ESH

I paid for 10 driving lessons as my girlfriends birthday present in December 2006.

The instructor wasn't brilliant by any means which frustrated her to no end. the final straw came during her sixth lesson where his mobile phone whilst he was supposed to be instructing and he picked it up and chatted for a few mins.

I've complained to the head office about this. Now having spoken to the head of CS about the quality of lessons and the incident with the mobile she agreed that answering calls during a lesson was gross misconduct. Driving instructors are franchised however so what can be done? Now I'm not asking that the instructor in questions be sacked / revoked or anything along those lines but I am expecting a refund of some lessons for poor service.

I'm awaiting a response from the regional support manager but am tiring of waiting. With one lesson left to sit with a new instructor I've threatened to take my business elsewhere but agian this hasn't given them the impetus to respond to me.

Any ideas??

stilover

Yeah. Get a life. So what, he talked on his phone for a couple minutes. Surely he trusted your GF not to crash in that time.

All you'll do is get this bloke sacked. Well done you.

DCI Gene Hunt

Yep, I've had a few but all of them revolve around naked ladies and chocolate sauce..... which doesn't really seem to help you much

ESH

Comments like those are really helpful . You may like to waste your time with comments such as that as well as money on poor services but I don't. If you've nothing constructive to add then leave this thread alone.

ESH

Oh but it has but this is now off topic.

Esh

SJ_Skyline

FPMSL

The guy won't get sacked - he'll get a bollocking and probably sent on a diversity course or retrained or something like that. Just keep moaning at them and consider involving the local paper, a bit of bad press tends to give them a bit of focus.

mark engers

Is she a crap driver?

I bet she is blaming him for her poor performance and you have fallen for it like the clueless goofball that you are.

haroldhettaturbo

iTrader: (2)

The mrs has just started lesson again, 1st lesson he says its fien to drive 1 handed. Coz the steering is so light. 2nd lesson b0ll0xs her for driving 1 handed.

1st lesson hes showing her diagrams how a clutch works

out of 1 1/2 hour lessons she gets to drive for about 20 mins rest of time he gassing.


Shes avin 1 more lesson tommoz with him then think we will go else were.

V hard to recommend any instructors when me and all my mates passed 10 yrs ago.

Not any help but just to let you no its not only you thats got a problem with quality drivinbg schools.

Dave

ESH

Mark I think you are reading too much into this. Read the post again. If it were her fault then why would I post this up at all? I've followed a procedure and have come up to an impass.

You can look outside of this if you please but ultimately this business arrangement went poorly due to lack of interest from the instructor who I will add had full payment upfront.

Without going into much more basics were missed like for example clutch control.

ESH

I hear you Dave.

A market that has saturated and as a result there are more average instructors than good ones.

Esh

DCI Gene Hunt

Its a driving lesson not a feckin taxi ride, you pay for and should get the attention and advice/instruction from your driving instructor for 100% of your time in the car.... not to take mobile phone bookings for new lessons or to have a quick kip if you're driving round the M25!

Lesson there for others.... don't block book lessons

ESH

Agree with the above except for:

Do block book for discounts. I didn't have any trouble getting the other 3 lessons back bar the instructor trying to lie and say we had just two left.

Regards

Esh

Hanley

Oh my god!!!!

I hope you were pi$$ed when you typed this post.

If you weren't where the hell did you go to school??

haroldhettaturbo

iTrader: (2)

Thought it said - ScoobyNet Not www.Englishnet.com

Flatcapdriver

He's bang on the money, here. You've paid for instruction by the hour so it's not unreasonable to expect reliable equipment (the car) and total concentration by the instructor. Given that he's theoretically in charge of the vehicle, then possibly he's contravened some of the rules governing the Road Traffic Act - in effect he's using a mobile phone whilst in charge of a motor vehicle.

Personally, I'd ask for another instructor if you feel she can't get on with him and by way of compensation ask for a couple (or more) complimentary lessons. Its always easier to ask for something a company/individual can give you without too much hassle. Threatening them at this stage would be counter producitive but you may have to resort to this if they are not more accomodating.

ESH

Totally agree with you

However I have wanted this to be resolved beforethe 10th lesson has been sat so as not to:
a. Lead the new instructor on with a promise of new lessons pending resolution.
b. Decide whether to remain with this company. They have changed the instructor and he appears to be very good but if not resolved I'll probably churn.

This is why I want this resolved now. I contacted them with this on the 29th writing in on the 31st. I feel enough time has been given on my side.

Esh

Hanley

Sorry, just found it amusing.

Shes avin 1 more lesson tommoz with him then think we will go else were

Not any help but just to let you no its not only you thats got a problem with quality drivinbg schools.

corradoboy

Perhaps she misunderstood, but early on it is prudent to teach people to drive with one hand, as they will need to whilst changing gear or operating other ancillary equipment with either hand. Some students with a habit of gripping the wheel tightly can swing the wheel quite wildly when one hand is removed, so preparing them for it early on is fine, as long as you advise that unless there is a genuine need to remove one hand then you should always have both on the wheel.
Again, normal practice. People generally operate any machine better if they have a basic understanding of how it works. The clutch explanation should last about 2-3 minutes.
In a first lesson of a complete novice it is not unusual to spend in excess of 1 hour going through the controls, their operation and uses. I only do 2 hour lessons, especially for complete beginners for just this reason, ensuring that at the end of their first lesson they do get some time driving and learning moving off and stopping.

I've been teaching for 4 months now and have a well above average pass rate of over 50%, with several clients passing after as few as 6 lessons. Given the strictness of the examiners in Leeds this is considered impressive amongst my peers.

As for answering the mobile phone, if the shoe was on the other foot and your wife was trying to ring him for 6 hours and never getting an answer you'd complain also, regardless of the fact he may have back-to-back lessons and you are opposed to him answering his phone.

Instructors are indeed franchised, and all your complaint will get is a call from the boss to clarify and the general attitude will be "so what", there's 1.7m more learners where they come from. If he lost his franchise he'd have another offer within hours. I had five offers on the day I passed my Part 2 test, and even without any offers he can go freelance as long as he is ADI and not still PDI.

The simple answer is, if you don't like his instruction go elsewhere.

Flatcapdriver

Utter and complete waste of time. Everyone knows wimmin are clueless when it comes to anything mechanical.

Reffro

Report the instructor to the police, using the mobile is the same offence as the driver using a mobile. You are banned from using a hand held mobile phone whilst intructing a learner driver.

3pts and a fine might make the instructor change his ways.

Copied from the DOT website:-

Q8. Who do the new regulations apply to?
The new regulations apply to the drivers of all motor vehicles on the road, including cars, motorcycles, goods vehicles, buses, coaches and taxis.


They also apply to anyone supervising a learner driver, while the learner driver is driving. Anyone supervising a learner driver needs to be concentrating on what the driver is doing and should not be using a mobile phone.