准备考驾照，理论复习的差不多了，想联系driving instructor准备实践考，请有经验／经历的各位推荐Cardiff好的driving instructor，不胜感谢！！
谢谢！！
在汽摩世界看了很多帖子，学车教练真的很重要，但是要找到好的，还真要看运气了。有个帖子一位MM推荐了一个驾校，但到所在网站查教练时却没有相关信息，比如等级，教车文书什么的可以供参考。
How to FIND a GOOD Driving Instructor
How to get a GOOD Driving Instructor… How to find a GOOD Driving Instructor… Choosing a Driving Instructor… How to Choose a Driving Instructor… How to find the right Driving Instructor… Keep getting bad Driving Instructors
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10 Notes
Note 1: What you wont be able to check up on:
Instructors or schools pass rate.
How long has the Instructor been teaching for.
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Note 2: What grade is your Instructor:
ASK your Instructor to show proof of their grade. DON’T take their word for it, ask them to show their last Standards Test Result Breakdown sheet (White sheet with green print and a DSA logo on it).
Instructors go for Standards Test (Originally called Check Test) Test every 4-6 years. This will test their ability to teach and then will be given a grade:
New System Called “Standards Check” from 2014
A grade – an overall high standard of instruction
B grade – a sufficient level of competence
Fail – an unsatisfactory performance
Old System Called “Check Test” post 2014
Grade 4: Satisfactory instructor (Very common for Instructors to get grade 4 just after qualification) 57% of Instructors.
Grade 5: Good instructor. 37% of instructors are grade 5.
Grade A / 6: Very high level instructor. The highest grade possible. Around 6% of instructors are grade 6.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/standards-check-new-grading-structure-to-be-simpler-and-clearer
Note 3: Which Drving School:
It doesn’t matter which driving school it is, It matters who your instructor is as Instructors are NOT employed by any company. They are all self-employed and pay a franchise to work for a company also in most cases once they are fully approved instructors (ADI), they can work for just about any company they like.
Some driving schools do regulate there instructors but that’s something you cant really check up on. Remember: The DSA make sure Instructors are fit to teach and well acknowledged before they are given a license to teach.
Note 4: How much should I pay a Instructor?:
The difference between instructors is only a few quid. You may pay less but then you may need more lessons? or have a lower pass rate? You may have to pay more for your test? You may be paying extra for nothing?. Usually the average rate or a pound or 2 over is the best. However if the instructor has a higher grade they may charge more.
Remember driving is a life skill, you are learning to drive a lethal weapon, a car is the 2nd biggest expense in your life so using one wisely is important and killing someone from your driving can put you in prison. SO dont compromise safety over a few quid.
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Note 5: Why do Driving instructors charge so much:
They cant help it… the running cost of a driving school has rocketed over the last 15 years however there fees have remained the same. Over the last 15 years instructors have been losing money annually. The brake even of an Instructor is £13.87 per hour, which means a instructor charging £20 is on minimum wage so if a Instructor is charging less then there could be something wrong? or desperate?.
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Note 6: Why Instructors may charges less:
May concen you:
Low pass rate
Low recommendation rate
Budget tyres and brakes etc.
Cut costs… for exmaple… piggy backing, not with a organisation, not going to meetings etc…
Not an issue:
Trainee Instructor
School has allot of trainee Instructors
Instructor hasn’t been qualified for long
Instructor new to area
Instructor has left a company
School hasn’t been in running long
Budget vehicle like a Kia, Hyundai Etc
Using the car for longer
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Note 7: Why Instructors may charge more:
High pass rate
High Grade Instructor
Different areas different average price due to the cost of living in the area.
Premium vehicle like a BMW, Mini, Audi Etc…
The name \ Well known
Automatic car: higher running cost
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Note 8: Why Instructors \ Schools may charge alot more:
Size of the school
National driving school
New car regularly
Take card payments so extra cost incurred sometimes
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Note 9: Intensive Courses…
We dont always recommend intensive courses as after an hour or 2, you may just switch off so the remainder of the day wont benefit. Its good to have a time gap between lessons to think, observe others and have a break. The best way to conduct a intensive is to have a lesson daily. However for some people it can be effective so depends on you.
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Note 10: Guaranteed Pass schemes… whats the CATCH?:
Catch#1 You cant go on a test until the Instructor says your ready! So you may need more lessons?.
Catch#2 If the Instructor says your ready but you fail then the Instructor will pay for your next test however “pay for your next test” could mean the fee you pay the DSA to book? or the fee you pay to the driving school? or both? so you need to check the fine print.
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Note 11: Things that dont matter!:
Age of the car… Newer the car the easier however you wont be driving a new car once you pass will you?
The Steps
Step 1: Go directly to the Instructor!!
Avoid going through the school as they may give you someone else and you may pay more!
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Step 2: Before booking the Instructor ask them:
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Do you cover my area?
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Do you have a individual pick up service? or is it Piggy backing? Piggy back means you will be picking up another pupil and then they will drop you off while its your lesson time (This is not fair on you however its ideal once in a while like once every 4/5 lessons, as you learn from each other)
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Are you a Trainee Instructor (P.D.I) or fully approved (A.D.I)? If its a trainee remember they will have less experience however remember they have the latest knowledge so its a give and take situation.
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What grade are you?
5.What is the STANDARD price? NOT OFFERS! Offers are a trick to bring you in so don’t be fooled! Think about the long term benefit rather then the short term benefit.
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How much do you charge for the driving test? You should find this out as you don’t want a nasty surprise later! (Usually £70)
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Ask what car they have? Size? (Its common sense the smaller the car the better for you but its your choice remember in the future you may drive a big car)
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Is it a Diesel or Petrol car? (Diesels and easier to learn in so its your choice remember you may have a patrol car in the future)
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How long have you been a driving Instructor?
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Do you have male or female instructors?
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Can I have the same instructor for all my lessons?
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Are the cars dual controlled?
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D0 I have the same car for every lesson?
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Can you pick me up after school, work or college?
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How long is each lesson? (Some may do 45 minutes or just 2 hours)
If an Instructor gets defensive on any of these questions then go elsewhere!
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.Remember!
A good instructor \ driving school doesn’t advertise excessively!
A good instructor wouldn’t have the need to display prices or offers on there car!
Don’t be fooled by special offers! They all have catches and are all there to bring you in! You get what you paid for!
More likely low the offers = higher the standard price
A good Instructor would charge the average rate or a touch more
If you’re a good instructor then why you charging less then the others.
What should happen
Drving Instructors Etiquette:
A good driving Instructor would not do the following…
A good instructor would have there License clearly displayed on the car and not missing!
The Instructors car shouldn’t look poorly maintained!
Look unclean in presentation
Go shopping during your lesson
Be on a social chat on the phone
Smell of Alcohol or look like they have alcohol in there system
Look like they have drugs in there system
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.Save money
How to save money!
Get you parents \ guardian to show you what is what in a car before your 1st lesson.
Get your parents to show you what is what: under the bonnet and outside the car.
Get your parents \ gaurdian to let you put fuel in the car
Get your parents \ gaurdian to let you change the tyre
Get you Parents \ Guardian to teach you how to start and stop the car and basic steering in a private empty quiet car park
Sit in on your friends driving lesson.
Get on your bike… it helps with hand & eye coordination also road sense etc.
Start to observe drivers from now on however don’t forget you need to notice the faults too.
Do pre 17 lessons at the age 16 on a private road (some driving schools offer this)
If you live in an area with heavy traffic have your lessons in another area, at least at the beginning.
Closer your Instructor lives the better! due to the instructors knowledge of best local areas to train and availability in booking is more flexible.
More lessons you have closer together the better
Supervising a learner driver:
If you would like someone in your family to teach you to drive then make sure you do the following:
You have a provisonal license and you are 17yrs old or over
You can read a number plate 20m away (20.5m for old style number plates vintage). If you need glasses or contacts etc then you must wear them whenever you drive)
Supervised by someone over 21, has had a full driving license for a minimum of 3yrs
You have car Insurance to be taught to drive (This is differnt from general car Insurance. You can get fined upto 5000 pounds)
Have 2 L plates front and back
Valid Road Tax
Valid MOT (Insurance will be invalid without valid MOT)
You cant drive on Motorways
If you have a foreign full license you may drive in the UK for 12months unsupervised from the time you 1st stepped in the country.
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BEST way to find a good one:
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Option 1: Get recommendations:
Ask your family, friends, work colleagues etc, who passed there test! who their Instructor was or is? (NOT the school or the prices!) if no luck then ask the ones who are learning?
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Option 2: Cant get any recommendations then have a sit in:
Sit in on your friends or family members driving lessons and see what the Instructor is like.
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Option 3: Still no luck? Then try these links… (but 1st read this whole page)
- VIA Our recommendations….
http://www.roadanimal.com/directory/ - VIA Government listings….
https://www.gov.uk/find-driving-schools-and-lessons
If using above link: Go for the ones with a “” next to there name as a good driving Instructor would be on the CPD** and Code of Conduct
Code \ Conduct of Practice for Approved Driving Instructors:
The government have Code \ Conduct of Practice for Approved Driving Instructors. A leaflet can be obtained from any theory test and driving test centres. Not all Instructors have volunteered on this so be careful! Think of it as being gas safe registered.
CPD** This means the instructor does a minimum of 6hrs training a year to stay updated and sharp.
Check out the following link:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/LearnerAndNewDrivers/LearningToDriveOrRide/DG_4022528
Watch this video: