Learner-driver training

[Triple-S]

I live on a straight flat quiet suburban residential road of ample width, and my 240 together with several other cars park outside the owners houses when not in use. Today I had to get my 164 out on the road too: not blocking anybody but I had work to do on my driveway.
When about to tidy up and move my 164 in I saw yet another driving-school car using my car as a reversing aid. After their exercise I put my 164 back in - and the learner was trying again, round my 240, and so close I couldn't get to the drivers-door to lock it.
Driving-school instructor had his window open so I asked him why my car every time, as even a small knock has been reported on here as rendering a 240 irrepairable economically, also ruining my over 40 years of NCB. He didn't give a damn so I said why didn't he do his teaching round his own car - and he retorted that I was a moaning old git and drove off....
Question - should I report his company to whoever, or should I tell him to buy some cones and hire his local school playground so he can train pupils there, off the highway? I don't like my car being used as an obstacle or training aid, even if the 240 is 30+ years old and shabby: I mean, why should I accept that?
Your thoughts please.

Paul

[wimorrison]

If it was a public Road then there is absolutely nothing you can do - I assume that the cars were taxed whilst they were in the road? If not be careful as he may complain about you and if the police drop round then you could be in a difficult situation.

Best suck it up and have a cuppa instead.

[john.wigley]

Whether he works for himself or for a national chain, that is an appalling example of bad manners to give to a learner driver.

I once politely challenged an instructor who repeatedly used his horn as a remote doorbell to announce his arrival at a neighbouring pupil's address. I received an extremely rude response from him and for that I reported him to his company. Had he been more reasonable, I would have let the matter go.

If you do nothing, you are giving him a licence to perpetuate this antisocial behaviour.

As for using your vehicle as a driver training aid, I do not think there is a great deal that you can do. Perhaps photograph your parked car in it's present state to use as evidence if the worst should happen?

Regards, John.

[DaveNP]

You could get a couple of cones to put at the corners of your car, but then some drunken fool will probably use one as a hat and put the other one on top of the car. Alternatively if you know what time he's likely to turn up just go out there and closely walk around the car and watch all the way through the manoeuver don't say anything just be there watching closely, that should be distracting and unnerving enough that the instructor will choose to take his protege elsewhere.

The official complaints process https://www.gov.uk/complain-about-a-driving-instructor seems more for agrieved students but might be worth a try, if nothing else I'm pretty sure that back when I last had driving lessons the test centre had a dossier on the various schools and instructors and their standards.

[Marty Dolomite]

It's a public highway and parking is part of the training so he has very right to do it, if a learner was to hit your car the instructor would report it as its not worth him losing his job over not reporting.

[JRL]

Yep, public highway and the reason a learner uses a parked car to learn how to do parallel parking is because that is what he or she would be expected to do on the test. Rather than blaming the instructor blame the government for including such daft manoeuvres as part of the driving test.

I would assume the instructor has dual controls anyway so the chance of your car being hit would be very slim.

[tt82]

I had this when I was learning to drive. As I was doing a parallel park behind a pick up truck, the owner came out and moved it to stop it getting damaged. My instructor was incredulous! Obviously the pick was a works vehicle, just like the driving instructors vehicle, but did he not think the instructor would share the same care and regard for his vehicle as the pick up owner did for his? Did he really think that he would just sit there whilst the pupil hit another car? At the end of the day, a professional driving instructor will have a dual control vehicle and they won't be easy to source a replacement for if it needs to be repaired. The instructor is potentially looking at lost income if his vehicle becomes damaged!



If however it was a parent teaching a child using the family car, I wouldn't blame you for be anxious!