Nicky Hardy - Driving Instructor

18/06/2026

Many drivers know that the Highway Code recommends leaving at least 1.5 metres when overtaking a cyclist at speeds of up to 30mph, and even more space at higher speeds.
( A requested post )

What many people do not realise is that this does not suddenly stop applying just because there is a painted cycle lane on the road.
A painted line is not a protective barrier.
A cyclist still needs space.

They may need to avoid potholes, drains, debris, opening vehicle doors, pedestrians stepping into the lane, or unexpected hazards that appear in front of them.

Far too many cyclists tell me that their closest passes happen when they are actually using the cycle lane provided for them.
It is almost as if some drivers see the painted line and assume it gives them permission to squeeze past.

The Highway Code is very clear. If you cannot give a cyclist enough room, wait. Be patient. Overtake when it is safe to do so.

This is not about cyclists versus drivers.
Many cyclists are drivers.
Many drivers are cyclists.

The road does not belong to one group or another. We all share it.
Whether you are behind a steering wheel, on two wheels, on horseback, or simply crossing the road, everybody deserves to get home safely.

A few seconds of patience costs nothing.
A close pass can cost everything.

If you cycle regularly, what is the biggest misconception drivers have about sharing the road with cyclists?

✍️ Sheena Ahmed
Motorvation School of Motoring

10/06/2026

One of my followers sent me a message suggesting a post about something we do not talk about enough.

The learning does not stop when you pass your driving test.
In fact, for many people, that is when the real learning begins.

Passing a test simply means you have demonstrated that you can drive safely and independently to the required standard on that day. It does not mean you have experienced every road, every weather condition, every difficult junction, every near miss, or every challenge that driving can throw at you.
Experience takes time.

Every driver, no matter how long they have held a licence, will make mistakes. I certainly have. You have. The person reading this has. The difference is what we do afterwards.

Some people shrug their shoulders and carry on.
Others replay the mistake in their head for days.

Many conscientious drivers are far harder on themselves than they need to be. They make one wrong lane choice, miss a sign, stall, misjudge a gap, or have a moment of hesitation and suddenly start questioning their entire ability to drive.
Sound familiar?

The truth is that driving today is not easy.
The roads are busier than ever. There are more distractions, more information to process, more vehicles, more vulnerable road users, and more pressure than many people realise.

Yet we often act as though driving should be effortless and that mistakes should never happen.

Perhaps we would all benefit from a little more patience.
Patience with other road users.
Patience with learners.
Patience with newly qualified drivers and sometimes, patience with ourselves.

That does not mean excusing poor driving or dangerous behaviour.
It means recognising that human beings are not perfect.

The important question is not, “Have I ever made a mistake?”
The important question is, “What did I learn from it?”

The drivers who continue to improve are usually the ones who remain humble enough to reflect on their driving, learn from their errors, and adapt.

The moment we believe we have nothing left to learn is often the moment we become a worse driver.

Driving is a lifelong skill, not a one-off achievement.

The test certificate is not the end of the journey.

It is the beginning of it. ❤️

✍️ Sheena Ahmed
Motorvation School of Motoring

02/06/2026

12/05/2026

People are often shocked when they see the top reasons for failing a driving test.

Why?
Because most of them are not complicated manoeuvres.

Most are observation, awareness, positioning, planning and decision making.

👀 Effective observations at junctions
🪞 Mirror use
🚗 Moving off safely
↪️ Positioning correctly
🚦 Responding to traffic lights
🛞 Steering control
🛣️ Road markings
🚸 Traffic signs
📍 Road positioning
⚠️ Safe and reasonable speed

Look closely at that list.
Most of it comes down to one thing:
awareness.

This is why I constantly say driving is far more mental than physical.

The steering wheel is the easy bit.
The hard part is reading the road, anticipating danger, processing information and making safe decisions under pressure.

A driving test is not designed to catch people out.
It is checking whether someone can safely deal with real world situations independently.

Many faults happen because people rush.
They see a gap and go without fully checking.
They change direction without proper mirror use.
They follow sat nav instructions without reading road signs or markings.
They focus too close to the front of the car instead of planning ahead.

The roads reward calm drivers far more than hurried ones.

This is also why “just getting a test booked quickly” means nothing if the foundations are weak.

You can sometimes scrape through a 40 minute test.
You cannot scrape through years of solo driving safely without proper habits.

The safest drivers are usually not the most confident sounding people.
They are the ones constantly thinking:
“What have I missed?”

See one. Think two.

Learn to drive for life not just to pass a test 🫶🏾

✍️ Sheena Ahmed
Motorvation School of Motoring

12/05/2026

From today, there will be more changes for learner drivers.

Only you can book or manage your car driving test. This means your driving instructor won’t be allowed to book it for you.

05/05/2026

🚗 Wrong Turn on Your Test? Did I Just FAIL🫤❌

​We’ve all been there—the Sat Nav says "Right, 3rd Exit," but your nerves steer you straight ahead to the 2nd. 👀🙃 Your heart sinks... "Did I just fail?"

​The short answer: NO!

The examiner is testing your safety, not your sense of direction. A wrong turn is just a WEE detour, not a defeat. Here is how to turn a "wrong way" into a PASS:

​✅ Commit to the Mistake: If you’re in a "Left Only" lane, go left! It’s much safer to go the wrong way legally than to swerve across lanes to "fix" it.
✅ Signal Your Intentions: Always signal for where you are actually going, not where you were told to go.
✅ Follow the New Route: Stay calm; the examiner or Sat Nav will simply recalculate.
✅ Prioritize Safety: As long as you follow road markings and road signs, you won't get a serious fault.

​Silver lining: You might have just accidentally avoided that nightmare junction you hate! 👀

​What WILL Cause a Fail? (The Real Mistakes) 🙁

​It’s never the turn that fails you; it’s the reaction. You could get a serious fault for:

​❌ Panic-Swerving: Dangerous lane changes to try and force the "correct" direction.
❌ Sudden Braking: Slamming the brakes without checking mirrors. Your car’s "body language" says ahead, but you suddenly brake to turn left—that HGV behind you won't have time to react! 🚛🛑
❌ Illegal Maneuvers: Prohibited U-turns or stopping in the middle of a busy junction.
❌ Incorrect Signaling and Positioning: Signaling right while physically turning left. It confuses other drivers and creates a major risk.
❌ Ignoring Instructions: There’s a big difference between a mistake and repeatedly ignoring the examiner. Listen closely!

​Pro Tip: Keep it safe, keep it legal, and commit to that wrong direction!

You've got this! 🏆

​

21/04/2026

WHY SOME DRIVERS FREEZE AT ROUNDABOUTS

Roundabouts expose hesitation more than anywhere else. There is movement from multiple directions, constant decision making, and very little time to hesitate. For many drivers, everything feels like it is happening at once.

The biggest issue is not ability. It is overload.

Too many drivers arrive at a roundabout and try to process everything equally. Every car, every lane, every possible movement. That is where the freeze happens. The brain cannot prioritise, so it delays.

We simplify it.

You are not looking at everything.
You are looking at what matters first.

Your priority is the right.

Who is approaching from your right.
Who is already on the roundabout.
Who is going to affect your path.

Then we go deeper.

We teach blockers:
The driver on your right is also reacting to traffic on their right. If they are slowing, stopping, or clearly waiting, that creates time and space for you.

You are not just watching one car.
You are reading what is controlling that car.

Do not rely on signals alone.

Drivers forget.
Drivers cancel signals late.
Drivers signal wrong.

So what do we look at?
Look at the wheels.
The position of the front wheels tells you the truth before the signal does.

Look at speed.
Are they committing or slowing?

Look at positioning.
Are they drifting left, holding lane, or setting up to go right?

If there is no signal and you cannot clearly read their intention… you do not go.

Simple.

If you are unsure, you wait.
If you are sure, you go.

Hesitation often comes from confusion.
Confidence comes from clarity.

Position early.
Choose your gear early.
Be ready before you arrive.

If you arrive prepared, you only have one job left. Decide.

Roundabouts are not chaos.
They are patterns.

Once you learn what to look for, everything slows down in your mind.

That is when hesitation disappears.

✍️ Sheena Ahmed
Motorvation School of Motoring

04/04/2026

🚦 DRIVE SMARTER WITH COAST

Great driving is never accidental.
It is deliberate.
It is structured.
It is systematic.

One of the most powerful systems you can use on real roads is COAST.

This is not just for advanced drivers.
It is for learners.
It is for newly qualified drivers.
It is for people who have been driving twenty years and slipped into autopilot.

COAST gives you a framework when things start unfolding quickly.

🔹 Concentration
Driving demands your full attention.
Not half attention.
Not split between notifications and traffic.
Distractions steal seconds. Seconds matter.

🔹 Observation
Look far ahead. Use your mirrors with purpose.
Read body language of other vehicles.
Notice brake lights three cars up.
See developing hazards before they are emergencies.

🔹 Anticipation
Ask yourself constantly:
What could happen next?
Is that pedestrian about to step out?
Will that vehicle change lanes?
Could traffic slow suddenly beyond that bend?

🔹 Space
Space is protection.
Leave safe following distances.
Avoid sitting in blind spots.
Always leave yourself an escape option.

🔹 Time
Smooth driving comes from planning early.
Brake progressively.
Signal in good time.
Position early.
Give yourself thinking time, not panic time.

When you apply COAST properly, something shifts.
You stop reacting late.
You stop being surprised.
You start preventing problems before they fully form.

This is what advanced driving is built on.
Not speed.
Not confidence.
Structure.

Drive with a system.
Create space.
Arrive safely.

Sheena Ahmed
Motorvation School of Motoring

31/03/2026

Brake before the bend.
Not during it.

Rural roads may look calm, but they can punish bad timing very quickly. Many serious crashes happen because drivers carry too much speed into a bend, then try to brake once they are already turning.

That is where things start to go wrong.

Braking mid bend shifts the car’s weight forward and can reduce stability. Your tyres are then trying to steer and slow the car at the same time, which means grip is being shared. On wet, uneven, muddy or narrow rural roads, that loss of balance can catch drivers out very quickly.

That is why the safer habit is simple.

Slow before the bend.
Choose a safe speed early.
Steer smoothly through it.
Then accelerate gently as the road opens up.

That keeps the car more settled, the tyres working properly, and the driver in better control.

The countryside is beautiful, but beauty can hide danger.

Every bend deserves respect.

Sheena Ahmed
Motorvation School of Motoring