Bill Plant driving school

[Night Train]

I started my Driving Instructor Training with Red, a few years back when I was unemployed. During a class on observation I suggested that when stopped at a main road junction waiting to turn left into a minor road that was crossed by a cycle path or route it was useful to do a left shoulder check, to ensure a cyclist hadn't ridden up the left side of the vehicle or was about to cross the minor road on a path, prior to moving off and left hooking the cyclist.

The instructor, who was at great pains to point out that he was an ex police driver, told the rest of the class that they must not ever do that as it is an unnecessary and dangerous thing to do and that a standard mirror check would be more then sufficient.

I argued the point that I was making observation of potential hazards while he argued that cycle lanes were not a part of the road and so were not of concern. I argued that pavements were not a part of the road but we would look out for pedestrians attempting to cross and he argued that pedestrians were more vulnerable then cyclists.

We argued a lot and I eventually told him that I didn't feel he was a competent or safe driver and I would take my instructor tuition elsewhere.
I then left and got a job instead.

I had been informally teaching people (friends) to drive for best part of fifteen years and everyone passed first time and has been very safe and with no claims or convictions, including the then wife.

 

[Brandane]

I started my Driving Instructor Training with Red, a few years back when I was unemployed.

So you got scammed out of £2k as well?
I was with The Instructor College which was the same company. I also had arguments about some of the things they teach, which are supposedly the way the DSA wants it done. For example, when turning right on a roundabout which does not have a straight ahead option (i.e. only a left turn or right turn) it is ok to use the left lane for turning right. That is just so wrong; what happens if an HGV is turning right using the right lane and then has to cross over the other lane to exit the roundabout?

 

[Night Train]

So you got scammed out of £2k as well?

Fortunately I was paying in installments, I just stopped paying and they never bothered to chase me for the rest of it.

 

[Peowpeowpeowlasers]

Perhaps bphine is new to Bill Plant. On the OP's youtube channel they go on about standards, putting complaint in writing, etc... Pity they didn't respond to my written complaint about poor supervision and instruction from one of their franchisees in Nov last year.

I'd be very grateful if you'd add that video to mine, as a video reply. The more the merrier as far as I'm concerned.

 

[ufkacbln]

Similar incident locally, so I used a rather dirty trick.....

Send the video to each of the other local driving schools, stating that Bill Plant has denied it is their vehicle, and asking if it is one of theirs

You would be surprised how quick they are to condemn the poor standards and point the finger!

 

[growingvegetables]

Similar incident locally, so I used a rather dirty trick.....

Send the video to each of the other local driving schools, stating that Bill Plant has denied it is their vehicle, and asking if it is one of theirs

You would be surprised how quick they are to condemn the poor standards and point the finger!

 

[Peowpeowpeowlasers]

Unbelievable. After reporting it yesterday, just now I've had a call from a PC at Stetford. Right off the bat he asked me why I'd uploaded it to YouTube (spread all over YouTube he said), mentioned slander, asked if I cared that this driver might lose business (I don't), and how I'd feel if footage of me was uploaded. I said that if I was doing something so stupid I could have no complaints, but considering I never would, nobody could ever upload footage of me doing something which might affect my ability to earn.

Other points of contention were that I apparently "shot" up the inside of traffic. When I told him filtering was perfectly legal his response was to laugh, and say "oh right?" Why the fark does he think the cycle lane is there then? He didn't know what an ASL is. Hadn't a clue. Then he started on about cyclists ignoring red lights and believing that traffic laws don't apply to them. When I asked him what laws I'd broken, he changed subject. Why did I leave the cycle lane, he asked. I told him it was cold, wet, the double yellows are raised and therefore dangerous, the surface is awful, grids, twigs, dirt, glass, all the usual suspects, including the fact that it's just far too narrow. He responded with the "the council have provided a cycle lane just for you and not motorists" I told him it is an advisory lane and not a mandatory lane. His response indicated that he hadn't a clue what I meant by that. He also mentioned that cyclists "don't pay anything for the roads", revealing completely his utter ignorance of how roads are funded. I asked him if he thought road tax existed, he did. I told him it was abolished in 1937 and that roads are paid for by council tax, he changed the subject.

I told him I was under no legal obligation to use a cycle lane anywhere. He asked me why I "shot up the inside", I told him I was doing about 10mph as I did, and about 21mph after the lights. He didn't believe I could do 21mph. Said I must be "very fit indeed". When I told him my top speed on that bike is about 45mph he said "you can't do that as you'd be speeding". I told him there was no offence related to speeding on a bicycle, he did the "er..well.uum....er" and then started on about "we can charge you with other offences".

He didn't know about highway code rule 163, and when I repeatedly prompted him to check, he said "I'm not interested". The whole tone of the conversation was "why did you do this, why have you done that?" At no point did he express any concern for my safety, in fact he said he and his colleagues had viewed the video and arrived at the conclusion that there was no risk to myself. He also doesn't know about the IAM, of which I am a qualified member.

I don't think any of them understand what kind of view a 170' degree wide angle lens produces. The driver in the video is no more than a foot from my handlebars.

I'm going in tomorrow to make a proper report (apparently my "report" yesterday was no such thing), and then they'll apparently have a word with the registered keeper. I want to know what you guys think about making a complaint about his tone of voice, which was extremely condescending. He is obviously not an experienced road user.

 

[gaz]

So the officer you spoke to wasn't a traffic officer. In which case there is no point speaking to them and certainly no point 'debating' with them.
Everytime they make a stupid comment, just say that it isn't relevant to the complaint in hand and get back on subject. If you really don't get anywhere just ask to speak to a traffic officer, someone with experience of policing the roads. Unfortunately there are not many of them in comparison to other officers

 

[Peowpeowpeowlasers]

No he wasn't, in fact I asked him that question and he said he didn't need to be. I got the feeling that he had no understanding whatsoever about road safety, and that he believes that:

a) cyclists should stay in "their" cycle lane
b) cyclists shouldn't complain about poor driving
c) cyclists shouldn't upload examples of poor driving to YouTube
d) cyclists don't pay road tax
e) cyclists can't do speeds like 21mph, that's just silly
e) cyclists can be charged with speeding
f) cyclists aren't allowed to filter
g) what's an ASL?
h) what's rule 163?

I can see why some people develop such poor opinions of the police, based on the mostly limited interaction they have with them. A police officer once asked me why I didn't simply "get out of the way" when one motorist was up my arse leaning on his horn.

I'm beginning to think there's a rather serious institutional problem at GMP when it comes to cyclists. Maybe I'll start uploading footage of police drivers doing stupid things, because I've seen that on more than one occasion.

 

[gaz]

How did you report the incident / footage to the police?

 

[Mugshot]

I'm sure you checked, but I'm amazed that that could be a real PC, sounds more like someone from the driving school trying to intimidate you, it's flabbergasting.

 

[Peowpeowpeowlasers]

I reported it in person at the police station yesterday, and was given a log number. Apparently I've got to go again and report it "properly".

I have the footage on my phone and showed it to the woman behind the desk, and I also told her how to find it on YouTube.

Apparently uploading footage of idiot drivers doing stupid things is a more serious crime then almost knocking someone from their bike.

 

[Mugshot]

It really does beggar belief sometimes.

 

[gaz]

I reported it in person at the police station yesterday, and was given a log number. Apparently I've got to go again and report it "properly".

I have the footage on my phone and showed it to the woman behind the desk, and I also told her how to find it on YouTube.

Apparently uploading footage of idiot drivers doing stupid things is a more serious crime then almost knocking someone from their bike.

Find out how to report traffic offences and never talk to someone behind the desk about it again, they are useless. In London serious issues can be reported on a form which is then sent to a traffic unit, see if you have something similar.

Obviously there are 0 crimes or offences in uploading footage to the internet. It is after all a recording taken in an open and public place and all information that is included is publicly available information which does not disclose the identity of those involved.

 

[sdr gb]

never talk to someone behind the desk about it again, they are useless.

I once went to the local station to report something (stolen cheque) and was told by the PCSO behind the desk that I couldn't report the crime there. I would have to go home and report it using the non emergency number. This was GMP as well so it sounds as though things haven't improved.

I'm sure you checked, but I'm amazed that that could be a real PC, sounds more like someone from the driving school trying to intimidate you, it's flabbergasting.

I thought this as well.