Tips for driving safe in Winter

As many of you know, I’m also a part time ski instructor and spend a lot of time driving in the snow in the French alps. In this blog, I’ve put together my top tips to drive safe this winter. 

Emergency supplies in case of a zombie apocalypse First thing first, it’s always a good idea to carry an emergency kit in your car just in case you’re stuck on the road. You never know when you’ll need them. My emergency kit contains a handful of grenade bars (I like the salted caramel and Jaffa cake ones 😀), de-icer spray, ice scraper, shovel, jump leads, first aid kit, high-visibility vest, fleece blanket, an old gym hoodie, can of monster (I often need to replace that one!), iphone charging cable and headphones. I don’t keep torches as I use the torch on my phone but it might be a good idea.
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How to pass your driving test first time.

I often get asked how my pupils pass their driving test first time. After my most recent pass, I’ve decided to write a blog about it. First of all, make sure you are ready for your test and have enough lessons beforehand. Even if you learn from your parents/relatives, you should still get few lessons from a driving instructor so that they can give you some pointers about your preferred test centres, possible routes etc. It is always a good idea to get to know the area and test routes beforehand. Your instructor will take you to all those hidden roads, country lanes and dual carriageways that you might have missed out – helping you to avoid any nasty surprises on your test day.

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Going Skiing for the first time? Read this first!

If this is the first time you are going skiing, there is a lot to consider – from ski hire to childcare to nightlife. I started skiing at the age of 3 and now teach skiing at Ski Technique Ski School in Megeve, a hidden gem in the French Alps. I have worked in some of the best ski resorts in the alps for last 16 years and I can give you some advice to make sure your trip is a memorable one!
First thing first, look at the dates. If you don’t have children then try to book dates outside the English and European school holidays. You will have a much better experience. If you are travelling with children, then book everything at least 6-8 months in advance, including your ski lessons. I hate to turn down families for ski lessons but you won’t believe how many people try to book ski lessons during school holidays after they have arrived in the resort!
Okay, so if you are a beginner, check if your resort sell a beginners ski pass (Débutant pass in France). They are often less than half price of the regular pass and will give you access to all the beginners ski slope which is more than what you will need.
If you are going with friends and/or family who can already ski, don’t, don’t, DON’T let them be your ski instructors. I am not just saying this as an instructor. Pretty soon, they’ll get bored of teaching you the basics and drag you to the top of the slope and tell you “you’ll be fine”. You will probably get traumatised by the whole experience (if you don’t physically hurt yourself that is) and won’t probably want to leave the chalet again until the trip back home. Do yourself a favour and book yourself some proper ski lessons.
Also, for your first ever ski trip, try borrowing and renting as much as possible instead of buying your own gear. In the unlikely event you find that skiing is not for you (not very likely to happen if you learf with one of us!), you’ll thank me for it!
Also, if you are not a very active person, try to get moving. You don’t need to spend hours at the gym – just make small changes. Walk more, take the stairs instead of the lift, go cycling. Move those legs muscle.
If you have an indoor ski slope, it is a great idea to go practice there before your trip, but don’t worry if you can’t.
Most importantly, remember to have fun. You will fall, you will be on your bum a lot, but it’s all part of it! 

Don’t book your driving test with third party scam websites

When it comes to booking your theory test or practical test, most of us just lazily type “book theory test” onto Google and click on the first result assuming it is the official website. A lot of pupils end up clicking on paid advert from third party websites where you pay an additional fee for using their service. Some of the websites are really taking advantage of vulnerable pupils and using different ways to scam them.

One of the websites Book-theory-test-online dot co dot uk was fined £85000 for scamming people with their so called “Pass Protection Guarantee Scheme” and premium number hotline. If you paid for their pass protection guarantee, they promised to pay for a second test if you fail the first one. But the small print revealed that they’d only pay for your re-sit if you failed the multiple choice part with a score of 42 out of 50 (bear in mind, the pass mark is 43!). Another company Book Your Theory Test Limited offers the same free resit, and guess what, they’d also only pay for your resit if you fail with a score of 42!

Some companies also use premium rate phone number where people could call in and book their test, and most people spent over £50 on those phone calls! Many of the victims were under the impression that they were calling the official DVSA contact number!
You really don’t need to pay a third party website to book your theory test. The DVSA website is really straight forward and you can book directly with them by clicking on this link. I really hope this blog helps!

ps. If you are booking your practical test, use this link instead.

Is it hard to pass your driving test in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk

Your driving test is probably one of the most important exams (and stressful) in your life. As a driving instructor in Bury st. Edmunds, I can tell you it is really normal to let your nerves get the best of you on that day! Unfortunately, the driving pass rate in bury st Edmunds is only 42.5%, a lot lower than the national average.
So what makes it so hard to pass your test in in Bury St Edmunds? Firstly, Bury has its own quirks, a number of junctions that aren’t as straight forward. There are the parkway, dual carriageway, different speed limits, faded giveaway lines on the street, all making the driving test a little harder than it should be.
As many of you know, the driving test also changed almost two years ago. You now need to navigate for 20 minutes using a sat-nav or following road sign and answer your show me questions during your drive, which many pupils find harder.
If you are taking your test during a market day, it can be very difficult due to the parked cars and crowds. Bury is very compact for a busy town and getting to know the spots where pupils get caught out is not really that hard, as long your instructor knows where to take you and you drill it with them several time to get you to the test standard.
Remember, even though every test centre is different, all candidates are assessed to the same level and the result of their test is entirely dependent on their performance on the day, so don’t let your nerves get the best of you. Good luck

Where to Learn MMA in Suffolk

MMA or Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that blends techniques from Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Boxing, Muay Thai and Wrestling enabling you to both strike and grapple with your opponent whilst standing and on the ground. In recent years, MMA has become the go to sports for many of us, not just the pros.

If you live around Sudbury and want to give it a go, we have a friendly group of people in Sudbury who train together at Zest Gym Sudbury with Tsunami Suffolk MMA every Friday and often we end up in town for drinks and talk fights, UFC and everything in-between (contrary to popular beliefs, we don’t have fights in front of the kebab shop!)

Simon who takes the MMA class is very knowledgable and have years of experience. Although the sessions are hard work and involve a lot of up-close fighting techniques, you’ll be paired with someone who is the same level as you. The first 45 minutes we go over techniques and the second 45 minutes some of us have a light roll. You don’t have to be a member at Zest, you can always pay per class. There are plenty of gloves at the gym, so just bring yourself here and once you get the hang of it you can always get your own gear. If you have any questions about MMA, feel free to ask!