driving instructor problems

[Chris750]

Just thought I would share the annoyance I've experienced with my mrs learning to drive.

About 18 months ago my mrs decided to finally make the effort and get her car license (she currently rides a 125 scooter), as she was sick of winter days in the snow, when she wasn't confident enough to ride and as a results kept getting stuck without transport to get to work.

Initially she decided she would book some lessons with an instructor.

She had a couple of lessons with this bloke and he then said if she books ten lessons as a block up front, she will get a cheaper rate.
She did this and at first everything was fine.
Then about 4 lessons into the ten, he cancelled a lesson last minute.
He called the next day and explained his mother had died and he was really sorry but wouldn't be working for a short while but he would call her.
Of course this was fine and when my mrs told me I had absolutely no issues with this and was happy for the mrs to give him any time he needed at this difficult time.
After four or five weeks we hadn't heard from him so the mrs called him for an update to see how he was doing, he said he would be happy to book a lesson for about ten days time.
He turned up for the lesson over half an hour late which was inconvenient for us as we had plans for the evening and our schedule was tight. But we let it pass, especially in light of the recent situation for him.
Over the next few lessons, he was late every time (between 15 & 30 minutes) and even cancelled on an occasion.

After this every thing was fine again and I assumed it was due to his mother and he needed time to sort his head out, so all was forgotten.

Anyway, my mrs got towards the end of her lessons (pre payed block of 10) and after finishing a lesson she arrived home saying she had given him money for another ten lessons (she still had two left from the last block).
I was slightly annoyed and asked her why she had given him more money, especially as she still had 2 lessons left and was only doing one a week at present.
She said that he had asked her if she could pay him for the next ten lessons and she did, thinking she would only spend the money anyway, so why not (I think she feels awkward saying no in these situations and thought he's a professional driving instructor, he's hardly going to rip her off).
I was of the opinion that she should of waited and seen how he was for last two lessons then discussed it with me.
My mrs is a very soft touch and I sometimes have to get involved to stop people taking the piss as times.
We are not poor but work very hard for our money so I'm not going to let someone take the piss out of me, although I am also a very reasonable guy.

Anyway soon as he had the money he cancelled the next two lessons on the day she was meant to be driving.
The second cancellation was while she was waiting for him to turn up and he was running 40 minutes late.

He just calls and says that:

"traffic is really bad on A40, there must be an accident, I've had to turn car around to head back home as its so bad I can't get through, will have to cancel as won't make it".

Now, 20 minutes after this conversation he has with my mrs, I arrive home.
I had actually driven passed the village he lives in, on my way home.
I drove down the very stretch of road he reported blocked within minutes of him telling the mrs it was grid locked and he couldn't get through.
The road was clear.

Now at this stage I want to phone the bloke and give him a piece of my mind but my mrs doesn't want me to yet.

My mrs had another couple of lessons no problem after this but then on the third one (first lesson of new pre payed block), he phones and tells her he has broken his foot and consequently cant drive. Hence we don't see him for weeks after this.

When the lessons start again, hes unreliable and keeps missing lessons ( at least one in three was cancelled last minute on the day).
He is always late, and then quite often, when he does turn up on a couple of occasions he has used the lesson to run some personal errands.
Obviously using lesson time just getting my mrs to drive him where he needs to go rather than her drive a route that would reflect her needs to learn the skils required to pass the test.
I would let this past if it was my instructor who had an errand to run and if it was only once or twice and without all the other stuff thats happened on top.

Now moving on to this winter, we haven't had much contact with him for a while, he said to my mrs when she did get hold of him that the weather has been too bad (which it has at times but not always) and to call him in a week and she can start the remainder of her lessons (she has 2 or 3 left).
Now over the last week she has called him 3 or 4 times but he has not answered or called her back when she has left a message.
I was thinking of phoning him from a different number then giving him a piece of my mind.

I said to the mrs today, she has to get another instructor (been telling her this for ages) and with the last 2 or 3 lessons make sure you get them, but just treat them as bonus lessons. I was almost prepared to cut my losses as the mrs doesn't really want me confronting him, even if we lost a lesson or two, then fuck it, I've had enough.
But as soon as I say about another instructor, the mrs then admits to me she has already given him another couple of hundred pounds on top of remaining lessons for her plus pass lessons, that he told her she needed when she passed her test, he obviously told her she really needed to pay now as there is a special deal on even though she may not pass her test for ages.

I want to kill him, for wasting her time and money, because of the breaks he has caused in her lessons, it has meant she has had to start back near the beginning and she has forgotten loads when she restarts- rather than progressing through like she should of.

Sorry for the lengthy post but wanted to get it off my chest, I feel he has taken advantage of her nice trusting nature and even if he gives her the rest of the lessons, it has been wasteful making her start and stop, then start from the beginning again as she has forgotten most of what shes been told previously so much time passed.
I feel if she had had all 25 or so lessons in one go she would of probably been ready for her test by now, but as it is, she hasn't driven for ages and needs to almost start from nearer the beginning.

My mrs knows I'm cross and is worried about me getting involved, so until now I have just kept out of it, on her request, but now I need to sort this out.
It took me allot of encouragement to get her to start with lessons and this has now really knocked her confidence and put her off learning to drive.

What would you do in this situation?

[ms51ves3]

Get a refund off him for the lessons she hasn't had and get her to move to a new instructor.

You said you work hard for your money, no point throwing it at someone who is not helping her learn to drive.

Try and get her to book a free one hour driving lesson with someone else.

Clicky

It may help her decide if she wants to change instructor.

[Ichy]

I think the first part is to ensure that it is made quite clear to your wife that she is part of the problem. While she may no wish you to get involved the act of handing over more money creates a situation that must be addressed.

First part for me would be to ask for any outstanding money to be returned. If he refuses then report him. I assume the instructor is independent? He should still be registered and you could report him to the Driving Standards Agency Registrar of Approved Driving Instructors.

The ADI Registrar
Driving Standards Agency
Stanley House
56 Talbot Street
Nottingham
NG1 5GU

Tel: 0115 901 2500

Make a note of all the missed appointments, late starts and excuses before you give them a call. You can use either his ADI number or his full name to report him.

[Flip]

[Chris750]

[strag]

I would tell him that his service has been unnaceptable and you/she are not prepared to invest any further money in it, and ask for a refund. The fact that the lessons have been so sporadic do not meet the needs of the pupil, personal problems or not.

It does seem he has taken advantage of her good nature...how many others has he done this to I wonder?
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carbon bling

[Joenitro]

Doubt you will get your money back unless you bash him. Sounds like he's a coke head or some sort of druggy- unreliable and always asking for money.

[No More Names ......]

He's using her good will and the fact she let him, to add flexibility to his life at the cost of her progression and service she should receive ..

Bet he don't treat many others this way ...

Why don't you post the link to his school so a few BCF members can book up and send him on a few errands .. ??

Unless it's Skudd of course, then you just go round and educate him the old fashioned way ...
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Flip Wrote: You're a bloke, you don't need kids. You need a vehicle, someone to shag, a dog and a shed. AKA Cuntdudes life and ambition ... A ++

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