Every now and then it's interesting for me to see which pages are viewed.  I could count the pages for which I send links to students, but it's more informative to know which pages et opened.  The results won't make me delete any, but I might pay more attention to ensuring the popular ones speak as clearly as possible to as many learning styles as I can.  So, this month, totals for the top 25 page viewed are:

www.TRC11.com/diary = 340
www.TRC11.com/[searchbox] = 108
www.TRC11.com/ = 74
www.TRC11.com/topics = 29
www.TRC11.com/ancillary-controls = 26
www.TRC11.com/prices = 24
www.TRC11.com/my-news = 22
www.TRC11.com/practical = 22
www.TRC11.com/my-car = 20
www.TRC11.com/roundabouts = 18
www.TRC11.com/advice = 15
www.TRC11.com/aids = 13
www.TRC11.com/lessons = 13
www.TRC11.com/examiners = 12
www.TRC11.com/parallel-park = 12
www.TRC11.com/me = 11
www.TRC11.com/your-progress = 11
www.TRC11.com/bay-parking = 10
www.TRC11.com/drive1 = 10
www.TRC11.com/ready = 10
www.TRC11.com/reversing = 10
www.TRC11.com/singer = 9
www.TRC11.com/your-car = 9
www.TRC11.com/engine-bay = 8
www.TRC11.com/my-news/decoding-lots-of-signs-quickly = 8
www.TRC11.com/my-news/is-my-local-test-centre-fair = 8

It’s a GOOD idea to observe others’ behaviour and often to copy it. It will at least show you the social norms, perhaps illustrate local expectations, and they do say that “8 out of 10 cats can’t be wrong”.

But it’s a BAD idea to think we are cats. Maybe we will be cats in future lives. For the present, however, we are individual humans and drivers. So we must choose independently what to do. For we are independently responsible, and liable.

The driver in the picture may have been following another vehicle in heavy rain or poor light. But they should’ve paid their own attention to the signs. It may have convinced them that the vehicle was a tram.

Examiners are just human individuals, whatever you’ve experienced or believe. They have lives outside their job, with the normal ups and downs that can affect their judgment when they assess you. Because of that, their performance is closely monitored.

Part of this means being observed doing their job a minimum of 4 times a year, by a senior examiner. You might therefore find a second stranger in the back of the car when you sit your test (don’t worry, they’re not watching you, they’re checking the examiner).

Secondly, their marking is compared to the average at that test centre. Every month. (That is, in groups of about 200 tests per person). The basis of this is the Chi-Squared Test, established over a century ago as standard statistical practice to spot “unreal” changes.

Thus, an examiner’s performance differs by more than 10%, harsher or slacker, the LDTM (test centre manager) must discuss with them why. Retraining might follow. Or worse :)

I used to believe learners are most likely to cancel their practical tests late in the evening, so that's when it was best to look for available slots.  Following a recent Freedom of Information request, this appears to be untrue (so you should look 10am to 6pm for best chances):