You will have received careful and skilful tuition from your qualified driving instructor on the correct use of your indicators notifying your intentions to turn or overtake when driving your vehicle, but are there times when it is not necessary or desirable to use indicators?

August bodies such as the Institute of Advance Motorists, RoSPA and Police Driving Instructors support straight forward common sense in the use if indicators. What is the point of signalling if there is no one to signal to? However, we should never forget that pedestrians and cyclist is a road user as well. For instance pedestrian crossings are often sited near the entrance and exits to roundabouts and vehicle positioning may not give a pedestrian a clue about your intentions. The road may be clear of cars, but a turning vehicle can pose a danger to a pedestrian or cyclist who may not have been seen. Remember that pedestrians have the right of way at most road junctions.

Petrol and diesel fuel has been falling from its all time high in recent weeks but it still horrendously expensive so it is still worth hearing of methods by which this precious commodity can be saved.

A simple way is to reverse into a parking space in order that you drive out of it in a forwards direction. Not only is your vehicle in a safer position, you will remember this from your driving lessons; there are benefits to your car too. It is known that it takes an average five year old car a minute and a half for the engine to warm up and the most efficient way to warm it up is by driving it. Reversing out of a space when the car’s engine is cold uses around 20 to 25 times more petrol in the first few seconds than it does when warm. If you do this several times a week the cost savings in fuel and wear and tear on your vehicle engine can be huge.

You will have been taught the reasons for reversing by your qualified driving instructor, practiced it many time during your driving lessons and had to perform this in the practical driving test, why stop now? Be safe and save money.

As soaring fuel prices continue to hit the headlines there can be no motorist who is not interested in saving this precious commodity. Here at the Bill Plant School of Motoring, we have vast experience in driving and want to share our knowledge on techniques you can use to save fuel.

Do you really need to use your car today? If the journey is short, less than two miles for instance, the engine is at its most inefficient and will use more fuel, walking to your destination in these circumstances could be an option. Take the most direct route and go at off-peak times if possible to save fuel and time, sitting in congestion means you are often doing zero miles per litre. Check your tyre pressures this reduces wear and helps fuel economy.

At Bill Plant our qualified driving instructors always emphasise keeping within the speed limit, this is the law after all, but for instance travelling at 56 mph uses 25 per cent less fuel than 70mph and a smoother driving style can bring significant fuel saving. Reduce your drag by removing roof racks when not in use and drive with your windows up. Fuel has never been more expensive, save it!

As with anything in life, doing something that is completely new to you can be pretty daunting. This applies to learning to drive on today’s busy roads, towns and cities which are crowded with cars and other vehicles. This is particularly so if you have never sat behind the wheel of a car before, what you need in these circumstances is a friendly patient fully qualified driving instructor. We believe that is someone who is local to your particular area and is not just familiar with it, but “knows it inside out”!

It is not just about passing that all important two part driving test, but it is also coaching you in the skills that will make you a safe and considerate driver long after you have successfully passed your driving test. Bill Plant Driving School is in the unique position of being in the top five national driving schools, with a local approach and feel to it, whether you are learning to drive in Bradford, or one of the other major centres covered by this coveted driving school.

The Bill Plant School of Motoring offers a unique opportunity for both men and women to become driving instructors and to operate in an area close to where they live, in a high earning self employed capacity. By becoming a Bill Plant franchisee, you will be in a job where the benefit of all your hard work and commitment stops with you and of course your pupil! You have the benefit of a new and well maintained car; you secure a better work and life balance which will result in you being happier all round.

No qualifications are needed to enroll on the course, except of course the need for a full driving licence. At the Bill Plant Driving Instructor Training course you will be offered a full “pay as you go” scheme whilst training for the parts 1, 2 & 3 of the Driving Standards agency tests, necessary to become a fully Approved Driving Instructor. Bill Plant will tailor the courses around your present employment which means that you can continue to earn during this period without losing income. Make the first move and contact us for the first step toward the job satisfaction of teaching people a valuable skill for life.

Like his racing greyhounds, Rob Tunmore took the fast track when he switched careers and trained to become a driving instructor with Bill Plant Ltd.
 
For  Rob, 51, passed all necessary training and exams to become a fully qualified Approved Driving Instructor in a record five weeks.
 
Rob, was a  fed up transport manager working 70 hours a week when he signed up to Bill Plant’s ADI intensive training program.
 
He said: ‘I wanted a different career with freedom to work my own hours and be my own boss.  It can take 18 months to become a fully approved driving instructor. Many people try to fit training around their existing jobs but I wanted to get started and qualify as soon as possible.
 
When he is not instructing learners, Rob, who has three grown up boys, enjoys watching his greyhounds race.
 
He says: ‘The Bill Plant intensive training package cost £2,900 and I cannot fault it in anyway. Thanks to Bill Plant I had all the necessary literature, instruction and support required to pass all stages of my test.
 
Rob is now running a successful Bill Plant driving school franchise in the Marlborough and Swindon areas in Wiltshire.
 
‘He says: ‘Owning greyhounds and training to be a driving instructor both require a great deal of hard work to get results.  Becoming a driving instructor has been a very steep learning curve and I get a real buzz from the interaction with the pupils.’

Driving instructor Val Smithson was running her own driving school and had no intention of signing up to be a franchisee -  until her car needed replacing.

‘I was checking prices of new vehicles on the internet and saw the Bill Plant website,’ says Val. ‘The more I weighed up options it was cheaper and easier to go with Bill Plant. They supplied the car, insurance, everything and promised to help find me some pupils

Val, aged 40,was moving from Kent to Fareham, Hampshire.  She says: ‘ I was starting out in a new area; I didn’t know anybody and I genuinely had nothing to lose.

‘Within two weeks of contacting Bill Plant I had a full diary and couldn’t take any more bookings. One senior examiner told me to get established in an area like this is very difficult but I’ve had no problem whatsoever.’

Val has had an assortment of jobs from bus driver, hotel receptionist and estate agent before settling for a career as a driving instructor.

Val who is qualified to drive HGV’s, buses and motorcycles, is one of Bill Plant Fleetcraft’s experienced trainers.

She says: “I love driving, I like being out on the road but if someone said one day I’d be a driving instructor I’d have laughed.

‘Best of all I like getting to know my pupils, In fact I’m still in touch with some. Sometimes it’s a bit like being an agony aunt and counselor as well as a driving instructor.’

When former bank manager Ian Sherwood took early retirement, he had no fixed ideas as to future work but felt he had a wealth of valuable experience in both business and dealing with people to offer prospective employers.

However, applications were rejected and Ian discovered being over 50 was a serious handicap to finding a worthwhile job.

Ian, who worked at Barclays Bank for 32 years, says “I’d heard about ageism but this was the first time I’d ever experienced it for myself.”

‘I applied for a few jobs. I know I was over qualified for them but I was rejected without an interview and it had to be down to my age. At 53, I felt I was on the scrap heap.
 
‘At the bank, I admired people going into business on their own, taking risks and relying on their skills and determination to be successful. I’ve always enjoyed driving and meeting people so I thought I’d train to become a driving instructor.

‘That way I could become my own boss and put all my experience helping people to good use instead of being made to feel useless at over 50.”
After qualifying, Ian signed up to a Bill Plant franchise nearly 4 years ago. Within a week he was swamped with a full diary of pupils and has never looked back since.

Ian, now 59, who lives in Dalton-on-Tees, near Darlington says: “I really enjoy my work and get a buzz every time a pupil passes their driving test - it’s terrific. I’m now also training other people to become driving instructors. Also, if I decide to semi-retire at some time in the future, then all I need to do is cut back on my hours and fit the work around my life.”

Mother-of-two Rachel Darby believes becoming a driving instructor is an ideal job for busy women juggling childcare arrangements.
 
She says; ‘It’s a perfect job for mums like me.  Yet it’s not a career most women with kids would think about entering.   What else could I do to be in control of when I work as well as earning a good salary?’
 
Rachel, 29, lives with her two children Oliver, three, and one year old Owen at Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire. While her husband Dave, a sergeant in 5 Regiment Royal Artillery, was away on a seven month tour of duty in Afghanistan, Rachel qualified as an approved driving instructor.
 
She signed up with Bill Plant due to the low weekly franchise fee, compared to other schools, and the company’s ongoing support package.
 
Rachel says: “At any point my husband could be posted elsewhere in the UK. Thankfully doing this means all my efforts to build up a business as a good instructor won’t feel wasted. This is one job I’ll be able to carry on doing because my skills are totally portable and Bill Plant will help me fill my diary with new pupils in another part of the country.’
 
Rachel switched to become a driving instructor after working as a graduate trainee restaurant manager in the catering industry.  She says: ‘The shift work didn’t suit me even when I had no children. Being an Army wife when Dave is away is like being a single mum. I need set working hours which I control to fit round childcare and the kids. 
 
‘I’ve always liked meeting people and passing on new skills. The feeling I get when one of my pupils passes their driving test is fantastic.’

Being in business on your own is something that most people would like to happen at some time in their lives, so why not make it become a reality? Achieving this is not as difficult as it might be if you take up the outstanding offer of becoming a franchised driving instructor with The Bill Plant School of Motoring.

Firstly you would receive full instruction from the Bill Plant Driving Instructor Training College, tailored around you so you do not lose valuable income, completing parts 1, 2 & 3 of the Driving Standards Agency tests to become a fully Approved Driving Instructor. After qualification you can take up a franchise with Bill Plant Ltd., and be part of national driving school with over 300 cars on the road. Full support is part of your franchise and the stress is taken out of running your business. What are you waiting for?