If you would like to learn to drive with Revolution Driving Tuition, be sure to give me a call (07806625966) to book yourself a slot. Places for new pupils are pretty limited at the moment so grab a spot while you can!

For more information on the lessons and prices, as well as more details on the Revolution C2 have a browse around the site. Feel free to drop by with any questions.

Scrap Your Old Car and Receive £2000

The car scrappage plan released in April is planned to cost the Government over £300,000,000. But, will help provide a much needed boost to the car industry with thoughts of up to a 40% rise in new car sales, and will be a great step towards a more environmentally friendly Britain with older, more polluting cars being exchanged for newer, greener models.

The plan is due to start in May 2009 and run until March 2010. Anyone looking to purchase a new car should be able to find out more information at their local car dealership. You will need to provide proof of the car’s age and prove that your car has been owned for at least one year. Following which the Government and dealership will each donate £1000 towards the new car cost.

More information:

Car scrapping incentive announced

Motorists to get £2,000 to scrap old cars under 2009 Budget

A £2,500 handout to scrap your old car

£2,000 for scrapping my car? Hello?

Buy an Electric Car and Receive £5000

Another new incentive offered by the Government is aimed towards bringing a fleet of electric cars onto Britain’s roads. The scheme is thought to help reduce Co2 emissions by 26% by 2020 and 80% by 2050, with 35% of current carbon emissions being caused by domestic transport.

With electric cars typically being a higher upfront cost the scheme aims to help the customer cover this initial hurdle, after which running costs are said to be much lower.

However, a report by the Telegraph highlights what could be a major safety problem with the current small range of electric cars available. Models such as the G-Wiz are so small in size and weight, they do not have to meet the safety standards of normal cars, making them fair much worse in the average 40mph crash test.

More Info:

Electric car buyers to be given £5,000 in incentives

Labour’s £5,000 sweetener to launch electric car revolution

£5,000 incentive to buy electric cars

Plan to boost electric car sales

A closer look at women’s car insurance

Several car insurance providers now offer women’s car insurance, with some brands such as Sheila’s Wheels, Ladybird and Diamond, marketing almost exclusively to females.

Specialist women’s car insurance providers like to promote unique incentives to attract female business. Unique cover options range from mobile phone locators and ‘female friendly’ repairers to handbag cover and priority roadside assistance. However, to find a women’s car insurance policy that’s right for you it’s important to understand all of the technical terms in insurance documents to ensure you’re not caught out.

Why are there separate car insurance providers for women?

Simply put, women have a better driving record than men. According to Home Office statistics released in 2004, men are responsible for nine times as many motoring offences as women. Indeed men are guilty of a staggering 975 of dangerous driving offences and 94% of accidents causing death or bodily harm.

Admittedly, statistics are skewed in favour of women in that men drive more miles on average and more men drive overall – meaning there are more opportunities to be involved in an accident.

Nevertheless, the statistics are overwhelming – men tend to drive more powerful cars and take more risks behind the wheel. Consequently they are a bigger risk to insurers and as such a number of female only car insurance providers have emerged which state they can offer savings to women due to the lower risk they present and the fewer number of claims they have to pay out on.

How to choose the right car insurer

Do not fall into the trap of assuming that specialist providers are always the cheapest. Even though their incentives are appealing, they do not necessarily offer the most value for money.

The key is to shop around using a comparison website to compare car insurance quotes and policies from multiple companies. Think about which policy options are important to you. It could be that one of the specialist providers is the cheapest – but if not, you may be willing to pay more to secure the female-focused incentives they offer.

How to make a car insurance claim

If you are involved in an accident you should inform your insurer straight away – most have a dedicated 24hr claims helpline. Ask what evidence it requires to support your claim as it may be necessary to take photographs of the damage or provide witness contact details. You should always hold on to any receipts or correspondence relating to the claim. Remember that cheap women’s car insurance may not always be adequate – it’s best to find a policy that provides the right level of cover for your needs, even if it does cost a little more.

For more information about the dangers of drinking and driving, using drugs and driving and many other road safety issues check out the Department for Transport Think! Road Safety website.

Apply online for a provisional driving licence

Apply for a provisional driving licence with a D1 form

Book your theory and practical tests online

Take an official practice theory test

Driving Test Information Sheet

Driving Test Success All Tests PC DVD ROM

The Official DSA Theory Test and Highway Code Book

The Official DSA Complete Theory Test Kit

The Official Highway Code

Magnetic Pass Plates

1 – Windscreen Washer Reservoir

Identify where the windscreen washer reservoir is and tell me how you would check the windscreen washer level.

2 – Engine Oil Dipstick

Open the bonnet, identify where you would check the engine oil level and tell me how you would check that the engine has sufficient oil.

3 – Header Tank

Open the bonnet, identify where you would check the engine coolant level and tell me how you would check that the engine has the correct level.

4 – Brake Fluid Reservoir

Open the bonnet, identify where the brake fluid reservoir is and tell me how you would check that you have a safe level of hydraulic brake fluid.

This summary highlights the engine based questions, don’t forget to revise the other Show Me Tell Me topics such as tyres, windscreen wipers, demister, lights and brakes!

Official DSA Practise Questions

2Pass Mock Theory Test Questions

Learnerstuff Mock Driving Theory Exam

Driving Test Success Theory Test Practice

TheoryTest.co.uk Online Theory Test Practice

Tell us more about yourself and Revolution Driving Tuition

My name is Laura Waltho, I’m a female driving instructor in Sheffield. Revolution Driving Tuition is the name of my personal driving school through which I promote myself as an instructor and my services of teaching people to become safe and confident drivers.

What services do you offer?

I offer exciting driving lessons in Sheffield in the form of 1 hour, 1 1/2 hours, 2 hours and discounted blocks of 10 hours as well as additional services of Pass Plus and refresher courses.

What areas do you cover?

Based in Sheffield I primarily cover the south east side of the city including areas such as: Totley, Dore, Bradway, Norton, Gleadless, Eckington, Mosborough, Sothall, Beighton, Woodhouse, Handsworth, and Aston but sometimes also expand across the city to cover pupils from further afield.

Do you offer any kind of discounts or special offers?

I offer a discounted rate for students as well as a special offer on prepaid blocks of 10 hours to help manage the cost of learning to drive. I also give every client a referral card which allows them to gain a free driving lesson upon referring a friend to Revolution Driving Tuition!

Why do you think a female driving instructor is sometimes preferred over males?

I find that some females find the learning environment with another female is much more relaxing and easing than being with a male, on the other hand it’s not uncommon for male clients to prefer a female instructor for the same reason.

However that’s not to say female driving instructors are any better than male instructors or vice versa, despite the popular debate on whether male or females are the better drivers!

The key is to find a driving instructor who you feel comfortable with, whether they are male or female is that persons own preference.

What advice would you give anyone looking to learn to drive?

The first steps to learning to drive is applying for your provisional drivers licence, the next stage is to find a suitable and professional driving instructor.

The recent press and TV coverage has highlighted some fraudulent instructors are operating in Britain. Always check that the instructor you choose is a DSA Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) and displays their badge in their driving school vehicle at all times.

Some instructors such as myself are also members of organisations such as the Driving Instructors Association which help the instructor keep up with the latest industry news and provide additional professional liability and indemnity insurances.

Once the instructor has been chosen the driving lessons can then be scheduled around your personal aims and timetable.
For more useful information please see a recent Revolution Driving Tuition article on how to pass your driving test quicker.

What does a typical day look like?

One advantage of being a driving instructor is that every day is different, with clients at various levels and new scenery every day makes for a varied line of work. I usually advise my clients to take two hour lessons as I find this the optimal amount of time to thoroughly cover a subject while avoiding tiredness and fatigue, the learner also feels they have accomplished much more than in a single hourly lesson.
These lessons continue throughout the day between travelling and lunch, once I finish the day I enter the next week’s lesson schedule in my organiser.

What is your chosen driving school car?

I use a Citroen C2 Furio as the Revolution Driving Tuition car, it’s a great little car with an economical 1.1i engine. Along with the Revolution Driving Tuition branding and sporty looks it seems to be a hit with my learners, especially with the futuristic digital speedometer!
View the picture gallery for a closer look round the car.

Other than being a driving instructor, what do you enjoy doing?

Being a girly girl I enjoy shopping for clothes, handbags and shoes! I also enjoy seeing the latest movie releases at the cinema.

Laura is a professional driving instructor available for driving lessons in Sheffield, if you would like to book a driving lesson with Revolution Driving Tuition call 0780 6625 966.

The aim of the show me / tell me questions is to show the learners knowledge of general safety and maintenance checks by being asked combinations of questions originally covering the tyres, brakes, fluid levels, lights, steering and horn. The learner would respond by showing the examiner where the check would take place, and telling the examiner how the check would proceed.

As of 1st July 2008 the show me / tell me test questions will now cover the use of wipers, demisters, brake lights, fog lights, head restraints, ABS warning lights and the correct operation of relevant controls and switches.

Click here to downoad a copy of the new question combinations

The BBC reports:

Hoyer UK, which is leading the negotiations, argues the drivers already earn more than £36,000 in average pay, and this would rise to about £38,500 with the wage increase.
But Unite argue that the drivers earned £32,000 for working a basic 48-hour week – about the same as they did 15 years ago in real terms not adjusting for inflation.
Officials say Hoyer UK is most likely factoring in overtime into their figures, which the union is not.
“Our members’ dedication helps Shell make vast profits,” said Unite national officer Ron Webb.
“All they are asking for in return is a living wage – one that reflects their skills, their heavy working week and helps make ends meet at a time when every worker in the country is being hit hard by rising fuel and food prices.”
In January, Shell reported annual profits of £14.2bn for 2007, a record for a UK-listed company, helped by the surge in oil prices.
Record oil prices have had a knock-on effect on petrol prices.
In the UK, average prices for unleaded petrol have now reached 112.6p per litre and diesel prices have risen to 124.2p, according to figures calculated in May by the AA.

Source: BBC

They continue their report with a message from the Government, willing the public not to panic buy:

The prime minister’s spokesperson said: “We believe that this strike is unnecessary and we would want to ensure that nothing was done that inconvenienced the public.

“But the most responsible thing the public can do is to continue to buy as normal.”

Source: BBC

What are your thoughts, should the drivers wages be increased? Are the drivers wrong to inconvenience the public and threaten businesses relying on motoring? Or is the inconvenience being caused by the employers for not matching the demands of those on strike?