About Me

Hi, I'm Richard and I'm a fully qualified Approved Driving Instructor (ADI).

I became a driving instructor because I wanted a job that was both enjoyable and rewarding. The work is interesting, but what I enjoy most about the job is the people I meet, and the privilege of being present while someone who initially doesn't believe they can do something gradually realises that they can.

Learning to do anything new can be a vulnerable experience. You're trying things you've never done before and making mistakes in front of another person.

Please don't worry.

You don't have to be perfect. You don't have to prove yourself to me. You don't need to feel embarrassed about getting things wrong. And you're never letting me down. My respect for you isn't something you have to earn, and it won't disappear because you make a mistake, struggle with something, or have a difficult lesson.

My job is to help you understand what you're doing, give you the time and guidance you need, and gradually help you become confident enough to do it for yourself.

I take the work seriously, and I've been fortunate to have been trained in modern adult coaching and training techniques, so lessons are structured and purposeful. But learning doesn't have to be intimidating. Lessons will always be conducted in a calm, friendly and relaxed manner, while still making the best use of the time we have together.

If you prefer to keep things simple, we don't need to wade through more detail than necessary. But if you want detail, I won't gatekeep — I'm happy to share everything I know. I've always believed that the desire to learn should be the only qualification you need to learn something.

Please never feel that you're asking a silly question. If something doesn't make sense, please ask. You will be helping me at least as much as yourself — usually more. I'll always do my best to explain things clearly, and if I don't know the answer, I'll find it for you or help you find it yourself.

I'll also adapt the pace of your training to you, rather than expecting everybody to learn in exactly the same way.

I've spent several years studying calligraphy with the American penman David Grimes, and he often talks about something I think is valuable far beyond calligraphy:  perpetual noviceship. It isn't about remaining inexperienced. It's about retaining the mindset of a novice — staying curious, being willing to ask questions, and recognising that however much we learn, there is always more to discover.

The training itself is carefully structured and thorough, with the aim of preparing you as well as possible for your driving test. But that is only part of what we're working towards.

What really matters is that when you eventually drive away on your own, you have the judgement, awareness and confidence to keep yourself — and other people — safe for many years afterwards.

Outside of work, I like learning how things work, and I have a tendency to get rather deeply involved in the things that interest me.

At the moment, one of those interests is locksport — an extension of my fondness for mechanical puzzles. I'm heavily involved in the hobby, active in several of its communities, and compete in lockpicking. I currently hold the rank of Red Belt through Lockpickers United, with most of the requirements for Black Belt already completed.

It may sound like a rather strange hobby to some people, but I enjoy many of the same things about it that I enjoy about learning and teaching: patience, problem-solving, breaking something complicated down into smaller pieces, asking why and how something works, and persevering through those moments when progress isn't immediately discernible — until that little moment when something that once seemed impossible suddenly seems so simple.