Welcome to our News Page. We’ll be using this Page to report on recent test passes and success stories, and also to post topical articles.
Franchise Opportunities with Miles Ahead
If you are a fully qualified ADI needing more work, Miles Ahead are able to offer a very competitive package. Business is at an unprecedented level so we can supply you with a regular, unlimited flow of new pupils (I'm literally bursting the seams here, with enough work for at least 10 more ADI's). If this is something you may be interested in text ADI to 07539 176984 for a free call-back with no obligation. All information will be treated in the strictest of confidence.
New training vehicle
We've now changed the training vehicle to a brand new Renault Clio 85 Iconic 1.5 dCi, Manual, 5 door, Hatchback. For a look around the new car have a look at this video as provided by Renault pre-collection:
April 2021 Re-opening
Just to confirm that we're now offering training again following easing of restrictions on 12th April. It's extremely busy - there may be some space available, depending on your availability and location (there is no evening or weekend availability left). It would help me enormously if you give details of your location and availability when getting in contact with a view to booking, and completing our online booking form is probably the most efficient way to do this. If you phone us, please leave a voicemail message (owing to the huge amount of junk calls that I get, I won't be able to get back to you if you don't leave a message). Early evening (between 6 and 8 pm) is the best time to call and usually guarantees an instant response - at other times there will probably be a delay as I'm out teaching, although I'll still get back to you the same day if you leave a message. If we don't currently have any matching availability, I'm happy to add you to our waiting list and to keep you posted as space becomes available. There may be more space becoming available in the next week or two.
If there are any instructors out there looking for work (surely not ?), then please give us a call, as we're currently inundated with enquiries and may be able to help. It may be premature to say that Miles Ahead is looking to expand, although we might be, but we can at least offer instructors some work on an informal basis whilst we monitor the situation.
2021 Lockdown
Owing to Wales now being in Alert Level 4, driver training has now been suspended until further notice. An update on the situation is expected on the 29th January, but given the severity of the situation I would expect the current restrictions to continue for some time to come. We are however continuing to man the phones and are happy to take provisional bookings for when the restrictions end. Also, if any of our current students have any concerns particularly with regard to pre-booked tests, please don't hesitate to get in touch, and we'll be happy to advise.
Post-lockdown Update
Following the ending of lock-down restrictions, we're now offering training again as of Monday August 3rd. There will be a number of changes to reflect new covid-related safety measures needing to be put in place. Facemasks and use of alcohol-based hand sanitisers will be compulsory on all lessons. You will need to provide your own facemask, but hand sanitiser will be provided. You'll need to inform us if you or anyone you have come into contact with show any coronovirus symptoms and/or test positive for coronovirus and in these circumstances lessons may have to be suspended for a short time as dictated by whatever government policy is in force at the time. Normal cancellation charges will be waived in these circumstances.
Many thanks for your cooperation. We look forward to seeing you post-lockdown.
Help for our students during the Coronavirus outbreak
Please be assured that Miles Ahead are available for training as normal. However, in an effort to help protect and safeguard all clients against the coronavirus which is now spreading throughout the UK and beyond, we need to do our bit and take certain precautions to help prevent the spread to all working with us.
From this week, before each lessons start, we will be using an alcohol based hand cleaner which will be supplied, to prevent any spread by touch. If a client doesn't wish to do this, the lesson won’t proceed. I’m sure we all understand that Miles Ahead has a “care of duty” to all current clients and beyond. This is for your protection. We are also deep-cleaning the car in between lessons.
if you think you have any symptoms please just let me know as soon as possible and your lesson will be rearranged as a precaution. Our normal 48 hour refund policy will be waived in these instances. Symptoms may include, fever or difficulty breathing, etc.
Please take this email in the context as meant. Purely, to help safeguard all of us working with Miles Ahead and our families too.
Finally, can I bring to your attention a special offer currently being run by Smart Driving. Their excellent Learn to Drive videos are for a limited time only available with an 80% discount. These are available for £1.99 for a 12 month subscription (normally £10). They are excellent training aids and will be particularly useful for those choosing to take a break from lessons to self-isolate. The link is below:
https://smartdriving.co.uk/driving-instructor-training/save-80-on-our-driving-videos/
Stay happy and well.
Special Offers January 2020
Going into 2020, we have some substantial discounts available, with £2 per hour shaved off last year's prices, and starting from £21.50 per hour (we also guarantee to fix this for the duration of your training with us). See our Prices Page for details of our prices as they now stand. If you'd like to share in the success we've been enjoying consistently for some years now (see post below), we'd love to have you on board, and it needn't cost you the Earth either.
Test Passes January 2020
Time to celebrate some recent test successes for Miles Ahead, pictured below, in order of appearance: Kieran Harper (Adamsdown, Cardiff), Nicole Knight (Fairwater, Cardiff), Jacob Dorey (Cadoxton, Barry), Donna Strohmeyer (Pentwyn, Cardiff), Josh Bruno (Llandaff North, Cardiff), Alistair Hurford (Cardiff Bay), Meena Wheeler (Penylan, Cardiff) and Kuberan Ellath (Cardiff Bay). All first time passes, and all with a very small single figure number of faults (our first-time pass rate at Miles Ahead from January 2019 - January 2020 remaining at 100%). Many congratulations to all involved.
Free access to the award-winning midrive app
As a midrive partner, we are able to offer all of our students free and full access to the midrive learner mobile app.
This award winning app will make learning to drive quick, easy and fun.
Every lesson you book will be scheduled in the app and you'll get notification reminders, so no more misunderstandings. You'll get a lesson report, complete with a GPS route, so you can keep track of your progress and plan practice between lessons. The learner dashboard is there for when you want to spend some off-road time bushing up on some driving tips. And in preparing for the theory test, you can learn on the go with this app. If you'd like more details please feel free to give us a call.
Note that you can download the app from the link above, but most of the features need to be activated by a midrive partner. However, feel free to have a look at the free version as there are some useful articles within.
What Kind of Learner are You ?
There’s more than one way to learn how to drive. What works for one person might not work for another, and the best driving instructors are flexible enough to spot how to get the best out of each pupil. Some of us respond well to a variety of teaching styles, but for many, there’s one method that works best.
Which learning style is best for you ? Of the three methods below, focus on the one that does it for you, so you can learn as effectively as possible. However, for the most effective learning, you’ll probably have to use elements of more than one method.
Away Day Driving Lessons in Barry
Learning to drive in Cardiff ? Frustrated with the difficulties caused by congestion ? Well, you should be ! The conditions are not exactly optimal for learning to drive. Nowhere to park. Nowhere to hold back to meet oncoming traffic. Having to constantly dodge around parked cars. Having to move onto roundabouts with miniscule gaps requiring perfect timing. And just being stuck in traffic for ages. Not exactly the best way to learn, is it ? I'm not saying that you don't need to learn to deal with these difficulties - you do, just not in the early stages of learning to drive.
One solution I’ve found recently with Cardiff pupils is to switch to Barry. This happened more or less by accident but since things worked out so well I'm now doing this more and more. None of the problems above and far easier to learn. Also the test is easier in Barry because of the reduced volume of traffic and the lack of badly sign-posted junctions and traffic systems, and the routes can be covered more easily than in Cardiff where they span a much larger area. Further advantages are that I charge substantially less for driving lessons in Barry compared to Cardiff, plus the waiting time for tests is less in Barry.
It’s a bit of a treck, but then again if you’re in South or West Cardiff it’s no further than the Cardiff test centre in Llanishen. Plus you could always take the train for about £5 return (15 mins from Cardiff Central, trains every 20 mins) cutting out all of the wasted down time driving to and from Barry each time, and meet me in Barry. You could always put in several hours at a time training so cutting down on the travel time relative to the useful training time.
Something to think about perhaps, particularly for those living in South or West Cardiff. Overall, I think you’ll find you get a better experience and will learn and pass your test a lot more efficiently. If you’d like to chat about this, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Find us on the Big Red Directory.
Client-Centred Driver Training
This article just about sums up our approach to driving lessons at Miles Ahead, Barry:
Sat Nav Tips
LISTEN: Carefully listen to the SatNav instruction.
LOOK AT SATNAV: Check the SatNav screen and gather the information, checking it against the verbal instruction (sometimes this differs). Also check the top box which gives forward planning information eg where you're going next say 250 yards away. The bottom box gives information like speed limit and name of road.
LOOK AT ROAD: Collect other relevant information eg. road layout, lane dedications, signs and surrounding traffic flow and other road users eg. pedestrians and/or cyclists.
PLAN: Having collected all available and relevant information, plan/decide what you have to do and carry out any lane changes carefully and safely using mirrors/signal/manoeuvre.
Hope this helps and good luck!
Am I Ready for my Driving Test ?
A question I'm often asked ........
Ask yourself instead, 'Am I ready to drive on my OWN ?", without the extra experience, eyes, reactions, opinions, guidance, PEDALS and safety net of an accompanying driver be it your instructor, parent, friend or partner!! THAT’S when you go for your test, when all the decisions are YOURS.
You go to test purely to get a rubber stamp from an examiner that says you and your instructor made the right decision. A good standard of driving is something you should be doing naturally well ALL the time not just for a day to get through a test. The test itself, in comparison to reality, is nothing like the pressure of being out on the road on your own. If you can't handle the test pressure then how will you cope on your own? It's as simple as that. Naturally there will be extra ‘butterflies’ but if you feel swamped and can't feel that test as just being another lesson or drive, THEN DONT GO IN FOR IT TILL YOU DO.
Driving Anxiety & Phobias
If you suffer from nervousness and anxiety in relation to driving and it's affecting you personally, or making training/tests more of an obstacle, it may be worth having a look at the Confident Drivers site. I've had a look at the resources available on this site in the past, and they have proven useful on several occasions. The site is predominantly aimed at driving instructors, but it's also possible to get personal subscriptions as a student, and I'd highly recommend doing so - these are available for £18 for 3 months.
Miles Ahead can also help directly with these issues. Over the last 12 years as an ADI I have developed an in depth understanding of driving and driver behaviour, and used a combination of coaching and complementary methods to help drivers overcome phobias, anxiety and stress. Please don't hesitate to call up for a chat if you feel that I could be of assistance here.
Recent Test Passes December 2018
Many congratulations to our wonderful students who have recently aced their driving test with Miles Ahead, pictured below, from left to right: Hollie Madeley (Cathays, Cardiff), Heather Lewis (Cadoxton, Barry), Lyndsay James (Cardiff Bay), Connor Milford (Penarth) and Baicheng Yang (Roath, Cardiff).
Learning the Manouevres
The reversing manouevres are seen as a major hurdle by many learners. Many schools rely heavily on reference points in their teaching, by which I mean using stickers and lining them up with objects visible through the windows. Our view is that reference points have their use but that there are other ways to develop skills in this area.
The Goals for Driver Education (GDE)
The Goals for Driver Education (GDE) are set of research-based goals that help us address our responsibilities as ADIs by giving us a framework through which to structure our coaching. These goals can be set out as a matrix of four levels and three competencies (the GDE matrix):
How Quickly can I Pass my Driving Test?
This is a question I often get asked. The short answer is as quickly as it takes you to learn to drive safely. If you can demonstrate a “safe drive”, you should pass first time. So, how long does it take to get to that point ? Probably longer than you’d like, but it need not take as long as you’re commonly led to believe. Essentially, it depends who you train with and how you schedule your training.
How To Choose a Good Driving School and Save Money On Your Driver Training
Struggling to choose a driving school ? Well, I’m not surprised, because they all seem to lay claim to pretty much the same thing with little or nothing to distinguish between them (except perhaps the price). Google certainly seems to struggle to choose between them, with the number 1 spot frequently being given over to the driving school with the worst reputation in the area. Perhaps you’ve already started to learn to drive but don’t seem to be making much progress. You may be beginning to worry that learning to drive may end up costing you more than you first thought, or, worse still, that you may never succeed at all. And you may well be right!
Congratulations to Gavin Searby who recently passed with Paul in Cardiff
Gavin had some driving experience but had taken quite a long a break from driving and was a bit rusty. We got him up to test standard in 10 hours and secured a pass with only 2 minor faults. We know that this will be a life-changing achievement for Gavin as with his driving licence in the bag he is now in a position to become a full-time carer for his ex-partner which is going to be of huge benefit to the whole family. It’s always nice to be a part of people’s success but all the more so when so much is gained.
In-Car Technology in Driver Training
We’re often asked about the in-car technology we use as part of our lesson tool-kit. Many people see the tablet, but aren’t sure what we actually do with it. Well, apart from having transferred all our old colourful diagrams onto the I-Pad, there are 3 different tools that we’re now using routinely: Robosoul Driver Training Apps: These are interactive apps which we use to help our students visualise various routines and procedures.
Congratulations to Stuart Cloete who’s just passed with Paul in Barry
Stuart was too shy to have a photograph taken. But what a massive achievement as Stuart had been quite an apprehensive driver having previously lost a close relative in a tragic car accident some years ago. Well done Stuart on overcoming your anxiety and finding a way forward to a lifetime of safe driving.
Meet Zoe Howerska
Zoe Passed with Paul some time ago now, she wanted to drive because she was working in the TV and film industry as a costume designer and needed the flexibility to get to a range of far-flung locations when working on set. The reliance of public transport seemed to be limiting her opportunities, so I’m delighted to report that since getting her licence she's secured a top job on the set of Dr Who. I was so pleased when I saw her name appear in the closing credits. Many congratulations Zoe, and glad to have done my bit to help.
Address
Miles Ahead
Merioneth Place
Barry
Vale of Glamorgan
CF62 9AJ
Phone
07539 176984
Areas Covered
Cardiff: All Areas
Penarth
Barry
Dinas Powys
Sully
Llandough
Cogan
St Athan
Rhoose
Wenvoe