Dispute with Driving Instructor

moneytroll

I had only good experiences with the driving instructors from this school but when I took up driving lessons again last week with a new instructor, something very strange happened.

I booked more lessons with my driving school over a month ago, asking for an instructor who knows the area/exam route near where I live, leading up to my exam. I already had many lessons so I just needed to refresh quickly and familiarise myself with the new route. The first day, the instructor didn't show up. I called the school and they told me there was some "miscommunication". They arranged for the instructor to come the next day (at a very inconvenient time). The instructor was over 30 minutes late and said that we only had a bit of time to do the manoeuvres around my house and there was no time to take me to show the route. What was more disturbing was that I was demanded to pay for two full hours (instead of the received 1 hour 30 minutes). I didn't argue at the time and signed the sheet.

However, on the day of the exam, the instructor was late again! And then it turned out she didn't know the route nor the way to the test centre. So we got lost and I arrived 7 minutes late for my exam and wasn't allowed to take it. I was absolutely devastated. I again found myself with the sheet in front of me to sign for two full hours. This time, I respectfully rejected to sign and said that this was unacceptable and a terrible waste of time.
She said she would then just put it down as "late cancellation" and "get my money either way", whether I signed it or not.

I got on the phone with my driving school and explained what happened. After speaking with my instructor, they said they won't do anything about it as her story was "very different from mine". (Apparently she said I was "abusive" and didn't "follow her directions" and this was the reason why I missed my exam.)

I am absolutely devastated. Not because I wasted several hundred pounds on an incompetent instructor and the exam fee but because of the ridiculous lying and that I don't seem to have any protection as a customer with my driving school.

My school explained that their instructors are self-employed and the school only "arranges things" (this school is one of the largest UK driving schools with apparently the best reputation). And it basically comes down to "her word against mine".

Any idea what my position is? If she doesn't know the area (she admitted she teaches in a different area normally), is it my fault that we arrive late? If she herself arrives late, is it my fault that she can't find her way to my house? More importantly, why is the driving school simply ignoring me after her saying that I was "abusive"? (There are records that she was late, as I called the school, plus my wife is a witness, though i don't know if that counts, and they know she doesn't normally teach in this area.)

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

wealdroam

moneytroll wrote: »

And it basically comes down to "her word against mine".

Of course it does.
What else can it be?

moneytroll

wealdroam wrote: »

Of course it does.
What else can it be?

Perhaps a bit more in the spirit of "the customer is always right"?

Her story doesn't even add up properly as there are records of her being late. (Which she never denied but it doesn't seem to bother the school.)
And it is fairly obvious that it is more likely that an instructor who doesn't know/doesn't teach in this area would get lost, rather than me not following her directions to the center?

If she is protected by the driving school then who am I protected by?

Strider590

One thing regarding lateness, quite a number of people complain that on their lesson they're driving the previous pupil back home and then the next pupil drives them home and so on, etc etc etc.

But if this instructor is travelling a distance to reach you, she's having to drop off the previous pupil herself... Which MIGHT be where the discrepancy lies.

However it's the schools job to ensure minimum travelling time (wasted time) between pupils and they clearly aren't handling this well.

moneytroll

Strider590 wrote: »

One thing regarding lateness, quite a number of people complain that on their lesson they're driving the previous pupil back home and then the next pupil drives them home and so on, etc etc etc.

But if this instructor is travelling a distance to reach you, she's having to drop off the previous pupil herself... Which MIGHT be where the discrepancy lies.

No, she said she "couldn't find where I live and it took her longer". (I go to the airport often through her area and it takes 15 minutes.) My previous instructor had a TomTom. That would also have ensured us that we wouldn't have been late for the exam...

Strider590 wrote: »

However it's the schools job to ensure minimum travelling time (wasted time) between pupils and they clearly aren't handling this well.

You mean the school is liable for the instructors being late? They didn't act so.
Do you happen to know if it is the instructor's responsibility to take the pupil to the test centre in good time?

Inactive

Find a small Driving School by recommendation, most large driving schools are poorly run and often employ some of the worst ADI's or even Trainee Instructors. ( Did you check your instructors DSA grading? )

A good ADI will access your driving, suggest a course of lessons to bring your driving up to the correct standard.

There is more to driving than learning driving test routes.

If you can substantiate your complaints, take the matter up with the DSA.

moneytroll

Inactive wrote: »

If you can substantiate your complaints, take the matter up with the DSA.

I can substantiate all of the claims (at least I think I can). But I need to clarify the following beforehand:

- who is liable for the instructor turning up late for the lessons consistently?
- whose responsibility is it to arrive in good time for the test?
- whose responsibility is it if the instructor doesn't know the way to the test centre and the test was missed as a result?
- can an instructor "force" hours upon the pupil to suit/fill their own schedule, against agreed hours with the school and can this agreement be overruled by the instructor?

I had 3 minors + one major in my previous test. I enjoy (well, enjoyed) taking lessons (and have taken plenty) but this time I literally just needed to familiarise myself with the routes as I travel a lot and had very little time.

Inactive

moneytroll wrote: »

I can substantiate all of the claims (at least I think I can)..

I somehow doubt that you can to be honest, it looks like an " he said/she said " scenario to me.

Write to the Head Office of the Driving School with your observations, see what they have to say on the matter.


Take my advice as posted earlier and move on.;)

Zanzibar

Its not their word agains yours - they were taking you to the test and you were late - as recorded at the test centre. They have already admitted they 'couldnt find you' - not acceptable for a booked appointemt by a supposed professional driver.

Then at the same time asking you to sign falsely for 2 hours - utter cheek.

Who do you make your payments to - the driver or the school? If its the school then they are providing the service. What is the school?

spiro

With hindsight what you should have done on both occasions when she asked you to sign you should have:
a) On the first occasion signed it and written - Signed under duress, lesson only 1hr 30min, and
b) On the second occasion signed and writted - Signed under duress, instructor arrived late and did not known route to test centre which resulted in test being missed.

Norman_Castle

My school explained that their instructors are self-employed and the school only "arranges things" (this school is one of the largest UK driving schools with apparently the best reputation).

What is the name of the driving school?