Anecdotes and Memories of a Driving Instructor
Story by Allen Paul Harris
FRIDAY AFTERNOON
Get students settled into room, then take them to the vehicle park for a course introduction ( check licences, show a short road safety film, give them a course instruction pack, consisting of a Highway Code, Cyprus road sign book and question and answer sheets., etc.. ) and then show them round the truck and trailer. (Always left uncoupled).
SATURDAY
Go to vehicle park. I couple trailer and drive to off road area, giving a commentary drive. Both drivers spend time getting to know the basic controls and practise forward and reverse exercises 2 or 3 times each. Once I am certain that both students will be safe on the road, we leave the camp. Initially I drive to Limassol, and take the truck round a prepared circuit, giving a commentary drive all the way. This circuit is, in fact, the Test course, although the students are not told this. Each driver then drives round the circuit twice. Driver 1 then drives back to the camp offroad area and uncouples the trailer. We then go for lunch.
After lunch, Driver 2 couples trailer, and drives back to Limassol where each driver will do two more circuits. Driver I will then drive back to the offroad area and both drivers will do 2 or 3 more exercises, before driving back to the vehicle park, washing the truck and uncoupling the trailer for the night.
SUNDAY
I believe that part of being a good instructor, is to keep your students interested, so Sunday was a leisure day. Firstly, we couple the trailer, spend half an hour on the offroad area, then get out on the road. There was always a lot going on in Cyprus at the weekend, so we would go to Paphos and spend an hour or so on the beach, or go and watch the go-karting at Episkopi, while at the same time getting in a good days instruction. At the end of each day, we would go to a bar, and discuss the days training over a drink or two.
MONDAY and TUESDAY
After coupling the trailer and the off -road exercises, its back to Limassol for the day, with each driver taking it in turn to go round the town, before returning to camp for a couple more exercises, washing the truck and uncoupling the trailer.
WEDNESDAY
As usual the day starts on the offroad area., then we go for a long day out. This is a trip up to Nicosia for the day. This has three purposes.
1. It gives the students a long steady drive for a couple of hours each. 2. It gives the students a chance to show off to their mates 3. It encourages more people to take the course
THURSDAY
Today is the last chance for both students to perfect their drive before their test, so it is back to Limassol, after the offroad exercises. By now both drivers should be competent at reversing, so we can spend more time getting the town drive spot - on. I still have not told them that they are on the test circuit so it will be a pleasant surprise for them in the morning. In the afternoon, I make sure that both students are confident and if not we concentrate on those points that give concern. After tea, we spend a couple of hours going through the Highway Code and the theory part of the test.
FRIDAY MORNING
We just have time for a couple of final reverses each, before the examiner appears. Then, its test time. If the tests go OK, the students will go back to Nicosia on the same transport that brings the next two students. If they fail the test, I will attempt to get a re-test the same afternoon or failing that as soon as possible. Then, in the afternoon, I will write a report on the students, which will go back to the Commanding Officer and I will then have a meeting with the examiner and my Training Officer to discuss how the course went to see if any changes or improvements are needed. Then it's a case of greeting the two incoming students and starting all over again.
Allen Paul Harris
