Thank you dvsa 

The AADI want to say a huge big thank you to the dvsa for finally listening to what we have been saying and taking our advice on board.

Most of all the AADI want to say thank you for admitting that you, the dvsa, were wrong, and it was not the ADI's fault that the system was in a state of collapse, if not totally screwed.

We advised over several of our posts, (this one in particular, drew a huge response from readers and we were inundated with messages of support from ADIs across the country within hours of going live) about what you should be doing to take control of your booking system. You read it and took our advice. Thank you from thousands of ADIs out here.

Your recent email gave us so much joy here at Grumbler central that we very nearly wept with joy. falling off our booster cushions but then realised that we needed to see if you were good for your word.  At the moment the feedback is looking to be promising as tests appointments are beginning to become available.  I'll give you a few more weeks and if this continues I promise that I shall invite Ms Ryder around for a glass of bubbly and a chat to celebrate.  You see, we do have a heart and appreciate it when someone steps up and takes responsibility. 

As ADIs we don't expect the earth, we have to make our contribution,  all we want is just a fair crack of the whip, then we will get on with being the one of the world's largest group of road safety advisers, specialists and educators, and teach to the best of our ability, the next generation of drivers.

Mock Tests.

Unfortunately we have a slight issue with this idea. Whilst the idea of the mock test is a very good one, we discovered this idea way, way back before the dsa, let alone the dvsa were in nappies.

ADIs don't just plod along as you seem to think, week to week with not a thought between our two ears.  We are thinking innovative people constantly trying to improve our lot and that of our customers - the learner.  ADIs have been conducting mock tests for decades, often encouraged by your own colleagues of days gone by who worked with us for a better product. I for one was invited to sit in the back on tests by the Senior examiner at my local centre in Woodgreen, London in the 80's, within a month of me starting as a PDI for a good learning experience, and I have sat in on many hundreds since then.  We know the script used and the many variances that can be,  and are applied on test day.

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The big issue with mock tests is that they are fake. The pupils will not get a licence even if delivering a perfect drive at the end of it, and they are well aware of it.

No matter what we say, the dvsa test is for real and they pass or fail at the end - there is nothing in the world the ADI can do to replicate this. No amount of acting can overcome this level of anxiety that our pupils go through on their test day.

Even when the ADI attends a standards check the pupil becomes incredibly nervous and that exam has nothing at all to do with them, they are terrified of letting their ADI down. Ask your enforcers they should be able to tell you, how does the dvsa explain that?

I find that if if I sit in the back of the car on the test it is a greater benefit for the candidate.

Unfortunately the dvsa fail to understand that no matter what we say on a mock test, the pupil knows it is all fake and we cannot issue the licence at the end of the lesson.  On the real test the pressure is totally different and the candidate knows that your examiner has the golden pen of passing. This is not a pressure that we can come near to reproducing,  so please accept our gratitude for trying to help and offer this advice that you are giving us on mock tests BUT, keep it in perspective. It is not, and never will be the golden fleece to pass the test and bring failure stats tumbling down with a magnificent increase in the pass rate that you seem to expect. It is not a magic wand, so please do not expect magical results.

You see, we at the AADI do not want to be your enemy, even though you do not like us very much as we tell you the truth, and not just what you want to hear, honesty is the best policy in a relationship - ask any marriage councillor. So, when you get praise from us it is genuine and heartfelt.  We want to be best buddies, but our relationship has to be based on honesty and truth not sucking up to the boss. So if you want to be best buddies, it is up to you.

Lots of love & well done - for now. :)

Electric cars and thefts from

I recently had a puncture in my newish car and had to get a tyre replaced. I was stuffed to find out that my wheels had locking nuts, this is something my cars have never been posh enough to have until now.  After a little search the key was found in the spare wheel tool kit - I insist on a full sized spare. I'm old school.

I'm so glad I was not in the middle of nowhere when this happened. And, yes I do read the manual but the car came without the spare wheel initially.

This is when I discovered that mechanics hate locking wheel nuts and remove them from their own cars. Unlike the old days of finding your car jacked up on bricks after coming back from a few bevvies, (ADI humour) wheels are not the prime target on cars anymore.  Yes, we've all seen the thefts of exhaust systems on YouTube and nobody thought of stopping them, just filming it.  But, did you know that the charging cable on EV's is a much more desirable bit of kit for the lazy car thief, just pop the boot open and the copper in the cable alone is worth around £50 on social media.  Ouch!  It is hard keeping up with the baddies. Even charging your car up at a service area while you disappear for a coffee and a sarnie is a no-no, and in some areas charging outside your home - even on the driveway is considered easy pickings. Do you now need to sit in the car with coffee, magazine and sandwich while the car charges with a great big snarling Rottie sitting next to you and Lewis machine gun on the bonnet as the latest 'must have' accessory?

What do you do to keep your charging cable safe?

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Keep safe for now and make sure you don't take any of the old £20 notes anymore as they soon become out of date, don't forget the stash under the mattress that is hiding from the taxman, better get it updated.

I'll be back.

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Quick update: I hear there are still no test appointments available all around the country this morning from many ADIs in the north, south, east, or west.  The clock is ticking Ms. Ryder.x

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Grumblers email address

There is now an email address for the Grumbler.... thegrumbler@theaadi.co.uk so you can drop a line if you have a question you'd like to ask, or a story/information to provide/pass on (in total confidence of course so dvsa employees, civil servants and employees of the empire, need not worry). Trolls will be ignored as usual and deleted by my pet Ork.

As usual, if there is anything that you see is incorrect or, plain wrong, I apologise, and if you drop a line via the Contact Us page it will be edited.