Newslink October Marketing Special

Towards your CPD
There’s no such thing as
a ‘no school day’ – as
Steve Garrod discovered
while sat waiting for the
dentist with nothing
but a dog-eared copy
of Better Homes and
Garden to read and
autumn in the air...
The natural perils of autumn
What to look out for, what to teach
While waiting in my dentist’s waiting room
last week (yes, I still find these more daunting
than driving test centres), I picked up a
well-thumbed Better Homes and Gardens’
magazine with a picturesque autumnal scene
of a garden shed surrounded by red and
golden trees with low sun casting long
shadows across the fallen leaves on a slightly
neglected lawn.
In an effort to take my mind off my
appointment I began to flick through the
publication and recognised similarities
between home maintenance and driving. For
example, I read a couple of articles on why I
should check and clear my guttering and
paint my decking in preparation for the winter
months.
But above all, it was the picture of the low
sun which reminded me of the recent
problems I have experienced, while riding and
driving into the sun, that made me think
about the risks this poses to us while we are
on the road.
Just as Better Gardens and Homes
prepares its readers for the coming seasons,
it is equally important for us, as professional
trainers, to ensure we prepare our students,
whether they are a full or provisional licence
holders, for driving or riding in all types of
road and weather conditions.
Ironically, I am writing this article in late
September where we are enjoying a late
summer in the low 20s but with misty
mornings.
Even if you are engaged in fleet work then
it is worthwhile including a ‘bit of the obvious’
into your training sessions. Likewise learners
will cover driving in autumn and winter in
their theory, but few will make the
connection unless it is covered out on the
road.
My reason for saying this is because,
according to the AA, each year just under
4,000 road users in accidents caused by
being dazzled by the sun. One road where
dazzle is a particular problem is the M4, which
carries thousands of drivers towards London
each morning and runs in a fairly straight
west-east line from South Wales to the
capital.
With this in mind I thought it might be
useful to take a leaf out of BH&G (no pun
intended) and to cover a few obvious, but
often forgotten tips to help keep you and
your learners safe this autumn. Don’t feel
embarrassed about including them into your
lessons or fleet presentations, because they
are potential life savers and good risk
management.
Low sun
Glare is worsened by dirty windscreens. It
is important to clean the inside of the
windscreen clean as well as the outside.
Grime can build up during the summer
months from residue from fumes being
drawn in through the car’s ventilation system.
I often see drivers using a rag as old as the
magazine I read in the dentist’s waiting room.
It is better to use paper towel then throw it
away because the rag or de-mister pads will
just drag the grease around the glass.
Part of the vehicle checks should also
include the windscreen wiper blades: they are
generally good for two years but will need
replacing after that period to ensure they
clear the water as effectively as possible.
I normally tell students to collect the
sachets of vinegar from cafes etc and to keep
them handy for use when on a longer
journey. Vinegar on a paper towel run along
26 NEWSLINK n OCTOBER 2023