Newslink December 2021

Area News
Someone is going to pay ...
Russell Jones
MSA GB East Midlands
During the last few days of November I
was with an excellent learner driver,
called Sophie, who was making her way
out of Nottingham, following the A60
towards Trent Bridge, when she started
to slow the car. I felt I knew why she was
doing so but I said nothing because I
wanted her to deal with a developing
hazard to our front.
A lone cyclist was peddling along a
double length bus stop which was
located to the left of the nearside lane,
and there was a distinct possibility that
she could have swerved out into our
pathway without looking to see if it was
safe to do so.
Sophie was alert to all the other traffic
around us and obviously noted there was
no possibility of safely moving out into
another lane to avoid a potential
collision. As the cyclist reached the end
of the bus stop, she stopped moving
forwards and was very close to our lane.
At the same time our car came to a
standstill as Sophie applied the footbrake
firmly. The ‘developing hazard’ required
that course of action by Sophie. My foot
had been very close to my dual brake,
but I had not needed to intervene, as
Sophie had the matter under full control.
What happened next astounded me!
There was an annoying blast of a car
horn emanating from the vehicle behind
us. Sophie asked, ‘’Was she doing that to
me?’’ I replied, ‘’Yes’’. She exclaimed,
‘’But she’s a driving instructor’’. I said,
‘’It does seem so’’. Sophie replied, ‘’Why
has she done that, I did the right thing in
stopping because the cyclist almost
came out into my lane and could have
crashed into me?’’. I replied, ‘’Might as
well ask why the moron was born!’’
‘‘
Too many drivers become
36
impatient and don’t see
the developing hazards
ahead of them
‘‘
At that moment, the cyclist moved out
of the bus stop and immediately turned
left via a Toucan Crossing onto the
footpath to continue her journey.
Sophie began to move forward again,
and the moron behind began overtaking
us and, as Sophie said, ‘’She’s giving me
a filthy look’’. I complimented Sophie on
her excellent course of action, patience,
attention to the risk posed and a very
successful outcome to it, with an
appreciative cyclist that she was free to
continue cycling without being harmed.
What else are we contemplating? With
supporting in-car video I am arranging to
visit the local police and submit a written
statement of complaint, with a ‘demand’
that the idiotic ADI be interviewed by a
uniformed police officer, who could issue
a formal caution, for ‘driving without due
care and consideration for other road
users’. That should serve as an
unpleasant early Christmas present!
Am I surprised by the incident? I
shouldn’t be, as I’ve discovered the ADI
concerned learned their trade with a
well-known ‘el cheapo’ training outfit,
which could easily fool someone from the
DVSA to issuing a Green Badge to
somebody totally unsuited for the role.
Some ADIs never learn
Two teenage learners, having ‘endured’
the stench of tobacco smoke on the
clothes of the recent ADI with whom
they were learning, stopped taking
driving lessons. They are now prepared
to wait some considerable time before
resuming their training and have joined
the end of my waiting list. I sympathise
with them, both for having had to
contend with a very selfish individual
who thinks it is ok to mistreat customers,
because ‘mistreatment’ is what it is/was,
and others who are still being exposed to
the same pollution. But their wait for a
full driving licence is also being delayed.
DVSA/DfT should make it mandatory that
smokers are prohibited by law from the
profession.
Boom time
Like all four corners of the country, the
East Midlands driver training business for
initial licence acquisition is booming
beyond most ADIs wildest dreams.
Which begs the question, why are so
many of them incapable of charging
realistic rates for the job?
One reason is as plain as a pikestaff,
which was highlighted in these pages by
Mike Yeomans only last month. First
impressions, guys! First impressions! It
cannot be emphasised enough.
The end is not nigh
‘Elise’, aged 33, started to learn to
drive when she was 17 but gave up
within a few weeks. Now having passed
her test very recently, she has ‘ordered’
me not to retire as her son will need
driving lessons in six years’ time. Having
taught both her parents a long time ago,
I guess I’ll not be going anywhere else
soon, as it would be a dereliction of duty.
So, it has got me thinking. What hourly
rate will I be able to charge in six years’
time? £75? Or more? Well, we must
have ambition, must we not? If we don’t
grab the golden opportunity which the
pandemic has presented, the ADI
profession will have only itself to blame.
Of course, that has been the history for
decades, but I do see a glimmer of hope
that the tide is changing, and good
instructors will prosper, with no room for
deadwood and no-hopers. Life could
even become rather grand for many.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
to you all
CONTACT
To comment on this article, or provide
updates from your area, contact
Russell at rjadi@hotmail.com
NEWSLINK n DECEMBER 2021