News from Uplands School of Motoring
Well done to Fergus..
Well done Fergus Morgan on passing your manual driving test, 4 years after your automatic one. Enjoy your new Polo!
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Another test pass with Uplands..
A huge big congratulations to Anum who passed this morning with Nehar at Uplands. At Swansea MPTC.
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Normal day , teaching drivers..
Driving instructors are facing a daily battle with impatient drivers who see learners like “a red rag to a bull”.
New dashcam footage from one instructor’s car shows a driver overtaking a learner car in Swansea , before being faced with another in the oncoming direction which he also had to avoid.
The risky manoeuvre took place along Port Tennant Road in Port Tennant .
Both learner driver cars were from Red, which is one of the largest driving schools in the UK.
Red chief executive, Ian McIntosh, said: “At Red Driving School our mission is teach safe driving for life and it is disappointing to see examples where our customers are placed in dangerous situations.
“All motorists were learner drivers once and we would encourage those involved to be a little more patient and respect all users of the road.”
A driver overtakes a learner car along Port Tennant Road, Swansea before being faced with another in the oncoming direction which he also had to avoid.
Inconsiderate drivers are a cause for concern for many learner drivers.
Driving instructors in Swansea say it is something they have to deal with on a daily basis.
Peter Jones, of Pass with Pete driving school, said: “We see it all day. It does not make a difference which way the learner is driving, the learner car is like red rag to a bull, some drivers just have to get past.
“Foxhole Road in St Thomas for instance is a 30mph road, and feels it should be faster, but that is the speed limit.
“You always see cars revving up wanting to get past but you can’t go any faster.
“It’s not good for the confidence of the learners but unfortunately it’s an every day occurrence.”
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Another driving instructor, Michael Nixon, said it happens every day, and not just when learner drivers are in the car, even when he is driving the vehicle alone.
“It even happened today,” Mr Nixon said.
“We were travelling along Fabian Way and this car was travelling behind us. The learner was doing the speed limit and he went out in front and shot in front of us. It was so close I reached over and sounded the horn myself.
“It’s not just a case of the older generation doing it. You see teenagers who have only been driving for a year or two and were only recently in the same situation being inconsiderate. They are quick to forget.”
Driving Test Success has offered advice on its website to learner drivers who may find themselves in similar situation in its Learner Driver’s Guide To Dealing With Inconsiderate Drivers.
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It reads: “The most important rule to follow, when encountering inconsiderate drivers is to listen to your driving instructor. They will guide you through a stressful situation and it is them, not anybody else that can help you become a better driver.
“Do not be scared to tell your driving instructor if you are struggling to cope in any situation. It benefits them if they know which situations you struggle with and they know above anything, safety is paramount.
“Remember. Safety first. Keep calm. Communicate with your driving instructor. That is the key to handling even the most inconsiderate of drivers.”
Self employed instructors
Next time you’re complaining about the price driving instructors charge, remember this:-
We are teaching you a life skill, one that could possibly help you get a better Job and more independence. Life changing to many. How much do you pay to go to university to achieve this kind of skill?
How much do you think running a car costs? Probably much more than the cost of your weekly lesson. You’ll be paying more once you pass your test and get your own car.
Your instructor is self employed. They don’t get paid if they don’t work. They don’t get paid if their car is off the road. They don’t get paid sickness or holidays. They don’t get paid if there’s adverse weather.
You’ll probably see how busy your instructor is. You are just ONE pupil. Even after work they still have new pupil enquiries, current pupil enquiries and several other “behind the scene” things to do which they don’t get paid for.
You’ll probably see on lessons how much abuse learners can receive on the roads from other members of the public. That’s Just on ONE lesson!
As with any skilled profession, you pay for what you get. If “Joe down the road” is charging less, go with “Joe” and see for yourself why. We wont be offended when we are so busy ourselves.
Compare how much we charge & do compared to other professions. How much do you pay for your gym or personal trainer/carpenter/decorator/builder/solicitor/dentist/Vet/Chiropractor/beauty treatments etc etc?
We also keep local drive thru’s in business, need a bladder like a camel or know where all the public toilets are (and pray they are open!) And don’t even get me started on the cost of wine, when we are off, to keep us sane 😂
With all this in mind, we still absolutely love our jobs and are dedicated to instructing YOU and getting YOU that licence. We even pay £300 every 4 years, for our licence, just so we have the privilege to do a job we love.
If anything, we are not charging enough!
