Refresher driving lessons in Bournemouth, Poole and surrounding areas
I offer refresher lessons on a pay as you go basis or purchased in a block in Bournemouth, Poole, Isle of Wight & surrounding areas.
I also currently offer Confidence Booster lessons for full licence holders only in your own car, for 1.5 hours, costing £60. This will be with myself (Jennifer) and can help with boosting your confidence, filling in gaps in your knowledge, helping you with things you might be struggling with, going over any local routes or junctions that you are unsure of, etc. I cover New Milton, Highcliffe, Christchurch, Boscombe, and most Bournemouth areas. Email me for more info.
Reasons you might need to take refresher driving lessons:
Unsafe and incorrect driving practice can lead to fines, penalty points, excessive fuel consumption, and more dramatically, loss of life.
Which lane do you take to go straight ahead on a roundabout?
What is the MSM routine?
Do you indicate to overtake a parked car?
Do you know the answers to these basic driving questions? (**Answers at the bottom!**)
There are many reasons why you might be thinking of taking a refresher lesson or course of lessons. Read on to find out about some common ones.
RUSTY DRIVER SYNDROME
Do you suffer from ‘Rusty Driver Syndrome’? This has been in the press a lot recently. Research from CHURCHILL insurance found that two-fifths of motorists who drive infrequently feel their driving performance has slipped. Around 7% of all motorists drive only twice a month or less and 42% of them admit their driving skills are impaired by the infrequency of their journeys. The poll also showed 47% of motorists do not enjoy driving on busy roads in towns and cities and 57% would prefer to avoid urban areas altogether but see driving in busy towns and cities as a necessity. A spokesperson for Churchill, Frances Browning, says:
“Motorists getting back behind the wheel after a break from driving can find it daunting. Drivers need to be able to handle a range of different road and traffic situations, which only regular practice can help with. When motorists pass their driving tests, it doesn’t necessarily qualify them as a confident driver. For those who feel their driving skills have become ‘rusty’, it may be worth undertaking a refresher course now and again to increase driver confidence and make the roads safer for everyone.” It is down to you to make sure you are not a liability on the road.
REVERSE PARK
You might not be able to remember how to reverse park correctly. In today’s busy society and with the lack of parking space, knowing how to reverse park correctly and confidently can take a lot of stress out of going shopping! We can show you how to do it by demonstrating the manouvre and giving you easy to remember step-by-step instructions and reference points. We can also give you written instructions so you can go away and practice. Once you know the correct way to do it, it really is easy!
HELP CHILD LEARN TO DRIVE
You might be about to help your child learn to drive. Parental lessons can certainly help learners progress more quickly. That’s if they are being taught correctly! Learners pick up bad habits from their parents, including not checking mirrors, crossing hands when steering, speeding, tail-gating, and answering mobile phones, all of which are significant factors that increase the risk of an accident. Did you know, 9 out of 10 instructors recommend that parents take refresher lessons prior to taking their children out, and over half of them would like to see such lessons become mandatory.
NERVOUS DRIVERS
Are you a nervous driver? You would like to be able to jump in the car and go anywhere you want, but feel you are restricted to your ‘comfort zone’ and don’t feel confident enough to venture further a field? This can be due to various reasons. Once we have had a chat and established what is causing your fear (a bad experience, or just lack of driving experience), we can help. We will tailor our teaching methods to suit you. Don’t worry, you won’t be forced to go straight onto a busy motorway or do something you aren’t comfortable with. We will slowly introduce you to new situations and build your confidence, talking you through it all the way. If you are worried about going out in wet weather, on motorways, or night driving, we can help you. We won’t shout or panic! The aim is to have you leave the lesson feeling happy and confident.
POINTS ON YOUR LICENSE
Have you got too many points on your licence and aren’t sure why?! I may be able to help you understand what you can do to drive more safely and reduce the chance of you getting any more points and even losing your licence. What have you got to lose by having a refresher lesson?
STARTING A NEW JOB
You might want to brush up on your driving skills before starting a new job which involves driving. Some employers will take their potential employees on a driving test, or you may be driving a company van with an ‘Am I a bad driver?’ sticker on the back!
TAKING A RE-TEST
You may have been banned from driving and have to take a re-test. Don’t worry, we are not here to judge you! Just to make sure you are at test standard before going for it again, and to get you through the test and onto the road safely.
BAD HABITS
You might have been driving for a long time and want to get rid of your bad habits. If you are an older driver you probably have many years of driving experience, which is fantastic. You have probably seen many changes on the roads since you began driving! It is up to you as a driver to keep up with the changes, and a responsible and confident driver may benefit from a lesson or two, where we can point out any things that you could do differently to help your driving and make sure you are driving as safely and economically as possible. You can also ask us any questions that you might have and we can easily go over things you might be unsure of, including local black spots. It doesn’t matter what you ask us, no matter how silly you might think it is! We all slip into bad habits and forget the correct way things should be done. Responsible drivers will swallow their pride and increase their safety and the safety of others by taking refresher lessons.
BEEN DRIVING ABROAD
You may not have driven in this country for a while; perhaps you have lived abroad and have gotten used to driving in a different country! We can help ease you back into driving safely here.
SAVE MONEY ON FUEL
Eco-driving is now a part of the driving test. It is surprising how much money you can actually save by making smnall and simple changes to the way you drive. Often just 1 lesson is enough for your instructor to give you some advice and jot down some pointers for you that could save you a lot of money in the future. Things like block changing gears, driving defensively, engine braking and many other hints and tips with things you may not even realise you are doing can help you save money with your driving habits.
Wherever you are from, and whatever age you are, we can help you without judging.
**Answers to the questions at the beginning**
Which lane do you take to go straight ahead on a roundabout?
Generally it is the left lane. Often people choose the right hand lane, or even the left lane but then cut across the middle of the roundabout to go ahead, which means you are changing lanes and possibly cutting someone up who is turning right. Take the left hand lane with no signal on approach; stay in the left hand lane while on the roundabout; signal left after passing the exit prior to the one you want to take. (Unless road markings direct you otherwise).
What is the MSM routine?
It stands for ‘Mirrors, Signal, Manoeuvre’, and should be used before making any manoeuvre (a change in speed or direction). Check the appropriate mirrors and if a signal is necessary, time it carefully so it isn’t confusing to others.
Do you indicate to overtake a parked car?
When in a flow of traffic it is not usually necessary or beneficial to signal as long as following traffic (traffic behind you) can see the obstruction. An unnecessary signal could be misleading, and may look as if your intention is to turn right into a junction or pull up on the right hand side of the road. If it’s obvious to others that you will move out to overtake a parked car, you shouldn’t need to signal.