5 day intensive driving course Peterborough "When turning right at a roundabout, look left!"

You would be excused for wondering if I’ve been watching too much Joey on “I’m a Celebrity”, but there is method in my apparent madness.  The following 2 examples are guaranteed to crop up on your 5 day intensive driving course in Peterborough

The first example is when we can use traffic coming from our left or straight over, to block the traffic coming from our right!  Blockers....there’s an idea!  Take a look at it in action here

The second example is when we need to initially drive over to our left, in order to drive round the roundabout.  Looking in that left side mirror before you do so, is a #gooddrivinghabit  Take a look here at how this is useful.

Good luck and keep monitoring this blog for more classic Joey one-liners!

BIG TOM Driving School   5 Day Intensive Driving Course in Peterborough 01733 306016

Driving Lessons Peterborough Go go go! by Tom of Big Tom Driving School

There is a general need to keep up with the flow of traffic, and no better example of this on your intensive driving course in Peterborough than when you are on dual carraigeways or "Parkways" as they are locally named; there are times when you will need to "go go go"!

This video here is one such example.  It shows that whilst it is perfectly acceptable to approach "Eye roundabout" in Peterborough in the furthest most right lane, it will mean that you will need to exit in the furthest most right lane, and that is the lane that typically, the faster moving vehicles gravitate towards.

It's not technically an issue to be exiting in the furthest most right lanes of multi-lane roundabouts but you should try to avoid it if you are driving in a vehicle that has limited power/ability to keep up with these higher speeds or you, as the driver, do not like driving at that faster pace.  Remember, no-one is forcing you to use that faster moving lane, and as such you are able to plan in to your approaches on multi-lane roundabouts, the lane selection that will be more comfortable to your driving tempo.

Seeing a vehicle travelling in the outer lanes of dual-carraigeways physically obstructing vehicles behind it by not keeping up with the flow of traffic is not good.  Generally speaking, other drivers expect you to either "go go go" or move over and let them do exactly that.  I must emphasise that I am not encouraging speeding here, I'm not advocating travelling over the speed limits, but there is a need to be considerate towards other road users.

Hope this blog helps you appreciate the importance of knowing you need to keep up with the flow of traffic when on dual carriageways on your intensive driving course in Peterborough.

BIG TOM Driving School   Intensive Driving Course in Peterborough 01733 306016

Driving Lessons in Grantham Traffic Lights and Stop Lines

Most of us know that when a traffic light goes amber and then red, you MUST STOP before the solid white line, but when driving on your intensive driving course in Grantham it is not quite so obvious where the stop line is!  Take a look at this video of a driving lesson in Grantham to see that not all traffic lights have STOP lines next to them.

It's not designed to catch you out, the secondary traffic light serves a very useful purpose in improving visibility of traffic lights, it just means that we must get into the #gooddrivinghabit of associating a traffic light with a corresponding STOP line.

Look out for this when you are next driving in Grantham, it's one of those things that once it has been raised into your conscious mind, you'll start noticing them all over the place now!

BIG TOM Driving School   Intensive Driving Course in Grantham  01476 850 050

Tom's really proud moment with Big Tom Driving School

Tom passed his driving test first time on the Big Tom Driving School Intensive Driving Course in Peterborough

This is a very proud "Tom" from Peterborough.  His brother came on an Intensive Driving Course in Peterborough with Big Tom Driving School a few years ago, and advised him to also use the same course.

This is what Tom's brother, Graeme, said a few years ago:

"“I would like to thank Tom for taking the time to teach me to drive last week on my intensive course. I learnt so much and Tom really made me feel at ease with something I wasn’t comfortable with to start with. I would highly recommend BIG TOM to anyone. Great teacher and a nice guy to boot. Thanks Tom”Graeme Miles (aged 31)

Tom overcame some real hurdles in learning to drive, he is a very busy person with his work commitments, and he made full use of all the extra resources that Big Tom Driving School offers to all it's customers.

This photo was a special moment for Tom, it was a life changing moment, this is what he had to say:

"I passed first time under instruction of Big Tom, both theory and practical. I was given a ton of resources such as video's and guides to help with the tests in which Tom does himself and despite my hectic calendar during the course, Tom was very accommodating and was able to work with me to get the hours in. Regularly giving tips and advice, encouraging and pleasant. BigTom does exactly what he says, teaches you to drive." Tom Miles (aged 28)

Big Tom Driving School has been getting results from their trademark Intensive Driving Courses in Peterborough for years, tons of people are passing the driving test first time by using all the support and help that is offered.

Quality and value guaranteed - an ideal solution for people with busy lives.

(Over 25's get extra discounts on the price too!)

BIG TOM Driving School   Intensive Driving Course in Peterborough 01733 306016

Driving Lessons Spalding Space Around Your Car

Being aware of what is near your vehicle when on driving lessons in Spalding is really important.  There are plenty of places that crop up where maintaining the space around your car is very necessary.  Watch this video for some examples of being aware of space around your car on a driving lesson in Spalding.

Whether it be driving in the Town Centre, around St Thomas' Road or on the new by-pass, the principle remains the same - it is not something that is speed dependent.  Maintaining large spaces between your car and others is good as it reduces the need to quickly go on your brakes to react, and it provides a nice buffer of time in which you and others around you can respond safely.

When driving in slow moving traffic, not driving too close to the vehicle in front, when coming on to a roundabout not driving too close to the vehicle crossing you, when paused at a red traffic light, being aware of a cyclist or pedestrian really close to the car, when on a single carraigeway being aware of a motorbike wanting to overtake you, when overtaking on a motorway.  There are loads of examples of this very important principle, and applying it is a #gooddrivinghabit.  Check out my twitter feed "tukkr" for more of these lifetime good driving habits.

The key skill to develop on the BIG TOM intensive driving course in Spalding is to make yourself aware of what is around the car at important times, so that in the event of a potential hazard escalating, you as the driver, are aware of your responsibility to keep things safe.  The habit to develop on your course is identifying the times when mirror checks, and all round observations, are necessary and effective.  It takes time to develop this skill, and you are encouraged to practise it throughout your course.

BIG TOM Driving School   Intensive Driving Course in Spalding 01775 660 525

Driving Lesson in Spalding - Overtaking by Tom of www.BigTom.org.uk/home/

On David’s driving lesson in Spalding today he was travelling along this road, the A16 from Spalding to Peterborough.

As you can see, this is at times, a very straight road and the temptation for some is just too great, so you tend to see some pretty hairy overtaking going on.

Today, despite David keeping between 55-60 mph (it is National Speed Limit, 60mph max on a single carriageway), there were cars and even lorries tailgating and also doing some horrendous overtakes.

It is on roads like this, that whilst there is an obligation to not become an additional hazard by driving too slowly, it pays to stay very alert to what is happening way in front and way behind.

Remember to use all the mirrors in order to get an accurate picture of the speed and distance of vehicles approaching from behind.  The centre mirror is flat, good for distance, the side mirrors are more suited to provide positional information as they are slightly convex.

3 hazards to be aware of include:

Vehicles overtaking from behind with other vehicles in the oncoming lane being too close.  The overtaking driver has either misjudged the distance, or the speed at which the oncoming traffic is approaching.  Stay alert, come off gas if it will assist a vehicle getting back into the correct lane (try to avoid severe braking and/or steering).

Vehicles behind tail gating.  Keep 2 seconds distance from the vehicle in front and behind (4 seconds in wet).  “Only a fool breaks the 2 second rule” takes 2 seconds to say.... use it to judge the separation gap.

Junctions.  Vehicles in minor roads, paused, waiting to emerge may mis-judge the correct time to go.  Spot these vehicles well in advance, consider what you could safely do (position/speed) if they did emerge in front of you.  Think “escape routes”.

David had a good insight on his driving lesson in Spalding today about how beneficial it is to stay alert, expect the unexpected and anticipate hazards before they actually occur.  Sudden and severe steering when travelling at higher speeds can easily result in a loss of control of the vehicle, this is not an experience anyone would want to experience, and the consequences can be fatal.

BIG TOM Driving School   Intensive Driving Course in Spalding 0800 689 4174

Cost of driving is just too expensive! by Tom of www.BigTom.org.uk

As a nation we are in difficult times when it comes to the cost of driving.

The Government has just released plans to try to relieve some financial pressure off "hard working families" with the cost of driving.

I would encourage them not to ignore our young people.  

The number of driving tests being undertaken by our young people has been in steady decline over several years, they simply cannot afford to either learn to drive, or even drive once qualified.  Of the 3 young men who just passed their driving test with my driving school in the last 2 days, not one is going on to drive..... not one!  Now that truly is a recipe for disaster.

Car insurance and fuel costs do play a part in this problem as has been identified in the above Government press release, but I would personally place the importance on helping our young people; they are the new blood who are going to be so needed for this country's economy, and we ignore skilling them up at our collective peril.

UPDATE: At a recent presentation on road safety to 150 Yr 12 pupils (9/9/14) in a pretty affluent area, only 50% of them stated that they intend to learn to drive - my blog has more info on this concerning trend.


BIG TOM Driving School  Intensive Driving Course in Peterborough, Spalding, Stamford, Sleaford, Boston and Grantham  0800 689 4174

Buses on driving lessons in Peterborough www.BigTom.org.uk/home/

I would be amazed if you managed to avoid meeting any buses when on your driving test or driving lessons in Peterborough.  They can affect us in many different ways.  This short blog will explain how they can affect us and what to do so that you don’t fail your driving test due to a Peterborough bus.

Some bus stops are in there own bay to the left, off the main road, and they tend to affect us positionally very little.  Other bus stops are simply on the main road, as such you would need to make a positional change to the right to pass it.  When stopped in the main road, at a bus stop, to pick up or drop off passengers, the left signal will be on the whole time that the bus driver is pulled over.  The moment that the driver intends to move off, the right signal will come on, and then, the driver will expect to be given the opportunity to move off – there may be 80 passengers on board that bus.

So two things to think about there.  One is, if the bus is stationary at the bus stop, is a right signal needed in order to pass it, and secondly, at what point can you continue to pass the bus, if you see the right signal come on the bus?  Neither of those questions have a definitive answer unfortunately, it is one of those many examples in driving when we all have to “think on our feet”, and assess what is the best course of action at the time.  This judgement comes with practise.  Some of the factors to consider are whether there is anyone around you who would benefit from seeing a right signal from you to pass the bus (inc the bus driver), how wide the road is, is there any oncoming traffic, the speed you are travelling at the time, the distance of your vehicle from the bus, the driving conditions eg darkness/rain/fog.

Another way buses can affect us is when they are moving in and around junctions and sharp bends.  The physical size of the bus makes in inevitable for there to be some crossing over into our path at times.  This is no fault of the drivers necessarily, it is simply unavoidable due to the length of the bus.  As such, it is not only showing consideration when you can accommodate this fact, but at times, it is really necessary.  Queensgate roundabout near the bus station is a good example where there are some tight bends for buses, and I can think of plenty of “T-junctions” where a bus will encroach into our path when turning and emerging.  Being able to pre-empt such a situation and slow or make a slight positional adjustment can often make the world of difference to the outcome.

This blog has highlighted two ways in which buses can affect us when driving on driving lessons in Peterborough.  Please remember that bus drivers have much to consider, they have a timetable to keep to as best they can, they can have a considerable number of passengers on board, all with their own tight deadlines, and the bus driver is spending their entire working day in what can be quite hazardous driving conditions... so spare a thought for them when on your travels.  For those interested in these things, the thrust of this blog would come under the heading of “defensive driving” – it is a sign of a thinking driver, with #gooddrivinghabits.  There are many other ways that we can all demonstrate defensive driving when driving on the roads, ask your Driving Instructor for others (they will be mightily impressed with your question!)

Andy who passed his driving test this morning after doing his Intensive Driving Course at Peterborough had this very situation described above happening on his driving test in Dogsthorpe.  Andy was approaching a "T-junction" to turn right, and spotted a bus in the major road to his left, with the right signal on, Andy held back from the give way lines, about 2 car lengths, and the bus was able to turn right.  Might seem a small point this, but actually, this is a big deal, and very, very nice to see - as it shows an ability to identify stuff in advance, and plan for it (being considerate in the process).
I obviously had no idea when I posted up this blog last night, that this would happen this morning, but it is a good example of how it is possible to keep yourself informed of driving related stuff above and beyond the in-car training.

Congrats go to Andy for a very comfortable first time pass after just 8 days of starting to learn to drive with Big Tom Driving School.

BIG TOM Driving School  Intensive Driving Course in Peterborough 01733 306016

Effective observations when driving by Tom of Big Tom Driving School

The importance of effective observations when driving cannot be overstated.  Glancing in the right place, at the right time, is NOT the same thing as making an effective observation.

Reminds me of a mate at school who decided to jump into a lake one evening on a school camping trip many moons ago.  His youthful enthusiasm to ignore the time honoured saying of "Look before you leap" meant that he actually dived head first into water of about 5" depth - I still wince to this day thinking about what happened, and that is 30 odd years later.

Whether you are pushing a trolley around in a supermarket, standing in a queue, talking to a friend in a restaurant, or dancing in a club, the fact is that you, me, all of us do like our own personal space.  We don't like our conversations overheard, we don't like our personal space invaded, we don't even appreciate an unwanted look for too long in our direction if we are being entirely honest.  And this concept does not change when we drive round in cars.

Paying attention to your position in the road, and being willing to consider how your driving affects other drivers' "personal space" is a sign of someone who understands this most basic form of etiquette.

Making the time for an effective observation BEFORE a positional change on the roads is about as fundamental a rule as you can get and the consequences of ignoring it are far reaching.

Starting to turn left into a minor road before seeing traffic already in the minor road on your side of the road due to a parked vehicle, emerging on to a dual carraigeway when there are vehicles already on it, exiting a roundabout when there is a motorbike over your left shoulder, reversing out of a parking bay when there is a toddler nearby.... these are all examples that will startle people, will cause heavy, sharp braking, will make others around you swerve violently to avoid you - at best this is the stuff of road rage, flashed headlights, hand gestures, and raised stress levels, at worse it is the stuff of serious road collisions.

Consider this.  On a bike, would you ride across a crossroads junction without effectively looking? On foot, would you cross a road without effectively looking?  Of course you wouldn't.  Well just transfer that same instinct for your personal safety to consider others when you are driving.  It is no different.  It is one of the responsibilities of owning a full licence.  There is more to road safety than just considering you in your own half ton of metal shell.

As my pal discovered to his cost all those years ago, "look before you leap", in the driving world "check before you move".  

Any questions/comments please feel free to add below.

BIG TOM Driving School  Intensive Driving Course in Peterborough, Grantham, Lincoln, Sleaford, Stamford, Spalding and Boston   0800 689 4174 (free on mobiles too!)

Queensgate Roundabout in Peterborough by Tom of Big Tom Driving School

This blog is aimed at raising the delicate balance needed when driving of keeping up with traffic around you and driving to the conditions.

A few days ago, I re-tweeted a pic from the Lincolnshire Police Roads Policing Unit (@LincsRPU) that had the text “Again, not driving to the conditions” accompanying it.  You could almost sense the exasperation, desperation and sheer frustration of someone who is spending all day attending collisions where drivers do not follow this most fundamental rule in driving. 

Why does this happen so often?  Partly it is due to something that I experienced only yesterday on one of my Intensive Driving Courses in Peterborough.  My pupil approached the Queensgate roundabout in Peterborough and realised a silver MX5 behind was very close, and kind of got into a bit of a battle of speed on the roundabout as a result.

We found ourselves on the roundabout, doing swift lane changes in 2^nd gear, accelerating towards the sharp bend with no vision (near the Evening Telegraph building), and why?  So that the MX5 could not undertake us.  The result was the planning on the roundabout went astray, we ended up exiting at speed into the right hand lane and when the car took a much needed gasp of breath for the 2 – 3 gear change, the MX5 undertook us anyway.  As an observer of all this carry on, you have to take a step back, and ask.... “What on earth was that all about?”

What it is often about is not so much about “keeping up with traffic” as “not losing face”.  I’ve noticed that when a newly trained driver starts driving with emotion rather than skill, it only leads to problems.  The loss of pride associated with being undertaken or overtaken or giving way at a meeting situation, or pausing at a mini-roundabout are symptoms of someone who is now driving on emotion. 

There is a need to keep up with the pace of traffic, by that I mean, not become the hazard ourselves by driving so slowly that everyone is getting angry with us.... so doing 40 in a 60 for no apparent reason would be a good example.  But, far more important a skill to develop and apply every day of the year, is to shelve any macho tendencies, ditch the emotion, and drive to the conditions

If you go into your driving life with the mindset that you don’t want to get “had over” by any other driver, you are going to find every minute of your driving experience a constant battle.  There is ALWAYS someone around who wants to driver faster than you.... a sad but true fact. I appreciate that some people will read this paragraph in particular and really disagree with the sentiment and I would encourage you to drop me your comment below, as I know there are often 2 sides to any point of view.

My customers on my Intensive Driving Courses will be very used to the concept of “You must be able to stop in a distance seen to be clear” – how relevant that message is to this blog.

If you read this and want to air your view, vent your frustration, please fire away......

http://www.bigtom.org.uk/home/

Driving Lesson Peterborough side mirror view by Tom of www.BigTom.org.uk

On a recent driving lesson in Peterborough, my pupil asked a great question about the view she saw in the drivers side mirror.

She was coming on to a dual carraigeway via an entry slip road, and noticed there was a motorbike on the dual carraigeway, not too dissimilar to the view in the photo above.  

She asked "How do I know which lane the motorbike is in?"  What a superb question, I don't think anyone has ever asked me that question before. 

The answer is that as a general rule, the further right the object is in your mirror, the further AWAY it is from your vehicle - but it is dependent on the actual distance FROM your vehicle, so it takes some practise accurately appreciating this point. The importance of having the mirrors set up correctly cannot be over-stated.  An incorrectly set mirror too far over to the right for example could easily eliminate visibility of an entire lane on the dual carraigeway.  You should be able to see a thin strip of your car's bodywork on the left side edge of the mirror to ensure it is not set too far over to the right.

The question is good because it raises other related questions, such as, what can you see in the side mirror if you are entering the dual carraigeway from an elevated slip road?  What happens at night time in the dark, can you still spot the seperate lanes of the dual carraigeway?  How do you know if a vehicle that is moving between lanes on the dual carraigeway is moving in your general direction or not?  How can you tell if a vehicle seen in the mirror is getting closer, gaining speed on you, or not?

Looking at a mirror, in fact any of the 3 mirrors, is one thing, actually looking at the object seen in a mirror and being able to decipher what that image seen actually means is another.  As a general rule, contrary to what you might think, staring at mirrors is not a good way of gathering information.  Instead, taking repeated, short, glances of a side mirror backed up with a well timed side glance of the head (due to the possibility of "blindspots" in side mirrors), is a #gooddrivinghabit.

It's good because it allows you to keep track of what is going on immediately in front of you, and also because the possibly changing image seen by those seperate glances is easier for the brain to decode speed, distance, position, than if you just stared at the mirror.

This is yet further proof, that asking questions is such a good idea when on your driving lessons in Peterborough (see here for another real example of how a question recently asked on a driving lesson helped someone on their actual driving test!).

Good luck to you all.... and happy driving.

www.BigTom.org.uk/home/

Driving Test Nerves by Tom of www.BigTom.org.uk/home/

It is virtually impossible to eliminate driving test nerves, but you can make good attempts to manage them effectively, this blog will tell you how.

If you imagine that to pass a driving test, a driver needs to perform no lower than a specific, made up level, let's say 75%    By way of a reference, 100% would be a perfectly fault free drive.  This is NOT how you are assessed but bear with me, all will be revealed shortly.

Now when you are taking driving lessons with your Driving Instructor, the two of you will be communicating with each other all the time about your driving ability, and as long as there is an agreement that your driving ability is indeed over this 75% mark, then happy days, it does indeed make sense to put in for the driving test.

However, what needs to be remembered is that on Test Day itself, with the nerves that will be present, your driving ability is very likely to be slightly lower than normal.  There are many reasons for this, it can be to do with your ability to make judgements of the speed of traffic around you, distance of other vehicles, it can be related to your perception of the position of your vehicle in the road.... lots of possible things, but ultimately, accurate judgement can be affected due to nerves.

As such, it pays to ensure that your actual driving ability, achieved BEFORE Test Day, is consistently, significantly higher than 75%.   So let's say for the sake of argument, 85% - the actual figures here are completely irrelevant, it is the concept that is important.  By ensuring your driving ability is regularly running at 85%, even with the reduced ability on the day of the test, you will still be driving at over 75%, which will result in a pass.

Another way of looking at it is that any slight cracks, minor hiccups in driving ability that occur on normal driving lessons, will very likely be exposed and be significantly more pronounced on test day, simply down to the decreased ability brought on by Test Day nerves.  So for example, a recurring issue related to inadequate observations on junctions, or the position of your vehicle in the road when turning right, or moving off on a hill, or exiting a roundabout, or driving over the speed limit, will tend to get exposed in the time of the test.

In summary, do not ignore what might appear to you to be relatively minor driving faults.  It can be very tempting to ignore a fault that crops up, because at that moment in time, on that occasion, nothing actually happened as a result.  But remember that whilst nothing actually happened THAT time, you were not in control of that outcome, on another day, the consequence might well be very different.

If you feel like you need some assistance applying the concept of this blog to your own driving ability then contact me and I will be able to help.  Maybe you want to know what the driving test pass standard of "75%" looks and feels like in real terms, or perhaps you want to know what your current driving ability is compared to that 75%.

Please feel free to ask any questions or make comments below.  

This blog has provided details of how driving test nerves can affect driving ability on Test Day, and how we all can manage that situation by ensuring a certain standard of driving ability is consistently achieved BEFORE Test Day.    

BIG TOM Driving School  Intensive Driving Course in Peterborough, Grantham, Sleaford, Boston, Stamford and Spalding.  0800 689 4174

Standing out from the crowd by Tom of www.BigTom.org.uk

This blog will expand a little on the subject of how easy it is to take things for granted, and not notice the detail, in particular when learning to drive.

I discovered a very fragile looking, pretty little flower in the front garden yesterday.  That flower has sprung up out of nowhere.  It didn't feature last year in my front garden, so I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered it this spring.  It's a beautiful, delicate flower, in a bunch of about 30, and really catches the eye.

But only when I then took a look at the image I had taken of it on my computer did I see the detail.  Have you ever seen so much detail as that before in a flower?  What appears at first glance to be just a pretty flower, when you take a close look, WOW! - look at the detail.

And this is a very similar situation with a good driver.  At first glance, as a passenger, nothing particularly out of the ordinary is going on.  You might recognise that the drive appears smooth, or that the driver is cleverly avoiding heavy congestion, maybe there is not much stop/starting going on.  But it is very easy to actually not notice a good driver when you see it!  We all know what a bad driver looks like: no regard for comfort, little thought for other road users, often breaking the law, but a good driver is less noticeable.  A good driver is calm, observant, considerate, they are only noticeable by being so unnoticeable! 

That level of good driving is not left to chance, just like my little flower, there is much going on in the background, a lot of detail that is not necessarily detectable to the naked eye.  

For the next few journeys you do in the car as a passenger, start paying attention to the driver.  Do just a little less talking for a while, and observe what is going on.  Don't make a fuss about it, don't tell the driver what you are doing, just watch.  How much is their head turning and observing other road users around them, is there a pattern between mirror checks and what is happening, is there a lot of stop/starting, is there heavy acceleration or braking, do they interact with other road users in a positive or negative way.

There is much to be gained by learning from others, observing good and bad driving habits, appreciating a skillful bit of planning ahead, recognising how emotions affect driving ability.  Every time you get in the car, even as a passenger, you have an opportunity to notice something good or bad, and store it for future reference; if you are learning to drive, why would you NOT make the most of these opportunities?

BIG TOM Driving School  Intensive Driving Course in Peterborough, Spalding, Stamford, Sleaford, Boston, and Grantham 0800 689 4174

Driving through a red traffic light on the driving test in Grantham by Tom of Big Tom Driving School

Driving through a red traffic light on a driving test in Grantham - not a great prospect?  But what if the examiner tells you to?

Recently, a pupil on an Intensive Driving Course in Grantham asked me what is the correct course of action to take if he is stopped at a red light, and blocking an emergency vehicle from passing through on a call. What a great question.  We talked about how the law interprets it, how technology is used in some towns/cities to enforce the law, we talked about the moral implications, and we spoke of who is allowed to order you through a red traffic light and in what circumstances.

All very good, interesting stuff.

I put up a scenario based on this conversation for others to consider what they would do in this situation on my social links, and on a driving test in Grantham just this morning, exactly that scenario actually occurred.

The really interesting thing about this though, is that the person who initially asked me the question, is the same person who was on test this morning!  How good is that?!

If that doesn't encourage anyone monitoring to ask questions on their driving lessons with me in Grantham, you have to wonder what would?

You are not permitted to drive through a red light for an emergency vehicle UNLESS a Police Officer in uniform actually directs you to go through it - physically, in the act of controlling traffic waves you through the stop line.

Worth knowing, because in a court of law, should you go through the red light having not been directed through, thereby causing an accident and then attempting to offer this situation as some kind of defence to your actions, it is not an actual defence.

In reality, for practical purposes.  You would like to think that the Police Officer driving the vehicle on an emergency call, will recognise the fact that a member of public is not permitted to drive through the red light, and turn off the blue lights, the siren and sit there and wait for the lights to go green.  If not, then the poor member of public who is waiting at the red light, feels under an awful lot of pressure to move but is being held on a red light - not a good combination.

What happened on the driving test in Grantham this morning was that the examiner without saying a word, having seen the Police car behind, pointed with his right hand over to the left side of the road.  My chap (the driver on test) saw this, and was able to move the car over to the left WITHOUT actually going over the STOP line.  Phew!  A tricky situation where the old saying "knowledge is power" certainly comes into play!


BIG TOM Driving School  Intensive Driving Course in Grantham 01476 850 050

The number 1 reason why people fail the driving test by BIG TOM Driving School

Stats from the DVSA indicate that in 2012-2013 at Grantham Test Centre, 65% of people passed the driving test on their first attempt, in Peterborough Test Centre that figure is 51%.  More recent figures in 2015 show a general levelling out between the two test centres, but both being below 50%.  Why are those figures so low?

BIG TOM Driving School (0800 689 4174) offers some reasons in this helpful blog, it looks at the number 1 reason why people fail the driving test.  Notice that I’m not referring to the driving faults that cause the “fail”, I’m talking about the people who take the test.

What are your thoughts on this?   Common things that come to mind include test day nerves, erratic driving from other drivers, completely losing the plot for a second or two and doing something daft, a very strict examiner, not knowing the roads you were tested on, a shaking left leg that couldn’t control the clutch and so on.

Whilst there might well be an element of truth in your symptom analysis, it’s not the root cause.  The root cause is quite simply that at that moment in time, you were not ready to take the test.

You see, with exams at school/college, if it turns out you had not got yourself quite prepared for the exam, the consequence is often that you just did not quite get the grade you were hoping for.  But with a driving test, if you are not quite ready for the test, you fail it.  You simply fail the test.

So, how do you know if you are ready to take the test?

Your Driving Instructor can assist with their professional opinion, in addition, you will know, in your heart of hearts, how you feel about it.  

But here is the “bang” in this blog.... 

If you set yourself an unrealistic date that you absolutely MUST take your test by.... come what may, you will HAVE to take your test by this date or the whole world comes to an end, then, you have very probably just sealed your own fate. 

The reason why that is such a dodgy strategy is that it completely disregards the fact that we are all different, we all learn at different rates, we all progress differently, and you are no different.  How can you possibly know with certainty that by a given date you are going to be ready to go to test?  The above stats would tend to suggest you simply can’t. 

Why do people insist on going to test before they are ready?  Well, there can be tons of reasons.  But know this, as soon as the little seed of doubt is in your head that you are trying to pass a test that you are not ready for, that seed doesn’t magically disappear, what it does is grow, it grows bigger and bigger every day closer to your test date.  Come to the day of your test, that little seed has now fully grown, to the extent that you are already convinced that you will fail before you have even turned the engine on!

This is a mindset.  

This is something that is entirely preventable and it is something that you have the absolute power to avoid..... you really do have the power to prevent that seed of doubt from even spreading roots, let alone growing.  Not always, but very often, a test fail is brought about because you have set yourself a date to go to test that was based on anything and everything completely UNRELATED to the rate of progress of your driving ability.

So before you go head long into a path of self-destruction, make sure you design in a mindset based on positivity, and not one based on pressure.  It is often under-estimated how the state of the mind can seriously affect the ability to drive effectively (and that will remain a true fact well beyond the time you pass your driving test).

The reason why people fail the driving test is offered as a helpful guide to attempt to raise the national pass rate for driving tests in the country.

BIG TOM Driving School  Intensive Driving Course in Peterborough, Spalding, Stamford, Boston, Sleaford and Grantham 0800 689 4174

How to become an intuitively good driver by Tom of www.BigTom.org.uk/home/

This blog is going to explore how a driver develops the skill of making the right decisions when driving, without making a lot of effort... intuitively being a good driver.

When we really get stuck in to learning to drive, there are a couple of things that occur.  Firstly, we start to get so used to doing the act of driving that it becomes second nature.  I am not talking about dipping our toe in the swimming pool here, or paddling in the pool up to our ankles, I am talking about properly warming up the muscles, putting swimming goggles on, and swimming 64 lengths of the pool (a mile) in a time that you are continuously improving.  You get my point?  

The second thing that happens when you drive for that amount is that you start to develop 'deep mind' skills.  You actually start getting really good at it. This does of course depend on a few things, one of which is that you are being provided with good training.  As such, you start to develop key driving skills such as the ability to anticipate and forward plan.  Good driving habits are forming, less conscious effort is being made, you are now becoming a 'good driver'.

A customer on my Intensive Driving Course this week, has a Sister who is learning to drive in another part of the UK (doing weekly driving lessons) .  They are calling each other and swapping notes.  He is covering aspects in his training that she has not even heard of, let alone had a chance to experience.  Her confidence is already dwindling having failed the driving test 3 times, but now her brother is talking about things like how to use "limit points" to assess the severity of a bend and properly prepare with the correct approaching speed and gear, something she has no idea what he is talking about.... her confidence is fading away fast.

And so if you learn to drive on an intensive driving course that enables you to be constantly, repeatedly practising good driving habits, then you are ticking that 'experience' box.  As long as you do that enough, you then start getting good at it, you are learning well, and you then find yourself becoming an intuitively good driver. 

You can't short cut that process in my experience.  You can't attend a course that calls itself an "Intensive Driving Course" in name, but actually doesn't provide you with that much experience driving.  The beauty of having a 4 hour driving session ahead of you is that you can drive further in that time than you could ever possibly drive in 4 lots of 1 hour sessions.  You can greatly increase the variety of driving conditions you come across; different towns/cities/counties will allow you to experience different road markings, road design, signage etc.  So when you are driving 80 - 90 miles in a session, and being given the opportunity to 'swim that mile', you start to truly develop skills such as intuition, reading situations on roundabouts as you approach, anticipating the likelihood of potential hazards BECOMING hazards.

Watch more about this subject of 'intuition' here

This has been a short blog exploring the advantages of being able to "drive more, to experience more, to learn more" and how that develops skills in the deep sub-conscious.  Hope it helps and good luck!

www.BigTom.org.uk
  

 

Intensive Driving Course in Grantham Price Comparison

I was chatting to a prospective customer the other day who was comparing prices of driving schools that offer Intensive Driving Courses in Grantham.

The conversation got a little lost, went a bit wayward, and on reflection, I can't help but feel the problem that we were both struggling to come to terms with was that we were not comparing 'like with like'.

The whole ethos of my approach to learning to drive is that there simply is no substitute for driving experience.  "You drive more, to experience more, to learn more" is embedded in every minute of my Intensive Driving Course sessions.  How much you agree with that philosophy is your personal choice of course, and the problem comes when you start comparing it with other driver training providers who think differently.

Others will have their own take on things; in the conversation the other day DVD systems were mentioned, workbooks, and I've heard of classroom simulations before now.  But, the fact of the matter is that you could read, watch videos, do simulations and all the rest of it, at some point, you need to APPLY knowledge and start developing driving skills.

The act of driving can be a sensory overload, it is hard to imagine that until you have experienced it (you ask anyone how they felt on their first occasion of parallel skiing down a mountain, watch their eyes light up as they speak).  Reading books and watching dvd's does not come close to the feeling you will experience of co-ordinating your hands, feet and eyes as you drive.

And so, to summarise, the hours I quote in my driving courses that you pay for are "driving hours", that is the time you spend behind the wheel driving.  Often driving sessions on my Intensive Driving Courses cross county boundaries, 80-90 miles of driving is not unusual.  Let me stress this is not at the expense of quality, there is no reinforcing bad habits going on here.  You only need to view my #gooddrivinghabits series on my YouTube channel and Twitter feed to see that the quality is in the detail.

This blog has tried to explain how to make meaningful price comparisons between Intensive Driving Courses in Grantham.  If it has been useful, please "share" the knowledge!

www.BigTom.org.uk/home/

How to get driving test cancellation slots by BIG TOM Driving School

This short blog is going to tell you what options are available to you to get a driving test date that is perfectly aligned to your needs.  This is achieved by making use of driving test cancellation slots. Here at BIG TOM Driving School we deal with this every single day for our customers doing our popular Intensive Driving Course (0800 689 4174). 

Every day there are literally thousands of cancellations going through for one reason or another on previously booked driving tests.  When the cancellation is processed, that slot is then available to be used.  Getting to know when these driving test cancellation slots crop up is key.

You have 3 options.  The first 2 options involve connecting up with the booking service, you can do it on line or on the phone using this link   Going on line has the advantage of you being able to temporarily 'reserve' a slot that crops up for 15 mins, which is long enough to check with your Driving Instructor if s/he can make that new time/date.  Persevere, persevere, persevere.

The 3rd option is to use a company that does nothing else but this; and there are many of them on the market.  You make the original test booking, and then provide them with the details of that booking and the date that you would actually prefer, and they get on and find you one.  The benefit to you is that you do not have to spend the time on the phone or on line.  The downside to you, is that if they find a cancellation slot, it could come through at any time, and who is to say that you even notice it come through on your mobile?  You may be busy. You may not be able to instantly get through to your busy driving instructor.

So there you have it.  The first 2 options are free, but will take some patience, persistence and ultimately time to get the result you want.  The third option comes with a fee, but you have no control when they contact you.  

For BIG TOM customers on our Intensive Driving Course, we provide a fabulous service that truly allows you to sit back and relax.  We do EVERYTHING for you.  We will know your commitments, we know our commitments, when we find a cancellation we will check it works for everyone, and then inform you of the good news.  It really is a fabulous service that our customers constantly tell us is greatly valued.  You will see from this update here, that because this IS our business, we make it our business to keep completely up to date with what is happening with driving test cancellations slots and driving test waiting times.  It is a comprehensive service that we provide, and it is one we are very proud to offer to our valued customers.

Hope this blog is helpful to you, any questions, ask away.

BIG TOM Driving School   Intensive Driving Course in Peterborough, Lincoln, Stamford, Spalding, Boston, Sleaford and Grantham  0800 689 4174

Intensive Driving Course in Grantham by Tom of www.BigTom.org.uk/home/

On an Intensive Driving Course in Grantham last week my pupil drove the following route –

From Grantham travel South East out to the A52 towards Threekingham, turn right through Folkingham on the A15 through Morton and into Bourne.   Once in Bourne, we approached the main crossroads from each of the 4 alternative directions and made our way back through the Elsea Park roundabouts.  On the A151 through Edenham and Corby Glen, on the A1 North at Colsterworth and then exiting off the A1 at the Downtown junction, finishing off at Great Gonerby.

Why bother doing this?  It is all about “driving more, to experience more, to learn more”.  That route offers some great opportunity to drive on a variety of different roads, in different driving conditions.  Driving on unfamiliar roads, on routes you don’t know, and experiencing all that comes on a journey like that is a superb learning opportunity. 

And that is what is at the heart of my Intensive Driving Course in Grantham.... value and quality.

BIG TOM Driving School  Intensive Driving Course in Grantham 01476 850 050

Driving Lessons in Grantham A1 by Tom of www.BigTom.org.uk/home/

Coming on or off the A1 on driving lessons in Grantham is no joke for any driver, experienced or not. 

There are 4 entry/exit junctions for the A1 Grantham, and they have a variety of lengths for the entry and exit slip roads.

The benefit of driving lessons with a professional Driving Instructor is knowing you can practise this in a safe manner.  Here are some videos to assist you; there is no substitute for controlled, quality practise ... applying these #gooddrivinghabits

Coming on or off the A1 at Grantham need not worry you, subscribe NOW to “2010BIGTOM” on YouTube for more useful FREE tips.

www.BigTom.org.uk/home/

People failing driving tests by Tom of Big Tom Driving School www.BigTom.org.uk/home/

The number 1 reason for driving tests fails is lack of observations, particularly at junctions.

I imagine it will be right up there for the cause of accidents too.  As you can see from this photo here, these side mirrors do offer us the opportunity to see what is around us, but remember three things about using side mirrors for observations:

• The glass is convex (curved) so the apparent distance of objects seen in them is not a true indication of the actual distance.
• There are ‘blind spots’ associated with side mirrors, make sure you ask your Driving Instructor for proof of this fact if you are in any doubt about what a ‘blind spot’ is.
• The timing of when you look in your side mirrors is just as important as the information you gain by looking in them.

As you can see, taking effective observations is more than simply the occasional glance in a mirror; for observations to be effective, they have to be thorough, systematic and well timed.  Only then will you be giving yourself the opportunity to assess, and properly act on the information gained by the observation.

My last message for you.  Don’t be fooled though, in these side mirrors it is perfectly possible to NOT see something as small as a motorbike.  And that is precisely the reason why a good driver will reinforce side mirror checks with additional observations with a turn to of the head to the side.... always nice to see in my drivers.... as it increases peripheral vision.

THINK BIKE!

If you would like to see some videos on reasons why people fail driving tests just click HERE now!

www.BigTom.org.uk/home/

Driving Lesson Nerves by Tom of Big Tom Driving School www.BigTom.org.uk/home/

We have all suffered with driving lesson nerves, it definitely gets better but to begin with, it is a bit daunting.

I provide 5 driving lessons in Bourne for £49 to get over this initial problem.  I could not run my business continually providing driving lessons in Bourne for that rate, it is literally loss making; but one thing it does do is give new Learners in Bourne the opportunity to try out the car and make sure they are happy with me, before making any other commitment.

You see, driving lesson prices, generally speaking, decrease if you are able to commit to a certain amount (that is why my Intensive Driving Course prices are so competitively priced).  And on the flip of that, if people just want to ring me up every once in a while for a driving lesson, the cost is £26 per hour.  So, you see, it definitely pays to plan how you intend to learn to drive. 

Any good Driving Instructor will be willing and able to provide you with options, because ultimately this comes down to YOU deciding what is the best way for YOU to learn to drive.

I like to keep things simple! 

If you want to make use of this superb offer and reduce your driving lesson nerves contact me on 07894 262 718 (be quick!) 

How to learn to drive on an Intensive Driving Course in Peterborough

Intensive Driving Course in Peterborough

There are motor skills and cognitive skills associated with learning how to drive... the doing bits (changing gear, steering, finding the ‘biting point’) and the thinking bits (knowing where to look at what time, judging speeds and distances, anticipating hazards).

Generally, people fail driving tests because of a failing in the cognitive skills.  Put another way, most people when they go to test, can physically drive the car down the road, if they fail it’s due to the brain and nothing else.

The good news is that you can start working on developing the cognitive skills immediately, without even being in a car!  There are a variety of techniques that can help you to appreciate what I call “The ‘whys’ of driving”.  Most people will concentrate on the ‘whats’ of driving, but not the ‘whys’.  The fact is, if you don’t know WHY a driving action is necessary, you may remember to do it, but you probably wont!  There is little consistency.  Take a look at this Prezi I did on this very subject.

So you can either choose to be told the ‘whys’ while you are sat in the car with your Driving Instructor (not a cheap way to learn to drive), or you can find a training provider like Big Tom Driving School who offers you the ‘whys’ for you to learn about in the comfort of your home, at a time that suits you, and costs you..... NOTHING!

Where’s the smart money on this one?

Intensive Driving Courses in Peterborough or Grantham with Big Tom Driving School

How to Plan Driving Lessons in Peterborough by Tom of Big Tom Driving School

This will help you to plan driving lessons.  If you start learning to drive thinking you will just take a driving lesson as and when you can, you could end up paying far more than you need to.  This approach often leads to long gaps between sessions, forgetting what you did previously, feeling frustrated that you don't appear to be making an awful lot of progress.

The key to planning driving lessons is actually to start with the end goal in mind. 

Ask yourself “When can I take my driving test?”

Even if you are not bound by a certain time to do with busy schedules, it is so important to have a goal.  Aimlessly plodding your way through driving lessons is like waiting for a bus, you MAY get lucky once in a while, but mostly, it’s tedious.  This is why the BIG TOM 5 Day Intensive Driving Course is so effective.

Once you have a goal in mind then you can start working backwards to plan how to make it work.  At Big Tom Driving School, we know how important this planning is to achieve success.  Which is why we can assist you to plan driving lessons around your diary, before you have paid a penny!

Call us on 0800 689 4174 to get free, impartial advice about how to go about learning to drive faster.

www.BIGTOM.org.uk/home/

"Fast Track Driving Course" by Tom of Big Tom Driving School

Fast Track Driving Course

A fast track driving course is a popular request for many customers of my Intensive Driving Courses in Peterborough or Grantham.  

Professional people with heavy workloads, pupils on holiday periods, and people with busy lifestyles, many customers are in need of learning to drive fast... learning fast, not driving fast!

I was talking to a Learner in Baston yesterday who was enquiring about a crash course in learning to drive.  He has had no previous driving experience and will not be able to do any private practise when learning how to drive.  He was doubting that he would need all of the 40 hours driving training on my “Beginners Intensive Driving Course”.  He may be forming this impression from peer pressure, or perhaps listening to Mum and Dad (who took their driving lessons many moons ago), or maybe just wanting to limit the overall cost of learning to drive.

When I told him the Driving Standards Agency have recently published ....  

”Research shows that 99% (742,500) of learner drivers take lessons from a professional instructor and that, on average, they pay around £1,500 for 50 hours of instruction each year”

..... it sends a powerful message!  Take a look at what the DSA, an independent organisation say HERE.

It is an average figure, some will take more, some less, but it does demonstrate what superb value my 40 hour Intensive Driving Course in Peterborough or Grantham is at £737 – especially as it includes a guarantee that any additional hours needed are free of charge.

When your goal is a fast track driving course, make sure you don’t cut corners in the process.  Be sure to fully understand exactly how many hours of driving experience are being offered on any crash course in learning to drive.  "Driving experience" means actually driving; the more you drive, the more you experience, the more you learn!

Wishing you well, and GOOD LUCK!

Tom from Big Tom Driving School www.BIGTOM.org.uk/home/