DIDU members can save money every time they fill their car up. I have arranged with Forecourt Fuels Ltd a fuel card which has many benefits, including:

• Members save at least 3p a litre on diesel, and 2p a litre on petrol.
• No additional or hidden fees.
• Free credit - fuel is charged two to three weeks after filling up.

Phone Nick Hayton on 01524 858169 or email Nick, quoting DIDU as a reference.

Forecourt Fuels Website

Download a pdf file with full details.

Adrian Lewis - DIDU member support.

It has been widely reported in the press that Harriet Harman had a collision with a parked car - while using her mobile phone.
She allegedly told onlookers, "I'm Harriet Harman - you know where you can get hold of me," before leaving the scene.
It will be interesting to see how the police and legal system handle this offence. Will it be one rule for them, and another for us?
Read more about this in the press:

• Guardian
• Mirror
• Telegraph
• Daily Mail

How often do you see these three institutions in the same sentence? Not that often, for sure. Things are changing though.

The Driving Standards Agency are really getting up to date, and using Twitter and YouTube to keep us all better informed.

Their YouTube channel has several videos including "In the Driving Seat" (a fifteen minute drama, aimed at 15-16 year old pre-drivers) and "Are You Ready?" - advice for theory and practical test candidates.
Like all YouTube content, the DSA videos can be embedded in your own website.
Below is the "Are You Ready?" official DSA car theory test video. Click the youtube link to see all of the DSA videos - new content is being added regularly.

     More Videos Here

And like Stephen Fry, Britney Spears, Jonathan Ross and Arnold Schwarzenegger (top 50 twitterers) the DSA are twittering all their latest news.

How long before you can book a test on twitter...

Click on "Read more" to find out how to set up twitter on your mobile phone:

A fed-up learner from Romford, Essex, passed her test with only five driving faults. Four hours later Cara Griffiths got a phone call from the DSA telling her that the test was invalid!

A DSA spkesman said:
"We apologise for what was a genuine mistake. The examiner missed out one of the manoeuvres which made the test illegal."
"We have offered a free re-test and will bring someone in especially for this so the candidate is not waiting weeks."
"We would like her to get in touch as soon as possible. We are very sorry and understand how disappointed she must be."

Read the press reports in the Daily Mirror or the Romford Recorder.

The theory test is changing - again!
From September 28th 2009 candidates will have to read a "case study" and answer five related questions.

DSA's Director of Driver Education and Learning, Jill Lewis, said:

"Case studies are widely used in education to put learning into context and test comprehension of a subject, so many candidates will have encountered this type of question before."

"Initially we are introducing one case study based on existing questions in the theory test question bank, to get candidates used to the concept. It will also allow us to monitor any impact on the theory test. Over time, we plan to introduce more case studies into the theory test to assess candidates' understanding of what they have learned."

There is a lot of debate in the member's section of our forum about this. Head over there now - or join DIDU to get access.

Members can now post wanted or offered adverts. See the link in the menu on the left.
(Can't see the link? Only DIDU members who are logged in will be able to).

Picture thanks to Adrian, DIDU's Conciliation Officer.

Said to my pupil today as we approached the end of long narrow one way street

"If I wanted you to turn right at the end of this road where would you go?"

It was a badly worded question because I was testing her knowledge of positioning and lane discipline and I expected the answer

"Right hand lane"

The answer I got was

"Tescos"

What should I have asked without giving away the answer ?

Perhaps:

""At the end of this road I want you to turn right. How will you position the car?"

Badger

Dirty Car
Teenager Jack Hyde didn't even get in the car when he tried to take his test recently - his examiner said it was too dirty.
The Oxford Mail has the full story.
It's easy to see both his and the examiner's point of view... but would he have had this problem if he had used an ADI?