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Driving Without Full UK Licence - Provisional Only

Added 05/21/12
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Driving Without Full UK Licence - Provisional Only

[LESS INFO] 2 VIEWS | ADDED 16:09:56 05/21/12
There are many of you with only a provisional driving licence who are driving various cars unsupervised, many carrying children and babies, and despite the fact that you have a full comprehensive insurance policy are taking a very great risk which could prove very costly if you are unfortunate to be involved in a car accident. If you are confident and skilled enough to drive a car unsupervised, then the question is why don't you apply for and take the DSA practical assessment? You can not use the excuse that the examiner keeps failing me, as with all tests, if you do what is required at the correct standard, you will pass. It is important that as a driver, you obey the laws of the land such as driving with insurance. If you are a parent, then you should not be putting your children at risk by driving your car unsupervised if all you have is a provisional licence, because you are not insured even if you have a valid insurance policy with your name on it. While it might stop you from being pulled up by a police car with ANPR, if you are involved in an accident that is the time when you will find out that your insurance company will not honor any claims you might bring because you were not driving according to the terms of your insurance policy! Trust me, you do not want to find that out if an un-insured driver smashes into your £8000 new car. Not to think of you or your child being injured and you have no legal expenses cover to fight a compensation claim for injuries sustained! You might think you are a safe driver, and nothing will happen to you, but I am on the road everyday where I see so many 'safe' drivers involved in various incidents ranging from minor shunts to major collisions requiring police and ambulance attendance. You need to think about the consequeces of your actions, for many of you, it is not even the cost of taking the driving lessons that is stopping you, but you think it is not important enough for you to make the time, and are willing to risk having points on your licence if caught, but that could be the least of your worries if you hit someone, cause serious injuries or death and are faced with a civil court case suing for £1,000,000 and your insurance company backs out on you due to your negligence. If you take the time to learn what the examiners expect from you on the DSA car practical assessment, choose the right driving instructor to give you the training, and practise enough times, there is no reason why you can't pass at your next attempt, and then you can drive without having to look over your shoulder everytime you hear a siren or rest assured that you are insured no matter the incident your are involved in. If you take a driving lesson with me today, I can point out all the weak areas you need to work on and get you ready for your next test in the shortest amount of time. Why not call or send me a text message on 07956233032 , and see how I can get you legal and covered. Thinking about becoming an instructor? Don't just make a decision based on the red driving school TV advertisement, do the proper research and know all the ADI training options available to you. Subscribe to my Driving Test Tips so you don't miss any future articles and get DSA updates direct to your inbox by Email . The service is provided and powered by Google Feedburner, so I don't personally keep your email addresses, and you can remove yourself anytime after passing the driving test with just one mouse click, you can also follow UKADI on twitter or join my UKADI Facebook page. Please let me know your views by posting a comment on the blog at http://www.ukadi.co.uk

Learning to Drive Too Hard, Thinking Of Giving Up?

Added 05/18/12
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Learning to Drive Too Hard, Thinking Of Giving Up?

[LESS INFO] 1 VIEWS | ADDED 08:27:45 05/18/12
Are you one of those provisional licence holders who was very enthusiastic about learning to drive, and couldn't wait for your first driving lesson , but now after a few sessions you are finding out that it is not as easy as you thought or maybe you are even almost at test standard but are having major problems with a few things such as multi-lane roundabouts or a manuever, then I want to encourage you to keep on working at it and not give up on learning to drive . The same applies to those of you that might have failed the driving test more than 3 or 4 times, as it could be very discouraging, but I personally know someone (not one of my learners) who only passed after 11 attempts! This person is now a good safe and confident driver, who has put those failures behind, been able to get a decent job due to having a full driving licence and earns more than they could have dreamed of, but more importantly have learnt that life is full of obstacles, and only by not giving up do you have a chance of getting what you want in life. I know times are hard, and money is tight, which is why you need to make sure you have the right driving instructor while learning to drive, as you want the best training especially if you have weaknesses that you struggle with. It is not your fault if you find a particular driving skill difficult, your instructor should be able to break the process down so you can understand, while choosing a suitable location to practise so you can grasp the principles. Once you unserstand how to deal with the situation you then will have to practise this first without any pressure (quiet roads) and then gradually build up to more busy areas. At the same time the instructor will go from full talk through where they tell you every single instruction step by step, then reducing instructions by prompting via questions to make sure you have memorised/understood the process through to the stage whereby they withdraw all instructions (you are fully independent) and rarely have to prompt you. It is important that you remember that everyone learns at different paces, so just because a sibbling, friend the same age or other people you know passed after a specific number of driving lessons does not mean that the same has to apply to you. The other thing to remember is that even if you are very academic and have never failed an exam or test before , the DSA practical car driving test is not a written examination or one where you can skip questions or take long thinking about what needs to be done. There are situations where split second decisions need to be made, and nerves can play an important role in how you perform, so if you have not had enough practise or experience you could commit a serious driver error which could lead to failure! So as I said at the beginning on this article, you need to keep working hard, make any changes that are necessary for you to succeed, get as much knowledge of the UK road and traffic signs , by keeping a copy of the official highway code with you and read in between lessons so you can make those split second decisions more confidently. With hard work, and enough practise, there is no reason why you should give up on learning to drive or not achieve the dream of getting a full UK driving licence and buy that car you always wanted. Important Driving Test Advice Video Can Anyone Learn to Drive ? If you require high quality affordable driving lessons from a very helpful, patient and fully qualified instructor who will adapt the training to suit your individual needs and give you an honest opinion of what you need to do in order to pass the driving test, then why not call or send me a text message on 07956233032 Thinking about becoming an instructor? Don't just make a decision based on the red driving school advertisements or marketing information, do the proper research and know all the different ADI training including PAYG options available to you. Subscribe to my Driving Test Tips so you don't miss any future articles and get DSA updates direct to your inbox by Email . The service is provided and powered by Google Feedburner, so I don't personally keep your email addresses, and you can remove yourself anytime after passing the driving test with just one mouse click, you can also follow UKADI on twitter or join my UKADI Facebook page. Please let me know your views by posting a comment on the blog at http://www.ukadi.co.uk

TLDR: Humantenna, Video Cameras, News, and Dystopias

Added 05/16/12
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Trayvon Martin Gun Range Targets

Added 05/11/12
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Driving Test Arriving Late

Added 05/06/12
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Driving Test Arriving Late

[LESS INFO] 0 VIEWS | ADDED 15:58:35 05/06/12
According to a report in the DSA's online despatch magazine, driving examiners have seen an increase in the number of people arriving late for their practical car tests. This is surprising considering the current economic climate where a no show will at least cost a candidate a minimum of £120 (assuming they were using their own car, not taking lessons and excludes holiday or loss of pay due to time off work). If you arrive more than 5 minutes after your scheduled driving test appointment , it will not go ahead and you will lose your test booking fee , no matter what excuse you give, as the examiners have a very tight schedule and can not risk cancelling the next appointment. The best time to arrive is about 10-12 minutes before your driving test appointment, this should leave enough time for you to do the bay parking exercise while at the same time not being in the way of any examiners who might be finishing off a car test. You can then take a few minutes to relax and refocus for the next crucial 40 minutes once called by the DSA examiner. The most common reason a lot of people arrive late is not knowing how long it takes to get to the test centre because they are not local or take into account if there was an incident on the way. Another reason is arriving at the wrong test centre especially when there are 2 close to each other like is the case with Mill Hill and Hendon Test Centre . Driving Test Advice : Let me give you some good advice when it comes to booking a driving test centre. Do not choose a centre or time just because you can get an early appointment. You should take your test in one of the centres closest to where you normally take driving lessons, not only because you will have a local instructor familiar with the area and what the examiners expect, but it means when you are nearer test standard it will be must easier for your lessons to include test routes without you having to book a 3 hour lesson. I have heard of people in Hackney driving all the way to Mill Hill just because they want to avoid the long wait at Wood Green test centre. Not everyone is able to still learn and remember skills after a 3 hour lesson, and you must remember that to have a good chance of passing the driving test (by avoiding a major driver fault) you need to arrive at the test centre fresh and alert. Having to drive for 1.5 hours through busy traffic conditions is no good for you as a candidate especially if there is a chance of you arriving late if there is an incident on the way, and the instructor does not have the local knowledge to get round the back streets. It is not in your own interest to arrive for a test stressed, drained or exhausted so make sure you have planned your journey and know what it takes to arrive early at your chosen driving test centre. Do not forget both parts of your driving licence either! Independent Driving on the Test Video Advice If you require high quality affordable driving lessons from a very helpful, patient and fully qualified instructor, then why not call or send me a text message on 07956233032 Thinking about becoming an ADI? Read my article on why I advice Do Not Become a Driving Instructor . I you still do want to, then carry out a proper and thorough research and know all the ADI training options available to you. Subscribe to my Driving Test Tips so you don't miss any future articles and get DSA updates direct to your inbox by Email . The service is provided and powered by Google Feedburner, so I don't personally keep your email addresses, and you can remove yourself anytime after passing the driving test with just one mouse click, you can also follow UKADI on twitter or join my UKADI Facebook page. Please let me know your views by posting a comment on the blog at http://www.ukadi.co.uk

Driving Unsupervised

Added 04/26/12
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Driving Unsupervised

[LESS INFO] 2 VIEWS | ADDED 15:23:45 04/26/12
As an ADI instructor I have had many provisional licence holders come to me admiting that they have been driving a car on the road in the UK unsupervised, so it is nothing surprising to me, however yesterday I saw something that I never expected from a professional. I was in a supermarket car park practising the reverse bay parking exercise, when I noticed someone (who later turned out to be the driving instructor) get out of car of a well known national driving school and walk into the supermarket. Not too long after this, the car started to move (there was definately only one person in the car) and continued to carry out the bay parking exercise. Now I know that the supermarket car park is private land, and therefore not covered by the Road Traffic Act, but there are 2 potential issues. Insurance : If the learner driver unsupervised is involved in an accident with a 3rd party while the instructor is not present, the insurance would be void, and the driver could face damages running into thousands of pounds. Remember it is your responsibility as the driver of a vehicle (learner or not) to make sure you are insured and abide by the law. Are you actually learning? : If your driving instructor is allowing you to practise an exercise alone or leaving you to drive around town while he/she is on the phone or busy reading text messages, you as a learner might be thinking that it is because you have reached a good driving test standard and are trusted, but the truth is that they are not doing their job properly and you are being short changed. It only takes one driving error for you to fail a test, therefore everytime you are in the car, the instructor must be making sure that every move you make is according to the DSA standard and the only way this is possible is if they are paying attention to what you are doing. One common driver error a lot of my learners make (especially during independent driving) is not checking the left mirror when exiting a multi-lane roundabout after turning right, other faults include inadequate observtions during a manuever or looking but not seeing. If you are driving unsupervised how will you know you are making these mistakes? It is easy to pass the driving test if you have the right habits, but you can't be the judge of that for 2 reasons. First of all you might not be completely honest with yourself about your skills level, but secondly and more importantly you do not know what the examiner is looking for! I have no problem with a student demonstrating that they are now independent, but a driving instructor or whoever is supervising you needs to keep an eye on what you are doing, so going shopping while you do parallel parking exercises or arranging driving lessons with other clients on the mobile phone is not good for you and could be illegal and dangerous. Driving School Video - Meeting Traffic If you require high quality affordable driving lessons from a very helpful, patient and fully qualified instructor, then why not call or send me a text message on 07956233032 Thinking about becoming an instructor? Don't just make a decision based on the red driving school TV advertisement, do the proper research and know all the ADI training options available to you. Subscribe to my Driving Test Tips so you don't miss any future articles and get DSA updates direct to your inbox by Email . The service is provided and powered by Google Feedburner, so I don't personally keep your email addresses, and you can remove yourself anytime after passing the driving test with just one mouse click, you can also follow UKADI on twitter or join my UKADI Facebook page. Please let me know your views by posting a comment on the blog at http://www.ukadi.co.uk

Deal with Junctions Safely Not Quickly

Added 04/23/12
8 Views

Deal with Junctions Safely Not Quickly

[LESS INFO] 8 VIEWS | ADDED 17:32:27 04/23/12
Junctions are one of the most common and easiest places for a candidate to fail a driving test . The main reason for this is the myth that the driving examiner does not want you to hold up traffic and therefore you need to deal with the junction quickly and not to wait too long! This is not correct or true. When it comes to junctions, there are a few things that the examiner is looking for. Approach to a Junction : The DSA examiner expects and is looking for you to approach the junction safely. This means that the speed of your car as you get closer to the junction needs to be appropriate for your skills level and the prevailing conditions. Don't copy what other vehicles are doing, not only are they experienced, they are probably very familiar with the junction, but MOST IMPORTANTLY they are not on a test, and can get away with things that you will fail on if you do the same thing. So always approach the junction at a speed that allows you to use MSPSL routine properly, giving other roads user adequate warning of your intentions. Once at the Junction : This is the crucial bit, and where most learner drivers on a test go wrong. You MUST NOT enter a junction where you have to Give Way if your actions will cause other road users to either slow down/stop or change direction no matter HOW LONG you have been waiting. If it is busy, you need to wait until you have a safe gap (it takes a lot of practice to spot and make use of gaps in traffic), and the examiner can see what is going on, so do not be pressured by cars behind you. This is where your driving instructor needs to earn the money you are paying them by making sure you have the necessary skills and enough practise of dealing with these situations. The official DSA driving manual shown above gives you the exact procedure to follow on the test, so if in doubt of the information you have been given by anyone, always go by what it says in the book, as that is standard by which the examiner will mark. Move swift away from Junctions : Once you have spotted a gap, do not hang around, accelerate swift away, many learner drivers are too slow and the result is that other vehicles catch up with you despite the fact that there was a safe gap when the decision was made. If you require high quality affordable driving lessons from a very helpful, patient and fully qualified instructor, then why not call or send me a text message on 07956233032 Thinking about becoming an instructor? Don't just make a decision based on the red driving school TV advertisement, do the proper research and know all the ADI training options available to you. Subscribe to my Driving Test Tips so you don't miss any future articles and get DSA updates direct to your inbox by Email . The service is provided and powered by Google Feedburner, so I don't personally keep your email addresses, and you can remove yourself anytime after passing the driving test with just one mouse click, you can also follow UKADI on twitter or join my UKADI Facebook page. Please let me know your views by posting a comment on the blog at http://www.ukadi.co.uk

TLDR: Verizon, Keyboards, Video Games, and Geeky Babies

Added 04/21/12
319 Views

TLDR: Audacity, Blogging, FSX, and Weather

Added 04/20/12
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New God of War and Darksiders II Delayed - Press Pause Daily

Added 04/20/12
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New God of War and Darksiders II Delayed - Press Pause Daily

[LESS INFO] 0 VIEWS | ADDED 00:53:46 04/20/12
New God of War game revealed and Darksiders 2 gets delayed. SHOW NOTES: Story 1: There had been rumors and speculation that a new God of War was in the works, and now Sony has confirmed that Kratos will be making his way back to the PS3. The game is titled God of War: Ascension Although not confirmed yet, the game looks the be a prequel that takes place before Kratos became known as the Ghost of Sparta. Game is being directed by Todd Papy, who was previously design director on God of War 3 According to the Playstation Blog, Sony will host a live stream on Monday April 30, at 8am Pacific. Will show a “glimpse of what’s in store.” I know a lot of gamers are anxious for more adventures with Kratos. Although I wonder just how many gods there are left to kill. http://www.gamespot.com/news/sony-unveils-new-god-of-war-game-6372278 Story 2: According to a post over at the official Darksiders 2 web page, it was announced that the game would delayed from its original June release date to a new date in August. Despite recent layoffs at developer Vigil, they state that the delay has nothing to do with it. They state that the delay will be used to make the game better, and to give additional time for polish and bug fixes. They said that they game is a lot larger than the original one was, and they want to make sure that the game reaches the same standard of quality. Vigil has promised that anyone who has already pre-ordered the game will receive the Limited Edition version of the game. The first Darksiders game was surprisingly good, and if they need more time to make sure the game is good, then so be it. Better to have to wait for a good game, then to get a crappy one faster. http://www.gametrailers.com/side-mission/2012/04/18/darksiders-ii-delays-death-until-august/ That will do it for your daily dose of Press Pause. You can always find all our episodes over at presspause.mevio.com . You can also check them out over at our Youtube channel: youtube.com/presspausemevio .

Driving Test Tips 10 steps to pass

Added 03/21/12
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Driving Test Tips 10 steps to pass

[LESS INFO] 10 VIEWS | ADDED 12:49:27 03/21/12
Special Driving Lessons Offer! 2 hrs for £40 Limited Time Only (normally £25 per hr) Call 07956233032 today, quote UKADI2 *T%C apply, Driving Tests not included. As an experienced London driving instructor who has helped many learner drivers pass the driving test over the last 10 years, I would like to give you some free tips to pass your next car test. It is important that you realise that the DSA car test is tough, and it is not easy to pass as evidenced by the low national pass rate of about 40%. It only takes one mistake for a candidate to be failed by the DSA examiner if that driving error was deemed serious or dangerous, so these videos and the additional 10 Driving Test Advice Tips have been put together to help you pass the DSA practical car assessment on your next attempt. The information might be simple and obvious for some of you, but all the same bear them in mind and concentrate fully during the 40 minutes the examiner is assessing you so that your dream of driving a car unsupervised can be realised on your next attempt, as my experience from almost 10 years of helping various people pass the driving test has shown that many capable and well prepared provisional licence holders fail not because they are bad drivers, but made simple avoidable errors either due to lack of knowledge or not taking my advice seriously enough! Visit my special website for those of you who are taking your driving test in the Mill Hill centre NW7 London . Video 1 Multi-Lane Major Roundabouts Before I begin, may I remind you that this website of mine is full of invaluable advice based on almost 10 years of ADI experience, so if you are really serious about passing, I strongly suggest you bookmark this blog, subscribe and go over the many other free online articles and videos posted here, you can never be overprepared, and who knows which tip it might be that saves you from making a serious error. The DSA is making a major change to the theory test in January 2012 . Video 2 Independent Driving on the Test Practical Tips To Help You Pass Next Attempt. 1. Arrive at the DSA driving test centre on time. Know your centre location (make sure you have the right details as many candidates have turned up at the wrong address), how to get there, and if possible visit a day earlier to know if there are any road works or local restrictions in place (important if you are not using an approved driving instructor ADI ). Arriving for your appointment early will allow you to be more at ease. If you don't follow this tip and arrive more than 5 mins late for your driving test appointment, the DSA examiner will not take you out, you will lose your booking fee and not be able to get another appointment for at least another 10 days. 2. Master the UK highway code!. This is probably one of the most ignored advice tips that I constantly give to all my learner driver clients. It is one of the simplest, cheapest and easiest ways of making sure you are fully prepared (apart from practicing driving a car according to DSA standard) for the test. The small highway code booklet should be your closest companion once you have a driving test booked, take it everywhere you go, reading it in your free time, as it will help with understanding road signs and markings, lane disicpline, how to deal with different types of junctions, other road users like pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists and generally solidify your knowledge of how to drive in the UK. Many times test candidates are not sure of how to deal with a particular situation, with different views being given even by qualified instructors! If you have read through the highway code a couple of times, you will always know the correct procedure, as DSA examiners will follow the highway code as this is the accepted standard. Just because you have passed the theory test doesn't mean you know everything or will remember it if you do not revise. It does not matter if people around you know that you are preparing for a driving test, what is more important is that you are not one of the drivers that the examiners tell "sorry you have not passed on this occasion, would you like me to tell you why?". Go and find your highway code booklet NOW and start reading it, what have you to lose? You do have a lot to gain from it! 3. Get a good night's rest before the day of your driving assessment a tip easily overlooked. 4. A test tip to help anxious candidates is that Rescue remedy or Kalms might help with your driving test nerves (seek professional advice before using medication if you are driving), and remember being a little nervous is okay as it gets your adrenalin flowing, which helps you to perform in high pressure situations. 5. Use the toilet before you depart to the driving test centre (not all have facilties for learner drivers, DSA Barnet is an example), as you don't want to be caught short just before meeting the dsa examiner. A driving test tip I regulary give to my learner drivers. 6. During the 40 minute drive, deal with the present, don't try and predict the dsa examiner route, what set exercises you are going to get, which direction you are going to be told to go. You will pass the driving test if you successfully and safely carry out each step at a time. 7. Another driving tip is to make progress if it is safe to do so, but obey all road signs and markings, slow doesn't always mean you are being safe, and you could fail the test for driving too slow ! 8. Make sure you understand any instructions you are given, if in doubt, ask for the driving examiner to repeat it. 9. Don't panic if you make a mistake, correct it and move on, dwelling on a driving error could cause a snow ball of errors, and the first one might not have failed you! 10. Make sure you are prepared before presenting yourself for the DSA driving test, you have a better chance of passing if you've taken professional training, know what the dsa examiner is looking for and had enough practice during your driving lessons . I've left this driving test tip till last, but it is the most important advice that you will get. Bonus Tip: Watch the video below: If you require high quality practical driving lessons to help pass the DSA test in Mill Hill, Hendon or Borehamwood centres from a knowledgeable instructor who is patient and tailors tuition to an individual's abilities, then give me a call on 07956233032 Special Driving Lessons Offer! 2 hrs for £44 Limited Time Only Call 07956233032 today, quote UKADI2 *T%C apply, Driving Tests not included. Mill Hill Driving Test Help If you are taking your driving test at Mill Hill test centre, you might be interested in the video below, especially if you are not local to the area, as it covers the hardest route in use by the DSA examiners where you have to deal with the dreaded Apex Corner multi-lane roundabout during independent driving as well as the 70mph A1, turning right at sterling corner as well as some other tricky locations. The video has full commentary to point out the failing areas. Download Video for £3.99 Follow UKADI on twitter for more tips and help to pass the sriving test. Additional driving test tips Driving Test Major and Minor Faults . Most Common Failing Faults on the Car Test Provisional licence cant drive a car ! Driving Test Car Hire . Want some cheap driving lessons . Test Coming Up? Find the Biting Point . Don't talk to examiner on the driving test ! The DSA driving test moving off and Stopping How many driving lessons do I need before I book the driving test ? Taking the driving test in a private car . DSA use of car horn on the test. Top ten dsa driving test errors . Nerves during practical car test 5 facts about the test you might not know. The Red Driving School training scam or con. Drive down petrol prices . Please let me know your views by posting a comment on the blog at http://www.ukadi.co.uk

5 Video Marketing Lessons [Creator's Tip #28]

Added 02/29/12
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Driving Lesson Briefings

Added 02/22/12
27 Views

Driving Lesson Briefings

[LESS INFO] 27 VIEWS | ADDED 10:11:28 02/22/12
When a DSA qualified driving instructor wants to introduce a new subject to a learner driver , they would normal use a driving lesson briefing which might include diagrams to illustrate and clarify the new skill being taught. The purpose of driving lesson briefings is to draw on any previous knowledge and experience when introducing the new subject, so an experienced instructor should tailor the briefing to suit the individual and not always follow a set procedure. For example when starting the parallel parking exercise , the ADI might ask the learner what clutch control is and how does one use it to keep a vehicle slow during a manuever. One student might be able explain it properly, and say he/she has no issues with this skill, while another might never have heard of it! The use of diagrams on lesson briefings can help some learner drivers more easily remember concepts of a particular subject, while for some it can help stopping boredom though no lesson briefing should be more than 10 minutes. I know in the real world some ADIs do not use lesson briefings when introducing a new subject, but they are a very useful tool and resource that any DSA fully qualified instructor should be using. illegal driving instructor video Thinking about becoming an instructor? Don't just make a decision based on the red driving school TV advertisement, do the proper research and know all the ADI training options available to you. Subscribe to my Driving Test Tips so you don't miss any future articles and get DSA updates direct to your inbox by Email . The service is provided and powered by Google Feedburner, so I don't personally keep your email addresses, and you can remove yourself anytime after passing the driving test with just one mouse click, you can also follow UKADI on twitter or join my UKADI Facebook page. More ADI advice Passing ADI check test information . Red Driving School Scam or Not ? My PDI part 1 and 2 experience . CRB Checks for Driving Instructors . BSM on TV Watchdog . Booking driving test without ADI number . Please let me know your views by posting a comment on the blog at http://www.ukadi.co.uk