MSA Newslink November 2021

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Area focus ‘When’s my test?’ looks like less of a problem than ‘what should I wear?’ Mike Yeomans MSA GB North East Learner drivers across the UK are ‘haemorrhaging money’ as the ongoing driving test backlog continues, according to insurer Marmalade. An article published online by Road Safety GB submitted by Marmalade insurance provider quoted: ‘Driving tests resumed in April 2021 – but a backlog still remains for those impacted by 15 months of suspensions and theory test expirations caused by Covid-19. ‘A survey of more than 1,000 learners, carried out by the learner and young driver insurance provider, found that on average, due to the backlog, learners are buying eight extra lessons that aren’t needed. ‘At the 2021 average of £31.15 per lesson, that’s an added expense of £249.20. ‘Meanwhile, almost a third (32%) of learners estimate they’ll take an extra 10-19 lessons, which could cost between £311.50 and £591.85.’ Marmalade added: ‘Our latest research shows how the aftermath of the pandemic continues to disrupt finances for learners and their families...’ I am sure you are all very familiar with the problem. In fact, some students are cancelling lessons until nearer the test date, assuming they have acquired a date, that is. The price of lessons and the cost of running a car are the top reasons why many young people have put the brakes on learning to drive, according to a survey by IAM RoadSmart. The road safety charity says that while passing the driving test was once seen as a rite of passage for most youngsters, the number of young people getting behind the wheel is now declining. Of the 1,000 young people (17-24 years) surveyed, cost concerns were rated as the biggest reason for not learning to drive. Equal top concerns were the price of lessons and the cost of running a car (29 Wear something comfortable but presentable... remember, first impressions count... per cent), closely followed in second spot by the cost of taking the driving test itself (28 per cent). No doubt the increase in numbers going into higher education, and the rise of cheap taxi-hailing mobile applications have also fuelled the driving decline. “Many young people lack the financial confidence to commit to running a car, especially when relatively cheap alternative forms of travel are available.” The survey also revealed that fear of driving had put off 26 per cent of respondents from learning to drive, with longer waiting lists for tests only being an issue for 20 per cent. And yet before all the pandemic and test delays the biggest worry, apart from passing, is what shall I wear on the day? I wonder how many ADIs give advice on this subject. ‘What should I wear for my driving test?’. Realistically, they can wear whatever they like for your test, but searching the web and asking ADIs, the following seemed a good guide to recommend wearing something smart, tidy and comfortable. As always first impressions count, and this is true even with the driving examiner. Research has shown that the way they look tends to have an impact on the outcome of situations, so read below if they want to find out how to advise on making a great first impression. The dos and don’ts of what to wear to your driving test Do: • Wear something comfortable • Wear clean clothes • Wear appropriate shoes • Look presentable • Consider personal hygiene, body spray etc. Don’t: • Wear sandals or high heels • Wear restrictive clothing • Wear too many layers • Have spicy food before the test It is important that the candidate is comfortable in whatever they choose to wear for their driving test. They should avoid wearing anything that restricts their movement, such as a tight top or thick jacket. They need to be able to freely twist and move their body when driving, especially when performing a manoeuvre and the need to look around. I can say the rules to be presentable for the candidate should also apply to ourselves as professional driver trainers! CONTACT To comment on this article, or provide updates, contact Mike at chair.ne@msagb.com 32 NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2021
For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com Time to move on - into a slower lane, perhaps Guy Annan MSA GB Western Hi everyone. I’ve decided to step down as Western Editor after my doctor and my wife told me they thought I was overdoing things. Something (well a few things actually) had to give, and contributing this column every month is one of them. Like all of us who are self employed, it can be stressful enough but if you add to that being chairman of this group and secretary of that, juggling dates and responsibilities, it can get a bit much. I’m not as young as I once was so having to write something every month will be a weight off my mind. One of my problems has always been that if I get involved in an organisation, I like to give it my all; I can’t sit at the back letting others do all the work. Before I go, here’s a thought. I expect like me you occasionally get a student who fails the test due to inappropriate speed, where the speed limit has reduced from, say 40mph to 30 but on the sat nav it still records the original (higher) speed. Surely it begs the question, is the equipment the DVSA uses fit for purpose? In these litigious times, would another industry dare use equipment that gives false information? Talking of giving false information, the DVSA gave an old address of a theory test centre to one of my students when she was going to do her theory test. By NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2021 sheer luck someone was at the old address and was able to point her in the right direction for the new theory test centre. When she got there she was amazed it was in a Portacabin that rocked when people entered it, so much so that it affected the use of the mouse on the hazard perception. Again, DVSA kit that doesn’t appear fit for purpose. There are other silly errors creeping in elsewhere too. One of my instructors had to do a Standards Check recently but received no phone call prior to the test as we’ve all been informed will happen. When they questioned this fact they were told “we’re not doing that anymore.” Really? Anyway, I made a small investigation by asking other examiners and they couldn’t understand it and said that it should have happened. Anyway the Standards Check was successful so we let it lie. They say it goes in 3’s don’t they. Did you know…. the word SLOW written on the road can be used as an acronym, Speed Low Observe Warning. When its written once there is a hazard, twice in a row there has been a bad accident and three times in a row means there has been a fatal accident. I wish you all well. Hey, let’s all be careful out there. CONTACT To comment on this article, or provide updates, contact Guy at g.annan@ alphadrivingtaunton.com Reminder over NW AGM John Lomas Editor, MSA North West You should, by now, have received your first email advising of the North West AGM and training event on November 22, starting at 7.30pm and running until 9pm. It will take place by Zoom. If you haven’t received it check your spam/trash bin in case it was put there by your server. It came from chair.nw@ msagb.com and was sent on Saturday, October 9 at around 16.10, so make sure that that is a recognised address in your email address book. The time is approaching when I will really struggle to get copy out on a regular basis. You may have noticed I missed last month, for instance. So, we really do need someone to take over the reins of North West editor to pass on current news and views from the working instructors in our region. Being a widespread region it might even be possible for three or four of you to compile information and pass it on through to one person to send on to the editor/publisher. That central point could be me initially if no one else wants to take the helm. If you want to know more about the role, get in touch at the address below. DVLA I have just received a phone call from a relative whose licence is due for renewal this week; she is 76. She has been waiting for a reminder and, of course, they haven’t sent one out. She has looked at online renewal but it won’t do it for her because she doesn’t have a passport. Even though her photo doesn’t need renewing, it still asks for the passport number. I managed to find a PDF of the D1 form online which can be filled in on the computer and then printed out to use as a postal application. I have also found, for her, the Section 88 information about driving while waiting for her licence to come back which, if she is lucky, might be sometime in the next six months. They don’t make it easy for anyone that doesn’t have the latest digital presence, do they? CONTACT To comment on this article, or provide updates, contact John at johnstardriving@hotmail.com 33
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