Lynnx School of Motoring

About: Your Instructor

Malcolm - next to the Corsa - sitting on his Harley!

My name is Malcolm Evans, I will be your Instructor; I am a fully qualified DSA approved Instructor (ADI) and have been qualified for 4 years - prior to this, I was a part-time motorcycle Instructor for around 15 years. I am 44 years old, ride a Triumph Rocket III motorcycle and I also work as a part-time mobile DJ, for anyone interested - not the typical elderly grey-haired instructor that people expect!

You will always be 1 to 1 with me, there are no shared lessons... I am patient, friendly, reliable, and encouraging, with up-to-date knowledge of all relevant motoring, safety and driving test issues. I will NEVER shout at you, no matter what you get wrong - you are paying for a lesson, and on a lesson you should be learning constructively as you go along, not simply being criticised for your shortcomings.

I also hold an Enhanced CRB certificate as part of DSA requirements, which shows that I have no criminal convictions of any kind.

About: Your Pickup & Lesson Duration

I am now based in Peterborough, but cover Peterborough, Cambridge and the surrounding area, presenting for tests at Peterborough and both Cambridge test centres.

You will be picked up and dropped off at home, work or college as you prefer, at a time to suit you. However, if you are coming from outside of the city for any distance, it is better value for money if I pick you up from the Bus or Rail station or one of the 5 Park & Ride sites - this will be cheaper for you than spending an hour of your lesson travelling to and from the test areas once we approach test day.

I don't smoke, so your lesson will never be interrupted for a 'fag break' - however if YOU need one then we can stop for a few minutes when appropriate (as it is illegal to smoke in the car, even when stationary!). With Lynnx, if you are paying for a 2 hour lesson, you will get the full 2 hours of tuition - not trips to the shops, stops for fag breaks, toilet breaks or other personal stops. If a lesson starts late or is terminated early, the lost time will be made up on other lessons wherever possible and practical, or a lower fee charged for lost time if it cannot be made up.

Usually, the lesson will be at least 2 hours - very little can be achieved in a 1-hour lesson. It is better to take one 2 hour lesson in a week than 2 one hour lessons. On Intensive courses, the lessons will typically be 3 or 4 hours - but I will stage the lessons over two weeks, as pupils taking tests on a Friday afternoon after a week-long intensive course rarely pass, as they are so tired! No lesson will be longer than 4 hours, or your 'attention span' - whichever is the shorter.

On longer lessons (i.e. 3-4 hour lessons on an intensive course) there will be a break around half way through, as no driver should drive for more than 2 hours without stopping - especially a novice driver. However we do take books or learning aids along with us during the break, you are not paying to watch me read the paper in the coffee shop! (And I buy the drinks...)

And finally - while on lesson I do not answer my mobile phone (unless the car is stationary and the call is important!) - if you get the answerphone during the daytime, please do leave a message and I will return calls in between lessons as soon as I can.

Please feel free to e-mail with any questions.

About: Your Car

Your car will be a 2011 Ford Fiesta; after 5 years of running the Vauxhall Corsa, I changed to the new Ford Fiesta TDCi from June 2009. Having test-driven the new Fiesta I feel it offers more to learners than the Corsa, hence my decision to change ~ most driving schools in Cambridge have followed my lead on this!

This is a very easy car to drive for the learner driver, with intelligent power steering to help you with those manouvres. The Fiesta also boasts intelligent ABS, airbags all around for both driver and instructor, air conditioning, heated front window, electric windows, colour matched rear spoiler and door mirrors, and is fitted with dual controls for your - and my! - safety.

For your comfort - the seat is adjustable in all directions - up and down, forwards and back - to enable 4'10" drivers just as much control and comfort on lesson as you guys who are 6'7" tall. And then --- the steering wheel also adjusts both up/down and forwards/back (reach adjustable) so nobody has to 'stretch' to reach it.

The engine is Ford's TDCi - a 1.4 litre turbo diesel, giving excellent driveability, fuel economy and low emissions around town, with the turbocharger and common rail fuel injection giving it the ability to pick up speed rapidly for A14 and Pass Plus work. In addition - a fullsized spare wheel is carried, as the DSA Examiners will not go out on test on a 'space saver' spare tyre; this ensures that you won't lose your test slot due to a flat or damaged tyre on the day.

About: Your Tests

To gain a full UK car licence, you will need to pass two tests - Theory and Practical (driving); CB primarily instructs for the Practical test, however coaching and mock testing for the Theory Test can also be done where required, using the latest commercial software and laptop, either on lesson -or at your home at no charge, if you prefer.

During lessons taken before Theory Test passing, I will put in questions and answers relevant to the Theory Test as we are driving around, in order for you to gain a better understanding of the answer - and to gain that first time pass! As part of Instructor qualification and Continuous Professional Development, I have had to pass both Theory and Hazard Perception tests to a very high standard, giving me an excellent knowledge of both the information and the skills required for a Learner to pass.

But before you can apply for the tests and start driving, you will need a Provisional Driving Licence. You can apply online, get a provisional driving licence application form from your local post office or by contacting the DVLA direct on 0870 240 0009. You can apply for your provisional car driving licence up to three months before your 17th birthday - and book your Theory Test for the day of your 17th birthday if you wish!

Please click --> HERE for online licence application

The Theory test takes 2 parts - Theory, and Hazard Perception. You will be asked 50 questions to be answered by touch screen, and will have to identify various hazards seen in a series of 14 video clips by clicking at appropriate times.

You will need to get 43 out of 50 questions right on the Theory part, and 44 marks out of a possible 75 to pass the Hazard Perception part. You need to gain pass marks in both sections to pass - you will have to take both parts again if you fail, even if you only failed on one section. You cannot book a Practical Driving Test unless you have passed the Theory test.

Please click --> HERE for full details of the Theory test (Theorytestadvice.co.uk)

The practical driving test will be taken at one of the two Cambridge test centres, using the Lynnx Fiesta - or your own car if you prefer. The DSA do not supply the car for your test, only the examiner! You will be picked up around a hour before the test time for a 'warm-up' lesson prior to the test, the test itself will take around 35-40 minutes in total, and then you will be dropped off at your preferred point after the test.

To pass, you must drive the whole of the test route, and return to the Test Centre with 15 or fewer minor ('Driving') faults and no 'Serious' or 'Dangerous' faults. The test is negatively marked, i.e. the examiner marks the things you do wrong, not what you do right - remember, everyone starts the test with a pass.

Please click --> HERE for a mini site with full details of the Practical Driving Test (DSA website).

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