Grumbles from the Gearbox.

Response to dvsa Consultation

Sun, 18 Jan 2026 16:51:09 GMT

AADI Response to dvsa Consultation on Minimum Learning Period for Learner Drivers

AADI Response to:

Introducing a minimum learning period for learner drivers by the dvsa

Thank you for responding to this consultation which is asking for your views on proposals to introduce mandatory requirements that learner drivers must meet before taking a practical driving test for a category B licence. Closing date is 31 March 2026.

The Department for Transport (DfT) is running this consultation which is asking for your views on proposals to introduce mandatory requirements that learner drivers must meet before taking a practical driving test for a category B licence.

Your information

Q. What is your name?

A. AADI

Q. Are you responding on behalf of an organisation?

A . Yes

Organisation details

Q. Your organisation is a:

A. Road safety organisation

Details

We are: ADIs, Academics, and Road Safety Advisors

Proposal

We are seeking views on introducing a minimum time period between passing a theory test and taking a practical driving test for driving tests taken for a category B licence, the standard licence used to operate a car. We are also seeking views on: · introducing a minimum number of supervised practical driving hours · creating a mandated learning syllabus · the ways that any required learning could be conducted

Q. In addition to holding a provisional licence and passing a theory test, do you agree or disagree with the introduction of further mandatory requirements for learner drivers before they can take a practical car driving test?

A. Agree

Further requirement age groups

Q. Why?

A. Learning never happens at the same pace for everyone. With this said, experience does not come out of thin air, nor does it necessarily come from those who have been driving for many years, given the bad habits they pick up. Given the content of what needs to be learned (as opposed to what’s in the syllabus) to become a safe driver, it is important that sufficient time (minimum 6 months) is taken to be capable of being totally independent, which, from crash stats, clearly far too many are not competent enough.

Q. In your view what age of learner car driver should the further mandatory requirements be applied to?

A. All ages

Further mandatory requirements: age group reasoning

Q. Why?

A. Learning to drive is not just a mechanical event. Cognition of what must be learned, how and when each function is to be applied, and WHY elements are undertaken in the manner that gives total safety. This takes time, and if used correctly, could remove the nightmare of receiving that terrible message from a police officer telling you your loved one is not coming home tonight!

The Brain functions at different paces for the varying age groups who are seeking to learn to drive, which is why a broad cross-section of age groups should be included in any mandatory requirements introduced. You only have to look at why Insurance companies have moved the goal post to 29 years of age before they start to give reduced premiums, which, not so long ago, was 25 years of age, and before that, 21.

Minimum learning time

In minimum learning periods, learners are required to undergo a minimum time period before taking a practical car driving test or obtaining a full licence.

Q. Do you agree or disagree that any new mandatory requirements should include a minimum learning time period between passing a theory test and being able to take a practical car driving test?

A. Agree

Minimum learning time period

Q. Why?

A. For a novice learner driver, starting from the very beginning, who has not had any educational input, be that theory or practical experience, it would be the exception rather than the rule that this novice would either;

a) be successful at first test, or

b) not be involved in a crash of some description, within their first two years of driving, i.e., when their probationary period is due to expire.

Q. In your view how long should the time period be? 

A. 6 months  

Minimum learning time period reasoning

Q. Why?

A. There is far too much to learn to be a competent, safe driver in anything less than 6 months. So many novice drivers learn to pass their driving test, and then wonder why they take more than one test to be successful, which, hopefully, between tests, they will gain some experience, i.e., how not to do it. Unfortunately, it is also cramming information into the brain, which is short-term, of which much is forgotten, OR never learned, which, as practitioners, we have experienced over many decades. Even working in the commercial world, the standard of knowledge and ability is low! Six months accommodates fast learners, given that a majority of novices take much longer.

Theory test certificate

A. In your view if we did introduce a minimum time period before a learner driver can take a practical car driving test, should the validity length of the theory test certificate be extended?

A. Yes

Theory test certificate reasoning

Q. Why?

A. It’s a combination of doing the learning, both theory and practical elements, thoroughly to the point it is well ingrained.

Currently, the diabolical length of time the candidate has to wait for a practical car test, and then the huge additional stress should they fail, of trying to get another practical driving test within the two years of the current life of the theory test certificate, is wholly unjustified.

Minimum number of car driving hours

For the next question driving hours are to be considered being completed with either: · an eligible supervising driver · an approved driving instructor · both an eligible supervising driver and an approved driving instructor

Q. Do you agree or disagree that new mandatory learner requirements should include a minimum number of car driving hours?

A. Disagree

Disagree with minimum number of car driving hours

Q. Why not?

A. Looking at the preamble to this consultation, many countries have shown through statistics that people are all different, and some learn more quickly than others. We have all had the pupil who takes around 20-30 hours and is successful the first time, yet others have had more than 50+ hours. If you set it too low, those who have reached the minimum and are just not ready will want to “Give it a Go”, putting the examiners and others at risk.

Those who take more time and establish the necessary skill sets required to be safe and competent will do much better. They understand the need to go on and gain that valuable experience by enhancing those skills to a level which is higher than that which is currently a MINIMUM standard, and is not fit for purpose!

Content of mandatory learner requirements

Do you agree or disagree that new mandatory learner requirements should include:

Q. A mandatory modular learning syllabus to complete

A. Disagree

Q. A mandatory logbook to complete

A. Agree

Q. Mandatory e- learning to complete

A. Disagree

Why (referencing the appropriate statement or statements in your response) :

A. Requiring ALL students to do a modular syllabus and/or an e-learning course assumes that all students are equal or of the same educational capabilities and does not consider those who are SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities), who may well struggle to complete said courses. Unless those within this and other spectrums get any physical free help, as they would in school, college, etc., it may put learning to drive beyond their budgets.

Exemption

Exemptions to any new mandatory requirements for learner drivers could be made in specific circumstances. (The full circumstances and reasons can be found in the original consultation document)

Q. In your view should some learner drivers be exempt from any new mandatory requirements for learner drivers?

A. Yes

Exemption criteria

Q. In your view who should be exempt from any new mandatory requirements for learner drivers?

A. Members of the Armed Forces

A. Drivers for the emergency services

Exemption criteria reasoning

Q . Why?

A. It is important that, as a rule, everyone who is working towards gaining their FIRST driving licence should be included within any and all potential exemptions. However, those within the armed forces, who will need their driving licence ‘in the execution of their duties’ at home and abroad, and for the protection of the realm, should be exempt. Those within the emergency services will already have their first licence and will be using a tried and tested system of driving (ROADCRAFT), and although they might be driving different classes of vehicle, as a learner, they will already have lots of experience and be outside of most of the exemptions.

Q. In your view how should exemptions be applied?

A. The individual applies for exemption with proof of exemption eligibility

Mandatory learner requirements: offences

Under British road traffic legislation, an individual’s driving licence can be withdrawn for a number of reasons. These reasons are stated and discussed in the 'driving licence revocation, disqualifications and potential MLP impacts' section of our consultation information

Q. Do you agree or disagree that any new mandatory learner requirements should apply to a driver:

whose licence is revoked for receiving at least six penalty points during their probationary period

A. Agree

who has been disqualified from driving for committing motoring offences and has been ordered by a court to retake a driving test (ordinary or extended)

A. Agree

Why? (referencing the appropriate statement or statements in your response):

Revocation of a new driver's driving licence at the six-point stage shows that this driver is not learning from the initial three penalty points issued for the mistakes made. To then get three more penalty points shows a lack of commitment to driving safely and should be required to go back and have their skill sets and understanding reinforced.

A driver who ends up in a court in England and Wales does not deserve to have a driving licence without being REQUIRED to be retrained, as they are potentially a risk to all other law-abiding drivers who comply with regulations. A driving licence is NOT a right of passage. It is something that is hard-earned and should be treasured. Clearly, a revocation is generally for mistakes, but disqualifications are wrong choices made by those who commit offences that require this level of punishment.

Final comments

Q. Any other comments?

A. Some of the other areas not covered within this consultation, like the drink drive and GDL, need to be addressed.

The Minister's proclamation about having ROBUST rules in place is not robust enough.

Drink/Drive: WHY are we only coming into line with Scotland, et al.? Why can’t we be a leader and knock it down to either ZERO or a minimal amount, to REALLY encourage drivers to not drink and drive?

Why isn’t Drug Driving mentioned within the consultation, given that drug driving is appearing to be more prevalent than drink driving?

The lack of education about how drugs affect one's ability to focus on driving and end up testing positive (allegedly) in all innocence, as they do not realise how long drugs of all kinds remain in the system and can be detected.

Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) is a tin can which is being kicked down the road, purely, as we were once told by a very senior DSA (now DVSA) official, that the Government will not accommodate it as it is a VOTE LOSING policy! Looking at what has been said by the Minister recently - that she is sympathetic to those organisations and individuals who are campaigning to have a GDL introduced into the UK, yet is not prepared to move this forward, stating they are bringing in policies that are proportional, yet all the time, any government is prevaricating, with young lives are being lost as a result.

We in the driver training profession know from research that GDL systems have shown big improvements in the reduction of death and serious injuries. Certainly, when our chair did his undergrad through Middlesex University in 2005 – 2007, his own research demonstrated this, as it did in all other commonwealth countries as well as the then 51 states in the US, and to a certain degree across the EU.

Sweet words mean nothing to families who have lost their loved ones. They want action, to hopefully stop other families from suffering the same fate as they have all done.

Positive Driver/Rider Education

Sun, 30 Nov 2025 14:21:28 GMT

Proposal for Positive Driver/Rider Education

I have been involved in driver/rider education for many years, and I have concluded that, currently, driver/rider education after they pass the test is very negative.

The reason I say this is through my experience of delivering diversionary courses, based on comments by many participants, mainly “why do we have to commit an offence to receive education?” “It would be more beneficial to have received an education to prevent us from committing an offence.”

Having considered this for some time, I feel the opportunity has arrived to make changes to the driving licence to enable education to become part of retaining a licence, compulsory rather than voluntary as it is presently. This idea may already be under consideration by the road safety industry?

The structure is already in place via UKROED (UK Road Offenders Education), changing this acronym to UKRSED (UK Road Safety Education). Presently, on average, every year, 2 million licence holders attend a diversionary course, and there are about 2.3 million licence renewal requirements under the 1997 Drivers Act. It does not take a genius to work out which group would benefit most from education.

In 2030, the major change will occur, whereby the transition from petrol and diesel will begin to change, towards all new build vehicles being zero-emissions by 2035. This is a perfect opportunity to change the driving licence conditions to include compulsory education as part of the 10-year renewal of the photocard licence.

The process for this change would need to be commenced as soon as possible to enable the rule changes to begin on the 1st of January 2030.

My suggestions on how this can be potentially achieved are:

As soon as possible, put this idea forward to the DFT and road safety organisations such as Brake, Roadar, IAM, ROSPA, Roadsmart, to name but a few.
Begin the process of changing the remit of UKROED education post-offending to UKRSED pre-offending education.
Set a timeframe whereby the changes can be implemented – my suggestion would be:

31st September 2029 – the legislation changes and groundwork for the theory courses are completed to enable the licence holders to start the process of booking and completing the course prior to their respective renewal date in January.
2030 to 2040 – The majority of licence holders would have completed the renewal, and the process begins again.
In conjunction with the education, the eyesight check and photo ID update could be included with the renewal.

NB Professional drivers could use the educational courses as part of their CPC requirements.

New drivers that pass the test from January 2028: will need to have to complete the course 5 years after passing the test or have a driving assessment (2028 to 2030 – new drivers act + 3 years), at the 10-year anniversary, complete the educational course and every 10 years thereafter.

Licence holders 70: The requirement of renewing the licence every three years would eventually be unnecessary due to the ongoing educational programme.

Licence holders committing driving offences: The NDORS scheme can still exist as part of UKRSED, depending on the severity, but includes a driving element (as per the Safe and Considerate Driving course). If a second offence occurs within that 10-year period, then the privilege of the licence is suspended for a period, and a driving assessment is required to have that privilege reinstated.

THE QUESTION IS, ARE WE SERIOUS ABOUT IMPROVING OUR ROAD NETWORK, OR ARE WE JUST PAYING LIP-SERVICE TO THE IDEA?

The ADI Odd-Ditty

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 12:41:39 GMT

The ADI Odd-Ditty

The ADI Odd-ditty!

DSA to ADIs

Take your pressure pills and put your seat belts on

DSA to ADIs (10,9,8,7,6)

Cockpit drill and engine on (5,4,3,2,)

Check your blind spot and may the traffic gods be with you (1, lift-off)

This is DSA to ADIs

You’ve really made ‘A’ grade

And the enforcers want you to know they really care

Now it’s time to step inside the centre - if you dare

This is ADI to DSA

We’re stepping through the door

my pupil’s gone a peculiar shade of grey

and the examiners look so very different today

For here am I sitting in my test car

Far far from home

Poor pupils hasn’t a clue

and there’s nuffink I can do

Though I’ve done 100,000 miles

my gearbox done me well

And I think I’ve lost the will to teach

Tell my pupils that I’ve run off with all their cash

DSA to ADI

Your triggers bad, a check test due

Can you hear me ADI

Can you hear me ADI Can you....

Here am I shitting in my tin can

Far so far from home

Check test looming large

And there’s nuffink I can do…….

Many thanks to the brilliant David Bowie for the original version. I hope I haven't offended any of his fans.

Cheers and keep safe out there. ;)

Huge Congratulations dvsa

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 15:45:44 GMT

dvsa made a positive move, Whoopee, let's all nip into the CEO's padded cell and BOUNCIE - BOUNCIE!

There are ADis, PDIs, driving schools, and learner drivers jumping up and down celebrating the news this week that the dvsa have employed Kainos(???) to develop a new booking system for them. I really must thank the dvsa for the email that I, along with thousands of my ADI colleagues, received on 1st September telling us of their plans for the future.

Thank you to the dvsa for your email this week, highlighting the decision to do something about your inability to run an appointment booking system, and 'up your exhaust pipes' to all those who have criticized us at the AADI for taking the dvsa to task for their continuous failings for the past 2.5 decades. If you don't like what we have to say, feel free to walk on by and read another item, perhaps the Dandy or Beano. At least we stick up for our colleagues and will continue to do so.

AADI has continually called on the dvsa to employ someone who knows what they are doing

Considering the 'digital expert' the dvsa recruited as the current CEO, who, despite her wealth of experience and expanding the digital department exponentially within the clubhouse to a whole new level, is unable to solve the issue of keeping a simple diary of just 7 appointments per day for each examiner. Just think of what a good comedy writer could make of this!! Nah, who would believe it? Millions of ££££s spent updating, modernising, and digitizing, and we are far worse off than we were 20 years ago. At this rate, by 2030, we will be giving arm signals again.

AADI advised bringing in experts in running appointment booking systems for several years, such as Tesco, Amazon, and Sainsburys, which were all suggested repeatedly. eg, Tesco utilizes a combination of in-house development and third-party suppliers for its home delivery appointment booking system. They and others have a ready-made solution, just needing to expand and adapt the system from a 3-week diary to a 6-month diary. They run a complex system from customer selecting and ordering (by almost as many customers in a single week - Tesco 1.1 million in 2022 - as the dopey dvsa serves in a year ) through selection by a picker, packing into delivery vans with all the routes individually organised, and then the drivers delivering to our doorstep. The dvsa customers arrive at their appointments at designated times with static locations, a piece of cake for them to advise on. They'd probably do it over a coffee and a bacon sarnie before 11.0am and be home to make the next delivery for a happy customer.

Rosie Thew arrived and said that she would reduce the waiting lists from 12 to 6 weeks in 2005. Roll on to 2013 when she left, and No Change, still around 12 weeks - abject failure. I won't even mention the two bozos before her who thought it would be a doddle to do the job, one even told me in front of 60 other ADIs that he just needed 3 or 4 months to learn the job, both left to fail elsewhere, allegedly ..... passport office and Atom spring to mind.

Whilst Rosie was in office, I was running a campaign, supported by hundreds of ADIs and examiners, asking the dvsa to do random checks on candidates' insurance when attending for the test. It would have given a last chance to reinforce the learning that you need insurance to drive. It would have cut back on non-ADI-supported tests and kept the examiners and the public safer. Even the ABI supported it, offering to assist the dvsa to set it up as they were amazed that it was not already done as standard practice. It was refused, and the reason given was that examiners were too thick to check the ADIs' insurance details. WTF. No wonder the examiners hated the bosses so much when they were held in such contempt.

Since dear old Rosie, we have had a bunch of geezers who have seemingly enhanced their salary and pension ratings whilst either doing a hatchet job to cut back overheads and save money, or just kept the seat warm rolling bogeys to flick out the window at those lower down the pile whist they pass the time before the next incumbent who wanted to sit in the big chair and planned their next move up through the civil service, doing diddly sqwat for the customers, you and I, along with our pupils.

Who will do the driving tests?

September opens with the dvsa email promising the earth but forgetting to mention, well, for a few days anyway, they have no examiners!!

Considering the continued failure to recruit and retain examiners due to the low salary, the responsibilities, and the dangers of their role, along with the lack of support from the upper reaches, who is going to conduct the driving tests? We have a colleague on the Isle of Arran who has been told that they cannot get an examiner to go there to conduct tests anymore. It is 2 days with an overnight stay on the island, and the roads are an absolute doddle - no traffic lights or roundabouts to worry about. No heavy traffic or crowds of pedestrians, the population is only 4,600, a lovely little trip every few months, but nobody to do it. No Standards checks for over a decade. Our colleague has had enough and is probably retiring this year, but a PDI he is trying to help is unable to book his P3. Who needs ADIs, if there are no examiners to test the pupils?

Why are the CEO and the senior team still in post?

The email arrived a couple of days ago listing job vacancies. It is for examiners and absolutely staggering; they are looking to recruit examiners for 181 DTCs. Assuming at least one for each DTC, we need more than that locally. So, let's say an average of 1.5 for each DTC, this takes us to 272 examiners needed. Who the F*^* ate the last lot they allegedly recruited? Is retention that bad, and can they not see the issue before them?

What happened to the dvsa charter and their service promise? Can you even find it?

Comments received from colleagues this week since the dvsa email of the 1st September

The situation is dire across the UK, and the dvsa has its head up its exhaust pipe.

"The DVSA have always blamed COVID, ADIs who don't prepare pupils properly, who then fail and need more tests, ADIs who buy up slots and then sell them at extortionate prices, the Bots of private companies buying up electronically tests slots, and anyone else they can think of, save, they refuse to accept responsibility for their own failures, some of which are the industrial actions taken by the work force, due to lack of support, poor salaries/pensions, bullying, lack of prospects. I'm sure you get the idea?"

...............

"Loveday RYDER holds full responsibility, given she was appointed to the top position (CEO) in November 2020, so coming up for FIVE YEARS, during which time she has been responsible for the test wait times getting longer and longer."

................

" My pupils are having difficulty getting tests, I have a backlog awaiting a test date, this costs them money taking lessons to keep “hot”.

...............

"Looking at the history of the DSA/DVSA from 2005 through to the current day - 20 YEARS; it has been mismanaged and left to rot with leaders who were failures in their own right, given they could not stop the rot from the day they each took office."

..............

"My pupil is taking a weekly lesson (he is a competent driver), certainly ready for test, but if this situation continues He will be bankrupt."

................

"It is fair to say WHEN things will get better, given the last two decades has been an absolute disaster, with headless chickens running the roost. We can't even say IF this new company Kainos who the DVSA say they are bringing in to "help build and develop a new, improved driving test booking system," which was announced in a GOV.UK blog post on September 1, 2025. The DVSA also say, "This initiative is part of the DVSA's ongoing efforts to combat issues like test-buying bots and improve the overall customer experience for learners and instructors." Well if you believe this, then good luck. I'm afraid I just do not have any good news for you, as I honestly believe you and I will be retired before anything positive comes from this announcement, given it took NATS ten years to get a computer system that worked to control aircraft approaching and flying over the UK

..............

We are all interdependent on each other, but I feel as an ADI ignored, unsupported, and alone from my governing body. That is why I am leaving the profession.

...............

As usual, if there is anything that you see is incorrect or plain wrong, I apologise, and if you drop a line via the Contact Us page, it will be edited.

Thank you letter from a member of the public

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 16:39:38 GMT

Letter from a member of the public - to say thank you.

It would seem that it is not just our industry that reads what we publish here, and it is nice to know that our efforts are appreciated.

Many thanks to the author who wishes to remain anonymous.

(We understand your pain and frustration)

"I just wanted to write to you about your open letter to the government about the state of the DVsA.

I myself have unfortunately had cause to engage with them within recent memory, and the experience left a sour taste in my mouth to say the least.

The theory test is unfit for purpose. Especially the alleged hazard perception test, which seems to do an extremely poor job of gauging a candidate's ability to spot hazards, punishing observant and experienced drivers. Hazard perception should be for the practical examiner to gauge. I for example have experienced "developing" hazards in my lessons, and handled the situation well (no accidents occurred, despite the real potential). Admittedly I approached my driver training journey in a slightly different order, having had plenty of lessons before I even thought to book my theory (I considered it prudent to establish I could in fact handle a vehicle before wasting everyone's time on the theory), but it's curious that I was at the point my instructor was more than comfortable with my driving, only to hit the unexpected brick wall of a soulless government computer application to tell me in essence I am beyond unfit to be behind a wheel.

Unfortunately I've sat the theory test THREE times due to fails caused by the 'HPT'. After the third fail on top of the other issues with state of driver certification presently, I've decided to put the whole pursuit on hold for the sake of my mental health and bank balance.

This segways into the other issues. It seems like a massive conflict of interest for the government to both handle the testing, but also collect revenue directly from it. I need not point out how it's profitable for the state then to charge a fee for the privilege of resitting a fail-prone "test", which seems to behave more in practice like a bandit machine at a casino. May the odds ever be in your favour...

Then there's the pressure from the time limitation upon a theory test pass certificate. With the state of practical test booking being in the total disaster it is, every candidate faces the real prospect of the theory certificate expiring before they can get a practical test and pass. The amount of pressure and stress being piled upon learner drivers is not remotely conducive to gauging their ability to drive under normal, fair circumstances, and certainly seems completely unfair for what should be a fairly routine process and part of modern life.

Does the government not like having plenty of qualified drivers whom they can squeeze all sorts of taxes and dues from over a lifetime? Apparently not. If only we could believe that road safety was their only, real concern...

I haven't even touched on the on-mass test resellers, who only make the issue worse in the grand scheme while charging even more money from a "captive audience".

Anyway, point is I just wanted to write to say I am glad there's some sort of body related to all this that is speaking out, speaking sense, and speaking up for learner drivers.

This entire issue has low awareness or priority, and granted there are plenty of other bigger issues for governments and the country as a whole, but this issue could in time become extremely toxic to the economic and mental well-being of the country. Driving is an economically essential act in a modern economy. People may not be noticing its effects biting too hard right now, but unless something changes, we will all start to notice it. Already there are public transport companies that are struggling to find qualified drivers to run their services, which many people who can't drive ironically rely on. Logistics. First responders. All aspects of the economy are and will continue to be impacted.

Thank you again for speaking up about these issues, which are so frequently ignored by the government and maybe the wider public.

- Mr S"

Published unedited.

..............

Our favourite bits.

"I just wanted to write to say I am glad there's some sort of body related to all this that is speaking out, speaking sense, and speaking up for learner drivers." #dvsa

and

"Thank you again for speaking up about these issues, which are so frequently ignored by the government and maybe the wider public."

Thanks again, Mr. S, and you're welcome; it's what we do.

Is Too Much Being Asked of Driving Instructors?

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 16:22:10 GMT

Are ADIs At Breaking point?

Is Too Much Being Asked of Driving Instructors?

Navigating Expectations, Realities, and the Road Ahead

Driving instructors occupy a unique and pivotal position in society. They are not simply teachers of a technical skill; they are mentors, guardians of public safety, and, often, sources of emotional reassurance for nervous learners. But in recent years, as the world has become more complex and driving culture more nuanced, many have begun to question whether too much is being asked of us.

Let's explore the evolving role of the driving instructor, the growing expectations placed upon them, and whether these demands risk overwhelming the individuals entrusted with guiding new drivers safely onto our roads.

The Expanding Role of the Driving Instructor

At its core, the role of a driving instructor is to equip learners with the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to operate a vehicle safely and responsibly.

Traditionally, this meant teaching learners how to control a vehicle, interpret road signs, follow traffic laws, and develop defensive driving habits. However, as society and the automotive landscape have evolved, so too have the responsibilities of instructors.

Today, driving instructors are expected to keep abreast of constantly changing laws and regulations, adapt to new vehicle technologies (such as hybrid and electric vehicles), and understand the growing influence of digital navigation systems. Moreover, with the increasing diversity of learners—ranging from teenagers to elderly adults, from neurodiverse individuals to those with language barriers—the ability to tailor instruction to a wide spectrum of needs is essential.

The Emotional Load of Instruction

Beyond the technical, the emotional demands on driving instructors have also increased. Many learners approach driving with significant anxiety or past trauma, including the poor teaching skills of others, requiring instructors to serve as calm, patient, and supportive presences. This emotional load can be significant, often involving the management of stress, fear, and even anger within the confines of a moving vehicle. Instructors are called upon to be motivators and therapists as much as teachers, instilling confidence while maintaining safety.

Safety and Legal Responsibilities

Driving instruction carries inherent risks. Instructors must be ever-vigilant, ready to intervene at a moment’s notice to prevent collisions or correct hazardous behaviour. They bear legal responsibility for the actions of their pupils when on the road, and any incident—no matter how minor—can have serious consequences for both their professional standing and personal well-being.

In addition, driving instructors often find themselves being the first point of contact for new drivers encountering the law. They must be knowledgeable about procedures for reporting medical conditions, navigating insurance requirements, and explaining penalties related to infractions, all the while ensuring their learners remain compliant with the latest standards.

The Impact of Societal Changes

Several wider societal changes have contributed to the increased expectations placed on driving instructors. For one, the proliferation of advanced driving technologies—such as lane assist, adaptive cruise control, and emergency braking—necessitates continual research for instructors themselves. They are expected to master a range of systems and explain both their advantages and potential pitfalls to learners.

Furthermore, the increasing emphasis on inclusivity and accessibility means instructors must accommodate a broad range of physical and cognitive abilities. This inclusivity is admirable and necessary, but it can add layers of complexity to lesson planning and delivery, requiring specialised training or equipment for those who wish to specialise in this field.

The growing pressure to pass driving tests, often tied to employment prospects or life milestones, and long delays in booking driving tests, can also place instructors in the role of life coach, responsible not only for teaching but for managing expectations and disappointment.

Economic and Logistical Challenges

The logistical and economic realities of the profession are rarely acknowledged by the wider public. Driving instructors typically work long, irregular hours to accommodate the schedules of their clients, including evenings and weekends. Mainly self-employed, which means managing their own marketing, finances, and continuing professional development alongside delivering lessons.

Rising fuel costs, vehicle maintenance, insurance premiums, and the need to invest in up-to-date vehicles and learning materials all combine to create significant financial pressures. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated these challenges, with very long waiting lists of 6 months, postponed tests, and new hygiene protocols becoming the norm.

Training and Regulation

Becoming a driving instructor is itself a challenging process, involving rigorous testing of driving skills, instructional ability, and knowledge of the Highway Code, etc.

Continued registration depends on compulsory periodic assessments, and poor pupil performance on the day can reflect badly on an instructor’s reputation and business.

In some regions, the regulatory burden has increased, with new requirements for background checks, safeguarding training, and ongoing professional development. While these are essential for public safety, they add to the workload and stress for instructors, who must constantly balance the demands of their profession with their own well-being.

Are Expectations Realistic or Excessive?

Given the ever-increasing demands on driving instructors, it is reasonable to ask whether society is expecting too much. On one hand, the stakes of road safety are undeniably high. The responsibility for preparing new drivers to navigate the complexities of modern traffic cannot be lightly borne. On the other hand, the multitude of roles now expected of instructors—educator, mentor, psychologist, legal advisor, and business manager—does seem to stretch the bounds of what one professional can reasonably provide.

Many instructors report feeling undervalued and overwhelmed, with little support from governing bodies (dvsa) or the public. Burnout is a real risk, and high turnover rates threaten the quality and continuity of driver education. The profession faces an ongoing challenge to attract and retain skilled instructors* amid mounting pressures, which has resulted in a significant drop of around 15% in the number of qualified instructors . Even the BBC have c ommented on the lack of driving instructors .

Perspectives from the Road

Testimonies from instructors themselves shed light on the daily realities of the profession. Most will describe immense satisfaction in seeing anxious learners blossom into confident drivers, recognising the vital importance of their work. At the same time, they express frustration at external pressures—such as unrealistic parental expectations, bureaucratic hurdles, and the sometimes volatile nature of pupils. The joy of teaching is often tempered by the weight of responsibility and the unpredictability of the job.

Supporting Driving Instructors

If too much is indeed being asked of driving instructors, what can be done to support them? Potential solutions include:

• Providing better access to mental health resources and peer support networks

• Ensuring fair compensation that reflects the demands and risks of the profession

• Streamlining regulatory requirements and offering clear, consistent guidance with a realistic reduction in waiting lists for both ADIs themselves and their pupils

• Investing in ongoing training and professional development, especially around new technologies and diverse learner needs

• Raising public awareness of the challenges faced by instructors, fostering greater empathy and respect

Conclusion

The role of the driving instructor has never been more complex or more critical. As society continues to evolve, so too will the expectations placed upon those who teach the next generation of drivers. While it is essential that instructors are well-trained and held to high standards, it is equally important that their workload remains manageable and their contributions are recognised. Only by acknowledging and addressing the pressures they face can we ensure a safe, sustainable, and rewarding future for both instructors and the countless learners who depend upon them.

*T he number of Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs) on the UK register has dropped by approximately 15,000 from 2000 to 2025, from about 44,626 in 2000 to just over 38,000 by 2025. This represents a significant decline, with the total number falling by over 6,000 between April 2011 and April 2024 alone.

As usual, if there is anything that you see is incorrect or, plain wrong, I apologise, and if you drop a line via the Contact Us page and it will be edited.

Proposed changes for over 70s driving licence renewal

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 19:26:32 GMT

The proposed changes for the over-70s driver's licence

The current situation in relation to the Proposed changes for the over-70s in obtaining their driving licence every three years, are just that; Proposals!

As I go to press with this article, NOTHING has changed, you can still SELF-DECLARE your status.

In August 2025, the UK government stated it is considering tougher rules for drivers over 70, potentially including mandatory vision and cognitive tests as part of a new road safety strategy expected to be published in the Autumn of 2025

As you will know, the current system relies on drivers self-declaring their fitness to drive when renewing their license every three years after the age of 70. However, concerns exist about this system's effectiveness, and calls have been made for stricter measures.

While the government hasn't yet published the full strategy or explicitly confirmed parliamentary approval for specific legislation mandating medical assessments, it has been indicated that such proposals are being considered by the Transport Secretary and would be subject to consultation before implementation. In the meantime, drivers are still legally obliged to inform the DVLA of any medical conditions that could affect their driving and adhere to current license renewal requirements

These checks are reported to go beyond the standard declaration and may involve assessments by a GP or optician, particularly for those with a history of certain medical conditions. The aim is to ensure continued road safety by confirming drivers are still fit to operate a vehicle.

Proposed key changes for drivers over 70 could include:

• Enhanced Medical Self-Declaration:

Drivers will need to provide more detailed medical information, including confirmation of recent eyesight tests and disclosure of any new health conditions that could affect driving.

Mandatory GP or Optician Involvement:

Drivers with a history of conditions like stroke, epilepsy, or severe vision impairment may need to submit a medical professional's confirmation before their license renewal is approved.

• Stricter Vision Standards:

Vision tests will be more rigorous to ensure drivers meet the required standards.

• Regular Health Check-ups:

While there's no upper age limit for driving, regular health check-ups with a GP are recommended to assess fitness to drive.

Renewal Process

• Online Renewal:

Drivers can renew their license online using their Government Gateway ID on the gov.uk website.

• Paper Application:

Drivers can also renew by post using the D46P form, which is automatically sent 90 days before their 70th birthday, or the D1 form, available at most Post Offices.

• No Retesting Required:

Drivers do not need to retake their driving test, but they must make a health declaration.

• Three-Year Renewal:

Licenses must be renewed every three years after the age of 70.

So, what could the Cognitive assessments include for the over-70s? Well, there are a few that can and often are used;

• Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA),

• Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE),

• Mini-Cog, St. Louis University Mental Status Examination (SLUMS), and

• Brief Interview for Mental Status (BIMS).

• Addenbrook’s Cognitive Examination (ACE-III):

• The 5-Cog

There are many more, however, the below explains what the above six entail

• MoCA - A widely used tool for detecting mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease, known for its sensitivity in identifying early cognitive issues.

• BIMS - A brief cognitive assessment often used in clinical settings.

• MMSE - A frequently used, but potentially less sensitive, test for cognitive impairment and dementia screening, assessing orientation, memory, and other cognitive functions.

• Addenbrook’s Cognitive Examination (ACE-III) - A cognitive screening tool that assesses multiple domains like language, memory, and visuospatial skills.

• The 5-Cog - A group assessment tool for cognitive functions, consisting of five subtests.

I have worked with the MoCA system on several occasions, and it can help improve memory. This link will outline what is under consideration and some examples of the actual assessment. MOCA NOTHING is going to change without an act of Parliament OR a Statutory Instrument being signed by a Minister, AFTER some form of consultations.

Watch this space.

Misleading dvsa email

Sun, 03 Aug 2025 14:02:15 GMT

Can we still trust the dvsa emails?

The latest email from the dvsa misinformation or what?

Strange email to all on the register

On the 31st July 2025, the DVSA sent an email to ALL ADIs and PDIs across the UNITED Kingdom, about the PVG – Protection of Vulnerable Groups (SCOTLAND) Act 2007, which was written as if it was a requirement for ADIs and PDIs in England and Wales to amend their records, by saying, “ DVSA has now updated its registration system on GOV.UK to allow all instructors in the UK to update their records and provide PVG details.”

What they have failed to do is to make it crystal clear that this ONLY applies to ADIs and PDIs who work with those specific groups of pupils in SCOTLAND !

It will be of note that this legislation is for SCOTLAND and does not include England and Wales, which is confirmed by the following - and in their own words:

“In Scotland, the Protecting of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme became a legal requirement for individuals working in regulated roles with children or protected adults, effective April 1, 2025. This means anyone carrying out such roles must be a member of the PVG scheme. The Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020 is the legislation behind this change, aiming to enhance protection for vulnerable groups and simplify the disclosure process according to Disclosure Scotland.”

There is absolutely nothing in this Scottish legislation that makes it a requirement for ADIs and PDIs in England and Wales (unless they want to work over the border in beautiful Scotland) to join the PVG system given England and Wales has the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), which was established in the UK on December 1, 2012 and was created through the Protection of Freedom Act 2012 by merging the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA).

It is clear to those of us who have read this email carefully, the DVSA has written the email as if it is now a legal requirement for all UK ADIs and PDIs to join the PVG system using the statement highlighted above.

One must ask, when did the DVSA take on the powers of Parliament? The PVG scheme is not a general requirement for ADIs and PDIs in England and Wales, as is reported in a professional Magazine called the ‘Driver Trainer’ (for professional drivers and rider trainers), who say that:

“The DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency) has updated its online registration system to include PVG details for instructors in Scotland, reflecting the new legal requirement for the PVG scheme,” and “While the PVG scheme is mandatory in Scotland, the DVSA's update allows instructors across the UK to add their PVG details, but it only applies to those working in Scotland.”

However, the DVSA email, which has been sent out across the UK, gives the impression that every ADI or PDI must join this PVG register, which, in my humble opinion, is not true.

There is so much information available on the internet that specifically outlines what the PVG system is all about, where it originated from, and to whom it applies to in law. We at The AADI are not alone in thinking that the DVSA are overstepping their authority by intimating, or even suggesting it is a legal requirement to join this PVG register. Given the way it has been written and the fact that it has been sent to everyone on the register, it implies it is compulsory. Which, by the way, will cost you £59 (initially), or £18 if you are already a PVG member. If English and Welsh ADIs and PDIs don't need to join this register, WHY was it sent to everyone? Why would we want to spend money to join it if we are not going to be going over the border to work in Scotland, when it is totally unnecessary, given the DBS system does exactly what it was set out to do back in 2012?

As usual, if there is anything that you see is incorrect or, plain wrong, I apologise, and if you drop a line via the Contact Us page it will be edited.

PDI Training is it worth it?

Sat, 02 Aug 2025 15:35:27 GMT

PDI Training - is it worth it?

PDI training, is it up to the job? Should it be better monitored, and why do so many PDIs complain about their training? Why is the failure rate so high?

PDI Training.

I was recently contacted by a PDI ( I am going to use the male gender for simplicity and no other reason) who had been referred to me for help as his final exam, P3, was rapidly approaching, and he was concerned about his skill sets having failed it twice, so he was on his last chance.

I spoke to him on the phone for a couple of weeks, an hour at a time, and set him some goals to achieve. The main objective was to check out his own driving and to make sure that it was up to the required standard for an ADI P2 exam, and if possible, to aim for the ‘Roadcraft’ standard, as a target level. Normally, I do not involve myself in instructor training, but have noticed, on occasion when asked to help out, that once a trainee has passed the P2, they let their driving slip back to a lower standard and are then unable to pick up on learner errors as they accept a lower standard from themselves and then these errors become the norm.

After these calls, we met up a couple of weeks ago to see how he was doing and to assess his teaching style and technique. His driving was questionable, and that’s being polite about it. Why do people work so hard to get to this level and then let it all slide back? I don’t get it? It is the same with comments that I see on social media from qualified ADIs giving advice contrary to that in our ‘bible’, the Highway Code, as if they have never read it. It is our bread and butter stuff, our basics, and the foundation of what we do, and yet it is disregarded as if it did not exist!

Training

His training had been with a very large national company, and it had been deplorable. I am not writing about the content here, as I was not a witness to it, but the attitude of his trainer was bordering on the criminal. The trainer was so aggressive, shouting at the PDI during lessons and in front of others in the car. There were two in the car at the time, doubled up. When the PDI brought their own pupil, they were shouted at, with their pupil present in the car. This, for me, goes beyond being unprofessional and bordering on harassment/bullying. This is criminal behaviour. How do these people keep their jobs and are allowed to continue in our profession? This is nothing new! It is, sadly, quite common and must not be allowed to continue; it is a big slight on our profession

This PDI was afraid of his old trainer and dreaded the sessions. How is this a good learning environment, and why do PDIs not speak out as they have nothing to lose and all to gain? All of us on social media see the many comments about their training from PDIs and the trainers that they have. They attack the schools that are running the courses almost daily, and yet nothing is done about it. Where are the dvsa in all this? Why do we see no comment from them, and why is it not policed more vigorously, or do they check at all, as they are the ones who issue the crappy ORDIT training standards that all these people shout about, and the skill levels that they have? Also, do these schools have no internal standards checks or complaint procedures to follow?

Cowardice

Shouting at your pupil, whether they be a learner, a PDI, or in any learning environment, is BULLYING, nothing more, nothing less. Shouting at your pupil and humiliating them in front of others is abuse of position and the action of a COWARD and COWARDICE in its purest form. It is outlawed in other industries and is subject to serious penalties, if not instant dismissal and possible prosecution, along with destruction of reputation. Yet the dvsa and these so-called training schools allow it to continue, or do they even investigate complaints?

After failing and not wanting to go back to the trainer from hell, the PDI sought help locally and contacted a newly qualified ADI, of just 3 years experience, who was doing their best setting up their own school, so only able to give minimal help with minimal experience and nothing in training PDIs, apart from their own PDI learning experience. We now have the partially sighted leading the blind through a minefield. Not a good combination at the best of times.

Flexibility

To me, this is the greatest tool we have in our toolbox, and it is crucial to what we do. We have a one-to-one teaching environment, and that is as good as it gets when teaching. I did, for a few years, stand in front of classes at a local college, teaching driving theory, and I know the difference. I have stood in front of local ADI associations and given presentations to groups of my peers. I know how important the 1-2-1 session is; it is the gold standard for teaching and developing pupils. We are lucky.

Flexibility never came into conversations with his previous trainers. He was completely rigid in his approach with zero flexibility.

If something came up, he could not deflect from the track he was on, and hence, for the exam was missing teaching opportunities by the score, and nothing was really achieved. What is the point of setting up a goal for the lesson and allowing all else to go by unnoticed, just so you can focus on the goal that's been set? The goal is to teach, and if you are not seeing what is going on in front of you, you are not teaching, and the enforcer is going to pick up on it immediately. Sadly, this seems to be a common issue in the comments I see on social media for failing at P3 and Standards Check.

Teaching and Communication

Because of all that had gone before, there was a serious lack of skills displayed. The biggie for me was FEAR. He was afraid of little old me! This came from his experience with his earlier trainer. I remember when I started, especially approaching the exam, I felt that they would know so much more than I, and I would be their inferior. This caused him to speak quietly and in low, hidden tones that I had difficulty hearing. This, of course, may be due to me being an old fart and possibly going deaf, as my wife claims, but I think not. He needed to raise his tone and volume to sound more confident to help with the communication. You cannot be shy when teaching 1-2-1. Be assertive, never aggressive.

My mentor at the time, a friend, told me to go for it on the day and act as if I knew everything and was the boss in skill sets, knowledge, etc. He didn’t quite word it like that; he was a lot blunter, but it was what he meant, and for me, it was great advice. It helped to hugely reduce the fear factor.

Remember:

KNOWLEDGE:- make sure you know your stuff, read the books, and absorb the content, not Dtc waiting room or social media BS . Then show what you are made of. If you don't know the answer, say so and check for the next lesson; don't make it up and lie.

SIMPLICITY:- keep it simple and uncomplicated. You don't need big, flashy folders and gadgets.

FLEXIBILITY:- be ready to change and adapt as needed for the pupil or situation in hand.

Choice of pupil for the exam

He had been advised to use an experienced pupil who was test-ready standard. Why? I questioned this as I have never used a test-ready pupil, as it gives me so little material to work with, and possibly no opportunity to show my teaching skills. What happens if the pupil drives perfectly and makes no mistakes? What do you do then? Do you play music to pass the long silences and hope the Enforcer sitting in the back sings along with you, or play ‘I spy’? From a straw poll of colleagues, I asked the same question, and the overwhelming response was to take a mid-range pupil; this gives more flexibility and teaching opportunities in the lesson. There’s that word again. FLEXIBILITY

Teaching aids.

The poor bloke took out an impressive pack of teaching aids, beautiful folders with expensive-looking pictures and diagrams, with all you could wish for to show your pupil. Unfortunately, though I love these impressive-looking and beautifully edited folders, I feel they display far too much information in one go and overload the pupil’s brain in the early stages. I would use it for a test-ready pupil to reinforce the teaching I had already done.

Like the teacher in school, I prefer to start with a blank, or basic sheet, then build up to the ‘big picture’ as I go along. This allows the pupil to absorb the information gradually, at a pace they can cope with. 1-2-1 teaching again. I introduced the sketches I use and showed how I develop the ‘big picture’ gradually. SIMPLICITY

I firmly believe that you can do more with a whiteboard or a blank sheet of paper, making life simpler in the learning process. My sketches are in pen/pencil and laminated in a folder, or in the door pocket to be taken out, expanded/written/drawn on as needed, then wiped clean, ready for the next pupil. My chuffedness was overflowing when he turned up on his second lesson with his version of my sketches and used his teaching skills instead to build the 'big picture'.

So much simpler and easier to explain. SIMPLICITY

Why do PDIs buy all this expensive kit that only goes into the recycle bin if they fail to qualify, as so many do, when all that is needed is simplicity ? You are being examined on your teaching skills, your ability to impart your knowledge to another human being, not on your posh folders. Ok, once you have qualified and want to invest in the posh books, and some have fantastic pictures to show off, yes, go for it, after all, you can claim it back on expenses, but use them at the right point in the lessons, do not swamp your pupils with information too early on. It confuses more than it teaches.

Conclusion

The training that many of our PDIs get is superb and cannot be seconded, but there is so much dross out there that needs to change. How, I don’t know, as it is not a sector I have been hugely involved in, just helping out on occasion, but the stories I hear are truly awful, and our industry, along with our governing body, should be ashamed of itself.

Why is there no body (dvsa) that oversees the PDIs' issues? Why is there no one that the PDI can go to? (dvsa) Like you, I see a lot of advertising on some ADI associations for PDI training, but do they monitor what is going on in their name? After all, they are running the advert, and taking money for advertising, often from members, and have a moral responsibility, I believe, to the PDIs whom they will be trying to recruit as future members.

Why SHOUT? When you SHOUT, you have lost the argument, you lose the respect of the person you are allegedly teaching, and you set a shocking example for them to follow. It is negative, soul-destroying, and cowardly. When you shout, unless for safety, you’re a bully and a coward!

If you feel the need to comment on your own experience, drop me a line. It is confidential, the replies come directly to my inbox, nobody else, and I will not disclose your information to anyone. You will have complete anonymity.

He passed this week!

As usual, if there is anything that you see is incorrect or, plain wrong, I apologise, and if you drop a line via the Contact Us page it will be edited.

www.theaadi.co.uk

Why do my lessons cost so much?

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 18:00:47 GMT

Please don't put your child in a wreck of a car,buy them something roadworthy and safe

Regularly we all see comments and attacks on the cost of driving lessons.

The defence offered by many in the industry is that our, the ADI's costs, have gone up, just the same as everyone else and we cannot afford to absorb it. Sound familiar? Yep, it is the same old line trotted out by everybody hit with rising costs. But, with driving lessons, the AADI, unlike other associations, think we should be putting forward a different point of view.

Cost of the car

Have you considered the true value of the lesson? Have you thought what it really costs to run a car? Because, if you can not afford 2 to 3 hours of lessons per week, it is unlikely you can afford to keep a car on the road that is safe to drive.

You can cut costs if you are a mechanic, or mechanically minded and can do some DIY but the underlying cost will always be there. Even if your parent, or bestie can do a few jobs for you.

Buying the car

Let's say you have £2,000 saved up in the bank. If that took you a year, that is £40 per week then there are the running costs which are , very roughly:

Fiesta, (as an example) for road tax. Say £200/year +MoT £55 £5 per week I've rounded them off for simplicity.

Fuel assuming you will be driving very carefully with a light foot £25 per week Local run around & no festival trips

Insurance if you are lucky and live in a 'safe area' £2,000 £40 per week £160/month - (£250 more likely £3000pa)

Tyres, oil, servicing, bits and bobs for the car £1,000 £20 per week no serious parts & labour needed

(air fresheners, seat covers, car wash & cleaning bits if doing it yourself, not the

car wash, breakdown cover)

Total cost so far after the £2,000 outlay is:- £90 per week

If you take the average UK lesson, at date of publication, as £40/hr that is just over 2 lessons per week. If you are buying a car for a greater amount then the loss is even higher as the vehicle will lose at least 20% of its value as soon as you start the engine as the new owner, and so much more if a brand new model off the forecourt.

If mum and dad bought the car for you, then you have to think of what the next one is going to cost and start saving ready for that day when it comes. Unless mum and dad have deep pockets and you don't piss them off before then.

Remember to add £40/week saving for the next vehicle. New total:- £130 per week or, 3 lessons at £40/hour

Because we do not look at the true overall picture we do not see the actual cost of driving. It is not cheap, it is not a right, it is a privilege that we have to pay for.

Those driving lessons that you have been complaining about now don't seem so unreasonable, do they?

When you add in the cost of the ADI (Approved Driving Instructor) sitting next to you, teaching you a new skill for life, as the dvsa like to push it. I think of us more as a teacher who is going to help you reach your goals, make you independent, possibly help you to get a job. Hopefully, instill in you the right attitude to keep you, your passengers, who will be your colleagues, loved ones, and all those around you on the road safe for a long and happy life ahead. We are there to support you through the process, take as much of the stress of learning to drive away, and most importantly, keep you safe when things go wrong. That moment when the proverbial hits the fan because some idiot thinks they know better than you or I, take a stupid risk that needs us to step in and protect you and keep you safe.

When you consider the cost of the lesson against the costs of a haircut, new manicure, tops, trainers, jeans, concert tickets etc, etc., that you will continue spending money on for the rest of your life. The lessons cost is a once in a lifetime expense that can give you so much, time and time again, hopefully lasting into your 70's.

Mum's and Dad's and the cars you buy

The opening pic at the top of the blog is aimed at you.

There is a very nicely wrapped shiny new car but if you hover over it with your cursor, finger on the phone or tablet you will see what looks like a knackered old banger. It has the note, 'please do not put your child in a wreck of a car, buy them something decent'.

So often over the years I have been teaching I have pulled up to pick up my pupil and they jump in pointing to a heap of a car that is going to be theirs. Some of them have been absolute s***heaps that are passed being used for anything other than banger racing.

I kid you not, the house has been worth 0.5million+, parents cars - nice and shiny worth thousands, sometimes tens of thousands to go on the school run, or Tesco's and they buy a death trap for the child they have cared for, worried about, lost sleep over and cherished for almost the last 2 decades! What on earth are you thinking about? It is a heap of scrap that you would not be seen dead in and yet it is OK for your child to, and I quote, "get experience in because they are bound to have a few bumps and scrapes in the first year" . Just think about what you are saying, do you think it is OK thinking? You could so easily be spending so much more on the nice big shiny black limo with a wooden box in the back containing your child on the way to the cemetery because the banger that was 'OK for them to use' did not offer enough protection, or the brakes and tyres were not good enough.

The example I gave above is a true one, but not the worst. A pupil wanted to show me the car she had waiting for her and asked if I knew how to fit a brake light bulb. When I saw the car I was stunned - it was shocking. Not only the bake light bulb, but the rear wiper had strips hanging from it where the rubber had split. The tyres, 2 were illegal a third almost, and the door did not close without slamming. I was afraid to check anymore but pleaded with her not to drive it until it had at least a new MoT.

So, please, please, from all of us ADIs because we care about your child, buy something that is decent, with good tyres, brakes and safe for your child to use. If it is better, then logically they will be more careful as they don't want to scratch it and therefore they will be safer coming home to you at night.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and if you have any comments, then drop us a line.

As usual, if there is anything that you see is incorrect or, plain wrong, I apologise, and if you drop a line via the Contact Us page it will be edited.

Who do the dvsa think they are kidding

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 21:28:25 GMT

Is it time for the CEO to be removed from post - Sacked?

If Buster is confused, how do you feel?

If we think poor old Buster looks confused, how does the average ADI, or even the test candidate feel today given all the seemingly misleading information given out in the national media?

Almost daily we see headlines in the media saying the driving test situation is in dire straits .

One of my favourite bands is Dire Straits and their huge hit Money for Nothing even has a couple of lines that fit the bill here. "Now look at them yo-yos, (dvsa) that's the way you do it .................... That ain't workin' , that's the way you do it

Money for nothin' ............ sums it all up perfectly. The dvsa are getting money for nothing. Their brief is to book and manage tests, to maintain standards across a very limited range of fields, advise HMG on road safety and that is about it.

The dvsa give out appointments for driving tests, I'm not including the ADI check tests, qualifying exams etc, etc, just the basic driving test. When I started back in the 1980's the booking system, as I've stated before, was via a booking clerk in a regional office with a pencil, a ledger/diary and a telephone. It was simple and best of all it worked!

We could swap tests about using a very simple system via snail mail and everything ran smoothly.

Today we have the dvsa spending tens of millions of pounds on a digital system that needs up dating and the system closing down frequently for hours for maintenance, whereas the old pencil needed sharpening regularly and took about 15 seconds. Yes, I know, there was the rubber as well, but they lasted ages before needing replacing.

Weekly we see the dvsa advertising for 'digitally skilled' staff at far higher salaries than the good old booking clerk. They are looking for managers and supervisors for just about everything you can possibly think of and still the system is useless, often unworkable at the best of times letting all their customers down. I'm waiting to see a post for Manager for Internal Flatulence and Effluent Analysis for around £45,000, plus exec comfy rolls.

They cannot even find a way to make the post of driving examiners more attractive, with a better salary rate and better reasons to stay in post rather than the phenomenal attrition rate that they have. If they could retain and recruit more examiners because people wanted to do the job, the problems with the waiting lists would disappear in no time. Read on for my solution at the end - it is self financing!!

In the old days, of us dinosaurs, the examiners post was a nice little earner for ex police and forces personnel. I remember taking staff from RAF Northolt in N London for a driving test and telling them to make sure that they wore their uniform for the test. I'm sure it helped with some borderline candidates who's nerves got the better of them. Ex police as examiners all over the country. What happened to these recruits as examiners.

I've heard stories of examiner newbies resigning before their 1st week is up because it is too stressful and dangerous. Ex firemen included, and they come from a very dangerous job. Are examiners now expected to get into a shit heap of a car, with no dual controls and risk their lives? Apparently so.

Is it now time for the dvsa to be far stricter on the cars being used for the test, or is Ms Ryder & Co. not bothered as they don't have to sit in the cars, so it is OK, examiners are cheap to replace, unlike herself?!

Even this week we get the recruitment email looking for:

Head of Scheduling and Account Manager (4 posts) - this includes: managing client relationships, and ensuring high performance and the delivery of objectives across both areas.

Well that's a dead end job with this lot then. They need Gandalf with his bloody great stick to get that job to work.

Learning & Development Driver Solutions Manager (10 posts) - handles the training and professional development of company employees.

Put simply a Training and CPD Manager. Why 10 of them?? Once in the dvsa your role doesn't alter, you are a civil servant with a set duty, what is cpd for other than jobs for the boys??

Frontline Logistics Team Leader ( 1 post) - Bloody glorified Foreman, sorting a few of the lads out and making sure they have what they need to get the job done.

Head of Intelligence and Targeting (7 posts) "...you will lead DVSA's intelligence strategy, ensuring our enforcement activities are driven by high-quality, actionable intelligence". Actionable intelligence from the dvsa, someone's on the whacky baccy here!

Now this post has to be the biggest Oxymoron of all time, and they need 7 of the buggers. That's only 2 heads less than the Hydra of Greek mythology and one of them was immortal.

Which one of the the dvsa hydra's heads is destined to be long-term with the other 6 being dropped in the mire at a later date. Plus why in the name of heaven do the dvsa need 7 heads of intelligence for just 4,600 employees when most people feel that just some logical thinking would do. Also this post carries a salary of £54,857 plus, expenses, perks, pension etc, etc. That's a total of a minimum £383,999 for just 7 people. That would pay for 14 examiners who would bring money into the coffers and not bloody waste it pontificating on their future development and pensions in expensive offices.

22 posts that cost a lot of money and don't bring a penny in, and that is just one advert!

The dvsa smacks of loads of little empires growing within the dark monolith of the driving standards agency!

Would anyone like to bet that the total salaries of managers at the Done Very Satisfactorily Association (DVSA) is far greater than that of the workers who actually make the money for the once profitable agency? Yes, did you know that the driver examining side was actually a profitable business as the old DSA before the pointless merger that slowly brought things down to the current state of affairs?

How long can this continue in it's current form? They say that they are taking steps to put things right, but is it all flannel?

The Secretary of State, Heidi Alexander MP has been given promises to reduce the waiting list to a target that was promised by the late CEO Rosie Thew, in her heyday when at the dvsa. This proved to be unachievable then when she had even more examiners and no C19 issues to contend with. The late Gwyneth Dunwoody MP who was chair of the Parliamentary Select Committee for Transport when Thew took the job, slapped her down in a committee meeting when she tried to wriggle out of a rollicking. Mrs Dunwoody pointed out that as CEO it was her responsibility for the waiting lists and to get her finger out.

The same applies to you Ms Ryder .

With the greatest of respect Heidi me old mate, they are pulling your ceremonial chain of office and will give you a Stately flush when the U bend is still blocked up in a years time. May I advise you, respectfully of course, that you get Ms Loveday Ryder back in before the committee and demand some answers, and as Mrs Dunwoody did, take no prisoners.

If this was in the real world, outside of the civil service, with the national outcry and the uproar in the national media, a lot of it triggered by these blog pages Ms Ryder would have been sacked along with her support team. Just think of the recent Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou, who despite having won a a competition and a nice shiny cup for the display cabinet was sacked for poor performance after a couple of years in the job. What has Ms Ryder and Co achieved..........silence is the deafening roar back from the terraces. Diddly squat! Nowt! Nuffink!

We now have a new website offering tests on Google claiming to be the best way of getting a driving test........and it is based in LATVIA. This is after the Diddly squat club at the Done Very Satisfactorily Association claim that they have clamped down on the booking agencies, Heaven help us all if this is progress.

Honestly, this is not made up, they are useless and need to go. We have had enough.

Heads must roll and purse strings need to be audited forensically with a butchers knife.

A tip for Ms Ryder. If you want to recruit more examiners, make it worthwhile.

Increase the test fee by £5 and pay it directly to the examiners in recognition and acknowledgement of the danger they are facing in the current climate. This is a 'special allowance' for services and danger in the role. This way it does not conflict with salary restrictions within the civil service. Recruitment would increase, retention levels would improve and the test waiting time would shrink rapidly.

You may even get an honour for initiative, thanks to the AADI.

How you can help.

All we need now is for everyone who reads this, to copy the link and forward it on to their MP. You don't need to worry about any backlash from the dvsa as it has my name on it, not yours. They can complain to me and I'll publish their reply for all to see. ��

So please help by sharing this everywhere you can think of. Especially on your local Facebook page, your MP's page, anywhere you think it may help us all out.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and keep safe.

As usual, if there is anything that you see is incorrect or, plain wrong, I apologise, and if you drop a line via the Contact Us page it will be edited.

How do the dvsa measure up on their own Standards Check

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 10:27:50 GMT

Would the dvsa pass their own Standards Test?

How do the dvsa compare if we measure their performance up against that expected of their ADIs using their own Standards Check criteria as the basis for comparison?

For those not familiar with the requirements, they can be found from the gov.uk website.

SERVICE PLANNING

Q. Did the dvsa identify their customers goals and needs.

A. No. Despite plenty of evidence being available no appearance of a serious consideration evident.

Q. Was the agreed business structure appropriate for the client’s experience and ability

A. No. Totally inadequate for the client’s needs, across all divisions of driver testing and licencing and a complete failure to adjust to modern requirements.

Q. Were the practice areas suitable

A. No. Lack of contact at grass roots level, too much dependency on social media and digital contact.

Q. Was the business plan adapted, when appropriate, to help the client’s work towards their learning goals

A. No. Just plugged along with the same business plan with insufficient adaption taking place due to lack of understanding needed.

RISK MANAGEMENT

Q. Did the dvsa ensure that the client fully understood how the responsibility for risk would be shared

A. NO. With the dvsa’s attitude of ‘It is not our fault, it’s their fault’ no level of understanding is evident from the dvsa.

Q. Were directions and instructions given to the clients clear and given in good time

A. NO. Usually any direction, or guidance from the dvsa was usually in response to public outcry and bad publicity in the press, BBC, ITV or Sky news broadcasts. This usually being around 2 years after the event initiating.

Q. Was the dvsa aware of the surroundings and the pupil’s actions

A. No. Not all as it was taking too long to adjust the focus on the long-range telescope in the lofty top floors of the dvsa establishment to be of relevance.

Q. Was any verbal or physical intervention by the trainer timely and appropriate

A. NO. I refer to the previous 2 answers

Q. Was sufficient feedback given to help the client understand any potential safety critical incidents

A. NO. Again, I refer to the previous answers in the section. There was nothing timely in the dvsa responses as all were due to external, extreme ,and persistent complaints from the public (ADIs, and learner drivers) being forced upon the dvsa by the media.

Management and development strategies development

Q. Was the management and development style suited to the client’s needs and service requirements

A. NO. No evidence of any development to suit the client’s needs since the C19 pandemic began at 10.30am on the 23rd March 2020 and the first lockdown order was issued by HMG. There appeared to be no serious guidance or shift in management planning or development despite having months to work out strategies whilst sitting at home playing on their expensive gov.uk funded laptops as other outside organisations did. The dvsa seemed to sit back and stare at their monitors waiting for divine intervention. It was not until around 2 years later that they seemed to finally flicker back into life following the growing out cry from amongst their howling customers, both ADI and learners alike.

Q. Was the dvsa encouraged to analyse problems and take responsibility for their learning

A. Yes. Due to the huge public outcry due to their apparent lack of action there was no end of ‘encouragement’ by multiple outside bodies. Unfortunately, there was no responsibility taken as evidenced by their apparent lack of understanding or action taken. Anyway, it was not their fault after all, it was firstly the ADIs who were to blame for all that was wrong in misusing the dvsa booking system and messing it up, and then it was the learners who were to blame.

It was certainly not the fault of the dvsa for not being able to manage a simple appointment booking system and prevent multiple bookings from being made by outside factors, who then sold on the dvsa appointments at a large profit, that they had obtained by flooding the dvsa booking system. This of course could not be the fault of the dvsa despite their vast investment in technology and technical staff to run it........a simple appointment booking system.

Q. Were opportunities and examples used to clarify client’s outcomes

A. Nah. No evidence found so far.

Q. Was the technical information given comprehensive, appropriate and accurate

A. This raised considerable laughter and amusement. Even the PCSU in their submission to the House of Commons as highlighted in the AADI blog. The PSCU asked why it was not possible to curtail test booking to ‘one test per licence number’ the dvsa reply was that ‘it was not that easy’ The dvsa bragged that they had managed to reduce the third party bookings from 20 per licence to just 5 and this is without the learner even knowing it is being done with their licence. Therefore totally inappropriate and adequate.

Q. Was the client given appropriate and timely feedback.

A. NO. No feedback as everything is kept from the client unless requested under an FOI and even the PCSU cannot get answers to questions asked. My MPs don’t even try.

Q. Were the client’s queries followed up and answered

A. No. Queries are mostly ignored or swept under the carpet.

Q. Did the dvsa maintain an appropriate non-discriminatory manner throughout the session

A. As previously stated above, it’s considered to be the client’s fault and not the fault of the dvsa so this is generally ignored

Q. At the end of the session - was the client encouraged to reflect on their own performance

A. Again, as above. It is generally the fault of the client so not considered to be something the dvsa would concern itself with.

Score

For those familiar with the system the ADI (driving instructor) is awarded a score for each point raised and totalled up for each section. A grade is then issued on a sliding scale of A B C. C is generally considered to be of poor quality and can be instructed by the dvsa to stop teaching and get further training. If during the Standards Check the score for the Risk Management section is considered so low the Enforcement Officer (yes that is their title) can stop the lesson at that point and order the ADI to stop teaching immediately in the interests of public safety.

Review

Q Did the dvsa score 7 or less on Risk Management (A 'Yes' response to this question will result in an automatic Fail)

A YES .....Fail

Q. At any point in the session, (March 2020 to present) did the dvsa behave in a way which put you, the clients or any third party in immediate danger, so that you had to stop the session ( A 'Yes' response to this question will result in an automatic Fail)

A. Yes..... Given the number of examiners leaving the industry (attrition rate) due to age, ill health or stress levels – V – recruitment and the number of ADIs who have left the profession due to the stress levels now involved and the short ‘life span’ of newly qualified ADIs who drop out. Add to this the enormous frustration felt by the learners and their families trying to book tests. Complete failure.

Q. Was advice given to seek further development

A. YES YES YES YES YES Advice has been offered on numerous occasions from many sources, the AADI in particular, but as the dvsa know it all they have duly ignored everyone and like Poo Bear and Piglet have wondered their merry way off down the wood land path.

RECOMMENDATION

All senior management at the dvsa to be sacked for incompetence, ineptitude, lack of foresight and planning and all benefits removed. As the PCSU put it recently in part of their submission to HMG, ‘This calls into question the dvsa’s ability to serve as a regulatory body’ . If an ADI were to receive this level of a report from the dvsa itself, they would be removed from the register of Approved Instructors and need to re-qualify, that is if they were still considered to be 'Fit and Proper' to teach, the ADI would most likely not get past the initial submission to the register to even be allowed to begin training. Even whilst the proverbial ink is drying in this blog they have excelled themselves yet again.

The glorious dvsa sent an email out yesterday about changes they are trialing for the driving test this contains the following: " On 6 May 2025 DVSA will begin a trial to increase the amount of time your pupils spend on higher speed roads, including rural roads, during a driving test.

We know that rural roads are some of the most dangerous high-speed roads for novice drivers. The current killed or seriously injured statistics show 48% of casualties in young car driver collisions occur on rural roads, compared to 42% for other aged car driver collisions."

In other words, they want to risk their own examiners lives with inexperienced drivers on our most dangerous roads with the highest KSI (killed and seriously injured) figures. HOLY smoking exhausts, are they bonkers. They cannot employ enough examiners at the current pay grade and now they are going to ask for this too!!! This is simply not possible at every test centre, so out the window goes their claim that all tests are equal throughout the UK. Expect long delays at test centres with not so many dangerous roads with high KSI figures. Also expect a loss of many more examiners, and a higher attrition rate if this is not voluntary on their part therefore creating a two tier test system. WOW what a turn around by the dvsa.

Conlcusion

By their own standards, for the people that they licence to deliver driving lessons in the UK, the dvsa have failed miserably on just about every measurement there is. They are unable to recruit and maintain examiners, the very front-line staff that bring in their revenue to sustain their business model. Despite the media accepting the load of nonsense about recruiting 450 new examiners, where the hell from?

They have alienated just about every member of the public that has to deal with them on the driver testing and licencing side. ADIs have no faith in the dvsa management at all, we gave up years ago. The examiners morale is so low at the present it is immeasurable, they are leaving in droves, even new recruits are leaving within a week of starting. It is, allegedly, so bad that they are considering moving the goal post for the entry level to get more applicants through the doors. The customers applying for tests either as learners, truck drivers, or people wanting to qualify as ADIs are at a loss and losing money.

Their business practice is an unmitigated failure and should be handed over to Tesco to run an appointment booking system that works.

You simply could not make this up as the script for one of the old music hall farces with Brian Rix, and they publishing new embarrassing edicts, almost on a daily basis. The ideas coming out from dvsa towers in are so thick and fast I just cannot type fast enough to keep up with them. They've even conned, just this week already the Secretary for transport into making a fantastic statement about 10,000 extra driving tests a month how in the merry **** are they going to achieve that when they cannot get the extra 300 promised from 2 years ago, never mind the 450 promised late last year. I hope the Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander MP, sacks the pigging lot of them for telling such big, ginormous porkies.

As usual, if there is anything that you see is incorrect or, plain wrong, I apologise, and if you drop a line via the Contact Us page and it will be edited.

Written submission from the PCS to the House of Commons

Sat, 12 Apr 2025 10:44:17 GMT

A written petition to the House of Commons by the PCS Union

This is a copy of a submission by the PSU (Examiners Union) on the state and the effectiveness of the dvsa to the House of Commons. It details a litany of failure, incompetence and just about any other adjective to describe failure that one could think of. I would dearly love to know what the dvsa's response was, does anyone know? Many thanks to the Guardian newspaper for bringing this to my attention.

Written submission from PCS (DTA0017)

Introduction:

PCS (Public and Commercial Services Union) is the biggest public service union for civil servants. We have a very strong membership in DVSA, and the vast majority of driving examiners and their line managers are in PCS.

PCS reps and full-time officers have engaged with DVSA Ex-Co throughout the Driving Services Recovery Project. We have faced, and continue to face, challenges working with DVSA, particularly the Driver Operations division, who are responsible for the Driver Services Recovery Project. When we have challenged decisions or asked for information, there has been a delay in responding, we have been rebuffed and our reps have, at times, been subject to aggressive behaviour from some senior executives in driver operations division.

DVSA Driver Operations have refrained from consulting with PCS at appropriate points in the project. This has led to two incidences of industrial dispute in the last four years over the driver services recovery project. Both were resolved without PCS members having to take industrial action, but these two disputes evidence how reticent DVSA are to work collaboratively with PCS to find workable solutions to resolve the driving test back log .

There has been a concerted effort from those involved with the Driver Services Recovery Project to keep pertinent information regarding the project away from PCS. In this report we will refer to the Driver Services Recovery Project business case and subsequent workplace exception documents. These only became available to us on the 23rd of October this year. (2024)

We are submitting evidence because PCS has concerns regarding the ability for DVSA to reach the targets is has set in the Driver Services Recovery Project and its subsequent Workplace Exception Reports. We also have serious concerns regarding DVSA’s ability to act as an objective regulator of driving tests at this time and we are concerned regarding the long term sustainability of the organisation as DVSA Ex-Co continue follow the route of degrading terms and conditions of Driving Examiners in a bid to achieve Driver service recovery targets, despite all evidence showing this is not an effective resolution.

Summary of Report:

• The new cluster contract with degraded terms and conditions, is failing to attract driving examiners of the correct calibre, and DVSA is unable to reach the recruitment targets it has set, which the success of the project is dependent on.

• Reports from driving examiners that they are being pressurised by more senior DVSA employees to inflate pass rates and take out unroadworthy vehicles. our members have witnessed examiners turn away cars with tyres so bald the canvas is showing, loose exhausts, brake lights not working, no tax or insurance.

• Increasing attrition rates for driving examiners because of the culture in the organisation.

• The initial plan for growing the training team to successfully manage the number of new driving examiner recruits has failed. The solution to overload LDTMs is ill thought out. Proper investment and long terms solutions are needed.

• Report from an HGV driving examiner that tolerances are being adjusted on the manoeuvres on an HGV test at a certain training site, and preferential leasing of the site on reduced rate is causing incidences being overlooked to enable HGV tests to continue.

• DVSA have not taken decisive enough action regarding the reduction of the number of tests third party sites can book using a singular driving licence number. a huge concern from our members as has been highlighted repeatedly in our blogs

• There have been critical errors and a coordinated mis-management of the driver services recovery project by a cadre of individuals in DVSA Driver Operations which have resulted in unachievable targets for the project.

• There has been mis-management by DVSA Ex-Co in allowing the iterations of Workplace Exception Reports to be passed, continuing the Driver Service Recovery Project without proper and robust analysis of content and targets.

• There has been a co-ordinated effort from DVSA Driver Operations to frustrate the consultation and negotiation process with trade unions Operations to hide the issues in the Driver Services Recovery Project.

• DVSA are unable to function appropriately as a regulatory body at this point.

What possible solutions are there for reducing waiting times and preventing slots being blocked out by automated bookings:

1)Abolish the new ‘cluster contract’ terms and conditions for new driving examiner employees and return to previous driving examiner terms and conditions to encourage recruitment and retention of the number and calibre of driving examiners needed to fill the vacancies.

PCS has always been opposed to the terms and conditions of the ‘cluster contract’, first billed by DVSA as a temporary, short-term contract for driving examiners recruited to meet the increased demand for tests after Covid. This contract offers poorer terms and conditions than the substantive contracts for existing driving examiners, including, but not limited to - regular weekend working expected as part of the working week on basic rate, with no additional overtime. Increased travel to and from work, as those on new ‘cluster contracts’ will be attached to a number of driving test centres across a geographical area, as opposed to just one, and are unable to claim comparative terms and conditions to those on the previously existing contract.

It is important to note that PCS has continually challenged the imposition of these contracts and moved to a position of industrial dispute with DVSA in October 2023 over elements of the contracts. PCS won some significant gains for those driving examiners on the ‘cluster contract’, including a reduction in the frequency of weekend working, and improved subsistence and mileage allowances, as well as a shrinking of the geographical areas driving examiners on ‘cluster contracts’ would cover, but PCS reps have continually warned DVSA Ex-Co members that this contract is not sufficient to attract enough examiners of the appropriate calibre to the role.

DVSA Ex-Co have always maintained in meetings with PCS that attrition rates of existing Driving Examiners are not increasing, and that recruitment of driving examiners was going well.

On 23rd October 2024, after PCS continually asked for project documents (with requests always being evaded), PCS received from the Driver Services Recovery SRO, the Project plan documentation and successive Workplace Exception Reports which identify changes in the project when key targets are not met. These documents have never been discussed with PCS.

These documents show a continual pattern of recruitment and retention of driving examiners falling well below the targets required to meet the successive deadlines of the initial project plan and the workplace exception iterations thereafter. There is, in the documents, acknowledgement that the resolutions suggested will not meet the targets.

The initial Driving Test Recovery Business Case, states:

“To deliver a reduction in the current waiting time for driving tests to single figures (in terms of weeks) by the end of February 2023. Based on the recommended option, this is to be achieved by:

Direct Recruitment of Additional Driving Examiners

A net increase of up to 300 additional DEs will be recruited, trained, and on-boarded into DVSA. They will be employed on fixed-term contracts, maximum duration of 2 years. Successful candidates will be allocated into test centre ‘clusters’ so that demand in particular areas can be met by having a flexible pool of resource that is able to be allocated to different local Driving Test Centres (DTCs) as and when required.”

This cluster contract was first billed to the trade unions as a temporary contract to be used short term to resolve the immediate issue of the Covid back up of driving tests.

When it became clear that DVSA would not achieve the initial target of reduction of driving tests to a 7 week wait by March 2023, DVSA Driver Operations created their first Workplace Exception Report which details the strategy to get the driver services recovery project on target. DVSA have produced four of these that PCS has seen, in February 2022, March 2023, Feb 2024 and July 2024. The first exception report was primarily focused on the roll out on an 8-test working day, but did note that overall project success was dependent on:

“There are 3 financial risks associated with the revised model:

a) The model assumes very high numbers of successful new entrants and low attrition. Project risk DRRE RIS 016 refers.”

Indicating awareness that poor recruitment and increased attrition would affect the success of the project. The next Workplace Exception report that PCS has had sight of is from Feb 2023 and states:

“

2.3 Since the autumn factors above, there have also been other factors that have impacted the ability of the Project to meet the Feb 2022 delivery target date:

• Failure to attract as many Driving Examiners as possible in the expected period planned.

• Attrition rate of Driving Examiners being higher than historically.” The Exception Report in Feb 2024 states that the project has been delayed and not reached number of targets in the project because of several reasons, inclusive of:

“Fewer new entrant Driving Examiners than planned and higher than expected attrition which has impacted test delivery over the period – the volume of new Driving Examiners that we planned to recruit between October 2023 and January 2024 was lower than anticipated and attrition was higher than expected.”

The risk profile section of the Feb 2024 Exception Report states the ability to recruit sufficient driving examiners, as one of three risks, to the success of the project, with an overall risk factor of twelve, a medium risk score.

The most recent Workplace Exception Report that PCS has seen was dated July 2024 and covered two specific areas of scope:

1.2 Context:

This exception relates to scope and time as summarised below:

• Scope exception – the project will need to recruit and train around 450 additional Driving Examiners (DE) in this financial year to deliver the 7week waiting time target by the end of March 2025 (this aligns with the Business Plan), which adds additional scope to the project.

• Time exception – the current baselined delivery date is September 2024, so the project requires an extension of nine months from October 2024 to the end of June 2025 to enable delivery of the target and time to close down the project. A 7 week waiting list by July 2025 is the latest proposal/ dream of the dvsa - you have to have a good laugh here.

The report goes on to describe the reasons for the inability to meet targets set in previous Exception Report, and states:

“2. Description of the cause of a deviation from Plan

Fewer new entrant Driving Examiners than planned which has impacted test delivery over the period – the volume of new Driving Examiners that we planned to recruit between October 2023 and January 2024 was lower than anticipated.”

In section 3.6 of this report, the Risk Profile shows an increase to the risk profile of the risk: “Ability to recruit sufficient DE [Driving Examiner] numbers to service increased demand.”

This risk factor has more than doubled from Feb 2024’s Exception Report and is marked as twenty-five, the maximum rating a risk factor can achieve in DVSA risk assessment model.

This report lists under the assumptions that:

“5. Assumptions (this is a peach)

1. Recruitment of new Driving Examiners will be delivered in line with the forecast.

2. Attrition of Driving Examiners remains in line with the forecast.”

It is clear from the Business Case and the subsequent Workplace Exception Reports that DVSA is unable to fill the driving examiner vacancies at a volume required to ensure the project’s success. PCS has campaigned consistently that the poor terms and conditions of the ‘cluster contract’ are a significant contributor to the lack of interest in candidates of the correct calibre. DVSA have stuck resolutely to this ideology and it is without success. I note that DVSA is currently in it’s fourth extension to the project and at a recent meeting when PCS asked how far into the current target of recruiting and retaining driving examiners DVSA were, they were unable to tell us. The most recent advertisement had borne 19 candidates, of which 9 were successful after the initial training. DVSA mentioned vaguely that there were ’previous candidates’ that contributed to the most recent Workplace Exception target of 300 but were unable to offer any clear parameters of how many driving examiners had applied, been retained and from which wave of recruitment.

PCS is gravely concerned at the management by Driver Services of the project. ( Ecactly what we have been saying consistently through our blogs.) T he litany of missed targets regarding recruitment over the lifetime of the project, and the narrowing of scope for resolution from DVSA as the project continues and enters its fourth extension, reflects errors in the management of the project at every level, inclusive of those who have been involved in the development and signing off of targets and given credence to these extensions without objectively questioning the validity of the resolutions within.

2). Immediate Cessation of ‘third party’ driving test providers to buy and sell multiple tests using learners’ driving licence numbers with automatic bookings.

The ability for third party companies to buy and sell on driving test times has been a significant contributing factor to the ongoing difficulty in learner driers being able to book practical driving tests. PCS has raised concerns regarding this with DVSA Drivee Operations senior management several times over the past few years. When PCS called into question the ethics of the third party organisations being able to use learner drivers driving licence numbers to book repeated tests on the system, and why this can’t be curtailed to ‘one driving licence number, one booking’ the answers from Driver Operations were evasive, with PCS being told ‘it’s just not that easy’. PCS were told by senior staff in Driver Operations that progress had been made in that that the numbers of tests third party organisations are able to book with one driving licence number (without the learner driver’s knowledge) has been reduced from twenty driving tests from one licence number to five.

PCS has been led to believe from ‘off the record’ conversations with senior management in DVSA that repealing the third party buying and selling of tests is difficult as this was brought in without the correct legislative process being undertaken, and therefore admission of the problem would reveal this significant error.

The impact of allowing the continuation of third-party organisations being able to book up multiple tests to then sell them on at a profit means an evercontinuing cycle of delays for those learners awaiting driving tests.

3) Review into the narrowing of resolutions for increasing first time test pass and potentially for un-regulatory conduct.

In the initial Driver Recovery Business Case one of the outputs of the Driver Service recovery outputs is:

“Launch communications ‘Ready to Pass’ campaign that will contribute towards a range of initiatives leading to better preparedness for tests, ideally with positive impact on the pass rate, and reduce the number of learner drivers who will need to take a retest.” With a target of the project being:

“Undertake a behavioural change campaign which aims to improve learner drivers’ readiness to take their test and encourages them only to take their practical car driving test when they are ready.”

Two of the key methods for delivering the element of the campaign to engage with learner drivers and increase likelihood of passing first time are listed in the initial Business Case as:

“Keep learner drivers and driving instructors updated with our progress on GOV.UK, by email and by using social media……Launch the recovery campaign with a pro-active national media announcement, publish the new campaign platform on GOV.UK and relaunch our Instagram channel with tailored social media content aimed at learner drivers.”

The second Workplace Exception Report in Feb 2023 states:

“And maintain the trust our people, stakeholders and customers have in our services, whilst encouraging learners of the importance of being properly prepared for their test.” With the target of a “1% increase in pass rate per year” and “1500 reduction in [test] demand per month” and an expectation this target will be achieved by: “Benefit realisation forecast is expected in Jan 2023.”

It is clear from DVSA’s Instagram account that there was a considerable piece of work undertaken between July 2022 and October 2023, reaching out to Learner Drivers with the Ready to Pass communications, however, from

October 2023 this proactive campaigning stops abruptly on social media (although its worth noting the internet pages are still in place). This is a shame as there is obviously investment into relevant content that could have been recycled through re-posting at no extra cost to the organisation.

In the third Workplace Exception Report (Feb 2024) this project output is reduced to:

“Improve and maintain the trust and confidence that our people, stakeholders and customers have in our services.”

But retains the same target of: “1% increase in pass rate per year.” With the method of achieving this detailed as the target “Increase in slot availability up to 45% (currently 21% as at February 2024).”

It is important to note the move of the focus on this target is away from the

Ready to Pass Campaign, to slot availability. In the fourth Workplace Exception Report in July 2024, the target is noted again as a “1% increase in the pass rate per year”, but with the revised benefit noting that the target “Increase in slot availability up to 45% progress” is moving further away from the target in this quarter: “(currently 18.31% as at July 2024).”

It was in Spring 2024 our PCS reps began to hear of key changes in the rhetoric from Driver Operations: PCS has been led to believe that during a meeting of driving examiner line managers in May 2024 there was a discussion around ‘utilisation’ (a phrase encapsulating the ideology of making sure every booked test is productive). PCS has been told that senior managers encouraged leniency in the running of tests in ‘private runners’ (cars owned by individuals and not by approved driving instructors) that were not in a roadworthy condition or did not have a current MOT. During that meeting managers were also introduced to using Power Bi, DVSA’s project management tool that charts the pass rates of different test routes and of driving examiners, to identify specifically those routes and examiners with low test pass rates.

Since then, PCS has received a number of contacts from driving examiners in the organisation who have felt pressured and bullied by managers further on in their chain of command to increase test pass rates. Additionally, driving examiner line managers have also been asked to start completing new documentation which analyses performance based on examiners with low pass rates and routes with low pass rates. This is a marked difference to previous assessment which takes a broader view of both high and low pass rates on routes and from examiners.

Several PCS members have begun the whistleblowing process to report these incidences but there is a reluctance among the driving examiners and their line managers to report these incidences as they report an organised and coordinated strategy from senior management in Driver Operations from SEO to senior Ex-Co to comply with this analysis and rhetoric.

4) Invest and develop a long-term plan to increase in the number of learning and development trainers, future proofing DVSA training provisions moving forward.

Recently, DVSA has moved the responsibility of the first few weeks training for new driving examiners from the qualified and experienced training team to driving examiner line managers, who are expected to undertake this duty alongside their other line and centre management responsibilities. PCS have been against this idea from the start and wrote to DVSA in June to express our concerns and the potential for industrial dispute regarding this decision.

DVSA’s decision is detailed in the fourth workplace Exception Report (July 2024), but it sits at odds with the initial business plan and previous iterations of workplace reception reports. In the initial business case, the plan for training was:

• Improve the training resource to allow us to onboard and start more DEs every month by doubling the size of the training team.

· Speeding up the Recruitment and Training of New DEs

· This is to improve the training resource to allow us to onboard and start more

DEs every month by doubling the size of the training team. In the short term,

this will limit the number of new examiners we can train, but from February 2022 doubles the number of new entrants who can be trained concurrently.

· To support the increase in training, up to 29 LTDMs [driving examiner line managers] will be trained as trainers and required to train new entrants for a period of up to 12 months. Operations has requested that these posts are backfilled and, therefore, up to an additional 29 LTDM posts will be required.”

By the time the project reaches it second extension and workplace exception report (Feb 2023), DVSA recognises the roll out of this initial plan for training has been unsuccessful:

“5. DRRE RIS 057 “Attrition rate of L&D Trainers available to train new entrant DEs”. We experience an attrition rate of trainers that significantly impacts training plans and new entrants start dates.

We are monitoring BAU trainer departure attrition and move trainers from other training activities over to deliver Driving Tests. DVSA also continues to recruit new trainers as BAU activity.

We plan to reduce Trainee cohorts to match current resource from February 2023 - April 2023. This also supports the delegates who are in the recruitment pipeline as there are insufficient numbers to meet original planned cohorts. Plan is to increase LGV delegated courses which will reduce DVSA LGV demand to diverting those examiners to deliver car tests.”

and has resulted in a high number of leavers from the training team.

The expectation now from DVSA, is that driving examiner line managers, without a background in training, many of whom are undertaking 6 month, temporary, Career Development Opportunity (CDO) posts, can now successfully manage this considerable piece of work in addition to their substantive post, is unrealistic.

Driving Examiner Line Managers (known in DVSA as LDTMs: Local Driving Test Managers) have borne the brunt of the changes at DVSA; in previous iterations of the project, they were moved from their substantive posts to work full time on driving tests in an attempt to relieve the backlog.

Consistently throughout all the business case and workplace exception documents, the same concern is flagged regarding driving examiner line managers:

“Will require a longer period of support activity than that which was originally planned for. Risk of burn out, stress, reduced morale, reduced effort provided, as the period of work support extends beyond originally planned.”

Workplace Exception Report Feb 2023, Feb 2024, July 2024.

DVSA’s decision that a workable solution to a successful training programme for new driving examiner recruits is to task driving examiner line managers with this responsibility, given the evidence that earlier attempts in the project failed, when DVSA employed a larger, experienced team of specialist trainers and a number of fully trained driving examiner line managers, seems particularly reckless.

This decision runs the risk of pushing up the number of leavers in the manager post and reduces the likelihood of producing driving examiner candidates that can move on from successfully from their initial training into the further development stage.

DVSA Driver Operations have ignored PCS’s representations on this matter and instead attempted to foster a position that LDTM line mangers can handle the pressure as they are doing nothing out of the ordinary. This is stark contrast to the concerns highlighted in their own exception reports outlined above.

PCS is currently reaching out to communicate with LDTM line manager members affected by this change with a view to surveying what impact this change has had on them.

How the scarcity of HGV driving tests has affected industry?

PCS understands the importance of candidates being able to attain HGV driving licences, however it is important that in providing the test, the validity of the test is not degraded to obtain false positive pass results, with the safety of road users compromised.

PCS can report that we have had a PCS rep that raised concerns in October 2022 regarding practices in a test centre which held Entry to Employment courses, with the HGV test included, and where DVSA rent space for testing, where the tolerances on manoeuvres were being changed to make the manoeuvres easier to the candidate and increase the chance of the candidate passing.

The rep reported this to the SRO for the Driver Services Recovery Programme at a Directors Live event, and he was then contacted to give a full description of his concerns. After this, the rep in question was investigated for a 17-point complaint from the test site owner. None of the points had a case to answer, but since then the rep has been told he has to move sites at the behest of this third-party site owner, which DVSA has complied with, to a site significantly further away (it is pertinent to note here that this examiner has a visible, physical disability, which makes commuting more challenging). On raising a complaint regarding this, PCS has been told that the third-party site owner does retain the right to say which DVSA employees can work on the site.

PCS questioned the right of the site owner to make this decision and requested to see the contract between DVSA and the site to see where this right was written into the contract. We were told no contract existed between the site owner and DVSA. PCS has concerns that this site has offered DVSA a very beneficial rate to hire the land, enabling DVSA to undertake HGV testing at this site, and in doing so, this third-party organisation is utilising this leverage to control which DVSA employees can work at the site and is thus, undermining DVSA’s regulatory duties in ensuring testing is carried out in a legitimate manner

PCS is aware that this is not a direct response to the evidence requested regarding the impact of the scarcity of tests but we feel this is such a significant situation it cannot be overlooked, PCS has brought this to the attention of ExCo a number of times but there has not been any investigation regarding this by DVSA Driver Operations Ex-Co. This calls into question DVSA’s ability to serve properly as a regulatory body when the division responsible for regulating the testing, Driver Operations, is also the division in charge of managing the Driver Servies Recovery Project: this is a dangerous conflict of interest.

Summary of PCS’s recommendations to enable DVSA to reduce waiting time and prevent blocking out tests by automated bookings.

1) Immediate cessation of the use of the ‘cluster contract’ as the standard contract for new driving examiners, with a return to using the substantive contract in place for driving examiners prior to the Driver Test Recovery Programme, and a move for all those on the ‘cluster contract’ to pre -Driver Services Recovery Programme contract to enable a more attractive employment offer to potential new driving examiners and reduction in attrition of existing driving examiners.

2) Immediate cessation of any potential research or projects into the changes/harmonisation of the driving examiner terms and conditions on the pre–Recovery Programme contract to reduce examiner attrition. PCS are aware the Supporting Future Services Programme is looking at changes to contracts which could affect driving examiners.

3)Training of new driving examiners by LDTMS to be voluntary with proper training and remuneration for LDTMS undertaking this work. An increased budget for the training team to refresh and allow for new leadership. Increase in the number of learning and development trainers to invest in future proofing the training provisions moving forward.

4) Full investigation into the Driver Operations directorate who have managed the recovery project.

5) Move the regulatory function of DVSA to outside of the Driver Operations directorate, to enable an effective, unbiased regulatory system.

6) Repeal the ability for third party organisations to be able to retain learner drivers’ licence numbers and utilise them to book multiple numbers of tests.

7) An increase in pay across the department. DfT has one of the lowest rates of pay for EOs (the driving examiner grade), with new starter’s salary at £29,525

p.a. (Nationally) and £33, 864 p.a. (London). An increase in pay would attract a wider and higher calibre of suitable candidates.

8) Proper investment into long-term solutions and a commitment to a robust project review framework to ensure DVSA can successfully continue in its role in setting road safety standard and regulating driving tests.

November

PCS Public and Commercial services Union

DVSA Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency

DFT Dept for Transport
EO Executive Officer

LDTMS Local Driving Test Centre Managers

DTC Driving Test Centre

DE Driving Examiner

HGV Heavy Goods Vehicle

LGV Light Goods Vehicle

Oi Lads, the boss says we've got to throw in the kitchen sink to sort it out

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 10:42:14 GMT

In response to recent

media activity on the driving test waiting times, the DVsA decides to throw in the kitchen sink - but, is this the right solution?

Last month I posted an open email to my 2 local MPs and asked for help.

The response has been, quite simply awesome. As a result I have spoken to the BBC and appeared on the South East local 6.0pm news bulletin with 2 of my pupils that I wrote about. One of them demonstrating on the BBC laptop that it was impossible to book a test this year in Hastings.

The Guardian were in touch and asked a lot of questions which appeared in their paper, along with comments by others around the country about the state of affairs that we, and our pupils, have to live with. The Sun followed up with another article about a week afterwards hammering the same topic and showing the extent that learners are going to, to take a driving test. Many driving hundreds of miles across the country to entirely different areas out of shear desperation.

The BBC followed up with an article on ADIs who have just given up and left the industry for an easier life.

Thank you BBC, Thank you Guardian, Thank you the Sun. But, most of all, thank you, to all you ADIs and others out there who read and shared that last blog getting the word out nationwide about the mess of the driving test booking system. It worked, as you can see from the media activity above, and it had the desired effect.

The DVsA sat up and pulled some fingers out. They emailed us all on the 27 September with their proposals to resolve the problem

Can of Worms

Unfortunately, this has now opened a whole new can of worms and I have received messages and calls from around the UK, from examiners and ex-examiners as well as the usual ADIs. It really is a can of worms that have been stirred up and the DVsA have thrown in the kitchen sink in a panic reaction to resolve the issue, and they now teetering on the edge of a disaster.

Regrettably, I have also discovered that a major element in the delays for driving testing is by quite a few greedy ADIs, many more than I thought would be involved. More about that to come.

Here are a few of the comments I Have received about the DVsA.

They have allegedly been told by Ministers to get it sorted.

This is what they came up with

"The 300 Examiners they say they’ve recruited has been eclipsed by the amount that they’ve lost and are going to lose. Even Ms Ryder when she appeared before the Parliamentary Transport Committee admitted that they were losing these at a rate of 15_20 per month....they are all gone!!! I understand of the 450 recruited, 448 have left. This leaves a nett gain of 2!

They have allegedly been told by Ministers to get it sorted.

Every test centre manager (LDTM) Is being moved back to examiner duties until at least until March 31st 2024, or the end of the current financial year.

All their managerial responsibilities are being given to untrained, inexperienced managers from the vehicle side of DVsA. So the building admin etc, will be looked after by someone from outside who knows nowt about the situation, or requirements of the testing side. Possibly with zero authority, just a report back position. A big help if you have any issues as the local LDTM will be out on test and unable to answer any queries, or issues that the ADI, or candidate may have. You may be able to get a fresh toilet roll - but I wouldn't risk it.

There will be no check testing of examiners, no examiner appraisals, nothing whatsoever remotely linked to management of examiners will take place at all. WHY? Because all other managers who have warrant cards and have worked their way up through the grades for better pay, pension, conditions and a bigger desk are being redeployed from their office jobs back down on to front-line testing too.

These higher grades, will be on higher grades of pay than the examiners that they are now working alongside and sharing the same office, day in and day out. Plus receiving much higher bonuses for taking out candidates on weekends and bank holidays. How's that for happy families in the office?

Just think, p****d off managers taking out your pupils out on test. Especially with the poor grade of private runners now apparently attending with no dual-controls. Add in the regular examiners working alongside them on a much lower rate of pay. Happy days!

I feel there may be an increase in the number of examiners going on sick leave, or refusing tests for defects. Check those lights, tyres etc., are all in good order.

No Standards Checks, only PT2 and PT3 being conducted. So no support for the newly qualified ADIs out there if things are not right as no tips, or guidance from the LDTM.

I remember when I started my LDTM in Wood Green north London, Dave Mellish, was brilliant and gave me quite a few tips.

Remember you will have no manager to ask for clarification, they will be too busy with their own tests. You could always ask the new building manager though - good luck.

This has clearly not been thought through by anyone with at least 2 brain cells

ADIs will not be able to speak to a manager because there won't be one.

Complaints, local issues etc, won’t be dealt with, prearranged group attendances will be cancelled.

Any 'manager' you do get to speak to, won’t be a test centre manager, just a clerk of works so won’t be able to help anyway.

As the DVsA email says "some staff who are trained have moved on to other roles in the agency, including as local driving test managers, operational managers and policy experts. Until now some of these individuals have been testing in addition to their usual job" Did you know that from as far away as the FIT team, staff have been 'keeping their hand in' helping out at weekends and on bank holidays at nicely enhanced bonus rates per test, on top of their daily rate. This despite examiners refused a pay rise.

Is there any wonder that there is much discontent in the ranks. Rank and file examiners on a basic salary, maybe 2-3 children and wife/partner are barely making ends meet covering mortgage, rent energy bills, water rates, food and clothing etc, etc despite some allegedly working 50 hour/week . That is why they are leaving, in large numbers. I have heard of 8+ possibles this week, just in the south alone.

If the LDTMs are out testing, who will do the quality assurance monitoring of the existing examiners, who will mentor the 'newbies' coming out of training school? Who is going to maintain standards across the board that the DVsA so love to assure us of and brag about, who supports the newbies and makes sure they have got it right and not getting 'bad habits' and passing too many or none? Who is going to check the gaffers now out on the front-line? Will the FIT team now be unfit for purpose?"

Morale in the examiners office is at an all time low, reminiscent of 2014 and the mass exodus, where the dvsa (DSA) lost 50% of examiners over a 2 year period. The PCS have their wellies all oiled up ready to go into action, strikes before Christmas, or just after.

Some of the reasons I would not be an examiner

I will allow for the effect of the C19 pandemic extending the waiting list to a degree but the increase in 'private runners' turning up and scaring the crap out of examiners, especially as there is allegedly no back-up from the DVsA if the examiner feels that the car is unsafe for the road. I'm not talking about a difference of opinion here, I am talking about canvass showing on the tread, wreck inside, smelling of a joint/smoke, dodgy fittings that I would refuse.
Regular appearance of certain ADIs with shockingly poor candidates - brown trouser standard that when the ADI is spoken to about the poor drive they claim to not know them as they have just picked them up from the station. So many of us get these offers in our inboxes but you must be desperate to take them on and risk your car, or is it your car?

The DVsA know all about these ADIs but do nothing about them, perhaps the FIT team are too busy doing overtime to check it out and the regular examiners have to suck it up. Also, these are the ones that the DVsA would call in for a Standards Check on the totting up system of faults, not the ADI that just has a run of fails every now and then. This is normal, unlike some of those trying to sell ' urgently needed courses' How can they be called in if they wont even remove them from the register as fit and proper for taking up such low quality candidates. Not just my view, but that of an awful lot of examiners are saying this.

3. The examiners feel like mushrooms - kept in the dark and fed on Bull manure. :) Frequently I have heard examiners say they get the news from the waiting room before it comes through on the official line. Though this is supposed to have improved. Many ex ADIs have kept their email registered with the DVsA so that when they cross over to the examining side they still get the latest news directly and sooner.

4.Refused holiday requests and not being able to take time off to suit family needs. eg. no extra time off at Christmas on consecutive years. Usually this is rotated around the office among the staff in the outside world.

5.Some examiners having to do 50 hours + per week to make ends meet. Not too clever when you are in the car with people you do not know, often with no dual controls - dangerous, especially when you consider the increase in free runners turning up in an old banger that is barely roadworthy and just 'having a go' because their ADI has refused their car for test. Or they have either booked a test miles from home and cannot find an ADI willing to take them on, or used one of the multiple 'booking agencies' that have cropped up and flogging tests for bundles of cash....quoted £250.

6.According to one examiner I spoke to they said that pre- covid they would take out possibly one non dual controlled car per day. Now, it can be easily 3 per day and some of them are deadly. I have heard of one newbie examiner on the grapevine, who returned to the Dtc after the second test of the day, white as a sheet, and handed in the warrant card saying the job was far too dangerous for the money they were being paid and left.

No support from the DVsA

..........

Greedy or is it opportunistic ADIs

This is the bit that shocked me the most, and the DVsA are aware of it too, just as they are of all the points raised above.

There are about 5 national 'booking agents' that swamp the booking system and sell on the test appointments. We, and our pupils cannot compete with these guys as we do not have the time to sit at the keypad looking and waiting for tests appointments to appear. These are the main perpetrators, doing it in the 1000's, but you will also have individuals at each test centre doing the same with say 10-30 pupils licences! I have been contacted by a colleague in London who is concerned about a local ADI doing just this. He has on multiple occasions written to the DVsA on this very subject and says it is like pushing water uphill.

Let's consider the logic of it and how they cheat the rest of us. Note, none of this is illegal, but, is it right?

If football can regulate against the on-selling of tickets by pimps at a profit, why can't the DVsA take action?

This instructor has access to say 30 licences, the ADI can then book 30 tests and resell 8 times as he moves them about, he then has blocked up 90 tests, that's almost 1 examiner for 3 weeks in the next 6 months. An eye opener when you consider it. If you then consider 10 ADIs doing this, - that is a whole 7 months blocked for 1 examiner for everyone else. That is just single ADIs doing this. Then add in the big boys and the size of the problem becomes evident very quickly. Even the examiners want this stopped to help us!! It will be a pain for the honest instructors, like you and I.

Example.Pupil dislikes the ADI's attitude and changes to another ADI. Now very happy and the progress is going well so she decides to book a test, only to find she has one booked, without her knowledge, and certainly not having paid for it. Her old instructor has been using her details without her knowledge to book and sell on tests. The tests are allocated to other pupils with sufficient funds and transferred over. A very nice little earner at £250 a test, it mounts up very quickly to thousands £££s. This is very similar to the N London ADI I mentioned above, who contacted me recently. This is out and out dishonesty and surely must be fraudulent, Yet it is quite common practice. Why do the DVsA not call these people in for interview with the police present and start proceedings to remove them from the register?.... Ah yes, the FIT Team are busy examining in their spare time.

This is the fault of the OBS - it needs to be shut down

The suggestion is to temporarily shut down the Business booking system completely and then the the resale of tests will disappear - the demand will evaporate. And, the waiting list will vanish in 6 - 9 months. There will be no market, or demand for these people.

Only the pupil will be able to book their test and can postpone if not ready, but, no swapping of tests as now. This will involve the pupil getting the approval of the ADI to book, and when to book, individually and will exclude these people who are openly taking advantage of the system. It will massively reduce the NTU's as candidates will be better prepared and with an ADI they trust. And the DVsA blame us ADIs for. Unfortunately the OBS is the idea of the DVsA but very badly managed so will MS Ryder admit she is wrong and make the change. I doubt it.

Ms Ryder, over to you and your team. What do you think of the idea from your own staff and your ADIs?

NB: DVsA ... Driver and Vehicle standards Agency..... lower case ‘s’ used to show the low respect that ‘we as ADIs, and now the examiners’ also have for the standard of service we all receive.

As usual, if there is anything that you see is incorrect or, plain wrong, I apologise, and if you drop a line via the Contact Us page it will be edited.

ARE THE DVsA MORALLY CORRUPT

Fri, 11 Aug 2023 14:36:32 GMT

Are the DvSA morally bankrupt?

ARE THE DVsA MORALLY CORRUPT

Are the DvSA morally bankrupt?

Are the DVsA practices corrupt?

An open letter

Dear MPs the Honourable Huw Merryman and Sally-Ann Hart and the CEO DVsA Loveday Ryder

I am the founder of the local Bexhill and Hastings ADI (Approved Driving Instructor) group called HABIT (Hastings and Bexhill Instructor Team) and I am writing to you on behalf of our 52 members and all their 1,000+ pupils, who are all your constituents, and voters. We are deeply concerned, and in many cases, severely depressed about the state of our local Driving Test Centre (Dtc) in Ore.

We have gone from having a compliment at Hastings Ore Dtc of up to 6 full-time examiners plus a manager to just the ONE full time examiner on cars, who is currently on sick leave following an operation, plus 2 Part-Time examiners just about managing a full week between them, and one ‘fill in’ examiner who occasionally helps out from Eastbourne. Our current manager has to cover 2 separate Dtcs, so being only human is only here part time.

Hastings Ore Dtc is closed for this morning with NO driving tests at all.

At the point of me writing this I have been advised Hastings Ore Dtc is closed for this morning with NO driving tests at all. How in the name of heaven have you, as representatives of the local community allowed this dire situation to occur? Mr Merriman, as the recent Chair of the Parliamentary Transport Committee should be fully aware of the current state of affairs as this has been developing for some time and has been sent many messages on the subject from many areas of the country.

Your constituents are unable to book driving tests for the remainder of 2023 with nothing currently available within 2024 at present. The dvsa have certainly been aware of the situation within their organisation for a very long time, even if only following the blogs on this site, never mind the feedback from their own employees on the front line – the examiners. This is not just a local issue but a nationwide one!! The waiting list is at least six times as long as the agency is required to meet and has promised to attain several times in the past.

Tens of Millions of pounds, all our money, have been poured into modernising and updating the DVsA

Tens of Millions of pounds have been poured into modernising and updating the DVsA over the decades of its existence and yet it was easier to book, or exchange tests 40 years ago when I first qualified. We used pen, paper and the postman to send and receive bookings via a clerk in an office with a diary. How can this be right? Currently the booking system is computerised, and everything is done on line and automated, yet the DVsA appear to have very little – if any, control on who runs their system. Various ‘bots’ can access the system and block out whole sections of the diary, quicker and faster than we can book – our pupils – your constituents cannot get a look in, are you aware of this? There are careers on hold and lost on not being able to book a test, house moves abandoned because a licence would be needed for the new location for a larger or better home and job or, educational prospects. Relationships wrecked and lost due to the stress that builds up within a home. Why are you allowing this to go on?

I recently appeared on the BBC SE News bulletin with 2 of my pupils to highlight this issue with one pupil being interviewed again the following morning on BBC Radio Sussex. The BBC were very interested and supportive of the issue we are having. Both of these pupils have lost tests, and the additional problem of having their theory test certificates expire, through not being able to book within the time frame left open, on the booking system. Both pupils have tried getting into the system morning, noon, and night to find that if they are early in the queue only to have the system drop out, and when they log in again discover they have dropped thousands of places down the queue. This is a farce! Both have since retaken the theory and passed the exam and are now logging in trying to re-book again, and again, and again.... Why do you allow the DVsA to continue to treat your constituents, and future voters, in this manner, it is abuse of customer service. If Tesco, Aldi, Sainsbury, ASDA or any other service provider were to treat their customers like this there would be a national outcry. You, our MPs, would be up in arms waving your dispatch papers around calling for the heads of CEOs of the relevant companies, yet the DVSA CEO carries on collecting her salary and BONUS!!? Should the DVsA CEO Ms Loveday Ryder, step down and make way for a better, more committed person who is able to solve the problem?

A refund of Theory Test Fees.

We, at the AADI, contacted you (DVsA), in the past about the issue of expiring certificates due to the delays caused by the COVID pandemic and were told that you wanted the pupils knowledge to be current and would not consider approaching parliament to extend them, yet Northern Ireland did – please explain? The DVsA are happy to allow the certificates to expire and charge another £23 for the theory test, and yet it is the DVsA mismanagement of their business that is causing the long delays and the expiration of these certificates, because the customers they sold this exam to with the promise of a practical test to follow is worthless at best!!

Is this a fraudulent activity

Is this a fraudulent activity as the prospect of booking a practical test quite often just does not exist? Surely the option of a refund if the service falls must be considered and all pupils who have been unable to book a test due to the shortage of examiners at your test centres must be given a refund? This is exactly what all the other service providers in the country do. If an ADI does not act professionally and fail to provide the lessons that were paid for then a refund is required under the ‘Fit and Proper’ requirements of our licence to teach? The DVsA are failing to provide the simple service they exist for and must issue the relevant refunds due to lack of examiners, otherwise this is questionable behaviour. Are the DVsA no longer ‘Fit and Proper’ for the service they fail to provide, and should it be privatised?

Examiner retention is poor

Examiners are being recruited, trained, deployed, and leaving due to the working conditions and from treatment they receive. Morale is at an all-time low within the DVsA front-line staff with examiner retention rates allegedly falling through the floor. There is not only a shortage of examiners, but supervisors are also being worked to stretching point and no longer used as back up examiners, so no help with the waiting lists there. Why is Hastings and the surrounding area being treated as a third world country and given examiners as if distributing charitable aid and handouts. There are test centres in the country with 7,8,9 and more examiners, and whilst I full accept that these may not be able to be transferred to our area surely your constituents deserve equal rights and standards of service, and not looked on as the poor cousins out in the sticks. Does the DVsA have an agenda to close our local test centre and make our pupils travel an additional 10 – 15 miles each way to another centre? I have not seen any vacancies for examiners advertised locally for some time – why? There are adverts for managers and digital ducks all over the place, examiners NO. All chiefs and no Indians comes to mind.

Get your fingers out of your parliamentary bottoms and helps us!

This week we have witnessed the collapse of the latest high street store Wilko, if it were not for HMG turning a blind eye to what is going on and allowing the monopoly that is the DVsA to continue. If the DVsA was a private company, its business plan and model would have been stamped on and changes forced upon it. It also would have gone to the wall like a runaway truck on a steep incline with no brakes. Perhaps then we would get a working model, after all, it is only a booking system.

Mental health is taking its toll - Get your fingers out and please do something!

The pressure on us and the pupils is growing exponentially as the risk and pressure from the fear of failing is magnified by the delay in being able to re-book the test, if necessary, bearing down heavily on each test candidate on their big day. Do you think this is fair?

I have had pupils with multiple degrees, MAs, in senior managerial positions – both male and female, breaking down on lessons at the prospect of failing the test and the continuous investment trying to keep practice up for a distant re-sit - that is if it can be booked. The mental health issues on the build up to a test are taking their toll, the like of which I have never witnessed in my 40 years in the job and the repercussions are yet to be seen. Examiners face the backlash when it goes wrong and because of this, experienced examiners are now leaving in their droves, exacerbating the situation.

Please for the sake of your constituents get your fingers out of your parliamentary bottoms and help us. We are desperate. We have 52 members in our local group covering Bexhill, Hastings and out to Rye, as I stated above, with let’s say 20 pupils each, this makes over 1,000 families with all their friends and relatives affected by this issue. Our instructors are juggling lessons with pupils taking lessons on alternate weeks trying to cope. We, and the system are at breaking point.

We are now faced with the additional annual stress of juggling our diaries as our pupils return to college and get their new timetables. This almost inevitably means they cannot keep their existing lesson slots with us. More complicated juggling of our diaries and managing varied pick-up points juggling with traffic schedules and the stress this entails.

We have pupils who have finished college, and now going onto university, not having taken a driving test yet. We are either trying to find colleagues local to their university who, just like us, are fully booked and have no vacancies, or trying to juggle in the odd lesson when they can come home and take a test that they are still trying to book around here. Why are none of you listening, do you not care?

The BBC have taken an interest as stated above and are returning to the issue this week – watch this space. I have been approached by another national paper that is also taking this up by the end of the week, the Guardian/Observer have already shown an interest, but not our MPs – WHY? Do we not matter? If you want the vote of your constituents you need to get voting for us in the House, because if you don’t the backlash of this will continue ad infinitum when employers start to run out of licence holders yet again – Remember the lorry driver debacle after the pandemic, this is the next cliff-edge awaiting you.

Don Harris ADI. AADI.

ADI No.86323

Bexhill and Hastings area

Edit shown in ITALICS to update. 13/09/2023

DVsA ... Driver and Vehicle standards Agency..... lower case ‘s’ used to show the low respect that ‘we’ have for the standard of service we receive.

As usual, if there is anything that you see is incorrect or, plain wrong, I apologise, and if you drop a line via the Contact Us page it will be edited.

Why bother as an ADI, is it worth it?

Mon, 26 Sep 2022 12:46:20 GMT

Why bother, the job is not what it used to be?

Since the start of the pandemic the ADI has had a fairly tough time, so have others I know, but we are front facing, having to source our own work and keep the customer happy at all times in a very stressful potentially dangerous, and possibly life threatening situations on a daily basis.

The profession is largely taken for granted and frequently looked down on by the people we serve, who shop around for the cheapest deal they can to use our car, which is usually worth thousands of pounds, claiming it was so much cheaper when they learnt. So was the phone that they are using to talk to you through, or the laptop/tablet that did not exist then. They will happily spend more that the cost of a lesson on a pair of trainers (2+ lessons), a meal out, shirt, new top etc., yet the lesson will contribute to a skill for life that will open so many doors for the next 30,40,50 years. Do the dvsa shout this from the rooftops, do they heck - on a rare occasion there is a mention of our value, but only if pushed, and even then to those who know anyway.

Hundreds of ADIs lost.

We have lost hundreds of ADIs since the pandemic as many ADIs needed to find other sources of income to feed and clothe the family, keep a roof over their heads as they did not have enough in the SEISS grants to cover everything, or as some, did not receive a penny from HMG. Many found that the alternatives were better paid if you added in holiday, sick pay, pensions etc that were all included. They found it less stressful as they did not have to manage the diaries and plan ahead, worry about lessons being cancelled or trying to find and fit in test dates under normal circumstances. So they did not come back, or if they did it was in a part time role.

Since the dvsa wiped its hands of running their own booking system and allowed outsiders to block book and resell tests - often at inflated prices. Tests were booked all over the country choking up rural test centres only to be cancelled at the last minute when the app found a local one for the candidate. Or worse still it went down the toilet as the local ADI refused to hand over their pride and joy worth thousands of pounds to an unknown for a hundred quid. The dvsa appeared to blame the ADI for all the tests that went to waste appearing to say we were being uncooperative and not using these test appointments. Ms Ryder, how about putting your personal car up for public use to an unknown person for £200, not interested, I wonder why?

Mock Tests

Suddenly the dvsa think that the idea of a mock test was a great one and if only ADIs would do them for their pupils to get them ready for their tests and increase the pass rates. What do they think we have been doing since 1st June 1935? Do you think we have waited for the dvsa's great awakening of 2022 for ideas? ADIs have been adapting and changing to suit the current needs, thinking and adjusting to the market place requirements since at least the early 80s when I joined the club. Our colleagues, your examiners, have given us hints and tips over the decades, the better ones anyway, and we have taken all this on board. We are ahead of you, many of us sit in on tests and often see questionable items, are you interested - NO!!

Example of the stress the dvsa do not understand

A recent mock test with one of my pupils. A highly qualified, professional man in his 30s, in a stressful occupation carrying a lot of responsibility broke down in tears at the thought of failing and having to wait another 6 months- possibly longer because his theory certificate could expire before he manages to rebook. He gave up last week due to the stress and going to take a break.

I am not the only one facing this sort of situation on a daily basis but just one of thousands of ADIs. Your booking system is rubbish and with the theory certificate only being valid for 2 years before having to resit thousands are being forced to pay you more money for the theory test because you are failing to provide them with a service you offer in the first place. MANY OF THE PUBLIC, OUR PUPILS, SEE THIS AS A STITCH UP AND FEEL YOU THE DVSA ARE NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE. HOW DO YOU ANSWER THAT CHARGE? Many, including ADIs, are calling for the system to be privatised and the dvsa to be made accountable, do you agree?

Are you Ready?

Your new emails asking candidates if they are ready for their test and should they think of cancelling it! Have you any idea of the stress this causes and the language aimed in your direction about the waiting times for a new test? We ADIs are having to put tough choices to our pupils more than ever because you and your system are not fit for purpose.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness means maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment, through a gentle, nurturing lens.

I am a plucking ADI not a phycologist, or therapist! If you are now wanting us to provide this sort of service at a professional level then teach us how to do it and support us, not just paste a link into a blog or email. If you are not prepared to do this then shove off and stop complaining. Go public and fight for only ADIs to bring cars to the test, shout for higher prices and more appreciation of what we are expected to do. We sit in the car supporting, coaxing and cajoling our pupils into being the best they can be individually. We go through their bad times with them, their fears, struggles, bereavements and often ill health. We support them when they are down and in floods of tears (male & female), we explain over and over again using different approaches and diagrams, or teaching aids to get the message across. This is mindfulness, we are already there on a day to day basis ahead of you yet again. If you want therapists buy me a desk, rent an office and say my fees are from £80+ph.

Unfortunately you expect all to reach the same level, this does not happen.

Just think of your own handwriting, did it reach perfection in school, was it clear and concise or, was it good enough to be read and passable. It is because of varying standards that the written exams in schools and colleges are preferred to typed, with spell checker to aid the teachers. Have you gone on to develop your handwriting and now able to produce beautiful flowing script that would not look out of place on an ancient scroll?? Driving is no different, we will have pupils who struggle through everyday at school and leave barely able to read and write, put them in a car and they are gifted. Tell them once and they have it, in no time at all they are like chauffeurs or chauffeuse. These, like Archimedes, Aristotle, Newton and others of their ilk are as rare as hens teeth. Some will be brilliant academically and have a real struggle to move the car around to an average basic standard and then there are all the inbetweeners Mr and Mrs Average. Our pupils, your candidates, and customers to both of us need a better service from you.

Fantasy land

You recently quoted a 14 week wait for tests with the aim to reduce it to single figures. This is Fantasy Land . Wake up, this is not possible, be honest with people. My area, as of todays date 9/9/2022 has no tests before the end of March 2023. After doing a quick call around it is pretty much the same in Dorset, Llanelli, Newcastle, West country , . . a national disgrace that you just do not seem to accept.

I love my job and what I get back from it in teaching people to drive, there are so many upsides and I am sure that you have heard them all, at least back in the days when you listened to us. A couple of days ago, for the first time since I began training as an ADI in October 1983 and qualified in February 1984 I said to my wife that I was not looking to going back out on Monday. I have had to adjust my diary because tests are so far away. Because pupils can not afford to keep going and I am booking them in for alternate weeks. Yet my phone is ringing several times a day with enquiries that I have to turn down due to lack of space as I only work part time now. There is a demand the like of which I have never seen and the end product is just not available. Like hundreds of others I am tired of it and want out.

oh dear, why oh why dvsa/

Thu, 21 Jul 2022 12:08:10 GMT

Where on earth does the dvsa thinking come from, we know where it belongs?

Time and time again we have commented on the thoughts and ideas from the dvsa and our hopes have been raised lately with the increase of information available and the updates coming out. We have asked that they think about, and even edit what they publish before posting as there can be, and have been, embarrassing errors on the nice fluffy clouds out there.

Unfortunately lately we seem to have seen an irrational flood of thinking that does not appear to be connected with reality. Us ADIs want to work together with the dvsa and yet they do not seem to want to listen to what is being said to them with the attitude of ' we know better' and just steam on ahead with their ideas. If the dvsa were to just took a look at the hundreds of negative comments that appear on almost every post that appears on their own social media, the national press, radio and TV it is clear to see that their customers are not at all happy with what is being produced by them.

The latest Ready to Pass is a prime example. This has caused considerable debate on social media and I'm afraid none of it is particularly complimentary. I have copied the comments of one particular and respected ADI and repeated his thoughts on this item here, with his kind permission.

*Ready to pass - Possibly not*

'It is doing my head in' says Gareth Marchant

(courtesy of Gareth Marchant)

"It is doing my head in. Like there is a magic formula to passing, that we have all been searching for since 1934 but still nobody has yet managed to pin down and bottle. (thousands of ADIs agree with this sentiment)

2, 3, 4 and 5, I have misgivings with.

2 - who doesn’t make silly mistakes when they are driving? If there is an ADI out there who never does this, I bow to your superiority. I am just a mere mortal.

3 - How many mock tests would you like us to conduct, and at rate of £??.??/hr, with no guarantee of a pass on the real thing?

4 - Yes, you can do lots about “controlling nerves”, but they do realise that tests are circumstantial, and by the virtue of a nervous response being mostly irrational (or chemical if you really drill down), they only find out how they truly control their nerves in the actual circumstances. When they make an error, it can completely change their mental landscape, no matter what training they have had or developed. It is very individual, both to the person and the environment at the time.

5 - They do realise there is no legal compunction to ever see a driving instructor? OK, most people use one, and where they do it is probably a good idea to agree with your ADI if you are in a good position for a test, but you don’t have to and you can completely ignore one if you choose to.

This whole campaign could be titled “We have too many people wanting tests and we can’t do them” but that’s not that snappy, so “Ready to Pass?” (The Buck) it is."

.......

We have received many replies to our blogs over the past few months in a similar vein of frustration from ADIs, the length and breadth of the country.

......

The Grumbler should like to add a grumble or two.

Item 2 Silly Mistakes/controlling the nerves.

There is an issue here that the dvsa just do not seem to grasp at all. There is no such thing as a sill mistake when you are on a driving test. The silly ones cloud the judgement momentarily of all humans as they get in the way of rational thought. They hang there in front of us until we manage to shake them off, and it is during those first few seconds should anything else should crop up that we either fail to see it at all, or too late to react smoothly and in time. Real experience and hours of driving give us the skill to step over these obstacles and carry on, not the hours that a candidate can cover on lessons. Ask an experienced doctor, surgeon, craftsman, or fire officer - experience gives you these skills gained after qualifying and then continuous practice. These split second delays cause the panic, the over reaction and then the serious fault for the novice driver. An experienced driver would re-evaluate the situation and adjust in a micro second such that nobody would even notice the change of tempo or action taken. The dvsa do not seem to be able to grasp this idea.

Alternatively, there is no sight whatever of the danger ahead and the candidate, still worrying over the last minor issue, drives eg, straight thorough the pedestrian crossing with the little old lady stepping off the kerb on the other side totally oblivious of the fault and arrives home at the Dtc to the shocking news that they did not pass - what lady, there was nobody there!!.

Examiners can tell you the exact moment the candidate relaxed and it is normally when they think they have failed, the nerves disappear, the drive becomes natural and the candidate sails home stunned at the news that they passed and did not fail for stalling at the lights, etc, etc,. Pupils who have taken 2, or even 3 tests will frequently say that they drove better on their first one. Surely the dvsa must have heard these comments from others outside the industry. Why is this? Simply because they are so wound up for their first test

they don't remember what happened, and yet with the practice of more real tests they relax and can relay more accurately their later test experiences.

You simply cannot put an old head on young shoulders.

.......

Then we have the legal point that they are not required to have an ADI approve their standard as they can learn in a field, from YouTube, books and DVDs with a total dummy of a driver next to them who has not driven since they passed 20 years ago, just as long as they hold a valid licence for over 3 years. It's nuts. Have the dvsa fought to change this as we have tried asking for decades as ADIs nah, nope Nada - it's a vote loser for their bosses?

So when strangers ring us with the 'I've got a test booked, can I use your car' call and we say NO, remember that it is not our fault that thousands of these tests go down the toilet each month. Let the dvsa provide the cars for the test if they want to cure this point. It's a nice little earner dvsa, and should help boost the productivity bonus's for the management next year - just don't forget I suggested it here and I want my cut too. 15% commission should do nicely thank you.

As for the mock tests, they are fake, no matter how silent, officious, or grumpy we pretend to be, our pad is a pretend pad and has no real value. The pupils know this and begs the question Gareth raised, when do we stop mock testing - at zero faults, at 7, after another 100 pounds, maybe 200 with no guarantee that all will be well on the day? Followed by complaints to the dvsa and on social media about the robbing bar-steward of an ADI who took all their money doing mock tests.

Included in this link above is the section the 10 top reasons for failing the driving test. This is so misleading and ambiguous that it is almost serious, perhaps it should have been written with the aid of an ADI, or even a pupil because as it stands it is poor - really poor in places. Some of the items you list could be specific to particular areas and never occur in others and nearly every driver in the country could comment on the listing of 'clear' signage, never mind ADIs or candidates.

Also you have told us over the years that the marking on the DL25 is clear and unambiguous, and no cross marking of items can occur, yet in your guide it is clearly possible that duplicate markings can be given for faults and the impression that 2 or more marks can be given for the same item thus giving a false guide. This occurs on a few of the items. While I accept that the guide is a good idea, it does need more thought and care in production and clarity of the message you are trying to get across. Clarity comes at a price - thought, effort, proof reading and editing.

.....

& finally

Grumblers email address

There is now an email address for the Grumbler.... thegrumbler@theaadi.co.uk so you can drop a line if you have a question you'd like to ask, or a story/information to provide/pass on (in total confidence of course so dvsa employees, civil servants and employees of the empire, need not worry). Trolls will be ignored as usual and deleted by my pet Ork.

As usual, if there is anything that you see is incorrect or, plain wrong, I apologise, and if you drop a line via the Contact Us page it will be edited.

How the dvsa can help instructors and learners

Sun, 10 Jul 2022 15:08:34 GMT

A golden opportunity for the dvsa.

Dear Ms. Ryder,

In our last blog we stated that we are willing to be friends with the dvsa and gave you the chance to engage with us on ideas that truly matter to your customers - US the ADIs, and the Learners that we bring to you for test.

We acknowledged openly you are trying and that we are willing to do our bit. To this end I have asked around for some ideas to get you started with. Here are a few topics that could do with some straight answers from you at the dvsa and as they are not rocket science we would love to take this chance to dispel some of the nonsense that is flying around on social media. as follows:

Questions from your ADIs.

Speed display on Satnav.

My satnav – same make as the DVSA model, has the speed display on it. Why do the DVSA not display this as they claim that all modern adaptations on cars are allowable on test yet refuse this basic item to assist candidates.

Satnav.

Why is the Satnav in Yards and not metres (give the candidate the choice) as pupils all learn in metres and the BBC even give distances in metres these days? Not relevant to signposts in miles as they are required to visualise yards, yet run (sports) and measure in metres?

Do instructors make a fuss of unnecessary stuff?

e.g, crossing arms, position holding the wheel - which can play havoc with steering for some, and many more. Any suggestions please?

Bay Park.

Why mark for control faults, I understand for observations but not for accuracy as totally irrelevant because either you can – in a couple of shunts – or you can’t? I've watched your webinar and appreciate what you have tried to do but the question still applies. The car can be diagonal across the corners as long as inside the white lines. Many ADIs & examiners need a couple of shunts, or even more for some of them to park, do the DVSA require a higher standard from basic candidates than from their own examiners?

What can we do to help?

Are there any issues that examiners see regularly that get their back up on test that they feel ADIs could take a little more time over with their pupils? We accept that there may be something that we could improve on or have misinterpreted and would like some advice/guidance here. This may be more important as a local issue as there are huge variances in areas, conditions and routes used across the UK.

Coasting.

Is coasting the big ‘offence’ that it is made out to be, what form of, or how much coasting constitutes a fault? I understand losing control cannot happen but what/where is the dividing line?

Handbrake, I see a lot of rubbish about the handbrake on forums, is it necessary to use it at a stop line if the candidate is capable of just holding and moving on from the footbrake, are your examiners o bord with your thinking?

Cancellations by the dvsa

When the dvsa cancels a test due to unforeseen circumstances/examiner sick etc, why doesn't the DVSA give the unfortunate person the next available test at that location? At present depending on where you are in the country it could easily be 6 months away and this puts huge pressure on the ADI and the candidate.

Why does the dvsa not create a priority list for each centre and allow the test centre manager to place the candidate onto their priority list for the next available test at that centre rather than going to the end of the queue.

Currently as soon as tests are released they are being syphoned up by various companies and being passed on to others, not the poor sod who has had their day ruined by your situation and by a last minute bombshell being dropped with his/her test cancelled at the last minute by the dvsa. This causes huge distress for the candidate and the 6 month wait plus added expense that could be so easily avoided with a bit of high tech input and improve the poor customer service you are inflicting on your customer- the candidate.

Grumblers email address

There is now an email address for the Grumbler.... thegrumbler@theaadi.co.uk so you can drop a line if you have a question you'd like to ask, or a story/information to provide/pass on (in total confidence of course so dvsa employees, civil servants and employees of the dark empire, need not worry). Trolls will be ignored as usual and deleted by my pet Ork.

As usual, if there is anything that you see is incorrect or, plain wrong, I apologise, and if you drop a line via the Contact Us page it will be edited.

Thank you for Listening dvsa

Fri, 17 Jun 2022 13:10:00 GMT

AADI advising the dvsa, and they are at last listening.

Thank you dvsa

The AADI want to say a huge big thank you to the dvsa for finally listening to what we have been saying and taking our advice on board.

Most of all the AADI want to say thank you for admitting that you, the dvsa, were wrong, and it was not the ADI's fault that the system was in a state of collapse, if not totally screwed.

We advised over several of our posts, ( this on e in particular, drew a huge response from readers and we were inundated with messages of support from ADIs across the country within hours of going live) about what you should be doing to take control of your booking system. You read it and took our advice. Thank you from thousands of ADIs out here.

Your recent email gave us so much joy here at Grumbler central that we very nearly wept with joy. falling off our booster cushions but then realised that we needed to see if you were good for your word. At the moment the feedback is looking to be promising as tests appointments are beginning to become available. I'll give you a few more weeks and if this continues I promise that I shall invite Ms Ryder around for a glass of bubbly and a chat to celebrate. You see, we do have a heart and appreciate it when someone steps up and takes responsibility.

As ADIs we don't expect the earth, we have to make our contribution, all we want is just a fair crack of the whip, then we will get on with being the one of the world's largest group of road safety advisers, specialists and educators, and teach to the best of our ability, the next generation of drivers.

Mock Tests.

Unfortunately we have a slight issue with this idea. Whilst the idea of the mock test is a very good one, we discovered this idea way, way back before the dsa, let alone the dvsa were in nappies.

ADIs don't just plod along as you seem to think, week to week with not a thought between our two ears. We are thinking innovative people constantly trying to improve our lot and that of our customers - the learner. ADIs have been conducting mock tests for decades, often encouraged by your own colleagues of days gone by who worked with us for a better product. I for one was invited to sit in the back on tests by the Senior examiner at my local centre in Woodgreen, London in the 80's, within a month of me starting as a PDI for a good learning experience, and I have sat in on many hundreds since then. We know the script used and the many variances that can be, and are applied on test day.

.....

The big issue with mock tests is that they are fake. The pupils will not get a licence even if delivering a perfect drive at the end of it, and they are well aware of it.

No matter what we say, the dvsa test is for real and they pass or fail at the end - there is nothing in the world the ADI can do to replicate this. No amount of acting can overcome this level of anxiety that our pupils go through on their test day.

Even when the ADI attends a standards check the pupil becomes incredibly nervous and that exam has nothing at all to do with them, they are terrified of letting their ADI down. Ask your enforcers they should be able to tell you, how does the dvsa explain that?

I find that if if I sit in the back of the car on the test it is a greater benefit for the candidate.

Unfortunately the dvsa fail to understand that no matter what we say on a mock test, the pupil knows it is all fake and we cannot issue the licence at the end of the lesson. On the real test the pressure is totally different and the candidate knows that your examiner has the golden pen of passing. This is not a pressure that we can come near to reproducing, so please accept our gratitude for trying to help and offer this advice that you are giving us on mock tests BUT, keep it in perspective. It is not, and never will be the golden fleece to pass the test and bring failure stats tumbling down with a magnificent increase in the pass rate that you seem to expect. It is not a magic wand, so please do not expect magical results.

You see, we at the AADI do not want to be your enemy, even though you do not like us very much as we tell you the truth, and not just what you want to hear, honesty is the best policy in a relationship - ask any marriage councillor. So, when you get praise from us it is genuine and heartfelt. We want to be best buddies, but our relationship has to be based on honesty and truth not sucking up to the boss. So if you want to be best buddies, it is up to you.

Lots of love & well done - for now. :)

Electric cars and thefts from

I recently had a puncture in my newish car and had to get a tyre replaced. I was stuffed to find out that my wheels had locking nuts, this is something my cars have never been posh enough to have until now. After a little search the key was found in the spare wheel tool kit - I insist on a full sized spare. I'm old school.

I'm so glad I was not in the middle of nowhere when this happened. And, yes I do read the manual but the car came without the spare wheel initially.

This is when I discovered that mechanics hate locking wheel nuts and remove them from their own cars. Unlike the old days of finding your car jacked up on bricks after coming back from a few bevvies, (ADI humour) wheels are not the prime target on cars anymore. Yes, we've all seen the thefts of exhaust systems on YouTube and nobody thought of stopping them, just filming it. But, did you know that the charging cable on EV's is a much more desirable bit of kit for the lazy car thief, just pop the boot open and the copper in the cable alone is worth around £50 on social media. Ouch! It is hard keeping up with the baddies. Even charging your car up at a service area while you disappear for a coffee and a sarnie is a no-no, and in some areas charging outside your home - even on the driveway is considered easy pickings. Do you now need to sit in the car with coffee, magazine and sandwich while the car charges with a great big snarling Rottie sitting next to you and Lewis machine gun on the bonnet as the latest 'must have' accessory?

What do you do to keep your charging cable safe?

.....

Keep safe for now and make sure you don't take any of the old £20 notes anymore as they soon become out of date, don't forget the stash under the mattress that is hiding from the taxman, better get it updated.

I'll be back.

...

Quick update: I hear there are still no test appointments available all around the country this morning from many ADIs in the north, south, east, or west. The clock is ticking Ms. Ryder.x

Grumblers email address

There is now an email address for the Grumbler.... thegrumbler@theaadi.co.uk s o you can drop a line if you have a question you'd like to ask, or a story/information to provide/pass on (in total confidence of course so dvsa employees, civil servants and employees of the empire, need not worry). Trolls will be ignored as usual and deleted by my pet Ork.

As usual, if there is anything that you see is incorrect or, plain wrong, I apologise, and if you drop a line via the Contact Us page it will be edited.

Did the dvsa go to far

Sun, 27 Feb 2022 11:26:05 GMT

Did the dvsa go too far opening new theory centres when tests are not available?

Have the dvsa gone one step beyond,

are they dvsa Committing Fraud?

The dvsa are proudly announced last year the opening of new theory test sites across the UK to satisfy the demand for more theory tests, supposedly, just to keep up with demand.

But here is the rub as they say.

Q. How long will these certificates last?

A. 2 years is the absolute limit the dvsa told the UK when a petition was raised because so many thousands of candidates had lost out when their certificates expired. This was because the examiners were all sent home due to C19 restrictions and there were no practical tests available and so the certificates expired. ADIs up and down the country appealed for help for their pupils....... dvsa says NO, it is statute and cannot be extended.

Moving on less than 1 year and the dvsa open up a whole flock of theory test centres.

These 20+ new theory test centres will be producing new Pass Certificates to new people who wanted to take the theory test, but, who is going to help these lovely people to go on and get a full licence?

We have a shortage of ADIs (driving instructors) to teach them and take them to test. We have an even bigger shortage of examiners to examine them and hopefully give them their licence. Will the dvsa be employing fairy godmothers with magic wands, or employing Harry Potter and friends to whip up a spell for full licences?
Who is going to be doing these tests, or will the dvsa again say....sorry but your Theory Certificate has expired and you need to take it again....... Is this Fraud I ask?

Fraud by false representation

Fraud Act 2006

(1)A person is in breach of this section if he—

(a)dishonestly makes a false representation, and

(b)intends, by making the representation—

(i)to make a gain for himself or another, or

(repeat exams due to certificate expiring)

(ii)to cause loss to another or to expose another to a risk of loss.

(charged multiple fees for repeat exams)

(2)A representation is false if—

(a)it is untrue or misleading, and

(b)the person making it knows that it is, or might be, untrue or misleading.

(dvsa have all the figures)

(3)"Representation

” means any representation as to fact or law, including a representation as to the state of mind of—

(a)the person making the representation, or(b)any other person.

(4)A representation may be express or implied..... it will be worth the paper it is written on

(this is the icing on the cake)

(5)For the purposes of this section a representation may be regarded as made if it (or anything implying it) is submitted in any form to any system or device designed to receive, convey or respond to communications (with or without human intervention).

So, I ask you, especially if you have a legal qualification in this field, are the dvsa making a false misrepresentation selling the additional appointments for the theory test exam, when it is on record:

1. No chance of the life of the certificate being extended.

2. Many ADIs leaving the profession due to retirement, disillusionment and frustration with the system and mess the booking system for tests is in.

3. No logical hope of a driving test taking place for many thousands of learners due to lack of ADIs to teach them, or examiners to test them and issue the driving test pass certificate for a full licence?

4. The longest driving test waiting lists for decades.

Please let me know if I have got the wrong idea, if the dvsa are completely innocent and have loads of examiners waiting to bounce into action and carry out thousands of extra practical driving test I apologise.

...

Grumblers email address

There is now an email address for the Grumbler thegrumbler@theaadi.co.uk so you can drop a line if you have a question you'd like to ask, or a story/information to provide/pass on (in total confidence of course so dvsa employees need not worry). Trolls will be ignored and deleted by my pet Ork.

As usual, if there is anything that you see is incorrect or, plain wrong, I apologise, and if you drop a line via the Contact Us page it will be edited.

original post updated 27.2.2022

We are all ambassadors

Sun, 27 Feb 2022 10:56:56 GMT

We are all Ambassadors for our chosen profession

July 15th (republished 27.02.2022)

We are all Ambassadors - image is everything

The moment we step into our vehicles we are ambassadors for our Industry, our Profession and our own Business - be it a large one or small one. We are representatives for the ideals of high driving standards and we should be representing everyone's idea of the perfect driver.

To some they think of us as the gods of driving, if only they knew.

We have all seen the posts and heard the comments by others on social media about bad driving, people love to have a go, and if it is a professional that they can take down, all the better and the bigger the audience will be. ADI groups regularly carry posts on other ADIs seen exhibiting low driving standards, sometimes even dangerous and selfish behaviour. Our own pupils just love to give us the news of other instructors they have seen apparently breaking the rules. Taking the roof box off at the weekends doesn't hide you either as your car will be known in your locality, you are most likely to be well known, and together you are easily identifiable.

When you think of it, we are, in a sense, no different to the footballers that we see on TV at the present playing recently in the Euros, tennis players at Wimbledon or any other profession in the public eye. People love to find fault and criticise.

Even on social media it is incredibly important to get the image right. So often you can see ADIs tearing into one another often being offensive and bullying, it is so rife that the admin on these groups cannot cope with it.

All this given that English has the largest number of words for any modern language in the world today and yet I see f*** and similar used regularly in social media. Just think how this looks to those outside of our profession on public and open platforms. This demeans our profession and makes it look very lacking, plus I do not see it on any other source, why do we do it, why do we stay and insist on recycling these words for all to see. Please guys, think outside of the box and consider how others will see us, let's try and raise the standards a little. Let's try and cut the bad language out, but most importantly stop the bullying that we see on social media that is hated by the general public and your colleagues alike.

...

Are we all on a franchise?

Are we all on a franchise with the dvsa? Are we all dvsa franchisees, think about it for a second.

We pay for an operating licence (ADI badge). We work to their rules and they inspect us, the car and our premises to make sure that we maintain the standards that they want to see delivered. If we fall short in their eyes we are reprimanded and our grading is reduced, possibly even our right to use their branding as a dvsa ADI removed with the resulting loss of employment and income.

Really we have no more rights than the guys running garages, burger bars, pubs, restaurants et al, as part of a major chain. But there the commonality ends as all the others receive lots of backup and support. I will grant that the percentage taken of income in a franchise fee is considerably more for them than us, but then their turn over is in the tens of thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands and in some select cases the millions of pounds more. What do ADIs get for their franchise fee? It has taken years of arguing and pleading to get the current outflow of emails yet none of it is really informative, it is just telling us new things to make life better for the public and all this is easily accessible on line within a few clicks, or it makes it easier to find information.

It has nothing to do with what we really need to know.

It does not update us on the through rate of new examiners for example, and how many will be coming into the field to relieve the pressure. ( one has appeared recently, they must have my keyboard tagged) How many applied and made it to interview, how many made it to the training and completed. Plus what is the expectancy of them lasting more than 6 months when they find out what it is really like when they sit with a candidate after candidate for day after day. We need to know what they are doing to stop the crisis with the booking system. We need answers not platitudes that you would hand out to children to get them to behave, or be quiet.

Test routes available on line for payment of ££s

Why are we seeing this item rearing its ugly head again? These routes tend to be years out of date, more so than even some ADIs licences that have qualified in recent years. Going back to an earlier item on the Blog, we can accept that the dvsa has no control over these people as they will be working outside of the dvsa website and direct influence, so not easy to control. But, surely as they are claiming to be advertising the dvsa test routes then surely the dvsa can use its powers and have these taken down, even if only through the Trading Standards Offic e or the Office for Consumer righ t s these all work on our behalf and there is nothing to stop any of us ADIs making a complaint. If they are run and the 'goods' are being offered by an ADI, there could be a good case of removal from the Register.

To any new ADIs - in the last 10 years, or so, who are thinking of paying for these, please don't part with your money as the dvsa stopped publishing the routes ages ago, also the routes have been reset to cover the new itinerary, so they are as much use as a chocolate teapot. Save your money and when the time comes around, sit in the back on a test, you will see where they will go and more importantly how a great pupil can crumble when on test.

We have submitted, by our Barry Kenward, a request for information on this very item to the dvsa and as soon as we hear back it will be passed on to all of you.

...

Theory Tests.

The dvsa are sending out emails with a gusto and telling the world about the increase in theory test centre s from 180 to 202, that represents an increase of 12% of extra pass certificates and new learners flooding onto the market. Absolutely brilliant, except for one problem....where are they going to take the practical tests and who is going to examine them? We have a massive backlog of around the half million mark waiting for practical tests, and a fresh supply of around a million a year in applicants (both new and repeat candidates), will the dvsa be lobbying HMG for an extension to these certificates as there are not enough ADIs to teach them, examiners to test them, and test centres to conduct the practical test when they expire as they did for tens of thousands last year? Or will they say, Sorry, we are not able to do that, we don't have the power to extend - it is in the statutes, I am afraid you will have to pay and sit the test again. Will the dvsa be guilty as charged with obtaining money under false pretences as many, many certificates will undoubtedly expire unless a massive increase in examiners happens before these come out?

I doubt it?

...

Lorry drivers desperately needed nationwide

We recently have seen bundles of items on the news over the past month on the shortage of lorry drivers and food going to run out parts for just about everything in short supply and the loss of 30,000 driving tests in the pandemic. There is a national shortage of HGV drivers of all classes, somewhere in the region of 70,000 drivers is one figure I have seen quoted.

Honestly, is anyone surprised at this and have you seen the rates offered for the job with some companies? This is not a new problem and we in our industry have seen this coming for nearly 20 years because the companies do not want to train new drivers, just the same as they did not want to train electricians, plumbers, bricklayers, etc, etc. Whilst there was a cheap labour source readily available from the continent and elsewhere all were happy, and our own home grown supply, well it just dried up. I have been telling pupils for years to look at this as an option but they claimed the money was not good enough and they have been right. Men and women are asked to drive these big beasties on roads that were not built for them, in traffic that dislikes them and treats them with contempt, and with stop-offs that are not fit for them to take a break. Why would you have wanted to do the job, I wouldn't at some of the current rates of pay I have seen advertised, would you?

I have heard that many companies now are paying a lot better and even attracting ADIs for a better regular income with all the benefits that will go with it. Good luck to all those who are making the jump and give us a wave in the traffic jams.

Grumblers email address

As usual, if there is anything that you see is incorrect or, plain wrong, I apologise, and if you drop a line via the Contact Us page it will be edited.

Dear dvsa, thank you for your latest email

Fri, 18 Feb 2022 21:01:02 GMT

Dear dvsa, thank you for your many recent emails. 20.02.22

D ear dvsa,

Many thanks for all the recent emails, I appreciate the effort that you have been putting in to keeping us ADIs up to date. I should like to discuss with you a few of the points that you have raised.

"It is all our fault (the ADI) that the booking system is in chaos and our fault that candidates are not turning up for test".

Your booking system and the lost appointments.

May I remind you that it is your booking system and you have the keys to the lock to control how it works. If you were to take control of it and not allow any Tom Dick or Harry with the skills to create an app that can scour it for, and book up tests, at lightening speed maybe us mere ADIs could get a look in at booking our pupils in. We are receiving enquiries from customers from a hundred plus miles away that have used these apps and are willing to travel just to take a test. When they cannot find a local ADI to take them on, the appointment goes down the toilet and it is lost. This is nothing to do with us, it is your system and your contract with the candidate and your fault.

Because of the delays and the anarchy in the booking system pupils are going on line and getting tests at short notice, then advising their instructor. We have to politely advise them that after only a handful of lessons they are not ready and not using our car, no matter what mum and dad may think. Don't you dare blame us when they then turn up unprepared at the Dtc and scare the big poo out of your poor examiners. Unlike the good old days when we could tip off our colleagues at the Dtc what to expect, we now have the GDPR in place which prevents us from saying a thing. The contract is between you and the candidate and has nothing to do with us, as you so loved to point out to us when it was convenient to you. It is you that is putting your frontline staff at a higher risk of danger and wasting test appointments, not us the ADI.

.....

Publish the ADI pass rates so the public can see what they are getting.

Will you be qualifying the figures you produce as not all ADIs get the cream of the pupils. Will you be saying which ADIs take on another ADIs rejects who failed their first 2 tests and the ADI does not want to get a poor pass rate and in fear of a 'special' Standards Check dropped on them, probably not? Or the ADIs who work in a poorer area with a lower social group who struggle to find the money to afford the cost of the lessons, probably not? How about the ADIs who work so hard for their pupils with learning difficulties, nervous or anxiety concerns, probably not? Does that seem fair to you, don't you think that if you are going to publish data it should be validated and qualified to stand up to scrutiny, highly unlikely?

Will you publish individual examiner pass rates to create a level playing field, I doubt it? How about having a customer reviews publication for your individual examiners so that candidates can rate their examiners on performance, customer service and communications skills, again I doubt it?

These are all the things that the ADI does every lesson, every day to stay in business and attract new business to survive, are you afraid of what may come up? Wouldn't this be a real customer focussed gesture, just as every other business puts its soul on the line by inviting the public to submit customer reviews and live, or die on their feedback. Just imagine if your customers could chose their examiner on the customer reviews they receive or even as in our last blog had a right to complain with evidence to back it up.

.....

The recent ADI survey.

After extending the closure date you managed to get almost 6,500 responses out of nearly 40,000 ADIs. Congratulations, that is a big improvement.

You were delighted at the response rate and yet ADIs out here think it is poor response. Do you not wonder why the response is so low from a group who are desperate for change? The answer is simple. From past experience the ADI does not believe that you listen to them, do not pay any attention to the responses' you receive, or even care about what he/she thinks, so they believe it is a waste of time and effort. This I am afraid is your fault as well. If you do not listen to your customers then they stop listening to you, not exactly rocket science. If Tesco, Aldi, Lidl, even Selfridges and Harrods can do it, why is it beyond you guys?

.....

Latest changes to the Highway Code.

This item has caused considerable concern in the road safety community and not just among ADIs. Whilst most of us can say that's OK, we were teaching it anyway, there is one particular item of concern that stands out, and it is the creation of a virtual zebra crossing at the mouth of a junction - minor to major (& vice-versa for pedants) road.

As it was, the pedestrian would wait and watch for traffic before stepping out into the clear road space, not for any particular reason other than for simple life preservation. This is taught in schools, by parents and grandparents for generations, older siblings etc. Watch - Look - Listen has been drummed into us for decades. Now suddenly we have had celebrities saying the pedestrian has Right of Way and cars must stop. Where have you been, where is the publicity campaign on this? Why no TV appearances, or educational videos that we can refer to??? Many ADIs have written to you asking for clarity and guidance and the replies seem less than clear, or questionable at best.

Environment

You are allegedly big on the environment. We now have the situation whereby in January a car may have paused momentarily as a courtesy for an elderly pedestrian, a child, a mum with a buggy etc and then driven on. This may have happened a thousand, or two times a day across the country. Now we have every car, van, lorry, bus, tractor needing to stop according to the information we are seeing whenever a pedestrian who is walking along the pavement reaches a side road and wants to proceed directly across to the other side. This will mean, instead of a few thousand courteous drivers stopping to help out, 20million+ vehicles coming to a stop several times, every single hour of every day and starting off again in a base gear, therefore creating thousands of tonnes of additional pollution. This is most definitely not our fault either. It is yours, and all the thousands, or millions of tonnes of additional pollution created by this thinking right up until the whole country goes electric. Add to this the young pedestrian who may hear of this change and try to put it into practice, after decades of prior conditioning, and misjudge the vehicle speed, will you take responsibility for the ensuing incident?

.....

Retraining in cognitive thinking for guide dogs

Still with the Highway Code, did you not think of the guide dogs out there who are trained to wait for a clear road before leading their owner across. These incredible animals are highly trained to stop and wait for a clear space before crossing the road, are you now expecting them to decide if the driver is waiting for them to cross and make the decision that it is safe to do so? Are you now really expecting that level of cognitive thinking from a dog?

Congratulations on your lack of foresight!

.....

Grumblers email address

There is now an email address for the Grumbler.... thegrumbler@theaadi.co.uk so you can drop a line if you have a question you'd like to ask, or a story/information to provide/pass on (in total confidence of course so dvsa employees need not worry). Trolls will of course be ignored and deleted by my pet Ork.

As usual, if there is anything that you see is incorrect or, plain wrong, I apologise, and if you drop a line via the Contact Us page it will be edited .

AADI Issues with the dvsa and how the dvsa fail it's loyal customers the ADI and learner driver on a daily basis

Thu, 20 Jan 2022 11:26:03 GMT

How the dvsa fail the ADI and learner driver on a daily basis.

The AADI has the following issues with the dvsa.

Even a war criminal has more rights than an ADI.

How is this acceptable in this day and age?

1. Loss of all rights to appeal.

There really is no right to appeal against the result of the driving test. The dvsa claim that you can appeal about the manner in which the test was conducted but, where is the evidence? You cannot record the test as all cameras have to be outward facing and not record anything inside the cabin. All aural recording for speech must be switched off. In other words, there it is impossible to provide evidence that could be produced at a hearing against the result.

You could ask your ADI to speak up for you except a majority are terrified of the dvsa and will not speak up to protect their own interests, so, what hope has the pupil got.

2. Check Test/ Standards Check.

Same problem as for the basic ‘L’ test, no recording of any form of evidence permitted and again they state on the appointment and the ‘rules of engagement’ for the day that there is no right of appeal against the result. Guilty as charged before you begin. Even a war criminal has a right to put forward evidence in their defence ADIs, or anyone taking a dvsa test/exam has no evidence they can use, so they have fewer rights than that of a war criminal. How is this acceptable in today’s society, does the Geneva convention for a basic right of defence not apply to us?

2a. As our registration fee allegedly includes the cost of a CT/SC once every four-year cycle, and if the dvsa fail in their obligation to meet this requirement and only manage a test after 5,6 or even7 years, is the ADI not due a refund of this section of the included fee. It is our money after all and should be refunded if the statutory requirement is not met by the licencing body? The dvsa failure to meet their requirement of their agreement with HMG is not the fault of the ADI and should be reimbursed for the loss of this money.

3. Women’s rights.

Can a woman ask for a female examiner if she does not want a male examiner? Who knows what trauma the lady may have suffered at the hands of a partner, a male colleague, or simply walking home one evening? They could be terrified at the thought of getting into a car with a male stranger, and worse still, what about the examiners check test or even for mentoring when another male passenger sits behind them in the back of the car. Can the candidate say no for any of these reasons?

Any lady pupils I have taken for my CT/SC, I have asked if there is an issue and would they mind another male in the car, if it is a no go, then I ask a different pupil. They do not have this option with the dvsa. I ask, have the dvsa practiced a policy of positive recruitment of female examiners and actively tried to recruit for this purpose, have they specifically advertised for female examiners to level the playing field, or has it not occurred to them?

4. Toilet facilities.

How in this, the 21 ^st century can an agency of HMG be allowed to operate that does not offer decent basic bathroom facilities? The driving test is acknowledged as an exceptionally stressful occasion where candidates can have so much hanging in the balance. The test is not just about getting a licence for a leisure pursuit, it is a job opportunity, it is a new future, a new home, promotion, and a taxi for the children to make life so much more bearable and manageable in today’s highly pressured way of life. It is for the emergency services, food supplies, transference of medicines and blood for life saving transfusion, or organs for transplant, the list just goes on and on, yet often there is nowhere for the candidate to take a leak or empty their bowels out of fear. This is no longer acceptable in today’s society, test centres without toilets that are open to candidates and instructors alike must be closed asap and an alternative site found.

The dvsa have twaddled about with the idea of Super Centres at a cost of millions of pounds in research and marketing then designing, acquiring ....only to close them down as a failure in many cases. The dvsa toyed with ‘meet your examiner’ at....Tesco, Halfords, local hotel.... another flop. Millions of pounds spent on dvsa crackpot ideas, yet the candidate and ADI still cannot spend a penny in so many test centres. Some candidates have even been known to dash behind a tree or the nearest bush for relief, I have had pupils reduced to this level of desperation and seen other ADI’s pupils do the same. Just imagine other facilities open to the public that did not have toilets for their customers to use, there would be an outcry. My doctor’s surgery has a loo, my dentist, my garage ( though this could do with a clean more often), theory test centres have toilets for the candidates, so again, how is it right that in the 21 ^st century that candidates for the practical test frequently have no toilets they can use?

Surely this is against the basic rights of any civilised society, does it happen anywhere else in Eurpe?

The AADI first brought this issue up in the Blog 2 years ago in 2020 and still there is no change. The dvsa had empty test centres and waiting rooms for a year to sort this out, did they – did they heck – how much longer before they do?

5. TomTom Speed limit display.

The dvsa have said OK, to in car gadgetry if it is a part of the vehicle’s specification and yet when they use the TomTom on test, they deliberately disable the speed limit display. This is a feature, and a very popular marketing point for all satnavs, and yet the dvsa do not want the candidate to have this for their test, why? I have over 1,000,000 miles of experience and use it regularly on roads and in areas that I do not know, yet my inexperienced pupils are not allowed this widely used facility on their test! Is this not stacking the odds against the candidate as we are frequently told that we should not be teaching test routes. Why can they use it to find their way there and on the way home, yet not on the test? This makes no sense whatsoever.

6. Display of badges (ADI) on test.

This is supposedly to identify ADIs who do not display and hide their identity when they bring poor grade candidates just for the money. Also, because quite often grade ‘A’ instructors who can perform for their check test and are not so good at their day-to-day job. This is not waiting room gossip but from the horse’s mouth.

Believe it or not, the high ups felt it was unfair on ADIs who are ‘B’ grade and face an earlier check-up because they get nervous and cannot perform on the day yet present regularly, good pupils and have good, acceptable pass rates. It is apparently not intended as a witch hunt on the average ADI but a wake-up call for the barrack room lawyers out there who hide behind their ‘A’ badge. A pity that they did not make this well-known at the outset.

7 Plans for examiners to use bodycams

Not without the ADI having the right to have in car recording for the tests as well as per items 1 & 2 above. There cannot be a denial of our rights to have defence material with an imposition of extra recording by the dvsa to allegedly protect their staff. The dvsa extending their rights and powers – we need and must have a level, legal playing field. Will they be putting cameras in the waiting rooms and the loos that we already have?

8. Digital DL25.

Rubbish and uninformative. As we are not currently permitted to sit in the back, they give us very little idea as to what happened, just a list of vague tick-box errors with the number of repeats against them. Of no real use to the ADI. We all know that the candidates’ version of events can be as accurate as Santa Claus’ tracker at Christmas – pure fantasy.

9. Sitting in the back on test.

This topic raises very strong feelings at ADI meetings. Why can the ADI not sit in the back on a test?

The test is 40 mins long, the CT/SC is 40 minutes long. Wheels turning around 35 minutes on both.

The ‘L’ test can be cut very, very short and be all over with examiner gone in less that 10 minutes. CT/SC will continue with 3 in the car for 35-40 minutes, unless stopped for safety concerns by the examiner (enforcer). How is this a fair working arrangement, the ADI and the candidate are at the bottom of the ladder when it comes to having any rights and yet we are both paying customers of the dvsa and pay all their wages! This is an absurd situation and is against our basic rights which needs to be addressed at the earliest date.

10. Poor Management of facilities, staff, and stock.

Recently we asked if the dvsa could be considered guilty of bad practice when they announced the opening of 22 new theory testing sites combined with the lack of examiners and tests due to the C19 crisis in the industry and the diverting of staff to HGV testing. We felt that the waiting lists were not going to improve but would in fact lengthen. We now have the news that there are several practical test centres to close around the country. With so many no shows at test centres due to candidates booking just to have a go, then not being able to find an instructor willing to hand over their pride and joy for a hundred quid.

Only today I heard of a dtc that had 88 no shows last month alone leaving a lot of wasted chances, and this is going on across the country, in every test area. When you combine this with the number of lost vocational tests each month, the dvsa senior management really do need to reconsider their options and make some changes to improve the efficient management of their stock. Perhaps HMG should look at Tesco, or Aldi for their next CEO of the dvsa for better business awareness and customer satisfaction. Where are all the new theory test passes going to take their practical test before the certificate expires?

Today the dvsa needs the support and backing of the ADI community more than ever. They should swallow their pride, listen to what they are being told by us on the frontline along with our colleagues the examiners and get stuck in to sorting this crisis out. Using their close circle of friends has so far achieved nothing and alienated the vast majority of ADIs and the only thing saving them is the lack of cohesion and unity among the ADI sector within our industry.

Regards.

The Grumbler.

Grumblers email address

There is now an email address for the Grumbler...... thegrumbler@theaadi.co.uk so you can drop a line if you have a question you'd like to ask, or a story/information to provide/pass on (in total confidence of course so dvsa employees need not worry). Trolls will be ignored and deleted by my pet Ork.

As usual, if there is anything that you see is incorrect or, plain wrong, I apologise, and if you drop a line via the Contact Us page it will be edited.

What is the point of the DVSA

Thu, 16 Sep 2021 22:00:33 GMT

Inner mind of the dvsa think tank- anyone found the answer yet?

At the AADI we share the frustration of many of our colleagues, who span the length and breadth of the UK. Yes we too feel deflated by the latest proposal regarding trailer tests being scrapped. This is surely harking back to an era, that the powers that be were unhappy about. Indeed for countless years driving licences have contained categories. You would not expect to take a test in a bus or lorry having never driven a car or passed a category B test.

There have been many notable incidents over the years whereby either life changing injuries or death have occurred due to unsafe loads, faulty trailers, lack of knowledge, handling just to name a few.

No one can ever forget the tragic loss of life to :-

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/freddie-hussey-half-trailers-unsafe-3113667

We feel here at The AADI that both the government and the dvsa need to reconsider their idea. It will have a huge impact for all the wrong reasons on our roads, it will also stretch the police, Highways England and not to mention the VOSA section of the DVSA

Yes there are massive issues relating to any form of driving test, but this is simply not the answer to the problem. The issue surrounding the problem that we all face simply bad decisions in government and the agency. Shortage of front line driving examiners is nothing new, nor is a high volume of driving tests awaiting a slot. During the reign of Allister People's the ex CEO of dvsa, his management conveniently scrapped the national waiting lists for the UK driving tests in all categories. Customer services have never excelled in contacting customers to alert them of cancellations.

So we urge the dvsa and transport minister to reconsider their decision and retain the test and a minimum number of hours of training to ensure we do not see an increase of incidents surrounding trailer safety. In support of this we submit our thoughts on the current situation below.

......................

Trailer Safety Statutory Report - July 2019

A report by Michael Ellis MP.

(response by the AADI)

This report is highlighting what the VOSA (now DVSA) have been doing over the past couple of years (since 2017), which are the same kind of road side checks I used to be involved with in the Heavy Goods Vehicle Traffic Group, based out of Fareham between 1989 - 2002.

It was not uncommon to find around half those vehicles being stopped were issued with some form of Prohibition, be that Immediate, where the issue had to be rectified before they were allowed to move or Delayed where they could go back to their depot and the vehicle must then be rectified before it is allowed back on the road.

Trailer Safety Statutory Report 2019 . [1]

Foreword.

Page 5.

Only in a relatively few cases do defects contribute to injury incidents. In some
respects, trailer-related incidents share some characteristics with incidents in the
wider light vehicle fleet, including that human error is a far more prevalent reason . On the basis of the information assessed so far, I am not convinced that the Government should extend vehicle testing to light trailers.

Executive Summary.

Page 7.

1.2 " …. 2017, there were approximately 20 collisions resulting in injury or death where a vehicle defect in a trailer was a contributory factor…

….Breakdown, trunk road and off-road monitoring data suggest tyre defects and hitching issues are amongst the more prevalent, within the relatively low levels of incidents". Again this suggests Operator Error, which comes back to training and checks and balances via testing!!

1.9 The “Towsafe4Freddie” campaign gets a mention in this report to stop more caravans, albeit it was NOT a caravan that caused Freddie's death…

"The new campaign follows the tragic death of 3-year-old Freddie Hussey in January 2014. Freddie was walking with his mother in Bedminster, Bristol, when a 2-tonne trailer became unattached from a Land Rover. The trailer mounted the kerb before hitting Freddie."

Again, this was an OPERATOR ERROR and therefore should be good enough reason to ensure checks and balances are in place via TESTING, against just having those on a register sign off customers who they have trained. This could so easily leave the towing industry wide open to just sign customers off without doing the checks!!

1.11 … "In respect of the licensing and regulatory regimes, the driving licence regime was changed in 1997 and again in 2013 to increase the cases when newer drivers need to pass specific tests before they can tow light trailers in many circumstances.
DVSA will consider whether changes can be made to how testing is done to make it
more effective."

So at the time of this report being put together, there were STILL discussions about how TESTING of newer drivers could reduce the towed light vehicle incidences as a road safety measure, yet on the 10th September 2021 Government (DVSA), have abolished the need to take a test, which will, in effect make those that want or need to tow a light trailer, not even take training.

This report mainly features on the more commercial trailers, however, it s interesting to see some of the CRASH STATS of vehicles involved whilst towing trailers:

2.8 The following table shows the number of each of these types of towing involved in a collision:
Type of tow Number involved in a collision

Articulated Vehicle 2,324

Double/Multiple Trailer 50

Caravan 158

Single Trailer 791

Other Tow 382

No Tow/Articulation 230,772

Data Missing/Out of range 4,449

Total 238,926

Table 1 Number of towing vehicles involved in collisions - 2017

Stats19 need to be taken with some kind of consideration to the understanding that all Fatal crashes get reported to police, however, not all other levels of crashes do, and only turn up as a crash stat in those where medical treatment or an insurance claim is made, which tends to show the numbers are much higher. What the Stats19 doesn't do is provide an exact reason for the crash, i.e., if the towed or towing vehicle had a defect or the driver had an medical emergency that caused the incident that caused the crash.

There is a lack of specificity in the data which makes firm conclusions of the number of incidents involving trailers from 750kg-3,500kg, in particular, difficult to reach, which is the area that the vast majority of trainers work in, and who now, due to the actions of the Government (DVSA) have lost their business, potentially completely, because now, no tests (Checks & Balances) are to take place so who is going to undergo an intensive towing course which should also include the manoeuvring part of towing a light trailer? The likelihood is not many!

I foresee the KSI stats of those towing light trailers will rise over the next year or two, but by then it will be too late, and of course the DVSA will blame the industry for poor teaching, albeit, it has everything to do with there actions of abolishing light trailer tests because they can't manage the back log of tests for other commercial drivers, let alone Cat. B (Car) tests.

Agricultural vehicles.

2.23 Additional analysis was undertaken relating to agricultural trailers. These vehicles are exempt from roadworthiness testing. There were 41 collisions involving agricultural vehicles in 2017, including either an articulated vehicle or other tow. There were 50 casualties associated with these collisions. This is particularly of interest, because so many agricultural trailers have little or no need to have annual safety inspections!

On page 16 & 17 there are seven case studies all of which involve operator error of drivers, albeit FOUR drivers who were towing had inputs that caused the crash. (No's 1,3,5,& 7), albeit, the same conclusion is not reached by the author in 2.31.

Its important to understand that other authorities also collect data in a different format to that of the Police, which does not always tally up with STATS19 for one reason or another, which then suggests the STATS of any description should not always be taken at face value! See Table 5 under Highways England.

Within this report there is a great deal of comment about some of the mechanical failures, i.e., hand brake failure or hitching / unhitching actions the latter being an Operator Error, whereas the hand brake failure could be accepted as a mechanical failure. Tyres condition has previously mentioned as a causation for a crash, however this is a Operator Responsibility and therefore comes down to training, a does all Operator Error incidents!

Also of significance is the checks undertaken by The National Towing and Trailer Association (NTTA) who undertook 307 checks from member volunteers in the period July 2017 - Jan 2018, of which 89% were defective, compared to DVSA's random stop checks which registered a 50% defect rate. This could be down to how either organisation rates a defect, but it does suggest that because of there now being no Checks 7 Balances, more light trailer users will continue to use said trailers with defects, save when they feel they can get a free check. (Para. 276 - 278)

It is of note that some similarities can be discerned in the two data sets. Lights/electrics and tyre condition were the two most frequent defect types recorded in both sets of checks. NTTA checks reported higher proportions of defective handbrakes and electrics than the DVSA checks, and defective breakaway cables were common defects for both datasets. Again, these checks are the responsibility of the Operator, and demonstrates that Checks & Balances should not be removed from the road safety/Safe Driving for life ethos!

2.73 The correlation seen above is not as strong across the other trailer types, for example, livestock trailers had the second highest level of compliance (64 per cent) and the second highest average age (10 years). Whereas general purpose trailers had an average age of 7.6 years and 44 per cent compliance, which would indicate that maintenance regimes play a role in increasing compliance.

2.74 A comparison of the results of these checks with those of the fleet compliance checks indicate a greater proportion of regulated trailers being found compliant (84
per cent versus 50 per cent). This is a significant differential. However, although the
level of compliance does give rise to concern, this cannot be entirely attributed to
roadworthiness testing.

2.75 In order to understand the reasons for this differential, consideration must be given to the roles of roadworthiness testing, maintenance by commercial/non-commercial users, the role of operator Licencing (typically applicable to those using heavier trailers) and increased enforcement for heavier trailers, as each is likely to play a role in increased compliance levels for O3 and O4 trailers.

NTTA trailer safety checks.

2.76 The National Towing and Trailer Association (NTTA) provided data from 307 free safety checks they conducted at NTTA certified servicing centres, between July
2017 and January 2018. There is a significant differential between the results of
these checks and those recorded by DVSA. 89 per cent of trailers failing NTTA
checks with one or more defects recorded.

2.77 There are significant differences in the targeting of these checks which may explain this differential, at least in part. DVSA light trailer checks (02) were conducted in a random fashion as far as possible, in order to give a dataset broadly comparable with the Fleet Compliance Check. Conversely, NTTA checks were conducted by a self-selecting set of vehicle owners who voluntarily put vehicles forward for checks at a servicing site.

2.78 However, some similarities can be discerned in the two data sets. Lights/electrics and tyre condition were the two most frequent defect types recorded in both sets of
checks. NTTA checks reported higher proportions of defective handbrakes and
electrics than the DVSA checks, and defective breakaway cables were common
defects for both datasets.

Caravan insurance data. In paragraphs:
2.79 The Caravan and Motor Home Club (CMHC) and The Camping and Caravanning Club (CCC) provided information on the most frequent types of claims made and the variation of these through the years, CAMC 2006 to 2018, and CCC 2016 to 2018.

2.80 The most frequent claims for caravans involved in an incident were:
• Detachment of the trailer;
• Nearside wheel loss;
• Collisions generated by snaking of the trailer.

The CCC data show that claims are not primarily related to mechanical faults of trailers but relate to distracted drivers, thefts, and adverse meteorological conditions

Again looking at these data sets, it infers Operator Responsibility is lacking as is the training of those responsibilities, which the DVSA say there is no excuse. [1] . Things will only get worse now there is to be no Checks & Balances due to testing being discontinued in the weight range of 750Kg's - 3.500Kg's!

The Light Trailer (Cat.02) is not routinely assessed for road worthiness by the authorities like the heavier class of trailers are (Cat 03 & 04) and who have other checks and balances imposed upon them with Operator Licence requirements. It is estimated there are 1.39 million trailers in use in the UK of the 02 category, of which very few are routinely checked for road worthiness, and which potentially gives rise to incidents occurring on the UKs roads, because a large number of Users do not fully understand their responsibilities, eve thought they may have time served as a Cat B licence holder.

This situation can only deteriorate over the next one or two years given how many novice drivers may be asked to drive a van or size of vehicle that is capable of towing a light trailer and not be given the correct training, which ultimately could result in fatal, serious injuries to other road users or severe damage to property as a result of the potential increased number of incidents, all because the Governing Body (DVSA) is unable to manage testing for lorry drivers!

The Trailer Safety Statutory Report indicates there is marginal scope for reduced casualties IF light trailers were to be brought into the annual testing regime, of which the recommendation is not to do that. What it does not tackle is the lack of training, yet some of the case studies it has decided to print within the report, suggests to this author, is that the potential for reducing crashes and injuries is far greater IF compulsory training followed by Testing were not to be removed, as is now to be the case.

As previously mentioned, Joe Public will not undergo training now they know there is to be no testing for towing a light trailer with a motor vehicle of a suitable category. It may also leave open for those who are also looking to cut their costs to not provide suitable training, but instead take a chance and hope for the best!

The report outlines the Driving Test Requirements in para. 5.22 - 5.29 and particularly of note is 5.26 where it indicates "stakeholder and data sources pinpoint driver error as a key factor in towing incidents, it is sensible to consider improvements to this test." In 5.27 it says, "DVSA will be considering revisions and improvements to the B+E safety questions, which form part of the practical test, over coming months. These will seek to address issues which have been raised during this report."

In just two years the DVSA have abrogated their responsibilities and dumped the lot, including revising the national syllabus which is highlighted in Para. 528.

At the stroke of someone's pen, HMG and the DVSA have now managed to worm their way out of complying with any and all of the recommendations of the report. How convenient!!

...............

[1] DoT - Trailer Statutory Safety Report 2019. APS Group on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office - Accessed on line 120921 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/818125/trailer-safety-statutory-report-print.pdf

[2] Comment from CEO DVSA Gareth Llewellyn - accessed on line 120921 - Make sure your trailer is safe - https://www.gov.uk/government/news/road-safety-campaign-urges-drivers-to-towsafe4freddie

Grumblers email address

As usual, if there is anything that you see is incorrect or, plain wrong, I apologise, and if you drop a line via the Contact Us page it will be edited.

Dear Ms Ryder. Yours most sincerely. An ADI

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 14:19:15 GMT

Dear Ms Ryder.

29th March 2021

Dear Ms Ryder,

New Beginnings

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 16:35:02 GMT

Do we see a bright new dawn ahead for driving instructors?

After a long, and slow lockdown over the winter, do we have a bright and fresh spring ahead of us?

To begin with I wanted to thank the dvsa for all the new and plentiful emails coming out with lots of information, they are positively pouring out, unfortunately it is just posting information on how to tax your car, change address, check your MoT and renew your licence. All just links to their online services, and each one being done individually to make up content. All could be covered with a link to Gov. UK transport and then select what you want. This is every bit the same as the old costermonger on the market telling you about each cup, saucer, dinner plate, and bowl rather just showing the whole service together to let us chose what we want from it.....it's called padding it out!

I guess not then, a pity.

Less than 24 hours notice to cancel.

If you, or I had the policy of cancelling lessons at short notice and pupils across the country where losing out from this practice, I am sure the dvsa would have something to say, I am sure the local trading standards and good old money guru Martin Lewis on TV would be complaining about us and taking up the learners case on this.

The dvsa seem to think it has been ok through this pandemic to cancel tests at short notice. Once the date of 12th April was on the table why were tests that were in the system not moved immediately from that point on? It is not rocket science that once you know all the dates up to the 12th are dead then shift everyone that is booked before then. Move them all to at least 2 -3 weeks from opening to allow the ADIs out there to prioritise their pupils and get them ready.

Driving test and the parallel parking - is it fair to ask the learner to be more capable than the examiner marking them?

This is no joke, despite what you may think. How many times have you seen an examiner making adjustments to their parking in the carpark, a couple of shunts, the same as you or I, and job done. Does the adjustment on our parking get marked down against our ability to drive - not flippin likely! If it was most of us would be on a final warning if our job depended on a driving licence. Then why, oh, why is the adjustment on the driving test to the parking manoeuvre, or any other manoeuvre for that matter marked as a fault as that can tip the test over the line into a fail. I have seen examiners hit the kerb, bounce over onto the grass, at one London test centre it was entertainment for the ADIs watching a particular examiner if they popped out for lunch, or had a late start, the parking was entertaining to watch. I have even seen an examiner, open the drivers door and lean out to check the lines whilst parallel parking into a bay he was making such a mess of it. My pupil who was having a celebratory smoke in the car park after passing his test nearly wet himself laughing saying ''you would kill me if I tried that''.

Surely the marking should be simply a pass on the manoeuvre, or not as the case may be, and not put in faults for adjustments, safety checks I can understand do require to be noted if missed.

Who's fault is it the pass rate hasn't changed since Noah took his test?

I see that the dvsa are again asking that ADIs only bring up candidates for the test when they are ready. How do they think we select our pupils for the test, lottery?

ADIs since the creation of the DSA and the new ideas boys moved in have jumped through hoops to keep abreast of the new thinking on teaching people to drive. ADIs are now called coaches, tutors, developers, and loads more besides, yet the basic qualification has not changed, just the method of measuring it, and how many go on to higher qualifications above Facebook forums for their knowledge?

We now coach our pupils as well as teach and instruct - depending on the situation. The test has had several changes to it, some of them farcical but the test pass rate has not changed in decades. Why is this? The dvsa say that they are improving the standard of the ADI and yet we regularly see stories of ADIs with good pass rates being downgraded and deciding to leave the job. I have received one such call this week from a colleague who has had enough and taking early retirement.

It is everyone's fault except the dvsa. They never ask themselves ''what can we do''. Well how about improving your image with the public for one. You have an absolutely shocking reputation for employing people who dine on live babies for breakfast and live in caves breathing fire, or cast spells on candidates.

If you don't believe me come outside of your catacombs, pop into the local - when it is open, and ask folk about their examiner experience. If meeting the public outside is too scary a prospect take a look at social media to see what people think of you.

Your examiners are, to large extent, great guys, they work on the front line alongside us ADIs to do the job for you, and yet you cannot see it. Joe and Jo public are terrified of the reputation of the examiners, but the guys I have worked with are straight, gay, or bisexual normal people who have families, homes, bills and hobbies just like the rest of us. They play football, rugby, tennis, go to the cinema and eat out, rumour has it they can even read and write. Yet the public do not see this, or think this way. WHY?

WHY, it is simply because you do nothing to educate or engage with the public to think otherwise. When was there last a programme on the tv, or radio that showed them to be normal, everyday people. They are not allowed to talk to us, restrictions on attending local meetings and why not have test centre open days, done well in advance and shared widely - not just posted in the local Dtc asking ADIs to spread the news. Use local and social media to get the message over, speak to the public, they are after all, your customers. Sadly customer focus is not a great part of your remit, yet you expect, even demand it of others.

Is engaging with the public, the people who pay your salaries, too much to ask? Is it time to privatise the dvsa for better public service as the dvsa seem to have forgotten what is needed. Why is the CEO, not on the TV or radio explaining the current situation and show that they are willing to earn their salary and face the people they are there, allegedly, to serve?

Just what have the dvsa really done to improve road safety, anyone know out there?

Expired theory test certificates.

Sad news is that, the theory test certificate life cannot be extended due to need for having current knowledge for the driver when they get a licence! I wonder if all those people out there who never, ever took the theory test will now be considered for testing on the theory and licences be suspended if not able to pass. Now there is a nice little earner for the dvsa.

Also, will all the people in the Northern Ireland who had their theory test certificates extended due to the C19 crisis now have restrictions placed on their licences if wishing to drive on the mainland due to not having current knowledge when they passed?

Covid19 Passports

Just 3 weeks ago a member contacted us on the issue of pupils and examiners showing a doctor's certificate or similar before allowing them into the car for lessons, or tests. Since then there has been a lot of talk in the news and media on exactly the same subject and though it may have seemed a little odd to some when we first discussed it, the subject has grown legs. Many venues are now considering this as an option to be able to open and run safely, airlines are considering and several countries, the UK included are now looking for confirmation of visitors having been vaccinated before being allowed entry. Will this be brought into our industry and a certificate to use the Dtc or theory test centres?

We are waiting for a reply on this.

*the term ADIs is used to cover all in the training side of driver education.

As usual, if you spot any errors or inaccuracies, let us know and they will be corrected.

www.theaadico.uk

Good morning....what day is it?

183:778094155 (Don Harris) — Sun, 17 Jan 2021 13:01:09 GMT

I've lost track of what day it is! How are you doing, are you keeping up?

The first lockdown was fine, it was a novelty and there were lots of things to do. We had jobs hanging around and diy that needed catching up on. Me, well I had 25 years of TV that I had missed and was desperate to watch. To top it off, the weather wasn't the best but it was warm and we had lots of sunshine - some days.

Now that we are on LD3 after lots of different Tiers where we have moved up and down like a football team chasing promotion, or fighting relegation I find it is not so easy to keep track of the days.

Retirement had never appealed to me as I always felt that my life would lose structure (I hate golf, or the idea of it) and unlike so many millions who had gone before me, I was not looking forward to retiring - so didn't when it came to my turn a couple of years back.

When my father retired they had bought an old house to renovate and worked full time on that. Having retired he had Mass on Sunday to either work towards or away from as the whole country would close down for the day in those days. Now we have Sunday every day with everyone staying home, and the majority of the country on lockdown, especially my own industry, driver education - sadly all driving lessons are on hold until HMG say otherwise.

I miss the sound of children in the street going to school, the usual ones being called to, as mum, or dad tries to get them in the car because they were on the edge of running late and upsetting the whole day. I miss my own pupils - seeing them work at our targets for the day, watching their independence grow as it takes them one step nearer to leaving me to going on to drive on their own. The huge smiles on their faces when they pass and the pure joy they exude on the drive home.

I miss hugs and shaking hands with friends.

Everyday is now Sunday, apart from the big food-stores are now open everyday, but then we now buy our groceries on line so that doesn't even affect us. We can pick up almost anything we like on the internet, even a new - or nearly new car and do not need to venture outside anymore. I miss popping into the corner shop, then sitting in the sun in my car reading the paper on my lunch break, now I just flick through pages on my tablet or phone. Who needs cash anymore, as the banks have had a dream come true without it costing them a penny - being a cashless society in a mere 8 months has slipped in without us even noticing or whinging.

On the Plus side.

We have to be grateful for the technology I have listed above to be able to buy and sell goods where possible. We have all the means that are available to help us keep in touch with family and loved ones at no additional cost, even talking face to face on our screens to people from the other side of the world.

I no longer have to do the dreaded weekly trip to the supermarket on a regular basis - bliss. Plus they have a brilliant team of friendly delivery drivers who give us a super service. Books on the internet for pennies, or even free, though I'm still old fashioned and love the feel and smell of pages and paper. We can get music and films on line to fill our 'virtual libraries' which in turn save the trees and forests of the world as we no longer need wood for the shelves - so more space in our homes.

Money is no longer needed and flashing the wedge of cash is not a sign of doing well anymore as all cards are the same, unless you have a particular type. You can just swipe or wave the plastic and the world is yours with no more holes in your pockets from the jangling coins of the old days with heavy pennies and ha'pennies, crowns, half-crowns, florins and threepence bits. Age brings wonderful memories that are priceless and a fond fun thing to share.

People should be cleaner and smell better from all the washing we are doing plus there must be a market growing - excuse the pun- for human hair as there will be an abundance of it when we can visit the barbers and hairdressers again. I am on the second ponytail of life, the first one only last year.

The air is cleaner from the drop in waste gasses being emitted, and we are making bigger strides towards clean energy, all given a huge boost by the situation we find ourselves in. Our awareness of our planet is growing, for which I am grateful, with growth in awareness of recycling and waste produce. I find it strange that I do not see the environmentalists celebrating this more. I would have thought that they would be doing cartwheels in the street and shouting 'well done' to everyone! We are eating a more interesting diet and the move towards veganistic diets is on a strong upward trend. Even yours truly is munching more on the veggies and less on the animals I love. I now find that Aldi sell a very passable sausage roll that I prefer to the real thing which usually has the poorest of meat inside. So many veggie burgers make a nice change and it also helps the dietary system out as much easier to digest.

In the south of England we have had an unexpected bonus and that is loads 'n loads of rain. I can hear you guys to the north of Watford laughing and yawning, but here in the SE, rain is quite rare. Every year we have the BBC showing us dried up rivers, low levels in our reservoirs and aquifers with warnings of hose pipe bans, closed car washes and droughts. I even have a desert, yep a desert a short distance from my front door . It may be small, but we have one, no camels though.

People are friendlier, it is so nice to meet someone outside that it is an event to say 'hello' and make a joke about keeping your distance. There are more smiles about, it is true that you can see the eyes sparkle quite easily atop of the mask and it is brilliant to respond to another human. We wave across the street to each other and even speak to strangers of all shapes and sizes, as long as we stay the 'magical' 2metre apart. When you think that 2metres is 6 foot and that is the depth they dig to for a grave, a timely visualisation to keep your distance. So, please keep out of the other guys grave.

Will we come out of this ok?

Yes, I am convinced we will, and be the better for it. Us humans are a great species and I see us calmly waiting at the starting blocks of the great race for the future. We will hopefully retain some of the humility, warmth and community spirit that we have built up these last 10 months and go forward as a better species.

The love that has been put into the support for the health service, community workers, drivers, shop staff and all the others that have worked their socks off to help us all to pull through has been heartwarming. The children that in many ways have lost so much and yet given us all so much love in return is priceless and we owe them a lot more than that first hug we manage to give them when free to do so.

Thank you to the scientists who worked day and night, collaborating across the globe like never before to beat a common enemy along with the politicians of different countries. Unheard of in the past.

The future is bright and it looks good post Covid19, I look forward to seeing you soon on the other side. Just keep away and keep safe
Cheers all.

As usual, if you see any errors please let us know and we shall correct them. Should you wish to comment, or raise a topic, drop us a line in the contact section below, and if you have any questions about wanting to join The AADI

then please use the contact us slip below or even take a look at our membership page .

www.theaadi.co.uk

Ouch, that smarts - our not so smart motorways

Fri, 15 Jan 2021 10:15:52 GMT

Our not so smart motorways

why do so many disagree with them?

So much is said about our super, new Not- so- smart- motorways.....sorry but there is no way we can call them smart motorways, it strays so far from the truth.

Our President Barry Kenward put pen to paper on the subject and we thought we should share it with you.

What is it that makes me feel that the new regime for our motorways is not as smart as the Government suggests it is?

an article by Barry Kenward. President The AADI

MA. BA(Driver Ed). ROSPA(Rtd). ADI.

What was/is the purpose of these adjustments? Building a new motorway costs around £29.9 million per mile of road, against only £10 million per additional lane per mile of road. Compare this to HS2 costs at £403 million per mile of track, on the face of it, just adding a new lane is good value? But what they actually did, was not add another lane, but to remove the hard shoulder and convert that into the new running lane. Crazy, or not?

In 2006, a trial on the M42 Birmingham Box area was undertaken, subsequent to which a report was written and presented to the then Transport Minister, (now) Sir Mike Penning. How the road was supposed to work was that at congested times, the hard shoulder would be used as an additional running lane to reduce congestion where possible. They had technologies to recognise when traffic was slowing up due to accidents or break downs with hard shoulder safety areas at just 500 metres apart. So, in theory you would only be 250 metres from a safety area at the worst. The trial was during a summer school holiday period, with reduced traffic, which helped make the trial a success, hence Minister Penning signed it off, with the understanding that all other motorways that were to be changed would have the same level of technology and build attached to them.

As builds progressed, it was clear that money was not available to build to the same specifications as the M42 trial section, across many of the nominated motorways, especially with safe zones for vehicles to get off the motorway to. Mr Penning has been reported to have said that he was misled over the subsequent build standards, which have been different to the M42 standard. It is clear that many have lost their lives or been seriously injured over the past ten years or so.

In 2016 Dame Louise Ellman, a previous Chair of the Parliamentary Select Committee for Transport hauled the government over the coals for 'Ignoring the safety issues.' In 2019, Mr Penning launched an enquiry into the safety of smart motorways as chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group, yet they still are being built ! The Police Federation have also pitched in with their dissatisfaction as have the Chief Officers of Police, Fire and Ambulance services. The Road Recovery companies along with the Highways England own Traffic Officers Union have all expressed grave concerns about the extra time it takes to arrive on scene, and that in turn can cause issues with how some road users will fare within that Golden Hour where getting them to good quality medical treatment could be the difference between living and dying!

From 2015 - 2019 there have been 38 fatalities on smart motorways. What about the ones before and after those years? On the 30th December on my local smart motorway (M27 - under construction), another driver was killed after he hit the central reserve and tried to get to safety. As I write this, Highways England is being taken to court for Corporate Manslaughter for causing the death of another motorist. In a BBC Panorama program they discovered via FoI that stationary vehicles were waiting 17 minutes to be discovered and another 17 minutes just to be attended and then rescued. Were you aware the statistics for near misses on a section of M25 before smart motorways were introduced was 72 - bad enough, but in the five years that followed introduction of smart motorways in that same section that figure rocketed to 1,485, 20 times more!

Grant Shapps, (current Transport Minister) says: smart motorways are as safe as ordinary motorways, but the chance of a crash involving a moving vehicle and a stationary vehicle is higher when the hard shoulder is removed. Well that’s not rocket science, is it?

then please use the contact us slip below or take a look at our membership page .

www.theaadi.co.uk

Driving Theory Test Certificates expiring in Covid19 Lockdowns and lack of dvsa support

Tue, 12 Jan 2021 16:04:26 GMT

Why are the dvsa resisting the extension of the Theory Certificate

Almost everyone across the country gives the extension of the theory certificate by 12 months a thumbs up, but not the dvsa - WHY?

If the dvsa in Norther Ireland can do it and have done it, why not then in England, Wales and Scotland?

All across the country there are calls for the Theory Test Certificate (TTC) to be extended as they have done in Norther Ireland and yet the dvsa here either ignore or resist the idea of supporting this move.

We are not asking the dvsa to extend it, we know that this is not in their remit. We are asking them to approach HMG with the proposal for a 12 month extension to the TTC.

With the closure of the nations driving schools and test centres there is no way that the existing successful candidate has any chance of taking the practical test and obtaining their licence. Has this happened anywhere else in the country, does it apply to any other successful student at a college a year ago, do they have a time limit on their GCSE certificate and need to resit their exams? Or an A level student need to go back to college after taking a couple of years out, need to re-enlist at the local 6th form college to do resits? After 3+ years I can see the wisdom of doing a foundation course to catch up with ideas and possibly new thinking, but the driving theory has not changed. Also let us face it, almost any ADI in the country will tell you that the UK theory test is as about as much use as a chocolate teapot, as most of our pupils do not retain the knowledge due to the nature of the learning medium for the exam. So why pretend it is to maintain 'theory knowledge' when it usually isn't there in the first place!

How many times has an ADI asked on a lesson - 'What is that road sign over there?' or ' Can you tell me the sequence of change of the traffic lights?' even 'Where should we not park on the left?' - 'When may we overtake on the left?' and on, and on , and ........ to get the wrong answer, if any at all?

Dear dvsa, why are you protecting the TTC you are so precious to make these people resit, it is not really worth the paper it is printed on after a couple of hours or so, for so many people. Why not let the ADI/PDI do your work for you, as usual. After all it is the ADI that goes through it with them in a practical and useful learning environment?

Dear dvsa, yet again, it is not the knowledge from the TTC that helps the candidate to recognise the road-signs, markings and lane positioning. Who teaches them the correct speed on approach to the junction, how to assess the pedestrian crossings and level crossings, or the correct position to be in when they turn - it is the ADI who does all this for you, the ones you usually look down your nose at.

So many others are arguing about the extension of the driving licence, or the MoT extension which we see as nothing to do with this and a separate argument that we are not using. It is the validity of the knowledge that you claim to be so precious that defeats us.

Is it the thought of receiving MILLIONs more £££££££s from these unlucky candidates who started learning in the wrong year, or just because of their date of birth? These candidates who are losing out because of COVID19 and you wish to make money off their misery and suffering. Some may have lost their jobs, homes and goodness knows what else because of no licence, lost family members or friends due to this vile disease. Can you not understand what you are putting them through without your support?

Some candidates spend an awful lot of time struggling to obtain the TTC, and in many cases these are the people who fail at school due to lack of learning skills, social background, home life and horrendous nerves on the exam day. These are the people who will be driving the delivery vans and lorries of tomorrow, fixing the drains, building the hospitals then putting in the lighting for the wards and theatres for you and I to use, or sitting behind the till at Aldi, Lidl, Asda or Tesco. These people NEED your HELP now and not when this is over. Please do not ask them to be the ones to replace the lost revenue from other tests that did not take place and top up your empty coffers Please help them by asking HMG for the extension that they so need to get that licence and help themselves, that is all they are asking and will take pressure off your waiting lists that are out of control. Which will in turn help the economy back onto its feet when this is over.

PLEASE HELP THEM NOW!

Please sign the petition asking HMG to consider this.

As usual, if you see any errors please let us know and we shall correct them. Should you wish to comment, or raise a topic, drop us a line and if you have any questions about wanting to join The AADI then please use the contact us slip below or take a look at our membership page .

www.theaadi.co.uk

Hello 2021

Mon, 04 Jan 2021 16:35:49 GMT

New shoots for 2021

Farewell 2020 and Hi 2021 - a big warm welcome to you .

You are just like a new born, all fresh and full of life and I am sorry to say that we are glad to see that big brother of yours moving away into history. He gave us all a bad time and left many with memories that they would rather not have.

You bring us new hope, and a brighter future ahead of us with at least 2 new vaccines going into use from today and the prospect of more on the way. Hopefully there will be lots of new green shoots this year and in the early spring too, which will make everyone's hearts fill with hope for the days ahead.

2021 is currently my favourite year of the 20's.

Thank you for your support

A huge big thank you for all our members and the other the ADIs out there that gave us their support last year in taking on the dvsa for their poor attitude to the UK's ADIs, PDIs and trainers that work so hard to deliver the future drivers our nation needs to keep the system working and not just sit behind a desk and talk about it.

Us, the trainers are the ones who put ' safe driving for life ' into action, and not the dvsa who simply make the suggestions and then ASK US to deliver for them, let us not forget that fact! Without the ADI, the dvsa would not even have a reason to exist.

Having said all that, the dvsa must be given a 10/10 for the speed in which it responded to the PM's statement moving a huge chunk of the UK into Tier4 (T4) recently. A majority of us had received an email within hours of the PM speaking on TV and it went directly to our inboxes and not via chinese whispers and a 3rd party. This is what the ADI pays for in their registration fee and remember it was the dvsa itself who drove us into the digital age insisting we moved over to digital communication for efficiency and economy.

I am absolutely delighted that they have managed to catch up with us ADIs.

I am also delighted that the other major associations lent their support to our campaign as it must have been a shock to the dvsa when they turned on them.

PS. There has been, comparably, a slight delay to bring us the news of the move into T5 and a national lockdown. But, in fairness, this was done within 24 hours, so again congratulations to the dvsa, please keep this up.

Social media.

At the AADI we fully support the principles of free speech, but we must remember that with this freedom comes responsibility which is sadly lacking these days.

We have the right to say what we like, yes, but we must also accept the responsibility that goes with that right, and yet I see so many out there putting disgraceful comments and using dreadful language on social media when we have one of the largest vocabularies in the world. Why is the use of f......, b.......c.... p..... so popular. Do these people not realise that the poor use of our own language to those outside of our industry on public forums does us all damage, lowering the value of our professionalism to that of the gutter in the eyes of the reader? Add to this the vicious, vile and condescending attacks on colleagues that we witness, almost on a daily basis, are nothing short of disgraceful. Never mind being unprofessional.

If we add to this the comments by some ADIs on the Covid19 (C19) pandemic being a big con and publicity stunt by every government on the planet. The idea that there is a conspiracy to implant trackers into the virus and should be avoided at all costs, when they openly use the very same apps that they accuse of supporting the implanting these trackers to tell us all about it completely baffles me. They belong back in the days of the black and white films like 'Purple People Eaters'. Is it any wonder if they were to be contacted by the dvsa for endangering public health and eventually removed from the register.

Toilets!

Early in 2020 the AADI asked about the condition of the toilets at the nations test centres and the responses we got were really astonishing. The condition of some was shocking and in poor repair, some just needing a quick maintenance issue seen to. But, the absence of facilities for candidates to use the loo or for hand-washing was just not acceptable.

Little did we know then that the issue was going to take on a tangential route via the C19 pandemic. The AADI, took this up and again had to take the dvsa to task on the facilities available when our members, and every other ADI in the country, had the doors locked on them. So many of our members wrote to their MP for support and some even ended up on tv to get the message out there. Thank you folks for all the work you did to help, much appreciated and why we love our members so much.

Following our campaign the dvsa has now opened a number of waiting rooms and toilets, in the region 75, which is a step in the right direction but way short of their full estate and this has to change. I did receive a confession from one person that around 25% of the dvsa property estate will never be able to offer this basic need to candidates. Why on earth are these centres still in operation???? How does a civilized society, and a government agency, think it is okay to not provide public toilets at an office their customers will be visiting, in possibly the most stressful time in their lives, this borders on inhuman and sadistic.

We have a new CEO at the helm, let us see if she measures up to the problem, and if she understands the needs for toilets, or does she have a forty litre bladder and bowel combination like predecessors seem to have had?

Smart Motorways.

Barry Kenward, our President, has been at the forefront of this issue and led the AADI, along with many o thers, in the campaign against these dreadful, life threatening motorway designs. He has a superb presentation highlighting the dangers of these not-so- smart m/ways which really and truly brings home the dangers. Barry uses his 14 years on the front line as a traffic officer of his 24 years with the Hampshire Constabulary and as an examiner for ROSPA for 23 years. All of which he brought with him when he joined the ADI world. He was fighting against this idea for our motorway network when the then Secretary of State for Transport, Mr Mike Penny, was misled into signing the consent for the construction of these Frankenstinian monsters.

All the Emergency services in the UK were against these horrors as they could see the death rates rising and pointed out that the 'Golden Hour' following an incident would be gone forever with human life being lost at a growing rate as the numbers of these motorways grew. They were right, as yet another life was lost last week on an unfinished section of the M27, this in the reduced Christmas holiday traffic just last week.

In a 5 year period on one particular stretch there were 72 near misses, in the five years after, there have been 1,485. The Highways England operators are terrified of going to work and the turnover of staff is extremely high due to the stress and risk factor..

The death toll on these not-so-smart-motorways is now heading ever upwards and upwards.

We will be continuing our campaign against these changes.

We are extremely grateful for your support in our efforts with this.

New Campaign for 2021

We see the need for a new change at the dvsa and one is the use of video recording on all tests. The banning of audio recording has gone on long enough.

If a dvsa employee, or any other employee in the country causes an issue at work they have a right to defend themselves. They can collect the evidence and attend at a meeting to put their case forward. If a member of the public makes a mistake, and are charged with an offence, they have the right to gather evidence and defend themselves against the accuser. The accuser is required by law (in all case mentioned here) to bring forward the evidence to support the claim of wrong doing and the onus is on the accuser to prove guilt. This is a basic right in law that was even given to war criminals.

If a candidate wishes to challenge a test result, they have no evidence whatsoever, there may be a silent video recording but without sound it has no real value. Silent movies went out before even the Grumbler was born! This goes against our basic legal rights and I know of no other situation this is permitted to happen. I have sat in the back on hundreds of tests and know that the candidate is usually in the wrong, but there are times when the candidate does have a case that is worth arguing, without evidence this is completely impossible to do.

On our check tests, the same applies. There is no evidence that we can offer in our defence against our accuser. All the dvsa has is a tick box that the examiner will have forgotten the value of the the clear reasons for within days. They will have moved on and covered several other tests and evaluations since. Worked in several other areas geographically and qualitatively since - given the broad range of their testing. There must be a written report available to the defendant and a visual/aural evaluation available should it be necessary, otherwise surely this is a breach of law, civil and employment rights.

The dvsa have voiced recently that the examiners may be wearing body cams for protection, this can only be done if the candidates for all tests are offered the same protection.

The AADI is there for the ADI and PDIs of the UK, so please continue to give us your support.

www.theaadi.co.uk

Welcome back Pupils

183:778094155 (Don Harris) — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 20:00:00 GMT

The Race is on!

Early Winter

Mon, 09 Nov 2020 14:26:07 GMT

Winter glare and November fog

Congratulations to our colleagues and friends in Wales who are returning to work this morning. I hope you get off to a great and smooth start without too many bunnyhops from your pupils looking for the long lost biting point. Those of us still off have this joy yet to come again. Let us just hope that the one month break we are on will have the desired effect and we can all get back out there for a few weeks before Christmas arrives.

Our colleagues and friends north of the border in Scotland are getting used to the compulsory wearing of face masks that has been brought in by their Parliament. Do you think this should be standard practice across the UK?

Recently we were encouraged to download the new NHS Track & Trace app, I know many of our colleagues out there were concerned at the rate this would run down their phone's batteries. I have good news for you all, that have not got it yet, the amount of power it uses is negligible and it does not affect your phones running abilities. I have had it on my phone since they released it and would not know it is there. No extra charging of the phone needed during the day.

There is are 2 new 'webinars' from the dvsa soon and you can see the details here where you can register. It will cover Business Expenses for the Self-Employed (1st), Car Expenses and the Self Employed (2nd) and all you have to do is register. Something you can apply if not already aware to do whilst off for November. You can even submit questions you would like to ask. One is on Tuesday 10th Nov at 11.15am (tomorrow) so better get in there quickly to register as we do not have a lot of notice for this one, the other is on Thursday 12th.

Weather

We all know that at this time of year we get a lot of very changeable weather from the heavy rain of the recent months, from the early morning glare of the sun on a wet road surface, to the fog and misty conditions of November with the low temperatures bring us the frosty and icy conditions later in the month. It is such a shame that we cannot teach, those of us in England that is, at the moment as I love to bring these items into the lesson from a practical viewpoint and not just theoretical discussion. It adds variety to the lessons and is a brilliant learning curve for the pupils learning at this time of year. Hopefully they will take the knowledge gained home with them to share with family and friends to help keep us all a little safer out there.

Keep safe out there and keep in touch with each other.

Confused of Dtc

183:778094155 (Don Harris) — Thu, 22 Oct 2020 22:37:45 GMT

Another new driving test?

What are they thinking?

We have hardly got the used to the last adjustment to the driving test and they are wanting to have another fiddle and change it again .

Yet again we have the same old story of people being locked in a darkened room and not being let out until they come up with an idea. Think Tanks I believe it is called, or a suggestion of what goes on. Sadly this time they have been locked away for so long that they have lost touch with time and reality.

Get a load of this revolutionary thinking folks, it is mind blowing.

Pupils having lessons in the dark, now who on earth would have come up with that idea? Just imagine driving lessons with the lights on at night, wow! Hold on, there is more. They want to have a logbook for the lessons so we can have a record of what they do when they come out with us. This is earth shattering and is being suggested, apparently according to the press by Baroness Charlotte Vere our Transport Minister allegedly. Driving Lessons in the rain, adverse weather conditions, high speed roads and distracted driving.

Where have these people been all my life? Isn't this what the average ADI does every day of the week, year in and year out through autumn and winter. I have been teaching people to drive for almost 38 years, and up to a few years back I have given lessons in the evening, (dark for those in the dvsa who may read this), when it rained, in the snow and ice. We have kept records for decades of what we do and the only person who has shown no interest in seeing them is the very people who are coming up with this load of tosh. The dsa had log books, and pretty good they were, but were dropped and progress records of flimsy folding sheets of glossy paper replaced them due to economies, under one of the CEOs we suffered under. Even these seem to have disappeared from the dvsa. Have you ever tried to present the pupil progress records to the dvsa on a check test.....not interested in seeing them so why bother many ADIs came to think. What will they be for, who will see, or read them?

Country roads are now so dangerous with overgrown hedgerows and deep ruts along the sides to rip your tyres off their rims, potholes to jar your shock-absorbers and spines to the limit the ADI risks their life everyday of the week going down them. High speed roads such as dual carriageways are regularly used for all the years I have been teaching but a motorway is an hour away so needs a 4 hour lesson with a break in the middle to make it worthwhile. Who does the Baroness think is going to cough up for this?

Driving in the dark, is a cracker. Do they not realise that it stays light until after 10pm in the south (9.0pm up north) where I and millions of others live. Is she going to dip into her golden purse for the £60+ to pay me and my colleagues per hour to come out at that time of night. Or, do they expect us to do that for our same basic rate, they can kiss my golden exhaust pipe if they do. They will next come up with tachographs in the ADIs car to check hours worked and claim we are on the road too long to carry out their lunatic ideas. I now finish at 5.0pm latest, no more late nights for me, just like the dvsa staff, why should the ADI be different to the dvsa staff?

Rain.... where I live there is a desert, yes a desert, less than 30 miles from my front door we have so little rain here. Google Dungeness to check if you wish. We have so many droughts here that we regularly have water shortages and restrictions. Will this be the modern equivalent of the red flag in front of long ago and I need a small boy on the roof with a watering can, or a gargoyle to imitate rain? All ADIs do what we can with what we have and adapt to suit, we cannot create that which we do not have or have any control over.

Distracted driving. Do they think we have no idea of what we do, do they think we just go around the block all day, every day? We switch the radio on and off, listening to the music and having a sing song with the pupil. Have you any idea how dangerous this is in the early stages of development, it can be deadly but we do it so our pupils can do it safely when they leave us. Yes, we do dry runs and then on the move when able - it still goes very wrong at times, sit in the back and find out Baroness. We open and close windows, use the wipers, horn and light switches, air conditioning and adjust the air-vents, should we include crochet in the curriculum?

*" Planned graduated licencing to be scrapped according to Baroness Vere"*

All that tosh above about what we already do every week and they want to drop the planned introduction of graduated licencing. They want us to do all that we already do and drop the one thing that ADIs have campaigned for, for decades that would have a serious impact on young KSI figures. The lunatics truly are at the top table and it can only get worse at this rate. Graduated driving has been adopted by leading countries that take road safety far more seriously than our amateurish approach and shown that it works. Why not the UK, why not use a proven method to reduce ksi of our younger drivers? Nothing is being introduced at all, it is just a fop to get away from graduated licencing that all UK road safety experts wanted for decades.

COVID19

We cannot go an issue without talking about the effects of Covid on our lives and we have 2 items. The closure of test centres in Wales and stopping of lessons, see below . But, just spare a thought about who is going to have to pay for the cost of all the money that HMG is throwing at the problem. You and I will pay, the ordinary working people of the country. Prepare for higher taxes on fuel, VAT increases and just about every other tax you can think of. ALso be ready for increases in Licence fees, test fees, ADI licence fees, renewal fees as the dvsa will have lost millions of pounds during this period and need to recoup their losses. Sorry if you had not already considered it.

Wales

Today we finally had confirmation from the dvsa that our colleagues in Wales will be taking an enforced break. Theory and Practical tests are suspended as from 6pm on Friday 23 October until Monday 9 November and the Welsh Government have stated that driving lessons should not be going ahead during this period. This also includes P1., P2., and Check Tests. dvsa I for one would like to say a big thank you for doing their bit to stop this dreadful virus in it's tracks. The rest of us may be following shortly in their tyre tracks.

I f you like what you see please share it, and if you don't, or have something you would like to add then let us know. Also, as always, if you see anything that is wrong let us know and it will be corrected immediately.

www.theaadi.co.uk

Loneliness

183:778094155 (Don Harris) — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 13:15:00 GMT

Loneliness can be a killer _ Be aware.

Ever felt lost and all alone in a crowd?

Loneliness of the ADI.

People who see the idea of becoming an ADI a good option for a future career start out with high expectations from all the advertising and promotional material they see. They expect an easy life and to make bundles of dosh, and then reality come crashing in!

Sadly the qualification process is not as easy as it may seem, and this causes many to drop out along the way with only around 33% passing all three exams, completing the qualification and gaining the coveted green ADI badge.

*'only about 1/6th of trainee instructors last a year in the job and leave with big debt '*

On qualification the new ADI meets up with the reality of the job, and for many the loneliness of the first year gets to be too much for around half of them. They throw in the towel and and go back to their old way of life, or try a new venture. Be warned if thinking of becoming a Driving Instructor, only around 1/6th of those who start out to train for this job make it to one year in. And they leave with big debts!

The problem is that the public see the job as a nice social event that happens once, or twice a week full of smiles and chat, hopefully thanks to their former instructor being such a nice and dedicated professional. The reality is a big shock, working long hours as the public only see the lesson hours, they do not see, or consider, the travelling time between pupils appointments, trips to the garage, looking for a loo or a bite to eat, all on top of highly stressful situations. This of course is in a confined space, and working to a strict timetable.

Then we have sourcing work and managing a diary along with the servicing, daily check and weekly maintenance. There is keeping up to date with the bookkeeping , sourcing teaching materials and staying relevant in what, and how we teach with CPD. There is the stress of the Standards Check Test that scares the living daylights out of many with the threat of losing one's licence to teach and income on the whim of a stranger. Add in the requirements to satisfy the demands of the current Covid 19 pandemic and the ADI has a monumental amount of pressure in the job.

Considering all that, we have huge pressure building up. The Covid19 lockdown with 5 months, for some maybe 6, or 7 months for others, with no income and we have a time bomb ticking away. The current estimate is that there are currently over 1500 ADIs dropping out of the profession, with many, many more to follow. ADIs have decided in their droves to quit the job and find something else to do. Many have taken up Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's et al's offer of full time work and regular hours, some have just decided that it is not worth the £300 to renew the licence when the 4 year renewal notice comes round.

The final nail in the coffin is being locked out of the test centres for the winter.

T he prospect of standing in the freezing cold, with driving wind and rain while the pupil is on test is more than many can cope with. So many ADIs have underlying health issues, and the dvsa want to protect their own staff with the same issues, so their solution is to lock us ADIs and all the other trainers out of the building and deny us, their biggest customer support group, shelter. The fear of going through this is causing many to consider retirement, or early retirement. It has been said that when the examiners change to the new 6 a day test rota, even access to the toilets will be removed as they will not have time to let us in! I wonder how many will be left when March 2021 comes around and the waiting lists will be to October or possibly November. How will the dvsa explain this issue as it will be one of their decision making and on their conscience, and what happens the next time they ask the ADI for help to get a point over?

So the next time you see a colleague at the test centre, do me a favour and don’t just stick your nose into the smart phone and check your messages or FB, check your colleague is ok, ask how they are doing, and really listen to what they have to say. Maybe things are not so good, perhaps they are having a tough time and need a chat for 20 minutes or half an hour. After all, that may easily be you or I in 3 months’ time.

In Richard's Corner , our pastoral carer Rich Wootten has based his reflections this month on loneliness and the ADI and can be found via this link to his page. Remember, if you need to get in touch for a word or two, then please use the link for his email and he will get back to you as soon as he can. In the meantime, keep safe and look out for each other.

Here are a few links to consider.

Get Help with Loneliness:

- NHS - Red Cross -Teenagers - ( Give us a shout site.) - Macmillan - BUPA

- Samaritans - HMG - AADI

www.theaadi.co.uk

Where are we Today, What is happening to our Industry and has anyone seen the dvsa CEO ?

Mon, 07 Sep 2020 23:14:40 GMT

When, What, Where?

When will things get back to normal? What is the next thing that's going to happen ? Where are we going from here?

All questions that are being asked on a daily basis by the average ADI on the streets out there.

When?

Let's start with 'Back to normal' . Normal is what happens when we get up each day and roll out the door to do whatever we have to do, just to get by. Everything else is an extra. Well that's gone for a burton then, we all have to adapt to a new way of thinking, a new set of goals and priorities in life.

Keeping one's own family safe has taken on a new meaning. Last year the baddies we could see, and quite often hear them coming, at times it was even possible to smell them from some way off and we had either the time to get out of the way, or lock the doors to keep the family safe. Today the new baddy is, to all intents and purposes, invisible as he is microscopically small, but deadly to quite a large section of the population. All our elderly, anyone over 65 that is (!) and overweight, possibly with Type 2 diabetes or other underlying health problems is at risk. Just think how many ADIs fall into that category and you will understand why so many have not slipped back in behind the dual controls just yet.

I don't know about you, but I hate the term 'New Normal' but I am having to choke it down as that is just what has to be done for our everyday survival as ADIs. The cleaning of the car has almost become a case of OCD and I really have a new understanding of those of us who suffer with this condition as I frequently find myself re-cleaning a switch that I thought I had missed, a handle I forgot, or did I do the seat buckle? I have a regime now where I work my way clockwise around the cockpit of the car to try and beat it and therefore don't have a problem...until....sh**... did I do the indicator, the wiper switch - just incase the pupil touched it etc,etc,.. More than once we have gone just a few car lengths and pulling over as I remember the sanitizer that we forgot.

My pupils, just like yours I'm sure, are really great and go along with all we have to do, they are incredibly supportive, and let us be honest here, it is great publicity and marketing when people see us being so careful and taking such great care of our pupils' well being plus our own family and our communities in the long run. With all we are seen doing beside the car, before even getting in, mums and dads appreciate the lengths we are going to in our attempts to look after their offspring. Just imagine the image this gives to the general public as they subconsciously notice the decals on your car, then bring it up in a conversation later in the day, or even the week with a friend or colleague over a coffee or beer?

What?

What's next? This is a tough one and nobody has found the crystal ball to tell us what to do to be ready for next week. So, let's get stuck in with what we have. Our existing pupils are so keen to get back behind the wheel again but, I hear you say...what about the tests, the waiting list are so long and getting longer?

Nothing we can do about it, that is for the dvsa to solve, so why are ADIs worried? Accept it for what it is and bend like the willow tree rather than fight a battle you just cannot win, we need that for other items. Fight the fight that we can win, and there will be plenty of them on the road ahead of us. The use of loos and waiting rooms for one. I am over the moon that the ADINJC have followed our lead here again and contacted HSE on this matter. The extra weight of another complaint alongside the ones we had already put in has added power to our issue. Thank you ADINJC, much appreciated.

Our pupils . All we have to do is be brutally honest with our pupils and tell them the truth exactly as it is. Please do not treat them as the dvsa treated us . Tell them the truth, be honest, and they will work with you. Some who are ready and don't want to continue with the lessons, then book them in every other week, or even just once a month to keep the muscle memory going and the complex relative velocity calculations needed at junctions and roundabouts from going away. There are plenty of new pupils out there just itching to get started and out on the road. Be honest here as well and explain about the plight of your long term pupils, and how you may ask the new guys to help out and to cut back on the lesson hours for a few weeks while you get the old timers ready again for their tests. Pupil loyalty is awesome, if you are honest and loyal to them too. They are more than willing to help each other and you, their instructor, as they may need some leeway later on when closing on their tests and would like to think they may have scored some Brownie points by helping you out.

It is desperately important that the ADI realises that he/she is not a god able to solve everything and know all the answers. We are human and have limits, just like others, and need to know when to step back and say, sorry I cannot help you, you need to try another instructor, I am fully booked with my current pupils.

Where?

Where is here and now. Unless of course you are the CEO of the dvsa.
By the way, has anyone seen or heard from the mythical beast in the last 4 months. He has more in common with the Minotaur of ancient Crete roaming through the depths of the labyrinth under the palace of Nottingham than the ADIs, PDIs and multitude of trainers across the registers and activities of the dvsa. He roams the dark tunnels hidden away from the light of the flashbulbs of the cameras until the day of departure whereupon he will raise from the depths in all his splendour of a fat reward package for achieving a breath-taking level of nothingness during his time in office.
Unfair some will say, unprecedented times, unprecedented demand and unprecedented pressures others will say, unprecedented unprecedentness leading to unprecedented absence and invisibility ask I and others in the industry. Someone please tell me I am wrong and I have completely misread the situation, please show me the achievements and the ideas, the proposals and the unprecedented imagination to meet the times we are in, ................................innit quiet........................I'm still waiting?

The staff on the switchboards (mostly in the bedroom or over the kitchen table, if not fortunate to have a spare bedroom) have done remarkably well with what little they had. The management had all the months of lockdown to work out a pattern, a plan to be ready to open the doors. All they had to do was ask the BBC for a few reels of historical videotapes as to what happened at the major stores when they used to open for the January sales and they would have had a clue as to what to expect. They could have even, randomly rang up an ADI or two and asked what would happen and how should we prepare - Nope, the smelly stuff hit the fan and the system failed in record time. Followed by an embarrassing shut down, open up - shut down etc............Boing said Zebedee as he bounced off down the road of dvsa super heros!

Possible New World Record!

A queue of 80,000 people on the phone with 2m separation equates to a 100 mile long queue, The dvsa exceeded 200 miles and almost reached 300 mile long queues to book driving tests. Anyone got the number for the Guiness Records Office, we have a huge achievement for someone to claim for their CV in management...!

Conclusion.

The ADI is something special, very special. They like to have a moan, but they work exceedingly hard and often very long hours to make a decent living, for many it is a continual battle and balance of life/work balance,just to get by. The job is littered with divorces and breakups and still they carry on. The dvsa come up with ideas and proposals that are pointless and just to use up the bank balance so they don't show a profit and still the ADI carries on. They have a check test, changed to standard checks at a huge expense for no real gain, change the grading system that was backward compared to other industries and then hide when some form of, not leadership, but guidance was needed from a licencing authority. The ADI was still there on no wages, just a sub for some, not all of us, from HMG against the taxes we have paid to keep us going while the dvsa management sat at home on full salary, pensions and holiday entitlement growing nicely racking their brains deciding Netflix, Amazon, Now or a video/dvd?

We are losing hundreds, if not thousands, of ADIs (examiners are leaving in droves too) who have given up, retired or found alternative employment rather that sit behind the dual controls again. For many this was the last straw, nobody blames the dvsa or even old Boris.co for what happened, but the silence that was the dvsa was too much. With fewer ADIs and DEs the system will not cope, normality is light years away and the dvsa need to say this out loud. The guys and ladies out there who do this job are awesome, they love the job and their pupils, they are proud of the Badges they worked so hard to get and pay to keep, they still have their integrity and their honesty intact. They do the best to help each other out when they can. They look out for each other and all just for a friendly wave and a bit of banter on test day in the waiting room.

I for one am proud to say I am an ADI and I have massive respect and love for all my colleagues.

Keep safe out there on the roads folks and take care.

How do I Book a Test?

183:778094155 (Don Harris) — Mon, 27 Jul 2020 16:25:56 GMT

dvsa train examiners to be C19 testers.

True or False?

Dear dvsa,

I received this email from a pupil yesterday and it just about sums up the confusion at the moment. This pupil is intelligent, used to dealing with awkward data and researching the internet as part of their occupation for information. How is the average Joe or Joanna going to cope with this new maze?

Hi Don,

Thanks for your text message the other day, and sorry for the slow response. I've got a couple of questions.

First, my theory test expired during the Covid-times (I think it was a couple of months ago)--do I need to pass this again in order to begin lessons? (I think the answer is yes, but just checking.) I just tried to go through the process of booking a test, just to see what dates are available, and I got the following message: "The exam that you selected is not available at this test centre." This was for the Pearson Centre in Hastings, the Drury Lane one. I then tried again for the one in Tunbridge Wells and got the same message. Am I right in thinking that I can't book a theory test yet as a non-essential person?

Also, I'm a bit confused about whether driving tests can be booked by anyone now. Here it says that "You cannot currently book a new car driving test if you did not have one booked before lockdown": https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-driving-tests-and-theory-tests

I didn't actually have one booked, so I'm guessing this means I'm not yet eligible to book a new one? Do you have any idea when I might be able to? (Sorry if you've already shared this info and I've missed it!)

I am not in any great hurry right now, so as long as you don't mind a bit of a wait while these things are resolved, it's ok with me.

..........................................................

The problem is not that I received this email, the questions are reasonable to ask, but thousands of other ADIs up and down the UK are receiving the same either via text, email, whatsapp or any of the other communication means ot there as well as irate phone calls. This is crazy, all we can say is "I don't know the full true answer because they are not telling us, they are not even giving us guidance!"

This is so embarrassing it is unreal but it makes the dvsa look terrible, not us. Our pupils understand that we are only a means to an end and that the dvsa are the governing body, but they want to know what is happening. It is their money, their tests, their futures that they are rightly concerned with. They are being fobbed off with platitudes, or lies as they sometimes see it.

ADIs (and PDIs) are losing business hand over fist, as my pupil's letter shows he is prepared to, 'leave it' until the situation resolves itself.

We cannot not efficiently plan our diaries, which can be trying enough under normal circumstances. I am seeing across the country, stacks of cancellations coming in with , sore throat, a bit of a headache, I sneezed twice this morning, etc, etc and ADIs are having to accept cancellations left right and centre at incredibly short notice impacting a loss of fee. The ADI is then expected (dvsa guidance) to put this pupil into isolation as far as lessons are concerned for 2 weeks. While the dvsa sit back on their fattening bums on full salary, with sick pay if the calls and emails get to be too much to bear. We have lost hundreds, if not thousands of colleagues due to this crisis due to financial struggles who have given up the ghost, gone bust, found alternative employment or cracked under the financial strain of bankruptcy. They are gone, lost to the profession forever and all the dvsa do is stitch up nasp as an answer for which the nations ADIs are supposed to be grateful for with a set of approved questions, no challenges on answers permitted and no secondary questions as has now been revealed to us. Thank you to Sue Duncan for breaking out and making her statement this week, that took a lot of courage and her honesty is to be commended.

Other groups have sadly been accused of being divisive for criticising the Q&A, but if we the ADIs don't, then who will? ADIs up and down the country commented on it, the ordinary membership of the 3 nasp bodies felt really badly let down by them for lack of representation and as for the 75% of ADIs they claim to represent ....say no more!

ADIs are a great bunch of people, they just want to get on with their lives and the jobs that they love. They want to teach their pupils, help them achieve their goal of a licence and the freedom that brings, the job prospects and family transportation solutions. Generally they do not ask for much, just a clear cut simple life but it seems they want so much more as there is so much wrong with the dvsa that they ( me too) are constantly having a go and it has shown up massively with the C19 crisis this year.

1. Give us expected dates that we can work with that you will have all the so called critical workers booked for practical tests. This we can share with our pupils and they can see a light at the end of the tunnel. They can then access the system easily. At present they feel we are just dragging things to take extra money from them. If you give people the answers they need they can understand and work with them, they are not as stupid as you appear to think.

2. Tell us when the general public can expect to book in again for their driving tests, to the nearest month would do. They count just as much but do not score so many points on the popularity scales and feel they are being shunned. This could easily blowback on the HMG as a 'them and us' situation appears ruining all that HMG have done to garner faith in the NHS and win votes. Do you want to carry the can for this, there are whispers out there already that the ivory tower is not hearing.

3. ADIs need to be able to plan their diaries for the welfare of their pupils, their bank accounts, their business and their mental health, the latter being in tatters or on the verge of it for so many. We have relationships in serious problems out here because they simply cannot answer questions they need answers too and the frustration is getting to people and their families.

4. Is the curtailed test to be the new driving test for the UK.

Pupils have asked for years, "If they knew I had failed, why didn't they bring me back earlier instead of letting me think I still had a chance?" ADIs have asked and been told by the dvsa and its predecessors , "We cannot, as the candidate has paid for the full test and we must complete it unless it is unsafe to continue due to the standard of driving being dangerous and if that happens we leave the car after making it safe and walk back to the dtc."

The dvsa examiners are now able to decide who is a C19 carrier?

We are now told that candidates on committing a serious fault will fail and it immediately becomes unsafe for the examiner to stay in the car due to imminent C19 health risk. It would appear that the dvsa are now able to confirm that a candidate is a carrier of C19 if they make a serious mistake and must get back to the test centre asap. Strangely, despite the imminent threat of C19 from the candidate, the examiner must not park and run away but guide the candidate, pretending to mark a test safely back to the test centre.....!

Important Note. Candidates who pass the test are therefore C19 Free and safe to sit in the car with for the whole test.

Is this crass hypocrisy, someone from the dvsa please explain, you have my number?

As usual, if I have made any errors please let me know and I may correct it.

www.the aadi.co.uk

Well Done to the dvsa!

Fri, 24 Jul 2020 15:49:25 GMT

You can take your wee to the dtc!

OPEN for Business - Instructors are back on the Road.

Congratulations dvsa.

A great big congratulations to the dvsa this week, not something we get to say often in here, on their decision to reverse their original advice that the there would be no toilet facilities for those attending for their tests, or their accompanying drivers. This is a big deal for them as it was done so quickly and they advised all on the register directly, not via a third party that so many ADIs and PDIs do not belong to.

Direct communication is one of the major things that the AADI have asked for and fought for.

The ADI and PDI, along with all others on the registers, such as fleet, should be shown the respect that they deserve and told directly of any changes or advice that needs to be shared and not have to search social media for the information. Worse still is to find it out from the newspapers, radio, TV, or the bottom of the pit, to be asked by their pupils on the latest developments. Have they no idea the damage this can do to undermine the people they licence to work in the eyes of their customers? The damage that it also does to the dvsa reputation when the instructor replies, " I don't know, we are the last people that the dvsa tell". Not true anymore with the apparent new dvsa policy of Direct Communication which we truly appreciate.

We have received the original email on the loo situation, the immediate change of policy, updates on theory and practical tests in the last week. This is all that we have been asking for as our right as instructors. Also a big thank you to all the ADIs etc who contacted HSE on this and registered their concerns, your actions have made the difference.

Well done dvsa and thank you for your new approach to sharing information directly with those who pay the bills.

Loos for all!

Loos for all is the battle cry for the AADI. How can we have a situation where only a limited number of test centres have toilets in the 21st century.

The driving test is one of the most stressful situations that you can go through, and if you have not bought a house or had a child yet, I would say the most stressful. So, how can it be that there are no toilet facilities for so many Dtcs around the country? Is it not time that the dvsa stepped up to the mark and as a national government agency stopped expecting Shell, ESSO, ASDA, Tesco, Sainsbury's to provide the toilets for "their customers". Perhaps it is time for BP, Tesco et al to start providing theory and driving tests, the customer service element would certainly improve if there was competition and we would have toilets and possibly a coffee shop - heaven.. The dvsa claim it is not in their remit to provide these facilities, surely that is an outmoded attitude in the world of customer service that they like to refer to for us in the training industry.

We are constantly told that the dvsa 'consult' with nasp as they represent thousands (I have even heard, the majority) of ADIs.

STOP PRESS!

They nasp group are now claiming in the latest release that they represent 75% of ADIs and PDIs in the UK. Pardon me, but I think someone has got their sums just a wee bit wrong and needs to back to school. In an independent survey held earlier this year, of almost,1000 respondents only around 25 - 30% was the figure.....unless you add the numbers up differently. So, as always the vast majority are out in the cold and hence the AADI campaign for direct communication.

Unless there is an independently audited count of the members that they represent to discount 'repeated' membership, this statement is not only just questionable it is in the realms of Trading Standards Office activity. ADIs are frequently been members of several associations, I myself have in the past have been in more than one of them. We, have members who are also members of the ADINJC, the DIA and the MSA, plus their own local groups, which in turn may give them membership of the ADINJC again. So, if an ADI is a member of his/her local group, then the ADINJC via their local group, this counts as 2, add in if they are a member of the DIA and MSA we have 2 more counts and we have suddenly up to 4 ADIs in total as the worst scenario - instead of just 1.

If there are just 250 ADIs like this in the land, then we have 1000 members instead of the true 250. If we just take membership of a local group plus one of the other 3 then we have double counting and we get into the realms of many hundreds more in false representation. This is something that has rocked so many national elections worldwide and why we have checks and inspections on our elections in this country . My question then has to be, do nasp truly represent the majority of driving instructors of this country......Nope! I believe it to be nearer to 12,000 independent ADIs which is not bad, but not the 75% recently claimed.

Sadly a little birdie whispered to me that the dvsa are not fooled by the claims either and have had a good chuckle when the doors were closed.

The AADI have fought and shouted on behalf of the nearly 40,000 instructors to get the direct communication they deserve. So a brilliant result and we are pleased with the outcome.

Keep it up dvsa, keep your ADIs and PDIs in the loop directly, not via the back door.

My apologies for the long gap between Blogs but I took a little break from the keypad. There is lots to look at lately so more to come soon. As usual, if you spot anything wrong, let me know and I shall correct it.

www.theaadi.co.uk

The dvsa awakens!

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 15:36:17 GMT

The dvsa responds to pressure.

dvsa customer service sets a new low.

The dvsa return after a long absence, and we must congratulate them on finding their address book of all the ADIs and the PDIs on their books who pay them handsomely for their services!

Last week following the statement in Parliament by the leader of the house about the return to work for a million+ people, not only do we receive an email within a couple of days, but we have received a second email this morning on the procedures for the tests. Thank you dvsa , I knew you could do it, but why-o- why did we have to kick up such a fuss to get you to do it? It is only what you promised us when you went digital, a quicker, cleaner and more efficient notification, we just need you to send it directly to us and not via a third party who represent a minority of ADIs and PDIs. What about all those who do not follow your friends, approximately 25,000+ in number, every single one fails to get the message? ADIs are independent and do not want to be made to join specific groups, they want the freedom to choose or avoid all associations altogether, so why do you seek to deny them this right?.

These new procedures state that the theory test will maintain a 2m+ separation at all times, and yet in the cars we shall have just 0.08m separation which is fine for the driving test it would seem! Is it any wonder instructors are in a daze at the moment with all the confusing measurements around? We now know how our pupils feel when trying to work out how far the stopping distances are.

No Entry to Waiting Rooms or Loos!

We and our pupils cannot use the waiting room or the toilet facilities. Heaven help the pupil who gets nervous because if they wet themselves or worse, I for one will not be giving them a lift home in my car. Will we be discriminating next against people with weak bladders, Crohn's disease, or other disorders, ladies who are pregnant? All candidates will be affected by this decision? The dvsa cannot continue to expect others to provide toilet facilities for their customers. Will there even be any open in some areas of the UK? The dvsa employees will have their facilities yet the people who pay their wages can go whistle. This is inhumane treatment, how on earth can they consider that it is an acceptable way to treat their customers?

If an ADI has to wait outside in the cold and get wet, then get a dose of the sniffles they will lose pupils who are afraid of being infected with C19 and lose income,and possibly the pupils. In the autumn or winter when having to stand outside in the cold, wet wind and rain there is the chance of more serious complaints such as pneumonia, hypothermia, and even frostbite. Will the dvsa, just as Scrooge, did with his employer deny us any warmth and expect us to freeze?

We have lost so many ADIs and new PDIs during this crisis, are the dvsa trying to finish off the industry, who will want to continue under this regime? If the dvsa hierarchy were to close all the loos in all dvsa properties and insist the staff were to have to find a public toilet, and had to spend a couple of hours a week standing outside in the rain with no shelter I could say fair enough, we are on equal ground here and go someway to accepting it but this is all so wrong. The customer gets dumped on again.

Do not arrive more than 5 minutes before a test? Well there goes getting the car sanitized for the examiner to get in, they will have to do it themselves. We will need at least double that, more like 10 minutes, possibly in the rain with our pupils getting wetter and wetter waiting. At many test centers where there is a carpark the ADI will need at least double that 15-20 minutes time to clean the car due to swapping of seats before we can vacate the site, has this been considered?

Can we use our non-contact thermometers to check examiners are ok and not infect the car we use afterwards *risk assessment*? Will the temporary plastic seat covers they are considering be safe with the airbags, are they going to clean the car after they use it? So many questions and we are going 'live' from Saturday - when will they let us know?

I fully accept that these are tough and unprecedented times, but if it had all not been left to the last minute like a shotgun wedding this could have run much more smoothly. Almost 4 months and still not ready or, were you not expecting that announcement last week?

You may notice that the dvsa is in lower case, this is not a typo, when they have ADI's respect they will get caps and not before, until then - lower case.

As always, thank you for taking the time to read this and should you see any errors then drop us a line.

Keep safe and keep alert - Lerts live longer.

https://www.theaadi.co.uk/membership

Scary News - Should not fit for purpose mean a Death Sentence?

183:778094155 (Don Harris) — Sat, 20 Jun 2020 09:22:05 GMT

Should not fit for purpose be a death sentence?

Hitler would have been proud of this idea.

As professionals we see and teach people of all races, religions, colours and shapes and all we are interested in is giving them the best service we can, and getting them to the best level of driving that they can achieve before they take their driving test.

We teach people of all abilities and capabilities and many of our colleagues, a growing band of super people are specialising in those with special needs, so imagine my horror when I read the article in the Independent that states " Unlawful 'do not resuscitate' orders are being placed on patients with a learning disability during the coronavirus pandemic without families being consulted." this is something Hitler wanted in the middle of the last century!

Just how many of your pupils and mine fall into this category, both past and present - tens of thousands , should we plan for the future to not teach them as they may take up too many resources? How many of us have family or friends that fall into this category as well? Like so many other ADIs I have learnt so much from pupils who have asked to be taught a little differently to suit their style of learning, the joy on their faces when they have achieved something that I take for granted. The simple skill that I and tens of millions do each day by second nature yet they struggle with is no different to handing me a musical instrument and asking me to play Bach, Mozart, Beethoven or even McCartney, Lennon or Rice and Webber except for me playing a musical instrument is an extremely painful experience for the listener and it can never be. Does this mean I to am to be on the list for DNR because of my musical learning disabilities one day, where do we draw the line?

Please read the article in the Independent as it has brought up this issue whereby the decisions are being made without consultation with the family, seemingly based on the 'not fit for purpose scenario' that we are so used to hearing about in our profession. Surely we are better than this and millions of our ancestors didn't die in WW2 to stop this form of evil thinking that so nearly came to be the norm for Europe, Asia and possibly Africa.

Read the article here.

Is big brother watching you?

I came across this little item yesterday and was most surprised to learn that something had been planted on my phone without my permission.

Oh, I know there is stuff in there by Google as I have an Android phone and IOS if you like Apples, but for the large part I can either lock, block or uninstall it if I wish. This is another level, and it is our elected Government that have done this one. We have all seen the track and trace discussions going on the TV and heard them on the radio and in the last few days how our Boris's new world leading super app idea has fallen by the wayside and they have had to opt for a Google/Apple alternative that works.

I am a huge supporter of the idea to prevent the spread of the dreaded Covid19 disease but I have a couple of reservations and one being that this has been installed on my phone when I wasn't looking. Sadly the new one from Google/Apple is allegedly not as accurate as we were promised it would be. As I understand it the promised app was to be far more accurate to within a few metres or less. The new Google/Apple version does not work on such a narrow area but sweeps at least twice as wide, possibly outside of the 2.0metre safety zone that we all have been taught to work with, this raises the possibility of you getting a phone call for a private lockdown massively.

Now it is all well and good for ADIs and others too say, I do not want this, I am not going to use it but it is very, very easy for them to send out an update as a security patch to your phone to see if you have it activated or not and possibly shut the phone down if you refuse to use it, or worse if you are an ADI, report us the the dvsa. We will have no option to have it active on our phones. All the nonsense of "I do not give permission for xyz to do this or that with my phone....etc" that we see on social media is all hot air as we have already signed the agreements to give permission to add stuff as part of our contracts and HMG can make it law then we have no chance. So forget I don't want it, as your gonna get it!

My other issue is the bad luck that can befall anyone who, like us is self employed. You could just be back into the rhythm of going to work, see the books filling up and the bank account just beginning to change colour from a deep,deep red slowly to a shocking pink and the phone call arrives......isolation and all the lessons have to be cancelled again. The only consolation is that you may have picked it up at the dtc and all your colleagues there and the examiners got the same call so none of your work will be taken.

Here is how to find it. If you have an Android phone, go under Settings, then GOOGLE settings and it's there.. If you have an IPhone, go to settings, privacy then health. ... I don't think you really understand what they're trying to do here.

As usual, if you find any errors then please let me know and if I have offended anyone it was not my intention to do so, my apologies. If you like what you have read then please feel free to share it and pass it on and if you don't then drop me a line, all comments are welcome as even idiots have freedom of speech.

https://www.theaadi.co.uk/contactus

The AADI the association that is truly independent and stands up for the profession.

ADIs4ADIs.

Ready, Steady..... Jump start - Teach.

183:778094155 (Don Harris) — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 10:49:59 GMT

Brain on and gearbox into neutral - we have ignition!

Good morning all, it looks as if the UK's ADIs and PDIs are to be let off the leash and out of the starting blocks some time in the not too distant future. Well that is compared with the time behind us anyway, so let's be positive and look at what we can be doing to get ready. It could be July, August or even September so let us look ahead and consider a few things that get forgotten about.

I don't mean all the boring goody stuff like phone the pupils either, even though we miss our little treasures that we all love, they will get a mention as we go on, but not today lets be selfish and think about - just us guys. I'm going to talk about the other stuff that we will have forgotten about over the last 3 long months.

How does a computer learn new things ........bit by bit!!

Eyesight. Give yourself an eyesight test to make sure it has not changed over the period we have been off. I am no optician and even had to be careful spelling it but feel pretty sure that as we have been working on short focal lengths for such a long time, eg., watching TV, playing computer games, or reading books, magazines etc we may need a check up.

Remember, our eyes are used to looking into the distance all day quarter mile around town to half a mile maybe on country roads and even a mile or two if on dual carriageways or motorways. A big difference, so lets all find a car and pace out the 20 metres needed and then add another 5 or six metres to make sure. Just as a simple starter try this on-line test at home. I suggest you use a laptop for this one as a phone or tablet may be too small. Eyesight test.

Sleep Patterns . I don't know about you but I have been staying up a little later than usual and so have most of the street I live in judging by the lights on after midnight. I have even spoken to colleagues who have sat up to 3.0 and 4.0am binge watching series on Iplayer, Netflix and others. If we return to teaching where we need our focus and awareness to keep the car safe and stay alive past COVID19 crisis period then let's start winding down the late nights. Did you know that if you are involved in a serious traffic incident the police in their investigation of events will check your phone usage going back possibly for several weeks and your broadband usage to see if you have been getting enough kip and rest.

There was an incident a few decades back where a guy in a Landrover was towing another on a trailer and he left the road, ran down a rail embankment and caused a train to derail very early in the morning. He swore he had been to bed the night before and was feeling fresh and alert when he was driving. When the police checked his online activity they discovered he had had almost no sleep the night before and had been using messenger to his girlfriend for several hours during the night and this had been going on for some time. He received a heavy penalty and a considerable stay at one of Her Majesty's holiday retreats. Just think how hard it would be for him to get another driving job, or insurance when he was released.

Start getting regular sleep sessions, preferably at night, just like you did pre COVID19. This will get you ready for the long sessions in the car and keep you focused. Check out this site for i nformation on sleep patterns and requirements.

Do you do a wee Pee or Poo? Of course you do, don't we all? All joking aside, this is a serious issue. When you were going out to work on a regular basis you had a 'regular' pattern to your bathroom habits. Since we have been on lock-down we have had the luxury of the bathroom, or loo to be easily and readily accessible within a few paces or seconds away.

Remember the problem with being out on the road, the loos are not that easily accessible and it is very easy to get caught out. Over a period of time we get to know our areas, where the local facilities are - if any and the ones that can be broken down, vandalised or busy when you want them. We almost always know exactly how far and how long to get home. Things change and your body clock changes over 3 months when it is out of the discipline that is needed to do our job. Get your bowels and body clock back into sync with your expected routine and timetable and also don't forget that many councils are not opening their public loos anytime in the near future due to the risk of Covid19 transference.

For more information on this great subject check out happy pooing ! being regular will keep you regular for your lessons, otherwise running for a loo could cost a lot in lost lesson time. Get practising. :)

Diet.

Ok, as above we are back to eating a regular time slot for the duration of the lock-down, or we have got used to popping to the fridge or cupboards when we feel the need. This will come to an end when we get back to work, don't be tempted to fill up with expensive junk food.

When we are out on the road we are used to slipping into bad habits and eating badly. Grabbing a bite here, or a snack there and drinking sugary soft drinks. Why not get into a good habit right form the start and take a home made sandwich or snack with you and a flask of tea/coffee or better still a bottle of water. We have lost a lot of time and an awful lot of income and this will save us a huge amount of money while we get the bank balance to have a pulse again and get some colour other than RED to its complexion.

What did the walnut say to the cashew.........."I wall nut let you down." :)

Should you need any free advice from a motoring law solicitor I was passed this by one of our colleagues to share with you. Patterson Law Motoring Solicitors It may be worth having a browse of their site as you never can know too much.

Just a thought!

Donate your empty ink cartridges to charity. I bet you have had to replace one or two while being at home, especially if you have children and doing home schooling.

Tesco will give up to £1.25 for each MT (empty) cartridge you send for recycling to charity and I am sure the other main stores have similar schemes. All you have to do is pick up the free envelope where the sell the cartridges and pop the old one in the post. Great idea to help out and get rid of your rubbish.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to read this I hope you and yours are keeping safe and well. Should you wish to learn more about the AADI then pop over to our website at www.theaadi.co.uk.

Cheers and keep safe.

Justice wanted for ADIs

183:778094155 (Don Harris) — Fri, 05 Jun 2020 15:03:53 GMT

AADI President Challenges DVSA on Refusal to extend ADI Licence for COVID19 CRISIS

Driving Instructors being disadvantaged by DVSA failing to allow extension of Green Badge

MOT Testing - Extended by 6 months.

On the 30th March 2020, Government announced that MOT Testing of vehicles

would be extended by 6 months if your car, van or motorcycle’s MOT expiry date is

due on or after 30 March 2020 - but you must keep your vehicle safe to drive

DVLA Press Notice 4th June 2020, @ 1220 hrs .

Drivers granted 7 month photocard licence extension

To make it easier for drivers who need to update their photocard licence with a new

photo at the end of the 10 years validity, photocard driving licences that expire

between 1 February 2020 and 31 August 2020 will be automatically extended for 7

months from the expiry date.

Drivers do not need to take any action as the extension will be automatic and they will

be sent a renewal reminder before their 7 month extension ends.

DVSA Announcement 4th June 2020 @ 2029 hrs.

The EU has made temporary changes to the road transport rules that apply to

operators and drivers of heavy goods and public service vehicles, to mitigate the

impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus) on the road transport sector.

DQCs expiring before 31 August 2020

The validity of DQCs that expire between 1 February 2020 and 31 August 2020 has

been extended for 7 months by the DVSA . If the expiry date on your card is in this

period, you need to add 7 months to that date to calculate the new expiry date. The

extension will be applied automatically . You do not need to take any action. You must

continue to carry your DQC.

DQCs expiring in September 2020

On 31 March 2020 DVSA gave notice that, subject to review, enforcement action

would not be taken against drivers from 1 September 2020 to 30 September 2020 if

their DQC expired during this period. This would have allowed up to an additional 29

days to complete periodic CPC training, due to COVID-19 disruption.

However, because there are sufficient course available this additional month has now

been rescinded, and DQC's now only have to the 31st August to renew, (which may be

subject to review, should the Covid pandemic continue beyond that date.

Calibrations and inspections due before 31 August 2020

All tachograph calibration and inspection certificates which are listed as expiring

between 1 March 2020 to 31 August 2020, are extended by 6 months from the date

the calibration was originally due.

Tachograph card renewal

From 1 March 2020 to 31 August 2020, drivers who apply to renew their tachograph

card no later than 15 days before their card is due to expire, can continue to drive until

they receive a new card.

Drivers who apply for a replacement tachograph card within 7 days of their card being

damaged, malfunctioning, lost or stolen, can continue to drive until they receive a new

card.

Operator Financial Standing Update

The maximum grace period a Traffic Commissioner may give an operator to

demonstrate renewed financial standing following a finding that the requirement has

not been met has been extended from 6 months to 12 months . This only applies to

assessments of inadequate financial standing made between 1 March 2020 and 30

September 2020.

Driver Attestation Update

The validity of driver attestations that expire from 1 March 2020 to 31 August 2020

have been extended for 6 months.

All of the above changes will allow those engaged in the transport sector to continue

working without any financial disadvantage during the Covid19 Pandemic.

When it comes to Approved Driving Instructors, (ADIs) who are not allowed to work

during the Covid Pandemic, because we are unable to comply with Social distancing

conditions laid down by Government have asked the DVSA to extend our Green

Badge, (which is our licence to teach), so we are not disadvantaged by the loss of

around 6 months usage, which is paid for within our four year licence.

DVSA tell us that the they cannot make temporary changes as it is not allowed within

the regulations, yet we see, it can be done for those in the Transport Sector in all the

areas outlined above. It can also be done for ordinary drivers, all of which must have

had minor adjustments made in regulations to accommodate those extensions, yet it is

not possible for Approved Driving Instructors!

We appreciate that within the regulations ADIs can cut their badge up and return it, or

just return it, in either event we will not be able to work at all (until we re-apply for

it), even though we will have 12 months to re-apply for it without having to requalify.

We may even lose whatever time is left on the Green Badge, as to date, we have only

seen that we will have to pay a FULL FEE (£300) for the following four years. There

is no indication that the remainder will be included and the new fee adjusted, probably

because it is too difficult for the DVSA to work that out.

If ADIs are not able to get back to work before September, that will mean they have

lost the equivalent of 6 months work ability, which I and so many of my colleagues

say we should have re-instated in the same way as the Transport Sector and ordinary

drivers have had. The value of that loss, in monetary terms is not enormous (£37.50)

per ADI, but more the loss of work, which has caused enormous financial, social and

dare I say, mental health issues. Many may not even return to our profession due to

the stress of not earning a wage to support their families. I and my colleagues say,

like others, we should have at least one extension of six months added to the expiry

date in the same way others have been given, due to the Corona Virus Pandemic.

Additionally, because the vast majority have not been able to work (save a small

minority training Key Workers), our governing body (DVSA) has benefited from our

loss by approximately £1,500,000 given six months is valued as indicated above over

approximately 40,000 ADIs.

Can I ask you approach the Secretary of State, The Rt. Hon. Grant Shapps MP and

request he instruct the DVSA to extend the ADI Green Badge for 6 months from its

date of expiry, to help us recover from that time lost during the pandemic and in any

even treat us in the same way as the Transport Sector and the ordinary motorist has

been.

Sincerely,
Barry Kenward. AADI President.

......................................................................................................................

All are invited to copy and use the above letter in an email to their own MP in an attempt to bring this to Mr Shapps attention and get the DVSA to review its policy towards the ADI community. Please remember to add your own name, address and Phone number to show that it is to your own MP ad asking them to act on your behalf.

Cheers.
Don.

ADIs4ADIs

HMG Feedback and Appeal for Help

Tue, 02 Jun 2020 14:42:59 GMT

The Latest replies from HMG and the DVSA to our members plus an appeal for members to contact their MPs.

See more...read on.

Yesterday one of our members Damian Heaney, received a reply from his MP. He had emailed him with a question asking for information on our current situation. Damian has been kind enough today to give me permission to share this with our members.
"Got the following reply from my MP today": (Mon 1/6/20 yesterday to us as I needed to sleep last night.)

The Department for Transport has provided the following answer to your written parliamentary question (47252):

Question:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether driving instructors are permitted to teach non-key worker pupils under covid-19 lockdown rules; and what covid-19 safety guidelines those instructors are subject to. (47252)

Tabled on: 15 May 2020

Answer to:

Alec Shelbrooke:

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) recommends that, currently, approved driving instructors (ADI) should only provide lessons to candidates who have an essential need. ADIs should ask pupils to bring appropriate identification to demonstrate the need for the lesson: a payslip, letter or identification badge should suffice.

When providing driving lessons, all ADIs should put in place appropriate measures, in line with the latest Public Heath England and Cabinet Office guidance, to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. It is the responsibility of the ADI and the pupil to consider the risks to their health and to decide if the driving lesson is essential.

ADIs whose registration lapses in the next three months, and who are observing government guidelines not to work, can delay renewing their registration until restrictions are lifted. Legislation provides that ADIs have one year in which to apply to re-register without having to take the qualification tests again.

The answer was submitted on 26 May 2020 at 15:26.

As I am typing I see a notice has been posted by another member Chris Bensted who has today (2/6/20) received this following message from the DVSA on behalf of Grant Shapps. Chris, also has kindly given me permission to share his letter here on the blog.

Dear Mr Benstead <Spelt wrongly...>

Thank you for your email of 1 May email to the Secretary of State for Transport detailing your concerns with the lack of guidance for approved driving instructors (ADI) during the Covid-19 outbreak.

It is usual practice in Whitehall Departments for correspondence to be passed to the appropriate policy team or Executive Agency to reply on the Minister’s behalf. Your email was passed to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and I have been asked to reply.

Using the latest Government guidance, we are working closely with the Approved Driving Instructors National Association Strategic Partnership (NASP) to develop appropriate plans and control measures that will enable the resumption of non-essential driving lessons. We will keep the situation under review and provide further information over the next few weeks.

As you are aware, ADIs can continue to provide tuition to pupils if the lesson is considered essential. It is the responsibility of the ADI, and the pupil, to decide if the driving lesson is critical. Our top priority is to stop the spread of coronavirus and keep everyone safe. But it is also important we are able to provide people whose work is critical to the coronavirus response, the ability to take a driving test if they have an essential need.

It is up to the individual driving instructor whether they feel comfortable to instruct critical workers during this time, and we are grateful to those who have continued to teach those who need an essential test.

We have shared the personal protective arrangements we have for examiners, with NASP. This might help instructors develop their own arrangements during this time. We would recommend that all ADIs should put in place appropriate health and safety measures, in line with the latest Public Heath England and Cabinet Office guidance, to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Our current guidance remains as detailed in our Chief Executive’s letter to ADIs and our FAQs both detailed on the NASP website.

We are continually evaluating the current situation and are working closely with key stakeholders from the car, motorcycle and vocational industries to establish how to begin resuming our service of providing driving tests. Before practical driving tests are reintroduced, we will inform the driver training industry. This will help candidates prepare and reach the standard of driving needed to pass their test.

We remain committed to resuming testing for all candidates as soon as it is safe to do so and in line with further Government advice.

We will provide further updates on providing driving lessons and driving tests as soon as we can.

Yours sincerely,

Corporate Liaison

and finally we have received a message from another of our members Wayne Hawke who recently sent a message to his local radio station Radio Hallam in Sheffield. Wayne also has kindly given me permission to post his text in here.

Hi, I heard one of your presenters wondering how driving lessons are going on.

I can tell you there not going on, we can't take any one other that critical workers with a driving test booked

40000 plus self employed driving instructors are out of a job with its regulator unwilling to communicate with them, most haven't earned anything since lock down, apart from a grant if they quality or state benefits.

Thousands of instructors are struggling financially, loads have found other jobs and won't return, trainee instructors can't Continue with their training and a lot of the older ones have just called it a day, most probably there will be a shortage of driving instructors when ever we're giving the green light to return to work.

I apologise if this seems to be a bit of a rant.

Wayne Hawke ADI

Radio Hallam reply: "Cheers Wayne, it's a really tough time and I hope we can get out of it soon for everyone's sake. All the best, Big John"

As you can see we have members up and down the country writing, or contacting their local MPs and media sources trying hard to get the message across and gain answers. In yesterday's blog the Grumbler wrote about me writing to my MP who is chair of the Transport Committee in parliament, Grant Shapps plus The CEO of the DVSA a while back and that letter was seen widely across all networks. Our President and Chairperson have also been busy asking questions on our behalf with their own MPs and the DVSA. NASP have finally joined in with the tougher and more serious questions having realised the situation their members are now in.

To this end I have complied an email for all to consider copying and pasting and then sending off to their own MP. Please, copy paste and send with your own details to your MP. As can be seen from the members above, we will get results, even if they do take some time to come through. If we all just sit on the sofa twiddling our thumbs then nothing will change. You have a chance to get your voice heard and help us all out. From East Sussex to East Lothian and from Anglesey to East Anglia we need your help to let our legislators know that we count, we need to be noticed and we need their help.

Thank you all for taking the time to read this and as usual, if I have made any errors let me know, plus if you like what you read and want to join the AADI family then follow this link . After you have copied and pasted the email below into your email and sent, of course.

Don Harris

Please send a copy to your MP of the letter below, we need their help and it is why we voted them into office, to represent us. Time to call in the favour.

If you do not know who your MP is just follow this link and enter your postcode . Cheers.

Dear ................. (Your MPs Name.)

I am writing to you as one of your constituents and in my capacity as an ADI (Approved Driving Instructor). .

As an industry/profession we provide drivers for just about every other profession on the planet. Hospitals, schools, industry, aviation, public transport and the arts to name just a few, all rely on us to provide the drivers they need to function, yet we feel we have become the forgotten 40,000.

We need help in the form of information so that we can plan our route back to work safely.

The DVSA have the phone number and email address of every single ADI and PDI (trainee) in the country so that they can contact them digitally, to avoid surface mail expense, and yet use an association called NASP that represents just around 10,000-15,000 ADIs as many of their members overlap and hold dual, often triple membership. Yet there are tens of thousands of ADIs across the UK that are receiving virtually no information whatsoever, apart from social media gossip and feel they have been all but abandoned by the DVSA. Even NASP are now saying their information is misleading in their latest release.

We have received financial assistance as self-employed but some of my colleagues have fallen through the net and are suffering severe financial hardship. We need to have a plan as to when we can return to work, at the present the DVSA keep moving tests after booking them and we are unable to plan our restart programme for the pupils. If they cannot conduct tests then say so and wait until they can be done not have them like movable feasts. If HMG scientists say there is no way driving tests and lessons can begin before JUly, August, September, so be it at least we can plan for it. Please help us on this to get clarity.

In addition, we are experts on road safety, the highways and teaching our pupils to drive to the best of their ability but have no knowledge on PPE to make our teaching environment safe and there is none out there available to us, just confusing and often misguided notions from unqualified people.

Please can you advise the DVSA to give us the information that we need in order to plan ahead and get our house in order.

I thank you for your assistance in this and look forward to your reply.

Kind Regards.

name.................................... ADI

address............................................

.........................................................

Postcode................................

Phone......................................

Thank you and Keep Safe out there by staying apart- get spaced out!

Golden Genitals Award.

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 16:50:37 GMT

Latest ADI sector Industry awards :)

The Golden Genitals Award

Reporting back from a celebrity packed night last night the Grumbler is delighted to let all you ADIs and PDIs out there know that if you could not get any tickets for this free event you missed a fabulous fun packed evening. Everyone was dressed up to the nines, there was glitter, glamour and sparkle everywhere you looked and that was just the makeup on the cars in the car park.
ADIs and PDIs had travelled the length and breadth of the UK to attend and meet up, swap stories and have the catch -up of the year. There were driving test stories shared that were so tall the organisers had to raise the height of the ceiling on 2 separate occasions to let the egos have sufficient room to expand. And there was a big buzz as to who was up for which award and who would win what. You could feel the excitement in the air and the anticipation that just went on to build up over the evening to give us a fabulous night to remember.

The Golden Genital Award for poor customer service this year 2020 went too ...........

Big drum roll here steadily climbing to a nice big crescendo!

W inners by a unanimous vote for the first time in the long history of the awards... The DVSA for its outstanding treatment and abandonment of its customers to a level never before witnessed by the selection committee despite there being numerous contenders. It has been widely acknowledged that the DVSA have gone to unparalleled lengths in its service levels this year and has swept all competition aside. Showing a new level that was previously thought to be impossible they have left everyone in their wake and stand head and shoulders above the competition. It was thought that a late runner a Mr. Cummings, currently owned by one Boris Johnson, would take the title but a late communication from the DVSA on Friday morning giving misleading and confusing information secured the nomination by a country mile.

This communication has stirred up such a level of hilarity and amusement among the awards committee members that two have been hospitalised after rupturing stomach and chest muscles during a massive outbreak of uncontrolled laughing and another had to rush off to M&S for new trousers as the current ones were rather soiled.

��

The issuing of some truly amusing and educational tweets did add to their entry and we cite the release of a new law announced on twitter, of all places, trying to sneak this in without anyone noticing but an eagle eyed ADI Mr K.E.P Left spotted it stating that learners must now take lessons with an ADI first before having practice with a parent. This was truly revolutionary as ADIs have been campaigning for this for eons to no avail and yet the DVSA seems to have slipped it in under the net of the Covid19 crisis. Could you imagine the wild partying and merriment amongst the ADI community if that got out. There would be wild street parties across the nation and we may even see prices rise to match the hourly charge out rate for an examiner.

Great Phallus Award.

Sadly I have to announce the 'Great Phallus' award for incompetence in leadership has had to be abandoned due to the outstanding quality of the contenders nominated this year for their lacking in leadership qualities and total absence from their posts when needed.

However it was felt by the adjudicating body, after much bloodshed in the adjudicator's office, that the DVSA should get a special mention for it's outstanding contribution to ‘not being there when needed'.

It was felt that the DVSA should forthwith be known as the ECHO CHAMBER for the levels of silence heard from there. ADIs at the event last night gave a standing ovation in recognition of this award and the effort put in by the DVSA to earn it. ADIs up and down the country will, I feel sure, join me in saying well done for an outstanding absence from post the like of which has never been seen before. The lack of communication has been truly awesome and the award well deserved. We are proud of what you have achieved on behalf of our profession with so little effort.

Now the serious bit.

Obviously the 'Awards ceremony' above is a completely fictitious and imaginary event dreamed up by the Grumbler for amusement and to make ADIs smile in this really tough time. However it does have a serious point that it is trying to make.

Here in the columns of the Grumbler we have seen several attempts over the last 10 weeks to obtain information from the DVSA and all to no avail. We even had our Membership Secretary put pen to paper, or tap the keys anyway and write to all and sundry at the top table, but nothing back other than an acknowledgement and are you writing as a constituent, must save the votes!! Our President and Chair have written, with similar results, though the President seems to have a more sympathetic MP. Even the ADINJC and the DIA seem to have turned on the DVSA and are now asking harsher questions publicly as to what is going on and they have lately posted adverse comments as NASP about the DVSA's lack of response. Sadly, I'm afraid we have no idea about the MSA as we have seen nothing from them for quite a while and no longer know if they exist, which would be a shame as they were the original and biggest ADI representative body but well,...nuff said.

The point is that the DVSA have had a golden opportunity to do some fantastic customer service and client centered care here but have failed miserably left, right and straight down the center. There are thousands, yes thousands of colleagues out there desperate for information. ADIs are no different to shopkeepers, workshops or small businesses that have premises. The ADIs premises are their vehicles, their homes where they do their planning and preparation, keep their records etc, they have overheads too and these overheads are crippling them. There has been assistance from HMG in grants for which many of us are grateful, and there are loans plus we are referred to UC, but so many do not qualify for any of these and have slipped through the net. There are PDIs who have invested hundreds of pounds in training who we may never see again and with an ageing population of ADIs, as is usual for the job, we need these younger ADIs to keep the drivers coming on to the roads to drive the taxis, busses, ambulances, deliver the food and machinery to either grow or make the food. The doctors, nurses and teachers all need us and heaven forbid, so do the politicians. The pilots to get to the planes, the drivers to their trains and the farmers to sow and harvest their fields to bring food to the marketplace. The list goes on and on.

The ADI is a crucial cog in the lifeblood of this country and we have been forgotten, or even worse ignored. This is a level of treatment that will not go away for a generation, or two. The DVSA have lost any remaining respect it had within the driver education and management industry. They are taking in fees wherever they can, or so it is alleged, and nothing, almost nothing in return other than posts that are causing confusion and tweets that can would be considered to be more like the issuings from the cuckoo. I cite a huge error from DVSA Twitter land, 'Learners must have lessons from a driving instructor before having private practice from mum and dad', this comes from our 'employers' on the DBS application form. If our 'employers' do not know the rules or issue a retraction what are we to follow? This, as we all know is total nonsense and completely untrue, yet has gone out to all and sundry with no retraction that I have seen.

Right across almost all sections of social media that we are on, there are ADIs asking for information and complaining about the lack of response from the DVSA. Associations, both local and national are being inundated with questions as to what is happening and going to happen. Nobody knows. I am sorry DVSA, this was your moment to shine, even if you had come out and said openly. "We are very sorry and we are trying to get answers for you at these trying times but we do not know for the moment". That would have earned you huge, and I do mean huge, kudos within the ADI community but all is lost, so please do not come back to us afterwards and look for any level of support or help from the ADI you left high and dry while you accepted full salaries and didn't answer questions from home.

It is important to understand that this is not aimed at the examiners and clerks at the DVSA, they frequently find out after we do, as has been pointed out in other Grumbler blogs but the senior management and chairs of varying transport committees wherever they may be found.

Thank you again for taking the time to read this and if there is anything wrong please let me know.

If you like what you see here and would like to join the AADI then click here membership is only £25pa.

DVSA Rely

183:778094155 (Don Harris) — Wed, 27 May 2020 21:18:53 GMT

The DVSA replies to an email.

This email, as it says is in response to my email on the 18th May- 9 days ago. It is great that they consider us that high on their list of priorities that they have spared no expense and rushed out a reply.

Dear Mr Harris

Thank you for your email of 18 May about procedures on practical driving tests.

I would like to clarify the position of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

The DVSA has been working with the National Associations Strategic Partnership (NASP) to ensure you are aware of current safety protocols. Information about safety protocols is available at the DVSA FAQ on the NASP website.

What about all those thousands who form a greater majority of ADIs and PDIs who are not members of the NASP, you do have all their email addresses or contact details? These ADIs and PDIs pay for your services, NASP do not.

We understand ADIs need to support their pupils if they are critical workers. It is the responsibility of the ADI and the pupil to consider the risks to their health and to decide if the driving lesson is essential.

DVSA want ADIs to teach the critical workers but wash their hands of all responsibility. So be warned all the ADIs out there that if you become ill, or one of your family becomes ill, it has nothing to do with the DVSA as it was your choice to decide to do these lessons that the DVSA want you to do. That is clearly stated here in writing.

Though most tests have been suspended for three months, critical workers engaged in the response to COVID-19 are still able to take emergency tests. More information on emergency driving tests can be found here .

Why are they 'emergency tests' there is nothing that is an emergency about them, there is less traffic, they do not need lessons ( see separate question) so the pass mark must be lowered otherwise they would almost all fail by normal standards with no practice for 3 months.

Pupils classed as critical workers who have applied to the DVSA for an emergency driving test should have reached the standard of driving needed to take their test, so should not need further lessons.

This one is cracker, any critical workers who have a driving test appointment are already up to standard and do not need driving lessons!!

Please, if they are already up to standard then they have been practicing illegally as we have not been able to give any lessons since mid March. If they have been practicing to achieve test standard, then why-O-why do they need us all of a sudden. I am lost to this logic, can anyone please help me out here?

We are aware the Driving Instructors Association (DIA) is developing a scheme on behalf of the NASP. This is to support and promote the safety of ADIs assisting critical workers. Participation in this scheme is optional and is not affiliated with the DVSA.

There you have it, the DVSA have nothing to do with this voluntary register and have distanced themselves from it. This register has been widely derided in the industry and they had to drop the fees they were charging to do it, even though it was only a nominal amount in all fairness.

We are holding regular conference calls with the DIA to make sure your questions and concerns are shared. You can find more information about this and updates on our website . (I should point out that if you go there, as I did, you will see it is 1 month old, so possibly not current ) We also shared our standard operating procedures to assist both you and your industry by explaining what will happen before, during and after the test.

Yet again, what about all the tens of thousands of ADIs who are not members of the DIA, why are they being pushed towards a private company, what is in it for the DVSA, why can we not receive our own personal email, as that is what the DSA, as it was then called, wanted to do to save money. The new 'E' age of communication where the magazines etc were all dropped and we were to get regular information updates.
The DVSA have all the email addresses and phone numbers so could do this easily and cheaply, as they have staff not booking tests or doing any admin for test results etc, they could be forwarding information to all their customers [US in other words] and exercising the client centered treatment that they love to talk to us about. Every other customer focussed company in the world does exactly this, every ADI who wants a successful business does this. Why do the DVSA not do this, do they not care about those who pay their wages? They would not survive outside as ADIs let alone as a successful company, without the protection of being a monopoly they would not survive.

The Chancellor announced a package to assist self-employed workers. There is also a range of support available on GOV.UK to help those affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

Today is the 27th May and all the information that has been made available is yesterday's news as All ADIs that could receive the 80% of their last 3 years profits would have already received it by last week and would have already received and applied for all the UC help they can get, been declined for the loans they do not qualify for and are amassing record debt levels of £1500 - £2500 pcm and more in some cases and not an idea as to when this is going to end. ADIs are not waiting to see if the latest monthly pay-cheque is going to go into the bank or drop onto the mat.

When the government relaxes its social-distancing measures, we will make sure we help you understand how this will affect our services, your ability to return to work, and what it means for your pupils.

When the HMG relaxes its social distancing measures we will hear it on the news, or be watching it on the TV. If we wait for the DVSA to let us know, going on this email, it will take 9 days and we will be back at work.

You can also sign up to get email alerts from us at www.gov.uk/guidance/dvsa-email-alerts. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

I have and I do get them when they are sent out, if they are not sent out I will not get them. Chicken but without the egg?

Yours sincerely
Authors name removed.

I have attached a survey here on behalf of one of our members and if you would please take a look at it as it will only take 2 minutes or less to complete. Thank you.

AADI and Points to Ponder for ADIs from the latest newsletter

Tue, 26 May 2020 10:36:11 GMT

Points to Ponder for ADIs.

Test -Track-Trace (TTT)

How will this work and how will it effect the average ADI? What a great question, even if I say so myself. Many ADIs I see posting on FB and elsewhere are claiming that they will not sign up for this app that the government want us all to join so eagerly. ADIs are terrified of being checked up on and in some ways, they have good reason. They are almost all self-employed and we hate being checked up on, then add in the DVSA and their new title of ENFORCERS for the old supervisor role and we are away. People are terrified of the ‘big brother’ society idea that they have been fed since old George Orwell put pen to paper all those years ago and most likely very few of them have even read the books.

They are perfectly happy to commit their souls to FB, Instagram, Twitter, WhatsApp et al, and yet mention Google or Microsoft and they run a mile. Our bank cards and credit cards track us, as does our Tesco and all other loyalty cards, our smart phones tell everyone where we are and who we are with and yet sign up to a government app, not a hope as Boris and all his people will know about us. Get real people, they already know. Were you aware that up to a few years back we had more cctv in the UK than old Mr. Yeltsin has?

My worry about this app is different. If I sign up to it and my pupil’s family are all signed up to it. Then all I need is for my pupil’s dad to sit on the train next to an infected commuter or, the tea lady in his office to be infected then in no time at all the TTT people will be sending me a message that I need to self-isolate. Now, multiply this by a factor of 10-15 pupils as I only teach part time, or in the case of you of you guys working full time, say, 18-30 pupils and you see the likelihood of you getting a tinkle from the TTT people goes up exponentially. No sooner than we go out to work on a Monday to pick up little Johnny whose dad was…. And we get a text message on Wednesday and then we have to go into isolation for 7 days and need to cancel all the lessons we booked.

I can see an awful lot of people abandoning this app very quickly and the whole thing possibly going back to square one very soon.

COVID19 UPDATES

Let us be honest about this, we all watch the daily updates from the various Ministers and Professors on the evening bulletins but, are we any the wiser for it. So many are confused and lost after seeing what is said.

We have ADI associations rushing to get out the latest ‘news’ and this changes more frequently than a model changes her shoes.

HOT AIR.

There is so much hot air being vented at the moment that we could have a convention of balloonists and could keep them up there for a couple of weeks at least. See out cover photo to see what can be achieved on this score.

Nobody had even heard of this virus before the latter parts of last year and we can easily see that the HMG spokespeople are doing their best, accepted that in the eyes of some their best it is a load of tosh but that is not for us to debate here on these pages, we are concerned with what we have to do and the answer is quite simple …they don’t know, so we definitely do not know! We can only guess and surmise what we think is happening but, and it is a serious but, we have to wait until the DVSA contact us by email or letter and say that it is ok for us to go out to work and the test centres and booking systems will be open from ‘XX’ date.

The DVSA are the people who grant us a licence to teach and police the system for standards in teaching and behaviour, this is why they have a code of practice and a national standard for teaching . They tell us if we can teach for an income and they tell us how we should teach. If we are human and make an error we have to advise them of any convictions we may have, no matter how minor, and those that are pending at the time of our security check otherwise we can be removed from the register. So, is it reasonable that the 40,000 ADIs & PDIs out there on the register, a number that is sadly falling in the current crisis due to illness (mental stress and physical), IVAs and bankruptcy, would expect that the body that holds the Sword of Damocles over them would provide this simple service. Even if they simply said, sorry guys we do not know the answer yet but will get back to you asap. Where are the DVSA when we need them to help?

The information received is, sadly contradictory and confusing as different spokespeople say different things, the information is often out of date and then some of it is so vague and confusing, open to such wide interpretation it is almost impossible to disseminate sensibly. One association group has recently published a ‘guide’ that is so long winded and frightening it has put many off. I have had the calls and messages on it and understand where these ADIs are coming from in their concerns.

Wales in Lockdown.

A heavier and far more serious fine structure was introduced in Wales on Friday 22/5/2020 in preparation for the bank holiday weekend. Consequently the beaches in Wales, Scotland and N Ireland were empty over the weekend. Amazing the stories you hear of, like the English lady who was stopped in Barmouth by the Police (Heddlu) and told she should not have been there and in a mouthful of abuse informed the officer that she did not know it was not in England. Hands up anyone who taught her to drive?

Wales Police.

Test Candidate standards plummeting.

We have already read in this issue the email from the DVSA where they say that the keyworkers should be test ready and have no need for driving lessons. Are they expecting these people to have woken up on the morning of their test, the driving fairy having visited them in the night and anointed them with all the skills that they need to pass the test?

Where do these people come from, how on earth do they expect a candidate to get ready for the test without any practice, do they really believe in fairy dust? Are ADIs the modern-day fairies that can produce magic from nothing.

Not a chance, getting ready for the test requires hard work, focus and lots of support from the ADI and the pupil. This takes time which is not being allowed for. Rethink badly needed.

I'm Doing a Dominic!

The Prime Minister has today stood up for his chief advisor despite all the calls for his head, what a boss. Sadly, this opens for me a whole new issue. If stopped now by the police and you say, “I’m doing a Dominic.” Will you get off, and all those who have received fines and tickets be able to appeal their penalty on the grounds of “Doing a Dominic?” A serious issue for our police forces across the land! Solicitors at the ready. "Well M'lud, my client pleads not guilty as he was doing a Dominic!" You couldn't make it up, or could you?

Are you still Giving lessons?

Are you out there teaching keyworkers, then be warned that there are others out there willing to ‘dob you in’ as soon as they can? We wonder, are they members of the public, or are they other ADIs who do not like the idea of another ADI teaching while they are not.

Forget the good and supporting heart of others, there are so many bitter and nasty people about and this crisis feeds their paranoia.

If you have keyworkers make sure that they carry identifying information and a copy of their test date. Also a letter from their employer supporting their application.

Keep safe and watch your backs.

How would you feel if you were reported to the DVSA for being out there on driving lessons, possibly by one of you peers?

The following email/letter was received by the DVSA.

"There is a driving instructor in the xx***x*x area teaching non keyworkers. He is teaching college students on a daily basis despite there being a lockdown the “Grumbler” who also uses the school name Grumbler Driving School” ....Now, how do they know that the pupils are not keyworkers totally beats me, without knocking on the door window and asking to see their documents it is nonsense. Nobody approached the car to check this out by asking either the ADI or the pupil. Then cowards never are up front, are they?

And this is how the DVSA handle it, not with a quick phone call to check it out, nope they email....

Dear Mr Grumbler, we have recently received the attached complaint (above) about you still providing driving lessons during the Covid-19 outbreak. We expect all instructors to follow the latest Government advice on COVID-19 and practice social distancing. It is the responsibility of you and your pupil to consider the risks to health and to decide if the driving lesson is essential. We have cancelled all driving tests, apart from those required by key workers, in order to comply with the government rules on social distancing. Guidance about COVID-19, driving and theory tests can be found online at Gov.uk.

However, pupils who are classed as ‘key workers’ and have applied for an emergency driving test should have reached the standard of driving needed to take their test, so should not need further lessons. The Chancellor recently announced a package to assist self-employed workers. Information can be found on the Department for Work and Pensions website at: www.understandinguniversalcredit/gov.uk/coronavirus . We appreciate your co-operation in this matter. Yours sincerely N.K.

NB. The Grumblers name was used above to protect the members identity.

AADI opinion on the email

Why didn’t the agency just pick up the phone, give the ADI a ring and ask the question rather than send an email lecturing on what they should be doing.

The ADI concerned happily admits to being out there teaching and getting 3 keyworkers ready for the test. This ADI, just like all the others out there teaching keyworkers is going out there at risk to their own health and their own family’s health to help in this current crisis and this is the thanks they get. I certainly hope it does not go down on their record at the DVSA and an apology is issued asap.

Tier1 or Not to Tier1, that is the question?

What is Tier1 even, and how does it help me, ADIs ask, does it matter?

We hear a lot made of the status of Tier 1 bandied about by some associations and how ADIs should only read and believe that which is put out by Tier 1 groups.

Well once upon a time there were several associations out there and it was decided that it would be better and a whole lot easier for the DSA to ‘negotiate’ with the groups that spoke to them on the concerns of the ADI industry. The MSA. DISC, DIDU (now the AADI), UNITE, ADINJC and the DIA got together and sat down with the DSA and were under the NASG label. The National Associations Steering Group.

The DSA rebranded as the DVSA after merging with the vehicle standards agency, VOSA.

All went well for a short while, and as happens in many relationships there were disagreements and then some cracks began to appear. There were several issues and the trust was beginning to weaken amongst some of the members. DIDU (AADI) and UNITE were unhappy with some of the things that were happening and stated their displeasure. This was largely that the meetings were held under Chatham House Rules . DISC, also had serious reservations. Now Chatham House is fine if major industry discussing takeovers and nations are having high level talks, but these were talking about learning to drive and driving tests plus associated matters, what would you need to be kept quiet? Associations are there to represent their members and are voted into office, well in the case of DISC, UNITE and AADI they certainly are. So, these 3 had big problems with not fully reporting back to their members.

Cutting a long story short the MSA, ADINJC and the DIA left and formed NASP or National Associations Strategic Partnership. The DVSA really liked these guys and liked them a lot.

TIER1 according to the DVSA means sitting at the table, discussing and agreeing a course of action mutual to the smooth and efficient running of the DVSA machine then putting out a statement. All as agreed by the DVSA of course, behind closed doors via Chatham House, so we have no idea if the ‘associations’ stood up for their members or simply acquiesced. This is not what AADI, DISC or UNITE wanted from these discussions, they wanted openness and honesty.

To me, associations run for the benefit of their members and support their members, simple really to my little brain. Tier1 seems to be like a little puppy out on a long extending lead, you know the ones where the dog can be pulled back into control when they step out of line and try to be independent. They have to be held back and kept in line, to obey the master and do “what is best for them” do not worry as the master knows best and they will obey if they want a pat on the head or a treat. Maybe, Tier1 should be called Treat1.

I for one, do not want to be a nodding dog with no independent free will, do you?

As always, if I am wrong would someone please correct me, I love being corrected by a dominant master.

Thanks for reading the Grumbler.

www.theaadi.co.uk

Where have the DVSA gone?

Tue, 19 May 2020 10:34:04 GMT

Should we call in Inspector Clouseau to help us in our search, maybe his ineptitude is what is required in these exceptional circumstances?

Where is the DVSA?

"Where is the DVSA", I hear people asking all over the place, what happened to them, why am I paying these fees and getting nothing in return? It is not just ADIs like me either, there are trainers for everything that has wheels and an engine that needs a licence to operate it safely. Busses, Lorries, motorbikes, tractors, trailer drawers, Taxis, the list goes on and on and on....
There is a huge industry out there that are waiting for someone at the top of the DVSA tree to stand up and be counted.

Over the years since its creation there have been a series of CEOs in office that have come in to fiddle and tinker with a system that worked really quite well without any of them being born at all and yet each one has made their mark like a scratch on the surface to deep gouges with a scraper being mishandled on new plaster, or a beautician using a garden fork to apply foundation cream. Their current incumbent seems to be like the invisible man, anyone know where he is, or what he is doing for those who pay his salary and come to that any of the senior members of his royal court?

Let's just look at some of the figures for the car driving test, shall we.

1,900,000 driving tests @ £62 each..............................£117,800,000

2,100,000 theory tests @ £23 each..............................£48,300,000 Fully understand that bulk goes to contractor.

ADI licence renewal £300 x10,000 (40,000x 25%) . ....£3,000,000

PDI licence applications..................................................£????

HGV Tests 656,000

Taxi

Coach

Motorbike

MoT 37,800,000 taken each year and the licence fees from these.

Stop press I have just received a message from our roving reporter on the other laptop in the south.... the annual receipts for the DVSA are................ £387,585,000 ....this figure is truly staggering. I fully understand that there are expenses and running costs to be taken into account here but, and this is a massive BUT, the DVSA received nearly a whopping great 400-MILLION POUNDS in 2017-2018

This is from people who are paying the wages of the execs at the DVSA who have vanished into thin air. Not a single company and lets face it, that is exactly what the DVSA are, they are a company set up by HMG to run the licencing system for vehicles in the UK, would treat their customers like this and expect to survive. Unless you are a monopoly, and then you can ignore all, and do what you like just as long as you keep the flies away.

We have seen Mr Walsh who is the big cheese at British Airways, we have seen Captains of industry for companies across the UK, Europe, America, we see daily heads of Government departments, teaching unions, railway leaders, nursing and nhs folk of all levels but where is the invisible man and his invisible team.
They shove middle and lower echelons of management out to cover key-worker tests that have the training to do them as well as the enforcement officers because all members of the examining staff with an underlying health condition are not allowed (as I understand it) out to meet the public for fear of catching COVID19.

I am putting the case for the ADIs out here and the poor PDIs who have been forgotten about completely in this instance. Driving Instructors are not stupid, we know that the wind changes, we know the tide goes out as well as coming in and that the seasons change, the temperature rises and falls. We are not expecting or looking for having a big cuddle but we would like to know, along with all the DVSA's forgotten customers, WHERE DO WE STAND AND WHAT ARE WE ALLOWED TO DO!!

The questions are painfully simple to answer:

1). Are we allowed to teach at the present?

2). What are the laws at present, will we be prosecuted for giving driving lessons?

3). If we are prosecuted for giving driving lessons will we;

a). Be reported to the registrar and

b). be under threat of removal from the register.

4). Are the current bookings for June and July for non key-worker tests going to stand or will they be cancelled again?

5). When does the DVSA foresee that the test centres will be open again. We fully accept that this is in a sense a bit of wishful thinking and is a movable date if things go belly up, the 'R' figure rises above one and the exponential expansion of the spread of COVID19 begins again but at least we would be singing off the same song sheet and we would know that the DVSA understood the plight of the driving instructor and all those that are in the driver training industry in one form or another.

We have the threat of the new app that the HMG will want us to download onto our phones and yet the DVSA have said nothing to us on this. ADIs will be downloading the 'Track and Trace' app yet do they realise that they could be back at work for just a week or two, possibly even less and the phone will ring telling us that we need to go into isolation as we have been in contact with someone who has COVID19. What is our situation then. Will we be monitored by a government agency and be reported to the DVSA for working whilst being told to isolate and be under threat of removal from the register?

There is a lot being said about the concerns for mental health, do the DVSA not see what this is doing to instructors and their families. There are people without an income out here, their cars and homes are at risk. These are proud people who have good standing and reputations in their local communities and they are on the verge of being destitute, some may have already crossed that line while Mr. Llewellyn receives his large salary and has another cucumber sandwich dodging the queues at the food bank which are growing exponentially according to some that I know and work in them. Men and women who have studied hard to qualify, worked long hours to build up their own business only to see it all withering away in front of their eyes and there is nothing they can do about it or plan ahead because their big boss appears to have disappeared and abandoned them. This is heartbreaking and soul destroying with all the hallmarks of breakdowns and severe depression for individuals and families.

Have the DVSA no idea what this is doing to people out there on the sharp end of our business. These people need information so they can plan, so they can see a light, so they know that there is someone out there shouting their corner and what do we get from Nottingham? ZZZZZzzzzzZZZzzZZZzzzz

So many questions and so little in the way of answers, when was any body, professional or otherwise ever treated with so little respect? Why - why do we not get any answers to our questions, what have we done to be ignored? Who did a poop on his doorstep, own up?

One of my main concerns is that this is creating such a 'them and us' situation that the examiners, who are the DVSA's front line staff, will bear the brunt of it and this is so unfair. Examiners are in the main a great bunch of people and we are all working together to the same end. They are our colleagues and we respect their position as their treatment is just as bad as ours, if not worse, as was pointed out in our recent blog.

We were delighted to see the ADINJC switching away from their original stance on the COVID19 crisis and joining us in advising members to stay indoors and condemning the issues arising out of the recent crisis. It was great to see them taking up also our challenge on the use of screens in instructors cars and the dangers this causes, thank you as all support helps and a unified approach to the issues is more productive. They even appear to have turned their back on the silly voluntary register, well done to them, it takes courage to change your mind. Finally we also welcome their letter yesterday aligning their views with our recent request for information from Mr Llewellyn at the dvsa.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope you and all yours are well and keeping safe during this crisis. We will make it together.

Stay Home - Stay Safe - Save Lives.

Mid May News from the AADI

Sun, 17 May 2020 20:27:40 GMT

Mid May News from The AADI

ADIs are an important resource and part of the community that are hugely being undervalued by the DVsA, HMG and all within the upper echelons in the civil service.

ADIs provide the massive bulk of the vehicles for the driving test. Did you know, of the million and a half driving tests conducted in the UK every year, somewhere in the region of 98% of them use an ADI's car.

Now, that ADI can be totally independent or work for one of the franchises out there but without ADIs the system just simply does not work. We have heard of franchisers and even lease companies bending over backwards to help out at the moment to try and reduce the burden and we commend them for this. They realise that if they lose the ADI, then they in turn will lose a large chunk of their income. The DVsA on the other hand are as silent as the grave. Shouldn't they, on our behalf, be putting pressure on HMG pointing out the issues that the ADIs across the country are facing and at least give us some idea of where we sit on the new 'steps' system that they have introduced?

The DVsA love to send out their emails to update us, let's hope they use a little initiative and tell us where we are on the new slope system of steps that we are all descending so that we can have some idea of what to plan for. We all understand that the best laid plans can go wrong, we accept that we could be in lockdown again, but please treat us like adults, not children, and give us facts.

ADIs are here for the long term, CEOs come and go at the DVSA, I've lost count how many I've seen, so let's see this if one be different and treat us with a little respect for a change.

Llandrindod Wells Needs our help!

Just imagine the shock of your pupil having a new test sent back and it is miles away from where you had planned on going. This is what has happened to our colleagues using the Llanndrindod Wells Dtc. Their test centre is closing and they have been moved over to Brecon or Newtown.

Now I will admit that this is a lovely part of the country and can be a beautiful drive, if touring on a holiday and you have all the time in the world. If you are on a strict schedule to get to a test centre at a specific time it can be a nightmare, plus the additional mileage and effect on the environment are both considerable. Add in the perils of a winter test with hill fog, snow and ice and there will be a lot of tests that our colleagues will struggle to get too at all, never mind get there safely on time.

Please help by signing their petition and lend them our support as it could do easily come to a Dtc near you in the not to distant future. Thank you.

AADI Mid May Newsletter & Updates

The Grumblers view.

What did Boris actually say, well it is really quite easy to find out, as to whether you understand what he said well, that is up to you. All you need to do is follow the link where you can see and read the transcript of his speech on 10th May here. I do wish you all the very best though and suggest a lie down in a dark room afterwards with a cold compress and a large glass of something. The clarity is awesome in its vagueness..

In this rapidly changing environment and situation it is amazing how the advice changes from day to day and often in a very conflicting manner.

The AADI have been criticised for holding hard onto the belief that ADIs, as a group, will be among the last to return to normal working practices due to the close proximity of our working environment. We have tried to contact our licencing authority the DVsA for guidance and they have been as much use as a chocolate teapot, just referring ADIs back to the Gov.uk guidelines. Each day I am more and more convinced that nobody at the DVsA has read them as they are totally impractical for ADIs to follow.

ADIs are required to clean the inside of the car before and after each pupil. I don't know about you, but most of the ADIs I know usually do this anyway due to sweat deposits and unhygienic bathroom practices of some members of the public. This is an everyday practice for us, yet they do not seem to know this!

Let us look at the day of the test, it is interesting.

We pick up the pupils and clean the interior of the car as we have been driving it and may be carrying an infection. The pupil arrives and HMG guidelines say that we, and the pupil should be wearing masks and gloves, I suppose we are to provide these at our expense being self employed.

Lesson gets going with windows open to circulate the air unless it rains, they have not thought of that bit yet so I suppose we leave the windows open and give the pupil waterproof clothing as an umbrella is not realistic. Car fills slowly with water.

We get to the test centre and the pupil removes the mask and gloves and we remove ours so we can clean the car for the examiner to sit in the passenger seat. Pupil waits around for another 15-20 minutes while we get the car clean.

Pupil meets examiner and goes through the new sign in process then go to the car while we try to dispose of the paper and pen the examiner has provided for the signature example. Pupil comes back looking for a clean pair of gloves and mask for the test. We have double bagged the old ones so need another bag after the test to bag the new ones. We wait outside the test centre as it was not cleaned after the last occupants so therefore needs to be closed for the safety of DVsA employees.

After the test the examiner exits the vehicle and pupil waits around with a diminishing sense of success in the rain as we spend another 15-20 minutes cleaning the car after it contained the examiner in the passenger seat and the pupil will now be taking the passenger seat for the return journey so both seats have to be cleaned.

Take the pupil home, collect their gloves and mask, bag them up with the ones we have worn on the drive back. Clean the car and close the windows for the drive home after emptying the water from the heavy rain. Two days later we hear the examiner is now down with pneumonia and further tests are cancelled. .

No joke peeps, this is the procedure that we would be required to follow to comply with the HMG rules which the DVsA refer us to. If the pupil has been sweating on their test, if (..!*!*!) we all know the sweaty seat syndrome, don't we....:-), it goes without saying. We need to steam clean the seats and if this cannot be done effectively we must dispose of them.....HMG guidelines for upholstered seats.

Are you sitting comfortably?

Update on MemSec.

Our Membership Secretary has been really busy of late, the nosey devil that he is and asking questions all over the place again on our behalf.

He did try writing to The Secretary of State for our industry Mr Shapps , His MP, a Mr. Merryman , and the CEO of the DVSA a G. Llewellyn. Unfortunately not one them considered him important enough a person to reply to and up to now have completely ignored him, or so it would appear.

His local paper the Observer took up the cause and wrote a very nice piece on the questions asked, sadly his MP Mr Merryman is still missing as are the other two guys. He suspects that they are all away over the border hiding in Wee Nikki of the North country.

He was very upset intially, initialy, inisshally.....in the beginning but he has had his milk allowance increased for his efforts and we have given him a bigger rattle so look out folks, he will be back and looking for his answers very soon.

Did you know that ADIs get updates from the DVsA before their employees?

It is often why, when you ask an examiner for info on an email you have received they look puzzled and confused. How would you like to be treated like that by your employer?

Can the ADI return to work Yet?

The is a very long winded and complicated answer to this.....NO.

That's it, NO we cannot go back to teaching yet..

We have to maintain the 2.0m separation and this is said over and over again on every daily news bulletin.

They have been using 5 Stages to assess this and we had left Stage 5, were in 4 and trying to get to S3 and they have now changed to STEPS.

Keep up please.

We are in Step 3 and are getting a little more freedom to go out. We can drive as far as we like in the day but, must be back like Cinderella before dark. We can all leave the house together for exercise and can meet 1 other person as long as we keep 3 long steps away from them, that way we can not smell if they have showered lately. If you can smell them - you are too close and must move away.

Do not dare go over the borders of Scotland or Wales - they do not want us up there, or over there! Be warned.

Step2.

June 1st we send the children out to see if it is safe for the adults to go out again. They can return to school in stages relative to their ages. The teachers are up in arms at this as the kiddies, as we all know, are some of the greatest carriers and spreaders of any virus known to mankind. Do not worry as HMG do not seem to be worried, well not yet anyway.

Step 3

July4th.

This, all going well, is the earliest possible optimistic date that ADIs can even think of being a start date.

The Grumbler has to admit having serious doubts on this one (See Grumblers View above) and feels September is a more likely date as this is when driving tests are now being re-booked for. Please make sure you check the new appointment as an ADI has a 2 hour drive for the re-booked test for one of his pupils because the previous centre has now closed. Not a happy chappy I can tell you.

Should we be teaching again soon?

No, not according to the NHS who have to cope with the aftermath of it all when the stuff hits the fan. See this video

Yet the DVsA want us to teach 'keyworkers' as they call them. Will the DVsA management be sitting next to a front line worker today and going back to their family tonight. I doubt it.

Thank You. ADINJC.

I must say a big thank you to the ADINJC who seem to be distancing themselves away from the silly voluntary register and agreeing with the AADI at last, advising their members to stay at home and this week agreeing with us that the idea of screens is a big NO!NO!

Daily Telegraph article 14th May and the AADI Response.

Good Morning,

Ref : https://www.telegraph.co.uk/.../can-learn-drive.../...

In your article you speak about driving instructors being in the FIRST wave of those who can return to work... That is totally incorrect. Driving Instructors are unable to maintain social distancing and therefor are unable to work at present. It is estimated we will be in the LAST wave or those who are able to return to work.

You also mention the fact that driving instructors can put a screen between themselves and their pupils. That is also totally incorrect. Driving Instructors MUST be able to have full control of the vehicle at all times and if that is not possible, insurance brokers ..... have advised my national association that the Insurance company they use will NOT provide cover.

Placing a screen between instructor and pupil is a VERY DANGEROUS thing to do. Just because Taxi Drivers can do that successfully, does not mean that driving Instructors are able to.

We are not sure where you are getting your information from, however, if you wish to inquire about what is going on in the Driver Training Profession them might I suggest you contact either myself (President AADI) or my colleague, Robert Harper, (Chair).

If you could correct the information that would be greatly appreciated as it is giving the wrong message not only to prospective pupils, but also parents and other interested parties.

Sincerely,

Barry Kenward.

MA. (Driver Education)

Approved DVSA Driving Instructor (ADI) Cars.

Insurance Brokers and their response to emails on the insurance and the use of PPE and plastic screens in the car to separate the pupil from the ADI.

Our membership secretary did this week, drop a line to 7 of the most commonly known Brokers to the ADI industry and they are as follows.

Adrian Flux. Barry Grainger. C&A Mackie. Lloyd Latchford. Master Cover. PolicyWave. Waveney.

The questions are widely available on many of the ADI forums on the internet and a huge interest was expressed by fellow member of the profession as the answers would affect each individuals liability in the event of an incident. So, no need to embarrass them even more by publishing them here.

The responses flooded in. Nope, I'm kidding they did nothing of the sort. The apparent lack of concern for the customers who run into tens of thousands of ADIs and millions of pounds of business up and down the UK, who do deal and rely on was astonishing.

C&A Mackie were the first back and said clearly none of their insurers would cover the fitting of internal screens to ADI cars for the present.

Barry Grainger came back with a similar but unclear answer.

As far as PPE is concerned, nobody seemed to know the answer other than it must not interrupt us getting to the controls and doing whatever it is necessary for us to do to avoid an accident and keep the public safe.

Thank you for taking the time to read this as it is a rather long one. I hope it has helped in some way and that I have shed a light or two on a couple of points. May I suggest that if your insurance company is one those who has not replied that you give them a ring and see how you stand, after all ADIs spend millions of pounds each year and not to answer the above issues is a little short of contempt for their customers.

Until next time, keep safe, take care of your loved ones and keep out of mischief.

May 4th to you.

Mon, 04 May 2020 23:07:57 GMT

May Early News from AADI.

This is the copy of a letter sent by our Membership Secretary to the Secretary of State, the DVSA and his MP asking what ADIs need to do to be safe to take pupils out in the current climate. Our members and others have been asking questions and all we/they get are platitudes. I can understand the dangers of litigation and giving false hopes out, I really can. The DVSA has access to all the experts at the DoT, HMG et al that we do not have and it would have been nice top get good, honest guidance. Even a simple, 'We honestly don't know but we shall get back to you asap' and provide regular updates.

Rt Hon Grant Shapps. MP.

Dear Mr. Shapps,

I am writing to you as a very concerned Driving Instructor seeking some guidance on how we should protect ourselves as Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs) within the current situation.

As a profession, we have no means of income since the shutdown and greatly appreciate what you are trying to do for us as self-employed people. Sadly we have a huge problem with the social distancing requirements.

HMG and all the Govt, spokespersons including your good self, on daily briefings and elsewhere, insist that the 2.0metre spacing is required for the safety of the nation and to protect the NHS.

If this 2.0m distancing is to remain then any ADIs who are teaching will be doing so against your guidelines and in breach of the law, as I understand it. Should the separation be reduced to just 1.0m (as is rife with speculation at the present) we shall still be in breach of the law and open to both prosecution and persecution from the public and our peers. Should this happen and we are prosecuted then the DVSA would possibly remove the offending ADI from the register and they would then lose their source of income completely. ADIs would need the social distancing to be removed to enable us to work properly which would put us at greater risk of catching COVID19 and even worse spreading it widely as carriers. Please can you advise on this as we are unable to get a definitive answer on it from the DVSA?

If we are given the Ok. to return to work and the social distancing, therefore does not apply to us, can you also please advise on what we shall need to wear in terms of PPE and to what extent do we need to clean and sanitise our cars between lessons or before driving tests for your examiners who are HMG employees as a part of the DoT to be safe. Again we are receiving no definitive guidance from the DVSA who should be our lifeline on these issues but merely tell us to check out the HMG guidelines which give no reference to our industry of 40,000 ADIs plus trainees.

Do we need to wear:

a) Full face masks with eye protection, or will a general face mask for nasal and mouth coverage suffice.

b) Will our pupils need to wear facemasks of some sort.

c) Gloves - will we, and/or, our pupils be required to wear some form of gloves and how should they be disposed of? This disposal question will of course cover the facemask question above.

d) To what extent should we go to clean/sanitise our cars before and after each pupil sits in the car. When our pupils become nervous they can perspire very heavily and it is not unusual for the seat back and base to be damp after a lesson and more frequently after a test, particularly in the summer months of May-early September. Would these bodily fluids be considered a risk factor and do we need to take this into account. Could your experts advise on this item please as nobody seems to know the answer at the DVSA.

e) Also what level of cleanliness/sanitation would you require the car to be brought up to for your examiners to sit in our cars. (We do not wish to cause a concern between you and your employees and their unions.) We generally have a good rapport with the examiners and consider them as our friends/colleagues so we need to consider them too.

f) The DVSA fought to get ADIs to sit in the back of the car for the driving test to observe what happens. Will the law be changed to prevent ADIs sitting in the back of the car on a driving test should they wish to observe their pupil on the test, or the pupil wishes us to be in the car due to a nervous disposition.

g) Will your examiners have to adhere to the same levels of protection and sanitation as we will be expected to achieve.

h) Will the driving test centres be adequately cleaned to other HMG site standards to ensure the safety of the public who attend them allowing for separation and cleanliness.

NB: If I go the HMG guidelines it advises that upholstered seats should be at the least steam cleaned and if not, then disposed of. We cannot do this, it would make the cost of lessons astronomical.

Thank you for taking the time to read this as I know you are under an awful lot of pressure at the moment, I greatly appreciate it and I look forward to hearing back from you in the near future.

Kind Regards

Don Harris.ADI

Think Safety-Drive Safely.

cc: Gareth Llewellyn. CEO DVSA.

Mr. Huw Merriman.MP Bexhill and Battle. Chair of Transport Committee

DVSA News Release

DVSA

Temporary changes to car and vocational driving tests

Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency sent this bulletin at 30-04-2020 04:44 PM BST

Temporary changes to the car and vocational driving test

From tomorrow (1 May 2020) DVSA is making a temporary change to car and vocational emergency driving tests, to help reduce the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

What will change

Our examiners will end emergency tests early if a candidates commits:

a serious or dangerous fault

a total of 16 driver faults

This is to help reduce the amount of time the candidate and examiner spend in the vehicle, when the candidate has failed their test.

In these circumstances, the examiner will instruct the candidate to drive back to the test centre instead of continuing for the full time, before they tell the candidate they have failed.

Motorcycle module 2 tests will not be affected by this change.

Updated standard operating procedure

We've updated our emergency driving test standard operating procedure to include these changes.

Download coronavirus (COVID-19): conducting driving tests for key workers standard operating procedure

...........................

This in the notice received by all in the driver training industry on Friday last week and caused quite a bit of a stir I can tell you.

AADI Questions the news release

Over the years many ADIs have asked at presentations and in free conversation with our colleagues and friends from the 'dark side', the examers, if the candid has failed why do you not finish the test and bring them back early. Pupils also ask, if I fail in the first 10 minutes will I be brought back early.

We have to give the same answer that we have been given for decades and that is you have paid for the test and unless you are a danger to the public the test will continue to the end. That's the rules and that is how it is.

Now the DVSA want to introduce emergency tests as they are called in the column on the left and are now quite happy to change all the rules and get our pupils to drive the car back to the test centre!

Now, the Grumbler has 2 issues with this idea.

1. If the examiner is being asked, voluntarily of course, to conduct the test and the DVSA feel it is perfectly safe to put their employees in this position then why oh why do they need to rush back to the Dtc asap - so the examiner and candidate do not need to spend any unnecessary time together.

How the risk increases exponentially on the 16th driver error or first serious fault beats me, then what do I know.

I fully understand why the DVSA want the examiner to keep the result quiet as the the candidate could easily and immediately become unsafe to drive due to stress and the disappointment of the news, particularly if they feel badly done by. Afterall candidates have driven off with examiners in the car in temper on more than one occasion in the past. Or assaulted their examiner in the car.

cont:

So, the fact that ADIs would like to see their cars returning early if the candidate had clocked up a fail, or the candidate would like to return to centre if they felt that they had already blown it out of the water rather than go through the humiliation of having to carry on and pretend all was well with the world, nope we all have to go with the rules.

Even the poor examiner, who is sitting there watching this hapless soul breaking their heart behind the wheel trying to hold it all together (male and female) and wants the floor to open up beneath them, has to keep a smile on their face and say, carry on with what your instructor has told you and we will see at the end.

2. Normally, should the candidate do something that is so serious it is unsafe to carry on the examiner has to terminate the test, make sure the candidate and the car are in a safe position and walk back to the dtc. These days they are supposed to ask the candidate if they would like to walk back with them. Great company for a half hour stroll on a wet afternoon.

Now, from this week, because it is convenient for the DVSA, the examiner will cut the test short and guide the candidate back early. What has changed, oh yes I remember we have COVID19 with us, that's the difference.

If it is that dangerous, why is your employee the examiner in the car in the first place, because it is only a little dangerous until the candidate scores enough to go home early. Is this going to leave the system open to abuse with cars going around the block and back again so the examiner does not have to walk.

What happened to the fair test for all?

Nice fair system we now have!

Jobs to do.

Mon, 27 Apr 2020 12:17:19 GMT

ALL THIS IS FREE TO DO & WILL NOT COST YOU A PENNY.

Ok, we have had enough time to start getting bored and today is the last day of good weather for this week, so let's see what we can be doing for the rest of the week. I want to look at a couple of things today to get us away from the negativity that has begun setting in. THIS WILL COST YOU NOT A PENNY TO DO, IT IS ALL FREE.

The car, you have cleaned and polished to within an inch of its life and it now shines so much it can be seen reflecting the sunlight from the International SPace Station as it passes over, I've heard a rumour that they are going to run a "spot the dirty ADI's car" to pass the time up there. Do those guys get bored, not on your life, they keep busy, that's what they do, they keep busy? Their whole day is 'designed' around different activities to prevent the boredom eating their souls away. As spectacular as the view is from the living room window up there it does repeat itself on an amazingly regular scale and without the variety of different neighbours wandering past the window walking the dog the view of home from space, well it can make you horribly home sick.

Firstly, we need to get a routine going as if we are back at work after a long lay off somewhere on your favourite Pacific Island and now you are all recharged and raring to go. So, let's start and make some lists to get us going.

Set your alarm, just as if you were going to work, and get out of the bed. Shower and shave, maybe not the ladies for the latter idea, and get dressed - slouching around is not the mind set we are looking for today. We are going to work.

1. Set your work space up, just as if you were in the car and if you do a lot of work in the car, then get out there and into the car, your other half may like the bit of a break from you. You are not going anywhere, just to your office, take a bottle of cold water, not fizzy drink as we want the brain sharp and keen. No need to start the engine, that is for another job to do. If you have a desk in the house, then that is where you go to. For either, check all is neat and tidy and ready to work as you do not want to have to look for pens, pencils rubbers etc, or the charger if you are digitally inclined. Windows open a little to get some air circulating but not too much as you do not want a passing neighbour to stop for a chat, this is not the day for that.

2. Our pupils, after our families, are our most precious resource and we have spent hours coaxing them to the best of their ability to turn them into the best driver they can be. So, let's start to utilise these wonderful people who have a massive amount of respect and love for you, after all that you did to get them that wonderful qualification that changed their life forever. These people are so appreciative, well around 80% are, that they will gladly step in and help you out. All they need to do is write a short review for you or give you a thumbs up.

Two days back I asked members of our association on the FB page to make up lists of their pupils. Remember under GDPR rules you must not, under any circumstances share this information with anyone without their specific permission, so treat this with the respect it deserves, like liquid gold.

These lists are you own very private lists, just like your personal address book.

3. Pupils. Names and addresses, are they up to date and if not get them up to date. Only use the pupils you are on good terms with and parted company on test day on good terms and if you have ever parted company for any reason other than on the very best of terms then do not use that one.

Pupils Birthdays. You should have it as it is on the licence the day you checked it.

Pupils Test pass dates. This should be in your diary and the HMRC require you to keep records going back 6 years, so you should have lots of them.

4. We all love to be wished happy birthday, unless you are touchy about your age and if you are, then you can leave at this point, and to get a card or message out of the blue from someone you have not had contact with for a while gives us a warm glow. If not, you can leave here as well as it is wasted on you. Send a text or send a nice email to the pupil and wish them a Happy Birthday.

4a. If you have a laptop design a simple birthday card for your pupils, it is free to do in Word and the skills required are minimal as they have different templates you can select to work from, or just use what they have, also you will get a lot of fun doing it too. Email the card to your pupil, what a nice guy you are to think of them and keep them in mind. I get messages from pupils from 20-30 years back and I must be honest I love the contact so why should they not like to be thought of, we are all the same inside.

4c. Driving Test anniversary. Same as above, send an anniversary reminder of when the pupil passed the test and wish them well. Ask how their driving is going and are they keeping well. Did they qualify/pass the exams they were doing and how are they doing now and what are they up to. Be careful with these questions and do not ever ask all in one go. A general enquiry to start with and work on any response you may get expanding gradually as you would do in a conversation over a coffee or bumping into someone in the park or around town otherwise it can have the feeling of being stalked.

These are wonderful people who spent at least a day or two, sometimes more if taking over 48 hours of lessons in your car in a confined and stressful situation and they are very special.

5. Website. If you do not have a website and are afraid of the cost of one, then get one for FREE. Many years ago I found FREEINDEX and they have been brilliant for me. I have one of their free pages and I use it for my pupils to post their reviews on. Take a look at my page there for a an idea of it can do for you. It is important to note if setting up pages that you use a generic term for example I have used Hastings Driving Lessons because that is where I work, I also have Bexhill because that is where I live. I did think of using my name or my school name but what you need is what people look for and they will look for...'town' driving school or 'area' driving lessons. e.g, Brighton driving lessons Coventry driving lessons, or Leeds driving school, Sheffield driving school. If they are looking for you then your name will come up in the references anyway.

Once you have the Freeindex account (does not cost you a penny and you don't give any financial details) you will have a link that you can send to your pupils to submit a customer review for you. Once they have done it Freeindex email them to confirm it is genuine and Bob's your uncle, or Bobbie's your auntie. You can post a reply to say thank you for the review and it shows up as independent and honest. If you try to get the rellies (relatives ;)) to do it from the same server, it will warn of this too as 2 of mine working for the NHS many years ago did them from work at the same hospital and it showed up despite them never having met up. Not an issue if happens rarely but will be if in the same household.

Now if people are looking for Hastings Driving Lessons in search engines, I come near the top with my Freeindex listing and all my reviews are there for people to see. Try looking for 'hastings driving lessons' and you will see for yourself, I may be further down the list due to your location but I will be nearer the top for locals as Google et al use the users location to narrow the search area with their algorithms.

If Freeindex is not for you then try one of the others, such as Weebly, Wix, Ueni, there are plenty out there and this is a great time to have a go if you have not done it before. If you think it is beyond you, or are too old then think again, these are designed by clever people who want your business and if your site is successful they can tag advertising onto it. Go for it, it is free, and you have nothing to lose apart from time and there is an abundance of that out there at the moment.

6. Facebook. I love it as a super marketing tool. I know there is a lot of controversy over social media but my simple attitude is that when I picked up my daughter from school I chose who I wanted to talk to in the playground, the same until March 20th with my grandsons and the school run. You chose who you want to talk to, keep away from the bottom of the pit and you will be fine. FB is great as you can easily set up your privacy levels yourself and block who you do not want to have anything to do with. Remember though that you are on a public platform and what you post is there for all to see. Avoid putting up political preferences as this will alienate some and adverse comments against others, this is your marketing tool so use it as such.

6a. FB is very easy to do and has easy steps that you can follow. Once you have your personal account you can set up different pages for your business. This is slightly more difficult but there are plenty of easy steps for you to follow.

Very important, don't use Billy's SoM, Annies Driving school etc as this will only go back to the pupils who know you and you want a wider attraction/draw. As above I have pages for Hastings driving lessons and Bexhill Driving School, I have an additional page for my school name so that those who are specifically looking for it can find me. Clever but very simple and very, very free.

All this and not a penny spent yet, are you keeping up here, we are getting to thousands of people, yes, thousands of people near to where you live and the area that you work in and not a penny spent on advertising, not a card in a shop window, not a poster bought or made, not a leaflet printed.....and all free.

7. Linked In. I have to admit that I am not a huge fan but you can get a listing and put your website on there, and all the links I have on here, above and below. It all helps to improve your rankings.

8. Then there is Twitter, Instagram, Pinter and all the others. I have only used Twitter so cannot comment on the rest and I use Twitter more as a reposting location for all the other stuff I put out there. You can link your website to your pages quite easily and there are usually links within the website building packages to do this. Linking the pages up is quite important as this will build your presence on the web with the search engines and they will see your presence on the net more easily, pick you up more easily and show you in searches more readily and more often. This is what 'experts' will try to sell you all the time. Ok, you will not get to the top overnight doing it my way, but we are talking about the future and doing it all for free. We still have not spent a penny, unless you visited the bathroom while working your way through all this.

9. Yell, and all the other sites that will give you a free listing for your website, get on there and get the links. If you have a local site that you can use to advertise, then get on there immediately. Put your website out there again and again in as many venues as you can. Put a link on your website to your local area, the council, the post office in your pages. Have a page where you list the local businesses that you can recommend and tell them you will list them for free, if they will list you in return. Everybody loves free advertising. You have local grocers, electricians, builders, plumbers, butchers, bakers, candlestick makers - anyone. Get them all on board and you will help each other out. If you only do manual, ask a local ADI who does automatic if they would like to link up. Make sure they are decent though with a good reputation. Automatic, then you do the same in reverse with a manual ADI. Teamwork, just like the AADI , we are all in this together, so let's come out of it together roaring on into the future.

10. I am going to be putting up a page with the listings of all the members who want to be on there. As the AADI is your association, of course the listings are free to any member who has their subs up to date. So, once you have read this and you want to send the details in drop a line via the contact us page and we shall have you on there before the the next full moon....Hoooowwwwwllll! all going well. Or email me, if you are a member you know who I am as I send the emails out to you, just reply to one of them with your details included and I shall see to it. Don't worry I will not give away any personal details over the net, just your site details or FB page, whatever you want me to use, just so long as it is yours and you own it.

Thank you for taking the time to read this one, it is a little long but at least I've given the other half a break from me. If you have any questions that you want to ask, get in touch. If you find I have written something that is wrong, or you disagree with, tell me and if you like it then tell a mate and help them out.

Cheers and keep safe out there.

COVID 19 updates

Sat, 25 Apr 2020 14:22:48 GMT

Stay Home - Stay Safe - Save Lives

DVSA Notification

Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: standard operating procedure for testing

Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency sent this bulletin at 25-04-2020 09:00 AM BST

Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: standard operating procedure for testing

On Wednesday (22 April 2020) we sent all driving instructors, motorcycle trainers and vocational trainers a letter from DVSA's Chief Executive Gareth Llewellyn.

These letters explained what we're doing to help slow the spread of the coronavirus, and advise you to look at what support the government has put in place for you.

Sharing our standard operating procedure

As part of the letters, we let you know we would be sharing our standard operating procedure for carrying out emergency tests with you and the industry.

We hope this guidance will help you, if you choose to carry out training for pupils whose work is critical to the coronavirus response.

Download DVSA standard operating procedure for conducting driving tests for key workers (PDF, 96.5KB)

Message from our Chairman.

Dear Member,

I trust that this explanation of the current situation clears up the muddying of the waters perpetrated by other associations and sources.

We are facing a pandemic the likes of which none of us have seen beforehand.

As a tier 1 stakeholder with the DVSA. We have already made our stance clear:-

STAY AT HOME.

KEEP ISOLATED, APART FROM THOSE YOU LIVE WITH.

PROTECT THE NHS and SAVE LIVES.

We must at all costs defeat and wipe out this Covid 19 virus. The only way to save lives is to follow the advice given by the medical experts. Stay home and if going outside keep 2 metres apart.

We do not support nor recommend any other register for approved driving instructors or trainers. The only register we conform to and adhere with is held by the DVSA and administered by the Registrar.

Until recently it was clear that another association was charging for training and to join yet another register. This is NOT COMPULSORY and as such we DO NOT SUPPORT IT!!!

Please follow regular updates on our:-

Website www.theaadi.co.uk

Facebook page and our newsletters. Please make sure that we have your up to date contact details. If you have any questions or concerns please contact us at chairperson@theaadi.co.uk

Wishing you, your families and those you love, all the best of health. We can all make it through this tough time by looking after each other. See you all soon.

Warm wishes

Robert J Harper

Chairperson

The AADI

COVID19 and the PMs Latest statement

Sat, 21 Mar 2020 15:09:13 GMT

The Prime Minister and Chancellor’s announcement 20/3/2020 and The AADI's suggestions for the membership

COVID 19 Crisis.

Prime Minister and Chancellor’s announcement 20/3/2020

Following on from yesterday’s news in the current crisis we have prepared the following information from the PM and Chancellor’s statement and advice for you and hope it is of help and some comfort in the current crisis.

HMG stepping in to pay wages, anyone will be eligible up to £2,500max pcm providing on PAYE, backdated to 1st march , lasting 3 months to begin with, no limits on money being put aside.

1st grants to be paid within weeks & by 1st April. All loans interest free 12 months.

Lots being announced for businesses about paying taxes.

Taxes being deferred for business. There are many taxes being deferred for businesses in effort to keep employees being paid. Income tax deferred to next year along with VAT and other taxes.

UC & TAX CREDIT increase by 1,000pa ... self-employed can access UC to level of SSP. Tax payments deferred till Jan 2021...

Grants being set up for businesses will cover 80% of wages for those on PAYE, this is to avoid laying people off and causing unimaginable hardship nationwide.

Bars, Restaurants, gyms, leisure centres, gyms etc etc...to close at midnight 20/03/20. Already some of these places are saying people can defer membership payments, which one hopes others will follow. Limiting movement of people as much as possible, yet... keeping transport systems open to deliver what's needed and so public health workers and support workers in the supply and publics works can get in to keep things running for us all.

Cost of funding wages & loans will be covered by borrowing month on month (debt management remit).

The PM., is imploring people to maintain distancing... kids can play with each other in small groups & to keep distance if walking or bike riding... wanting kids to exercise where possible but avoid team games and socialising afterwards.

Appealing to people to shop sensibly and to be considerate towards everyone else, to stop panic buying as there is plenty of stock to keep us all going but emptying the shelves is causing an issue for the stores to keep up.

Shops are not to close, only places where folk gather to socialise so, takeaways are OK.

PPE (Personal Protection Equipment). There is plenty of stock available with difficulties in delivering having been resolved. Deliveries to most places who need stock should have products by end of the weekend. Drivers restricted hours are being modified for the duration of the crisis to allow flexibility and permit deliveries to be maintained.

Closing the places listed above should not encourage young folk to gather in their homes as the same contamination issues apply.

More support for voluntary groups with funding is being looked at where they can.

PM says we can’t forbid folk to gather at homes but warn of consequences in doing so. Need to comply with advice please.

...............................................................................................................................

Some suggestions for actions you can do to help yourself written with the collaboration of one of our members, Richard Wootten.

Things to do now!

1 - Keep posting on social media, think of interesting content and find interesting things to share and not just any old tut. Think of educational items that are related to learning to drive or driving. Start a quiz on your school page with your own pupils, maybe offer a free lesson, or £10 off a lesson for ‘pupil of the week’.

2 - Get your accounts, and paperwork up to date. I’m sure that your accountant will love you for it, if you use one.

3. Read something to keep your CPD up and don’t let your brain vegetate, try to learn something new that you can bring to the lessons when you get going again.

4. Ask the pupils to spread their lessons out if approaching, or at test readiness. Suggest fortnightly lessons, that way they do not get rusty and remain sharp. This way you show that you are aware of the pupils’ finances and helping in a sympathetic way. You can ‘overlap’ pupils this way and run efficiently and if you have new pupils you can fill up the other spaces that have been created.

5. Keep positive and plan ahead. Is your car due a MoT, get this done if within a month because if the MoT centres close you and your car will be off the road?

6. Do whatever servicing you can yourself, even if it is just to give the car a thorough cleaning, then get stuck in.

7. Set your self a schedule, a timetable of what you are going to do each day. We live by our timetables, diaries and schedules and if we don’t have one, we soon lose our way, this will affect your mental health and you will become even more stressed. This is seen so often when people leave the armed services where they follow a rigid timetable, learn from what they have gone through and adjust to suit.

8. Get up as usual in the morning and stick to your regular routine, personal hygiene is so easily let slip and is the beginning. Shower and shave, maybe go easy on the soap �� to make it last and turn down the temperature to not add to the bills.

9. Drink water, not tea or coffee and this will save you a few coppers over 3 months but will also give your liver and kidneys a nice flushing and make you feel better in the long run.

10. Make simple dishes and not go for expensive take-aways or home deliveries as these really do add up and are no longer a treat but have become a luxury item.

11. Switch off anything you don’t need switched on. We are used to sitting in our nice warm cars all day so keep away from the heating thermostat. Maybe even put a jumper on and thicker socks and turn it off, if you can.

12. If you have a mortgage then speak to you mortgage company today, don't leave it until desperate as there are 3 month payments holidays available. If renting then speak with you landlord as there are protection issues available, but if already out of work get started.

13. If you have a finance agreement or leasing agreement, then as above, speak to the finance company or leasing company as they want to keep you going and many will give you a payment holiday or temporary reduced payment scheme to give you some breathing space.

14. Keep positive.

Things to do if we go on lockdown

1 - All the above.

2 - Think about offering Video based Theory Lessons.

3 - Look after your health and mental health - reach out.

4 - start offering vouchers to be redeemed later.

5. Work on your website, if you can, and update it as it is probably overdue anyway. Look at your marketing. Don’t disappear from the world, do some marketing and keep your FB etc pages fresh and alive, offer a surgery ( H/Code- not medical �� ) to your pupils.

6 Voluntary work, to get you out and about, go for a walk around the block or park and wave to the people on the other side of the road who are in a similar position and may appreciate a smile and wave.

7. Go through a list of all your past pupils and get it up to date, check your address/contacts book in your phone or diary and get rid of all the ones that really and truly are of no use. There is absolutely no point in having 1200 contacts in your phone if they have died, moved or even changed the phone number. 100 good ones is better than a huge army – ask the Persians when they tried to invade Greece in the battle of Thermopylae.

8. Keep positive.

After Lockdown - Recovery

1 - Contact all existing students, check that they are ok and in good health as it is a nice thing to do and not just selfish. You should have been doing this anyway if following the great ideas above but reminding you if you are just skimming through superfluously or jumping to the end – go back and read properly this time. �� Let everyone know that lessons are back on and you are raring to go.

2 - Continue to offer Vouchers, but please do not go down the blind alley of 10 lessons for £100 as this just cheapens both you and the profession. Offer maybe a 10% reduction to help people get back on their feet for the first 10 lessons, remember you will have debts to pay, loans to service and bills to catch up with as well.

3 - Post extensively on social media, this also has been covered above but if you don’t have an account now, then get one going and practice while you have the time. So many ADIs say they don’t have time or know how to do it, then now is the time to do it, you have absolutely nothing at all to lose and a business to gain from those who can’t be bothered.

4 - Attractive offers, keep your clothes on for these as the register will be smaller and we need the good ADIs to stay on there to service the huge demand for lessons that will follow.

5 - Discounts to those families hit badly by virus. I cannot advise you here but consider those who may have lost the breadwinner and trying to get a licence so they can work to support the family. This one is for the individual ADI to decide on and where their threshold, both financially and morally lies.

Start planning now while you have time and keep positive.

Driving Instructors and Hardship from the Corona Virus Pandemic.

Wed, 18 Mar 2020 16:34:09 GMT

COVID19 and the hardships brought on for the ADI

Following the Chancellor's announcement yesterday there has been a lot of concern expressed by Driving Instructors on various social media platforms.

Let's see if we can find some answers and information to help us out.

Lot's of ADIs and PDIs at this time of the year are just beginning to come out of the doldrums after the Christmas and New Year spending sprees when the seasonal spending sprees have caught up with their clients, or at least their bank accounts. Many of us are just picking up from the lean January/ February period that all in the service sectors suffer from post Christmas and the diaries are full, or filling up again nicely and then COVID19 hits us all.

We are no different to anyone else and ae vulnerable to the fluctuations in the market, trends and seasonal changes. Many who have been in the industry for many years will have seen this come and go over the years and to an extent be prepared for such an event. Some of us will have other incomes or, even pensions from other occupations or even investments coming in. For those of us new or relatively new to the industry this is going to be a nightmare and maybe even a disaster financially, please don't underestimate the severity of what this crisis will do to many of our colleagues. Most will get through it but for some there will be severe financial hardship and even going bust, I don't want to think any further than that.

Please, if you know of anything I can add to this that may be of assistance to someone drop me a line via the comments box and I shall be happy to add it in here. I am an ADI, just like you, not a financial adviser or accountant so any tips will be gratefully received.

Let's see what information is out there:-

HMG. Here we have what the government is saying to us on General guidance , Social distancing - not a term I'm keen on to be honest, Stay at home , Travel and the NHS

Statutory Sick Pay If you are employed is currently £94.25 per week for up to 28 weeks. If you are Self Isolating because of Covid19 you can get SSP but must be eligible. See the link for more details.

Employment and Support Allowance. This you can get if you are employed, self employed or unemployed. See the link for more details and follow the internal links eg, Eligibility here you will find some figures to guide you.

Universal Credit. There is a possibility that some ADIs and PDIs may already qualify for this depending upon their individual circumstances, use the eligibility checker to find out if you qualify.

Given all the above is done remember there are other avenues of help out there.

Mortgage. Speak to your mortgage provider and they may be able to help with a mortgage loan period. Ok, this will extend the period of the loan but you could put a little away when thing pick up and pay back the difference, this will help with your ranking in the eyes of the mortgage provider in future periods of instability, should they arise in your life. You will be considered as a 'good risk'.

Rent. As for the mortgage above, speak with the landlord and get them involved. If you are with a local council or housing trust/ authority get them involved in your situation as soon as possible, please don't hide away from it and let it fester. It will not go away and there is nothing wrong in asking them for help, remember they will have other tenants in the same position as you, maybe even worse.

Car lease. Car purchase. If you have your car on a lease, or are buying on an agreement of one form, or other then get onto the phone straight away speak to them. For many on a franchise deal I'm hearing/reading some good comments from ADIs on social media and many of the franchisers recognising the problem are waiting to talk to you. Don't expect them to come to you though, if they hear nothing they will assume you are ok so speak to them before you are in trouble with making payments. After all they want you to survive this situation and stay with them so will offer what support they can, on an individual by individual basis as this is not a one size fits all scenario.

Utilities: Gas, Water, Electricity and Council tax . Again speak to your provider as they are all aware of the current situation and will be getting lots of calls. Please don't be afraid or embarrassed as we have all had the rug pulled from under our feet on this one and all in the same boat. This is not your fault, nor the fault of anyone you know, this is a global issue and a pandemic so millions and millions of people across the globe are in the same position as you, let's sort this out and help each other through it.

and finally from one of the best known experts for money saving advice. Martin Lewis click on the link to his site for some serious help and advice.

Good luck and keep safe out there. Save the link and keep checking in for all the news for ADIs and the road safety Industry.

'What's your Test Centre' loo like, does it flush, can you wash your hands, do you even have one?

Sat, 14 Mar 2020 17:20:36 GMT

Are you flushing comfortably?

What is the Loo like at your Driving Test Centre? Can you flush, is it clean, can you wash your hands or, do you even have one?

What is it really like at your local driving test centre, is the DVSA really flushed with success with the facilities that it provides for you and your clients. After all, at £62 per driving test this equates to an hourly fee of £93 and your driving test is acknowledged as one of the most stressful times there is.

Let's face it, we all are affected by nerves at stressful times, our bladders and bowels can develop minds of their own when confronted by that live baby eating creature that emerges from the cave behind that locked door with a secretly coded push button security access in the corner of the room. We would all prefer to be facing the fire breathing dragon from the dark side than wait for a driving test examiner, even the dentist's waiting room holds fewer fears with less terrified looking people. All of us are afraid to eat before an exam just incase our bladder and bowels decide it is time to rapidly move south like someone waiting for the bailiffs to ring the door bell and yet, we are advised to eat something before hand to get our sugar levels up to help us concentrate. Devil and the deep blue sea or frying pan and fire spring to mind, which do you do? Eat for mental and physical well being or go hungry, just in case there is no loo available to use?

Remember that it is not just the candidate for the driving test but it can also be motorcycle rider test, HGV, PCV and the dreaded Check test for the ADIs plus qualifying exams for PDIs. Can you imagine examiners not allowing visiting examiners using their facilities and saying, "Sorry guys, just nip up to Tesco, or the Esso garage around the corner near the funeral parlour?"

Since this subject came up recently I have been stunned at the number of comments made by ADIs, my main source of information, on the test centres that are either without toilet paper, soap, are not very clean even worse some unbelievably have no toilet facility at all.

This raises two points

1. Given the current situation with the COVID19 virus, I think the very least that could be supplied is a basic hand wash facility, even my garage does. Then the examiners may have some chance of not catching anything from the candidate and even be unafraid to shake hands with the candidate without fear of dissolving into a pile of ash on the spot.

2. How can a building within the government's control allow there to be no bathroom facilities for candidates taking a driving test in today's' modern thinking society. This is just unthinkable in a civilised culture like ours. Think about it for a tick, pop into McDonalds for a coffee or a cheap burger costing about £3-5, or the pub for a pint for around the same and you can use the loo for free and most are pretty well supplied these days. £62 for a driving test and you can get nothing or a bathroom with no paper, crappy dryer or dirty towel. How on earth is this allowed to happen in 2020?

I bet the bathroom facility for the CEO at the DVSA is nice and clean with plenty of soap, paper, hot water and lots of top class hand drying facilities that are on a different planet to those that they provide for their customers. Could this happen anywhere else apart from a back street garage on a tight budget? As I understand it, the guys who empty the rubbish bins and miners have better facilities than we do, that is when we have them. Come on DVSA, let's get ourselves into the 21st century and we can all be happy little flushers.

Horses hate start stop engines!!

Mon, 09 Mar 2020 22:52:42 GMT

Horses don't like the stop-start on the new car engines.

Horses and the start stop

Did you know that horses really dislike the start stop facility on modern cars?

When we drive down a country lane and see a horse with rider coming towards us, if we are in any way decent we will slow right down and if the road is narrow enough we will stop to let the rider and horse pass safely. Well according to one of my pupils, now an ex-pupil since passing the test, who is a rider and the owner of 2 ponies this is a scary moment for many horses.

Imagine the scene:

They, the rider and the horse, both approaching from the narrow road ahead appreciate us slowing down gently, being so careful and considerate towards them. The problem is with the newer cars and the engine switching off when idling, – it all goes silent in the country lane and all you can hear is the sound of the horse’s hooves clip clopping along past the car with a blackbird singing away in the trees with the sun streaming down in shimmering rays between the branches all around us as the warm, gentle breeze ruffles the leaves in the hedgerows. A beautiful country scene and all is well with the world as the thoughtful driver even reduces the sound of the music playing on the car’s infotainment system so as not to upset the horse and spooking it putting rider and horse in danger as they go steadily by.

Driver, rider and pony all at one with nature and the world for a moment of idyllic peace and tranquillity. Then.........

Brrrmmmm....right behind the horse’s tail as the driver’s foot goes down again on the gas pedal and the engine bursts back into life.

Now if the driver is gentle and the engine nice and small, say 1000cc it may not be too bad except that the horse has better hearing than us. But imagine the effect of maybe a 2.0 litre diesel engine bursting back into life just behind the lovely calm pony we just fell in love with and pleasant rider who gave us a grateful smile and wave for our consideration. All the good work and best intentions have been ruined in a flash of ignition and the rider may be hanging on for dear life trying to calm an animal that we have unintentionally scared the wits out of.

So, next time you meet a rider and a pony in a country lane, when you stop to let them pass you safely – as I know you would – please just give them another second or two to get safely clear.

Cheers and thanks for taking the time to read..

Grumbles from the Gearbox.

Sun, 08 Mar 2020 12:41:41 GMT

Covid 19 Virus

Ok, let's get something straight.

I am not a doctor or nurse and apart from a first aid course a while ago I have no medical training whatsoever. So, you can take this item with a pinch of salt , if you wish. If you need a plaster for a simple cut, or someone to hand you a glass of water to swallow a paracetamol, then I'm your man. After that think of dialling 111 and go from there.

Let’s face it, there is a huge chance of each one of us as driver trainers catching this bug. We are getting in and out of the car with a whole range of people hourly and on a day to day basis. We are without doubt one of society’s carriers of bugs. I remember a few years back when there were cold and flu bugs flying around like swings in a funfair. I’d come home on Thursday evening, I worked away from home in those days. I’d have a rotten cold, get ill for the weekend, jump up sprightly on Monday morning and bounce off to work on Monday full of the joys of spring only for my wife and daughter to go down with the dreaded lurgy by Tuesday and have a rough week. I was not a popular little bunny, I can tell you.

Back to my story, as they say. A few years back, just like so many other ADIs (Approved Driving Instructors) I became more aware of the lack of hygiene of some of my pupils, particularly the gentlemen, and the lack of handwashing going on. This was brought on by a forensic study of a bowl of peanuts left on a pub bar. Many of us bought cleansing wipes to clean the steering wheel regularly and wipe down the other surfaces in the car.

3 years ago I brought home a particularly nasty bug which for my wife led to pneumonia and a stay in hospital for a week, 2 years back something similar happened but we caught it early and she stayed home and dined on antibiotics, keeping warm, lots of rest and plenty of fluids. I was lucky! This winter past I was not risking it and the car is now cleaned regularly and I have antibacterial surface wipes – nice lemon ones, and alcohol-based hand cleaning gel. She is strong and healthy this time round, thankfully.

Where does this take us with the Covid19 virus you ask? Well simple cleanliness is the answer. Wash and clean your hands regularly, wipe down the surfaces in the car and keep tissues to hand should you, or your pupil sneeze or cough and make sure that your pupil takes home their dirty tissue with them. For advice from the experts follow the link here to the NHS . There is no magic cure as they don’t know how to kill it yet and are busy trying to find a vaccine, but that will most likely be available for next year. Until then we can only take care and hope that should we get it, it will only be a mild dose that we catch as that is what a vast majority of people will get. If our pupils fear they may have it, be sympathetic as many may be terrified if they have been watching the media or reading social media. If they need to cancel, be fair and not harsh, it may save you from catching it and being off work for 2 weeks yourself. Accept losing one hour and not maybe 60hour+ hours.

Stay healthy and prosper.

Cheers.

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Information held on you by the DVSA and how to find out what is there via SAR

Sun, 08 Mar 2020 10:20:11 GMT

Subject Access Request - find out what information is held on you!

Do you know what information that the DVSA hold on file about you?

No?

Well you can ask for it, just as I did recently, send an email to them, together with valid forms of ID. They will email any source of information that is recorded against you. By applying for an SAR (subject access request) you can see most of the information that is held by the agency.

As I had done this many times before I was amazed to find that the original hard paper copies had been scanned by a third-party contractor and saved onto the DVSA computer system. You might not see an issue with such an action, especially when you think of the thousands of instructors both trainee and qualified throughout the country, the sheer volumes of paperwork and filing cabinets would tower over a building. I would agree, but whoever was engaged and employed to capture and scan each sheet of paperwork failed to check the quality of the scanning process. This means that the original copies were destroyed, and the new scanned copies are illegible.

A catastrophic error by the DVSA, albeit with a third-party contractor. Why oh why were there no quality assurances during the process, no proof reading done?

Even the Egyptians managed to make their Hieroglyphic’s remain perfectly legible to this day. Is that Pharaoh enough or am I making a pyramid out of a sand dune?

If you would like to make an enquiry about the information held on file about you, then drop them a line at: dataprotection@dsa.gsi.gov.uk and good luck.

The AADI

Sun, 08 Mar 2020 10:20:11 GMT

Not so Smart Motorways

'Smart Motorways'.

As you will know by now we at The AADI are out and out against the new ‘smart motorways’. We can see nothing smart, or even remotely clever about this new shortcut to save HMG money. How can taking away the Safe Area of a motorway for use in Emergencies be a good idea, this was nothing short of an exercise in making an extra lane available to use without constructing one. Peoples lives are at risk on an hourly and daily basis.

The first time I used one was on my drive to Leicester for the The AADI AGM and it really was an eyeopener, I have never felt so vulnerable on a motorway in my life. I, like every other ADI in the country has spent all my time convincing pupils and others that the safest lane to be in on a motorway is the left hand lane as you have the hard shoulder to escape to.........it’s gone...... all to save money. How much is a life worth?

How much is a life worth? This is the question being asked by so many families since they have been built. Innocent people killed on motorways because they did not have the hard should der to go to in the event of a breakdown emergency. Did you know that for the original design that was proposed to the Minister at the time Sir Mike Penning was so much safer with more closely spaced emergency laybys (increased by 4 times the original distance) and the surveillance equipment now not even included never mind reduced. If you are lucky, they may get to you in 34 minutes – their own figures, until then you are sitting stranded in a live lane with traffic whistling past you just inches away at up to 70mph – God help you!!! That’s just Highways England’s vehicles as well because the emergency breakdown will not attend you until the area is made safe – their own guys have had so many near misses that they have said enough is enough – the bosses don’t want to be done for corporate manslaughter sending their guys out there and do you blame them?

The Police, Fire Service, Ambulance service, everyone who would have to work on these stupid things was against them from the beginning and still the Department for Transport went ahead......because on the information given to them at the time said it was a safe wise and ECONOMIC move. The Minister Sir Mike Penning at the time is now also dead against them claiming he and his department were misled. Radio broadcasters LBC, the BBC’s Panorama and the BBC itself are all against the idea of these smart motorways.

At The AADI we have campaigned against this terrible idea and written to our MPs on the matter, our President, Chairman, Treasurer, Membership Secretary and individual members and if you want to join use we have a letter/ email that you can adapt to suit yourself and write to your MP, just drop us a line through our https://www.theaadi.co.uk/contactus page. Perhaps if the planners had listened to all those who were against this from the beginning then the dozens who have died on them may still be alive today.

Mr Shapps our Secretary for State with responsibility for these has said all construction will be stopped on them until a full audit has been carried out, it seems that either message did not get through or he is being ignored. How does this happen in a civilised society?

Thank you for taking the time to read this and keep safe.

Hi all, I hope you are all doing well and enjoying life with a busy diary and keeping as healthy as you can.

Fri, 08 Nov 2019 10:20:12 GMT

It is winter in a couple of weeks and now is a great time to remind your pupils of all the things that they can be doing to get ready for it.

Make a list

Lists are great ways to stay on track. Write down some big things you want to accomplish and some smaller things, too.

Check the list regularly

Don’t forget to check in and see how you’re doing. Just because you don’t achieve the big goals right away doesn’t mean you’re not making progress.

Reward yourself

When you succeed in achieving a goal, be it a big one or a small one, make sure to pat yourself on the back.

Think positively

Positive thinking is a major factor in success. So instead of mulling over things that didn’t go quite right, remind yourself of things that did.

Grumbles from the Gearbox.

Response to dvsa Consultation

AADI Response to dvsa Consultation on Minimum Learning Period for Learner Drivers

Positive Driver/Rider Education

Proposal for Positive Driver/Rider Education

The ADI Odd-Ditty

The ADI Odd-Ditty

Huge Congratulations dvsa

dvsa made a positive move, Whoopee, let's all nip into the CEO's padded cell and BOUNCIE - BOUNCIE!

Thank you letter from a member of the public

Letter from a member of the public - to say thank you.

Is Too Much Being Asked of Driving Instructors?

Are ADIs At Breaking point?

Proposed changes for over 70s driving licence renewal

The proposed changes for the over-70s driver's licence

Misleading dvsa email

Can we still trust the dvsa emails?

PDI Training is it worth it?

PDI Training - is it worth it?

Why do my lessons cost so much?

Please don't put your child in a wreck of a car,buy them something roadworthy and safe

Who do the dvsa think they are kidding

Is it time for the CEO to be removed from post - Sacked?

How do the dvsa measure up on their own Standards Check

Would the dvsa pass their own Standards Test?

Written submission from the PCS to the House of Commons

A written petition to the House of Commons by the PCS Union

Oi Lads, the boss says we've got to throw in the kitchen sink to sort it out

In response to recent

﻿ media activity on the driving test waiting times, the DVsA decides to throw in the kitchen sink - but, is this the right solution?

Can of Worms

This is what they came up with

Some of the reasons I would not be an examiner

No support from the DVsA

..........

Greedy or is it opportunistic ADIs

Let's consider the logic of it and how they cheat the rest of us. Note, none of this is illegal, but, is it right?

ARE THE DVsA MORALLY CORRUPT

Are the DvSA morally bankrupt?

ARE THE DVsA MORALLY CORRUPT

Are the DvSA morally bankrupt?

Are the DVsA practices corrupt?

Hastings Ore Dtc is closed for this morning with NO driving tests at all.

Tens of Millions of pounds, all our money, have been poured into modernising and updating the DVsA

A refund of Theory Test Fees.

Is this a fraudulent activity

Examiner retention is poor

Get your fingers out of your parliamentary bottoms and helps us!

Mental health is taking its toll - Get your fingers out and please do something!

Why bother as an ADI, is it worth it?

Why bother, the job is not what it used to be?

oh dear, why oh why dvsa/

Where on earth does the dvsa thinking come from, we know where it belongs?

Grumblers email address

How the dvsa can help instructors and learners

A golden opportunity for the dvsa.

Grumblers email address

Thank you for Listening dvsa

AADI advising the dvsa, and they are at last listening.

Grumblers email address

Did the dvsa go to far

Did the dvsa go too far opening new theory centres when tests are not available?

Grumblers email address

We are all ambassadors

We are all Ambassadors for our chosen profession

We are all Ambassadors - image is everything

Are we all on a franchise?

Test routes available on line for payment of ££s

Theory Tests.

Lorry drivers desperately needed nationwide

Grumblers email address

Dear dvsa, thank you for your latest email

Dear dvsa, thank you for your many recent emails. 20.02.22

Grumblers email address

AADI Issues with the dvsa and how the dvsa fail it's loyal customers the ADI and learner driver on a daily basis

How the dvsa fail the ADI and learner driver on a daily basis.

The AADI has the following issues with the dvsa.

Even a war criminal has more rights than an ADI.

How is this acceptable in this day and age?

Grumblers email address

media activity on the driving test waiting times, the DVsA decides to throw in the kitchen sink - but, is this the right solution?

Do we see a bright new dawn ahead for driving instructors?

Our not so smart motorways

why do so many disagree with them?