Three Shires Towing – BADDIA Bedford Driving School

Three Shires provide towing training for those who wish to tow trailers and find that their driving licence does not have that category (B+E).  For towing lessons in Bedfordshire and towing lessons in Northamptonshire, Three Shires provide proffessional instruction with highly qualified and experienced DSA approved driving instructors. 

Since 1997 the DVLA no longer issue licences with that category and ‘new’ drivers are restricted to a vehicle and trailer of a maximum of 3.5 tonnes.  This restricts driver as the weights are a combination of the maximum weight of the vehicle and the maximum weight of the trailer.  Towing an empty car trailer for example behind a Ford Mondeo would take them over the limit even though the actual weights would be less than three tonnes the car maximum weight would be 2.1 tonnes and the trailer probably has a maximum weight of 3.0 tonnes : total would be 5.1 tonnes maximum. 

We supply each candidate with a workbook containing all they need to know about the towing test.  The tests are carried out at vocational test centres such as Weedon and Peterborough.   The test lasts for about an hour and a half and comprises of five elements.

1,  Show me tell me questions aimed at loading and loading safety also some of the usual car care

2,  Manoeuvre, this is an ‘s’ shaped manoeuvre carried out off road, control and accuracy are paramount as you may not touch any of the cones or yellow border lines and must park with the back end of the trailer exactly within a one metre box

3,  Braking exercise, this is carried out on the off road site.  The candidate has to drive at 20 miles per hour and perform a controlled stop when they reach a certain pre determined point.

4,  Driving: around fifty to fifty five minutes on the road displaying good trailer craft such as more mirror work, watching the trailer as it cuts in on corners plus the independent drive too.

5,  Uncouple and couple exercise, at the end of the test the candidate is asked to uncouple the trailer and drive forwards then alongside the trailer.  They must then drive forwards and couple up the trailer as if the trailer had been left for them by another driver.  Routine is so important here as one slip up in the order they do things can result in a negative outcome!

On average candidates take about nine hours to master all of the above, remembering of course that they are qualified drivers.

Find us on http://www.threeshires.co.uk/and on the BADDIA site.

Three Shires Towing – BADDIA Bedford Driving School

Three Shires provide towing training for those who wish to tow trailers and find that their driving licence does not have that category (B+E).  For towing lessons in Bedfordshire and towing lessons in Northamptonshire, Three Shires provide proffessional instruction with highly qualified and experienced DSA approved driving instructors. 

Since 1997 the DVLA no longer issue licences with that category and ‘new’ drivers are restricted to a vehicle and trailer of a maximum of 3.5 tonnes.  This restricts driver as the weights are a combination of the maximum weight of the vehicle and the maximum weight of the trailer.  Towing an empty car trailer for example behind a Ford Mondeo would take them over the limit even though the actual weights would be less than three tonnes the car maximum weight would be 2.1 tonnes and the trailer probably has a maximum weight of 3.0 tonnes : total would be 5.1 tonnes maximum. 

We supply each candidate with a workbook containing all they need to know about the towing test.  The tests are carried out at vocational test centres such as Weedon and Peterborough.   The test lasts for about an hour and a half and comprises of five elements.

1,  Show me tell me questions aimed at loading and loading safety also some of the usual car care

2,  Manoeuvre, this is an ‘s’ shaped manoeuvre carried out off road, control and accuracy are paramount as you may not touch any of the cones or yellow border lines and must park with the back end of the trailer exactly within a one metre box

3,  Braking exercise, this is carried out on the off road site.  The candidate has to drive at 20 miles per hour and perform a controlled stop when they reach a certain pre determined point.

4,  Driving: around fifty to fifty five minutes on the road displaying good trailer craft such as more mirror work, watching the trailer as it cuts in on corners plus the independent drive too.

5,  Uncouple and couple exercise, at the end of the test the candidate is asked to uncouple the trailer and drive forwards then alongside the trailer.  They must then drive forwards and couple up the trailer as if the trailer had been left for them by another driver.  Routine is so important here as one slip up in the order they do things can result in a negative outcome!

On average candidates take about nine hours to master all of the above, remembering of course that they are qualified drivers.

Find us on http://www.threeshires.co.uk/and on the BADDIA site.

Bedford Driving Instructors and DSA warn driving test may be cancelled due to bad weather

Some driving tests may be affected by winter weather over the next few days.

The Met Office has forecast colder weather with snow showers becoming increasingly likely. Some parts of the country may have significant snowfall. 

Your driving test

If you’re due to take your practical test,  follow the advice given on your appointment email or letter. You should call your test centre only if there is snow or ice in your local area on the day of your test.

DSA do not conduct tests in bad light or bad weather conditions for the safety of the candidate and the examiner.  Another appointment will be arranged automatically at no further cost, but compensation is not payable.

A new appointment date is usually sent within three working days.  This may take longer when there’s a period of prolonged bad weather.

If you haven’t heard about a new appointment within seven working days, you can check the status of your booking online at direct.gov.uk/drivingtest.

If your test hasn’t been rebooked at that time, you should call our customer service centre.

Related links:

• practical test for cars explained: Directgov
• driving in adverse weather conditions: Highway Code
• winter driving advice: Highways Agency
  

BADDIA – Bedford Driving Instructors ask why people fail their driving tests

The driving test can be one of the most worrying things a person can do, because passing will have a life-changing effect.  The majority of people fail for the same sort of reasons, and fortunately they’re not impossible to overcome.

Lack of proper preparation

Some pupils are tempted to rush into the test, only to be knocked back by failing. The key to passing is to make sure you are well prepared and take enough lessons with a BADDIA professional instructor, backed up by practice with a relative or friend.

According to the Driving Standards Agency, those who pass their test have had, on average, about 45 hours of professional training plus 22 hours of private practice.  Research shows the importance of professional tuition: the L-test success rate for those who don’t use instructors is 15 per cent worse than the UK average. 

It’s also important to choose a good instructor.  Ask for recommendations from friends or relatives who have learned to drive, and when booking lessons, ask if your instructor will be fully qualified. Look out for a green badge in the windscreen of the driving school car.   A pink badge means the instructor has not passed an exam on their ability to instruct.  Look on the BADDIA website for Driving Schools in Bedford.

Nerves

Nerves are a big issue for many learners on test day.  Some resort to superstition to try and stay calm.  Some have been known to wear lucky pants, socks and T-shirts, or even bring calming aromatherapy oils and a lucky champagne cork.

The best advice for mastering your nerves is far more worldly than that.  Harking back to the previous point, preparation is everything – luck has very little to do with it.  Arrive at your test well prepared and confidence should follow.

Observation/use of mirrors

Observation is a key issue that needs to be mastered when pulling away, as well as at junctions, including roundabouts, emerging at a T-junction or crossing the path of oncoming cars.  Some candidates find themselves rushing or feel pressured by vehicles behind them.  This can mean they fail to make effective observations and exercise good judgement.

Ineffective observation, or not checking mirrors, is a sure route to a fail.  The examiner will check to see that you not only look at your mirrors at the appropriate times, but also that you react safely and act on the information the mirror provides.

Poor control of the car (including indicators)

Failing to turn off an indicator or confusing other drivers or pedestrians with misleading signals are often preludes to a fail, as is incorrect positioning on the road. This includes failure to use the correct lane at a roundabout or to obey road markings and stay in your lane on a dual carriageway.

Passing also means avoiding cutting corners or crossing the middle line when turning right.  Not surprisingly, safe and accurate steering is also a must. Steering too early or too late has taken many candidates on a nasty turn towards failure.

The other big issue is speed.  Some people think they’ll impress the examiner with their ‘safety’ by driving slowly – but if it’s too slow they’ll fail. And, of course, breaking the speed limit brings about the same result!

Manoeuvres

Reversing around a corner is one of the driving test manoeuvres most likely to trip up candidates.  Poor observation or accuracy, or a lack of good control, are the main problems.  Reverse parking is another bugbear for the ill-prepared.

Effective observation is again crucial to getting this right, while many candidates come unstuck in terms of accuracy and control of the vehicle, or by moving too fast. Hitting the curb is the usual result, and a test fail could follow.

So, to find a suitable Driving Instructor in Bedford, visit http://www.baddia.co.uk/index.php 

Taken from an article By Mark Nichol

Study also says prohibiting young drivers from carrying peers or drinking any alcohol would cut number of road accidents

Published by guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 21 September 2010 10.16 BST

Researchers say a ban on newly qualified young drivers from driving at night would reduce accidents. Photograph: Rex Features

Buying a used car – know your consumer rights

• Published by DSA Wednesday, 15 September 2010

The number of consumer complaints about used cars from dealers has increased, so make sure you know your rights before you buy.

DSA press release

Real driving experience for learners

To help make the driving test more representative of real driving, the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) will no longer publish details of test routes, Road Safety Minister Mike Penning announced today.

Currently test routes used by each driving test centre are published online but this will stop when new routes are introduced at the beginning of October.

This change is being made to support the introduction of independent driving, which will allow candidates to demonstrate their ability to drive safely in more realistic driving situations rather than memorising a particular test route.

Mike Penning said:

“We want new drivers to be able to drive safely and independently and learning to drive test routes by rote isn’t the way to achieve this.

“Stopping the publication of test routes will help to make sure that the driving test better reflects realistic driving conditions and will give new drivers the skills and confidence they need to stay safe on the roads.”

DSA’s Chief Driving Examiner Trevor Wedge said:

“Evidence shows that the biggest challenge newly qualified drivers face after passing their test is learning how to cope when they no longer have their instructor there to help and prompt them.”

“We want to make sure that new drivers and riders are ready to make their own decisions when driving alone; learning how to do that in preparation for their test should lead to better and safer drivers.”

To better assess whether a learner driver is ready to drive unsupervised, independent driving will be introduced into the test on 4 October 2010. Candidates will drive for about 10 minutes, without step-by-step direction from their examiner. This will involve either following a series of directions, following traffic signs, or a combination of both. To help candidates visualise the directions, the examiner may also show them a simple diagram. The remainder of the test is unchanged.

In January 2010, DSA published independent research showing that with careful route design, candidates were able to complete the independent driving tasks without any significant impact on pass rates. Additional research found widespread support for inclusion of independent driving in the practical test.

08 September 2010

Comments please from driving instructors and driving schools who are BADDIA (Bedford and District Driving Instructors Association) members giving driving lessons, Pass Plus, a2om BTEC in Driving Science, advanced lessons, automatic lessons, disabled lessons, towing lessons, refresher courses, motorway lessons, fleet training, instructor training, in preparation for driving tests or driver improvement in the Bedford area

Wheel clamping on private land is to be banned in England and Wales. The ban, which will be introduced in the new Freedom Bill in November, will impose tough penalties on anyone who clamps a vehicle or tows it away on private land. Wheel clamping on private land.  Who manages parking and parking fines parking fines Once the ban comes into force it will be illegal to clamp, tow away or in any way immobilise a vehicle on private land. Anyone who clamps, immobilises or tows away a vehicle on private land without the specific legal authority to do so will face criminal charges or civil penalties.  However, the ban will only apply to private land.  It will not affect local authorities’ and the police’s right to clamp vehicles. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) will continue to clamp or tow away vehicles if the vehicle tax has not been paid. The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) will also continue to clamp or tow away un-roadworthy vehicles to stop them being used on the road. At the moment, if someone wants to work clamping vehicles, they must hold a frontline licence from the Security Industry Authority (SIA).   This will stop once the ban comes into force. There are currently 2,150 people who are licensed by the SIA to clamp vehicles.

Comments please from driving instructors and driving schools who are BADDIA (Bedford and District Driving Instructors Association) members giving driving lessons, Pass Plus, a2om BTEC in Driving Science, advanced lessons, automatic lessons, disabled lessons, towing lessons, refresher courses, motorway lessons, fleet training, instructor training, in preparation for driving tests or driver improvement in the Bedford area

Published: Tuesday, 17 August 2010 by Directgov