Pass with Peter B

05/08/2026

I've had the Ford Puma for 18 days now, my learners love it. Seems like the examiners do too. Today was the third test in the new car and a third first time pass. Particular congratulations to the person who passed after just four hours practice in the Puma after 45 hours learning in the Fiesta. Good drivers can cope and adapt.

23/07/2026

New car time. After nearly seven years with Ford Fiestas I’m now teaching in a Ford Puma. Still a manual transmission, still a conventional handbrake. It is a mild hybrid, so kinder to the environment.
We will all be driving electric cars soon. But the young people passing their tests this year are unlikely to be able to afford to buy an electric car. I’ll teach you to be able to drive any car, not just an automatic or one with hill start assist or an electric hand brake. Pass with me and be able to drive the car you can afford to buy😂.

09/07/2026

If you are going to move the car to the side check first

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1Adp5NEo6L/?mibextid=wwXIfr

26/06/2026

The headline caught my attention (good work there Guardian subs).
I’d not heard of “carspreading”

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jun/24/carspreading-vehicle-size-crash-deaths-study?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Two stand out parts of the article

Cars have grown 1.2cm longer, 0.5cm taller and 0.5cm wider each year on average since 2000, analysis of new vehicles sold in Europe has found, in what green groups call “relentless carspreading”.

The projections relied on research from Belgium that found a 10cm increase in bonnet height results in a 27% higher risk of death for vulnerable road users. For children, they relied on research from the US that found such an increase in size led to an 81% increase in a child dying.

So, 25 years of small increases means average increases in length of 30cm,
height and width by 12.5cm.
We all know most modern cars will not fit in the garage that is part of our house.

Analysis shows cars in Europe have grown longer, taller and wider every year since 2000

05/06/2026

The driving test waiting list problems are definitely having an impact. I used to avarage about 40 tests a year. In 2025 it was only 32 tests. Looks like it’s going to be similar in 2026. Only 10 so far, another 16 tests booked in up to the start of November.
At least my pass rate is staying consistent.

30/05/2026

And here is what another Driving Instructor thinks about DVSA and the mess it has created

30/05/2026

The DVSA is doing its best to spread disinformation. Lots of stories about what it is doing to make things better, and lots of stories about how the problems for learners are the result of others.
Not true.
Have a look at this from the Driving Instructors Association

06/05/2026

From May 12 2026 these are the rules for changing a practical driving test appointment

You may be able to swap your car driving test with another learner driver by phone if you both already have a test booked and want each other's test slot.

16/03/2026

It's not all about "passing the test".
It is all about being a safe, capable and confident driver.
The statistics for young drivers are chilling. Some of the risk comes from a lack of experience.

Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service has produced a new information leaflet to help parents support newly qualified drivers during the highest-risk months after passing their driving test.

The “Help your young driver stay safe” guide highlights the key risks facing new drivers and offers practical advice for families as young people begin driving independently.

The leaflet focuses on three of the main factors linked to crashes involving newly qualified drivers:

Inexperience - judgement and hazard perception are still developing, so parents are encouraged to ensure their children gain a wide range of supervised driving experience before and after the test.

Late-night driving - darkness and fatigue increase crash risk, particularly in the early months of independent driving.

Peer distraction - carrying passengers of a similar age significantly increases the likelihood of a crash, so limiting passengers early on can help reduce risk.

Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service has produced a new information leaflet to help parents support newly qualified drivers during the highest-risk months after passing their driving test.