Driving instructor - can we repot him?

tajk321

My son is at uni and has been taking driving lessons away from home. He booked his test a few weeks ago to fit in between his exams and him coming home for the summer. This afternoon his driving instructor informed him that he had "forgotten" that he had a prior arrangement on that day and he can't do his test, his test is 9 days away. The predicament he is now in means he cannot book another test before he comes home in two weeks. He now has to find a new instructor during the summer when he gets home, added expense and hassle through no fault of his own. Can anybody tell me if there is an organisation we can complain to as I think it is inexcusable. Thanks

oops just realised my title reads 'repot'

kwaks

Whilst you may feel let down, whats to stop your son simply booking with a different instructer for the test?

Or you hiring a dual controlled vehicle?

Or using your car?

Just some options before threatening someones livlihood without knowing just what this prior arrangement is.

Some things it could be...Jury Duty, Long awaited hospital appointment, court date etc etc

zzzLazyDaisy

In my view the driving instructor has behaved unprofessionally. He must have known for some time when the test was, and presumably booked the test into his diary. Now, only 9 days before the test he says that he has another engagement and leaves this young man high and dry. The least he could have done would have been to make alternative arrangements.

In fact when I took my test, my driving instructor was ill on the day and he arranged for another driving instructor to take me.

As it is, the young man now only has 9 days to find another instructor which is going to be very difficult as most driving schools, in my recent experience, are likely to be booked up.

OP is the driving instructor affiliated or franchised to a larger concern, or is he a 'one man band'? If there is a larger organisation involved perhaps they will be able to step in and provide another instructor?

Good luck!

skiddlydiddly

The instructor should really try and make other arrangements but why do people jump on him like he murdered the pope?Whats the problem with booking a different instructors car for the test?
DI's seem to be franchised/self employed one man bands so lack the support of a big company.Maybe something came up and its personal enough not to share with relative strangers.It could be any manner of reasons, including absent mindedness, hardly the crime of the century.

tajk321

Thanks for your replies. Maybe I should have given more details. The prior arrangement is a wedding at which he is going to be an usher. The test was booked for Friday morning and the wedding is on Saturday but he has just remembered that he needs to be there the day before for a rehearsal!!!! The problem is the wedding is 300 miles away. I personally think it's a very lame excuse and he probably sees my son as a soft touch. Unfortunately I don't have a car so that's not an option and starting over again in a different area with a different car and instructor is not ideal. He's been very badly let down in my opinion.

DaveF327

tajk321 wrote: »

The prior arrangement is a wedding at which he is going to be an usher. The test was booked for Friday morning and the wedding is on Saturday but he has just remembered that he needs to be there the day before for a rehearsal!!!! The problem is the wedding is 300 miles away.

I personally think it's a very lame excuse and he probably sees my son as a soft touch.

If you were an usher / bridesmaid at your close friend's wedding, would you see it as a "lame" excuse if you desperately had to rearrange work or other commitments to attend?

Having had experience of the industry, 9 days is actually quite long notice compared to some (un)professionals who wouldn't give a hoot about letting someone down the same day. I feel the guy has made a genuine oversight and has bent over backwards to give you the maximum notice possible. DSA only require 3 working days without losing fee, so you won't be out of pocket with them if you cancelled the test. Getting an instructor at 9 days notice for a lesson or two then a test appointment isn't exactly hard these days with instructors nationwide struggling for work.

Cut the guy some slack and find another instructor instead of moaning on here about it. Reporting him and blackening his name isn't going to solve your problem and is just vindictive.

To err is human, to forgive is divine.

Happychappy

Screw him and send a lovely letter to the Driving Standards Agency ADI section complaining about the business ethics of one of it's members ; )

If he had anything about him, he would have offered to speak to another instructor in the area and got your son sorted with a pre test lesson etc, not to pay for it, but to help arrange it. Running a business and lame excuses don't bode well, so blacken away, moan and report him, at least you will feel better ; )

The excuse about the wedding, which is pretty sudden,? what is it a shotgun wedding? ooops forgot to add, as forgetfulness runs through the industry, I am also an ADI, but fortunately don't teach learners.

mikey72

He's an usher, and needs to be at the rehearsal? If he was best man maybe.
Just tell him to say "friend of the bride or groom" in front of the mirror a few times, then get his priorities right.
He should honor his customer’s bookings, then drive down at night.

DCFC79

Could the DI not do the test in morning then onc ethe test is done go off to the wedding rehersal, how hard can it be for an usher not to get something wrong in the rehersal

cat04

mikey72 wrote: »

He's an usher, and needs to be at the rehearsal? If he was best man maybe.
Just tell him to say "friend of the bride or groom" in front of the mirror a few times, then get his priorities right.
He should honor his customer’s bookings, then drive down at night.

I fully agree. When I got married 12 years ago and had the church rehearsal my 70 odd year old Grandmother made a 45 minute journey over that evening as she was doing a reading for us. Apart from getting to see the family for a short time it was a wasted visit, she didn't have to do anything, in fact if I recall correctly neither did most of the 'major players', with the exception of the bride and groom of course.

The DI should surely know other DIs in the area, it shouldn't be too much trouble to ring round a few to see if anyone could the OPs son at the very least. He probably just wants to take part in the pre-wedding pi$$ up!

tajk321

DaveF327 wrote: »

If you were an usher / bridesmaid at your close friend's wedding, would you see it as a "lame" excuse if you desperately had to rearrange work or other commitments to attend?

Having had experience of the industry, 9 days is actually quite long notice compared to some (un)professionals who wouldn't give a hoot about letting someone down the same day. I feel the guy has made a genuine oversight and has bent over backwards to give you the maximum notice possible. DSA only require 3 working days without losing fee, so you won't be out of pocket with them if you cancelled the test. Getting an instructor at 9 days notice for a lesson or two then a test appointment isn't exactly hard these days with instructors nationwide struggling for work.

Cut the guy some slack and find another instructor instead of moaning on here about it. Reporting him and blackening his name isn't going to solve your problem and is just vindictive.

To err is human, to forgive is divine.

If I were an usher at someones wedding I wouldn't have forgotten about it!!! I'm not quite sure why you think the instructor has bent over backwards when he has left my son high and dry without trying to help in any way. Finding a replacement is not proving to be as easy as you seem to think it should be. The instructors in the area are extremely busy. My son has struggled enough getting a regular slot with the instructor he's with. For your information I am not on here moaning about it, I'm asking for advice. Perhaps you can keep your insulting comments to yourself in the future.