Confessions of a Driving Instructor

Today I visited the Brighton office of BSM, to arrange my start date and what hours I will be working. My official (tentative) start date is 8th August 2008, but this could be subject to change depending upon if I get my Trainee Licence through in time, and if there are sufficient pupils for me to train.

I also provisionally booked my working hours, which are as follows:

Yes, that’s right - I could (potentially) be working 60 hours a week! If I find these hours are too much or not suitable, they can be re-arranged at a later date. It looks like I’m going to be busy when I start training!

When I got home after passing my Part 2 Test, my 5-year-old daughter Jazmine presented me with this card, complete with orange BSM car!

Today was the Part 2 test - a test of my driving ability

My test was due to start at 10am, so I left home at 8am for the hour’s journey. I arrived in the area just after 9am, so I spent a little while having a final practice of the left and right reversing manoeuvres. Happy that I was up to standard (and needing a wee!) I parked up outside the test centre.

I was sure I was more nervous for this test than I was when I first learnt to drive 14 years ago! After a half hour wait it was time for my test. I met the examiner and we went through the “Show Me, Tell Me” questions. Then we set off, and I was quite happy until about 45 minutes into the 1 hour test. We were on a national speed limit (60MPH) road when I suddenly spotted a 40MPH sign, just as I was about to pass it! I quickly applied the brakes, and apologised to the examiner, as he peeled his face off the windscreen

After that, I didn’t expect to pass, but I carried on to the best of my ability. At the end of the test, the examiner turned to me and said he was pleased to report I had passed I was over the moon, as I was sure I had blown it with the speed limit change. In the end, I had 5 minor faults (observation and control during a reverse park, coasting up to a junction, not indicating when changing a lane and not seeing the speed limit sign until late) - you are allowed up to 6 minor faults before failing.

Now the real work begins - learning to teach pupils to drive!

I have had a couple of practice sessions since the last lesson, where we practiced the manoeuvres and took a look at some of the routes around Reigate used by examiners.

Today’s lesson started in Reigate, and we went through Epsom and Leatherhead. The lesson was going well until I made the fatal mistake of changing gear whilst letting someone cross infront of me - in other words, I took both hands off the steering wheel From then on, my driving went steadily downhill. I must remember to concentrate during the test, to ensure things like this do not happen!

There are no more lessons now until my Part 2 test in two weeks. I hope to get the practice car the weekend before my test, so I can completely familiarise myself with the car and the manoeuvres. Not long now!

I was supposed to have a practice session this weekend, but due to me stepping on one of the children’s toys and cutting my foot I was unable to walk, let alone drive.

For this lesson I had a mock Part 2 exam. This started out well enough - the trainer even said he was getting excited, it was going that well Then it all went wrong

I got in the wrong lane at one junction, and then getting flustered after that I made a number of other silly errors I pulled out from one junction without looking both ways, and other silly mistakes. My turn in the road (which has been perfectly acceptable recently) went completely wrong when I didn’t realise I would need 5 “points” to the manoeuvre (rather than the usual 3). I ended up looking out of the wrong window when reversing, and almost hit a tree It can’t really get much worse than that.

I’ve got one more lesson booked before my Part 2 test, so I think plenty more practice is required between now and then!