Help! I failed my driving test Q&A by BIG TOM Driving School in Bourne

In response to a very good question from a viewer of the BIG TOM Learner video channel Tom (Owner of BIG TOM Driving School in Bourne 01778 309 773) gives the following help to viewers who might be struggling to come to terms with a driving test fail.


Here is the question from the viewer Hannah486:

"I failed my first test the other day for going 33mph in a 30 for what could only have been a few seconds before I realised and corrected and my position on a round about ( when going straight). Apart from those two I only got 1 minor for mirrors. I didn't even realise anything had gone wrong so I was very surprised at the end of the test! What is your opinion/advise about this? Any advise would be welcome for my next test :)" Hannah486


First of all, here is the video that is the subject of the question, take a few minutes to see what is said, it will help you to understand the answer I give to the above question.....

There are 2 parts to Hannah's question.  The first is to do with speeding, and the second is to do with incorrect position when going straight over at a roundabout.  

I observe over 95% of the driving tests that are conducted for BIG TOM Driving School in Bourne.  That helps me and it helps my customers.  It helps me to keep up to date with how errors committed on driving tests are assessed, it deepens my knowledge so that I can accurately replicate this same standard when I do my mock tests for my customers.  It is very rare indeed for a customer of BIG TOM Driving School in Bourne to fail a mock test, but pass the actual driving test - that's how accurate they are.  But perhaps more importantly, when I observe a driving test in Peterborough or Grantham, I can see for myself precisely what happened, so I am able to recollect where the fault occurred and what the precise circumstances were that led up to the fault occurring.  Do not underestimate how powerful this is, as for some people who have just taken a driving test, it can be very tricky to actually recollect even where the fault arose, let alone the circumstances leading up to it - such is the "event".

The reason why this is so important when attempting to answer the question from Hannah, is because it is important to know what the positional error on the roundabout was, what was the consequence of the error, was there anything about that roundabout, the approach, or even on it, that was unusual or unfamiliar to Hannah.  There can be a wide range of answers to that question, only Hannah will know for sure, how she genuinely feels about spiral roundabouts, mini-roundabouts, roundabouts with traffic lights on them, multi-lane roundabouts, lorries on roundabouts near her etc.  But a Driving Instructor like me sitting in the back observing the driving test, will have seen what the speed and gear was on the approach, what the vision was like on the approach, what vehicles were doing to the side or in front of Hannah when she went on to the roundabout, literally what the position of the car was when on the roundabout.  This might well tend to be crucial information for being able to "root cause" a driving error, in the way that I describe it on the video.  

And this ultimately is a key concept of effective learning; being really honest with yourself, reflecting on how you feel in certain situations when driving, and communicating those feelings, concerns or anxieties so that coping mechanisms can be developed to help deal with the situation.  If you take ownership of your learning experience, and effectively analyse how YOU think and feel in certain situations, you are far more likely to build up rock steady techniques to help you should something crop up.  For sure, you can attempt to ignore them, and hope that the situation does not arise on the driving test, but think long term, even if it doesn't crop up on the driving test, how are you going to feel dealing with it post-test?  The DVSA tell us that one of the key differences that they intend to introduce to the new driving test in 2016 will be to test the ability of the candidate to prioritise and manage situations.  It is in your interests not only for the driving test, but for the safety and comfort of all your years driving post-test, to be honest with yourself; don't buckle under peer-pressure and attempt to get to the driving test like it's some kind of race.  For your learning to drive experience to be an effective process, it needs to take as long as it takes, we are not all the same.  I recently did a road safety talk to 170 Yr 12 pupils at Bourne Grammar School, and if I were to re-visit them in 2 years time, and ask out of the 170 what was the average number of hours taken actually driving, either with a Driving Instructor or with family, I would get a wide range of answers.  There would undoubtedly be an "average" figure, but we must be very careful to not allow any pre-determined figure that might be heard between peers, to become the "goal".  A recent pupil of mine, openly stated that she had a bet with her group of friends to see who could pass the driving test with the least amount of driving lessons.  This is the kind of talk that flies in the face of an "effective learning experience", and goes some way to explaining why the national average driving test pass rate is under 50% and also why 1 in 5 newly qualified drivers are having an accident within 6 months of passing the driving test.

With regards to the question about doing 33 in a 30 mph zone.  This is also very tricky to accurately assess, Hannah is suggesting that the speeding element was only for a few seconds and in doing so confirming that she knew that she was speeding.  There is recent talk from certain Police authorities that they are considering removing the current allowance of 10% + 2mph over the speed limit before prosecution takes place.  But in any case, sometimes I think it would help if you just consider what message you are giving to an Examiner by any amount of speeding on a driving test.  If you feel like you can get away with it on a driving test, the Examiner must well be thinking what that says about your general attitude to speeding.  It would be a bit like failing the driving test for failing to check your blind spot before moving off.  The car is not even moving, and yet, the driving test can be failed purely and simply as repeatedly failing to make effective observations before moving, sends a very clear message to any Examiner assessing, how safe you are going to be for all of the years of driving ahead.

I very much welcome this question from Hannah, and I hope I have gone some way to answering it for her.  I do hope that she will respond again if needed.  Please feel free to add any comments at the bottom of the video or this blog.

BIG TOM Driving School in Bourne   Bookings: 01778 309 773

Driving School in Bourne publishes weekly motoring news

Tom Ingram, Driving Instructor from BIG TOM Driving School in Bourne (01778 309 773) has been offering his readership a weekly motoring news update since 15/7/15. There can be found some rather interesting little snippets of information that you could easily have missed in your daily intake of news. Here are a collection taken from the blog of the driving school in Bourne.  Some of the following will be sad to read, some funny, and some will be very odd indeed, to the point of wondering whether it is true!  All of the following were genuinely reported in our local press from Bourne, Spalding, Peterborough, Grantham, and Stamford and are 100% authentic.  Happy reading!

• The crossing on the A1 between northbound and southbound carriageways at Great Ponton was scene of a near miss when local press witnessed a lorry attempting to cross blocking the southbound carriageway forcing vehicles to slam on brakes. Only a few days before this, a white van careered off the A1 into a garden after a collision with a lorry. Cameras are planned for the stretch of A1 in 2016.

• ‘Black box’ telematics technology was successfully used by a newly qualified driver to prove that he had not been illegally parked in a car park in Grantham for 7 hrs and 25 mins as was claimed by the private company who had instigated the fine.

• Young farmer from Norfolk on charge for causing death by dangerous driving, does not dispute expert evidence regarding position of his tractor at time of fatality, but denies he had set speed limiter to illegal setting of 40mph. Driver of the car involved in the collision with the tractor died as a result. He also denied being under the influence of drugs, having admitted to use of cocaine. (Case continues).

• An inquest has discovered that a road traffic collision that occurred on Christmas Day on the A606 Oakham Road near Langham was possibly as a result of one of the drivers phoning his Mother and wishing her merry Christmas. Lynda Wade and Mark Price were the drivers involved in the double fatality. The mother of Mark Price heard him wish her merry Christmas, then there was a pause and then he said “Oh no” and then she thought she heard an impact before the line cut off. A set of headphones were found in the drivers footwell and the mobile had been placed on the dashboard.

• 72 yr old male from Long Sutton is given a night-time curfew by Boston Magistrates and banned from driving for a year after fatally injuring a man in an electric wheelchair after a collision while he was crossing London Road in Long Sutton. The court heard how it would have taken 9 seconds to cross the road, and in that time, the driver did not respond to the male crossing in his wheelchair with his wife and family dog. The collision occurred at 10.30am.

• Councillor from Spalding receives parking ticket while busily helping on flower beds for Spalding in Bloom
• The average speed cameras located on the A52 bypass between Grantham and Boston have reduced collisions by over 55% and casualties by over 70% since they were introduced 5 years ago. A success story for the Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership, and has now led to a similar system being installed on the A15 near Metheringham which goes ‘live’ on Monday (21/09/15)
• Magistrate in Grantham hears case of locally residing female drink driver and mid-case realises he actually was her driving instructor. Case proceeded, and she was given 12 month driving ban and £435 fine.
• Landlord of pub in Spalding calls Police and follows lorry for 1.5hrs after seeing driver jump 2 red lights and cut up traffic only to be told it was not a priority.
• 75 year old male driver from Wilsford, denies endangering safety of a person upon the railway, and driving dangerously, after court hears he allegedly turned left at a level crossing in Wilsford, onto the tracks. Case continues.
• Cambridge Utd player clocked doing 156mph on A1 (M) gets his 2nd ban from driving, this time for 6 months and a £1400 fine. He joins a Nottingham Forest player who was also banned 3 weeks ago after doing 115mph on same stretch of road.
• Desperate call from Mother in Grantham to Police to help release her trapped baby from inside her car was not acted on. Fire brigade crew eventually arrived to release baby from vehicle.

BIG TOM Driving School in Bourne keeping you up to date with all local information in Bourne and surrounding areas.  Intensive driving course in Bourne 01778 309 773

Do Intensive Driving Courses Work ?

A common question asked about intensive driving courses is whether they work or not.  We had a pupil of ours pass her driving test in Peterborough this morning, (well done Sophie!) on her first attempt, having taken out one of our Intensive Driving Courses 12 weeks previously!  The only reason for the delay was that her first driving test was cancelled due to poor weather conditions.

So how do we get them to be that effective?  We spend time to understand your previous driving experience, learning preferences, and special needs so that the correct course is recommended to you.  We have a choice between different courses with different hours of in-car training, over different periods of time.  If you find yourself being funnelled into a standard course, whereby there are no other choices, then that can have a serious impact on the outcomes.  If there are not enough hours of training, or the learning curve was too steep, or there was not enough time to deal with your particular concerns, then this may affect if you’re ready to take the driving test, it may affect the result of the test.  There is nothing quite like failing the driving test to knock your confidence.

So when you ask…. do intensive driving courses work, the answer is undoubtedly “Yes, they can”, but that is no guarantee that they will necessarily work for you and your needs.  As specialists in Intensive Driving Courses for over 5 years now in Peterborough, Grantham and surrounding areas, we ensure that every opportunity is given for you to properly prepare for the course.  That is after all what you are needing.  We have busy people attend our courses, often professionals, with tight schedules and they NEED results.  Customers have travelled to us from as far as London to attend our courses such is their popularity and our dependability.

For more details on intensive driving courses, availability, test booking and much more contact BIG TOM Driving School NOW on 0800 689 4174

Rogue Driving Instructor in Bourne

There has recently been a rogue Driving Instructor in Bourne who I am pleased to say has been arrested, but not before fraudulently pocketing substantial amounts of money.  A victim from Elsea Park has told BIG TOM Driving School in Bourne (01778 309 773) of the devastation it has caused both financially and in trauma.

It is a criminal offence to receive money in receipt for driving instruction if you are not an approved Driving Instructor with the DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency).  But how would you know if a person is approved?

There are 3 relatively quick ways to check but not foolproof and 1 rather more reliable method which I will come on to in a moment.  I would personally advise you attempt all of the following before paying a penny.

Firstly look for the "badge" in the windscreen, like this one here in mine.

It will have a photo of the Driving Instructor, and an expiry date.  Of course, these things can quite easily be forged but it is a starting point.

Secondly I would check online.  Enter your postcode on this page and it will provide a list of the Approved Driving Instructors in your area.  The DVSA are careful to declare that it might not necessarily be a complete list but again, it's a starting point.

In the above case, the victim made contact with a Driving School outside of Bourne, and they supplied an apparent Driving Instructor who was not from Bourne.  I would suggest that this is not ideal.  That person will not be listed on that DVSA link above when you put your postcode in, as the listing is directly linked with the "Driving Instructor's" own home/work address.  So employing the services of a tradesperson outside of your local town does in itself present an element of risk in this particular regard.

However, the next method is, I think, less known but good.  Considering that you are about to embark on a course whereby you will be spending a great amount of time with this person, one on one in the confined space of a car, you would be wise to get some degree of "trust" in this person.
  
Part of the process to be an Approved Driving Instructor with the DVSA and obtain that "badge" I mentioned before, is an Enhanced Certificate from the DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service).  There will ordinarily be a similarity in terms of dates (but not exact) between the "badge" in the windscreen and the 'Date of Issue' on the Enhanced Certificate.  I can't speak for all Driving Instructors but I would have no problem with showing a prospective customer my (original) Enhanced Certificate - it will say on it "Name of Employer: DVSA".  If the apparent Driving Instructor co-operates with your request, it will take less than a minute to check and I would suggest is a pretty reliable method of checking the authenticity of their status.  However, there is another less formal, but arguably pretty reliable and more traditional method available.

Have you seen their driving school car in your area, are you aware that s/he has given talks on road safety in your local schools, have you actually heard good things from other local residents about the person?  Is there information online that you can easily discover about the person and their work locally eg LinkedIn, a YouTube channel, a blog, reviews on a Facebook page.  Not all business people will fully engage in these types of activity but it is a measure of the transparency by which they run their business - it is in effect a shop window that enables you to see at first hand, how they conduct their business.

The victim from Elsea Park was not speaking to a driving school in Bourne, they were not providing a Driving Instructor from Bourne - it turns out, they were not even providing an Approved Driving Instructor and now her only hope is the possibility of compensation as and when the case goes to court.

This blog highlights that there has recently been a rogue driving instructor in Bourne and for all we know, there maybe others.  It aims to provide you with details as to how you can check that your Driving Instructor in Bourne is authentic.  If you have any queries regarding this matter feel free to comment below or alternatively contact the DVSA direct on adireg@dsa.gsi.gov.uk

BIG TOM Driving School in Bourne 01778 309 773
http://www.bigtom.org.uk/intensive-driving-course-bourne/

Struggling with roundabouts Part 1

Tom from BIG TOM Driving School in Bourne (01778 309 773) offers the following advice to anyone find roundabouts difficult.


If you are struggling with roundabouts on your driving lessons then take 5 minutes out to read this blog - I have some advice to offer you that will make things clearer. It might help to print it out and use a highlighter to emphasise a key learning point for yourself.

Roundabouts need to be tackled in 2 halves - firstly, spotting that a roundabout is approaching and thinking where you actually want to go and secondly, actually driving on to and exiting.  If it helps think of it in terms of a bowler in cricket; the initial visualisation of where the batsman is and what you intend to bowl at him, and then the actual act of executing the bowl.  If a bowler were to rush into a bowl, having given it no thought on the approach, then the resulting bowl will be at best described as "unpredictable".

It is best to work on these 2 aspects seperately.  In this blog I will be concentrating on the first phase. The second phase will be covered in a "Part 2" blog.

An often overlooked consideration when out driving with family is planning the best place to practise.  Choose your areas carefully to maximise the learning without distractions.  Find yourself some quiet roundabouts - if they are in short supply near you, then I would suggest you change the time that you practise on them, so that there will be very little traffic around.  If that means an early start on a Sunday morning, that "pain" will be well worth it.  What you do not need when you are initially practising this, are the distractions from vehicles behind you, in front and on the roundabout.

Get into the habit of spotting roundabouts well ahead, and I do mean well ahead. You can practise this as a passenger when someone else is driving. 100 metres ahead is often very possible.  There are normally (but not always) warning signs (red triangle), you might be able to see the round blue sign (for a mini roundabout).  You may be able to spot the black and white arrows pointing leftwards ON the roundabout, you may even be able to see traffic travelling on it.  These are all important signs to identify early on that a roundabout is approaching.  Depending on the size of the roundabout, will determine if you see traffic signs with the layout of the roundabout.  These are worth paying attention to, they help you in a few important ways.  They help you to decide which exit you intend to take (larger destinations will be on the first sign, more local destinations will be shown on a secondary sign slightly nearer to the roundabout).  It is a skill in itself to read those signs, recognise which number exit is yours and begin the planning of where your car needs to be ON THE APPROACH, and whether you need a signal on the approach.  Here is one of my videos that will test your ability in this particular regard.  Don't underestimate the importance of this "planning" phase, because if you approach the roundabout and your mind is all fuzzy thinking about signals, lane positions and which exit you need, then that will have an instant impact on the next important phase.  If you are on a fast moving road (50/60/70 mph) then an early, firm but smooth slowing down by braking (right foot) to 30 mph and THEN selecting 3rd gear is a surprisingly effective move in helping you prepare because it instantly buys you time.  Time is something that you ARE able to control (more on this important point in a moment).

By looking at the signs on the approach you can begin to anticipate where your car should be positioned as you approach.  This is a massive skill because when done early, there are no sudden changes immediately before you get on the roundabout.  There is nothing quite like fast/severe changes in position on the road just before a roundabout (or even on the roundabout) to seriously spook other road users.  I accept that at 100 metres away you may not necessarily know if there are lanes on the approach, or white arrows on the road, but if you are already anticipating the importance of position then you are on the FRONT foot which is a distinct advantage to you.  If you are intending to take an exit on a roundabout that is past the 12 o/c marker on a clock face (look at the traffic sign on the approach to the roundabout to help assess this point), then conventionally, effort should be made to be positioned to the right as you approach.  If there are lanes on the approach, often (but not always) this will mean you taking a lane to the centre or right.  There will always be exceptions to this rule, but it is on the whole pretty reliable.  Look out for traffic signs showing you lane options on the approach to roundabouts, and also look out for our friends the white arrows on the lanes themselves.  This reinforces the amount of work the eyes need to do on the approach of the roundabout, even before they start looking for traffic on the roundabout.

To recap so far.  Early spotting of the roundabout is essential as they are "fluid", things can change in an instant on the roundabout, so therefore you need to start planning for them early on.  Think about where you intend to go.  Which exit will it be?  Will you need a signal?  Roughly what position in the road do you anticipate to be needing?

So far so good?  Having worked all that out, you now need to be drawing your attention to what will be a sensible speed and gear to approach in.  This is still Phase 1, you will still be a long way off the roundabout, not even near it, but you now need to start ASSESSING the actual roundabout itself.

There are 3 things in particular to try to assess which will determine what is the correct speed and gear to approach the roundabout:

1. BUSY - is it a busy roundabout, have you already spotted a lot of traffic on the roundabout?  If you have then it is increasingly looking like a slower approach is needed so that you can enter on the roundabout in a more controlled manner.  It stands to reason, that a roundabout with tons of traffic on it, will probably (not definitely) result in a pause - clutch down, first gear and look.
2. VISION - can you see vehicles approaching it to the right and vehicles already on it? If not, then it is best to approach it at a slower speed as you may need to give way to something that you cannot currently see.  This is very commonly forgotten but is essential to road safety.
3. STEERING - generally speaking, the more steering that you have to do on the roundabout the slower your speed should be.  Imagine your Gran is sat in the back seat - you wouldn't want her toppling over to the side because you are steering round a roundabout too quickly!

Going back to this theme of time.  The situation on roundabouts can often change with the blink of an eye, such is the nature of them being a meeting point for traffic. You can't control that other traffic but you CAN control the time you have to observe it.  Buying yourself time to make effective observations is a key component to safety on roundabouts.  Approach too quickly and you wont have time to do good observations and that normally leads to 1 of 2 consequences: you either eventually recognise that you are approaching too quickly, and brake very sharply just before the roundabout (even if a pause is not actually needed) - this is one reason why there are so many "rear end shunts" on the approach to roundabouts, or, you literally don't have time to check it's safe to go before you are already on the roundabout - and this often leads to cutting in too close to vehicles already on the roundabout.  Either way, this kind of experience really ebbs away at your confidence.  There are plenty of drivers who passed their driving test many moons ago who still feel uneasy about roundabouts due to their inability to properly assess the roundabouts on the approach and get the correct speed and gear to enable effective observations.

I recommend that having set up a sensible speed on the approach, you get into the habit of taking 2-3 quick glances to your right before your vehicle goes on to the roundabout.  Depending on the circumstances, it can be perfectly possible that those observations are undertaken on the approach, with your car still moving.  If you find that you don't have time to do that, then you are either not starting to look SOON enough, or your approaching speed is too fast.  Remember that roundabouts are junctions, and just as with T junctions, if your vision is "closed" on the approach you need to slow down to get more time to do more observations.... that MAY mean a pause, it may even mean a slight "peep and creep" forwards to improve your vision without actually committing to emerging.  The number 1 reason for people failing driving tests is "observations at junctions".  When I say "quick glances", it is for good reason because if your eyes look right, and end up staring at vehicles either on the roundabout or just about to come on to it, one of the possible effects is that you lose position on the approach to the roundabout as you are literally not looking where you are going.  There is often (but not always) the need to do some slight steering alteration before you get on the roundabout and your position is important.  Apart from seriously spooking other road users when a vehicle starts "drifting" in a road, the other problem with a change in the position is that it can be very misleading as to where you are intending to go.  Lane discipline is something that will be expanded on in the next blog, but for now, it is a very good habit to pay attention to your position as you approach a roundabout.  Imagine a large bubble around your vehicle, you don't want to get close enough to any vehicle in ANY direction (including the front), that would burst that bubble.

To summarise.  Unless we are thinking of the very large roundabouts with traffic lights on them, generally speaking, roundabouts are designed to encourage free moving traffic.  The idea is to plan in advance where you intend to go, so that on the approach, your hands and feet are really not doing very much at all.  The work then shifts to your eyes to check if it is safe to go.  That inevitably takes some time to properly "read".  It is all about judging speed and distance of other road users - something that is harder to do at night time or in rain.  People who are struggling with roundabouts often find themselves either stopping abruptly just before the roundabout or cutting into vehicles already on the roundabout.  These are symptoms that you are not engaging your brain (and the forward thinking skills) on the approach to the roundabout.  It will come with practise, but it will be much less stressful if you pay attention to your speed and gears and make sure they reflect the conditions that you are seeing on the roundabout.  As unfortunate as it is, we can't apply the same approach conditions to each and every roundabout as they are so different.  If you did, if you were to say err on the side of caution and automatically bring your speed down to 10mph and select 2nd gear on every single approach, then you will likely upset many other road users behind you; because often that will create unnecessary delay.  The skill that needs to be developed is the ASSESSMENT of the roundabout.  Get into the habit of looking at the characteristics of a roundabout before you get to it, make a decision about the speed and gear you want on the approach.  Momentarily glance at your speedometer as your right foot applies the brakes to actually get that speed.  Even if that turns out to be a wrong call (on that occasion), the fact is that you are making conscious decisions, you are developing the skill and it will come with practise.  Contrast this with NOT thinking in advance, not paying attention to the road signs, the white paint or even realising that a roundabout is ahead, and yes, the results will be at best, inconsistent.  

I will close this blog with one last thought.  There is a phrase that talks of making sure that you can actually stop your car in a distance that you can see to be clear.  That phrase can be applied in many different aspects to do with safe driving, and very much relates to roundabouts too.  If you approach a roundabout at too high a speed that means you would not be able to physically stop in time should a vehicle come across you on the roundabout, you are NOT applying that rule, and the consequences could be serious.  It is a little bit like driving round with the "blinkers" on, completely unaware of what MIGHT be developing up ahead.  In Part 2, I will give some advice on the next phase of deciding if you can safely go on the roundabout and how you negotiate your way round effectively.

If you have any questions at all, feel free to email me on info@BIGTOM.org.uk or comment down below!   Thank you.

5 day Intensive Driving Courses in Peterborough, Grantham, Stamford, Bourne, Spalding, Sleaford.
   

Zebra Crossings in Bourne from BIG TOM Driving School in Bourne

Drivers do not give way to pedestrians on zebra crossings in Bourne.

There we go.... I've said it.  And all the evidence suggests that I am far from alone in saying it too!  BIG TOM Driving School give driving lessons in Bourne, Peterborough, Grantham, Deeping, Stamford, Spalding and Sleaford and no-where else compares to Bourne for regularly seeing drivers not giving way to pedestrians on zebra crossings.  I work often 7 days a week on our roads, clocking up at least double the mileage of the average driver, and this particular issue is very much specific to Bourne, and very likely due to it being directly on the A15 north/south route.

My nearest zebra crossing is on the A15 near to the junction with Beaufort Drive in Bourne, just here  It is literally between the junctions of Beaufort Drive and Mill Drove.  Bourne has over 3000 pupils going to it's schools and this crossing is widely used by pupils attending the nearby Bourne Academy.

When this first came to my attention, I was under the impression that drivers not giving way to pedestrians on zebra crossings ("Failing to accord precedence" is the legal phrase for it) may be in some way related to an excessive speed where the driver literally doesn't spot the pedestrian(s).  But I'm afraid it does not appear to be that simple.

This morning, when walking my dog, we approached the crossing, and a car from my right (heading NORTH out of Bourne) stopped to give way to me (despite my feet not being actually ON the black and white bit of the crossing).  But my experience of this crossing has taught me to take care.  As I looked to my left a white hatchback and black mini sailed straight through the crossing.

I suspect it highly unlikely that those 2 drivers failed to spot me, my dog, the zebra crossing, AND the paused vehicle already at the crossing.  So what is going on?  I think the answer may have less to do with street "furniture", the law, or even speeding.  Let me explain further.

I contacted Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership last year and conscious of the nearby "national" speed limit signs, was wondering if the answer may be to raise drivers' awareness of their speed on the approach to the pedestrian crossing.  Remember that for cars, the round white sign with black diagonal across it means a maximum speed of 60mph (although good advice is to drive to driving conditions rather than maximum speed limits).  My concern was that vehicles are either still in the process of decelerating from 60mph as they approach the crossing, or alternatively, from the other direction, beginning to accelerate before the crossing in knowledge that the national speed signs are nearby.  Either way, drivers minds are less in the mode of pedestrians crossing than they could otherwise be.  Gary Chance from Lincolnshire Police Community Speed Watch (01522 805822) was extremely helpful when I contacted him in explaining that 69 parishes across Lincolnshire had signed up to the Community Speed Watch scheme, and 41 of them had committed to purchasing "reactive speed signs".  Those are the signs that are quite common these days, and display your speed on the approach to a change of speed restriction.

When I relayed this information to Bourne Town Council the response I received was that not only are they not convinced that the reactive speed signs are in any way effective at reducing speed, but more than that, they were not even convinced that drivers in Bourne were speeding.  This is contrary to data from Bourne Neighbourhood Policing Team who state that the last speed survey conducted in Bourne indicated an average speed of 36mph in a 30mph.

My response to Bourne Town Council was to suggest that they put the feelers out with the community for which they serve, and ask local residents, School Patrol Officers etc what their opinion was on the subject.  In the absence of them taking that suggestion up, I then took advantage of my "Motoring" section in our local magazine "Discovering Bourne" and appealed to the locals to tell me their opinions and experiences.  I was inundated with responses.  Some spoke of speeding in other parts of Bourne, others spoke of drivers failing to give way to pedestrians on other zebra crossings in Bourne, and others mentioned the issue of "tailgating" from vehicles behind when they comply with the law, and drive at 30 in a 30.

But what I believe to be at the heart of this issue was demonstrated by the response of one very honest resident from the nearby village of Morton who will remain nameless but offered this opinion to me:

"..... I have to confess to being guilty of NOT giving way to a pedestrian occasionally.  Why? ..... because if I am approaching a crossing, with NOTHING behind me and NOTHING approaching me, surely the pedestrian should be capable of appreciating this and hold back to give the ONE car priority over them........ I hope that when you walk your dog and find yourself in that situation you are courteous enough to "give way". " 

Whatever your opinion of this remark is, the point that I would stress is that it is an honestly held belief and goes a long way to demonstrate how drivers attitudes differ with regards to complying with the law.  Perhaps more importantly, from a road safety point of view, what this also demonstrates is the necessity for the Police to enforce the law, as clearly when they do not, people begin to come to their own conclusions about how important compliance is.  

Many moons ago I did offer to my Learners my own opinion of how I would like to see them approaching zebra crossings on this video but I have requested Bourne Neighbourhood Policing Team to give us their definitive guide to the law on this matter. They have kindly agreed to in "Discovering Bourne". One of the key elements of this is whether a driver has the mindset of giving way when the pedestrian(s) APPROACH the zebra crossing, or only when their feet are physically ON the black/white of the crossing.

Time will tell.

If you have an opinion on zebra crossings in Bourne, please share your view.   

*UPDATE* 23/1/15  

Bourne Neighbourhood Policing Team have now confirmed that they will be increasing Police presence on this particular Zebra Crossing with use of a temporary reactive speed sign, speed gun and uniform presence.  I am sure I speak for many concerned Bourne residents when I say we very much look forward to seeing them.

*UPDATE* 1/7/15 

No Police presence of any kind seen in previous 6 months

*UPDATE*  30/9/15

4 sets of skid marks seen on the approach to the above zebra crossing.  One of which is 14 metres long from a tractor towing a trailer, doing emergency stop after parent and child were on zebra crossing.

BIG TOM Driving School in Bourne  Bookings: 01778 309 773