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00:15This is my company car, but I can't drive it. Yet.
00:22Getting my test, I think, is a key to another life. It fits with everything else we're doing.
00:31This is actually my time machine because this is the present in front of us in the future.
00:37If we look in our mirror, which we do regularly, that's the past.
00:44This week, driving school shifts upper gear. Traffic police take it to the limit.
00:49Learning to handle cars at over 140 miles an hour.
00:53Yes, boot in now. Go, go, go, go. Go, go, go. Keep going, keep going, keep going.
00:58Squeeze on. Tuck in. Squeeze on. Yeah, lovely, isn't it?
01:06Seventeen-year-old Victoria Sibson steals herself for the big day.
01:10Just two weeks after her first lesson, she's taking her test.
01:14She's competing with twin brother James, who's doing the same thing on the same day.
01:19May the best twin win.
01:26Stop.
01:29I won't ask you to do the exercise again. Drive on when you're ready, please.
02:00Don't stop your engines with that. Make yourself comfortable.
02:03Switch your engine off, take your seatbelt off and relax a bit.
02:07Well, that's the end of the test, I'm very pleased to say.
02:10I'm pleased to tell you that you've passed.
02:12May I see your driving licence again and your theory test?
02:15Go on, Victoria.
02:17Ah, thank you very much.
02:19A triumph of tenacity and teamwork for Pam Carr and Paul Farrell of Streetwise.
02:24Congratulations.
02:25I want to know, did James pass? Somebody tell me.
02:27Did James pass? I believe he did, actually.
02:30Oh, my God, that's amazing.
02:32You really did, yeah?
02:33No, I'm not.
02:37Do you want to use the paper?
02:38Do you want to use the paper?
02:40Like, load it.
02:41One, two.
02:44As the twins dump their L plates, Rick Wall is donning his.
02:48At 52, clambering up the learning ladder won't be easy.
02:52I feel a bit nervous this morning about this first lesson.
02:56Even yesterday, I was feeling really easy about it, and then somehow this morning it hit me.
03:03And at the same time, there's a bit of excitement in there as well.
03:08With Pam Carr at his elbow, Rick will have no time for nerves.
03:14I've attempted to drive in the past, and then become dissuaded from continuing it,
03:21because I thought, I'm not very good at this.
03:24Hi.
03:25Rick, I believe.
03:26Pleased to meet you.
03:27Coffee driving lesson.
03:29Are you ready?
03:29Yeah, but do you mind if we have a coffee first?
03:31I'm a bit nervous about it.
03:33Yeah, yeah.
03:34Okay, bye.
03:35Just for a minute.
03:35Thanks.
03:37One of the reasons Maggie de Ruggio wants to pass her test is parked outside.
03:44A 16 grand company car which, for the moment, only her partner Pete can drive.
03:51Okay?
03:51Yeah.
03:53Have a good day.
03:54Yeah.
03:54Have a nice walk.
03:56Nice journey.
04:01I've never felt embarrassed about not being able to drive.
04:03I think it's a bit of a hoot, really.
04:05Excuse the pun.
04:06There's a bit of me that thinks it's quite good to get to my old age of 30 now and
04:09not having driven.
04:10There's a bit of me that thinks, I wonder how long I can go, but that's only a bit of
04:14me.
04:14I really would like to get behind the wheel and drive there.
04:18Rick's in therapy and Pam's playing the counsellor.
04:22You don't need to be worried at all.
04:24Basically, today, all we're going to do is go from here to the Downs, somewhere quiet.
04:29Okay.
04:30And if you just move off and stop today, I'd be highly delighted.
04:34So will I.
04:36Signal.
04:36Yep.
04:37Over the blind spot.
04:38There's a car coming.
04:40There's not.
04:40This won't be Maggie's first lesson, but it is her first outing with Paul Farrell.
04:45That's the first move on, actually.
04:48Oh, my lord.
04:49Do you remember the gear changes?
04:50I'll try.
04:51Do you want me to do seconds?
04:52Yep.
04:52Oh, my lord.
04:53Have I celebrated just about all right?
04:54That's fine.
04:55That's fine.
04:57I'll try to steer.
04:58What's your surname?
05:00Dirajo.
05:00I'm quite impressed, Dirajo.
05:03Where'd you get that name from then?
05:04Oh, what have you got now?
05:06I'll tell you.
05:06All I know is I wouldn't make puffs.
05:10Come on then, gentlemen.
05:11The trainees on the Thames Valley Advanced Course are already highly skilled behind the
05:16wheel.
05:17They'll find out just what it takes to be a Class 1 police driver.
05:21Formal opening of the course.
05:23Welcome to the driving school at Banbury.
05:25I'm Pete Dudley.
05:25I'm going to be your instructor for the four weeks while you're actually doing this course.
05:28Okay?
05:29Phil?
05:30I'm Phil Hannam, based at Ellsbury Traffic Base.
05:32I'm married with two children.
05:35I've just recently passed my board to go on to traffic.
05:38I'm looking forward to the course this morning.
05:40My name's Thomas.
05:40I've done about four, four and a half years with the Thames Valley Police.
05:45And this is now the first attempt at the driving course to enable me to go on to traffic
05:49departments.
05:50I know you're all eager to go out on the road.
05:52So all I'm going to say with regards to your conduct here is you are the advanced course.
05:56So everybody else here will look up to you for an example to be set.
06:00Okay?
06:05We have what we call response times.
06:06We have to get to things within a certain time.
06:08If you as a member of public phone 999 you expect a policeman to get there as quick as
06:14he can.
06:14There's a lot of pressure on them to actually respond within that time.
06:17But they've also got a moral duty as a police officer to keep what they do safe.
06:24So they're always in a catch-22 situation.
06:27And so is Rick.
06:28He won't be able to master the car until he masters his nerves.
06:32So Pam is forced to resort to the dual controls.
06:36Is this there you go?
06:36Yeah.
06:36I'll break off then before you bring the clutch up anymore.
06:39Can you see me with my tuxie?
06:41Yeah.
06:41That's it.
06:42Now keep your clutch there.
06:43I've actually taken control of your clutch here.
06:45Have you got it Rick?
06:46Yeah.
06:48Pete is in complete control reading the road ahead out loud.
06:52Road surface is currently a dry and will afford me good braking and steering should I require
06:56it.
06:56Okay.
06:57The road at this stage is a single carriageway divided into two lanes by hazard lines.
07:01I'm just approaching the crest of a hill.
07:02Vision has gone.
07:03So I'm just reducing the speed slightly by correct use of the throttle.
07:07Pedestrian's on the near side.
07:08Not a problem.
07:08The HTV is having problems in front due to his size negotiating the narrow bend,
07:12bringing the speed down, watching the child on the near side.
07:15And I think behind me at this stage, near side junction is clear.
07:17And now we know what he expects and how he wants us to drive and we'll see us only getting
07:22better.
07:23So hopefully we should reach that standard, shouldn't we?
07:26It's been a good buzz.
07:28I enjoyed my drive.
07:29I enjoyed the other guys' drives as well.
07:31If I can go away from this course driving the way Pete did today, I'll be very happy.
07:35Okay, let's pull over and stop on the left.
07:37What's the first thing you're going to do?
07:40I'll start braking a little bit.
07:43And sit under the clutch as well and steer out from the curb just a bit.
07:46Put the clutch down now and then gently brake till we stop.
07:50Nice and gentle.
07:53Good.
07:53Lovely.
07:54And we might as well finish off by cancelling the signal.
07:57Cancel the signal.
07:58And relax.
07:59And relax.
08:00Okay, that's great.
08:01End of lesson number one.
08:04Oh, we got to the end of it.
08:05I enjoyed that.
08:06Hey, I tell you what, that was pretty good.
08:08That stop was nice at the end.
08:10Well, I'll try and do what I'm told.
08:11Good.
08:13I'll have a word for Sue about that.
08:15No, I was always bound to experience, Pam.
08:19Oh, you're losing him because I don't know.
08:21He can't take the pace.
08:23That's what it is.
08:24Pull up and stop on the left there.
08:26If you go a little bit closer up to the car.
08:30A little bit closer.
08:34Great.
08:35Let's take off.
08:37Can you see what changed?
08:39Oh yeah.
08:40Okay.
08:41I think that was really quite good.
08:42That's not too bad.
08:43How do you feel?
08:44I feel exhausted.
08:45Exhausted?
08:46I do.
08:47It was fun.
08:50Maggie may not be able to enjoy her plush Peugeot,
08:53but there is one solitary compensation for having a car that you can't drive.
08:59Cheers, everyone.
09:00You had a good day.
09:01I've had a very good driving lesson today, can I just say.
09:04Excellent.
09:04Brilliant.
09:05Good to hear.
09:06Live to tell the tale.
09:07And better than that, so has my instructor.
09:11Does it not seem really unnatural when you're learning to drive and you're turning corners
09:16like this?
09:19Or 10 to 2 or 10 to 2?
09:21Not unnatural.
09:2210 to 2.
09:24I'm trying to get a bit tighter this time.
09:27Excellent.
09:28You're doing great, but you're not ready for the car brigade yet, okay?
09:36Oh.
09:37That's all right.
09:37Sorry about that.
09:38That's all right.
09:38Get your engine on it, then.
09:39Most of the women take a bit longer.
09:41Of course, I don't know.
09:42Because, you know, let's be honest, most women drivers are very poor, aren't they?
09:46I totally agree with you.
09:48She's going to hit me now.
09:49Thanks.
09:49I'm sorry.
09:51I'm sorry.
09:51Oh, bat me out.
09:53I beg your pardon.
09:55You're not falling apart, are you?
09:56Yeah, I'm falling apart.
10:00Right.
10:01Into first.
10:02Well, how come our insurance is cheaper than for women to drive, because there are fewer
10:05accidents?
10:06Is it just a quirk?
10:08You drive smaller cars, they're harder to hit.
10:10Switch off.
10:10That was crap, weren't I?
10:11No, you weren't.
10:12That was awful.
10:12Switch off.
10:13That was terrible.
10:14Things always seem worse than they are when you're stuck in the middle of the road.
10:21Yeah, it's true.
10:24Rick and Sue have been living together for 20 years.
10:27They've raised three children, but recently Rick's lack of a licence has caused a little
10:31domestic friction.
10:33Look at that, because I don't drive.
10:35The shopping's failed to Sue all the time.
10:39And that's another reason to learn how to drive, really.
10:42I get to do the errands.
10:43I get all the boring bits, which means that when I'm engrossed in something, then Rick
10:47runs out of something.
10:48I'm the one that's got the vehicle.
10:50And it's always urgent, so I've got to get in the car and go get it, you know.
10:55So, that gets a bit tedious.
10:57Yeah.
10:57It sounds like a really small thing, but it isn't.
11:00You know, and it was just like when I went down to get the bread, for instance.
11:03I was thinking, you know, it takes quite a long time to do that if you're walking.
11:08But in a car, you're sort of there and back.
11:11It's the end of day one for the advanced drivers.
11:15Already it's clear that controlling a car at the limit requires a cool head and some serious nerves.
11:22I've got a little maestro and it didn't go over 70.
11:25So, I'm not actually used to a powerful car and overtaking cars at speed.
11:30And it was a case of trusting what the car can do and having confidence in it.
11:34Double check.
11:35For Rick, confidence is hard to find.
11:38Break off.
11:39Now just keep it nice and steady like that with the clutch.
11:42No more, no less.
11:43And when our nose gets out from behind the car, that's it.
11:46Instinct's taken over, so do steer quite crisply.
11:49Good.
11:51Well done.
11:52Yeah?
11:53Yeah.
11:53And we'll stay in England.
11:55Yes.
11:56OK.
11:56England swings on the left hand side.
11:59The left hand.
12:00All right.
12:01So that's that.
12:03How about slowing down or stopping?
12:08That's very great.
12:09I did ballet for two years.
12:10Does it show?
12:11Probably less with the hands, more with the arm.
12:14Stay quite briskly.
12:15OK.
12:16That's it.
12:17Good.
12:18And steer back to the right about now.
12:21Good.
12:23Lovely.
12:23Let's have a little go at getting into that second gear.
12:26Yeah?
12:27Great.
12:28Watch the tractor.
12:29Stay away from it.
12:31OK.
12:31Clock the sides.
12:32Yeah.
12:33Mirror.
12:34Yeah.
12:34Now we need to brake.
12:35Tom's finding that a powerful Mondeo is rather different from a pensionable maestro.
12:40How does it tell you where the road goes?
12:41The lorry just gave you a good clue where the road goes.
12:44There's parked cars on the near side, so we need to be able towards the crown.
12:46Watch what's going on.
12:48OK.
12:49What you need to think there is worst-case scenarios.
12:52If I've got cars parked on the near side and I'm going to have to go round them,
12:55what's the worst thing that's going to happen?
12:57Meeting somebody coming the other way?
12:59Yeah.
12:59OK.
12:59And the worst, worst-case scenario could be you, me and you, coming the opposite direction.
13:05Yeah.
13:07Keep steering.
13:09That's it.
13:09Stay back to the right.
13:11Good.
13:12That's it.
13:13A little bit wide, but we cope with it.
13:15No problem.
13:16Yeah?
13:16Just ease.
13:17Just ease.
13:18Just ease.
13:19Now gently brake.
13:20Gently.
13:21OK.
13:21Don't stamp on it.
13:22Just gently.
13:23OK.
13:24We're in the right gear still, so that's not a problem.
13:25There's your overtake.
13:26Bang on.
13:26What do you want on the gear for?
13:28I was in fifth.
13:30Well, we were actually in third.
13:32Trust us to come into a road where the bin lorries.
13:35For Rick, third gear is still a dream.
13:38His age is his enemy.
13:4080% of drivers get their licenses before they're 30.
13:44Lovely.
13:44I think if I was 17 or 18, I probably wouldn't have the kind of fears that I have now.
13:51I think my age is determining my thinking.
13:55So, basically, I think it is a bit more difficult, you know, because I'm actually sort of thinking twice all
14:03the time.
14:03I have this sense of responsibility, you know, that I'm going to hit something.
14:07I've obviously got comments that I'm going to make on your drive as well, but I'd also like the other
14:10two in the back to make comments on your drive.
14:12Do you want to start, Phil?
14:14Um, late gears into bends.
14:17Yeah.
14:18Thomas, I think at first he's a little bit nervous and he's very conscious that he's probably made a few
14:23more mistakes than the other two.
14:26Um, and at the moment what I'm desperately trying to do is get him to relax, trying to say to
14:31him,
14:31I know that you're going to make mistakes, don't worry about them, leave them behind on the road.
14:35What you're actually doing is because you're not assessing the bend correctly to start with and we're going in too
14:40quick,
14:41we're actually having to do our gear change at this point, OK?
14:45Which is fine, you might get away with it with one or two bends, but if I put three or
14:49four in, by the time you get to the fourth or fifth,
14:51we ain't going to be on the road.
14:54Phil Hannam's relearning the rules. Getting a clear view of what's ahead means he must practice something that goes against
15:00every instinct.
15:02Straight out to the offside now, out to the offside.
15:04Driving on the wrong side of the road.
15:07Stay out on the offside, stay out on the offside, stay out on the offside, stay out on the offside,
15:11stay out on the offside,
15:12stay out on the offside, now turn it.
15:19Nicely done.
15:21Can you see why I wasn't giving you the hang out there?
15:22Yeah, because it just made it one big radius didn't it?
15:25Cover the break.
15:27That's it. Position yourself quite nicely. Clutch down.
15:32Oh, damn.
15:34His basic problem is control, but that's going to get better, yeah?
15:39I'm delighted at the way he's remembering things, the sequences that I've taught him up to now.
15:44Yeah, let's hope he keeps up the good work with that.
15:47I actually forget she's there physically, and all I hear is this little voice in my head, which is Pam
15:53actually saying mirrors, check, check this, check that, you know.
15:58But she's made it really fluid, and I've started to relax a bit, so this morning I really, really enjoyed
16:04it, you know.
16:16Phil, at the moment, he's fitting into it quite nicely.
16:19He's already beginning to identify what he's doing wrong when we're out on the road and actually saying,
16:23I did that wrong, you better write that down, I did this wrong, which is quite nice for me as
16:27an instructor.
16:28Just ease, just ease, just ease, just ease, just ease, now squeeze it on.
16:35Cut the corner a little bit.
16:38Bit nerve-wracking.
16:39I've had a few errors, I know about.
16:42The pen was working like a fury on his pad, doesn't know if that's good or bad.
16:46I felt quite comfortable, it's a lovely car to drive.
16:48It just made my life a lot easier, having the power under the bonnet.
16:53Maggie's a training manager for a pensions company by day.
16:57By night, she's a wannabe band promoter.
17:00Hello, can I speak to somebody who deals with booking bands, please?
17:03Oh right, hi, my name's Maggie Darajo.
17:06I'm interested in getting a booking for a band that I represent called Cloud.
17:12Earning her spurs in the music business will be a lot easier once Maggie can drive.
17:17Driving actually will be quite important because if I'm going to do this in any kind of serious capacity,
17:21then I really need to be mobile to help get the bands around and to go out and visit venues
17:25and see what's around.
17:26Yeah.
17:27Hey Ben, you've got this kind of official one.
17:31Rick's son Ben is learning in tandem with his dad, but Ben's got the drop on his father.
17:36He's already taken his theory test.
17:38Yeah, it looks like it.
17:40Are you nervous about it?
17:42A little bit. I think I know how it went. It went all right, so...
17:44You should have done all right, shouldn't you?
17:46Yeah.
17:47I'm pleased to inform you that you've passed the B driving test.
17:51Well done.
17:51Oh, well done.
17:54So what did you get?
17:55I got one wrong.
17:56One?
17:56One?
17:57You know what I can see happening, like, you know, sort of six months' time?
18:00Ben, I'm sitting by the side of Ben and Ben's teaching me to drive.
18:07I really want Ben to drive, but I want to share in that somehow with him.
18:12I suppose that's maybe in a funny kind of way that's been part of the kind of catalyst for driving.
18:18Ben's off driving and I'm still walking, you know.
18:25Right.
18:26The reason you lost that is because what you've actually done is you've turned in really tight.
18:31Right.
18:31The tighter you turn in, the more the back is going to flick out.
18:35Correcting a car that's out of control is a lesson that can save your life.
18:42The small wheels on the frame can be raised or lowered from inside to vary the severity of the skid.
18:53Just a little bit too fast, wasn't it?
18:55Er, no. The speed was fine.
18:58You were just a little bit slow, actually recognising that it was beginning to go.
19:01Slide, right.
19:02OK, but that's what we're here for.
19:03You can find you can actually get the car two in the corner for you.
19:06Right.
19:15If it goes out of control, just put your foot on the brakes and we'll actually put it down on
19:19the deck.
19:19OK.
19:24Now just start swinging it about.
19:26That's gonna keep something hot.
19:28That's gonna keep something hot, that's gonna keep something hot.
19:34Good!
19:40Half an hour later and Phil's learning the art of wagging his tail.
19:53very good very good indeed I'm typically clutch to slow down you've gone too fast you're going
19:59too fast I can't do I can't do anything if I'm saying slow down you're actually steering out
20:04and we don't want that so we just keep it nice and slow yeah right common mistake a lot of
20:12students
20:12to make is to try and make big arcs if you make big arcs
20:22make it out of control okay see how out of control it goes okay so what you need to do
20:32is go back to
20:34keeping the steering to a minimum amount that's enough steering just give it the time yeah leave
20:40it leave it the steering on just give it the time it needs to get there yeah yeah we're going
20:45in here
20:45no just going a bit closer to the curb because we're a bit wide that's it straight yeah and we'll
20:51stop
20:52three two one go it's time to beat the clock with some hard charging chicanery
21:19keep it tight
21:2938 I'm starting to go around the corner now so that's why I have to look over that way in
21:32case
21:32because my car's going to stick out a bit is that what you mean that's right you're checking your
21:35my sock because the front is going to swing out okay let's go forward see if we can correct that
22:10and now it's time to test the teacher
22:36it's not going to fit
22:44go on then you're equal with uh Phil 34 34 right good okay then right day's over
22:53time for tea you ready then Beth ready steady go one two three four five six go go go go
23:03go go go
23:0310 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 I called my instructor on 34 seconds which
23:15I was very
23:15trapped with especially he's the fastest in the driving school so that was definitely my high for
23:20last week I can't I can't say what's gonna be my high next week hopefully to still be here next
23:24Friday in an hour Maggie will take her theory test thoughtfully her colleagues are on hand with a spot of
23:31last minute revision Marge you're driving down the road in your car I don't like that car I'd like
23:38a red one okay pretend it's right okay you're driving down the road and you want to turn right
23:41okay uh-huh okay only problem is that this car here wants to turn right as well what do you
23:46do
23:47what happens next what should you do I should now this isn't multiple choice questions here but I would
23:55it's safer to let the car go around the back of me here car's going this way this road's a
23:59bit
23:59small and then you do that excellent you drive along super well done right then Dan if you think
24:06you're so smart let's see how many you'd get right totally at random you have to park on the road
24:11in
24:11fog you should leave dipped headlights on leave main beam headlights on leave side lights on leave
24:18dipped headlights and fog lights on last on dip headlights and fog lights no just leave side
24:26lights light lights on would you like to borrow this book from you dad good job I don't have to
24:30take it all good bookshops
24:32it's where the bin lorry is coming on top Rick on the left yes so slow down
24:38after five lessons Rick is about to learn the hard way that he'll need both confidence and concentration
25:03Maggie's midway through her theory test of 35 multiple choice questions five wrong and she's blown it
25:15Tom Dempsey's squaring up to his first big hurdle at the advanced course driving school boss Brian Smith
25:21sits in to assess his progress you could have used him to come out on to the middle one but
25:27what I didn't
25:27want to do is make it make the white car break I wasn't sure whether the gap would give me
25:31another
25:32you'd have been alright there I doubt if they'd noticed you
25:52street wise Pamela car
25:56oh hello Rick what can I do for you what tomorrow's lesson you can't tell me why you want to
26:06cancel can you
26:08um we need to get some continuity Rick you know what I mean yeah listen leave it a couple of
26:14days
26:15don't worry about it now and I'll talk to you soon and we'll sort it out okay don't worry about
26:21it
26:22thanks a lot take care bye
26:29oh
26:31caravans you need to let me go in
26:41how's it go
26:42okay I think I'm there about five that I have to check the answers for I wrote down the ones
26:47on
26:47my hand when I check these five if I got one or two of them right I'll relax a bit
26:52but if I
26:53haven't I wrote no how do you feel um I've done a hole it's going quite well but at times
27:02like there
27:02were times when we had a single white line and I crossed it as I turned and I think I
27:05was going too
27:06fast and also I'm snatching a wheel now you never went too fast anyway in fact a couple times I
27:13thought
27:13you backed off where you could have kept it going and you just came across a little bit in your
27:17drive
27:18this morning as if it was an effort is what I'm saying yeah
27:23yeah that's what we call fast
27:26gang are you all in one piece
27:29still yes Brian still looks fine
27:33how much money do I owe you Brian
27:35instructor Pete Dudley has been following during Tom's assessment
27:39now it's time for the post-mortem
27:42how did old Thomas do
27:44I just get an impression with Tom
27:49if he had a bit more confidence in what the car can do and what he can do with the
27:52car
27:53he could flow a lot easier
28:03you're going to get a bit worried about Rick
28:05this is um four lessons he's cancelled now
28:11I don't know whether it's financial or whether it's worry not being able to cope with it
28:17his age
28:19he's really putting a lot of effort into it
28:21I hope you're off your clutch
28:23oh lovely
28:24you always make me feel good when I've done something a bit right
28:28good
28:28the trouble is he'll step forward and five steps back
28:34instead of five forward and one back
28:37and I don't like taking money off people if they're not going to make it
28:43next week on driving school will Pam trust Rick long enough to leave those dual controls alone
28:52if Maggie gets her theory test she'll be one step closer to the job of her dreams
28:57see what I mean it's actually easier to go faster
29:00it is like driving really
29:04and will Phil and Tom make the running as class one police drivers
29:08you