Removing your ADI badge for a driving test

I find it disappointing when I hear Driving Instructors criticising other Instructors for taking their badge out the windscreen when a pupil goes to test.  For those that do not know, an Instructor can choose to remove his/her badge from the windscreen, therefore preventing the DSA from logging that particular test against their performance figures.   So some Instructors choose to interpret that as some kind of lack of moral standing; they say “Well if you weren’t happy to have the result against your name, then surely you shouldn’t have let him use your car”.

I’ve no idea if these people genuinely believe that, or whether they are trying to be provocative; and having had a Grade 6 ADI recently ringing me up pretending to be a ‘concerned Father’ organising lessons for his ‘Son’ in double quick time, I’m actually done with trying to understand peoples motives for their actions.

But I think there is genuine ‘pressure’ on ADI’s in these tough times we find ourselves in.  It’s all very well, (and easy), taking the moral high ground about if you would ‘allow’ or not a client to go to test, but times are tough, and the fact is..... the customer is king – always has been, and always will be.  Although I've personally only ever taken my badge out on one test in 3 years (the circumstances of which are very interesting and worthy of a seperate blog when I get a chance), I will very happily defend any professional Driving Instructors' right to take this action.

Having, as we do, a national average pass rate for Learners of less than 50% is a reflection of the fact that customers inevitably will request/demand to go to test as soon as is reasonably possible in their quest to pass the test.  Generally speaking, the evidence of national pass rates tend to suggest that people are going to test too soon.  Are Driving Instructors persuading their clients to book the test too soon?  Of course they are not!  In the last week, I’ve heard from 2 different Learners that friends of theirs who are training with the same national driving school have been refused to book their test – much to their annoyance.  This is a very fine line being trod here, you annoy your customers ESPECIALLY in times of a recession, at your peril I would humbly suggest.

However, as I’ve recently explained on 2 videos on my Facebook page, whilst I acknowledge the needs/desires of my customers, I also fiercely defend the reputation of my driving school that I have built up over 3 years.  And therein lies the balance that needs to be struck.  


On one of the first encounters with my Test Centre Manager many many moons ago, I remember him pointing out to me in no uncertain terms that they (the DSA) don't like to put much emphasis on pass rates as a rule - at £62 a time, I bet they don't!

But for a Driving Instructor to be so keen to criticise a fellow peer with no knowledge whatsoever of the circumstances behind that decision displays an ignorance and intolerance that is hard to justify these days.