Neil Bayliss Driving School

My Car

For driving lessons in North Somerset or driving lessons in Burnhamon Sea my current training car is a 2008 Silver Citroen C3 1.4 Diesel Rhythm. I have had very positive feedback from my pupils who have said how easy they find it to drive in their driving lessons and what good visibility it has particularly for the manoeuvres. It has:

Power Steering
Air Conditioning
Dual Controls
ABS
Adjustable drivers seat for height as well as forwards, backwards and angle
Adjustable Steering Column
Automatic door locking
Electric Front Windows

The tuition car is fitted with a Road Hawk Pro-2 recording system to help you learn more effectively. The system video records 170 degree angle through the front windscreen showing not just directly in front of the car but a good proportion of both sides as well. It simultaneously records inside the car car as well showing both driver and instructor, what the driver is doing and what the instructor is saying. In addition the inbuilt GPS records and displays the speed of the car and can show it's position on google maps as well as the time. Also built into the system are shock sensors which record movement along three axis, vertical (potholes, mounting kerbs etc.), in line (acceleration and deceleration) and at right angles (turns left and right), this is displayed in an on screen graph so you can see whether the movement was sharp or gentle.

Each pupil is lent an operating disc to enable them to view the files on their computer. At the end of each lesson they take away a USB stick with the video files of that lesson so they can review them at home. If they wish they can copy them to their computer to keep a more permanent record of their progress. The next lesson they return the USB stick so that I can make a record of their progress and that lesson is recorded on a new stick. They may also be lent video files of other pupils (under strict guidelines) so they can learn from the experience of others to enhance their own experience.

There are a number of reasons why I chose a diesel engined car for driving tuition in Weston super Mare. From a business point of view it is more economical than petrol for the type of driving and the mileage done by a learner car. From an environmental point of view it the modern diesel engine has much lower CO2 emissions than petrol and since it is in constant use its impact on the environment is an important issue. From a Learner Driver's point of view the low torque of a diesel engine makes it much more difficult to stall the engine as it is much more forgiving than a petrol engine, this gives the Learner Driver much more confidence not only in the car but also their own abilities. The 1.4 engine size also allows for good acceleration to meet the modern road conditions met in today's driving lessons.

The range of adjustments of the drivers seat and steering column as well as the amount of leg room mean that the car can accommodate drivers of all sizes small to large for their driving lessons. It is worth noting that not all cars allow for height adjustment of the drivers seat.

Comfort is an important aspect of driving lessons, particularly with the longer sessions of the intensive and semi intensive courses in Weston super Mare. The comfortable driver is a relaxed driver and a relaxed driver performs better than a tense or stressed driver. So not only is it important than the driver can adjust the seat and steering wheel so that they can operate all the controls effectively in comfort but it is also important that their environment is also comfortable, this is why I chose an air conditioned car. While I do not keep the air conditioning on all the time it is there for when it is needed, to keep cool in the summer and warm in the winter. From a physiological view a persons muscles work better and more smoothly in an appropriate temperature, this can lead to a smoother drive and better control of the car during their driving lessons.