Stay Home, Protect NHS, Save Lives

As we are sure you are all aware, we are unable to provide our chauffeur services currently as it is sadly impossible for us to observe the social distancing rules. Life is certainly very different to what it was at the beginning of the year!

What have we been doing?

Over the last month we have had numerous DIY projects ticked off the to-do list; finished building the greenhouse, hung the driveway gates (this means Clover, our dog, is able to roam freely in the garden safely kept away from the road), started growing fruits, vegetables and mountains of salad - although they are all rather small seeds at the moment. The garage is now fully organised and Dave has started to give our big cats a deep polish and wax.

Next up for us, is to start repairing our walls and decorating inside following the rewire that we had done earlier in the year.

Clover has loved 'helping' us dig new borders - here she is making the potato bed!

The government's help for small businesses sadly doesn't include us, so as we have no income coming in, Dave has had to diversify and recently started delivering parcels for Hermes. This was just a trial and we have found that using our big cat for this wasn't financially viable and too much risk to her, so we have decided to put the breaks on that idea for now. 

It was amazing how many parcels fo varying sizes and weights that could be fit into the car, even though the back seats were down. All the leathers were protected of course!

Dave has been applying for numerous temporary jobs - supermarket delivery driver, keyworker positions and more to help tide us over until we can get back to normal. Hannah has also applied for lots of jobs, she is hoping to start a career in the care sector. Once the business is up and running again, she'll be able to keep working part time in our business.

How have you been coping with the huge change in circumstances? Have you had to diversify in ways you never imagined? Are you getting to catch up on the to-do list?

We'd love to hear from you. In the meantime, we hope you are staying well and coping during this social distancing period. 

To discuss any questions you may have about travelling when we are permitted to, after the virus passes, get in touch now by:

📞 07850 100 859

📧 dave@dbexecutivetravel.net

#StayHomeSaveLives

Legal & Reliable, 100% Guaranteed - How?

We guarantee your travel with us is safe and comfortable, guaranteeing we are legal and reliable - we do the waiting so our clients do not!

This is the third and final in a mini series about our guarantees - we guarantee that we are legal and reliable, so what’s included in this?

Let’s talk about being legal first and in what ways our executive chauffeur service stays within the law.

Yes, this really is what we aim to do, which not only applies to the way we deliver a drive as well as the way we operate the business. 

Legal

Licensing and Insurance 

We naturally have the relevant licenses for providing vehicle hire which includes an operating license for the business, private vehicle hire license for the car and finally the private hire driver’s license for the executive chauffeurs.

Without any of these licenses that are issued by Wiltshire Council, we are unable to provide our executive chauffeur services for airports, events or special occasions whether for business or pleasure. Thankfully we have an exception certificate meaning that we do not need to have these signs displayed on our vehicle, and neither do I need to have my personal licenses on display. We do however, have to have these available should we be asked to present them any time.

Each of the licenses must be renewed regularly meaning that the necessary tests have to be undergone.

Our licensed Jaguar XFS must have an MOT every 6 months to remain licensed and any damage done to the car is required to be repaired without delay.

Of course, we have all the relevant insurances, including the household upgrade to enable us to welcome clients into our home office when necessary. This is sometimes required when wedding couples or those looking to hire us for proms, want to meet us and the cars in advance.

Driving legally 

Our aim is to build the business with strong ethics and integrity based upon our core values. So naturally, we ensure all our chauffeurs, whether for our wedding car service or for our executive travel service, operate within the law and adhere to UK driving laws.

Speed Limits 

This includes the way we drive to the speed limit when it is safe to do so, and we aim to make sure we do not exceed that limit. Quite simply, this gives our clients peace of mind and helps to provide a stress free journey, helped by also keeping an appropriate distance form the vehicles in front.

Mobiles & Smoking

Continually, even these days, I see other providers on their mobile phones whilst driving with or without a passenger onboard. All our chauffeurs have their phones on silent, out of sight and disconnected from the car, so they are not used in any way while clients are onboard.

In addition, I notice other drivers smoking inside their licensed vehicle, albeit with the window down and without a passenger. For a licensed car, smoking in the car is illegal.

We provide our executive chauffeur and wedding car chauffeur services that stay within the law in every way, which provides our clients with comfortable travel knowing that we are not distracted by phone calls. Our drivers do not smoke anywhere near our cars which means that all our passengers can travel without feeling uncomfortable.

Staying alert

It has been said to me by other people, although thankfully this has not been my experience, that they have travelled with other providers who were struggling to stay awake when driving at night. Whilst I feel for both the drivers and their passengers under these circumstances, our pledge and guarantee for our clients includes that we drive safely, which means that our drivers must be ‘fit to drive’.

When we take on bookings, we consider the travel that is already booked with the same chauffeur and ensure in advance, that enough rest time is allowed before we take on the booking.

Highway Code & Qualifications

Each of our chauffeurs have a strong knowledge of the UK Highway Code and the minimum requirement for being a chauffeur for us, is that they must be qualified advanced drivers with IAM RoadSmart.

For our licensed travel service, our executive chauffeurs must also have been qualified at Master level with IAM RoadSmart. 

Reliability

So, how is this achieved with our executive chauffeur and wedding car service?

Contingency time

When we plan our route and timing to arrive for a client wherever they are, we allow time to clean and wax the car before we greet them. For airports, we plan to arrive and park before the plane has landed, knowing the client needs to go through security and often baggage reclaim. This gives us contingency timing just in case.

Trial Drives

For weddings the assigned chauffeur will conduct a trial drive of the route that is planned the week before the wedding. This gives us a good feel for the timing and ensures that we are fully aware of the various locations where we are picking up people and taking them.

For weddings, we also travel to what we have defined, as the previously identified ‘pre-location’ site, which allows the chauffeur to fully detail wax the car within a short distance from the first pick up point.

Our guarantees do not include an immaculately waxed Jaguar, although that is always our aim, so if traffic delays happen, then this is the time that is used up, instead of being late for our clients.

SMS Messages

An essential part of our planning, are the SMS messages we send around 2 days prior to meeting our clients for executive travel. These messages allow us to confirm the details of where we are picking them up from and taking them, including any flight information. This gives peace of mind to our clients so they know they have not been forgotten.

Also when we are at the Airport Arrivals, they receive another SMS from us, saying we are there for them along with an offer of hot drinks.

Our whole service is about providing stress free travel and peace of mind. There are many other aspects to our full service which we would be only too pleased to discuss with anyone who would like to contact us.

Executive Travel: info@dbexecutivetravel.net or call 07850 100859

Wedding Cars: info@dbweddingcars.net or call 07548 931339

Comfort Guaranteed - Who says?

I have often been asked, why Jaguar?

Why not Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Volvo or perhaps a Tesla? Why not? The list is endless, but to answer this obvious question I need to go back to our roots first of all.

While I was working for other companies, as a family we needed cars that were spacious and comfortable - the latter due to health reasons, as we were not getting any younger!

From my earlier articles on our website and LinkedIn, you will find that the years before we chose Jaguar we drove Vauxhalls, specifically the Carlton and lately the Omega. When production of the Omega ended, we then had to look to other brands for the large comfortable alternative. 

It was then that after test driving many other brands and models, that we drove our first Jaguar, albeit the smallest, an X Type that we were sold. Yes, that then led to the S Type, which we still have that is now only used for weddings, to our the current licensed car our XFS, as well as the family X Type Estate. 

You only need to read through our dozens of 5 star reviews including currently over 60 on google to find that our clients love the S Type and XFS too and find them so comfortable. 

Our social media posts refer to them both as our big cats! Using the links on our website, why not connect up and follow us on our travels?

But comfort is not only about the cars we drive, and we plan to stay with the Jaguar brand as we expand, it is also about the way the cars are driven and how we look after our clients. 

Some point soon, we will need to consider alternative fuels, so we are already keeping an eye open for electric cars that have a range of around 700 miles, which is what we consistently get out of our big cat, the XFS!

Back to our subject……….

How we appear

To quote a celebrity “Oh what a beautiful car and you are dressed so smartly. I know I will looked after and kept safe’, our aim is to ensure that from the first time clients see us, they feel comfortable and at ease. 

So we arrive in not only a clean suit and chauffeur’s cap, but we also ensure our car is looking at her best - outside as well as inside.

None of our chauffeurs smoke or use bad language which ensures no offence is caused to some of our clients who do neither of these things.

During the drive, we do not start a conversation, and only engage in a discussion should our clients initiate it. We do not ask questions during the conversation, so it is easy for clients to close the discussion down when they like. We respect our clients time and space.

Are you sitting comfortably?

When clients are onboard, we check the air con is to their preference and do not open our window. Of course, should a client wish to open a window, then they are at liberty to do this. En route at regular periods, we will also check that the air con is still to their liking.

When we have 2 or more passengers with us, before we meet and greet, we adjust the drivers seating position as far forward as is safe to drive - this maximises the leg room for clients behind us, even though the cars are already spacious.

We provide for our passengers cooled mineral water, snack bars, tissues, sanitised hand wipes, eye mask, branded mints, as well as a daily newspaper of their choice and 4 quality magazines for browsing. 

When collecting from Airport/Seaport Arrivals, we offer a hot drink of their choice and assist with luggage. For longer journeys we also provide hot drinks from the service areas.

When arriving at the car, we first open the car doors and invite our clients to take their seats and while they are getting comfortable, our chauffeurs load the luggage into the boot and if appropriate the top box. 

We also offer a charging cable for their mobile phones - we have cables for the top 3 mobiles in UK.

During longer journeys we will check at regular intervals, whether they would like to stop at the services. If not then we continue, providing we are still safe to drive, ensuring that we always stay alert. 

Road Rage

I have written many posts and articles about IAM Roadsmart Advanced and Masters qualifications, but I also need to mention here that before I drove in this way, many years ago I was guilty of throwing my passengers around, mostly family. 

The facts are that I used to drive too fast and too close to those in front of me, swerving sharply to avoid incidents that in the past, I could have planned better for.

Quite simply although I would not admit it at the time, I was a careless driver and it took a few accidents and the patient comments from my wife, that persuaded me to slow down and take corners carefully. 

Fast forward to today

Now each of our chauffeurs drive to maximise our passengers stress free experience and peace of mind which includes, driving at a speed that is appropriate to the road conditions and level of traffic, ensuring that we can slow down gradually when we see a hazard up ahead. 

When we change lanes, we signal to others what our intentions are - this also gives peace of mind to our clients so that they know the lane change is deliberate. 

We increase our speed including from a stationary position gradually - again so as to 

not cause alarm. 

When we notice driving standards of other road users are poor, we do not make any gestures or comments about them, realising that this in itself could make our clients anxious. 

Our mobiles phone are both set to silent mode and disconnected from the car. In addition, we will not make any calls when a client is onboard and of course, we do not respond to any either. Our phone is out of sight.

We only put the sound system on when our clients ask us, realising that some clients find the time useful for working, planning or making business phone calls and not having to ask us to turn the radio off makes it easier for them.

When driving, we do not drink or eat anything - the aim is to make sure we are looking ahead at all times, checking mirrors and doing a 180 degree scan of the environment around us, ensuring we are always checking for hazards.

All the above helps to make our clients feel comfortable and at ease.

Next Up

The next article will be written about how we guarantee that we are legal and why should that concern our clients.

I hope you are finding this mini series of interest and to some degree, educational and look forward to hearing from you for your travel requirements whether for business or pleasure. 

We can be easily reached on 07850 100859 or info@dbexecutivetravel.net and for our wedding car services on 07548 931339 or info@dbweddingcars.net.

Safety Guaranteed - Really?

I became an executive chauffeur following the poor experiences I had in the past when I was travelling in the back of cars with other people driving, during my previous career in corporate.

This propelled me to offer a very different way of travelling where we actually guarantee that travel with us will be safe and comfortable in the knowledge that we are legal and reliable. This means that our clients have a stress free journey with us every time.

So, I thought I without trying to state the obvious, what does it mean to be safe, and then in future articles, I will elaborate into being comfortable, legal and then finally reliable. There will be some points made along the ay that are actually not the obvious, so it will be worth while checking in on these articles. I quite literally, hope you enjoy the ride of this mini series!

The Safety Guarantee

Can we really guarantee safety, when we all hear about road traffic accidents just about every day? In the news recently as I write this, is the Duke of Edinburgh who was involved in a motor accident, so none of us are without risk.

What I can say, is that as far as is in our chauffeurs control, we will drive in a way that does guarantee your safety.

Even when we walk down a street, we cannot guarantee that we will not be hit by a flying object, or anything else - so I think we have the correct perspective on the subject.

Advanced Driving

Yes, driving safely does come back to the Advanced and Masters driving qualifications that currently myself and all our future executive chauffeurs are required to have. In fact, our wedding car chauffeurs have all qualified as Advanced Drivers. Although some of this very different driving style is also common sense, it is good to describe how our chauffeurs drive, whether for wedding car service or for that which I am focussing on more in this article, our executive chauffeur service.

Fit to Drive

Whenever you agree to travel with us, you can be assured that none of our chauffeurs will have taken any alcohol at all within 24 hours of driving for you. This is more than the legal requirement, which permits driving as long as the driver is below certain limits. We believe that our clients deserve more respect and looking after so we operate a zero tolerance rule on alcohol without exception. 

Additionally, our chauffeurs will not have drinks for use by them while they are driving and they will not eat food whilst driving. We ensure that they are focused on their driving and not the crumbs they are dropping etc.

Being a chauffeur requires us to be driving at all times both day and night, so one obvious question is how to stay awake and alert when driving through the early hours of the morning at night time. I have already written an article about his entitled  “How to be fresh as a daisy when night driving”, but needless to say, we only take on work when we know we will have enough time to plan sleep before and after night driving.  

Mobile phones will not only be on silent but will also be disconnected from the car system, so they are not distracted. No phone calls will be made when they have clients on board.

Observation

One of the key training skills learnt during the Advanced and Masters qualifications is observation. This includes checking what is going on in the road at the limit point of vision (explained in my earlier article “So, What's in the Masters?”) and also in the immediate vicinity. It also, includes having 180 degree vision, so constantly scanning not only ahead but also from side to side as well as behind. This ensures that very little can take the chauffeur by surprise, if anything at all. Therefore, braking can be a gradual and planned experience instead of a sudden reaction.

Safe distances

The training our chauffeurs receive, is to learn the safe stopping distances, which are listed below from The Highway Code:

Above 70 mph, you guessed it, our chauffeurs do not do that, as the maximum speed is 70 mph in the UK!

The above stopping distances are those recommended in dry conditions, whereas wet weather requires double the above and ice significantly more!

I am also aware that the above guidelines were written before ABS and other braking aids, but safety is about erring on the side of caution and reducing the risk of an incident wherever possible, after all, how valuable is someones life !

Braking

The best grip on the road when braking is always going to be when travelling in a straight line, so our chauffeurs will plan to slow down to the correct speed to take the hazard, whether a corner or otherwise, before entering that hazard. This ensures that there is minimal risk of a skid happening with the potential of losing control. 

Naturally, this is even more important during adverse weather conditions. If a situation arises during mid-corner braking, our chauffeurs will brake progressively to avoid locking the wheels - this is a skill where our chauffeurs will actually feel for the moment to release the brake pressure before the wheels lock up.

Tyre Condition

Due to the amount of miles done in a month, averaging 4,000, it is necessary for us to check the tyres condition which also includes the tread depth and tyre pressures. This is done several times a week when we are very busy and at the very least every time we refuel. This ensures that the grip on the road is the best it can be, and therefore stability on the road is good.

Courtesy to Clients

Although I am sure this topic would interest our clients, how does this relate to safety I hear you ask?

Quite simply, it is about the little touches, so for instance, our chauffeurs as they welcome you, they will open the car doors and invite you to enter, while they then load any luggage in the boot. At the end of the journey, they will say that they will ‘get’ the doors, and be the first to get out of the car and check that it is safe to open the door(s) for you, avoiding any traffic that could cause an accident.

Indicators

Too often on the road, we all have noticed that some cars do not seem to have working indicators. Or could it be a functionality that many drivers are not using these days?

In any case, our chauffeurs will use indicators appropriately when switching lanes or turning off a road onto another one. This gives other road users and pedestrians the knowledge that the car is changing direction.

Even in the night and if there is little traffic, indicators will be used when changing lanes on the motorway - this at least, gives you our client, the knowledge that changing lanes was deliberate, and helps to give you confidence that our chauffeur’s attention hasn’t dropped or worse!

There are indeed many other aspects of safety, but the above are the key ones that we focus on. Nothing has been mentioned about the safety functionalities of the Jaguars that we drive. Today’s modern vehicles have many inbuilt safety features which re increasing all the time as technology develops. While our chauffeurs will use the technology available, the above mentioned are fundamental to our service and therefore, our guarantee.

Next time I will elaborate how we guarantee that you our client and passenger will be comfortable. 

From Here to Gold and Beyond!

So here we are at the end of 2018 and about to embark on another year.

I am amazed at how quickly this year has just flown by, and to think I can almost say that I have been self employed for 2 years is just incredible. But to achieve this and to be still growing is evident from the past 12 months, I am very thankful to all our clients whether they were for our executive travel service or for our wedding cars.

They are each equally important to us and we have been so privileged to be able to provide for each one our consistently high standard of chauffeur service.

To give an idea, here is a brief summary of the places we have taken our clients to with the number of times we have been there during 2018 alone:

They were sailing and now for a cruising with our big cat!

Airports: Heathrow 75, Bristol 16, Gatwick 15, Stansted 6, Birmingham 5, Luton 2, Southampton 1 and also Southampton Docks 4.

We have also travelled as far as Middlesborough, Swansea, Cambridgeshire, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Bolton, and BBC Salford Studios, Manchester with a certain Gold Cup, and many other locations in between, which illustrates that we will travel just about anywhere in Britain as long as it is cost effective. In addition, we have been to 18 locations in London.

We have collected clients from and taken them to helicopters, ships, trains as well as planes, and taken other clients to events such as Ascot and Cheltenham Races, as well as concerts at Wembley, football at the Emirates Stadium and the Harry Potter World, Leavesden.

As far as business to pleasure ratio, our clients have been interestingly split 50%, which we could not have planned! In addition to all the above journeys and more, we have also done 19 weddings.

So the message from all the above, is that 2018 has been a year in which we have grown in experience, completed 40,000 miles, and evidenced by our 60 five star google reviews and many more on our website, our clients agree that we are safe, comfortable, legal and reliable where we plan to do the waiting so that our clients do not have to.

In 2019, we would like to provide more clients with our service which we plan to expand on during the year and to encourage this, we would like to offer every new client for their first journey with us, a 10% discount from our standard executive travel price including any airport return if required.

…. and many more on our website!

2019 will be a year to consolidate and to expand so more people can enjoy our and benefit from our quality personal chauffeur services in the future.

So, What's in the Masters?

After the good feedback received from my previous article on POWDERY checks I thought I would  make public the 27 check points that examiners use to judge the skill of an advanced driver when they take the Masters driving test with IAM Roadsmart.

I realise doing this could make me vulnerable, but it does provide an insight into the testing involved should anyone be interested in improving their own driving skills to make them a safer and more observant driver.

I passed the Masters test in November 2017 after previously passing the advanced test in 2013. We travelled a distance of around 50 miles over approx. 2 hours covering A, B and C class roads with dry and bright conditions. 

Throughout the 2 hour test, I was required to give a verbal commentary of what I observed and what difference that made to the way I drove and planned the journey. 

To obtain a Distinction in the masters, each of the check points in the image must score a 1, but as you see there are some 2’s, so my grade was a Pass. I was told that there is no shame in this as to get a masters qualification is no mean effort.

Also, in the image of the pass certificate, are comments about why I did not achieve a 1 for certain checks. I am actually encouraged that the main reason is because I drove the test being more client focussed to ensure the drive was smooth with no rapid acceleration, braking or sharp cornering - the problem is, to achieve a masters distinction, requires just that - to demonstrate that I can drive at the limit.

The Limit Point of Vision (LPOV) is a very useful system to enable driving to the limit but also being able to stay safe. 

The LPOV is the farthest point along a road to which you have a clear and uninterrupted view of the road surface....” ... It is the point along the road ahead where both sides of the carriageway appear to meet and form in a point; this is the limit of your vision. The LPOV moves as you progress along the road and the speed you go is determined by the distance you can see to be clear and the distance within which you can stop.

The points graded as a 2 were on planning, hazard management, use of gearbox, braking, signals, cornering, overtaking, restraint and progress. My learning for the next time I take the masters test is to be more aggressive, but for now, I take comfort in that my priority is to give my clients a smooth and progressive journey when they can feel totally safe and comfortable at all times.

So there we have it, I passed but was too focussed on safety to be able to achieve the distinction - goes that is not too much of an issue really!

Have you done your Powdery checks?

Following on from my previous article, where I outlined the major phases of the system of car control

“I P S G A”, the Information part flows through each phase and is a continual source of input and output. 

Indeed there are many ways of giving information to other road users and pedestrians. Among them are those I have listed below:

• use of direction indicators

• hand signals

• headlamp flashes

• horn

• position on the road optimised for safety, visibility and correct routing

• speed appropriate to the hazard being approached, attained via explicit braking or throttle control (engine braking, also known as acceleration sense), always being able to stop in the distance you can see to be clear on your side of the road

You may be able to think of others!

Recently you may have seen on my social media posts and also on LinkedIn that I have had the privilege of testing a big Audi A8L (long wheelbase). It was during one of those drives when we were visiting family in Somerset, that I was reminded of another set of basic tests that should be used before actually driving off in a car, especially when driving a car that you are not used to.

This will become clear as we progress through this article and yes, as you would expect, there is a funny side to this!

Firstly, IAM Roadsmart has a set of tests that are used before even getting in the car. These come from the Police Federation, when the police pursuit driver is not necessarily getting into the same car each day. So this is where P O W DE R Y comes into play.

Propulsion

Does the vehicle have enough fuel be that Diesel, Petrol or nowadays electrical charge for the journey ahead?

Oil

There are many oil reservoirs and (if applicable) they need to check regularly. Vehicles will have some or all of the following:

• Brake fluid

• Engine oil

• Clutch fluid

• Gearbox oil

• Power steering fluid

Water

There are also various water reservoirs and (if applicable) they also need to check regularly.:

• Engine coolant

• Screen washer - these is often forgotten and is a legal requirement

• Battery

Damage

If your vehicle has been parked overnight on the street or in a public car park area, it may have suffered damage caused by other road users. It is wise to know what damage (if any) has been caused before driving off. Making a quick check of the below areas is fundamentally important:

• Wheels for damage - the can be avoided by parking with your wheels straight to avoid other road users clipping them

• Tyres for slits and punctures

• Bodywork for knocks and scratches - you may find the other piece of evidence on the car parked next to you!

Electrics

Check the functioning of exterior lights, indicators and brake lights. Also check interior lighting.

Rubber

• Tyre pressures should be correct to the manufacturers recommendations - when were these last checked?

• Tyre tread depth should be a minimum of 1.6 mm across 3/4 of the breadth of the tread and around the entire circumference

• Remembering that tread depth of less than 3 mm is less efficient in dispersing water

• Windscreen wiper rubbers - are they worn? Would be best to change them as soon as any wear is identified

• Hoses under the bonnet - check for condition and tightness of clips.

You

Are you fit to drive? Most crashes are caused by human error. Be sure you are fit to drive. Not only does this refer to the alcohol limit, but also, are you too stressed or just too tired?

So there we have the basic checks before driving off - I admit a lot of them are obvious, and when you are only driving your own car, most do not need to be done before every journey, but they should all be done at least on a regular basis.

Cockpit Drill

So this is where we come to the funny point when I was reminded about the use of a cockpit drill in Somerset in the Audi. 

These points are required to be spoken out before taking the IAM Roadsmart Advanced test, but it is also good to remind yourself of them in your mind at least before driving off. Some of the below points may or may not be necessary due to the increase of driving aids fitted as standard on many modern cars. 

• The car has ABS brakes and power steering but no other significant driver aids.

• My POWDERY Checks have been completed and I am satisfied that they are all correct.

• The Handbrake is on, gear lever is in neutral.

• My seat and head restraint are positioned correctly.

• I’m checking the mirrors are positioned correctly and I am checking all the doors are closed, by looking down the external body lines of the car using the mirrors.

• I’m switching on the ignition and I am checking that all the warning lights that should be on, are on.

• I’m now checking that all warning lights which should go out, have gone out.

• I’m starting the engine and checking that all warning lights have gone out except the parking brake, which I am checking now.

• I’m doing a static brake pressure test, which is good.

• I am checking the seat belt for correct operation and that it is properly fastened. I’m also checking that passengers have their seatbelts on. In UK, there is a legal requirement that seat belts must be used in the rear as well as the front seats.

• The ventilation is set to me and my passenger’s requirements.

• Today is a bright, clear Friday afternoon and I’m expecting some commuter traffic later in the drive. There has been no rain for a while so I’m not expecting any standing water.

• I do not require the use of lights or wipers at this time.

The above is an example of what is spoken as the Advanced test is started, but obviously the details on some points, are changed depending upon what is happening that day!

So from the above cockpit drill, which is the point that I would have done well to remember I hear you say?

One of the great features that many modern cars are fitted with these days is a button to press on the boot lip that gently shuts the boot. You’ve guessed it - point 5!

My wife and I were about to return home after a lovely time is a park with the family. I was already in the drivers seat of the loan Audi A8L and my wife placed a few more items in the boot, pressed the button and got in the car.

I drove off through the car parking area of the park and other members of the family were looking at us strangely. I slowed down, stopped and opened my window as my daughter said - do you normally drive off with the boot fully open Dad?

The button hadn’t closed the boot as the wrong button was pressed. Totally my responsibility, so I got out and rectified the problem.

Now, had I done the cockpit drill, that would not have happened - it’s good to be reminded sometimes of such basic checks. Also, had I been the chauffeur that day to my wife, I would have loaded and closed the boot myself, opened the door for her and closed it before getting into the drivers seat. That’ll teach me for having a day off!

From Irresponsible "Boy Racer" to Professional Chauffeur

During my travels and I am sure you all do, I notice varying skills of driving. It sometimes still shocks me at how some people can be when they squeeze their car into gaps when travelling at often excessive speeds even over and above the speed limit.

We have seen on YouTube clips of people overtaking and only just making it avoiding a collision by a whisker - but to be on the receiving end of this in real life ourselves is something quite different.

Thankfully I have not been involved in a massive accident myself, but I have been a victim of a lorry driver falling asleep at the same moment as I was overtaking him at 1:30am on the M25 at 70 mph! Again thankfully, the damage was not severe, although inconvenient, and amazingly my car held straight and no one was actually hurt.

In my younger days, I did have quite a number of accidents, that I can now look back and say that I could and should have avoided. My father was so patient with me in those days, even when I wrote off a vehicle that he loaned me. So, yes, I am ashamed to admit that I have been the cause of accidents in the past and I even drove much in excess of the speed limit when returning from Cheddar, Somerset to our home at Dauntsey Lock, near Lyneham, Wiltshire - indeed, I used that route as a time trial to beat my last time in my Mini 1000.

So, from my experiences and observing other driving standards, I thought I would write a further  blog that attempts to explain what is going through my mind as currently, I drive in excess of 1,000 miles per week for clients.

I P S G A the System of Car Control

This can be best explained by considering what is know as I P S G A, the System of Car Control as taught by IAM Roadsmart and the Police Federation Roadcraft. It was first devised at the Police College at Hendon over 60 years ago and has formed the core of the Police Rider’s Handbook or Roadcraft since then.

The 'System' is a systematic method of driving which, if used correctly, will substantially reduce the risk of a driver being the cause of an accident. A detailed explanation of the System is given in Roadcraft, the police driver's manual, and it is to this book you must refer if you want a thorough understanding. 

There are five phases of the System which must be considered on the approach to any hazard. A hazard can be the presence and/or movement of any vehicle or pedestrian, a road feature such as a roundabout or a climatic feature such as a sudden downpour of rain.

The five features are:

• Information

• Position

• Speed

• Gear

• Acceleration

The Information phase overlaps every other phase of the System.

In the description of the Information phase Roadcraft adds the sub-acronym T.U.G or Take-Use-Give as an indication that we have to do something with all that information.

Take in information by looking at traffic signs and looking at the position and movement of vehicles and pedestrians. Be aware of observation links i.e. the hazards associated with what can be seen e.g. parked vehicles, a pedestrian flagging a taxi, a garage forecourt, a pedestrian walking to the front of a bus or roadside telephone poles formed into a curved line in the distance. Use your mirrors at any point in the System but particularly before changing position, before slowing or after changing gear i.e. a final check behind before the hazard is reached.

Use the information you have gathered by making a plan to deal with the identified hazards and making contingency plans for dealing with the unexpected e.g. car doors opening, a taxi suddenly stopping, a car shooting out of a roadside garage, a bus suddenly stopping or a car coming fast out of a bend ahead.

Give information to other road users e.g. using your indicators to inform them that you are going to change position, using your horn or flashing your headlights to let them know of your presence. 

Position your vehicle to re-enforce any other form of signal.

Position yourself so that you can pass hazards safely and smoothly. Give a good clearance when passing parked vehicles, cyclists or when overtaking moving vehicles. Follow the advice given in the Highway Code for positioning on the approach to roundabouts. Position yourself when approaching bends in national speed limit areas so as to maximise your view of the road ahead - taking account of oncoming/following vehicles and nearside hazards. Good observation will allow you to make the most effective use of available (legal) road space e.g. taking a clear lane at traffic lights on a dual carriageway. Good positioning smoothes progress.

Speed: 

Obtain a safe speed to negotiate the hazard. Reduce speed, if need be, by either easing the pressure on the accelerator pedal (deceleration) or by braking. Whatever method is used it is essential to lose speed smoothly.

Gear: 

Once you have the right speed for the hazard, engage the correct gear for that speed. The aim, almost all of the time, is to have a clean separation between braking and changing gear i.e. no overlapping. Slight overlapping when going downhill into a corner or a bend is acceptable PROVIDED you do the gear change when most of the braking has already been done.

Acceleration: 

Consider accelerating away from the hazard after taking account of your speed and the position/movement of other road users. The accelerator pedal is NOT an on/off switch to be suddenly pressed to the floor when a hazard has been negotiated. Use the pedal smoothly. 

Summing Up

The emphasis I personally place on driving in each of the above phases, is making the experience smooth, so I plan ahead and aim to slow down gradually, so as to maximise the comfort for my passengers and minimise the stress that can be caused by sudden or erratic movements of my car.

Obviously when necessary I can brake suddenly in an emergency and I am always prepared to do that, but that would be the exception, as planning ahead can mostly avoid those times.

I became a qualified Advanced Driver though IAM Roadsmart in February 2013 and qualified as  Master with them in November 2017 ensuring that I maintain the same high standard after then 4 years.

To continue to be qualified as a Master, I now need to retake regularly which I am committed to do. In fact when we are able to explain and take on professional chauffeurs, they also will need to become a Master Driver - we are intent on making sure that the same high driving standards are maintained, which is now become part of our branding.

Is there more to learn?

For those interested, I plan to write a few more blogs focussed on driving safely and how to prepare - do watch out for those in the coming weeks/months ahead. Life is all about learning, no matter what sphere we are in - we can always be a better version of who we are and what we do. Onwards and upwards they say!

To Wax Or Not To Wax, That Is The Question?

Since my previous article on the preliminary stages of preparing my cars, it seems I have been on the road so much that I cannot quite believe it that 2 months have passed by ! 

So, here is part 2 of how I keep our big cats looking brilliant most of the time, written in a cafe when on a wait period in the Pennines before taking clients back down south.

Equipment

Once again, I make no apology that all the products I use, are from one supplier who have proved to be so reliable in their customer service, and supply great products that do ‘what it says on the tin’ so to speak - shout out to The Clay Cloth Company.

The kit that I take with me on journeys to ensure I can deliver my car in pristine condition includes the following:

• Multiple micro fibre towels and cloths

• CCC Detailing Spray

• Killerwaxx window spray

• Killerwaxx leather cleaner

• Killerwaxx No 1Moon Shine

• Not forgetting some rubber gloves to protect my hands

Using the above products and being aware of the dirt collecting in the cloths and therefore, using fresh ones ensures the paintwork is not damaged by cleaning without water.

What do I do if it is raining

Quite simply the best I can do when it is still raining, is to use the large micro fibre towels to wipe the car down from the dirt picked up on the journey to a place near my client. This may take 3 large towels using a clean area of the towel as much as possible.

If it is no longer raining, after cleaning and drying the car, I can use the detailing wax spray.

Bearing in mind, I am wearing my chauffeur’s uniform ( the cap and jacket stay in the car! ) when cleaning and waxing the car, and when the weather is or has been bad, I wear a light jacket over my shirt. 

I have been known to wax my car in such places as supermarket car parks, church car parks, on the roadside, recreation ground parking areas - in fact anywhere and even under moon light. It’s surprising how much you can see in the dark when your eyes adjust. The main consideration is always safety though!

So the order in which I do the panels is important to avoid getting my cloths wet or dirty..

Sides first ( not forgetting inside the doors ), then back end and front end, followed by the roof. Once the paint work and windows are complete, I then move onto the alloys.

Nothing like a good old waxing!

After doing the above process, comes detailing wax using the fine micro fibre cloth and then the fluffy micro fibre to buff up. Yes, the alloys also get a good waxing to return the shine once again.

Killerwaxx Moonshine is not used before every client job, but I carry it with me just in case I notice some swirl or scratch marks.

Windows

As mentioned in my previous article, currently I use Killerwaxx Extreme Window Cleaner. Glass gets very warm in the sun and the real added bonus with this product is that you can spray it on a hot window and it will not evaporate, steam away or streak like all others on the market.

Leathers

Again as previously covered in my previous article, Killerwaxx Premium Leather Cleaner cleans and lifts away dirt and oil build up on all types of leather. Cleaner will not dissolve the natural oils found in leather. This is not always used on each job, but I carry it with me just in case it is needed.

The whole above process is done just before I present the car to a client, just a mile or two from the collection address, and takes between 20 and 40 minutes depending on how dirty the weather has been.

So there you have it - no doubt other products are out there that you may be used to and that provide the quality you require, but it is always good to know that CCC have the product you need which comes with a full recommendation from their many satisfied customers - plug over and done!

Do follow me on other social media platforms (@dbexectravel) where I post regular updates of where I am - I might even start a competition to see who can come up with the area or even the location where I am waxing down - keep in touch and see you soon!

Its all in the Preparation

One of the many questions I get asked is how do I manage to clean my car after a journey in such a short time, and when on a client job?

Preparation

So, before I answer that one, I thought I would first explain the preparation work that goes into ensuring our big cats have a protective cover over them that helps to reduce the amount of dirt that actually sticks to the body work.

I make no apology that all the products I use are from one supplier who have proved to be so reliable in their customer service, and supply great products that ‘do what it says on the tin’ so to speak - shout out to The Clay Cloth Company.

When a Deep Clean is Needed

When our cars are covered in heavy dirt, they are treated to snow foam using a lance and jet wash. This is the first treatment when the dirt is softened without any physical contact to the car at all.

After leaving for 10 minutes, acting as a pre-soak, the car is then jet washed again.

Now its time to use shampoo, and a wash mitt, to wash the car normally. I use a woollen mitt as it is gentle on the car’s paintwork, and then, after another jet wash, dry the car with a micro fibre towel, which is much more efficient than using a leather chamois.

Just to confirm I only use snow foam when the car is extremely dirty. The above process is repeated except the snow foam for every wash when back at our base.

Preparing for a deep polish and wax

After doing the above process except the drying part, I use a clay cloth when I am preparing the car for a deep polish and wax. This I only do when the weather is planned to be fine for the day, as polish and wax are essential after using the clay cloth, which has the below functions:

• Removes bonded contaminants

• Before polishing provides a clean canvas

• Prevents dragging particles across the panel

After claying, I then dry using the micro fibre drying towel.

Polish and Wax - why both?

Car polish is a product that uses fine amounts of abrasive compounds in order to remove very very fine layers of the top coat to flatten out the surface to ensure an equal reflection of the light, thus producing a highly polished look. The polish I use is ‘Killerwaxx No 1 Moon Shine’

Wax in its natural form can come as vegetable waxes, carnauba, animal and bees wax to name a few. It's these natural properties of some of these waxes that make them ideal for use in car waxes, with the most popular for use in the automotive industry being carnauba wax. The wax I use is 'Killerwaxx Carnauba Paste Wax’.

Wax can be referred to the product that provides a seal to protect the shine produced by the polish.

Both are applied using micro fibre clothes and are very easy to use compared to the products I used when polishing my fathers cars!

Windows

Currently I use Killerwaxx Extreme Window Cleaner. Glass gets very warm in the sun and the real added bonus with this product is that you can spray it on a hot window and it will not evaporate, steam away or streak like all others on the market.

Alloys & Tyres

CCC Devil's Mist Fallout Remover & Wheel Cleaner  is really great for providing the sparkle on those alloys and turns red due to the chemical reaction during use which will indicate contamination!

Killerwaxx Tyre Gel produces a rich, long lasting, high gloss on rubber. vinyl and plastic.

Leathers

Killerwaxx Premium Leather Cleaner cleans and lifts away dirt and oil build up on all types of leather. Cleaner will not dissolve the natural oils found in leather.

Killerwaxx Premium Leather Conditioner seals and protects the surface from wear and tear and will bring the original luster look and feel back.

So above is the process and products that I currently use in preparation for making sure our cars are well protected. The whole above process is only done about 2 or 3 times a year. I will leave the process I perform on each client job for another blog.

Delayed for a Honeymoon!

Some of the airport transfers I do for clients are to take them on the first leg of their journey to their honeymoon having just got married.

It just so happened that recently, I took a couple to Gatwick the night before they were flying. They stayed at the Hilton, South Terminal.

This reminded me of the time nearly 36 years ago, when after our wedding that same evening, we too were taken to Gatwick to stay at the Hilton ready for our flight the morning after.

First of all though, we travelled a short distance to my parents in law’s house, where my wife and I were waiting for my brother who kindly agreed to drive us to Gatwick.

So, after we had made a grand departure from our wedding reception, complete with tin cars trailing behind our car (it was allowed back in 1981!), we arrived at Sonie’s parents house.

We waited just a few moments for my brother whilst having a cup of tea. He arrived and we prepared to leave with him, loading up our suitcases into his boot, complete with our passports and wallet and all that we needed to travel overseas.

Adrian my brother, shut the boot of his Ford Cortina (library photo - not the actual car), and that is when we had a problem!

The key was in the boot lock and as the boot was closed, it snapped in half. The ‘other’ half dropped into the lock mechanism, and the boot was secure!

We tried fruitlessly to get the boot open and even the back seats in those days did not fold back, so we couldn’t get access any way to our luggage.

There was only one option, so Adrian called the AA, who came out later that evening to assist.

While we waited, we spent much more time that evening on our wedding day at my in-laws that we have planned. My parents arrived and so along with my brother, I guess we had a post wedding party, opening several wedding cards and gifts.

It was a pleasant evening, but really, we would much rather have been on our way to the hotel.

Eventually the AA arrived and after a while, we were on our way.

Once we arrived at Hilton, Gatwick, we were too late to order a meal, so we had to make do with a few sandwiches.

The next morning, we were up early for some breakfast which we enjoyed. It was then that we realised that we had missed the bus transfer to the terminal itself.

I had to order a taxi which arrived eventually, and we were soon preparing for our flight.

So, even in those early days I experienced taxi service, and to be honest, I do not actually remember what that experience was like.

My brother though, was brilliant - he never lost his cool, and drove us safely.

Help, I'm lost, do your magic!

One of the most essential pieces of information given me for every single job is the full postal address including post code, of where I am to collect my clients.

Many years ago, in the days when I used to travel with my father on long journeys (see one of my earliest blogs), we used such objects as a compass and a road map as large as the Financial Times, which seemed at first equally as complicated.

These times with my father teaching me how to use them were invaluable to me throughout my earlier years travelling in my previous jobs when I was travelling on my own or on family holidays with my wife and children.

Nowadays, technology is so useful in that all we do, is plug the post code into the car satnav and off we go. How rarely do we actually look at the map now?

As most of the weddings we do are fairly local to us, we make sure that within the week before every wedding, we do a test run of the complete route we will be doing on the actual day itself. We do this to make sure we have the correct timings, especially where we do relays in the same car back and forth to pick up more people, but also, to check out the route and to know for certain that we can locate each of the places where we are picking people up. 

One of our key focusses on the day is to make the journeys completely stress free for the bridal party.

This has proved to be so important on many occasion.

But, there is always one, whether for a wedding or an executive travel job, sometimes the post code does not exist in the sat nav, or indeed the actual road.

This means that the software needs to be updated, but to be fair even if I purchased the updated software (DVD) every year, it would not be enough. To do this would make the expense too much which would have to passed onto our clients - this is not necessary, although we do renew the DVD software after a few years.

So, when the post code is not recognised, we revert to our backup. This is google maps on the phone, as long as the phone is not touch while driving the car . This has helped us out sometimes.

But, yes there is another one! What happens when we are en route to pick up the client and we have no 4G signal?

When this has happened in the past, I make the phone call (handsfree, using the car system) to our office and I speak to my daughter Hannah, who as she was growing up, would read maps on our family journeys and the compass and follow the journey. Before long she would actually guide me on the route to take. 

Hannah is now very technically able, and uses the computer and magic, she tells me. Using google maps and something else to locate the pick up location, along with my phone signal to locate my phone!

With this information, she skilfully guides me to the pick up location, street by street, until I am close enough and then I arrive in good time once again to proceed with the client job. This is especially useful when the location is on a very new housing estate when my car satnav has been located in a field. Thankfully, Hannah sees something quite different.

I mention this because I am mostly the only face our clients see, and also our backup wedding chauffeurs of course. Like most other businesses,  I have a supporting team at my office, who are play such a key role to the success of the business and ensuring clients have the service they require.

There are many other tasks not only Hannah does but also my wife Sonie, to whom I am very grateful.

Snow Driving

So, while I write this blog I am in my office looking out upon the incredible snow fall we in the UK are having right now. We are based at Royal Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire and the snow that has fallen in the past couple of days is more than we have seen for more than 10 years in this area, so it is making quite an impact.

While out walking our dog, I have also noticed a few cars out and about but I have to ask how urgent is their journey?

I have every admiration for the emergency services and how they attend desperate people when they become stuck in snow and worse, when accidents happen which they will.

As a professional chauffeur, I have to make the decision every day we have weather like this, whether to drive or not to drive - thankfully, this is not very often. The decision I make, is all about safety and I never want to let any client of mine down, but safety must come first, even if I have to say to a client that I am not travelling today because of the road conditions.

To make that decision, I know my clients would understand, as I also know that they value their safety let alone their life.

Accidents happen and it is not always about ourselves, but can be caused by others too. 

This leads me onto my tips for driving in the snow which I have done and do, depending upon how bad and deep it is. There are actual courses to teach drivers how to do this and books have been written, so the advice I now give, is by all means not the A-Z knowledge.

1. If your journey is not absolutely necessary and/or life and death that you do it, then quite simply - DON’T

2. It is well known that 4 wheel drive cars are best in these conditions, followed by front wheel drive, so if like mine, your car is rear wheel drive, think carefully before going out

3. Before setting off, ensure all windows are clear and all snow is cleared off your vehicle - it is illegal and dangerous to other road users to drive when there is a load of snow on your roof, that can blow off into the path of other road users

4. Your lights must be clean and number plate clearly visible

5. If you do venture out in very bad conditions, then make sure you have inside the car, an emergency kit of de-icer and ice scraper, torch, snow shovel, warm blankets, boots, as well as first aid kit, water & food supply and your mobile phone is fully charged.

6. It is best that your car has a full tank of fuel as well, so make that your first stop should you have to go out

7. Onto driving - drive with care, even if the roads are treated

8. Keep well back from other road users

9. The advice on stopping distances is quite simply in the rain allow twice the normal distance, but in icy conditions, this can be ten times greater than on dry roads, so plan accordingly

10. So, what are the normal stopping distances:

    1. 20 mph - 12 metres

    2. 20 mph - 23 metres

    3. 40 mph - 36 metres

    4. 50 mph - 53 metres

    5. 60 mph - 73 metres

    6. 70 mph - 96 metres

11. Use the technical helps on your car, like

    1. Winter Mode, which optimises stability of the vehicle to suit slippery conditions, when grip is reduced.

    2. Dynamic Stability Control controls the vehicle stability in critical driving conditions - helps to correct understeer or oversteer

    3. and others - know your car

12. So, it is important to know your car and drive accordingly. Most cars have ABS now, but you should drive taking care without relying on ABS, but good to know it is there to help braking in an emergency

13. When approaching a junction or bend, plan well before, so as to avoid sharp braking

14. Do not accelerate quickly when moving away, but pull away in a higher gear like second or third instead of first, gradually, when safe to do so

15. Finally patience - do not rush any part of driving when in icy and snowy conditions and respect all other road users

I hope the above is helpful, it all comes down to valuing your life and others - too many accidents happen on unfit roads and I have heard so many stories of what people call a necessary journey, when the truth is, the journey can more often than not, wait.

Safe travelling all.