Phil Turnbull- Gorgie, Edinburgh.
It's with great delight that we can announce that Phil Turnbull from Gorgie, Edinburgh, today passed his test in Currie with only 4 minors! A great composed drive saw Phil walk away with his licence and a hugely positive debrief from his examiner. This new licence will no doubt make life so much easier for Phil from here on in. Well done again, enjoy the new licence but above all stay safe out there.
Phil Turnbull-Gorgie, Edinburgh.
Finding the Right Driving Instructor in Edinburgh
If you’re hoping to sit your driving test soon, you’re also probably looking to book some lessons. It can be a daunting process finding an instructor who is qualified, experienced and approved, because not all are. In a large city like this, finding trustworthy driving instructors in Edinburgh can be like looking for a needle in haystack.
With this in mind, we’ve come up with a guide for finding the right driving instructors in Edinburgh, and we hope you find it’s a great help. Read on to find out what you should be looking out for.
Take a Look Online, Shop Around
Learning to drive can be expensive, but booking the cheapest isn’t necessarily the best way forward. You’re looking at least around 30 hours of driving lessons, so you need to choose carefully and find someone you can trust. The first port of call is to take a look online and see if you can find any local driving schools that seem trustworthy.
What should you look out for on their website?
Their website should give clear indications as to what they offer for what they are charging. The type of courses on offer should be clearly sign posted, whether they’re hourly weekly lessons taken as and when you need them, a full intense course, or short blocks of lessons you can book for maybe a few days or weeks ahead. There should be clear indications as to how long each one of their instructors have been in their jobs, and whether they’re fully qualified, they should have a green licence if they are. Do some of their driving courses offer discounts if you book in advance?
Recommendations and word-of-mouth
What are their pass rates like, and do they have recommendations, has someone recommended this firm to you before you looked online? Recommendations are always a good sign, if people are recommending them word of mouth, then they’re obviously good. Listen out for any recommendations then as well as utilising the internet.
Assessment Lessons, Techniques and Methods
You’ll need an assessment lesson before you start. This is to see how much you know already and to ascertain how many lessons you’re going to need to pass. It’s also an important time for you and the instructor to see if you’re a best fit. From your point of view, you want someone who makes you feel comfortable because you’re bound to feel nervous. It’s also important you find someone who has a good understanding of techniques and methods and that they’re able to convey them to you in a clear and concise manner. If they become impatient or rude, then it’s time to find someone else. A good driving instructor should be aware from the start that a new driver is going to be a little bit nervous and they should be able to take this into account.
Is your instructor patient, helpful and communicative?
A good driving instructor should be kind, helpful with good communication skills and above all - patient. If an instructor is constantly addressing failures and mistakes and never focusing on the positives, giving you gentle encouragement, then you need to find someone else.
Compass Prodrive – Premier Driving Instructors in Edinburgh
We can get you through your test, we’re a team of qualified and experienced driving instructors in Edinburgh and we’ve got a lot of drivers through their tests over the years. Get in touch if you’d like to know more about us before deciding.
Lily Waterton- Marchmont, Edinburgh.
We are delighted to announce that Lily Waterton from Marchmont, Edinburgh, today passed her test in Currie with minimal minors. This is especially good as Lily actually leaves to Australia in a couple of weeks and a licence is going to make life a whole lot easier. Brilliant result Lily, well deserved and we wish you well in your big adventure. Enjoy the new licence and remember to stay safe out there.
Lily Waterton- Marchmont, Edinburgh
Joe Stewart- Drumbrae, Edinburgh.
Keeping up with our fine pass rate for 2017 we would like to offer a massive congratulations to Joe Stewart from Drumbrae, Edinburgh, who today passed first time in Currie with only 4 minors. Joe has worked tirelessly on this and reaped the rewards with a brilliant pass. Well done again Joe, really enjoy the new licence and above all remember to stay safe out there.
Joe Stewart- Drumbrae, Edinburgh
Graeme Morrison- Broxburn
A huge congratulations to Graeme Morrison from Broxburn who passed his test in Livingston first time with only 3 minors. A fantastic achievement and thoroughly well deserved. Graeme is also Compass ProDrives first pass of 2017 already! As a personal aside I'm delighted as I went to School with Graeme and am proud that he has worked so hard and got his licence. Well done again, enjoy the licence and remember to stay safe out there.
Graeme Morrison- Broxburn
When to Signal Whilst Driving
In today’s post, we’re going to be taking a look at how you can signal better when driving. There’s so much to pick up when you’re learning to drive that it can seem like a minefield at times. When is the best time to indicate without causing confusion to other drivers? When should you signal and when should you not?
When drivers are unsure whether to signal, it can cause an accident, and although it may seem like such a small thing to consider, it has the potential to be lethal. Hesitation can be the difference between driving safely or causing an accident that could lead to injury or death. Therefore, it’s important to know when you should signal and when you should not.
We’re going to go through some scenarios when it’s appropriate for you to signal. Not only will it help when sitting your test, it will also prove useful for all your driving life, helping you to become a more competent driver.
Pulling Off
Always remember that when you’re pulling off you should signal, unless there’s a driver behind you and you’re waiting for him to pass, in this case not signalling could cause confusion to the drive behind you because he’ll slow down or stop behind you.
If you’re parking up, then the rules for this should be the same as they are for moving off. Signal what your intentions are before you park up. If there’s no one around, then there is a need to signal.
Cyclists
When overtaking a cyclist on a road wide enough for you to overtake, then signal so other drivers know what you’re doing. If the road isn’t wide enough to overtake you’ll need to slow down behind the cyclist, sometimes a signal on your right side will allow other drivers behind you to realise there’s a cyclist in front. Assess each situation before you signal for overtaking a cyclist, it won’t be necessary to do this each time as it could cause confusion, with drivers thinking you’re turning down a road.
Signalling Around Parked Cars
If you’re near parked cars you may be wondering whether it’s best to indicate. There is no need to do this normally, however, there may be the odd occasion when you should. One such situation would be when you’re driving along a narrow road with a car behind you but there are parked cars ahead. You may need to wait behind them before moving on, signalling drivers behind you lets them know what’s going on. Indicating around parked cars will always require assessment of each situation to decide whether or not you should.
Overtaking
When overtaking a roundabout, you must indicate which direction you’re going in, whether it’s to turn left or right. If you’re following the road straight at a roundabout you don’t need to indicate, but if you’re going right you’ll need to apply the left signal just after the exit you pass before the one you’ll be taking. When you’re leaving a roundabout, you’ll need to make sure you’ve switched off all your signals. You will have to indicate at mini roundabouts in the same way as you would with a normal sized roundabout, but you won’t have to provide a second exit signal. You won’t have to signal when you’re turning in the road (3-point turn) unless there’s a cyclist or another vehicle which might be affected. When reversing round a corner, it may be a good idea to signal to other drivers depending on the situation, otherwise there’s isn’t any need to do this. If you’re parallel parking, then signal left (as you’ll be parking on the left), but otherwise there’s no need to signal.
Merging With Other Traffic
Always indicate right when you’re building up speed to join a dual carriage way or motorway slip road. You should do this around halfway down the slip road and once you’ve merged successfully, cancel your signal.
Changing Lanes
If you’re leaving a motorway or a dual carriageway, then you should always indicate at the 300-yard marker.
A Turn in the Road
If you’re about to turn in the road, then you should signal around 100 feet in advance of turning right or left. But if there are other turns off the one you’ve just taken you may need to signal again. If you have high speed roads, then the distance increases to around 900 feet from your exit, if you’re on a 70mph on dual carriageways.
It’s Important to Know When to Signal
As you can imagine, it’s very important you realise when to signal and when not. A lot of this will be learnt on your driving lessons, and you’ll gain in experience once you’ve passed your test. Once you’ve got over the hesitancy of being a first-time driver after your test, you’ll get better the more you drive and be able to make sensible judgements on when to signal based on what you’ve learnt with your driving instructor and what you’ve learnt on the road. When you’re on the road learning to drive, you’ll learn a lot about other times when you should signal, such as at junctions. Knowing when and the appropriate timings to do so is something you’ll learn easily and quickly with your teacher.
Get in Touch With Questions For Our Driving Instructors Edinburgh
We hope this post has been of use to you, if you’d like to ask us anything about this or any other topic, then please get in touch with us here at Compass Prodrive, and speak to our premier driving instructors Edinburgh.
Glen McKinlay- South Queensferry
A huge congratulations to Glen McKinlay from South Queensferry who today passed his test first time in Currie with only 3 minors. This was a fantastic effort from Glen especially as he had a target of passing before Christmas and he managed it with aplomb. Well done again Glen, enjoy the new licence and remember to stay safe out there.
Glen McKinlay- South Queensferry.
Ryan Steven McDougall- Edinburgh
It's an exciting announcement today. Steven McDougal today passed his test in Musselburgh first time, 30 hours and with no minors! 'Perfect' drive. An incredible achievement and thoroughly well deserved. Congratulations again, enjoy the new licence and remember to stay safe out there.
Steven McDougal- Edinburgh
Clean sweep!
Graham Kidd- Granton, Edinburgh
Very happy to announce that Graham Kidd from Granton, Edinburgh, today passe passed his test with only one minor today at Currie test centre. Graham produced a very impressive drive today which was highlighted by his examiner. Well done again especially managing it before Christmas and remember to enjoy the new licence and stay safe out there.
Graham Kidd- Granton, Edinburgh.
Andrew Monaghan- Murrayburn, Edinburgh
A massive congratulations to Andrew Monaghan from Murrayburn in Edinburgh, today passed his test with only 1 minor in Currie. Andrew did extremely well especially as this was the first time he had driven in the dark! This is another tick in the win column for his instructor Laura Jackson who has yet another pass and maintains that exceptional pass rate. Well done again Andrew, enjoy the new licence and remember to stay safe out there.
Liam Jablonski- Westerhailes
It's with great delight that we can announce that Liam Jablonski from Westerhailes, Edinburgh, has today passed his test in Currie with only 2 minors! This pass helps maintain our Laura's pass rate at over 80% alone. It was a big requirement for Liam to pass today as he has a new job in Glasgow and in subsequently moving there as well. Well done again Liam, thoroughly deserved, enjoy the new licence and remember to stay safe out there.
Liam Jablonski- Westerhailes, Edinburgh
Abi Potter- Livingston
It's with great delight that we can announce that Abi Potter from Livingston (Privet Drive) passed her test at Livingston test centre (Hogwarts) with minimal minors. Abi put in a tremendous amount of work in a short amount of time to get through this for her starting her new job (Auror, Ministry of Magic). Great result today Abi and thoroughly deserved. Enjoy the new licence and remember to stay safe out there.
Holly Buchanan- Fountainbridge
Ladies and gentlemen I give you Holly Buchanan from Fountainbridge, Edinburgh, who today passed her test first time in Currie with only 4 minors. A very good drive saw Holly walk proudly away with her licence and is now about to raid Arnold Clark. Congratulations Holly, enjoy the new licence and remember to stay safe out there.
Interim Calendar Year Results to Date 1/1/2016- 20/10/2016
With 2016 coming to a close very soon we wanted to share some early end of year statistics with you.
2016 has been another great year for Compass ProDrive and this is in large part to you our clients who have chosen us to guide you down the meandering path that is the driving test to eventual success.
Between your instructors Steve, Al and Laura they have managed to pass a staggering 57 students from 1/1/2016 to 20/10/2016. That's an average of just under 6 students passing their test with Compass per month!!
Of that number:
66% passed first time
24% passed second time
8% passed third time
2% passed fourth time
6 NON FAULT TESTS
AVERAGE 5 MINORS per test over 57 results.
These are all interim numbers before the end of the calendar year as there is an estimated 18 tests confirmed between now and the end of 2016. Here's to a brilliant end to the year for all sitting their tests and remember to give us a call to start and finish your road to success with Compass ProDrive.
Getting Students in the Driving Seat For Success.
Learning to drive when you’re a student is a great idea because it means that by the time you graduate and you’re looking for a job, you’ll already have your driving license in the bag, a big plus for some employers.
Our Edinburgh Driving School is a real hit with both students and working adults, so you’ll be in safe hands, as we have plenty of experience. So what can you expect as a new student driver?
Flexibility – We’ll Fit in Around You
What we offer here is flexibility, so your driving lessons fit in with your studies. You’re going to have to fit in your lessons with your lectures and study periods, and we’re more than happy to fit in with that as much as we possibly can spaces permitting.
Friendly, Experienced Instructors
Our instructors are friendly, experienced and well-qualified, so we can drop you off after we’ve finished the lesson and pick you up for your next one whenever you’re free and whenever it’s convenient.
Advantages of Driving Without Breaking the Bank
As a student you’re probably used to counting the pennies and living on a somewhat restricted budget, but don’t let this put you off. You can learn to drive with us as our lessons are reasonably priced so you won’t break the bank.
The advantages of being able to drive are clear. It looks professional, it gets you to work and meetings in an efficient way and often much faster than by using public transport. In your personal life, you’ll get to wherever you need to go directly without having to take a bus or train. Take into consideration also, that you may have to use a company car in your new job, so being able to drive is sometimes crucial.
Let Us Help You Build Confidence Behind the Wheel
As a new driver you may be lacking in confidence and it’s critical that you’re confident when you’re driving, but don’t worry about that. Our driving instructors are not only friendly they’ll do all they can to build your confidence so that by the time you’re ready to take your driving test, you’ll be a confident and capable driver.
Fast Track to Success – With Our Driving Instructors in Edinburgh
We also offer fast track driving courses where you can sit your test at the end of the week. So if you’re in a rush to pass and you haven’t had time up until now because of your studies, then you may find that a week’s intensive course is all you need.
Compass Prodrive - Edinburgh Driving Lessons
Let us be the first to get you out on that road, so you can drive your way to success once you graduate. We’re right behind you and want you to succeed, so get in touch with Compass Pro Drive today.
Lynsey McKay- South Queensferry
Another day another consecutive pass. Massive congratulations to Lynsey McKay from South Queensferry who today after only 30 hours tuition passed her test at Currie with only 2 minors! A brilliant drive and well deserved result which wa sprained by her examiner. Well done again Lynsey, enjoy the new licence and remember to stay safe out there.
Tips for Driving at Night
How can you make sure you’re a responsible, safe and careful driver at night? If you’ve passed your test in the daytime and during the summer or spring months, you may not have had much experience driving at night time. Winter gives you a completely different set of circumstances to deal with when you’re driving, especially in the dark. The reduced light can make it difficult to judge distance and your peripheral vision is affected.
You could be more tired at night too as your body clock will be telling you it’s night time even when it’s 4pm in the afternoon.
Lights
You’ll need lights to drive at night with front and rear lights in good condition. Check that all your lights are working and that they are clean. When you’re in a city, use a dipped beam if you see a car approaching you. You should also use then on country roads which are unlit.
Tiredness
If you’re tired then stop the car and have a coffee, you need to be fully rested before you set off again. Falling asleep at the wheel is a common reason for accidents, so a strong coffee and a short nap should help. If you see a service station ahead, stop and rest, try not to eat, as this could cause a more soporific effect. Plan the journey well in advance, and preferably take someone with you who can share the trip if your journey is a long one.
Slow Down
You’ll need to drive slower in the dark and this will help you see what’s up ahead so you can react quicker. Not all pedestrians or cyclists will be wearing reflectors so you need to watch for them.
Visibility
You’ll need to make sure your windows are clear and clean so you can see what’s in front, so plan ahead and make sure you’ve cleaned your car windows before setting off.
Extra Training
If you don’t feel comfortable driving at night and you want to be a more confident night time driver, then get in touch with us here at Compass Prodrive, because we have some training programmes which will help you. These include a test designed exclusively for new drives called Pass Plus and this offers advanced training for more experienced motorists.
Compass ProDrive – Premier Driving Instructors Edinburgh
Get in touch with us here at Compass Prodrive and one of our experienced team members will be more than happy you help you. If you have any questions about night time driving, or you want to learn how to drive you won’t find a better driving school in Edinburgh, so contact us today.
Teresa Beehan- Slateford, Edinburgh
Another day, another pass and an excellent way to top off the week. Huge congratulations to Teresa Beehan from Slateford, Edinburgh, who today passed first time in Currie today with only 4 minors. Teresa really drove very well under difficult road conditions today and as such was praised by her examiner. Well done again Teresa, enjoy the new licence but above all stay safe out there.
Teresa Beehan- Slateford, Edinburgh
Jamie Pettie- South Queensferry
It's with great delight we can announce that Jamie Pettie from South Queensferry passed in Currie with only 1 minor first time effort. Fantastic result for Jamie and also our new instructor Laura who is making sure our high pass rate stays high. Enjoy the new licence and remember to stay safe out there
Jamie Pettie- South Queensferry