Is anyone else having trouble with Pass Plus? I only do on average one per year. Last years student didn't receive her notification therefore after 6 weeks I had to chase it up. Another student did Pass Plus back in February and contacted me two weeks ago to say he hadn't received anything. I telephoned the powers that be and they didn't have any record of my sending in the paper work therefore needed me to send all his details. Can't go any further because I've text, phoned and even called at his house and put a note through the door asking for his licence details. That aside this is the second time I've had to chase them.

Good idea to introduce bay parking into the Driving Test. The only time in my 16 years I've been able to teach it comfortably was when I was teaching a security guard at a local supermarket. Supermarkets don't like you using their car parks, we have a big cinema complex with overspill parking, where I was told over a loudspeaker at 10 am one morning to leave even though I was the only vehicle there. Of the two test centres I use one doesn't have access for bay parking the other a couple of spaces used by the examiners and owing to the area I can't imagine any of them volunteering to park in the street. My only opportunity so far is if there is a space in the park for a local tram stop.

Right that's me finished work for the next two weeks Will have four slots available for when I return, have lost four of my ladies now confident enough to get behind the wheel. During the past six months I have had as many over 60's ladies who passed their driving test 40 years ago then never drove as I have had teenagers. Having lost four this week I still have three left. Over 60's deciding to get behind the wheel has definitely increased this last couple of years.

Students, when your mates give you driving advice confirm it with me. Two from today, " When you take your test make sure you don't just look into your mirrors. The examiner won't see you if you just glance." Wrong, the examiner won't be very pleased if you take your eyes off the road for so long. "If the traffic light has just gone to red and there is someone behind you don't stop. That's legal, because they might run into the back of you " Wrong, red means stop. I wonder if this is why so many people ignore red lights?

I know I'm an old fuddy duddy and I don't move with the times and one of my old fashioned ideas that everyone laughs at is my insistence of a spare wheel in the car rather than a can of spray. Yesterday a former pupil who passed a couple of years ago called me asking, "Do you still insist on a spare wheel?" Apparently during their holiday, along with his wife and six month old baby they were stranded for over an hour on a deserted road in the Scottish Highlands. A rock had taken out the side of one tyre, the can of spray wasn't any use, they didn't have a signal on their phones and because of the baby were beginning to panic. Eventually a passing motorist rescued them. He called to tell me that as they go out into the middle of nowhere quite often, now back home he's decided to be as fuddy duddy as I and bought a spare wheel.

I would prefer my student not to take their Practical Test at certain time of the day, however I'm now telling them to 'just book it' whatever time of day, then to keep checking for cancellations. Shell was fortunate to get a cancellation but she did almost live on the site. The next available tests at my two local centres aren't until the end of September. Theory test aren't much better either one student had to travel from Greater Manchester to Sheffield to take his Theory rather than wait for the local one to come available.

Shell Rowlinson-Smyth

I passed!! Thank you Sean for your help and advice it was much appreciated.

Shell passed her test first time yesterday, not with me but in her own car. She had been learning to drive in the family car but decided she needed proper lessons with an instructor. Having taught her brother she came to me.

After a few lessons, tidying up the silly mistakes it became apparent she was struggling trying to adapt to driving two different cars so I advised her she should be in the car she felt most confident in.

Therefore I am going to claim just a little bit of credit for Shell's pass.

Drive Safely Shell.