Grantham Driving School

The perils of Snow Driving & HGV Drivers

2010-01-05T19:37:00.000Z

Today was a very good day for teaching, as many of my learners learned the basics of controlling a car at slow speeds with snow and ice under the wheels. Covering important points of how to pull away without wheel spinning by using clutch control in 1st, 2nd & 3rd gears without the use of the gas pedal. Extremely useful skill to have in these conditions and one it seems many qualified drivers on our roads fail to display with what can be disastrous consequences.

Today was also a near fatal day for myself and my learner whilst we were driving on the High Dyke from Colsterworth to Grantham after taking a trip on to the A1. This was between 9:15 & 10:15 so the roads were still quite bad at that time. An allegedly 'professional' lorry driver who was driving far too fast for the conditions and the type of vehicle that was being driven began to lose control of the back end steering and the long wheel base HGV began to jack-knife after taking a bend to fast!. There was no where for us to hide from this giant and fortunately for us he/she made a correction to the steering and avoided what have been for us fatal consequences at the last moment.

A full jack-knife of a HGV usually involves the trailer section spinning off the ground followed by the drivers cab being spun around and then laying side down on the road and WE would have been directly underneath it.

So beware of slushy roads with high speed professional drivers, perhaps they need to give me a call for some extra lessons!

Christmas Cheer?

2009-12-18T20:50:00.000Z

Today was a very disappointing day for one of my learners Alex who has been away at University until Monday this week and has been looking forward to taking her driving test and finally getting mobile for Christmas.

All week the weather forecasters have been threatening us with snow without actually showing us the white stuff, that is until this morning, the day of Alex's driving test. In the space of an hour her hopes had been dashed as the snow left the side roads almost impassable.

So after waiting nearly 3 months to take the test, Mother Nature deals her trump hand and puts Alex back into the 6 week waiting list. Problem is Alex goes back to Uni at the start of January to start another term.

The most frustrating aspect of this episode is that the DSA in their wisdom choose not to allow a learner to drive in hazardous conditions which I totally agree with. Their view is that if the carpark at the Test Centre is unsafe then so are the rest of the roads around Grantham.

Not so! Why can they not agree to start the test around the corner on Harrowby Road which is a 50 metre walk and then conduct the test on main roads, which incidentally had been very well gritted by the local council.

Having taken several learners on the main roads for lessons without incident I am of the opinion this is an excuse for taking time off WITH PAY for a group of overpaid civil servants.

The perils of the Winter Sun & Driving Tests

2009-12-17T21:40:00.000Z

So today great expectations from Tim a returning learner from University. Test was prearranged months in advance to coincide with his return to Grantham for the Xmas break.

Problems were brewing because the weather was becoming very indecisive about whether to snow, to rain, or just to do none of those things. Well in the end at test time today at 11:11am (yeah I know the test times are stuuuuupid) the 'Sun' decides to be the one that wins out.

Ok so here is the problem Tim does a very good drive on his test and on the way back to the Test Centre he approaches a set of traffic lights at the junction with Belton Lane - Lodge Way - Manthorpe Road from the Hospital towards the Town Centre click here to see it

So the Winter Sun is low down in the sky and blazing on the traffic lights in front of you which you think are RED! they change to GREEN but you dont know this cos the light is so bright you cant tell the difference between an illuminated RED or GREEN.

Driving Examiner waits approximately 10 seconds and then says err Tim the lights are Green you are holding up traffic!

BAM! you have failed the test.

Put yourself in Tim's shoes is that frustrating or what..........? Rhetorical

errm the real Tuesday 15th December 2009

2009-12-15T21:49:00.000Z

Yesterdays blog showed the wrong date! Today was a day spent anticipating snow and as usual the forecasters got it completely wrong, hardly a drop of rain never mind snow, still must not complain as I have tests all week and that weather would be a damp squid to my learners taking their tests.

Also today Lisa S completed 35 hours of her intensive course with just another 4 hours to go and then time for the test. Lisa is as ready as she ever will be to take her test but still trying to find an elusive test cancellation.

Alex S is back from Uni and well on track to take her test on Friday weather permitting.

Tim F is back from Uni and well on track to take his test on Thursday weather permitting.

All in all a very busy day but very satisfying.

Tuesday 15th December 2009

2009-12-14T21:16:00.000Z

Christ it's Xmas in 9 days - hhmm is that a double blasphemy? Today was a day of rain upon rain & Lisa who is great driver took her test today in the pouring rain - drove the car perfectly in the hour before - then during her test approached a roundabout with a view to follow the road staright ahead i.e. exit No.2 and used the right indicator! FAIL! seems a bit harsh to me but I know from past experience that any mistakes on a roundabout usually turn into serious faults.

Tomorrow is the penultimate day for Lisa S's 6th day of Intensive Driving so it's early to bed and up with the Robin at 6am.

Intensive Course

2009-12-13T21:25:00.000Z

Today was Day 5 of 7 in Lisa's course and am pleased to say her progress is well on the way to test standard. It is just a great pity that the damn waiting list is 5/6 weeks minimum and not a cancellation in sight. Still fingers crossed as the next time for a test is March 2010!

Intensive Driving Course

2008-02-26T21:36:00.000Z

Just completed a 7 day course for a guy in Hastings. Unfortunately the examiner at Grantham decided to fail him because he did not switch his right indicator back on after it switched off while waiting to turn right of a major road!