Driving Instructors - getting worse?

Dis86

Dis86

Dis86

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Northern England
So,

spurred on by an encounter today and then reading this;

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-39835197

Are driving standards slipping because those instructing new drivers are getting worse?

Followed a learner on lesson who was in the wrong lane at 3 round-abouts in a row. Crossed over 2 lanes at one to get to the junction they wanted and then as I went to over-take on the A1 pulled out in-front of me without making any attempt to speed up. Surely the instructor is entirely responsible for that persons absolutely appalling driving?

When I was learning, if I'd done anything like that my instructor would have had a fit with me!
 
Don't think it is a reflection on driving instructors - a sub-set of people seem to think things like insurance are optional and genuinely seem surprised when it catches up with them.
 
Same, yesterday coming home there was a BSM learner doing 35 in an NSL for several miles (A road). I'm a patient individual, so was happy to wait for a long stretch to overtake, other behind me, not so much, had vans overtaking 2-4 cars back on blind corners. My instructor always taught me to drive to the speed limit when safe to do so and he taught me that lack of progress can be just as dangerous as going too fast.
 
funny they can have their moments, remember once had a learner pull out without indicating or apparently checking mirrors on a dual carriageway, fortunately there was just enough space for me to not run into the back of him, and then the instructor sticks his arm out the window and motions (in an admittedly non expletive manner) that i'm following too close, no **** sherlock the guy your training doesn't understand indicators or mirrors.

that said, normally they're fine, its the idiots on r plates you gotta worry about (best encounter i had was a ford focus on an r plate sitting in the right hand lane of a 70mph dual carriageway at 60 with one headlight out, one of those "wish i was a traffic peeler" moments)
 
I would say there has been a big rise in independent driving instructors over the last few years due to the influx of adverts saying "earn 30k a year and be your own boss" etc every time i see dodgy driving that the instructor should not be allowing its from independent cars. I have also known a good few people taking lessons that have shocked me with there stories of the poor training they are recieving or have been told to enter for there test when they are far from ready.
Can't remember the last time I seen an AA or Bsm instructor on the road as they tend to charge far more than independent instructors.
My instructor was a guy in his 60's who took driving very seriously and was like a seargent major but that's the best way imo
 
My instructor was the same Dav. Really nice bloke but jesus did he have a set of pipes on him! Similar to you Vader, was always told to drive to the limit where safe to do so. Not dawdle.
 
I was stuck behind a learner for 4 miles the other day, doing 30 in a 60. As we approached a large lay by, set away from the road I thought they'd stop to let the >20 cars queuing behind to pass. I'm pretty sure my instructor would do this and use it as an opportunity for a quick chat before continuing.

They didn't and we were all stuck for another 4 miles before a short bit of dual carriageway let everyone continue with their journeys at normal speeds.
 
A certain driving instructor around here always goes under 10mph even when the road is completely clear and conditions are perfect. Certain instructors are useless. Followed that car for a painfully slow mile several times before I could pass.
 
I think as Dav points out, the marketing waffle about earning loads and choosing your own hours has attracted a lot of people to that particular industry. I appreciate learners can be slow off the mark, or slow to get upto speed. But driving considerably slower than the limit, and simple things like being in the correct lane is something the instructor should be pointing out if the learner doesn't know/hasn't realised.

I suspect that when these instructors pass a test to show they're able to instruct, i would imagine there's no continuous testing to ensure they're teaching at a high standard.
 
I think the problem is many just teach passing a test, not roadcraft.

So you end up with people thinking they know how to drive because they know what signs mean, but actually don't know how to use the road properly. A bit like cyclists :p
 
VaderDSL said:
Same, yesterday coming home there was a BSM learner doing 35 in an NSL for several miles (A road). I'm a patient individual, so was happy to wait for a long stretch to overtake, other behind me, not so much, had vans overtaking 2-4 cars back on blind corners. My instructor always taught me to drive to the speed limit when safe to do so and he taught me that lack of progress can be just as dangerous as going too fast.
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My driving instructor would get really annoyed at the other instructor if I found myself behind a learner doing that. His view was if the learner wasn't able to drive at close to the speed limit on a NSL then they shouldn't be on them until they were. He would keep people away from NSL roads until he felt they were capable.
 
I think it's down to more people taking up being an instructor as the adverts make it seem appealing, earn minimum of £30k work your own hours etc. When I was learning to drive if I did major things wrong I got a right telling off, soon learnt me right from wrong.
 
My instructor always taught me to do the speed limit when safe to do so. I was stuck behind a leaner in a private car the other day doing 25 in a 60, the leaner was driving like they were absolutely **** scared of everything. I have no idea what the 'experienced' driver in the car was doing letting them out on busy roads like that.
 
My instructor was brilliant and wouldn't have any dilly dallying about, he would always say "come on, we're not the AA, put your foot down" (he explained to me that AA driving instructors round my area always seem to have a huge queue of traffic behind them) but go 1 or 2 mph over the limit and he'd give you a talking to about how the dvla will instantly fail you if caught in your test and how he'd kill me if I fail for speeding (we got on really well).
 
Nasher said:
I think the problem is many just teach passing a test, not roadcraft.

So you end up with people thinking they know how to drive because they know what signs mean, but actually don't know how to use the road properly. A bit like cyclists :p
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tbf this is true of the general system as much as individual instructors, the entire system is geared to maneuvering a car whilst well within the limits of physics, which is fine on a lovely summers day but does them no good when they've passed and find their first patch of black ice in winter, or oil, etc etc.
 
Skid pan experience etc should be mandatory I reckon. Knowing how to control a car should things go boobs up is more useful than knowing how to reverse around a corner.
 
I dont think the issue is how strict instructors are or are not. My instructor was pretty chill and it was like driving with a mate in the car, that is not to say it mistakes were easier to get over. Rather than being scared of my instructor after messing up or driving badly, it just felt incredibly embarrassing and worked as well as any amount of discipline, making me want to actually drive well and safely.

I think the issues lie in instructors focusing on just getting students to pass in the quickest time. They teach them to pass the test rather than drive. The vast majority off people i hear starting lessons sound like they get thrown in the deep end straight away. That these instructors just tell them to have a go and instruct them on the fly without telling them how to do something first. I think this probably makes most kids nervous and its hard to follow instructions on the fly for the first time when your nervous. My instructor went through gear changing, junctions, roundabouts, lanes and all that with laminated pictures for a few minutes before I did it for the first time, something not all instructors do. Hell, it should be even easier with an ipad and short animations these days.
 
MooMoo444 said:
Skid pan experience etc should be mandatory I reckon. Knowing how to control a car should things go boobs up is more useful than knowing how to reverse around a corner.
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agreed, teaching proper handling and brake control is absolutely key, plus it'll teach not only how to control and out of control car, but also how easy it is to go past the limits especially when conditions are bad.

whilst people should always drive within the limits of their own and their car's ability, how do you do that if you've never experienced where that limit is?
 
Seems that learning to drive is also taking a back seat and learning to pass the test with the new change that people will have to show how to use a satnav.
 
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