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Automatic Lessons Hastings

16th July 2020 by Mark Lanario

automatic lessons hastings

 

Looking for quality automatic lessons near Hastings?

 

We provide quality automatic lessons in the Hastings area, for those wanting to pass an automatic car driving test. We specialize in automatics, so our time is not split between manual and automatic lessons, meaning more availability!

ProCoach Driving School are not part of a national School franchise, preferring to remain independent and in control of the quality of what we do for our students. Visit our page ” About Us”  and you will find that Mark, has a wealth of experience and knowledge.

He has advanced qualifications, not only in driving, but also teaching, well in excess of those required by the D.V.S.A. Obtaining these qualifications is costly and time-consuming and should tell you something about about the way he approaches the job, together with the quality driver training that you will receive.

Quality auto driving Lessons ?

We take what we do very seriously and always deliver a quality product.

Consequently, we decided not to offer, so called ” intensive driving lessons”. These are the courses, which are involve hours of training per day, over a short period, with a test at the end of the course.

Intensive might sound good, but in reality, learning to drive involves a mix of knowledge and multi tasking, which does not lend itself to ” intensive” for most people. It takes a bit of time to learn to drive and those of you that have done it, probably remember reflecting on driving lessons, what you did well and perhaps not so well. Reflection,takes time.

 

If you are looking for help with automatic lessons Hastings and want to make some real progress towards a Driving Test, give us a call on 07500771127

Filed Under: Uncategorised

Driving Lessons in an Automatic

9th July 2020 by Mark Lanario

Driving Lessons in an Automatic

 

 

 

 

 

 

More and more learners drivers are now considering driving lessons in an automatic, as automatic cars are now so reliable and technologically advanced. In addition, it’s inevitable that in the not too distant future, we will all be driving electric vehicles. They have two pedals are are classed as ” automatic”, although have no gears. Those people that have passed an automatic driving test, will be able to drive an electric car.

ProCoach Driving School has put together some of the reasons that drove previous students down the auto route!

Most learners that come to us, have had lessons in the past in a manual car and have not enjoyed the experience for lots of different reasons.

Most tell us that taking driving lessons in a manual was not a decision that they consciously made, after considering the options, more peer pressure or “advice” from parents.

Co-ordination of the controls, specifically the clutch, gears and gas, when combined with road procedure decisions, are the skill deficit areas most often blamed by pupils that found learning to drive in a manual problematical.

There are lots of forums that contain articles of the type, manual vs Auto etc, which contain differing opinions.

However, driving an automatic car definitely requires less co-ordination of controls, leaving a driver with more time to make the correct road procedure decisions. There are lots of other advantages though:

  • hill starts, rolling back on incline, eliminated Driving Lessons in an Automatic
  • no clutch or gears to co-ordinate, less stress Driving Lessons
  • less to do in the car, more time to concentrate on the road eastbourne
  • a more relaxing way of driving, particularly in heavy traffic Bexhill
  • hands on the wheel more of the time Driving Lessons in an Automatic
  • no coasting, so more traction Automatic Driving Lessons Bexhill on Sea

Looking for driving lessons in an automatic? Here are our areas serviced, which include the Bexhill and Eastbourne areas of East Sussex.

Call 07500 771127 to find out more.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: automatic driving lessons, bexhill, driving lessons in an automatic, eastbourne

Returning to driving Lessons

15th June 2020 by Mark Lanario

returning to driving lessons

At Pro Coach Driving School we often come across people that are thinking of returning to driving lessons, after a long break, often years.

Most returners simply gave up after failing a Driving Test once or even more.

Many driving lesson returners, cite a lack of enjoyment of the learning process, as the main reason for giving up learning to drive.

Sound familiar?

Many people that start learning to drive in a manual car find if difficult and no fun at all.

More often than not, 17 year old’s don’t get very much choice in the matter, their Parents tell them to do it and as they usually foot the bill…………….

There can be frustration on the part of the pupil and Driving Instructor, which is counterproductive and often ends in a breakdown of the teacher/pupil relationship.

Some people aren’t wired to drive a manual car, but doggedly persist even though they are frustrated and not enjoying the process at all.

Often their Driving Instructors go along with it, even though they know that driving a manual car is not right for their pupil.

There is an old saying, “stop doing what does not work”.

If you still want to learn to drive, but have a sense of dread due to past bad experience; don’t!

 

Try learning to drive in an Automatic Car and see what a difference that can make.

More relaxing, less to do in the car, leaving much more brain power available to deal with the road and other road users.

You have nothing to lose and everything to gain! Passing your Driving Test could change your life.

 

At Pro Coach Driving School, we cover Eastbourne, Bexhill, St Leonards,Battle and Hastings area of East Sussex

If you are thinking of returning to driving lessons, call 07500 771127 or click contact us to be taken to our enquiry form.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: automatic car, battle, bexhill, east sussex, eastbourne, hastings, st leonards

Driving an Automatic Car, safer than a Manual?

15th June 2020 by Mark Lanario

automatic car

 

Driving an automatic car is safer than a car with manual transmission and visa versa argument……… always a controversial argument!!

This article goes back a bit and we have only just spotted it, so apologies.   https://www.safermotoring.co.uk/automatic-manual-cars-which-safer.html

In terms of safety, the conclusion is that neither type of transmission has a distinct advantage over the other.

Both camps have useful arguments as to type of vehicle that is safer to drive.

The article tells us that “veteran” manual transmission protagonists insist that manual offers greater safety, as the driver has more control?

Hold on though, with a manual transmission some degree of coasting is inevitable when changing gear, right?

At that point that the clutch goes down whilst changing gear there must be a loss in traction, which is a loss of control. In addition, as a drivers hands are off of the wheel more often with a manual, how does that provide more control??

Against driving an automatic car, the article says that some drivers argue that as there is less to do in- car when driving an automatic vehicle, attention levels drop and there is an inclination towards paying less attention to the road environment.

Well surely the countervailing argument to this is that as there is less to do, more finite brain power is available to deal with the road, as there is less multi tasking going on?

One thing is for certain, people cause collisions.

We tend to call them accidents as a means of shifting blame.

European efforts to reduce road Death

A pan European study into the causes of collisions found that one of the major contributing factors to collisions was the context of the each journey, the motives behind it.

In other words how the planning, time pressure and other elements influenced the human factors that could compromise safety.

So take the van delivery driver, new to a job that he wants to keep.

The boss gives him a tight schedule that is unrealistic as the driver is unfamiliar with the routes and rest points. He has no time for a proper break, to drink or get a bite to eat. He is going to feel pressure and we all know how this affects performance when doing any task.

There is no doubt that the context of this journey, could cause safety to be compromised.

As someone with a few Advanced Driving Qualifications, able to drive either a manual or automatic transmission vehicle, which do I feel is the safer vehicle to drive?

Well, all things being equal, same driver, same context for the journey, road and traffic conditions……….then probably an automatic car.

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: advanced driving qualifications, automatic car, automatic cars, learning to drive in an automatic

How do i fail my Driving Test

30th May 2020 by Mark Lanario

how do i fail my driving test

You all seem to focus on this question, rather than the positive!

But we understand.

How do i fail my Driving Test?

Ultimately, if you are prepared, including reading up a bit on ” how to pass your Driving Test“, you should be OK!

However, lets go into detail on how this all works.

Here is a top ten list of failure reasons compiled 18/19 by the DVSA, the people that conduct the driving test:

  • Junctions (observation)
  • Move off (control)
  • Control (steering)
  • Response to signals (road markings)
  • Reverse park (control
  • Junctions (turning right)
  • Mirrors – (change direction)
  • Move off (safely)
  • Response to signals (traffic lights)
  • Positioning (normal driving)

So, above we have the list of “bad stuff”,  where you are most likely to get it wrong, according to DVSA

Driving Test faults- how they effect the Result

In relation to the list above, there 3 types of faults you can make:

  • a driving fault – this is not potentially dangerous, but is a departure from good driving

  • a serious fault – potentially dangerous error

  • a dangerous fault – this involves actual danger to the public, you, property or the examiner.

We will clarify some of misunderstandings on ” faults”, for you now.

You have probably been told that, you’ll pass your driving test if you make:

  • no more than 15 minor faults (driver faults)

  • no serious or dangerous faults (majors’)

However, it’s not as clear cut as it seems.

Serious or dangerous faults first, make one of these and it’s an instant fail.

There is another way to instantly fail a driving test though, that we will tell you about.

” ETA”, examiner took action, verbal or physical. If the examiner uses the dual controls for example, that’s physical intervention and a fail. The physical action need not be as serious as using the dual controls.

Imagine your test is on a rainy day. We all know that the car windows tend to steam up, making in difficult to see out. Windows steaming up can reach a point where is dangerous.

If this happened on your test, you let it get to the point of danger and the examiner has to tell you to put the demist on, or does it him or herself, that’s ETA.

How many driver faults or “minors” can i make?

You may have been told or read, make 15 or less and you are home free?

Well, its a case here of ” when is a minor a major”!

So, on your driving test, if you had 15 driver faults, evenly spread, you could pass.

However, it rarely works out that way in reality.

As an example, missed mirror checks, before a direction change, no other road user involved.

This is a minor fault.

Imagine you a mirror check on your test, no problem. You miss a second, then a third. There comes a point, where the examiner escalates this minor fault to a serious fault, resulting in failure. The view that they take is that this was not just an aberration, but a systemic issue with your driving and therefore-unsafe.

The point at which a minor, becomes a major is a judgement call for the examiner. They are more likely to escalate earlier on faults which are safety related, such as failing to check the right blind spot before moving off.

You now have your top 10 list ” how do i fail my driving test”, which is where you are most likely to go wrong-so don’t!

Train hard on these area’s with your driving instructor and good luck!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: driver faults, How do i fail my Driving Test, serious faults

Automatic driving lessons in the Bexhill, Hastings and St Leonards Areas

19th May 2020 by Mark Lanario

Automatic driving lessons in the Bexhill, Hastings and St Leonards Areas

Pro Coach is an Automatic Car Driving School

We offer automatic driving lessons in the Bexhill, Hastings and St Leonard’s Areas of East Sussex.

You may be new to driving or a returner coming back following some lessons in the past……automatic is the way ahead!

Why learn in an Automatic Car?

  • no clutch and therefore no clutch control to master

  • no gears to change yourself

  • less stressful and more enjoyable learning experience

  • easier to control speed and direction

  • easier to concentrate on the road, as less to do in the car

Why do people drive automatic cars?

All the reasons above, plus:

  • in traffic, less physical stress, continually being on the clutch and changing gear

  • creep function makes it so much easier emerging from junctions and moving in queues.

  • less wear and tear on friction parts, no clutches to burn out-particularly those that do a lot of city driving

  • probably more reliable overall

  • a more relaxing drive

Soon, if you believe the Government, we will all be driving electric cars anyway, which are as close to automatic cars as you can get, with the exception of auto hybrid cars!

We are often asked about the differences between the Manual and Automatic Driving Tests. There are none, the test is exactly the same.

Here is our blog link to the new Dec 2017 Driving Test.

So, why use us for your driving Lessons?

  • super little Hyundai i10 1.2 Auto, 2017
  • experienced automatic driving instructor, with upgraded advanced qualifications
  • semi-intensive available
  • independent automatic Driving School, not a franchise like ” Red” or ” AA”
  • defensive driver training available
  • training to pass a Driving Test at Hastings Driving test Centre

Do you need Automatic driving lessons in the Bexhill, Hastings and St Leonards Areas?

Want to learn or have refresher driving lessons in an automatic car?

Pro Coach is the Automatic Car Driving School for you!

Call 07500771127 to book automatic driving lessons or go to Contact us .

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: auto driving lessons, automatic driving instructor, automatic driving school, bexhill, east sussex, Hastings and St Leonards Areas

Learning to Drive in an Automatic Car

19th May 2020 by Mark Lanario

Learning to drive in an automatic car

Are you thinking of learning to drive in an automatic car or a manual?

Pro Coach Driving School, advocates learning to drive in an automatic car for lots of reasons.

Safety

If you want to get on the road quickly, then automatic is the way to go-no messing around with the clutch and gears.

You will learn quicker, as your brainpower is more quickly out on the road, where it should be, rather than focused in the car, which is where it is for a good while, if you learn in a manual car.

If you think about it, as your hands are always on the wheel, rather than having to constantly change gear, it must be safer?

In addition, as the power of the engine is never disconnected from the road wheels, the traction is always present.

In a manual car, there is always an element of ” coasting”, when the clutch goes down. The clutch disconnects the engine from the road wheels, whilst you change gear, which can lead to a loss of traction.

Less Mental and Physical Stress

Secondly, you will find that driving an automatic car less stressful to drive in volume traffic.

Manual cars can be very hard work in stop-start traffic. Constantly on the clutch and gears.

If you intend to commute, no you want to arrive stressed?

Stress and driving is a bad thing, it causes humans like you and me, do things that we would not usually do- take risks.

Driving an automatic car, there’s no clutch or gears to deal with at all.

Learning to drive in an automatic car, as far as safety is concerned, is the way to go for learner drivers.

Less to do in the Car

Automatic cars have gears, that’s how the engine applies its power to the road

All you need to do to drive one, is put the selector in ” Drive”, the car senses when a gear change is necessary and does it for you.

We all work hard in our jobs right?

Do you really want to work harder to drive a car, than is necessary?

Want to know more about auto lessons, please give us a call on 07500 771127

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: automatic car, driving school, learning to drive in an Automatic Car

Young Novice Driver: Causes of “Accidents”

19th May 2020 by Mark Lanario

  

Unfortunately, many young drivers take a course of driving lessons, pass a Driving Test, and are soon after involved in a road incident. The statistics are alarming:

  • 1 in 5 crash within a year of passing the Driving test
  • 38,800 deaths and injuries in crashes involving drivers of less than 2 years’ experience
  • An 18 year old new driver is more than 3 times more likely to crash than a 48-year-old new driver

Until recent times, passing the Driving Test was focused narrowly on ability to manoeuvre the vehicle safely and dealing with a variety of traffic situations; all very much in an educational context.

The Driving Test assessed whether the candidate could drive safety, however took no account of the life style and personality skills and factors that motivate someone or not to drive safely.

Time for Change?

A European project called ” Hermes” which took place between 2007 and 2010 sought to address’s the causes of young novice driver collisions.

This has resulted in the implementation of the DVSA’s National standard for driver and rider training, which attempts to incorporate and address some of the findings in the Hermes Project, through training delivered by Driving Instructors, using the Goals for Driver Education or GDE matrix.

This Matrix has 4 levels, the lower 2 are focused on safety, maneuvering the vehicle in traffic etc., with number 3 focused on context of the journey and 4 on personality/emotional factors.

To look at how this all works, we must go back to the Hermes report. The finding in the report was that most collisions involving young novice drivers happened at night, on rural roads, with two up in the vehicle.

So, although young novice drivers are assessed as competent to drive, something is stopping them doing it. This is where levels 3 and 4 of the GDE come in.

Responsibility is the key issue.

Too often in driving people avoid this by using the word “accident”, which in some way gives comfort and shift’s blame. People don’t want to be blamed, none of us like “it’s your fault”. Using the word “accident” gives comfort, however is not much use if you are seriously injured or dead.

The driver training industry needs to build awareness in young people of the causes of novice drivers crashes, factors such as overestimation of ability, group pressure, distraction, fatigue, emotional driving motives and seeks to provide them with real coping strategies.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: safe driving, young drivers

Automatic Driving Lessons Bexhill and Hastings Area

19th May 2020 by Mark Lanario

automatic lessons JPEG

 

Looking for Automatic Driving Lessons Bexhill and Hastings Area?

Pro Coach Driving School offer automatic driving lessons for learner drivers near you!

  • Experienced Instructor
  • New Hyundai I 10 Auto tuition vehicle
  • Local independent Automatic Car Driving Instructor
  • Advanced Driving Lessons
  • Manual to Auto Conversion
  • Bexhill on Sea, Battle, St Leonards, Hastings and Eastbourne areas of East Sussex

You may be totally new to driving or had a go in a manual car in the past and not enjoyed it.

What ever the story, we are here to help you.

Our Instructor has over 8 years experience and if you check out our “about” us page, has gained lots of additional advanced driving and training qualifications. If you want to learn, Mark is the chap that you need.

The tuition vehicle is a Hyundai i 10 1.2 Auto. We thought that it was the perfect choice for the role.

It’s a very small vehicle, with good all round vision, making parking a treat. It’s also easy to maneuver and of course has power steering. The seat height is fully adjustable, as is the steering wheel, meaning that it can be driven by people of all shapes and sizes. Knowing that learners like to avoid rolling back on hills, when considering which vehicle to purchase for our driving school, hill start assist was high on the list of requirements. Of course,on the safety side, it’s equipped with dual controls

We get a lot of calls from people looking for automatic Driving Lessons Bexhill and Hastings Area, that have tried to pass a driving test in the past, failed and given up. Most have tried manual, because for some reason, people told them that it was the thing to do! If that’s you, surely the important thing is simply to get mobile?

Call us on 07500 771127 to book your automatic Car Driving Lessons.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: automatic car driving lessons, automatic driving instructor, automatic driving lessons, Automatic Driving Lessons Bexhill and Hastings Area, battle, bexhill on sea

Last minute Driving Test Tips

17th May 2020 by Mark Lanario

The driving test

It goes without saying that you want to pass your driving test quickly and first time?

Yes of course you do, however remember, “it takes time to do things quickly”!

Meaning take your time and listen to the advice of your instructor, or it could take you much longer to get through.

This post has been put together for you as part of our series on “How to pass your driving Test”?

It’s based on various faults and issues that are reported to us by the test examiners, at local test centre surgeries.

Here are our last minute driving test tips:

1:  Moving Off and Stopping

Signalling.

Ask yourself, does anyone need to know what I am doing?

If there is- tell them with a signal.

However, you should not signal to priority traffic behind, you wait.

We have all seen motorists waiting to pull off, sitting with a signal on, which can make a motorist behind, believe that the vehicle is going to pull out in front of them, causing that motorist to brake sharply.

When you’re stationary, you have no priority, so if you slow another motorist by signalling to fast moving traffic behind, and they change speed, or swerve…. it’s a fail.

2: Signalling

Parked cars.

You should not signal to pass parked cars.

If you have been taught by Mum or Dad, they may have taught you to do this?

They may have been trained to do this, back in the day.

However, parked cars are everywhere now and doing this would lead to all sorts of misinterpretation issues

Lorries signal to pass parked cars, because a motorist behind cannot see through them and apply logic as to what is going on.

3: Meeting situations

Stationary obstructions, on your side of the road.

If you are going to make oncoming traffic change speed or direction; hold back.

Don’t be too hesitant, if you think that you can get through, without affecting oncoming traffic, slow right down or stop first and assess. Show the examiner that you’re not the sort that careers into the unknown!

If you can get through without making the priority traffic slow, but are only, say a drains width from parked cars, keep speed at no more than 10 MPH.

You must not cause oncoming traffic to change speed or direction. If you do…it’s over.

If you are unsure, slow down or stop until you are.

 

4: Overtaking

On a Driving Test, only do it if safe, legal and necessary.

On a dual carriageway plan well ahead, looking as far up the road as you can.

You cannot sit behind a slow-moving lorry at 50 MPH and a dry day, with a good traffic flow.

This would be a necessary overtake.

In this case, you would check your mirrors first, when it’s safe to signal, in other words you won’t slow traffic in the lane that you’re intending to enter, signal, then move into the lane.

Once you have passed the lorry and can see its headlights in the centre mirror, check the left mirror, if safe, signal and move back to lane 1

On a single carriageway, cyclist only on test (usually)

5: Parked cars on both side of the road

In this case, oncoming motorists share equal priority

You should not speed up to beat them, it is dangerous and you’ll frighten the examiner!

You and the oncoming motorist will have to work out which one of you will go first, by co-operating.

If they slow down, you have eye contact, they flash their lights and it’s safe to go…………then go!

If you don’t go and get into a “Mexican standoff”, you could fail your test by failing to respond to another motorists’ signals.

However, as you know from your training, the flashing of headlights actually means “I am here”, so don’t do this yourself, or you will get a driver fault.

6: Roundabouts

Approach every roundabout, as if you were approaching a red traffic light, hoping it will change ‘

So, you are planning to stop-looking to go.

7: Instructions

Whatever the examiner tells you to do……………it starts with mirrors. The only exception is the emergency stop, no mirror check necessary to stop.

8: Moving Off

Do not attempt to move off without checking your right blind spot first.

If you find yourself in the middle of the road, after an emergency stop, its essential to check the left blind spot as well.

9: Pulling up/Parking

Make sure that you do not pull up next to a car/van/lorry, as you will block or narrow the road.

10: Vision

Of all the” last minute driving test tips”, this one is just that- so easy to go out of the door, without your glasses!

Don’t leave home without them

You will fail your Driving Test instantly, if you can’t read the car number plate at the prescribed distance.

We hope that you like our “last minute driving test tips”, more can be found on our page dedicated to passing your driving test.

 

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Last minute Driving Test Tips
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Why choose ADI?

Nine out of ten learners that passed the practical test on their first attempt were taught by an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) rather than a friend or relative.

Driving Lessons available Everyday

Our Approved Driving Instructors are friendly, approachable and always professional. They are available for driving lessons every day of the week, including some Sundays. Please contact us on 07500 771127 for full details and availability.

From the blog

Driving Lessons in an Automatic

Returning to driving Lessons

Driving an Automatic Car, safer than a Manual?

How do i fail my Driving Test

Automatic driving lessons in the Bexhill, Hastings and St Leonards Areas

Pass your automatic Driving Test with Us!

Learner- Driver

Driving lessons in your Area

Pro Coach Driving School offers quality Driving Lessons and instruction across a wide area of East Sussex. We can offer driving lessons in these and surrounding areas: Bexhill on Sea, Hastings and Eastbourne. A further list is available here.

Pass with Confidence

At Pro Coach Driving School our aim is to teach our pupils to drive (rather than just passing a test).

We use a modern coaching approach aimed at ensuring that our pupils take early responsibility for their learning and safety, not only in an educational context, but as an independent Full Driving Licence holder.

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