Instructor ready to set wheels in motion for April lessons
The coronavirus pandemic may have been something no-one saw coming in the rear view mirror, forcing driving instructors to slam the brakes on lessons.
But now the pros are getting ready to return in mid-April after the government’s roadmap out of lockdown was announced, and help pupils manoeuvre the obstacles thrown at them by Covid-19.
Learning to drive can be one of life’s more nerve-wracking experiences, and when lessons and tests were permitted after the lifting of previous lockdowns, they were fraught with new protocols to make things even more challenging.
Les McGowan, a Shrewsbury driving instructor of 44 years experience, told of the “horror” of some students who ended up back at the test centre within minutes of starting their exam.
To minimise contact, examiners were told that if a student committed a “major”, an offence which means an automatic fail, they must end the test immediately and get them to drive back to the centre. Normally examiners would let the test run, even if the mistake happened early on.
“There have been a few horror stories as well of people going out on their test and then being back after a few minutes,” said Les.
“It’s a shame because people need the full experience from the test but the examiners have to follow the rules. They are really good though. They’re very friendly and they do help put the pupil more at ease.”
Extra hygiene measures, similarly to wider society, have been important to implement for instructors, especially given the close proximity of student and teacher.
Les added: “Now you have to be much more careful. Before every pupil you have to wipe door handles, seatbelts, the steering wheel and everything else. I was always pretty clean anyway but you have take extra care now.
“We had to wear masks before which isn’t ideal because it isn’t comfortable for the learner and you can’t see their reaction.”
Les also said that the two-year time limit between passing a theory test and practical exam has not been extended, leading to more concerns among students who are approaching their deadline, especially given the lack of professional lessons slowing down progress.
“You can lose momentum and that certainly is a frustration,” he added. “People have been able to practice with their parents or family members, but that can cause them to develop bad habits when they don’t have the professional lessons.”
It’s been a hard 12 months on instructors as well. “I’ve heard of some instructors who’ve had to go and get other jobs to make ends meet because they haven’t got the self-employment history to qualify for the grants. It’s very harsh on the new instructors coming into the game.”
Thankfully, Les will be back in April and, having helped around 5,500 learners pass their tests, he’s raring to get going again.
“I’ve met some wonderful people doing this job,” he added.
