Castle Hill School of Motoring News Blog

DSA press release

Steve Swinton — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:19:44 +0100

DSA press release

Real driving experience for learners

To help make the driving test more representative of real driving, the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) will no longer publish details of test routes, Road Safety Minister Mike Penning announced today.

Currently test routes used by each driving test centre are published online but this will stop when new routes are introduced at the beginning of October.

This change is being made to support the introduction of independent driving, which will allow candidates to demonstrate their ability to drive safely in more realistic driving situations rather than memorising a particular test route.

Mike Penning said:

“We want new drivers to be able to drive safely and independently and learning to drive test routes by rote isn't the way to achieve this.

"Stopping the publication of test routes will help to make sure that the driving test better reflects realistic driving conditions and will give new drivers the skills and confidence they need to stay safe on the roads.”

DSA’s Chief Driving Examiner Trevor Wedge said:

“Evidence shows that the biggest challenge newly qualified drivers face after passing their test is learning how to cope when they no longer have their instructor there to help and prompt them.”

“We want to make sure that new drivers and riders are ready to make their own decisions when driving alone; learning how to do that in preparation for their test should lead to better and safer drivers.”

To better assess whether a learner driver is ready to drive unsupervised, independent driving will be introduced into the test on 4 October 2010. Candidates will drive for about 10 minutes, without step-by-step direction from their examiner. This will involve either following a series of directions, following traffic signs, or a combination of both. To help candidates visualise the directions, the examiner may also show them a simple diagram. The remainder of the test is unchanged.

In January 2010, DSA published independent research showing that with careful route design, candidates were able to complete the independent driving tasks without any significant impact on pass rates. Additional research found widespread support for inclusion of independent driving in the practical test.

08 September 2010

'Are you ready?' video

Steve Swinton — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 23:22:39 +0100

'Are you ready?' video

DSA's 'Are you ready?' video - the official step-by-step explanation of the driving test - has been updated so you know what the whole test will look like from 4 October.

Watch 'Are you ready?' on YouTube

Get ready for independent driving

Steve Swinton — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 22:56:48 +0100

Get ready for independent driving

From 4 October 2010 your practical driving test will include a section of ‘independent driving’.

During your test you’ll have to drive by either following traffic signs, a series of directions, or a combination of both, for about ten minutes.

If you're asked to follow a series of verbal directions, you'll be shown a diagram to help you.

It doesn't matter if you don't remember every direction, or if you go the wrong way - that can happen to the most experienced drivers.

Independent driving is not a test of your orientation and navigation skills. Driving independently means making your own decisions - this includes deciding when it’s safe and appropriate to ask for confirmation about where you’re going.

Independent driving video on YouTube

Steve Swinton — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 22:43:05 +0100

Independent driving video on YouTube

Watch independent driving in action in this video on YouTube. It shows how the examiner will give you verbal directions, and how they will ask you to follow traffic signs.

Watch the independent driving video on YouTube

Major road safety milestone as driving test clocks up 75 years of success

Steve Swinton — Sat, 29 May 2010 13:59:47 +0100

Major road safety milestone as driving test clocks up 75 years of success

The British driving test marks three-quarters of a century of helping keep people safe on the road when it turns 75 on Tuesday 1 June.

The first car and driving licences were introduced in Britain in 1903. But it was not until 1 June 1935 - amid rising numbers of deaths as the popularity of the car increased - that a compulsory driving test was introduced.

The first driver to pass was Mr J Beene and within a year, the number of deaths on the road had fallen by 1,000.

In 1934, 7,343 people were killed on the roads and there were 1.5 million cars. The latest figures show there were 2,538 deaths on the roads in 2008 when there were around 34 million cars.

Road Safety Minister Mike Penning said: “The driving test is not just a rite of passage, it has helped save thousands of lives on our roads.

“The test and the learning needed to pass it are a vital part of giving drivers the skills they need to drive efficiently and safely.

"High standards of driver training and assessment are an essential contribution to helping Britain's roads remain among the safest in the world."

Trevor Wedge, Chief Driving Examiner at the Driving Standards Agency, said: “The driving test still retains some of the original elements included in 1935, such as turning in the road and reversing, but it is updated regularly. We continue to make sure that the test properly prepares drivers for the demands of modern roads.

"This year will see the introduction of independent driving into the test, to help candidates demonstrate their ability to drive without step-by-step instruction. We believe that this added element will lead to better and safer drivers."

Facts and figures:

the test became compulsory on 1 June 1935, after being introduced on a voluntary basis on 16 March the same year
the test was suspended during World War II and the Suez Crisis – examiners were put in charge of fuel rationing instead
until 1975, candidates still had to demonstrate hand signals
the theory test was introduced in July 1996

Police lorry catches trucker cooking his dinner while driving

Steve Swinton — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 19:08:53 +0100

Police lorry catches trucker cooking his dinner while driving

A new police lorry has caught a rogue motorway trucker cooking his dinner while he was driving.

By Richard Edwards, Telegraph Crime Correspondent
Published: 7:00AM BST 23 Apr 2010

A trial using the police trucks on some of Britain's busiest motorways has uncovered “frightening” examples of HGV drivers watching DVDs, using laptop computers and playing video games.

The worst case saw one commercial trucker warming up food on a stove in his cab, police said.

Another driver was pulled over after he was discovered holding a mobile phone in each hand and sending text messages on both of them.

Officers hailed the police truck – a Scania tractor unit which normally hauls a 44-tonne trailer - as a success and forces are hoping to deploy them across the country.

PC Angus Nairn of the Central Motorway Police Group said: "Some of what we have found has been frightening. We have had a driver watching a DVD, another one sorting through CDs, one using laptop as a sat nav system and even someone warming up food on a small stove.

"The consequences of them not paying attention to the road are potentially disastrous to everyone else on the motorway.

"We have taken a bit of flack from some truckers who think it is sneaky but the vast majority of motorists are grateful that we are watching commercial drivers carefully and checking on them."

Until now ordinary motorway patrols have been unable to see up into a cab to check if a driver is committing an offence like using a mobile phone or not wearing a seatbelt.

In the new trucks, one officer drives while a second uses a hand-held video to capture other HGV drivers on film. If they are committing any offence they are pulled over by a marked police car.

The police lorry was launched with full 999-livery and blue flashing lights.

The CMPG is now using unmarked lorry cabs to catch truckers breaking the law on roads in the Midlands, including the M5 and M6, the M42 and M54 as well as the M6 toll road.

Man loses licence after drink-driving in toy Barbie car

Steve Swinton — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 18:56:01 +0100

Man loses licence after drink-driving in toy Barbie car

Telegraph. Published: 11:31AM BST 19 Apr 2010

A man who was caught drink-driving in a toy car with a top speed of 4mph has been banned from driving.

Paul Hutton was given a mandatory three-year ban because he had received another drink-drive ban within the past ten years

Photo: PETER LAWSON/EASTNEWS PRESS

Paul Hutton, 40, was pulled over by police as he drove an electric Barbie car, which moves slower than a mobility scooter, near his home in Essex.

Mr Hutton, who has four children Simon, 17, Calum, 14, Laina, 12, and John, 11, admitted being a 'complete twit'.

Speaking after the hearing at Colchester magistrates court, he said: "You have to be a contortionist to get in, and then you can't get out.

"I was very surprised to get done for drink-driving but I was a twit to say the least.

"It is designed for three-to-five-year-olds.

"Originally it was a pink Barbie car but I put bigger wheels on it but it's not fast.

"I'm not unhappy with my punishment, just a little bit surprised."

Mr Hutton, who is divorced, is a former RAF aeronautical engineer who now studies electrical engineering at Colchester Institute.

He explained: "I'm in the third year of my electrical engineering course and it was a little project I was doing with my son who is doing a car mechanics course.

"When it was done I couldn't resist the temptation to take it out."

Mr Hutton, was found to be twice the drink-drive limit, he said.

Appearing before magistrates last week, he admitted driving the toy car while drunk.

He was given a mandatory three-year ban because he had received another drink-drive ban within the past ten years.

Magistrates also gave him a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered him to pay £85 court costs.

Chairman of the bench Neil Munson said: "This is most unusual.

"I have never seen the like of it in 15 years on the bench.

"The vehicle is not even capable of doing the speed of a mobility scooter and could be outrun by a pedestrian.

"Taking this into account, we feel we can impose a sentence of a conditional discharge for a period of 12 months."

The car was confiscated by police until the hearing but Mr Hutton now hopes to get it back.

Learner driver turns car onto roof.

Steve Swinton — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 16:50:59 +0100

Learner flips car on roof

Yahoo News May 14th 2010

Learner driver Krisztina Jaksa ended her second driving lesson by crawling out of an upside down car.

The bizarre accident happened in Headington, near Oxford, when the 24-year-old was crossing a junction.

The BSM Fiat 500 she was driving hit a gatepost then flipped onto its roof, smashing the side windows and windscreen. When local resident Ross Dunne heard a crash he rushed to the scene and helped Ms Jaksa out of the car; the instructor was already getting himself out.

Both Ms Jaksa and her instructor emerged relatively unscathed. According to witnesses, Ms Jaksa said that the steering locked and, panicking, she hit the accelerator hard.

There is no indication that a mechanical fault contributed to the accident in any way.

An ambulance arrived shortly afterwards and police closed the road briefly, but both the driver and instructor were treated only for minor cuts.

BSM Communications Manager Paul Shepherd said that the company had "spoken to the learner driver who is fine and is already hoping to book her next lesson with us soon."

Mark Nichol

Driving Instructors and accompanying drivers allowed to interpret on driving tests.

Steve Swinton — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 08:54:47 +0000

Driving Instructors and accompanying drivers will from the 6th April 2010 be allowed to act as interpreters where necessary on practical driving tests.

Previously only a person who is not the candidates driving instructor has been allowed to fulfil this vital role where there has been a language problem.

This is may be of particular interest to driving test candidates who are deaf or Hard of Hearing and may require BSL language support at times while on test. Under this new arrangement instructors who use BSL will be permitted, when requested by the candidate or examiner to assist with any communication problems that may arise at any time during the test.

Where the DSA is notified of a serious hearing dificulty during the application process, the examiner will be allowed extra time to conduct such a test. This extra time is allowed also on tests where the candidate may have a physical disability. This takes pressure off the candidate and examiner,allowing extra time entering the car, more stops for communication/interpreting etc. The route used for the test would remain the same as for a standard test and therefore the driving time would be of the same duration.

As you would expect, if the accompanying driver or instructor is found to be assisting the candidate in any way other than by interpreting the content of what is required to be said, then the driving test will be stopped and ithe incident recorded.

This is a most welcome development as it will help to remove what has been previously an additional unfair pressure put on a minority of driving test candidates.

Motorists get up to £5,000 towards cost of Ultra-Low carbon car.

Steve Swinton — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 13:08:25 +0000

Motorists get up to £5,000 towards cost of an ultra-low carbon car

Pioneering motorists will receive up to £5,000 to buy an ultra-low carbon car, and the roll-out of supporting infrastructure will begin in selected regions, the government announced today.

The Plug-in Car Grant will be distributed directly to the consumer at the point of purchase and will be available across the UK from January 2011, by which time a range of eligible vehicles is expected to be available.

Also included in the government’s plans is the roll-out of a £30m fund for a network of electric vehicle hubs – called Plugged-In Places – which will see charging infrastructure appearing in car parks, major supermarkets, leisure and retail centres, as well as on the street. The first Plugged-In Places were today named today as London, Milton Keynes and the North East; and between them they will be installing over 11,000 vehicle recharging points during the next three years.

The initiatives are part of a £450 million government strategy to support the creation of a flourishing early market for ultra-low carbon vehicles. The programme will help to meet the UK’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions from transport; as well as creating new business opportunities for UK-based companies in the automotive and charging infrastructure sectors.

Transport Secretary Andrew Adonis said:

"Decarbonising transport isn't an aspiration - it's a reality. By this time next year, cutting edge motorists will be on the roads with these next generation cars they've purchased because of our help.

“And thanks to the Plugged-In Places we will have in place infrastructure to support this growing early market.

"Transport has a huge part to play in helping the UK meet its stringent emission reduction targets and today's announcement is another step on the road to putting the UK at the global forefront of ultra-low carbon vehicle development, manufacture and use.”

Business minister Pat McFadden said:

"Low Carbon vehicles are an important part of the broader shift to a low carbon economy.

"We have already committed £450m to delivering our ambitious vision of supporting suppliers of low carbon technology, encouraging demand from consumers and enabling lead UK cities and regions to switch on charging infrastructure.

"The government is focusing on this sector as a priority and we are committed to helping British businesses take advantage of the growth potential and job opportunities this presents."

The Plug-in Car Grant will significantly reduce prices by providing 25 per cent towards the cost of a new car, capped at £5,000, and will be open to both private and business fleet buyers.

To be eligible for the scheme, cars will have to pass performance criteria to ensure safety, range, and ultra-low tailpipe emissions.

The Plugged-In Places will provide the charge points to support these vehicles – demonstrating how electric vehicle charging works in practice in a range of different settings – urban, suburban and regional – as well as testing innovative technologies such as rapid charging, inductive charging and battery swap.

A second competition for Plugged-in Places funding is to follow later in the year, with consortia from the West Midlands, Cornwall, Sheffield, the Lake District, Greater Manchester and Northern Ireland having already confirmed their intention to bid for the next wave of funding.

These measures – to be delivered by the Office of Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) – will move the UK further towards its ambitious carbon reduction targets. They will also support the UK automotive, charging infrastructure and other related supply chain industries in realising the economic opportunities that a shift to low carbon represents.

OLEV will also lead work to join up the Plugged-In Places, working closely with partners including the Energy Technologies Institute and the Technology Strategy Board to ensure a fully interoperable network is established in the UK. OLEV will be assessing the feasibility of charging along strategic corridors with the Highways Agency and motorway service area operators; and of charging infrastructure at railway station parking facilities with the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) and Network Rail.

New Motorway Speed Limits For Trucks and Buses.

Steve Swinton — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:00:26 +0000

Simplification of speed limit rules for buses, coaches and heavy goods vehicles

Proposals to simplify motorway speed limits for buses, coaches and heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) were published today by the Department for Transport.

The changes are needed because of differences that have arisen between new vehicles, which are fitted with speed limiters, and older vehicles which are not. This means that while newer HGVs are limited to 56mph older vehicles are able to drive at up to 70 mph on the motorway. Similarly, new passenger vehicles with over eight seats are limited to 62.5 mph on the motorway but older vehicles are able to drive at 70 mph.

This can cause confusion for other drivers and creates a disincentive for companies to invest in safer and more fuel efficient vehicles. In addition, vehicles with speed limiters are not allowed to use the right hand lane of three lane motorways but those without speed limiters currently are.

The proposals put forward in today's consultation include:

setting a 65 mph limit for all buses, minibuses and coaches with more than eight passenger seats regardless of whether or not they are fitted with a speed limiting device
setting the motorway speed limit at 60 mph for all HGVs over 3.5 tonnes regardless of whether or not they are fitted with a speed limiting device
prohibiting all HGVs between 3.5 and 7.5 tonnes and all buses, minibuses and coaches with more than eight passenger seats from using the right hand lane of motorways with three or more lanes

Road Safety Minister Paul Clark said:

"We want to provide clarity for everybody - drivers, operators, other motorists and the police - as well as making sure that there is a level playing field for those operating in the bus, coach and road haulage industry.

"These proposals simplify motorway speed limits for buses, coaches and lorries so that everyone has to abide by the same rules regardless of the age of their vehicle."

The consultation can be found at dft.gov.uk/consultations/open and closes on Tuesday 27 April 2010.

Independant Driving Test Link to DSA Youtube Channel.

Steve Swinton — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 15:05:14 +0000

Here is the link to the DSA Youtube channel showing information on the new Independant Driving Test.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGWxptVQPEs

New Government ruling on UK and Irish banned drivers

Steve Swinton — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 12:01:57 +0000

Disqualified drivers face international ban

From 28th January 2010, UK drivers disqualified for serious motoring offences in Ireland will no longer escape punishment when they return home, under a new law. The ban also extends to Irish drivers disqualified while in the UK, who will find the ban enforced when they return to Ireland.

International action on disqualified drivers

The new law means that if you are banned from driving in the UK, you will be banned in Ireland, and vice versa.

The measures are the result of a deal agreed between British, Irish and Northern Ireland ministers.

The new law is the first practical step to recognise driving disqualifications in Europe under the terms of the 1998 European Convention on driving disqualifications.

Road Safety Minister Paul Clark said: "We’ve cut the number of deaths and serious injuries on our roads by 40 per cent since the mid-1990s – that’s more than 19,000 fewer deaths or serious injuries in a year. This means we now have some of the safest roads in the world.

"But we need to continue to work to make our roads even safer and if a UK driver commits a serious offence while in Ireland it is right that their ban should still apply when they return home.

"From today this new law will ensure that disqualified drivers are not able to escape their punishment and so keep dangerous drivers off the roads."

Find out more about driving disqualifications

No restrictions on Deaf Drivers in the UK

Steve Swinton — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 21:04:47 +0000

No Restrictions on Deaf or Hard of Hearing Drivers in the UK.

Some people quite wrongly assume that being Deaf means a person cannot drive here in the UK. Although in some countries they do ban Deaf drivers, here in the UK we have no such restrictions. There have been many cases of Deaf pople obtaining a licence to drive vehicles of other groups, such as Pubic service vehicles and Goods vehicles.

The DSA (Driving Standards Agency) make special provision for Deaf drivers when taking the Theory/Hazard perception test and the practical driving test.

As with users of other languages, Deaf candidates who use BSL (British Sign Language) are given the option of using a translator during both exams.

In addition, Deaf candidates are given extra time to complete the Theory/Hazard perception test. Extra time is also granted on the practical test, to help both examiner and candidate overcome any communication problems that might occur during the test.

The DSA should be informed of any moderate to severe level of deafness at the application stage for both tests, so that arrangements for support can be made in good time.

Similar support is available to Deaf drivers wishing to take either the DIAmond advanced Driving test or the DIAmond Special test. For further information, contact DIAmond Advanced Motorists at http://www.driving.org/diamond/ or through ourselves via the link below.

For further advice and information on Deafness and Driving, contact myself, Steve Swinton ADI at www.aditraining123.co.uk

Steve Swinton ADI Dip DI

Blog Administrator

Traffic Wardens to Get Head Cameras.

Steve Swinton — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 20:17:23 +0000

Traffic wardens get head cameras

Council traffic wardens are being fitted with head cameras to deter irate motorists from assaulting them.

By David Millward, Transport Editor Telegraph.com
Published: 6:15AM GMT 21 Dec 2009

Several authorities across the country are using the technology amid fears that the wardens – known as civil enforcement officers – are under threat.

Salford is believed to have been the first council to use the devices which are fitted onto the officer's cap.

But they are also being used at the London Borough of Bromley, Scarborough and Bolton. They have also been tested by Westminster City Council.

Recent research disclosed that councils raised over £300 million in parking fines last year, three times as much as the income generated by speed cameras.

However the enforcement of parking controls is often a source of resentment among motorists who, on occasion, can turn violent.

Salford found that assaults dropped by 30 per cent after the head cameras were brought into use and it is this which has made their use attractive to other councils.

“A minority of people think that civil enforcement officers are a legitimate target for verbal and physical abuse, and the fact that they are being filmed on camera should hopefully make people think twice," said Ismail Ibrahim, the councillor in Bolton behind the scheme in Bolton.

“The footage can also be examined to ensure CEOs are not overstepping their powers and that they are acting in a courteous and professional manner."

As well as acting as a deterrent the cameras can be used to photograph an illegally parked car, with the evidence being downloaded onto a computer at the end of the civil enforcement officer's shift.

Barrie Segal, who runs the motorists' website AppealNow, welcomed the use of the cameras.

"If they are used to prevent abuse, then that is fair enough. But I hope that these cameras will also be used to some of the other things that civil enforcement officers get up to."

Driving Instructor knows all the signs.

Steve Swinton — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:58:30 +0000

Driving Instructor who knows all the signs.

Wes Wright, Business editor, Bolton News Jan 2009 http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/

DRIVING instructor Steve Swinton was furious when he heard a young deaf man had been refused lessons.
He set about learning the basics of British Sign Language but found the only course available was in a weekly mother and toddler’s group.
He said: “It caused a bit of a stir at first but I soon mixed and later I went on to attend an advanced course.”

Now the 54 year-old combines running his own Castle Hill School of Motoring with training would-be driving instructors and has been teaching hearing impaired learner drivers for 15 years.

The father of three reckons he is one of only 50 instructors out of 43,000 in Britain who use signing to teach deaf people to drive and says the skill has gained him extra business as news of his signing ability spread.

Now he wants to set up a course teaching BSL to other instructors and says learning sign language has helped his business over the years.
“Around 10 to 15 per cent of my learners are deaf or hearing impaired.
“I sit further forward turned towards the learner and use my hands instead of talking to tell the drivers what I want them to do and it works very well.
“They can see me signing in their peripheral vision and in some ways it works better than talking does.

“I would eventually like to set up a course for those instructors who want to learn BSL as it a very useful skill which can help their business.”
A former Breightmet High School pupil, Mr Swinton worked as a mechanical engineer but after being made redundant he decided to set up his own driving school.
“I wanted to work for myself and that way nobody could make me redundant and for me it has been a very good move.
“I knew there would more business avenues to explore than just teaching people the basic L-test and now I teach instructors and hearing impaired and deaf people.”

He is a top Grade 6 driving instructor, an advanced driving instructor and supervising examiner and is on the Official Register of Driving Instructor Trainers (Ordit).

A See Hear programme featuring Mr Swinton was broadcast on BBC 2 on Wednesday January 28th 2009 at 1pm.

Stephen P. Swinton A.D.I. Dip D.I. Cert F.Ed.
Diamond Advanced Instructor/Supervising Examiner.
www.aditraining123.co.ukDriving and Deafness Forum Moderator.
www.Deaf247.co.uk

Teenagers tune in to get sound driving skills

Steve Swinton — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 14:39:32 +0000

Teenagers tune in to get sound driving skills

Bolton News Wednesday 16th December 2009

SPECIAL classes all about music and cars are being rolled out to bored teenagers to help keep them out of trouble.

It comes after a successful trial of the course, which has passed on new skills to youngsters while also giving them something to do.

The course gave the youngsters, aged 14 to 16, the chance to get their hands on a real car so they could learn how to fit its audio equipment during a series of sessions at Bolton garage, SC Auto electrics, which also provided the vehicle.

Over six sessions on Wednesday nights, the young people who attend the St Helens Road youth club covered subjects including car wiring, how to fit speakers and other audio equipment and how to measure sound and soundproof cars, as well looking at topics like how music affects people’s driving and how to drive safely while listening to music.

Wilson Litchmore, a youth worker for Bolton Council, said: “The young men involved in this course have responded really positively to the sessions because it is something they have an interest in and it really gives them a sense of ownership and responsibility.

“It has also improved their respect for cars because they realise the amount of time and money that goes into them.”

The scheme has been supported by the Government’s Youth Opportunity Fund (YOF), which is part of Aiming High, a 10-year strategy by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) to provide young people with something to do in their local area.

And Wilson Litchmore added that the sessions have proved so popular that Bolton Council is planning to roll them out, so that even more young people can benefit.

He added: “The young men involved have conducted themselves really well and worked well together as a team, because they know that they will all get the opportunity to contribute to working on the car and therefore collectively they will have all learnt new skills over the six week period.

“The garage owner, Steve Challinor, has been really impressed with the boys’ behaviour and is now considering taking appren- tices on in the future because he knows that young people can do a really good job.

“It’s certainly something that some of the young lads might be looking at for a career.”

* More information about activities for young people in Bolton can be found at www.youngboltonlife.org.uk.

One eyed Deaf Driver Banned from Driving.

Steve Swinton — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 11:56:13 +0000

Deaf driver with glass eye banned

The pensioner said he confused the rev counter with the speedometer

A deaf 83-year-old motorist with a glass eye has been banned from driving for 45 days after he was caught speeding on the A9 in his new car.

Maurice Hollyfield was doing 88mph while towing a trailer on a single carriageway with a 50mph limit.

Perth Sheriff Court heard it was the second time in less than a year that the pensioner had been caught speeding.

Hollyfield, from Milton Keynes, had told the court he had been reading the rev counter instead of the speedometer.

As well as the ban, the retired British Aerospace inspector was given a £300 fine for the offence on the A9 at Waterloo, in Perthshire, on 4 April last year.

'Loud music'

Sheriff Lindsay Foulis said: "By any stretch of the imagination he is going at a fair lick and it's not even a dual carriageway, it's a single carriageway.

"He has a previous conviction for speeding in July 2006, which was nine months prior to this.

"He should know the difference between 50, 60 and 88mph. He would see the trees flying past at a great rate."

The court was told that Hollyfield had only ever passed a very basic test while driving a lorry in the Army nearly 70 years ago.

Solicitor David Holmes, defending, said: "He said the reason for his driving was that he was listening to loud music on his cassette player because of his deafness.

"It was a new car and the instrument panel was very different. He kept glancing at what he thought was the speedometer, but it wasn't."

Mr Holmes added: "He is not without a sense of humour. He told me he really likes the car, now that he knows where the instrument panel is."

The Highway Code in British Sign Language

Steve Swinton — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 10:46:48 +0000

Learning The Highway Code with British SignLanguage - the Official DSA DVD and Book Pack

Book and 2 DVD Pack

Author: Driving Standards Agency (DSA)
Publisher: TSO (The Stationery Office)

It is essential to safe and reliable transport that all road-users understand The Highway Code. This pack from the Driving Standards Agency is designed to help drivers, motorcyclists, cyclists, horse riders and pedestrians in the British Sign Language community to learn all the rules and key information.

This product includes:

The Highway Code Rules DVD (Disc 1) - Rules for all road users.
The Highway Code Signs and Annexes DVD (Disc 2) - Full explanations of the signs for warnings, directions, information and road works as well as a full annex.
The Official Highway Code (Book) - The latest official wording, authorised by Parliament.

From the Driving Standards Agency, the people who set the tests.

» Watch a sample clip of the 'The Highway Code Rules DVD'.

System Requirements for 'The Highway Code Rules DVD' and 'The Highway Code Signs and Annexes DVD':

Language: BSL (British Sign Language)
'The Highway Code Rules DVD' Disk Format: DVD9
'The Highway Code Signs and Annexes DVD' Disk Format: DVD5
'The Highway Code Rules DVD' Duration: 4 hours 8 minutes
'The Highway Code Signs and Annexes DVD' Duration: 1 hour 53 minutes
Picture Format: 16:9 FHA (Full Height Anamorphic)
Region Code: 0
Compatibility: DVD Players and Computer Consoles (please check your console for compatibility).

Extent	N/A	ISBN	9780115529849
Size	N/A	Price	£8.84 (£9.82 inc. VAT)
Binding	Paperback / 2 x DVD	Published	30 Jul 2008

Welcome to our Blog!

Steve Swinton — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 09:31:57 +0000

Hi, welcome to the Castle Hill School of motoring Blog.

We have created this space where our visitors can if they wish add news or comment on the work we do or in fact any other topic you think may be of interest to our visitors.

So! Here it is, why not give it a go?

Go for it!!!

Steve Swinton ADI. Dip D.I.