Independent Driving Coming Soon

October is the month that the DSA have decided to implement the new elements to the driving test which affects all the practical test candidates for all vehicle categories.

Parliament made changes to legislation which affect the practical car driving test that will come into effect this October 2010. The new legislation will give examiners greater flexibility in route creation and has reduced the number of mandatory manoeuvres.

A big part of the new driving test will include the independent driving section. This section will require that the test candidate to either follow road signs, following verbal directions or a combination of both types. For some routes a diagram will be shown to the test candidate to support any verbal directions.

All DSA driving examiners were issued with guidance notes and full training. The DSA are planning to place You Tube videos on-line and will send out e-mails to point candidates to the films.

Here at Lee Paul driving school we have started to teach all our pupils how to follow route directions and we feel that as long as you receive training from an early point in your training, you should not worry about this new element because you will be ready and confident.

To Book a Driving Lesson Please Call Lee On 07947 251 392 or use our contacts page

We all Make Mistakes

Watching the England v USA game last Saturday night and then reading the news papers articles on Sunday morning, got me thinking of how we really like to punish people for making mistakes. For those of you that don’t follow football, the England goal keeper (Robert Green ) made a mistake that let in a goal for the USA with a final score 1-1.

Now in life we all make mistakes. Making mistakes is all part of the learning process, that’s how we learn best. As children we all learned by making mistake after mistake. Now when it comes to learning to drive, I can bet that you will make lots of mistakes. As your driving improves, they will happen less and less. In my experience its our response to mistakes that will determine success or failure.

Let me give you an example: 

As a child we learned to walk by trying to stand and then we probably fell over many times. But we got back up again and gave it another go, in the end we reached the point were we could stand up on our own two feet and then began the process of trying to take our first steps .

Now imagine if we had tried to stand up, made a mistake and then fell over and because we had made this mistake ,we simple gave up. We would never master the amazing ability to stand and walk.

So as with anything in life you will make many mistakes. The key thing to remember is not to give up, just learn from your mistakes and try not to make them again and you will improve with lots and lots of practice.

Lee Paul Driving School, Driving Lessons In Leeds call 0808 160 3030

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I always receive lots of questions from pupils about roundabout, as they do seem to cause a lot of confutation to a lot of drivers. So I am going to attempt to clear up some of this confutation.

The purpose if a roundabout is to keep the traffic flowing in an area were lots of roads merge or cross.

Key points to remember:

Use - Mirror, Signal, Position, Speed & Gear and Look routine on approach to any roundabout. Plan on approach by looking way ahead and planning so you can identify the correct lane for the direction that you are going. Keep a look out for any signs and road marking to help you identify your lane correctly.

Signal:

Consider a signal if needed on approach, normally you will need a signal if you are turning left of right at a roundabout. You will also need to apply a left signal when you are exiting a roundabout unless you are on a mini roundabout ( as you might not have time to apply one).

Priority - Is normally given to traffic approaching from your right, however do always check for signs and road markings. When you see an opportunity to go, enter the roundabout and keep to your designated lane and do show care and good road practice to other road- users on the roundabout.

Turning Left (Blue Car)

Use the MSPS&GL routine, use the left lane unless signs or road markings tell you otherwise. If the roundabout looks clear then keep going and if its not, be ready to stop and give way.

Follow the road ahead (Green Car)

Check mirrors on approach, do not signal as its not required, position in the left hand lane unless road signs or marking dictate otherwise. If this lane is busy, you can use the inner lane to go straight ahead on most roundabout to make better progress.

Turning Right (Red Car)

Use the MSPS&GL routine on approach indicating to the right, positioning in the right hand lane in most cases, again check road markings and signs. When on the roundabout use the inner lane and follow round until you see your exit, were you can check your left mirror and signal left and exit.

Use this format Unless signs or road marking dictate otherwise. On some roundabout that are larger or more complex, priority is sometimes given to traffic joining the roundabout or is controlled by traffic lights.

Lee Paul Driving School based in Leeds West Yorkshire, Pleas call Lee on

0808 160 3030 or 07947 251392 or use our contacts page.

Driver Charged for Splashing School Kids

A female motorist is facing court action for deliberately driving through a puddle and splashing a group of school children who were standing at a bus stop. A 24- second clip of the incident was posted onto You Tube ,the footage was filmed by her partner on his mobile phone , who also gives a running commentary as she speeds down the road and through the puddle in Plymouth, Devon.

You can here him say “ Puddle at the bottom of the hill coming up, kids at the bottom - come on !!! he shouts!

The 29 year old driver was interviewed by police as she was reported for careless driving and a file is being presented to the crown prosecution service.

A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall police said:

“ Deliberately splashing people by driving through a big puddle could mean that the motorist was driving without reasonable consideration for other road users.

“There is also the real danger that by driving through standing water this could cause the driver of the vehicle to lose control and could result in a road traffic accident.

“People involved in this practice could find themselves prosecuted and points placed on their driving licence.”

Under the road traffic act section 3 driving through a puddle to deliberately splash pedestrians could mean you are guilty of “careless and inconsiderate driving” and carries o fine of up to £2,500 .

Four years ago a driver admitted to splashing a workman by driving through a puddle and he was fined £150 and had 3 penalty points placed on his driving licence.

So Remember if you see a large puddle, slow down and try drive around it. If you cannot avoid it drive through at a slow speed so you don’t make a splash.

Lee Paul Driving Schools Leeds, Affordable driving lessons Leeds.

Changes to the driving test 2010

The DSA have announced that they are about to implement changes to the practical driving test. The results of the Learning to drive consultation identified ways the DSA could improve driver training and testing. To improve learning and the development of pupils, it is confirmed that the DSA are encouraging test candidates to have a observer sit in on their driving test, who can observe and then listen to feedback given by the examiner at the end of the driving test.

Both examiners and driving instructors are already aware of this practice. Out of 81,000 driving tests in 2008/09, 18,000 driving instructors accompanied test candidates on their driving tests. These figures are set to rise from April the 6^th 2010, as examiners will always ask candidates if they would like their driving instructor or observer ( Preferably the person who has taught them) to sit in on their driving test. However the DSA have stated that it is purely the test candidates choice.

Driving Lessons in leeds and Drving Schools in leeds call 0808 160 3030

More Drivers are using mobile phones since the penalty charges were introduced in 2008.

The transport research laboratory has announced that more drivers are using hand held mobile phones than before tougher penalties were introduced two years ago.

Back in 2006 it found that 2.6% of car drivers use a mobile phone compared to 2.8% of car users after the tougher penalties ( £60 fine and three points added to a driving licence) were introduced.

Sarah Fatica, from road safety charity Brake, said the figures were a cause for concern.

She said:

“ it’s incredibly worrying that people still don’t take seriously the dangers that talking on your phone while driving pose,”

she added:

“the biggest problem is that your concentration is impaired and that could result in crashing and hurting yourself, hurting somebody else, or worst of all killing somebody.”

Using a mobile phone puts yourself and others at greater risk of having an a crash. You will find that your attention is diverted away from the road and you are jeopardizing control of your vehicle as you are only holding the steering wheel with one hand. Your reaction time will also be slower and you are at risk of drifting across lanes.

Sending text messages is also a big problem as it also diverts your attention away from possible dangers and needlessly put your life and others at risk.

If your phone rings while you are on the road, you must wait until you can pull over safely before you answer the call. Even if it is that really important call that you have been expecting, take the time to make sure you are keeping yourself and others safe.

For more information on driving lessons and driver training call Lee on 8080 160 3030

Happy New Year

Well what a start to the new year, We are having the worst winter weather conditions in resent times. We have had Snow and Freezing conditions from the back end of December and into January 2010. The roads can be very dangerous if you don’t respect the conditions and adapt your driving. The main problem is that we are more accustom to milder winters and having all this snow and ice around sends allot of people into panic mode. Just follow The advice listed below.

Make sure your car is ready for the winter.

Have you topped up your car with antifreeze and screen wash?

Before you start your journey in the morning or late evening, make sure you give your car time to warm up and let all the windows defrost fully before moving away, however avoid causing unnecessary pollution by leaving the engine running for a long time while the vehicle is warming up. If you are travelling and plan to be in your vehicle for a long period, take a flask with a hot drink inside, some food and also pack warm clothing and a blanket incase your vehicle breaks down.

Winter accessories

Do you keep the basic winter must haves in your vehicle?

A de-icer spray, ice scraper, screen wash, a torch and warm blanket. If the conditions look severe, make sure you take a small shovel as this will come in handy for clearing snow or spreading grit if you tyres run out of grip. Above all consider whether you journey is really necessary when conditions are bad.

Black ice

This is when water gathers during the day and then freezes at night, making the road surface appear to be wet, but is in fact very icy. It can be virtually invisible and impossible to see, so if you are travelling at night or early morning, take extra care and don't be lulled onto a false sense of security if the road you are driving on appears to be ice free. With temperatures set to drop as low as -10 in some places, ice should be taken very seriously.

Snow

When driving in snow you should aim to keep in the highest possible gear to help traction and into low gears when going down hill. The biggest danger is when snow turns to slush, as it then freezes and turns into ice, tempting motorists to travel faster than is safe, making turning and stopping difficult. Try keep to main roads as they will have been salted and gritted as these roads are treated as a priority.

Fog

In fog you must abide by the rule of keep your speed down to a level that allows you to stop within the range of your vision, even if that means slowing down to 10mph. Remember to use fog lights if visibility is less than 100 meters.

Make good use of window wipers to clear the water droplets that can collect on your windscreen.

So please take this advice and I wish you a happy and safe 2010.

Lee Paul Driving Schools offering driving lessons in Leeds

Happy Christmas to all customers past and present.

Happy Christmas to all customers past and present.

Let me take this opportunity to say a big thank you to all pupils for their loyalty this year. It been a hard year for must of us. We have just seen the worst recession of resent times, making the trading environment both difficult and challenging. However here at Lee Paul driving schools, we offer value for money driving lessons. So even though people have cut back on their spending, we have provided value for money driving lessons making it that little bit easier for people to continue learning to drive, even though money is tight.

Take care as this time of year can be challenging for a driver. Keep your mind on the road, as it is easy to let it wonder as you have a “million and one other things” to contend with , on the run up to Christmas. The roads are busy and the weather conditions make driving hazardous at times, so please do take care.

Happy Christmas and whishing you all a Happy new Year ! 2010 !!!!

Keep Your Vehicle Safe

Cars and other motor vehicles can be a very easy target for the opportunist thieve. Don’t provide the opportunity for a thieve to window shop. Keep all valuables out of sight. Now this might seem like an obvious thing to do, however you would be surprised how many people ignore this basic advice. Keep all valuables out of sight at all times, things like mobile phones, satellite navigation equipment, bags, shoe-boxes, sun glasses etc. Lock them all away in the boot of the car or even better take them away with you.

Take care when you are parking your vehicle. Don’t park in a dark street in a urban area. Go to a secure car park “ Even if you have to pay “ as you will find that part of your parking fee is used to provide security to keep watch on all the vehicles parked their. Lots of vehicles are now fitted with immobiliser or a car alarm. If your vehicle does not have one, have one fitted or if you can afford one, place car alarm stickers into your vehicle to make it look like its got one. Buy a steering lock. This might not stop somebody set out to steel your vehicle but it would certainty slow them down or put off the opportunist car thieve.

Keep your vehicle keys safe! Never leave them on the table near your front door at home. Thieves do what is known as “ fishing “ this is when they steel your vehicle keys by using a long stick with a hook the end , to feed through your house door letter box and hook your keys and then they can steel your vehicle with ease.

Never get out of your vehicle and leave the keys in the ignition. People get caught out by this during the winter months. This is because they start the vehicle engine to warm the vehicle up, then get out and attempt to defrost the vehicles windows. This is a perfect opportunity for the opportunist thieve as they jump into your vehicle and drive off with it. You might not know that most insurance companies will not pay out in this case as you have shown a lack of care and attention with protecting your vehicle.

When people call into the filling station, they have a habit of leaving the vehicle keys in the ignition while they go pay for the fuel. This is again a great opportunity for the opportunist vehicle thieve.

Never forget to keep windows and doors locked, remember to keep the sunroof closed as well. Its not safe to leave them open, not even a little bit, as a thieve car force the open and gain easy access to your vehicle and belongings.

Also take note! The sat-nav

Never programme your home address as the home address setting on a sat-nav. This is because most people have all there keys on one key ring. So on this key ring you will have your car keys and most likely your house keys on there too. Now if a thieve takes your vehicle with your vehicle key and home key and you have the sat-nav programmed to take you home. The vehicle thieve can now find your home and potentially gain access to your home. Programme the sat-nav for a near by street or a local land mark that you know well so the sat-nav will get you to a place that you know, without giving away your home address.

Lee Paul Driving Schools based in Leeds West Yorkshire Providing Driving Lessons In Leeds

Make Sure Your Tires are Legal

We have just seen one of the worst recession in resent times. So understandably people have made massive cutbacks on their spending. However its one thing to cutback on treats like nights out, or clothing or the latest computer game, things we can manage without. Set this against cutting back on safety i.e. : a set of new tires for this coming winter. Major tire outlets have reported an increase of illegal tires as people are trying to make vehicle tires last longer than is safe.

The minimum tread depth in the UK is 1.6mm ( this is the absolute minimum, really you should change a tire at 2mm). If the police ask you to pull over for whatever reason, they will look at each tire and if they find tires that are unfit or illegal. They will issue a fixed penalty and you will also receive 3 penalty points per illegal tire. So if you are a new driver on probation, two illegal tires could see you having to retake your driving test. 

 Worn Tire    New Tire

However this is the lightest punishment as defective illegal tires could course a very bad accident if you try to break or take evasive action.

Your four tires are the only point of contact to the road that you have. Grip is divides between braking, accelerating and steering. So this point of contact needs to be effective. This can only be achieve by having good grip from your tires, especially in wet driving conditions.

When you go to buy tires, go to a reputable garage and ask for a good mid-rang tire( this type is not the cheapest but also not the most expensive), or a brand name that you know of, or ask for the manufactures recommended tire ( this will cost you more, however it will be the best tire for your vehicle) I would recommend the most expensive if you do a lot of miles per year or a lot of motorway travel. Keep well clear of really cheap tires and part worn tires .

When you ring up for a quote, ask if the price includes valves, wheel balancing and cover the cost of disposal of your old tires. From my own experience if you don’t ask this, a lot of garages don’t explain that you are liable for the costs and it will be added onto of the price of the tires plus the cost of fitting. Also ask if the price includes VAT. The tire garage will also check your tracking, if the tracking is out I would recommend paying that little bit extra to have it corrected as this can course your tires to were out prematurely.

So go out now and take a look at your vehicles tires. If they need replacing, go have them replaced as your life is way, way, way more valuable that the cost of a set of tires. 

Driving lessons in Leeds > Lee Paul Driving Schools based in Leeds West Yorkshire

Lee Paul Driving Schools based in Leeds, Offering you expert driving tuition at an affordable price

Call Lee Paul Driving Schools on 0808 160 3030 or use our contacts page