Green Room #45 - Grumpy Old Men
Get ready for a lively discussion as Terry Cook and Chris Bensted dive into the pet peeves that really get under their skin in the driving instructor world.
From the annoyance of trainers boasting about their students' successes before the students even get a chance to celebrate, to the cringe-worthy spelling mistakes that can undermine professionalism, this episode covers it all.
They explore the importance of respecting each other's journeys, whether it's waving at fellow instructors on the road or handling questions from learners on social media with kindness rather than sarcasm. Humorously dissecting the quirks of their profession, Terry and Chris highlight the need for camaraderie in an often solitary job, emphasizing that a little acknowledgment goes a long way. Tune in for insights that blend personal anecdotes with industry observations, all delivered with their signature playful banter.
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Terry Cook and Chris Bensted delve into the intricacies of the driving instructor industry, discussing the latest trends, news, and their own personal experiences. Highlighting the importance of camaraderie among instructors, they address the phenomenon of instructors waving at each other as they pass on the roads. While Chris emphasizes the value of acknowledging fellow instructors, Terry counters that sometimes the social battery runs low, making waving feel like an unnecessary obligation. Their banter underscores a larger theme: the balance between professional interaction and personal boundaries in the world of driving instruction.
In the latter half, the conversation shifts to the significance of awards within the driving instructor community. They debate the merits of various categories like 'Driving Instructor of the Year' and 'Content Creator of the Year,' exploring whether these accolades truly reflect the value and quality of the instructors' contributions or are merely popularity contests. With insights into how nominations and votes can be swayed by social dynamics, they encourage instructors to celebrate each other’s achievements, fostering a positive environment in an often competitive field. As they wrap up, Terry and Chris examine the importance of maintaining professionalism and respect, urging instructors to uplift each other rather than tear each other down in online spaces.
Takeaways:
- Instructors expressing their successes online should respect the achievements of their trainees first.
- Waving at fellow instructors on the road fosters community, though not everyone will reciprocate.
- It's crucial for instructors to support one another rather than criticise questions posed by learners.
- The importance of recognizing road safety and the efforts behind recent campaigns is essential.
- Awards in the driving instructor community can encourage a positive atmosphere and recognition of hard work.
Transcript
The instructor podcast with Terry Cook talking with leaders, innovators, experts and game changers.
Chris Benstead:About what drives them.
Chris Benstead:Welcome to the Green Room.
Chris Benstead:This is a show we cover all the latest news and hot topics from within our little driving instructor world.
Chris Benstead:As always, I am your mediocre horse, Terry Cook.
Chris Benstead:But I'm delighted to be here.
Chris Benstead:But you'll be delighted that it's not just me because I am joined by stone cold Chris Benstead.
Chris Benstead:And how we doing, Chris?
Terry Cook:I'm good, thank you.
Terry Cook:Yes.
Terry Cook:The world.
Terry Cook:The world is a good place.
Terry Cook:I'm happy.
Chris Benstead:Oh, why is the world a good place?
Chris Benstead:I like this start.
Terry Cook:I'm feeling really in the right space at the moment.
Terry Cook:I've reached some personal goals and yeah, no, I'm quite enjoying what I'm doing.
Terry Cook:I'm still loving theory.
Terry Cook:I thought it would have worn off by now.
Chris Benstead:I feel like you may have taken my space then.
Chris Benstead:So I'm not in that space.
Chris Benstead:Give me some space back.
Chris Benstead:But no.
Chris Benstead:Thank you for joining me today.
Chris Benstead:As always, on this dish of the Green Room, we're going to be covering news and topics.
Chris Benstead:In particular today, we're going to be looking at some of our pet peeves.
Chris Benstead:The things that maybe aren't that serious, but potentially I'm a broader side as we go along, but the things that bother us and potentially bother other instructors as well.
Chris Benstead:Now we are going to start off with some new stuff because the biggest news as, as I see it at least is you may have noticed we're not live on YouTube at the minute.
Chris Benstead:That was what we planned last month.
Chris Benstead:I say we.
Chris Benstead:It's what I planned and threw on you when you weren't.
Chris Benstead:Yeah, right.
Chris Benstead:And then I said, no, we're not anyone.
Chris Benstead:Yeah, all right.
Chris Benstead:My brain, I don't think, cannot cope with more work and more stress and pressure and all at the minute.
Chris Benstead: ng a pin in that, maybe until: Chris Benstead:How do you feel about us not being on YouTube, Chris?
Terry Cook:It doesn't feel any different to when we were previously not on YouTube.
Terry Cook:But I don't.
Terry Cook:I was looking forward to seeing what happened.
Terry Cook:I like different and, you know, kind of a suck it and see.
Terry Cook:Let's find out what happens because you don't know till you try.
Terry Cook:So.
Terry Cook:Yeah, but it's fine.
Terry Cook:Yeah.
Terry Cook:I just think.
Terry Cook:I think everyone should.
Terry Cook:Should give Terry a big hug and then he'll feel better.
Chris Benstead:Welcome to the Green room.
Chris Benstead:Not on YouTube.
Chris Benstead:Number 45 round.
Chris Benstead:Say number 45.
Chris Benstead:We'll be racking up those numbers.
Chris Benstead:50 next year.
Chris Benstead:That'll be a big milestone.
Chris Benstead:We'll do it live somewhere.
Chris Benstead:So we are recording this a few days after Road Safety Week and I really enjoyed Road Safety Week this year.
Chris Benstead:I did loads of stuff.
Chris Benstead:So before I tell you my stuff, what did you get up to for Road Safety Week, Chris?
Terry Cook:Well, I have the pleasure of speaking to lots of theory pupils every week from lots of instructors.
Terry Cook:So I was asking them all what they knew about Road Safety Week.
Terry Cook:They didn't.
Terry Cook:They weren't aware it was on.
Terry Cook:And so I was doing a bit of education and I discovered a really cool thing which was my big offering, which was the campaign from National Highways.
Terry Cook:I still want to call them Highways England, National Highways.
Terry Cook:About the blind spots on lorries.
Terry Cook:Have you seen the advert?
Chris Benstead:I haven't.
Terry Cook:There's a guy who's got his little girl in the back of the car.
Terry Cook:He's driving along and he goes into the red zone and everything goes red.
Chris Benstead:And.
Terry Cook:Yeah, and the website, if you haven't seen.
Terry Cook:If you've seen the advert, haven't checked out the website, it's really cool.
Terry Cook:You move your mouse around and it reveals the blind spots and stuff and it links in with some work that I did with TRL for.
Terry Cook:There's a.
Terry Cook:If you search for HGV Blind Spots, TRL Transport Research Laboratory on Google, you'll find it.
Terry Cook:There's an app that you can use which you hold your phone up and does the whole where are the blind spots?
Terry Cook:Thing.
Terry Cook:But there's also a nice little PDF that you can use for your pupils.
Terry Cook:I'll send you the link.
Terry Cook:I'm sure you can do something fancy with it in the notes.
Chris Benstead:Yes, I'm not aware of that, so I look forward to checking that out.
Chris Benstead:The video I'm aware of at the minute is the one with Ice Cream Van that is showing you how you handle pedestrians and cyclists on the road and who has priority.
Chris Benstead:And for anyone that doesn't know, pay particular attention to who is Ice Cream Man.
Chris Benstead:Hint it's not me.
Chris Benstead:Just before anyone gets any ideas, I'm not that privileged, but, yeah, I enjoyed Road Safety Week this week.
Chris Benstead:I had a similar thing to you in that I did a lot with my students.
Chris Benstead:I asked them all.
Chris Benstead:Probably not a great question, but it led to some interesting conversations which was, what are you going to do to make sure you're not one of these statistics once you've.
Chris Benstead:You've passed and I got some, you could tell who bought into what we were talking about and who didn't.
Chris Benstead:And not everyone did you know I'm not perfect, I can't swing everyone around.
Chris Benstead:But in some interesting conversations and some interesting follow up messages, I also recorded miniseries for the Driving Test podcast, one of the podcasts I do for learners, which was one episode every day across the seven days of Road Safety week.
Chris Benstead:And each episode was talking about how the driving test doesn't prepare you for safe driving for life.
Chris Benstead:And we covered things like motorways, driving in the dark, distractions, that kind of stuff.
Chris Benstead:And as I'm saying this, I realize now why the chat from the DVSA hasn't replied to my last email.
Chris Benstead:So, yeah, maybe I should have considered that slightly differently, but either way, really enjoy doing that.
Chris Benstead:And I got some really good numbers on that and some, some good feedback as well.
Chris Benstead:So that was all good.
Chris Benstead: can driving instructors raise: Chris Benstead: ause just for anyone unaware,: Chris Benstead:So we set that target and the answer is yes, we can, because we raised over £1,700.
Chris Benstead:And there's still some more to go in because I've got to collect some, some pennies off my students who were joined in the raffle and stuff like that.
Terry Cook:So the answer was no because it was too much.
Chris Benstead:Don't spoil it.
Chris Benstead:Like, this is the literally one good thing I've got going at the minute.
Chris Benstead:Don't take it away from me.
Terry Cook:Congratulations.
Terry Cook:Well, sorry, that's what I meant to say.
Chris Benstead:Thanks for that.
Chris Benstead:But yeah, no, I did just want to say, genuinely, I was really tough to achieve that and just wanted to say thank you to everyone that's donated or supported or shared or encouraged because at time of recording, we've actually raised more than anyone else for Break this year, which is on one hand really good, but also slightly surprising.
Chris Benstead:I would have assumed there'd be some bigger numbers than that, but maybe that just shows how overly optimistic I can be at times.
Chris Benstead:But yeah, really tough to have done that because, look, anyone that's raised money for charity will know that it can be quite disheartening at times.
Chris Benstead:You know, you put stuff out there, thousands of people see it or hear it and you won't get anywhere near that back.
Chris Benstead:So even if you couldn't donate, but you have sent me a message or commented or just shared it to try and get someone else done it, genuinely appreciate that and I know breaker grateful as well.
Chris Benstead:So, you know, well done to everyone that chipped in there.
Chris Benstead:I'm really pleased that we managed to hit that goal.
Chris Benstead:I don't quite know if I've got the gumptions to it again for Road Pieces event in May, but we'll see, we'll see.
Chris Benstead:Any final comments on sort of road safety or anything there, Chris, before we move on?
Terry Cook:No.
Chris Benstead:Excellent.
Chris Benstead:Let's move on then.
Chris Benstead:Because I also wanted to talk about one thing that perked my attention this month, which was Louise Hay, who is the.
Chris Benstead:Oh, God, I've got this written down.
Chris Benstead:A Secretary of State for Transport, she was in the Parliamentary Select Committee, I believe it was, and she was talking about road safety and road death, essentially.
Chris Benstead:One of the quotes you said was if road death numbers were any other death, it'd be treated as a pandemic.
Chris Benstead:And the reason why I think this is newsworthy is because politicians in particular, ones of high ranking positions don't tend to say that.
Chris Benstead:I cannot recall any high ranking politician, as in one in a position, if you like, saying that for.
Chris Benstead:Well, I can't recall one saying it essentially.
Chris Benstead:So I think the two things that are prominent there is one, that the whole thing she said clearly shows she cares, is not a flippant remark because that's a direct, aggressive type of quote that the road safety people talk about that politicians don't usually.
Chris Benstead:But the other thing I liked was the fact that she used the term road death and not accident.
Chris Benstead:And for too long it's been slipped in that way, you know, accident.
Chris Benstead:And for anyone wondering why that's not why that matters, if you like, it's, it's not an accident until it's proven to be an accident.
Chris Benstead:It's definitely a collision, it's definitely someone dying on the road.
Chris Benstead:So we call it for what it is.
Chris Benstead:If at some point it's improved to be an accident, we can refer to it that way, but it's 100% a collision or a death or road harm.
Chris Benstead:So we call it that way.
Chris Benstead:And it's also paying a little bit of respect to the person that's been harmed or killed on their families.
Chris Benstead:So.
Chris Benstead:So, yeah, I was just really pleased to see the Secretary for Transport saying this.
Chris Benstead:What are your thoughts on this, Chris?
Terry Cook:Absolutely.
Terry Cook:I've been doing this too long to think that words mean change, but you're right, I haven't heard people really make those statements.
Terry Cook:It's always, you know, we need to do as much as we can, you know, that doesn't mean anything.
Terry Cook:Making that say it's Something we've, we've often said is, is that, you know, it's the biggest threat to under 30s is road death.
Terry Cook:It fights it out with suicide.
Terry Cook:Sadly on the statistics, and I would say over the last decade, maybe even 20 years, suicide's been up there at times and been spoken about more and has been less taboo.
Terry Cook:Road safety still hasn't really had the recognition of the risk that because it's around us all the time and if we make it scary, we're causing ourselves a bit of a problem.
Terry Cook:So, yeah, as always, new minister, we want to hear what she's got to say.
Terry Cook:From what I've seen, she's kind of doing the schools and all of those things.
Terry Cook:There's a few conferences around.
Terry Cook:I'm sure we'll make space for her if she is available.
Terry Cook:Instructors would like to hear and, you know, if you don't want to go to something in person, maybe fit in a podcast.
Chris Benstead:It's been suggested.
Chris Benstead:It hasn't been responded to, but I.
Chris Benstead:She's northern, right?
Chris Benstead:And a proper northerner as well, so I can see some ass kicking coming.
Chris Benstead:Maybe that's just my Norman bias coming out, I don't know.
Terry Cook:But I'm available to translate should the rest of the country need it, so that's fine.
Chris Benstead:Oh, do I need to go proper Yorkshire again?
Chris Benstead:But one thing I hadn't put down in my notes actually, but as you were talking then, it reminded me that Sharon Huddleston, and I hope I don't get these names wrong, it was Shannon Hordelson, someone else, that met with the roads Minister, which is Lillian Greenwood, to present the proposals for graduated driving licenses.
Chris Benstead:There were two other people there and I can't remember who, so please forgive me, but Shannon Hudderson, for those that may not be aware, appeared on season seven of the instructor podcast talking about her daughter Caitlin, who died in a crash and her push for graduated driving licenses.
Chris Benstead:And it didn't feel like a publicity stunt.
Chris Benstead:The.
Chris Benstead:The government and Lillian Greenwood didn't promote it so much.
Chris Benstead:It was Sharon.
Chris Benstead:And I cannot remember who I was.
Chris Benstead:I can't remember if it was break or road piece, but it was those that promoted it as well or more so.
Chris Benstead:And like you said, I'm with you.
Chris Benstead:Words don't matter as much as actions.
Chris Benstead:You know, actions do speak louder than words, but it feels like a start.
Chris Benstead:It feels like more than I've seen in the last seven years I've been an instructor.
Chris Benstead:So, you know, that's better than nothing and you know, it's get well here's what it is.
Chris Benstead:It's getting the ball rolling and if that ball doesn't start rolling, it's never going to get anywhere.
Terry Cook:Yeah, absolutely.
Terry Cook:I just think that it's so often deceptive and we.
Terry Cook:Then we don't push or.
Terry Cook:Yeah, people stop pushing.
Terry Cook:In the same way we, we need to make sure that if we see an opportunity that we still flag it up, that we still make the effort, you know, and at the moment, the worst thing is everybody's so busy, you know, the pressures that are still there on, on the thing that we don't want to mention because everyone talks about it too much, but the, the, the minor delays being faced by the DBSA that, you know, all of that's going on so much that it's easy to drop the other stuff.
Terry Cook:But, you know, when these opportunities come up.
Terry Cook:Yeah, let's shout about it.
Terry Cook:So let's look for opportunities to support what other people are doing and to make sure that it's being spoken about as, as, you know, hopefully this mentioning it here does.
Chris Benstead:And not treating the MPs like they're a puppy is always a good thing.
Chris Benstead:You know, when they do somewhat well, then we praise them and sing their praises and then hopefully they're more likely to do the thing well again.
Chris Benstead:So, you know, treat mps like puppies.
Chris Benstead:That's what the P stands for.
Chris Benstead:Now that's what we go in with.
Chris Benstead:But before I got myself into any further trouble, let's take a moment, set the table.
Chris Benstead:Chris, do you want to tell everybody who you are and what you have to offer?
Terry Cook:It's no wonder that you can't get a transport minister on the show, to be honest.
Terry Cook:But anyway, who am I?
Terry Cook:It's a good question.
Chris Benstead:Your puppies lights are come on.
Terry Cook:Sure to follow that?
Terry Cook:I don't know.
Terry Cook:I am Chris Benstead.
Terry Cook:I am the co founder of the ditc, the Driving Instructor and Trainers Collective, signposting platform for driving instructors, who seems to be spending his time at the moment answering the phone about people who've got six points on their license and are being at risk of coming off the register seems to be a growing number.
Terry Cook:Don't do it.
Terry Cook:Don't touch your phone.
Terry Cook:And I'm also a theory trainer telling and pupils about why they shouldn't touch their phones because it's on the theory test.
Terry Cook:So that is how I spend my week.
Chris Benstead:I had a great one of those today when we pulled up outside the road and the lad literally just grabbed his phone out thinking, let me show you this.
Chris Benstead:Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Chris Benstead:You've literally just broken the law.
Chris Benstead:And he's looking at.
Chris Benstead:I'm like no, no, you have.
Chris Benstead:And we ran through the whole thing and I don't think the engine was even so it was the start stop technology.
Chris Benstead:So it cut out but it was still technically on which still counts.
Chris Benstead:And yeah, it, it was an interesting conversation and it's like we spoke about last month actually.
Chris Benstead:It's how do you choose Rich Lotter Brick?
Chris Benstead:Whether we agree with the law or not is almost irrelevant.
Chris Benstead:It's.
Chris Benstead:That's the law, you know.
Chris Benstead:So it was an interesting conversation but.
Chris Benstead:But yes, you are listening to the instructor podcast Green Room Edition and if you are enjoying these shows then you can always get a bit more head to the instructorpodcast.com where combined links over there on how to find out more about our membership including a three weeks trial or if you would like to go and watch his live or tech tech part in some expert sessions delivered by people such as the good man himself, Chris Benstead.
Chris Benstead:Stone Cold Responsed if you will.
Chris Benstead:Delivering one on roundabouts I think was still one of my favorite we've had either way.
Chris Benstead:Yes, go to www.the instructorpodcast.com or you can find the link in the show notes.
Chris Benstead:If you have any trouble finding this podcast, which you shouldn't do because you're listening, the website is the best place to start.
Chris Benstead:But let's move on because there's a little bit non news that I want to talk about and firstly, I want to give a shout out to Emma Cottington's new CPD book.
Chris Benstead:I'm calling it A CPD book is not doing it justice because I was privileged to have a look at an early version of this to give a little bit of feedback and it's a corker, genuinely.
Chris Benstead:I think it should be on I'm gonna say every instructor's Christmas list.
Chris Benstead:But let's face it, we don't do cpd.
Chris Benstead:There's no point putting any Christmas list, but it should be on every instructor's Christmas list because it's a brilliant way to not only track your CPD but to implement things from that cpd throughout a 52 week period.
Chris Benstead:So yes, go and check it out.
Chris Benstead:I'll find the link to put in the show notes for you so you can get it straight away.
Chris Benstead:I think there's a discount on like the first 20 or 30 people that buy it.
Chris Benstead:I don't know if that's gone.
Chris Benstead:It may have disappeared by the time this goes out.
Chris Benstead:But go and check out and go and buy it.
Chris Benstead:I'm a big fan.
Chris Benstead:One of the things I do personally on the instructor podcast premium is when I put Shawzat over there as I include some PDFs which have these CPD things on them.
Chris Benstead:I will keep doing that, but I will also be encouraging people to go and take this book because that puts it in a more structured manner.
Chris Benstead:But yes, go do it.
Chris Benstead:I'm assuming, Chris, you haven't had a chance to look through this.
Terry Cook:I haven't, no.
Terry Cook:But I know Emma and it's going to be awesome.
Chris Benstead:Very much so.
Chris Benstead:I'm a big fan.
Chris Benstead:But enough.
Chris Benstead:Plug in Emma's book.
Chris Benstead:Send more time plugging his own stuff.
Chris Benstead:Not us.
Chris Benstead:I want to move on because we are in award season as well.
Chris Benstead:Intelligent Instructor have recently released their categories for the awards and I thought it might be interesting if we shared a couple of those categories and spoke about potential people that we may vote for or for some ideas out there.
Chris Benstead:So are there any of these that stand out to you, Chris, or do you want me to start chucking a couple out?
Terry Cook:No, you go for it.
Terry Cook:Go for it.
Terry Cook:Which ones stand out to you?
Chris Benstead:I do.
Chris Benstead:You know, the first one that stands out right, is Training Provider of the Year.
Chris Benstead:Because I have had a many a conversation with this, with people behind the scenes around this, because it's not Red Driving School or the AA or Bill Plant or BSM or anyone like that.
Chris Benstead:They just have more instructors.
Chris Benstead:That's it.
Chris Benstead:And, and I'm not mean to be critical of those guys, you know, they should win National Driving School of the Year or whatever, and I'm sure they do good training in the bulk or whatever, but to me, that's not a fair vote.
Chris Benstead:I know it's a public vote, I know it's open to a vote, but if you've got 10,000 instructors on your book and then, Chris, you're providing training and you work with seven instructors that year, well, that doesn't make them a better trainer.
Chris Benstead:It makes them have more instructors because of what they do.
Chris Benstead:So in terms of Training Provider of the Year, have you got any thoughts on that or have you got any suggestions who you might put forward?
Terry Cook:You know, slightly cynical possibly, but the fact that they get awarded these things gets them more trainees and them getting trainees, whichever one of the big schools it is at the moment seems to keep us all in business when we're independent because we're picking up all the pieces.
Terry Cook:I won't name specific names, but there's a couple at the moment that are constantly getting PDIs, getting in touch who are saying we haven't been given what we need, that we're being taught to pass the test, but we haven't been given the full picture, you know, and I think most independent trainers will agree, but as you said, I will be amazed if a, you know, for that training provider award goes to someone who is, is not a national trainer.
Terry Cook:And you know, I say that as someone who's arguably a national trainer.
Terry Cook:I work nationally, but it's, as you said, it's density of the people you can get voting for you, who will vote for the one that they've picked because they want to be on the winning team.
Chris Benstead:I think what I would say, I'm not going to say who I'm going to vote for because I don't know yet if I'm being honest.
Chris Benstead:But there are people out there like, like yourself, Chris and like Tom Stenson and bright coaching and no wish, the trainer and inspire and Bob, obviously, everyone loves Bob and clients that are learning and Lynn, Barry, you know, there will be hundreds of people that listen to this podcast and I would urge you all to go out and vote for one of those.
Chris Benstead:Now, I appreciate if everyone votes for a different person.
Chris Benstead:It's not the best result, but it still sure is getting the votes in the right direction.
Chris Benstead:I'm not.
Chris Benstead:Again, just to clarify, I'm not meaning to pick on any of the national schools when I say this.
Chris Benstead:There are faults there, you just address some of them, but I just don't feel that, that that's the right thing.
Chris Benstead:And to be fair, I think that's the only issue with the awards I've got in terms of the categories, but it's the one that springs out to me.
Chris Benstead:So in that case, professional support provider of the.
Chris Benstead:Who stands out for you there?
Chris Benstead:And also, what's the difference between a support provider and a trainer?
Terry Cook:That was my, you know, I.
Terry Cook:It's a weird title, Professional support provider, you know, is it.
Terry Cook:Is it focused on apps?
Terry Cook:Have they worded it like that?
Terry Cook:So it is as general as you want it to be.
Terry Cook:We've got the likes of Vicky and Kim who are doing business support stuff, you know, that.
Terry Cook:That then fits in there nicely.
Terry Cook:Does it include car providers?
Terry Cook:Because actually they are a large part of supporting the business.
Terry Cook:My number one professional support provider, I would absolutely be naming Heman Jaw controls.
Chris Benstead:Right.
Terry Cook:There's an outside the box thought, but they have saved my life more times than anybody or anything else.
Terry Cook:And it was only when I did an interview for you because you weren't about that.
Terry Cook:I had that opportunity to suddenly realize how much support was given by the likes of he man.
Terry Cook:You know, it.
Terry Cook:It's that thing, that thing of.
Terry Cook:Yeah, what, what do you put under that category?
Terry Cook:It's a bit of a catch all and then I think it highlights how our industry isn't very good at that.
Terry Cook:We don't necessarily recognize what's out there and know what's there.
Terry Cook:It's very often instructors doing stuff, isn't it?
Terry Cook:It's not.
Terry Cook:We don't have other experts and professionals doing it for us.
Terry Cook:You know, I'm a big fan of my drive time.
Terry Cook:We use it for our driving school, for the diary, finance and all of that stuff.
Terry Cook:And I know that they won that last time.
Terry Cook:They really do provide the support for our business because they allow the instructors to come and do the rest of their job.
Terry Cook:And you know, it's great.
Terry Cook:So many instructors out there don't know that that's available as a thing, you know, which whatever version of it you choose to use.
Terry Cook:And I just, I think as a category it always just kind of highlights the fact I like to think I'm fairly in touch.
Terry Cook:I still struggle to make a short list of people I'd put in there.
Terry Cook:But yeah, I don't know if it's, if it's an acceptable answer with the intelligent instructor.
Terry Cook:But he man is my support hero of choice.
Chris Benstead:I really like that show a lot.
Chris Benstead:I will just say Nick Smith is in the, in the chat stealing my thunder because I was going to say it and I was slightly annoyed that he beat me to it.
Chris Benstead:But yeah, my drive time won last year and I wouldn't complain about that.
Chris Benstead:If my drive time won again, I think that they would, would have been my, my vote probably.
Chris Benstead:However, now I said he man and I think that's a really good show because I love my drive time obviously.
Chris Benstead:But they've never saved my life as you said so.
Chris Benstead:But it's interesting you mentioned the cars.
Chris Benstead:They have their own category as well.
Chris Benstead:But what I will say about that support provider is that is what category I put the instructor podcast in when I answered a couple of years ago and finished fifth.
Chris Benstead:So took my bat and ball on and soaked one.
Chris Benstead:Didn't enter again last year.
Chris Benstead:I will be entering this year but a different one which we'll discuss in a second because we've also going to look at the special educational needs provider of the year who are.
Chris Benstead:What, what, what is this professional?
Chris Benstead:Go on Chris, share your thoughts on this before I keep Digging this hole.
Terry Cook:I want it.
Terry Cook:It's not normally how I sit here, is it?
Terry Cook:I don't normally do the it should be me thing except for getting an obe.
Terry Cook:I think we had that conversation but anyway, I just want the letters.
Terry Cook:I think it'd be cool.
Terry Cook:Yeah, I really with the theory work that I do all day, every day is Sen central.
Terry Cook:I want it to be an SEN award.
Terry Cook:I want it to be about that.
Terry Cook:So, yeah, thank you very much.
Terry Cook:I would love it.
Terry Cook:Yeah, please, please vote for me.
Terry Cook:However, any of my colleagues that do the specialist work, I work with lots of them because obviously their pupils need to pass the theory test and if they're struggling with the driving side of things then they often will struggle with the theory.
Terry Cook:So any of them that are doing that specialist work, I think it's under recognized.
Terry Cook:I think the one that is almost too big to be remembered but does so much work and he keeps telling me he's retiring and I don't want him to.
Terry Cook:He hasn't yet though.
Terry Cook:He's John Rogers at Disability Driving instructors and I don't think people remember him under the Sen banner.
Terry Cook:And it's send now is much more recognized which is disability on the end of the special educational needs and disabilities.
Terry Cook:He works his backside off.
Terry Cook:Very underappreciated and is an absolute legend.
Terry Cook:So you know, if I'm going to step back and let someone take it, I will.
Terry Cook:I'll let John do that with, you know, open arms.
Chris Benstead:I think there's an obvious category here because they're more prominent and I'm going to say the full name just to annoy you.
Chris Benstead:Dr.
Chris Benstead:Julia Malkin MBE.
Chris Benstead:They've got one Chris.
Chris Benstead:So for those of you listening really should be seeing Chris's face right now.
Chris Benstead:But I think I will be.
Chris Benstead:I'm always honest but I will be completely honest now.
Chris Benstead:I think part of the problem you've got is I don't think people realize that's part of what you do.
Chris Benstead:Your whole stick is theory test explained.
Chris Benstead:People don't, I don't think, realize the amount of work you do within that special educational needs vicinity.
Chris Benstead:So I would, yeah, you, you would naturally have my vote for this.
Chris Benstead:I, I think you spoke for one person on these.
Chris Benstead:I've not checked.
Chris Benstead:Did you vote for one or it's like free, you've got a vote.
Chris Benstead:I can't remember, I haven't checked but either way you would be my top on this and that's no offense to anyone and not necessarily meant as a massive compliment to you but it's true, that's what, what I would do.
Chris Benstead:But I knew you'd have a better ring on that than me.
Chris Benstead:But the next one that I'm going to come to is one that I'll be honest with you, I haven't got a clue about and I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing.
Chris Benstead:I don't know if I'm just being completely absent minded when I say this.
Chris Benstead:Marketing campaign of the year.
Chris Benstead:Who the come?
Chris Benstead:I don't know.
Chris Benstead:You're letting me go.
Chris Benstead:I've got no words.
Chris Benstead:I cannot think of a good one.
Chris Benstead:I haven't seen a marketing campaign in, within the instructor industry that I can think of.
Chris Benstead:That's a caveat this year where I've gone.
Chris Benstead:Oh, that's really good.
Chris Benstead:Apart from the ice cream van that mentioned.
Chris Benstead:Yeah, maybe that would get it.
Terry Cook:Yeah.
Terry Cook:Well, there's two.
Terry Cook:I think there's the almost too obvious one which is almost bigger than one campaign which is Ready to pass.
Terry Cook:I still think Ready to Pass has done some brilliant work on getting the message across.
Terry Cook:You know, I, I like the way they haven't taken the usual DVSA approach or flavor of things.
Terry Cook:Whether you, you love it or hate it, at least there is a message going out there.
Terry Cook:Admittedly, reports of, you know, getting a message saying, remember, if you're not ready, cancel your test.
Terry Cook:The day after you can cancel your test doesn't help.
Terry Cook:But I think, I think Ready to pass out there is, is one of them ready to pass out?
Chris Benstead:Sorry.
Chris Benstead:I think these things are said for the tongue, but they're often behind them.
Terry Cook:But maybe we're just, we're worn out by it all.
Terry Cook:And then I, I would.
Terry Cook:The one that I mentioned previously, which is the national highways, the, the one about the, the blind spots, which is titled.
Terry Cook:I'm just trying to find it.
Terry Cook:No, know the HGV zones.
Terry Cook:It's about HGVs having limited vision.
Terry Cook:So, yeah, know the HGV zones.
Terry Cook:I, I thought it was simple, effective and it's something that people don't cover enough.
Terry Cook:Yeah.
Terry Cook:Should definitely have a look at that one.
Chris Benstead:Genuine question.
Chris Benstead:Because I just thought of this as you were talking and I don't know where this fits.
Chris Benstead:My campaign to bring road safety and driving instructors closer together.
Terry Cook:Yes.
Chris Benstead:Where would that fit into this?
Chris Benstead:Has that been effective from an outsider's perspective?
Chris Benstead:Because obviously I've got details and stats and stuff, but from an outsider's perspective, you being the outsider, where would that sit in that?
Terry Cook:Is it strong enough to be A campaign.
Chris Benstead:That campaign, yeah.
Terry Cook:So it's that thing of campaign, isn't it?
Terry Cook:It's, it's the, you're, you're trying to disseminate information, which we all do all the time as what we do as a job.
Terry Cook:I think it's that, it's that thing I 100%, I know you've got my.
Terry Cook:If you're in there, you got my vote.
Terry Cook:It's that challenge of getting things out there.
Terry Cook:It's an issue that people are facing at the moment.
Terry Cook:Facebook have changed the way they work.
Terry Cook:You are not seeing nearly as much of the private stuff as you did before.
Terry Cook:You're not seeing, you know, all those things.
Terry Cook:And we are so strongly entrenched in Facebook in the vocal side of being a driving instructor.
Terry Cook:There's so much on there that I think, you know, it's a wake up call of if we lose that, we lose a strong voice, the ability to communicate yet again.
Terry Cook:We can't afford to.
Terry Cook:We need to have different ways to communicate.
Terry Cook:Need to look at all of those options and join the dots.
Terry Cook:So I think the thing about the, about campaigns is it's a being a good campaign and it's also having the reach and the voice.
Terry Cook:If you are not.
Terry Cook:If you don't qualify for that for one of those reasons, that's not your fault.
Terry Cook:That's we're not supporting our own, you know, we're not supporting these things now.
Terry Cook:You can't support it if you don't see it.
Terry Cook:So it's a bit catch 22, but, you know, maybe more re sneezing, as I like to call it, stolen from Seth Godin purple cow.
Terry Cook:But anyway, re sneezing of if you see it, shout about it.
Terry Cook:And maybe let's make it a little bit like, you know, the old.
Terry Cook:Can't think what they're called.
Terry Cook:The letters that used to get through where it said you're going to die if you don't give this to 10 people of the 80s or, you know, early 90s.
Terry Cook:Let's make it that when you see something that's good, don't just reshare it.
Terry Cook:Reshare it and tag three people that you think would be interested in it.
Terry Cook:And if you get tagged and you're interested in it, you've got to do the same.
Terry Cook:And maybe we can fight back a little bit against these algorithms that are trying to squeeze us out to make money.
Chris Benstead:I've got a cunning plan.
Chris Benstead:You'll like this.
Terry Cook:Glad you said that carefully.
Chris Benstead:Yes, we, we're good.
Chris Benstead:We me and you and all other instructors that listen to this are going to campaign for driving Driving instructors to Vision Zero to win this campaign.
Chris Benstead:As a result of that, I will then put forward Driving Instructors to Vision Zero campaign and the campaign to get driving instructors to Vision Zero to win this.
Chris Benstead:So I will win first and second prize.
Chris Benstead:Prize number one will be Driving Instructors Division Zero.
Chris Benstead:Prize number two will be the campaign to get Driving Interruption Vision Zero to win this.
Terry Cook:And if we do that and I support it, I could get third place because I could do the campaign to support the campaign to get it to.
Chris Benstead:Yeah, we found our promotional clip for the show.
Chris Benstead:That's good.
Chris Benstead:I can't if I can bother doing that, but I might do.
Chris Benstead:I'll give that some thought.
Chris Benstead:However, the next one is one that I think I would be daft not to put myself off of because Content Creator of the Year.
Terry Cook:I.
Terry Cook:I won that once.
Terry Cook:Was.
Terry Cook:Was that Gorodie or was that intelligent instructor?
Terry Cook:I think it was in Go Rod.
Chris Benstead:Yeah, Go Rody.
Chris Benstead:Yeah, I think it was for creating this podcast.
Terry Cook:Yeah, it was for my podcast appearance.
Chris Benstead:Do you know what?
Chris Benstead:I might start that campaign as well to get you to win the Content Creator of the Year and then you can win it.
Chris Benstead:And that's your picture of me looking really pissed off in that ground.
Terry Cook:I'm just trying to see if it's the one on my shelf amongst the other rewards.
Terry Cook:I'm not sure, but.
Terry Cook:Yeah.
Chris Benstead:Who would you vote for that?
Chris Benstead:Taking me out of it?
Chris Benstead:Because I don't want to be annoyed that you don't say me.
Chris Benstead:Who would you vote for for that, Chris?
Terry Cook:Never know.
Terry Cook:I would vote for you.
Terry Cook:So, you know, I.
Terry Cook:I'm.
Terry Cook:Again, do you know what?
Terry Cook:A bit like I said about John Rogers, you are so prominent that you are the podcasting landscape and therefore you get ignored sometimes because we see you there all the time and we forget the effort and the quality and all of the things that go into doing what you do right.
Terry Cook:And that's not me blowing smoke.
Terry Cook:Genuinely.
Terry Cook:I get to turn up and have some fun.
Terry Cook:It's great.
Terry Cook:I love doing this.
Terry Cook:Thank you.
Terry Cook:I appreciate it.
Terry Cook:But you do the hard work, you get to take it seriously and I get to enjoy it.
Terry Cook:And I.
Terry Cook:If we take you out of the equation, there's some driving instructors that jump to mind.
Terry Cook:There's a group of instructors that are on TikTok that are kind of gathering together a bit and trying to improve the social media side of things.
Terry Cook:As an instructor, I.
Terry Cook:I get more annoyed than I do inspired because there's always something, and that's my problem, not theirs.
Terry Cook:But there's always something that they'll recommend that you steer with one finger or, you know, that you try and push the brakes with your hands to get good at it while you're driving.
Terry Cook:I don't know, something silly, that criticism of things.
Terry Cook:I respect them putting it out there and it's great.
Terry Cook:And, you know, I'm trying to engage more positively with them.
Terry Cook:That's one of my things I'm doing at the moment.
Terry Cook:But I think I struggle to find something that feels positive rather than self promotional.
Terry Cook:I say that as someone who occasionally gets accused of being self promotional.
Terry Cook:So I know what that's about, that positivity.
Terry Cook:It is a struggle to find something else out there that kind of stands out on socials in that way.
Terry Cook:And there's nothing wrong with self promotion.
Terry Cook:We're all running businesses.
Terry Cook:It's all great.
Terry Cook:I just think you do a lovely job of not making it seem like you're, you know, a business doing a thing.
Terry Cook:You're doing it for all these other reasons.
Terry Cook:They're the number one thing, you know, it's.
Terry Cook:Yeah, that's your focus is road safety and improving instructors, worlds and all of those other things.
Terry Cook:And.
Terry Cook:Yeah.
Terry Cook:So you shouldn't get overlooked and you should be at the front of that queue.
Chris Benstead:Appreciate those words.
Chris Benstead:I was.
Chris Benstead:I wasn't.
Chris Benstead:I was genuinely trying to stay away from that.
Chris Benstead:But I do appreciate it.
Chris Benstead:But look, I will be completely honest with you.
Chris Benstead:I will probably finish third in this category.
Chris Benstead:The first will be Francis, and the second will be Car School Confessions, and then it will be me.
Chris Benstead:Because the people that vote for those will not all be driving instructors.
Chris Benstead:There will be others.
Chris Benstead:And obviously they're for larger numbers in that sense.
Chris Benstead:And also, and this isn't just me, this is.
Chris Benstead:This will apply to a lot of different categories as well, where people kind of become a bit complacent with stuff.
Chris Benstead:So I think that works.
Chris Benstead:However, I am going to touch on one thing you've said, because every now and again, I allow myself to be the smug little sod.
Chris Benstead:You know, every now and again, I think it's important to acknowledge stuff and allow yourself a little bit of smugness now and again.
Chris Benstead:And every now and again I do an impression of Will Smith from Men in Black.
Chris Benstead:And I'll.
Chris Benstead:I'll listen to another podcast and I hope no one takes offense, but I don't overly care.
Chris Benstead:I listen to another podcast to watch a webinar or YouTube video or whatever.
Chris Benstead:And the Will Smith from Men in Black comes in my head and I just go, difference between you and me, I make this look good.
Chris Benstead:And then that's my little smug moment, like, yep, okay, you go beyond that.
Chris Benstead:You're being a dick.
Chris Benstead:Let's move away.
Chris Benstead:But there you go.
Chris Benstead:There's two more I want to touch on.
Chris Benstead:Then I want to touch on this one.
Chris Benstead:Rising Star of the Year.
Chris Benstead:This is sponsored by the ADI NJC Rising Star of the Year.
Chris Benstead:Now, I'm going to put my name out here straight away, and I think this is taking a slightly different take potentially on what they're referring to.
Chris Benstead:But I'm going for anywhere and I'm saying Gary Thomas for this because I think that he is everywhere and probably knows more about the industry than me and you combined at the minute.
Chris Benstead:With him out of stuff he's gone on to.
Chris Benstead:But I would throw his name in the hat for this.
Terry Cook:And his name was the first name that came to my mind.
Terry Cook:What I would be really interested in is how many people know who he is.
Terry Cook:Because you can never tell that everyone.
Chris Benstead:Knows who he is.
Chris Benstead:Like, everyone I speak to knows who Gary Thomas is.
Chris Benstead:I don't whether they've been in this for four years or four minutes.
Chris Benstead:They all know him.
Chris Benstead:He's more popular than you.
Chris Benstead:Not popular.
Chris Benstead:He's more well known than you and I combined.
Chris Benstead:Everyone's more popular than you and I combined.
Chris Benstead:But he's more well known than you and I combined.
Terry Cook:It seems that way, but I want to know if the real world seems that way.
Terry Cook:I have heard the same thing when I've gone to something and people have gone, well, surely everyone knows who Chris is and.
Terry Cook:No, and I don't expect them to, but they have.
Terry Cook:And I've kind of gone, well, let's not make an assumption.
Terry Cook:I think it just depends on the bubbles.
Terry Cook:And it again highlights how rubbish we are at doing that as an industry.
Terry Cook:Next, put in the.
Terry Cook:In the chat, Becky Seton.
Terry Cook:I think she's made a real noise this year.
Terry Cook:I want to see what's coming next from her.
Terry Cook:I don't.
Terry Cook:I.
Terry Cook:This is with the greatest respect and I have got a lot of respect for what she's doing.
Terry Cook:I don't think she's done something award worthy yet, but I think she could.
Terry Cook:So for me, she's one to.
Terry Cook:One to watch rather than one to, you know, to sort of celebrate yet.
Terry Cook:That's that bring.
Terry Cook:Bring it on.
Terry Cook:That's a challenge and I want to see her succeed at it.
Chris Benstead:You know what?
Chris Benstead:I'm gonna step in there and I don't normally interject, you know that, but I'm gonna step in because I completely agree.
Chris Benstead:And I think the thing that sprung to mind is I joke the other year about the instructor podcast not winning award now afterward tantrum, but I probably didn't deserve to.
Chris Benstead:This year is a year when I've.
Chris Benstead:I've created stuff.
Chris Benstead:Like I've created stuff from day one, but wasn't.
Chris Benstead:It's hard to explain, but it was new, it was fresh, it was real.
Chris Benstead:And yes, you know what?
Chris Benstead:This being honest, even though I don't like saying it did change, it did have an impact on the industry, it did shift things.
Chris Benstead: a byproduct of what I did in: Chris Benstead: But it was this year,: Chris Benstead:And maybe that's where you're kind of seeing Becky Seton is now when she's laying those groundworks.
Chris Benstead:And whether it takes a year or three years, that that shift can then come in.
Chris Benstead:You know, very, very few people come in and make that massive impact straight away to anything, not just driving, shooting, whatever world you're in.
Chris Benstead:It's, you know, you lay the foundations and then you.
Chris Benstead:Then you can say blow up.
Chris Benstead:I think, I think I know what I mean.
Terry Cook:And it is.
Terry Cook:It's that thing with her.
Terry Cook:I say she's, you know, been there, done that in that, you know, you know, you're working really hard and it means a lot to you, but the world hasn't, you know, you haven't delivered what you want to deliver yet.
Terry Cook:And I think there's always a danger when we get given, we get recognition too early, that we end up not achieving what we would have achieved.
Terry Cook:And I would hate that to happen.
Terry Cook:I want, for an award like that, I want it to be something, stand out, something different that other people haven't done before.
Terry Cook:And, you know, I think that there's.
Terry Cook:There's quite a few communities that have started up.
Terry Cook:I think there's a bit of a post Covid thing with that.
Terry Cook:Some of it is that people have put the work in, or they've been.
Terry Cook:They've.
Terry Cook:They've been inspired to do something different or, you know, whatever those things might be.
Terry Cook:Starting a community isn't the thing.
Terry Cook:Doing something with the community is, you know, and I think, yeah, it'll be that.
Terry Cook:What.
Terry Cook:Where.
Terry Cook:Where's it going?
Terry Cook:What's it going to be?
Terry Cook:And.
Terry Cook:And I hope, I hope she Listens firstly.
Terry Cook:But I hope that say.
Terry Cook:Because we've sort of.
Terry Cook:I won't say we.
Terry Cook:You backed me, but I picked on Becky, that she takes that as a positive of going, yeah, brilliant.
Terry Cook:Let's see where it's going to go.
Terry Cook:Because I think she's got the ability to do it.
Terry Cook:And yeah, say that there's.
Terry Cook:There's others that haven't been as prominent but are bubbling away in the background have got an opportunity.
Terry Cook:The guys on TikTok, it's a group, I don't think they go under, a kind of a collective.
Terry Cook:So I won't pick one one out.
Terry Cook:But there's a group of instructors that do lives together.
Terry Cook:They're supporting each other's development and of their socials and how to do it well and do it right, how to get the traction to get those things out.
Terry Cook:I think that's brilliant as well.
Terry Cook:Again, let us see what we get from that.
Terry Cook:I want some tangible stuff.
Terry Cook:I don't just want.
Terry Cook:There's a name that lots of people are talking about.
Terry Cook:I want to know why.
Terry Cook:I want to know what I want.
Terry Cook:I want to see something coming through.
Chris Benstead:Yeah, no, I get that.
Chris Benstead:And look, the thing is, it's this sort of thing.
Chris Benstead:We've all just got different opinions, and whoever wins, fair play to him because they've had an impact on enough people for him to vote for him.
Chris Benstead:And there are a bunch of awards, a few hundred people, maybe a couple of thousand are going to vote for, you know, So I don't want to take it too seriously, but I do agree what you've said.
Chris Benstead:And I can see not necessarily the similarity between me and Becky, but the similarity in what you're saying, in how I was three or four years ago and how everyone was when they first started.
Chris Benstead:And for me, again, going back to that 20, 21, it was.
Chris Benstead:I was finding my feet, I was creating stuff, but it's finding my feet.
Chris Benstead:And it was then built up.
Chris Benstead:And it's like, here's a thing rather than here's me talking to people.
Chris Benstead:You know, the Meghan comes along and yeah, all right, I'm horsing it, not presenting on it, but it's my creation.
Chris Benstead:It goes beyond me going, here's someone to talk about this thing to.
Chris Benstead:Here's a thing I'm creating.
Chris Benstead:And there's been lots of examples of that.
Chris Benstead:And I don't.
Chris Benstead:I'm meaning to be derogatory myself there actually not overly positive, but that's kind of the point I'm making.
Chris Benstead:Let's move on.
Chris Benstead:Because I'm getting myself flustered, because the last one I want to mention, Driving Instructor of the Year, because I want to ask you why, or if would be a better word, if this matters and if people should be putting themselves forward for it.
Terry Cook:If it mattered.
Terry Cook:Yes, they should.
Terry Cook:But it's that thing of when a customer phones you up, how do you stand out?
Terry Cook:I haven't yet seen a Driving Instructor of the Year award go to someone who's done something different.
Terry Cook:They've been doing the same job because we all kind of do.
Terry Cook:And again, it's that thing about being standout.
Terry Cook:You're getting an award for being standout.
Terry Cook:As we've said previously, too often it's about who gets the get.
Terry Cook:Who can rally the most votes.
Terry Cook:It's about how many people you know, how many contacts you've got, rather than.
Terry Cook:Are you doing really well.
Terry Cook:And that's kind of how driving instructing works, isn't it?
Terry Cook:You're the best instructor I've had.
Terry Cook:I've only had one, but you're the best instructor I've had.
Terry Cook:So I'm going to shout about you.
Terry Cook:You might be rubbish, but it's the best experience they've had.
Terry Cook:So we'll make sure that goes down as being awesome.
Terry Cook:Some people think McDonald's is the height of cuisine, so it's that same kind of thing.
Terry Cook:I.
Terry Cook:I don't know, Maybe we need.
Terry Cook:Do you remember.
Terry Cook:Remember the.
Terry Cook:Oh, what was it called?
Terry Cook:No, because I can't remember the.
Terry Cook:It was the.
Terry Cook:The thing on TV and they had to go through a set of puzzles and at the end there was an assault course and.
Terry Cook:Oh, it's gonna still move.
Terry Cook:No Krypton Factor.
Terry Cook:Thanks.
Chris Benstead:On Fire tonight is Nick Smith.
Chris Benstead:Yeah, I know.
Chris Benstead:Shout him out for that one.
Terry Cook:What would we do without him?
Terry Cook:Yeah, the Krypton Factor.
Terry Cook:Do you remember the Krypton Factor?
Chris Benstead:Yes.
Terry Cook:That was epic.
Terry Cook:Bring that on for driving instructors.
Terry Cook:There's no way I'm ever winning.
Terry Cook:But, yeah, bring that on for driving instructors.
Terry Cook:Let's do that.
Terry Cook:You can get your votes in.
Terry Cook:We'll do the same thing.
Terry Cook:We'll have that list of instructors who are going to be Instructor of the Year.
Terry Cook:But that's it then.
Terry Cook:You don't get to choose them, they get to win it and they get to do it Krypton Factor style with a mental agility test, with a physical test.
Terry Cook:You know, let's put those things in there.
Terry Cook:They've got to pass the theory test.
Terry Cook:I will be available to help anyone who wants to train for that.
Terry Cook:1.
Terry Cook:And yeah, you know, they've got to do these different things and drive around a route backwards.
Terry Cook:I don't know, I'm.
Chris Benstead:I'm going to.
Chris Benstead:I don't know how to respond to that other than it does sound fun.
Chris Benstead:But what I will say is I think the votes for this are judged slightly differently.
Chris Benstead:I think a lot of weight on this is put on the quality of the submissions rather than the quantity of the submissions.
Chris Benstead:And I know that because I finished second in Yorkshire last year and I didn't nominate and I got very few votes and it was the quality of the people that were responding rather than the quantity.
Chris Benstead:So.
Chris Benstead:So the first thing I would say, if anyone is considering doing this, don't be put off if you don't have a lot of people to put on because even someone a bit crap like me can finish second.
Chris Benstead:So at twice now second.
Chris Benstead:It's really annoying.
Chris Benstead:I'd rather not finish.
Chris Benstead:But it's.
Chris Benstead:I don't think it matters but it's fun and it's great marketing and I just think it's a lovely thing and it's a really positive thing for the industry.
Chris Benstead:You know, it's.
Chris Benstead:If we, if we can almost compare it to a driving test, we.
Chris Benstead:Why be fault focused?
Chris Benstead:Let's look at the positives on stuff.
Chris Benstead:Let's look at what went well.
Chris Benstead:Well, we can do that with these awards as well.
Chris Benstead:You know, someone not finishing first isn't a bad thing, but it's a great thing for the person that finishes first, you know, so I think they're a lovely thing.
Chris Benstead:I do think the more people that get involved, the better.
Chris Benstead:I think it's a lovely time as well.
Chris Benstead:When you see all these driving schools posting up finished silver or gold or whatever it is and in top 100.
Chris Benstead:And I just think it's a positive image for our industry as a whole.
Chris Benstead:And the more people that do that and the great thing I remember from last year actually was I saw less people moaning about it and I saw more people sharing and commenting other people's success and I noticed that more last year than I did previous years.
Chris Benstead:And I don't think it's just like, well, I hope it wasn't a one off.
Chris Benstead:I hope that continues and we can share each other's like successful, lack of a better word.
Chris Benstead:So I would encourage people to do it.
Chris Benstead:I'll put links in the show notes as well so you can find your stuff.
Chris Benstead:But like I say, it's fun.
Chris Benstead:I think it's positive.
Chris Benstead:It's.
Chris Benstead:And it looks Good and feels good for the industry.
Chris Benstead:And if you don't make that top 100, it doesn't mean you're a bad instructor.
Chris Benstead:It means your pupils might not be great at writing application forms are.
Terry Cook:I suppose if we looked at it with a bit of a flip, it's an awesome exercise because we don't necessarily look at our successes very well.
Terry Cook:It's an awesome exercise in you reflecting on what you do and how you stand out, because you've got to write that down.
Terry Cook:And if you can't, then maybe it'll give you some ideas on how you could.
Terry Cook:So maybe if you don't feel that you can enter because you haven't got what it takes, maybe next year, maybe that's your goal of going.
Terry Cook:Right, I'm going to put something in place so that I feel I can.
Terry Cook:You don't have to do it when you get there.
Terry Cook:It's up to you.
Terry Cook:But so I feel that I can compete in whatever that is.
Terry Cook:And if you don't care, awesome, that's fine.
Terry Cook:You don't have to, as you said, you don't have to blow out everybody else's candles to make yours shine brighter.
Chris Benstead:The last thing I'll say on this is that even if you don't put yourself forward, you still may end up in that top 100 because they reach out to students through first car.
Chris Benstead:So your students may still get approached.
Chris Benstead:And if they opt to fill in those forms, which mine did the other year, because again, I didn't put myself forward last year and then I finished second, and it's like, that was a genuine surprise when I found that out.
Chris Benstead:And it was a lovely little surprise, actually doesn't mean anything in the grand scheme of things.
Chris Benstead:But I'll tell you what, it's nice when it happens.
Chris Benstead:So, you know, even if you don't put yourself on, you're one of those people that mourn about it, you still might win.
Chris Benstead:So, in fact, I hope that the person that wins this year is someone that moans about it every year and doesn't submit.
Chris Benstead:But let's.
Chris Benstead:Let's move on from the awards and.
Chris Benstead:Because we want to talk to you about pet peeves, because, Chris, earlier this month you sent me a message and said, can I talk about this thing that's really annoying me?
Chris Benstead:And I said, yeah, of course you come.
Chris Benstead:And then I think it was like yesterday, I said, how about we do a thing on pet peeves and all the other ideas that are deleted?
Chris Benstead:So let's share a couple of our pet peeves.
Chris Benstead:What's.
Chris Benstead:What's your.
Chris Benstead:Well, in fact, I'll tell you what.
Chris Benstead:Start with the thing you wanted to moment, right.
Terry Cook:And it's going to sound pathetic.
Terry Cook:And I put my hands up to start with.
Chris Benstead:It's a pet peeve.
Chris Benstead:That's the idea.
Terry Cook:Absolutely.
Terry Cook:And it is.
Terry Cook:And it.
Terry Cook:The question is, then, does it matter?
Terry Cook:Yes, it matters to me.
Terry Cook:So.
Terry Cook:So it's going to matter.
Terry Cook:Right.
Terry Cook:And I think it matters because it's symptomatic.
Terry Cook:So this is me defending myself before I jump.
Terry Cook:Jump in with both feet.
Terry Cook:I do theory as well as theory.
Terry Cook:I do part one.
Terry Cook:So people get in touch who have been struggling, failing.
Terry Cook:They think they've done everything that they can and they're still not being successful.
Terry Cook:And I will ask them, what have you been using to prepare for it?
Terry Cook:And they will tell me that they've been using the official DVLA app.
Terry Cook:And it really, really, really grates on me that if you can't get DVSA right and dvla, then there's probably other big things that you're missing as well, being that, you know, they are the bodies.
Terry Cook:And I remind myself that it's just four letters.
Terry Cook:And maybe people are just getting it wrong, but everybody gets it wrong.
Terry Cook:You know, it's.
Terry Cook:It's kind of a starting point for me.
Terry Cook:And therefore, every time I see it, I inwardly groan and kind of go, you know, I can see where the problem is.
Terry Cook:So it's a symptom.
Terry Cook:And I don't know, should it.
Terry Cook:Should it.
Terry Cook:Should I feel that way?
Terry Cook:Should it matter to me if people who are either coming into the industry or are already in the industry, you still get people saying DSA as well.
Terry Cook:That happens.
Terry Cook:It almost feels like you're showing by getting it right, you're at least showing that you care enough.
Terry Cook:Maybe that's a me thing.
Chris Benstead:See, initially, when you first messaged me this, I think I replied back, yeah, it's not important, don't matter.
Chris Benstead:And, you know, I've had time to think, and I think I've got a slightly different opinion now.
Chris Benstead:And I'll explain as to why.
Chris Benstead:And it's your name, because I listened to the green room that we did last year or the end of year review today, and one of the things that I joked about on there was a number of misspellings of your name.
Chris Benstead:But the thing is, they're not misspellings.
Chris Benstead:It's a lack of care.
Chris Benstead:Because if I spelled your name and I accidentally put a P instead of an S or an A in front of An A.
Chris Benstead:Sorry.
Chris Benstead:An A instead of an E.
Chris Benstead:It.
Chris Benstead:That's an honest mistake.
Chris Benstead:And I think there's nothing wrong with honest mistakes.
Chris Benstead:I think maybe this is the difference, but I'm not going to name them.
Chris Benstead:But the people in the past spell your name with an A instead of an E, or an A and an E or God knows what other combination.
Chris Benstead:And it's not an honest mistake.
Chris Benstead:At least this is what I believe.
Chris Benstead:It's not a nice mistake.
Chris Benstead:It's because they haven't cared enough to actually check out a spell your name.
Chris Benstead:And I hate it when I make these mistakes.
Chris Benstead:And I do make these mistakes.
Chris Benstead:And now and again, someone will tell me and it's like, crap.
Chris Benstead:And I'll have to go back and change the title of a podcast, but it's too late.
Chris Benstead:It's gone out.
Chris Benstead:But it's an honest mistake.
Chris Benstead:It's not that I didn't care.
Chris Benstead:It's a typo.
Chris Benstead:You know, it's that type of thing.
Chris Benstead:So that matters to me because it's someone not paying that care.
Chris Benstead:So to me, I think it matters if someone doesn't care enough, but it doesn't matter if someone's just met a slip of the tongue or if someone just.
Chris Benstead:Just generally doesn't know.
Chris Benstead:I think that's a different thing.
Chris Benstead:That'll be my fault on that because I know we said we'd kind of share each.
Chris Benstead:Share his opinions on each other's pet peeves, and I think that with my opinion and that it matters and it doesn't matter.
Terry Cook:Yes.
Terry Cook:Yeah, no, that's fine.
Terry Cook:I just for your pleasure at the moment, I am Chris Binstead.
Terry Cook:It's not the end of the name.
Terry Cook:It's the beginning.
Terry Cook:That E has become an I, and it's multiple occasions from people that are not connected.
Terry Cook:It seems to be the new trend.
Terry Cook:So I'm sure I will have, you know, lots of people loving that and using it.
Terry Cook:Yeah, it's.
Terry Cook:It's.
Terry Cook:As you said it, I don't really care when someone's saying it's a joke.
Terry Cook:It's fine, whatever.
Terry Cook:But there is that little bit of, you know, especially if you're tagging someone on.
Terry Cook:On Facebook, if you.
Terry Cook:If you tag, you know, Chris Benstead with an A, it's some bodybuilder.
Terry Cook:I don't look like that, and I don't want to disappoint.
Terry Cook:When I turn up, I should just.
Chris Benstead:Mention there is a video going around somewhere where I spelled your name.
Chris Benstead:Christ, Ben Steed.
Chris Benstead:That is intentional for anyone.
Chris Benstead:Don't come at me with this.
Chris Benstead:But here's the thing.
Chris Benstead:If you search my entire history, you'll find me spelling the name wrong somewhere.
Chris Benstead:That's an honest typo.
Chris Benstead:It's not a thing.
Chris Benstead:It's like, it's like, go back to the episode I recently recorded with Pascal Poppins.
Chris Benstead:And I'm not saying a surname again intentionally because I butcher that surname when I say it.
Chris Benstead:But it's still me trying.
Chris Benstead:Anyway, let's step away from that now.
Chris Benstead:We'll go down a hover, a whole other path.
Chris Benstead:Let's.
Chris Benstead:Let's move on.
Chris Benstead:I'm going to give my first pet peeve and I'm interested in.
Chris Benstead:In whether this matters, Chris, or whether I'm being a whiny little bitch.
Chris Benstead:So it's trainers who post the successes of their ADIs or PDIs, and apart from your standard tree standards check before the ADI or PDI does, because I've had people that have spoke to, and not necessarily overly negatively, but they've told me and said this was out there before I even celebrated it.
Chris Benstead:That is one of my.
Chris Benstead:I just, I think it's disrespectful.
Chris Benstead:I think it's.
Chris Benstead:Oh, you already agree me with this.
Chris Benstead:I like it.
Chris Benstead:I think it's attention grabbing.
Chris Benstead:I think it's.
Chris Benstead:It's amazing marketing.
Chris Benstead:It's brilliant.
Chris Benstead:You know, you get your name out there with them before anyone else does and they look like they are PDI or adi, whatever that you've taught for seven years.
Chris Benstead:But I just think it's.
Chris Benstead:Yeah, I think it's disrespectful.
Chris Benstead:I think it's attention grabbing and not a fan at all.
Chris Benstead:And by your expression, you're nodding and not.
Chris Benstead:And agreeing.
Chris Benstead:Moans.
Chris Benstead:I'm presuming you're a similar mindset.
Terry Cook:I want to double down on that because as at one point I was trading under the industry's best kept secret.
Terry Cook:Because if you can name them as a trainer, I have probably worked with them at some point on something where they've got in touch and said, I don't know this.
Terry Cook:Can you help?
Terry Cook:So what then often happens is, you know, people will go to different trainers for training and I love that.
Terry Cook:I think that pick and mix approach is awesome.
Terry Cook:I fully support it.
Terry Cook:Very often it'll be the same names that come across and everything else.
Terry Cook:And I'm not big on shouting about it because it's not my success, you know, I.
Terry Cook:It's something I should probably be better at encouraging people to give me reviews or to shout about the fact and, you know, that, that I've been involved.
Terry Cook:I'm not good at that.
Terry Cook:So I don't.
Terry Cook:So when the person that they've failed with more than once then shouts about how successful they've been and what they're really shouting about is that I fixed the problem, that really grates on me.
Terry Cook:So I get it, you know, so just taking it that one step further, it's that thing of the trainer making it about them.
Terry Cook:That for me that's the bit that grates.
Terry Cook:And I think, I agree with you.
Terry Cook:I think it's rude if you beat them to the punch, but I kind of think maybe let them decide who they want to credit.
Terry Cook:And I'm not saying I want to be credited because that's not the me thing.
Terry Cook:But they might not feel you don't know who else they've been to.
Terry Cook:They might not feel it was you that got them there.
Terry Cook:You're claiming that glory.
Terry Cook:And yeah, I've seen a few go up that I know the trainee wouldn't ever have put their name to that one.
Terry Cook:But yeah.
Terry Cook:So yeah, I agree with you.
Terry Cook:Absolutely.
Terry Cook:And I would add to that the glory hunting side of it.
Terry Cook:Yeah.
Terry Cook:Equally grates on me.
Chris Benstead:I mean, in theory, any PDI that qualified, that has listed my podcast, I could claim credit for.
Terry Cook:Yeah.
Chris Benstead:And well, I don't want to.
Chris Benstead:I don't have a problem with, with trainers sharing the successes.
Chris Benstead:If, if they consider it their success, then that's great because in a similar, it's not the same thing, but in a similar way as the instructors, we share our learners past pictures.
Chris Benstead:It is Mark in there's, there's, you know, I don't have an issue with that.
Chris Benstead:I think there is a slight difference and I think I would be more inclined to wait for that person to post.
Chris Benstead:Whether it's about them or not.
Chris Benstead:Wait for them to post and then just share that because that is them making it, as you said, about them rather than about the, the trainer.
Chris Benstead:But it is a little pet peeve.
Chris Benstead:And I just want to touch on this because in the chat, Garrett Millen said, welcome to the green room, Grumpy Old Men Edition.
Chris Benstead:And I think that will be the title for the show.
Chris Benstead:So Guy is getting credited the title for the show, Grumpy Old Men Edition.
Chris Benstead:But yes, that was, that was my first pet peeve.
Chris Benstead:What's your next one, Chris?
Terry Cook:I was thinking there were a few and one of them I'm not going to go down the route of, because we sort of mentioned it with the names and stuff, which is spelling Errors.
Terry Cook:If the word is a driving word, maneuver is the hardest one, One of the top 40 most misspelt words in the English language.
Terry Cook:It's important to the job.
Terry Cook:Try to learn it.
Terry Cook:There's that approach, but I get it.
Terry Cook:And I'm unofficially dyslexic, as in I haven't been officially tested, but I've been unofficially tested and I did really well, so I get it.
Terry Cook:I will never pick up on someone's spelling.
Terry Cook:Just make the effort.
Chris Benstead:But just before I move on from the spelling thing, a little anecdote for you.
Chris Benstead:I recently, this week, in fact, released an episode of the Instructor Unplugged in my premium membership.
Chris Benstead:And it was a little episode about maneuvers and about different ways we can tackle maneuvers.
Chris Benstead:And in my notes for that episode, it was either just an M or an attempted word with a red squiggle end on it.
Chris Benstead:It wasn't correct once, and it was only when I got the title of the show that I took the time to go and find out how to spell it.
Chris Benstead:I still don't know.
Chris Benstead:And I still had to get someone to check for me.
Chris Benstead:There's no line under this, but can you confirm it's right, please?
Chris Benstead:So, yes, I agree with maneuvers.
Terry Cook:Then let's do a bigger U turn than the DVSA could do, and we'll follow that route.
Terry Cook:So break and break.
Terry Cook:Please get it right.
Terry Cook:It really, really grates on me knowing which one's which.
Terry Cook:So maneuver.
Terry Cook:I get maneuver.
Terry Cook:It's a horrible word.
Terry Cook:There's too many vowels.
Terry Cook:It's almost Welsh.
Terry Cook:So it.
Terry Cook:Apologies to all my lovely friends in Wales.
Terry Cook:You know I love you.
Terry Cook:But the break and break.
Terry Cook:Curb with a C, not a K, you know, just.
Terry Cook:Yeah, just.
Terry Cook:I think sometimes doing it.
Terry Cook:My favorite one, which I got, I saw from an instructor.
Terry Cook:Sorry, it was from a trainee the other day.
Terry Cook:It comes up every now and again with pupils, and I thought it was just a mistake and dismissed it until I had multiple occasions of it.
Terry Cook:George Carriageway.
Terry Cook:Have you had a George Carriageway before?
Chris Benstead:No, but I don't like that one.
Terry Cook:I love George Carriageway.
Terry Cook:I think.
Terry Cook:I think he's great.
Terry Cook:But, yeah, George Carriageway comes up surprisingly amount.
Terry Cook:And it's.
Terry Cook:I think it must just be.
Terry Cook:It sounds like it.
Terry Cook:And they.
Terry Cook:Why would it be Jewel?
Terry Cook:You know, there's no reason.
Chris Benstead:Jewel.
Terry Cook:There's the other one.
Terry Cook:Yeah.
Terry Cook:Dual controls, dual carriageway.
Terry Cook:We're not fighting with swords or pistols, so please do.
Terry Cook:Yeah.
Terry Cook:And.
Terry Cook:And.
Terry Cook:And I say.
Terry Cook:I say that as someone who has had a lifetime of struggling with Spelling and stuff.
Terry Cook:So I get it.
Terry Cook:If you're not good at spelling, fine.
Terry Cook:But they're really important words in what we do.
Terry Cook:We use them a lot.
Terry Cook:Have a go.
Terry Cook:Try.
Terry Cook:Yeah, that wasn't what I was going to say, but I'm going to go with that one.
Chris Benstead:Well, I like it.
Chris Benstead:And I think my thought is it matters when it matters.
Chris Benstead:So I think if you just type in a message to you or to I, or if it's like, whatever, as long as I can figure out what someone means, I don't care.
Chris Benstead:I think that if you're pulling out something that's attempted to be professional, then you need to make the effort.
Chris Benstead:So I think it matters when it matters.
Chris Benstead:But I will just say this is me in a nutshell.
Chris Benstead:I once thought about a month my instructor podcasting emails went out with the word instructor spelled wrong on everything.
Chris Benstead:So the hundreds of people across the space for a month every time.
Chris Benstead:Because I put it in the footnote and I changed it and I didn't realize.
Chris Benstead:And yeah, instructor was spelled wrong, so.
Chris Benstead:Which isn't great for the instructor podcast.
Chris Benstead:On a completely side note, still amusing me, when someone signs up to instruct a podcast and immediately unsubscribes when they get an email about the instructor podcast, that still makes me laugh so much to this day, it's like, what did you expect to get?
Chris Benstead:But that could be my pet peeve.
Chris Benstead:But it's not.
Chris Benstead:So, yeah, I think it matters when it matters is what I'd say.
Chris Benstead:Okay, I'll move on to mine then.
Chris Benstead:And I think that you're going to disagree with me on this one, kind of.
Chris Benstead:Because it's so.
Chris Benstead:It's instructors waving when they pass each other.
Chris Benstead:But more than that, it's instructors getting annoyed when someone doesn't wave back.
Chris Benstead:Because I rarely wear back.
Chris Benstead:And it's because I don't wanna.
Chris Benstead:Because I just want to be with my student, in my car, doing my thing, not worrying about being social to anyone else.
Chris Benstead:I don't want to be social.
Chris Benstead:I'm in my car, my student.
Chris Benstead:I just want to give them my attention.
Chris Benstead:That's enough social for me.
Chris Benstead:I don't.
Chris Benstead:I don't need more.
Chris Benstead:So if I see you, I'll nod.
Chris Benstead:I'll often nod.
Chris Benstead:I'll just give a little cursory nod.
Chris Benstead:But I don't want to do the big wave thing.
Chris Benstead:And I've done it now.
Chris Benstead:I don't say I never do it.
Chris Benstead:You know, sometimes do it through reaction.
Chris Benstead:But there are people that get annoyed by that.
Chris Benstead:And There are people that I see on Facebook completely.
Chris Benstead:I can't believe I waved an instruction anyway.
Chris Benstead:Well, first of all, what if they'll practice an emergency stop?
Chris Benstead:That's not going to end well.
Chris Benstead:Second of all, maybe they like me and they don't want to wave because the reasons I just said so.
Chris Benstead:Yes, it's not the waving.
Chris Benstead:Because if people want to wave, it's completely fine.
Chris Benstead:Is people that get annoyed when I don't wave back, when I just don't want to, just leave me alone, send me a message afterwards, that's fine.
Terry Cook:You're right, because I disagree massively.
Terry Cook:No, it's a mark of respect.
Terry Cook:It's the same as getting someone's name right if it's in the same category, you can't have it both ways.
Terry Cook:I'm sorry, but it's.
Terry Cook:It's that thing of, you know, I think the camaraderie in a job where we don't really see each other, except for occasionally at a test center if you happen to cross paths.
Terry Cook:I.
Terry Cook:I got a message today that said, oh, have you seen so and so out on the road recently?
Terry Cook:I don't have a car.
Terry Cook:I'm not out on the road.
Terry Cook:No, I haven't.
Terry Cook:And you know, it's.
Terry Cook:It's even more lonely.
Terry Cook:That's why I turn up to the podcast.
Terry Cook:And, And I just think that that nice acknowledgement, you're not waving for you, you're waving for them.
Terry Cook:They might need that.
Terry Cook:You.
Terry Cook:You don't need it, you don't want it, but they might.
Terry Cook:So I would like everybody to make that effort for the other person.
Chris Benstead:No, I thought I was going to.
Terry Cook:Get you feeling bad and.
Chris Benstead:No, I get your point.
Chris Benstead:I get your point.
Chris Benstead:But I'm going to counter that with two.
Chris Benstead:This is a hill I'm willing to die on.
Chris Benstead:Right?
Chris Benstead:So, first of all, I put over 300 hours worth of content out free of charge for driving instructors, right?
Chris Benstead:I will happily taught any driver I get driving short, just message me.
Chris Benstead:Not as many as you.
Chris Benstead:I know that you're inundated, but I get instructors messaging me for advice, and I've had phone calls from them and, and all this kind of stuff.
Chris Benstead:And I go to a test center, I'll happily talk to them.
Chris Benstead:I put webinars on.
Chris Benstead:I put people in touch with each other.
Chris Benstead:I reach out to different sectors to bring people into our industry to provide stuff for people.
Chris Benstead:I'm doing all that I can get away without waving.
Chris Benstead:Right.
Chris Benstead:However, my second point will be there are times I have to look after myself.
Chris Benstead:And my social battery is really low at the best of times.
Chris Benstead:Right.
Chris Benstead:So no, that.
Chris Benstead:It actually takes energy out my social battery.
Chris Benstead:So when I'm.
Chris Benstead:When I've got that energy and when I'm a bit bouncy and happy and I'm in a playful mode, I will.
Chris Benstead:I will probably wave.
Chris Benstead:But when I'm just kind of normal, Terry, it's just like, just leave me alone.
Chris Benstead:You can wave at me.
Chris Benstead:Actually, I have no problem waving me, but it's like, I'm not waving back.
Chris Benstead:I might give you a nod to acknowledge.
Chris Benstead:And you just went on knowledge.
Chris Benstead:So I'm not ignoring anyone.
Chris Benstead:If I see you, I will generally attempt to make some kind of eye contact or not.
Chris Benstead:But I'm not doing the whole social waving thing.
Chris Benstead:It's not me.
Chris Benstead:But I will happily come and talk to you at the test center.
Chris Benstead:I will happily have a phone conversation with you.
Chris Benstead:I will happily help with any problems you've got.
Chris Benstead:But that's the one thing I'm not keen on.
Terry Cook:I just tell everyone I'm doing an emergency stop lesson and that will solve.
Terry Cook:Because you don't want to wave on one of those.
Chris Benstead:But yes.
Chris Benstead:So anyone that does wave me, I do apologize if I don't wave back.
Chris Benstead:It's not personal.
Chris Benstead:I just.
Chris Benstead:I just need left alone sometimes.
Chris Benstead:Great.
Chris Benstead:Give us another one, Chris.
Terry Cook:Is this the final one?
Terry Cook:Because, you know, we'll do one more.
Chris Benstead:We'll do one more each, then we're going to record a bit of extra magic for our premium members.
Chris Benstead:So, yeah, give us one more then.
Terry Cook:I'm going to go with.
Terry Cook:I have a massive issue with driving instructors who have self importance and just sit around moaning about things that don't matter on podcasts.
Chris Benstead:Well, you'll have to stop listening to the ipod then.
Chris Benstead:Just stop it.
Chris Benstead:I told you.
Chris Benstead:Difference between me and you.
Chris Benstead:I made this look good on the second promotional clip for the episode there.
Chris Benstead:Okay, well, I'm not going to respond to that.
Chris Benstead:We'll move on to mine then.
Chris Benstead:The last one I'm going to make is.
Chris Benstead:And I do think this matters, actually.
Chris Benstead:Not like the waving one so much, but it's on those learner groups on social media where the learner asks a question, even if the question is stupid from our perspective.
Chris Benstead:And then a load of instructors come on and start slagging them off and start having a go because.
Chris Benstead:And then we get the whole thing.
Chris Benstead:Well, Google it.
Chris Benstead:And I'm like, well, this is their Google.
Chris Benstead:This is Google now.
Chris Benstead:This is what Google.
Chris Benstead:If you go on Google and Google it.
Chris Benstead:They will potentially bring up a Facebook post about it on the Google search.
Chris Benstead:So they may well have gone onto Google, found this Facebook group and then asked in here.
Chris Benstead:And I think it's one of the most unprofessional things we can do.
Chris Benstead:But beyond that, it's just unkind.
Chris Benstead:And I know we have this whole thing about people being war cost snowflakes or whatever, but why would you intentionally be a dick?
Chris Benstead:It's like I mentioned before about the waving thing, right?
Chris Benstead:I'm not a dick about it.
Chris Benstead:I don't give someone the middle finger.
Chris Benstead:I just don't always wave back.
Chris Benstead:So with this it's, it's not about being woke or being a snowflake, it's about just don't be addict to him, just leave them alone.
Chris Benstead:Just don't have to be rude.
Chris Benstead:That's it.
Chris Benstead:That's my pet peeve.
Terry Cook:If you haven't got anything good to say, don't say anything.
Chris Benstead:Well, you'd have been all quieter today if that kiss.
Terry Cook:But no, I agree.
Terry Cook:I think also we, it's very easy for us because we are educated about it, we're experienced with it to go well that's stupid.
Terry Cook:But it's, it's no different to, to you saying the same thing to, you know, you, you're getting a paint around to paint your walls and you go, oh yeah, you know, it'll only take half a day and they come around to look at it and they wet themselves laughing because they got to prepare the surfaces and they've got to do all this, that and the other and you haven't got a clue about because you haven't done it.
Terry Cook:So you know it from an educated perspective it's often easy to judge.
Terry Cook:I had the situation come up this week where friend of the family got in touch, said on very late on Tuesday yesterday it's very late on Tuesday.
Terry Cook:Can we've managed to pick up a test for Friday?
Terry Cook:Can someone come and do an assessment lesson just to make sure that everything's good before we do the test.
Terry Cook:Been taught by it, by the mum, been out and done everything, has done so with a previous child.
Terry Cook:We also had the same last minute.com thing with and yeah, can we get someone in the current climate, can we get someone to go, go and go and help out.
Terry Cook:So I, you know, swore under my breath a bit and then reached out and said, you know, can anyone help?
Terry Cook:And managed to find someone to go and to go and do it.
Terry Cook:It was actually their day off but they did it as a favor went and had a look.
Terry Cook:It's very easy to judge that last minute thing, but you don't know the bit behind it and the fear that's being put out there about long waiting lists and you won't get one for six months and all of the other stuff.
Terry Cook:You've got to remember their perspective on it.
Terry Cook:And we don't want to judge those people, we want to support them.
Terry Cook:So it gets difficult when it's the 100th message of the day saying, I got a test on Friday, can you help?
Terry Cook:So, yeah, I, you know, I think sometimes we have to not say anything.
Chris Benstead:Agreed.
Chris Benstead:So on that note, in, in a moment we're going to have our after party with our premium members.
Chris Benstead:So do you want to take a moment, Chris, just to remind everyone what you might have to offer and where they can find it?
Terry Cook:So if you want theory support for your pupils, then please get in touch with Theory Test explained on Facebook, on instagram or on TikTok or theorytestexplained.co.uk if you want support for you as a driving instructor for pretty much anything, then come to theditc.
Terry Cook:T H E D I T c.co.uk, ask your question and I'll probably say, terry's got a podcast about it and then I'll message him and say, can you send me the link?
Terry Cook:And he'll swear at me again because he has to then remember which one it was because I don't give good descriptions.
Chris Benstead:I always get it right, though.
Terry Cook:Yeah, I know you're.
Terry Cook:It's impressive.
Terry Cook:It's why it makes me want to challenge you more next time.
Chris Benstead:This could be a new feature like Challenge Annika, but with someone less attractive.
Chris Benstead:Okay, so I don't know why I went there, but if you are listening to podcast Green Room edition and if you would like to join us for the after party or for this show that we're going to record or any of the other wonderful content that is in my premium membership, go and check out www.
Chris Benstead:The Instructor podcast.com.
Chris Benstead:you can find more details over there or you'll find a link in the show notes.
Chris Benstead:Or alternatively, if you just really enjoy this content and you want to support the show and feel free to sign up anyway, that way you're supporting the show even if you don't want more Terry.
Chris Benstead:But as always, thank you for listening and let's just keep raising standards.
Terry Cook:The instructor podcast with Terry Cook talking with leaders, innovators, experts and game changers.
Chris Benstead:About what drives them.
