Hi to one and all.
I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and the services that I can offer.
I am a Driving Standards Agency registered driving instuctor who not only teaches individuals to drive but also specialises in Advanced Driver Development, Fleet Assesment and Training, Trailer Training and Defensive Driving to military standards. I have also competed in sprints for many years and won my class at championship level numerous times.
We all enjoy driving our MX5/Roadsters on the road but do we do it to continually high standars all the time? If we are truly honest, perhaps the answer will be no!
To get the most out of our wonderful cars further training can highlight areas needing attention and remedial plans can be put in to place. Training for one of the Advanced Driver tests apart from making you safer on the road can also result in a reduction in insurance premiums.
Do you drive for your living or have a fleet of drivers driving for you? Fleet Training could markedly reduce the risk of an accident that keeps you off work or even worse! Fom a company point of view are you complying with Health and Safety Executive regulation (HASAW) with regards to company vehicle users and providers and demonstrating duty of care to your employees?
Would you like to be able to make the time spent in your car the most enjoyable? Would you like to be able to position your car on the road to maintain maxium legal progress in the most economical manner yet at the same time maximum safety for you and other road users? Would you like to know how your car is going to behave in different road conditions? Do you understand the implications of weight transfer whilst driving and do you know what to do in an emergency?
The above are just some of the areas of driving that we do not consider when we jump in to cars, let me assure you there are plenty more!
If you would like to know more then please PM me and I will be only too happy to speak with you and discuss you requirements.
Many thanks
Duncan Dickens.
DSM+ A Positive and Friendly Driving Experience
The answer is yes always from me duncan, i just work hard on getting other drivers out of my way, In a safe manner that is sir
How you doing buddy,what was the outcome after the oil flush/change?
M-m
I’ve taken loads of driver training and always found it interesting. The last time I went out with an instructor on public roads was about five months ago, and I’m still working on some of the stuff we discussed. This despite decades of track driving and competing at a national level in synchronised crashing (and doing a bit of instructing myself).
Too many people think their driving is above average despite absolutely no objective assessment of their actual skills or attitude since their driving tests.
The crashing season starts soon, there is no better time for a bit of training. An hour with an instructor costs far less than your insurance excess.
You’re absolutely right there Cap’n Muppet. Having had to take HGV (First C, then C+E) tests over the last few years (passed initial driving test in 1989!) it made me realise just how many bad habits I’ve picked up over the last 20 years or so. Of course, HGV driving is a completely new ball-game, but my point is, no matter how experienced or skilled you THINK you are, you can always improve! It is good fun going off-road in them too!
Having only had my 5 for a couple of years and only really on the road for the last 6 months, I fully admit that I’ve had to learn a lot about RWD, often involving me nearly crapping myself on roundabouts.
Mind you, new tyres have helped a lot. 
I had a day out with a chap called Colin Hoad from CAT driver training round the Millbrook Proving grounds a couple of years ago in a fast road prepped Lotus Elise, I already understood all of the theory behind weight shift and balance and throttle and brake control etc but you cant really properly practice this on public roads! So it was really good to go over the theory in detail then put it straight to practice on very challenging closed roads. Definitely made me a safer and more competent driver after this experience and
I would not hesitate to recommend this kind of thing to anybody especially owners of these cracking little RWD cars!!!
I have had my Eunos since Saturday and done about 150 rather spirited miles and so far and not had any surprises so I must have remembered what I learned about rear drive cars?
I would be interested to learn more about the recognised accreditation (if thats what you would call it, or is it a qualification?) for getting the insurance costs down a bit. What does it consist of? Is it lessons followed by a test or a half day crash course (no pun intended)?
Hi Team Kirk
Thanks for your response to my original post.
First of all I am delighted to hear that you have already had some further training, it really does make sense.
With regard to the “recognised accreditation” you mentioned, there are four organisations that offer further examination that can qualify for reductions in insurance costs. The four are:- the Institute of Advanced Motorists, the Driving Instructors Association, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents and the RAC. If one takes an Advanced Test and passes with one of these organisations then that is when the reduced insurance can kick in. The syllabus that they work to and susequently test on has been approved by the Driving Standards Agency.
For the average enthusiastic driver there should not be any great difficulty in passing one of these tests. However, the training is not something that can be ccompleted in an afternoon as there is an element of self development and continual assesment to ensure that you are entered for test at the right time.
This is obviously an area of my work that I could help in as a Driving Standards Approved Driving Instructor.
Should you wish to know any more specific details then please do not hesitate to contact me.
Once again thanks for your enquiry.
Duncan.
Hey Duncan good to see you promoting driver training
Just to check something - in taking a ‘test’ do you need to maintain the level over the years? re-test every year? every other? or three or however many?
anyway, all the best and hope you get some takers 