Next Gear Driver Training

04/01/2024

Well - the Year 2024 is finally upon us all.

This year Next Gear Driver Training will be slowly 'tapping out' so I can focus on some new projects that will challenge me again.

I will continue to teach the small number of learners I currently have but as these troops obtain their P's I, unfortunately, will not be taking on any new students.

Thank you to all my 500+ learners (and their parents) that I have met over the last 4 years. It has been my absolute pleasure to be part of your driving journey.

I will still be around finishing up with the troops I have left but slowly transitioning into a couple of new projects (and new challenges) for the year 2024.

I will no doubt see all my learners around (now on their P's) driving around in their personal cars - please stay safe, drive carefully, and look after each other on our local roads.

As I do, I will continue to check in from time-to-time on how you are all travelling and please, don't hesitate to contact me if you ever have any questions, problems or concerns. I'm always here to listen to anything that you have to say or are unsure of.

Cheers

Adam

11/07/2023

Currently Next Gear Driver Training is temporarily 'off the grid' for around 4 weeks.

I decided to surprise my brother, who resides in the UK, with a visit in order to help him set up a new business venture. In order to make this happen in the time frame he requires its all hands on deck from friends and family over here.

I have swapped my steering wheel for a hammer and a tool belt.

Although my visit has been planned for the last month, it was a complete shock for my brother and his wife when I lodged on their doorstep yesterday. Sometimes it's those impromptu door knocks are the best. The look on their faces was priceless 🤣

To all my learners back in Oz completing their driving tests whilst away, I'm certain we have prepared the best we could over the last month or so. Good luck with the test - you guys (and gals) will do great.

My only mode of contact is via Facebook messenger (thru Next Gear). I am unable to take phonecalls or receive text messages.

For all new inquiries, unfortunately I've had to close my books due to demand. When I return to lessons on Monday 14 August it will be focusing on the troops I already have.

Until then ...... stay safe.

Cheers

Adam

27/05/2023

09/01/2023

Morning Ladies and Gents.

Generally when I post something (and I don't do it often) it's for a very important reason !

My aim is to save young lives whilst they are driving on our local roads.

Now this may appear to be a 'Karen' post but I'm sure we all get tired of attending (and hearing about) these funerals where young persons are killed in tragic senseless motor vehicle accidents.

Yesterday I witnessed driving behaviour by a young female that had the potential to end tragically for herself and her young female passenger.

Without going into specific details, the vehicle of interest is a Silver Suzuki Swift (registration D?-??-?S) with red P plates.

I was driving down to The Oaks from Oakdale where this particular vehicle was waiting to turn right out of Belimbla Park. At that point I observed 2 young females and the vehicle displaying red P plates.

As I passed across their nose they pulled in behind me and quickly caught up to me at the top of the hill well before the airport (first red flag) Headed into The Oaks township where she was right up my backside, pushing me all the way through The Oaks (second red flag).

First opportunity to overtake was heading through The Oaks, after the roundabout, approaching Loomes Hill. BOOM 70-75 in a 60 zone. Around me and gone ! That's when I noted the full registration plate. I could sense that I was probably not going to get another opportunity.

Down Loomes' to Glenmore possibly 110-115. I was sitting just under 100 where that vehicle was clearly moving away from me at speed. Bearing in mind a red P plater is restricted to 90kph.

By the time I was at Big Hill Road that vehicle had caught up to other vehicles (doing the speed limit) rounding the corner up near Jensens Nursery.

Witnessed the vehicle (from a distance) travel through Mt Hunter behind 4 vehicles and as soon as the overtaking lane presented - around the 4 cars travelling up the hill in the 80 zone. The cars she overtook I estimated to be travelling at the speed limit.

All that effort (and risk) from that young lady only for me to draw alongside her at the lights at Burragorang and Cawdor Road. I passed them on the left to turn left and head into Camden whilst they were stopped in a line of traffic at the red light to continue straight towards the Camden Bypass. Possibly off to the beach or the gym, the way they were dressed with matching caps.

So...... if you're reading this and your daughter lives in Belimbla Park or picked up a friend in Belimbla Park can you please have an important conversation with them and explain the ramifications of driving like a goose whilst on our roads.

What I witnessed yesterday had all the hallmarks to end very badly for a number of families. Do we really need to go through this all again and say 'why does this happen' and 'such a tragic loss of life'

If you were the passenger in that car - you do know that your control in that situation was pretty much taken away the moment you sat in the seat and the car started moving.

Enough said.

Stay safe.

07/04/2022

From the response I received from my last post it looks like it's 'Game On' to produce a worthy presentation and start developing the program etc.... in an attempt to get the message through to our younger drivers. Watch this space - I will endeavour to develop and subsequently deliver a package that will be beneficial to everyone that attends. Thank you again for taking the time to comment on this critical issue within our local areas. As a community we will do our best to try and resolve the problem somewhat. Even if it saves one life that invariably impacts many lives after the initial incident.

22/10/2020

Just some of the humans brave enough to pose for this little uncomfortable task. Travelled far and wide over the last couple of weeks for these troops to gain their provisional licence - Gregory Hills, Mittagong, Penrith and Goulburn. Well done !

Check out these Heads ...... Or should I say HEAD CHECKS !

A head check is a necessary requirement that a safe, low risk driver must do to minimise the risk of a collision whilst driving on our roads.

What is it ?

It's a deliberate and conscious look (left or right) to ascertain whether a vehicle is sitting right in our blind spot - the area immediately behind our left and right rear corners of our motor vehicle. Its also the area that our mirrors do not cover.

To effectively check these blind spots we must turn our heads past 90 degrees and look behind the B-pillar of the vehicle. Put simply, the B-pillar is the vertical metal structure of the vehicle that divides the front and rear doors.

A left head check begs us to turn our head (left obviously) and look between the head rests of the two front seats rearward out the left back seat window. A right head check demands us to turn our head to the right and peer between the B-pillar and the seat we are sitting in, thus clearing the area observed through the drivers side rear seat window.

This can only be achieved by bringing our chin to our shoulder !

So, don't get lazy on those HEAD CHECKS. A high majority of first time fails are due to a lack of suitable head checks that are required to be completed whilst driving to 'clear' those damn blind spots.

Until next time - stay safe and take care.

Adam

07/10/2020

THE WINS ...... AND THE LOSSES !

Another busy couple of weeks in the world of "Next Gear Driver Training".

Firstly congratulations to the learners that have attained their provisional drivers licences. Well done. There are 7 of you that graduated over the past two weeks. Fantastic achievement.

We'll call those 'the wins'. I'll take the wins all day, however, this post is about the 'losses' we get as a team.

And we are a team - the student and teacher. When the class falls short the teacher feels responsible to some extent.

How we react to that loss is critical in our personal development.

One of my students put it this way......

"I was disappointed in myself at first. I had let down myself and my family. I didn't want mum and dad to have to get out of bed at 4.00am every morning to get me to work. I had to get my P's to take the pressure off them."

"After failing my P's first time around I hated the world ! Then I sat down and had a good hard think about it ! When I got my P's on my second attempt I promised myself that I would do everything in my power to hold onto them. No speeding, no mobile phones, no showing off.....nothing that would attract the attention of the Police. Why ? Because I know exactly what it feels like to lose my P's after failing the first time. I never want to feel that way again !"

A very mature attitude from a young adolescent mind.

I take my hat off to that young male. The exact age/gender group that are over represented in the unfortunate fatality rate on our local roads.

I have no doubt that the troops that are not successful in gaining that elusive 'red P plate' first time up somewhat protect their provisional licence a smidge more than the first timers - having felt the disappointment of "already losing their P's" and the opportunity to take the pressure off the family unit - sometimes residing in areas totally devoid of public transport options.

Take care out there and drive safe !

Adam