
drinks or use home measures, which
can quickly push them over the limit.
“The £70k impact of being convicted
of drink driving is very sobering. This
should be more than enough to stop
people, along with the thought of the
damage they could do.”
30
NEWSLINK n JANUARY 2021
For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
changed. When that is done, I will try
them with the bridge signs again.
I did have more luck 12 years ago
when the council put new height signs
up but left the old ones in place.
On every approach to the bridge one
sign said 12 foot 9 inches and the other
12 foot 3 inches. You would think the
workmen would notice. Strangely these
were sorted immediately when I told
them. (See photo D)
On a lighter side if you want to see
the damage that can happen, I
recommend www.11foot8.com
On a more serious note, photo E
below shows the potential dangers
poorly marked low heights can create. I
took the photograph of the damaged
school bus back in 2004. The bus
driver was on a route traditionally used
by single deckers which involved going
underneath a bridge that was only
10-foot high. I believe the bus driver
knew the route well, he just forgot that
on that day he was driving a double
decker bus rather than the usual
single-decker. He paused to allow traffic
to clear and when he could see the road
ahead past the bridge was clear, he
accelerated through, which caused the
extensive damage.
Thankfully, he was on his way to the
school, so it was empty.
CONTACT
To comment on this article, or provide
updates from your area, contact
Terry at terry@terrypearce.co.uk
D
E
A quiet time –
just like for
everyone else!
John Lomas
Editor, MSA North West
Welcome to the New Year. I hope you
have all had a pleasant Christmas and
New Year’s Eve while staying safe and
well.
Along with many people I didn’t do
my usual round of visiting family,
whether in Swindon, Stockport or
Yorkshire. I got one of those turkey leg
joints for a traditional Christmas lunch
taste and I’ve never really celebrated on
New Year’s Eve, but I did raise a glass
of single malt to say ‘Goodbye and
Good Riddance’ to 2020.
But I’m still wary of the next six
months.
A helping hand with edit
I haven’t been out and about much in
the last month, so have no particular
observations to make on any good or
bad driving incidents I might have
noticed.
I am always open to hear about any
of your experiences, anonymity assured
if requested, so if you have anything to
report from round the region, please let
me know.
Worrying rumour
However, I have heard of something
which, I feel, is somewhat strange.
I have been told, admittedly at third
hand, that allegedly somewhere out
there is an instructor who is offering to
sell L-test appointments to other
instructors.
Now, as I understood it, tests can
only be booked or exchanged with
permission from the original candidates.
I know times have changed and ADIs
can book tests via the business booking
system and I know exchanges are now
easier, but I’m not sure about the
morality of this alleged practice.
Have you heard of this in your area?
Is it actually happening? Do you think
this is a good practice?
CONTACT
To comment on this article, or provide
updates, contact John at
johnstardriving@hotmail.com
www.msagb.com
31
Regional News
We’ll have to wait for a restart
Karen MacLeod
MSA GB Scotland
It’s 2021! Happy New Year to everyone.
We have been waiting on last year
disappearing, but unfortunately the
beginning of this year is looking quite
bleak, too.
This column was originally written as
the Scottish Government was putting the
country into Phase 4. At that point we
were promised a review date of January
12, but as we all know that date never
got close to the review: instead we
reached January 4 before the axe came
down for the time being.
The ‘R’ number is up, which isn’t good
news as this new strain of coronavirus is
now sweeping Britain. The new strain
has emerged in a village just six miles
away from me. My thoughts are with all
those affected, whether health-wise or
those whose businesses and livelihoods
have been hit.
I have been left really sad at the loss of
some of these, and I just hope that
everyone has had the same attentive
treatment that members of MSA GB have
received. I would like to say on behalf of
myself and all the Scottish committee a
huge thank you to Peter Harvey MBE for
his help during 2020. From my own
prospective I have relied very heavily on
the information we’ve received from the
MSA GB to keep me within the law,
advice on keeping my car spotless and
my pupils safe.
When there was an all-too brief
relaxation of restrictions I managed to
take three pupils for their L-tests. I would
like to say how professional and
understanding the driving examiners at
my test centre in Irvine were. It has been
a difficult year for us all, but if we work
together I hope we can soon see a
difference.
One of the highlights for 2020 for me
was finishing it with a zero fault driving
test for one of my pupils who has special
needs. I have heard that in some test
centres examiners are not as responsive
to special needs pupils and instructors
feel saddened by this. MSA GB has been
having discussions with the DVSA
regarding this, and those talks are
ongoing.
In November 2020 I managed to get
some theory tests booked for pupils for
the beginning of January but as I was
writing this editorial I received emails
from Pearson Vue advising me they have
been cancelled and I will need to reapply
at a later date.
This must be the biggest headache
DVSA has at the moment, and I can only
again give the agency praise in this
difficult situation; we all need to hang
tight.
Finally, as I mentioned in the
December issue of Newslink, MSA
Scotland had a bit of a fright when Brian
Thomson, a member of our committee,
contracted the first strain of the virus. I
am happy to report that he is on the
mend and was well enough to return
home for Christmas.
If anyone would like to voice any
opinions in their driver training world or
any subject close to their heart I would
be more than happy to look into it and
help write the piece or give help in you
writing it.
Please drop me an email or give me a
call, I will be delighted to hear from you.
Take care everyone and stay safe.
CONTACT
To comment on this article, or provide
updates from your area, contact Karen
at karenreiver63@btinternet.com
Who’s nicked the motorway...?
I spotted this recently and wondered, what’s happened
here, asks Karen MacLeod. If you look in the far distance
the road ends... it almost looks like the motorway is meant
to continue on elsewhere... but where? It’s in Glasgow near
the M74/M8 junction. Anyone got any clues?
32
NEWSLINK n JANUARY 2021
For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
Be bold in 2021: there’s plenty of work and
plenty of hope for the brave and ambitious
Russell Jones
MSA East Midlands
Followers of national news bulletins
knew it was inevitable that driver training
would be interrupted again by Covid-19
restrictions, but it’s no surprise that a
significant number of ADIs would take to
social media to pronounce the ‘end of
their world’, as they knew it.
Spending some time researching their
game plan showed that the most prolific
complainers were those who had
undervalued they’re services of delivering
driver training by charging too little.
It is difficult to feel any sympathy for
them. What 2021 is going to do for
them does not bear thinking about. It has
not gone unnoticed in the East Midlands
that many ADIs have increased their
lesson fees in the past month, and more
claiming they will do so after the festive
season, so there is some hope on the
horizon for them.
If only the complainers would take
notice of what is possible it might give
them a little inspiration to get a grip!
Right now, business for ADIs in the
region is booming beyond belief, so no
complaints from those concerned.
Missed opportunity
The DVSA and its ‘Master’, the
Secretary of State for Transport, missed a
great opportunity this year to conduct a
thorough overhaul of the driving
instructor recruiting and training process.
I was recently viewing a video where a
true professional was explaining how
staff from other nations were spending a
couple of years in various departments of
his organisation, bringing in new ideas
with great effect, and that the ‘exchange
programme’ had existed for several
decades.
I was shortlisted to take part in a mini
version of the programme in my previous
career but missed the boat due to time
limits. I sometimes wonder what I would
have learned during what would have
been a few months in Australasia. I’m
sure it would have been very productive.
New committee member
We have a new member on
the East Midlands Region
committee: Dave Hall, a
former chairman of the
Loughborough ADI
Association. He’s pictured
right.
Dave had a 30-year career
with Leicestershire Police, and
was an advanced driver and
motorcyclist with the force.
During his 12 years as an ADI he has
assisted numerous people to become
instructors, so he obviously brings a
wealth of valuable experience to the
committee and MSA GB.
Welcome aboard, Dave!
Unforgiveable and criminal
On a nice day in the middle of
December I drove to an establishment to
collect a learner for his lesson.
Having parked I commenced sanitising
the car and then noticed another ADI
enter the car park. Moments later I saw
the individual open their door window
and drop some litter onto the ground. I
was so shocked at his behaviour I
immediately took a photograph of the
scene. Before I could even think more
about it, the man jumped out of the car
and kicked the rubbish underneath the
vehicle, before going to rummage in the
boot.
My stress factor had already gone sky
high and I could not leave the matter
without an intervention, so I strode
across to discuss the problem with the
offender, whom I did not recognise. I
took him to task using my experience
gained in a previous career, advising him
‘‘
It has not gone unnoticed in
the East Midlands that many
ADIs have increased their
lesson fees in the past month,
and more claiming they will
do so after the festive season
‘‘
I had photographic evidence of
his disgraceful offending.
While he did not
apologise, he did bend
down to retrieve the
rubbish and place it into
his car boot.
Finally, I told him that
he should not be
surprised if he had a visit
from someone in authority
with copies of the photographs
and seeking an explanation for his
transgression.
I am still considering whether to
forward the evidence to that nice fellow
at the DfT, The Right Honourable Grant
Shapps.
To be or not to be
In early 2020 those jolly nice folks at
the ADI Registrar’s office sent me
notification that I would need to undergo
a DBS check if I chose to remain on the
register and purchase a new green badge
later in the year.
I gave it some thought, for at least five
seconds, and concluded that the
Covid-19 pandemic would dispense with
the services of a few thousand ADIs,
leaving loads of work for me and other
enthusiastic instructors.
After all, what is there not to like about
teaching some very pleasant people of
varying ages to drive motor cars?
So, with a new badge displayed in the
window and yet another price increase,
I’m looking forward to a great 2021, as
I’m sure thousands of like-minded ADIs
are, too.
Quiz
You may recall I popped a quiz
question in the last issue. Well, there
was not a single result remotely close to
the correct answer to the question, so I
am reserving it for later when it could
appear in a different format.
CONTACT
To comment on this article, or provide
updates from your area, contact
Russell at rjadi@hotmail.com
www.msagb.com
33
News
High risks of at-work driving
revealed in new crash statistics
The unacceptable death and injury toll
involving people driving for work on UK
roads has been revealed in a major new
study. Nearly one-in-three road deaths
involves a driving-for-work trip the survey
found, and 39 per cent of pedestrian
deaths involve a ‘working’ driver.
The study was made on behalf of
Highways England and charitable
partnership Roadsafe.
It means that more deaths occur from
at-work road trips than at the workplace,
despite the dangers posed by industries
such as construction, farming and
mining. Most of those involved are
non-professional drivers, meaning they
drive company cars or are in the ‘grey
fleet’ sector.
In 2018, 520 people died in collisions
involving a driver or rider driving for work,
but only 12 per cent (63) of them were
working drivers or riders. Five per cent
(25) of the fatalities were passengers of a
driver driving for work, while 83 per cent
(432) of those killed were non-working
road-users.
The figures are in sharp contrast to the
total of 144 people killed in workplace
accidents during the course of work in
the UK in the year 2017/18.
The survey – Driving for work - a
strategic review of risks associated with
cars and light vans, implications for
policy and practice – estimates that up
to 39 per cent of pedestrian fatalities in
the UK were in collision with a ‘working’
driver, causing up to 11 pedestrian
deaths a month.
The study, conducted by UCL and
Agilysis, says there is a “lack of attention
to work-related road safety” by
policymakers. It warns that despite a
rapid increase in vans (up by 27 per cent
from 3.24m light goods vehicles in 2011
to 4.12m in 2019) and people working
in the gig economy, this sector falls
outside the strict regulations governing
other occupational drivers.
Despite businesses switching to ‘last
mile deliveries’ by vans – coinciding with
the boom in internet shopping – vans and
drivers are not subject to the strict driver
training, drivers’ hours restrictions and
roadworthiness regulations on HGVs.
On average, finds the study, vans are
being driven 12,800 miles a year,
accounting for 15.4 per cent of all vehicle
mileage. Two in 10 of these journeys
occur on minor urban roads.
Nick Starling, Chair of the Transport
Safety Commission Work Related Road
Safety Forum said: “As a society, we rely
on those driving for work. Twenty-nine
per cent of all fatalities, 24 per cent of
the seriously injured, and 21 per cent of
all casualties are sustained when
someone involved in an injury collision is
driving for work. Vans and drivers are not
subject to the same strict regulation as
HGVs and buses/coaches.
“This report highlights the importance
of stakeholders across all sectors working
together to understand and manage the
risk better.”
Rules change for EU drivers in UK
The Government has revealed the new
rules for non-UK drivers coming to these
shores and driving.
If the drivers have a non-UK licence
they can still drive in the UK, and do not
need an international driving permit
(IDP).
If the vehicle’s insurance was issued in
the EU, Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein,
Norway, Serbia or Switzerland, the driver
should carry an insurance green card or
other valid proof of insurance, however.
To be valid, other proof of insurance
must be a document issued by the
vehicle insurance provider which
includes the:
34
• name of the insurance provider
• number plate or other identifying
particulars of the vehicle
• period of insurance cover
Contact your vehicle insurance provider
before you travel.
If the vehicle is insured in a country
outside the EU, Andorra, Iceland,
Liechtenstein, Norway, Serbia or
Switzerland, what you’ll need to do will
depend on if your country is a member of
the green card system.
If your country is a member, you will
need to carry a green card.
If your country is not a member, your
vehicle will need UK vehicle insurance.
Jellylearn links
up with EFA
The DVSA’s tech partner for
developing the theory test, Jellylearn,
has signed up to become an Affiliate
member of the European Driving
Instructors Association, EFA.
A spokesman for the company said:
“We are proud and excited to be
joining the EFA as an Affiliate member.
I am confident that by combining our
skills, expertise and knowledge we
can put a very strong proposition to
the EU as to what the benefits to
road safety would be of introducing
Hazard Perception (HP) testing as
part of its driver licensing system.”
NEWSLINK n JANUARY 2021
Treasury accepts green cars
will lead to big loss in tax
For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
A Treasury spokesperson has admitted
that, if Government plans to push
motorists into electric cars are
successful, other taxes will have to rise
to compensate for the huge fall in fuel
tax and other driving-related duties.
Treasury officials have suggested that
the loss in revenue could be as much as
£30bn.
It comes after news leaked late in
2020 that Chancellor Rishi Sunak was
investigating a road mile tax, in which
motorists would be charged for every
mile they drive.
An alternative from the AA is for every
motorist to be given 3,000 free miles
(4,000 in rural areas) before any
charging takes place.
However, the overall tone of the latest
Treasury review is a little less alarmist
that some others in recent years when
the debate has looked at environmental
issues. It states: “Overall, in the context
of the rest of the world decarbonising,
the net impact of the transition on
growth to 2050 is likely to be small
compared to total growth over that
period. It could be slightly positive or
slightly negative.”
It continues: “Climate change is an
existential threat to humanity. Without
global action to limit greenhouse gas
emissions, the climate will change
catastrophically with almost
unimaginable consequences for societies
across the world.”
Environmentalists welcome what they
say is a dramatic change in tone from
the Treasury,
Doug Parr from Greenpeace told BBC
News: “Finally the Treasury has
admitted that tackling climate change
could actually be good for the economy.
“For years it’s been a total drag on
climate policies - it used to get in the
way of any good proposals.”
He said the Treasury should save
money by scrapping the £27bn roads
programme and the £100bn HS2 rail
line – both of which will increase carbon
emissions.
April driving licence
extension nearly up
ADIs: was your driving licence ready to
expire when the UK was placed in the
first national Covid-19 lockdown back
in March 2021? If so, you may have
taken up the chance at that time to
have its shelf-life extended by up to a
further 11 months, after the DVLA said
it would do this automatically while it
set about shifting its workload to cope
with Covid-19. However, that period of
grace will be up soon and you’ll need to
renew your driving licence soon. The
quickest way is online at
https://www.gov.uk/renew-drivinglicence
But watch out! if you Google ‘renew
driving licence’ the first companies who
come up before the DVLA are the types
that charge you £79 for a new licence!
Warning against over-zealous parking pavement ban
IAM RoadSmart has called for a targeted
and local approach to combat pavement
parking rather than one that could create
problems where no problems exist.
A Department for Transport consultation
entitled ‘Pavement parking: options for
change’ has recently finished, with a
summary of responses due to be
published within three months.
IAM RoadSmart has called for a
legislative change that would allow local
authorities with civil parking enforcement
powers to enforce against the ‘unnecessary
obstruction of the pavement’, defined as
less than the width of a standard wheel
chair or child’s buggy.
Two other options up for consideration
are a complete blanket ban on pavement
parking in England, as already exists in
London and is due in Scotland in 2021,
or improvements to the existing Traffic
Regulation Order through traffic signs or
road markings.
IAM RoadSmart believes the more
targeted local approach is beneficial. A
blanket ban could remove parked cars
from many roads where they have a traffic
calming effect, clearing parking cars can
also lead to an increase in the speed of
traffic. It also argues that a local approach
will get more public support as enforcement
would be carried out more effectively.
Neil Greig, policy and research director
at IAM RoadSmart, said: “A focused and
local approach would allow selfish
individuals and problem areas to be
targeted without causing displacement
problems in areas where there are no
actual problems for pedestrians.”
Many neighbourhoods have developed
informal pavement parking arrangements
which still allow the free flow of traffic
down narrow streets without causing any
pavement obstruction. Disrupting these
long-standing arrangements could lead to
local tensions and stress. IAM RoadSmart
is also concerned that hard-pressed
councils will lack the resources to
effectively implement a blanket ban.
Neil added: “Local councils should be
encouraged to use their existing powers
and these new ones to sign, define,
review and enforce local bans as required.
“We have no problem with local
solutions for local problems, but a blanket
ban of pavement parking is a ‘hammer to
crack a nut’.”
www.msagb.com
35
Meet the ADI
There’s nothing better than getting
a new ADI over the line ...
Continuing our series of
Q&As with MSA GB members,
this month, Graham Kent
from Grimsby
When did you become an ADI, and
what made you enter the profession?
After 20 years of working in senior
management for United Biscuits with
brands such as Youngs and McVities I
was made redundant.
I considered my strengths and things
that I enjoyed doing and I came up with
people, cars and training. I was in
Grimsby job centre and a company was
advertising for driving instructors. I knew
immediately that that was what I wanted
to do.
What’s the best bit about the job?
Training instructors and them, in turn,
getting great feedback from their new
pupils in the first week – such as “I’ve
learnt more with your instructor in that
first 90-minute lesson than I did with my
last instructor over 10 hours!”
And the worst?
Experiencing rude examiners.
Thankfully it is rare but occasionally I
and my team experience treatment of our
pupils that is unacceptable.
The ITV driving test programme The
Secrets of the Driving Test showed that
examiners can be excellent at putting the
candidate at ease and give a high
standard of customer service. I wish all
examiners would be like this.
Graham and his team an
Anderby Driving Centre
Ltd. ‘I’ve owned the
company since 2005,
and built it up from five
ADIs to over 30. I also
train people to become
ADIs and have been
ORDIT since 2008.’
What’s the best piece of training advice
you were ever given?
To do the Education and Training
course – Level 3. It focuses on how to
teach adults. It was a tough course but
very worthwhile. It confirmed many
things that I had been self taught over
the years but also introduced me to
many ways in which to train adults
(including learners and instructors)
What one piece of kit, other than your
car and phone, could you not do
without?
The radio. My first company car didn’t
have one as standard. I immediately
installed a Motorola. Now I couldn’t do
without listening to Radio 4 – especially
the Today programme, World at One
and, of course, the extremely funny show
I’m sorry I haven’t a clue quiz hosted by
the brilliant Jack Dee
What needs fixing most urgently in
driving generally?
Getting people to realise that
distractions while driving are extremely
dangerous. Most of the time drivers get
away with being distracted by talking on
their hands-free phones or a quick look
at texts, etc, but if that moment
coincides with a child running out or a
Graham writes: ‘I appeared
on the ITV 1 programme
‘The Secrets of the Driving
Test’ last April, with my
pupil Shaunna. She had
been trying to pass her test
for 10 years, and had had
11 attempts when I met
her. I really interesting lady
and fantastic to see her pass
finally on her 13th go... and
great to have it shown on
such a prestigious channel
at 8.30pm.’
36
NEWSLINK n JANUARY 2021
For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
Graham back in 1976 shortly after passing his own L-test. He’s stood
next to his pride and joy, a Singer Vogue. ‘My mate called it a Rolls
Canardly... meaning it rolls downhill but can hardly go up ‘em!’ Would
MSA GB members please note, the fashion police HAVE been called...
cyclist wobbling in front of them, it can
be fatal
What should the DVSA focus on?
During the 20 years I’ve been in this
industry the DVSA has got most things
about right for me. I think the move
away from driving test centres is a
positive one, hopefully this will reduce
the cost of the practical test and giving a
better customer service.
What’s the next big thing that’s going to
transform driver training/testing?
As above, the move away from physical
test centres and also more car autonomy
Electric cars – yes or no? And why?
If the electricity provided has come
from a green source then this is a
positive move. Range anxiety is the main
problem that should reduce with a proper
infrastructure of charging stations
throughout the country.
How can we improve driver testing/
training in one move?
Make some form of training
compulsory in the school classroom –
especially with the introduction of
affordable virtual driving simulators so
that young people can see the benefits as
well as the dangers of learning to drive
Who/what inspires you, drives you on?
People coming into our industry
wanting a new career and knowing that I
can train them to a become a very
successful fully qualified driving
instructor, is highly motivating
What keeps you awake at night?
Nothing, I sleep like a dog!
No one is the finished article. What do
you do to keep on top of the game?
I have an open mind. For example, I
occasionally teach learners to keep my
hand in – and I often learn more from
them than any other source.
What’s the daftest /most dangerous
thing that’s ever happened to you while
teaching?
Soon after qualifying, my pupil, driving
at around 30mph in a country lane,
slammed the brakes on to avoid a crow
that landed in front of us. Okay, you
might think... but the juggernaut driver
behind only just managed to brake in
time. His ‘following distance’ was far too
close at about a car’s length away! My
seat needed the services of a valeter!
That’s when I decided to ensure that,
before they drove my car, all my pupils
knew that I couldn’t stop them braking!
When or where are you happiest?
When I attend a driving instructor’s
Part 3 or Standards Check debrief and
the examiner says: ‘I am pleased to say
you’ve passed’ – and especially, when
they get a Grade A pass!
If you had to pick one book/film/album
that inspires, entertains or moves you,
what would it be?
A series of programmes by the brilliant
the late Sir John Harvey Jones. His TV
programme ‘Troubleshooter’ inspired me
to run my own business.
Voi offers a new
safety angle on
e-scooter range
In December’s Newslink we discussed
the increasing concerns raised over
e-scooters.
Usually found in urban areas, they
require no licence to operate them but
can reach speeds which are a danger to
pedestrians, cyclists and other roads
users – and not least to the riders
themselves.
In order to combat this problem,
e-scooter manufacturer Voi has
announced that its e-scooters are to
include an AI vision system that will
offer real-time pedestrian detection,
similar to that available in luxury cars.
The technology, which relies on
high-end machine vision, sensors and AI
algorithms, offers pedestrian detection
so that an e-scooter can understand if it
is in a heavily pedestrianised area and
reduce its speed, based on predefined
parameters.
It will also equip e-scooters to detect
the kind of surface or lane they are
riding on (bike lane, pavement, road),
and respond with appropriate measures.
As part of a wider partnership with
Voi, micromobility start-up Luna will
also provide precise positioning
technology so that it can control parking
to centimetre-level accuracy in
designated areas, helping to eradicate
street clutter that endangers vulnerable
people.
The GPS technology will also
improve operational and environmental
efficiency for Voi, thereby accelerating
and sustaining the deployment of low
cost, socially distanced e-scooters.
Trials of the new technology
commence in Northampton in January,
focusing on pedestrian detection.
The first phase will see the local Voi
operations team use Luna’s technology
to enable scooters to learn their
environment.
Once this phase is complete, Luna’s
technology will be integrated into Voi’s
e-scooters for public use in the city.
Northampton’s e-scooter trial is part of a
Government-led initiative to introduce
e-scooters to the public as an
innovative, safe, carbon-neutral and
socially distanced mode of transport.
www.msagb.com
37
Membership
Members’ discounts and benefits
MSA GB has organised a number of exclusive discounts and offers for members. More details can be found on our website at
www.msagb.com. To access these benefits, simply log in and click on the Member discount logo, then click the link at the
bottom of the page to allow you to obtain your special discounts. Please note, non-members will be required to join the
association first. Terms and conditions apply
Ford launches special offer
for MSA GB members
Some exciting news for members: Ford has partnered with
MSA GB to offer exclusive discounts on all car and
commercial Ford vehicles.
Take a look at the Ford website www.ford.co.uk for vehicle
and specification information.
For further information, to view frequently asked questions,
to request a quote and to access the member discount
codes, please go to the Members’ Benefits page on the MSA
GB website and follow the Ford link.
Please note these discounts are only available to MSA GB
members and their immediate family if they are members
who pay annually.
ACCOUNTANCY
MSA’s Recommended
Accountancy Service, FBTC
offers a specialist service for
driving instructors. It has been
established over 20 years ago and
covers the whole of the UK. The team takes
pride in providing unlimited advice and
support to ensure the completion of your tax
return is hassle free, giving you peace of mind.
MSA OFFER:: FBTC will prepare you for
Making Tax Digital and will be providing
HMRC compliant software to all clients very
soon. Join now to receive three months free.
ADVANCE DRIVING
IAM RoadSmart, the UK’s
largest road safety charity, is
proud to partner with the
Motor Schools Association GB
in order to work together to
make our roads safer through driver skills
and knowledge development.
MSA OFFER:: Enjoy a 20% saving on our
Advanced Driver Course for MSA members.
BOOKKEEPING
Easy-to-use bookkeeping & tax spreadsheets
designed specifically for driving instructors. It
will reduce the time you need to spend on
record-keeping. Simply enter details of your fee
income and expenses throughout the year and
your trading profit, tax & national insurance
liability are automatically calculated.
MSA OFFER:: We’re proud to offer all MSA GB
members 25% discount.
CAR AIR FRESHENERS / CANDLES
Mandles’ handmade scented collections use
quality ingredients to ensure
superior scent throw from all
its candles and diffusers.
Check our our website for
further details.
MSA OFFER:: Special discount
of 20% on all car air fresheners and refills.
CARD PAYMENTS
MSA and SumUp believe in
supporting motor vehicle
trainers of all shapes and sizes.
Together we are on a mission to
ease the operational workload of our members
by providing them with the ability to take card
payments on-the-go or in their respective
training centREs. SumUp readers are durable
and user-friendly. Their paperless onboarding is
quick and efficient. Moreover, their offer comes
with no monthly subscription, no contractual
agreement, no support fees, no hidden fees
– just the one-off cost for the reader coupled
with lowest on the market transaction fee.
MSA OFFER:: We are offering MSA GB
members discounted 3G reader.
CPD & TRAINING
COURSES
As part of its new relationship
with MSA GB, Tri-Coaching is
delighted to offer a massive 20% discount
across the board on all our training products
and courses, exclusively to MSA Members.
MSA OFFER: 20% off all Tri-Coaching
courses.
DISABILITY AIDS
Driving shouldn’t just be a
privilege for people without
disabilities; it should be
accessible for all and there’s
never been an easier time to make
this the case! MSA GB members can take
advantage of BAS’s Driving Instructor
Packages which include a range of adaptations
at a discounted price, suitable for teaching
disabled learner drivers.
MSA OFFER: Special Driving Instructor
Packages for MSA members.
HEALTH / FINANCE COVER
The Motor Schools Association of Great Britain
has agreed with HMCA to offer discounted
rates for medical plans, dental plan, hospital
cash plans, personal accident
plan, travel plan, income
protection and vehicle
breakdown products.
MSA OFFER: HMCA only offer
medical plans to membership
groups and can offer up to a 40% discount off
the underwriter’s standard rates.
This is a comprehensive plan which provides
generous cash benefits for surgery and other
charges.
To get the full story of
the discounts available,
see www.msagb.com
38 NEWSLINK n JANUARY 2021
For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
PUPIL INSURANCE
Help your pupils private
practice by signing them up
to Collingwood’s instructor
affiliate programme.
MSA OFFER:: £50 for your first
referral and a chance to win £100 of High
Street vouchers!
PPE
Effective PPE (Personal
Protective Equipment) is
vital to provide the protection
your workforce requires in
order to work safely and ensure
that all employment laws are complied with.
MSA OFFER:: 15% offer for MSA members.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Driving Instructor Services offers call
handing, web design, reports and pupil
text reminders, to name a few
of our services.
MSA OFFER:: Free trial
of all our services and 10%
discount for the life of your
MSA membership.
PSYCHOLOGY TRAINING
Confident Drivers has the
only website created
especially for drivers offering
eight different psychological
techniques commonly used
to reduce stress and nerves.
MSA OFFER: One month free on a monthly
subscription plan using coupon code.
PUPIL SOURCING
Go Roadie provides students
when they need them, with
all the details you need
before you accept. Control
your own pricing, discounts
and set your availability to suit you. Full
diary? No cost!
MSA OFFER: Introductory offer of 50% off
the first three students they accept.
TYRES
VRedestein’s impressive range
of tyres includes the awardwinning
Quatrac 5 and the
new Quatrac Pro – offering
year-round safety and
performance.
MSA OFFER: 10% discount on purchases
across our tyre ranges.
To get the full story of
the discounts available,
see www.msagb.com
Membership offer
Welcome new ADIs
We’ve a special introductory offer for you!
Congratulations on passing
your Part 3 and becoming
an ADI.
There’s an exciting career
open to you from today.
It’s one that is alive with
possibilities as you build
your skills, your client
base and your income.
But for all the excitement, it
can also be a challenging
profession. Who can you turn to if
you’re struggling to get over key driver
training issues to a pupil? Where can you
go to soak up advice from more
experienced ADIs? Who will help you if
you are caught up in a dispute with the
DVSA? If the worst happens, who can you
turn to for help, advice and to fight your
corner?
The answer is the Motor Schools
Association of Great Britain – MSA GB
for short.
We are the most senior association
representing driving instructors in Great
Britain. Establised in 1935 when the first
driving test was introduced, MSA GB has
been working tirelessly ever since on
behalf of ordinary rank and file ADIs.
We represent your interests and your
views in the corridors of power, holding
regular meetings with senior officials from
the DVSA and the Department for
Transport to make sure the ADIs’ voice is
heard.
SPECIAL OFFER
We’d like you to join us
We’re there to support you every
step of the way. Our officebased
staff are there, five
days a week, from 9am-
5.30pm, ready to answer
your call and help you in any
way.
In addition our network of
experienced office holders and
regional officers can offer advice
over the phone or by email.
But membership of the MSA doesn’t just
mean we’re there for you if you’re in
trouble. We also offer a nationwide
network of regular meetings, seminars
and training events, an Annual
Conference, and a chance to participate in
MSA GB affairs through our democratic
structure
In addition, you’ll get a free link to our
membership magazine Newslink every
month, with all the latest news, views,
comment and advice you’ll need to
become a successful driving instructor.
You’ll also automatically receive
professional indemnity insurance worth
up to £5m and £10m public liability
insurance free of charge.
This is essential legal protection covering
you against legal claims ariving from your
tuition.
So join us today and save £25
including the first year’s joining fee:
just £60 for 12 months.
Join MSA GB today!
and save yourself £25
Call 0800 0265986 quoting
discount code Newslink, or join
online at www.msagb.com
Just
£60
for 12 months
membership
www.msagb.com 39
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