“I have considered taking the Advanced Driver qualification several times over many years so, when ‘life’ shifted slightly to one side and I was approaching the age when I needed to renew my driving licence,
I finally signed up.
“It felt like the right thing to do as so much has changed about driving since I passed my test, and I would like to be a safe and competent driver for a few more years.
“Signing up was an easy process and David, the observer allocated to me, contacted me just a few days later.
“Although I have been driving for fifty years in a variety of vehicles both all around the UK and abroad, this has mostly been alone or with just my husband as a sole passenger, and it’s how I prefer to drive. So driving with a new and ‘observant passenger’ was challenging for me.
“I need not have worried as David was great throughout; he put me at ease, and his patience with my nerves and inconsistency was endless.
He also adapted to deal with my hearing loss, and happily accepted having Maggie, my Hearing Dog, join us for all our drives.
“It took a while for me to find the confidence to take my test, but with David’s patient persistence and some support from Stephen and Geoff, I finally passed. It’s been a really positive all-round experience for me.
“Now that it’s just Maggie and me in the car again I feel that I can take on any drive with refreshed eyes and driving skills.”
Angela Richards