The phrase 'monkeys on shoulders' springs to mind...

Had a call today from an ex-ADI (ex driving instructor) who has his Son with him just for a couple of months, and wants his Son to pass his test before he goes back home again.

He has booked a test up for his Son for 6th June and was now ringing round trying to find someone to give him about 20 hrs of lessons before the test.  The logic behind this decision, he said, was so that if his Son failed on his first attempt then he would still have time to have another go.

I find this a rather curious approach to take - especially from someone who has been in the business previously.  My approach would have been to delay booking the test, and get cracking with finding a decent instructor.  The booking of the test is not a priority, you can book any old date the computer gives, and then go back in again at a later date, and get a cancellation nearer to when you truly want it; quite why the test had to be booked so soon is a mystery to me.

I work on the basis of doing sufficiently good training so that you pass first time, rather than ‘planning in’ a first time fail, so to speak.
 

The Father started telling me that he considered it not unreasonable for me to fit in 2 x 1.5hr lessons per week, starting with a 2 hr introductory session tomorrow .... which I had to smile about.... he’s telling ME that my diary can just instantly fit that in.  I did politely suggest had he considered what standard of Driving Instructor he would be hiring for his Son, that would instantly be able to find 20 free hours in their diary?  I hope that doesn't sound flippant, but to me, that is a very real error in his strategy here.  He has 'front loaded' the pressure completely unnecessarily on his Son, and on the Driving Instructor (hence the reference to readily transferring monkeys from his back on to others).  I'm surprised that someone with his experience has fallen into that trap.

Apart from anything else, by my reckoning, that would be 3hrs a week and we have exactly 3 weeks until 6/6/12 so that would be 9 hrs and not 20 hrs.  

He soon discovered that the discussion became academic because I was not even able to fit in being available on the test day on 6/6/12, we didn’t even progress to looking at the more immediate time demands.  


But I'm sure there will be plenty of choice for him to find an ADI who is willing and able to provide 20 hrs or more at such short notice.   Dare I suggest that they will also be able to provide really cheap lessons too?  But is that really the point?  What price do we pay on our kids learning to drive?  It seems odd to be suggesting to an ex-ADI that 'you gets what you pay for' - but perhaps that's why he is exactly that.... an 'ex' - ADI?  Who knows?  


Just another day. 


EDIT:  Having just followed up with the 'Father' this morning to check he has been able to resolve his problem, it turns out he may not actually be a genuine caller after all - and is instead an unsuccessful Grade 6 Driving Instructor with too much time on his hands, seemingly calling up his competitors!  Classic!