Welcome to
JODA COLLINS
DRIVING ACADEMY LLC
Behind-the-Wheel Training
Serving Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa Counties since 2008!
My Business Philosophy
THE GOLDEN RULE
850 981-3355
Please read your Service Agreement (Contract) Carefully! Thank you.
THREE-POINT TURN
I do not teach the three-point turn in my vehicle with the Student-driver behind-the- wheel of my vehicle. There are excellent reasons for this that I will cheerfully clarify upon request. I do show the three-point turn to the Student-driver with me behind-the-wheel, AFTER the Student-driver memorizes the steps (procedure) for the three-point turn well enough to quote them without hesitation or error and upon request. Or, I do teach the three-point turn with the driver behind-the-wheel in any vehicle, other than mine, even if the Student-driver has not memorized the steps for the three-point turn, if the Client can show written proof that the Student-driver is covered by the vehicle insurance.
PARKING I do not teach parking in my vehicle with the Student-driver behind-the-wheel of my vehicle. There are excellent reasons for this that I will cheerfully clarify upon request. I do show parking skills/procedure to the Student-driver with me behind-the-wheel, AFTER the Student-driver learns the three-point turn skills. Or, I do teach the parking with the driver behind-the-wheel in any vehicle, other than mine, even if the Student-driver cannot do the three-point turn, if the Client can show written proof that the Student-driver is covered by the vehicle insurance.
Unless otherwise directed use this procedure (memory steps) for the three-point turn:
Slow, Right, Look, Signal, Stop.
Turn, Look, Go, Stop, Reverse.
Turn, Look, Go, Stop, Drive.
Turn, Look, ... Accelerate.
Entering a parking space when using a private vehicle for parking.
1. Go slow, get far right, look over left shoulder and if safe, signal left.
2. Stop, turn wheel 90% full left.
3. When safe, coast.
4. Steer right in order to stop with car centered in lane.
5. Point front wheels straight.
6. Put parking brake on and transmission in park.
Note: "When safe," means you look in every possible direction from which a vehicle or pedestrian might reasonably be about to enter your line of travel.
Exiting a parking space when using a private vehicle for parking.
1. When safe, put in reverse, release parking brake when safe, back.
2. Stop when my front bumper is even with back bumper of vehicle on right or left.
3. Turn wheel 100% in the direction you want the back end of vehicle to go. .
4. When safe, back up, stop at 45-degree angle and put in drive.
5. Turn wheel 100% in the direction you want the front of the vehicle to go and when safe, accelerate.
View: http://activerain.com/blogsview/505780/a-slice-of-life
Three Point Turn when using a private vehicle for three point turn training.
1. Go slow, get far right, look over left shoulder and if safe signal left and stop.
2. Turn 100% left and, when safe, coast, stop and put in reverse.
3. Turn 100% right, when safe coast back, stop and put in drive.
4 Turn 100% left and when safe, go.
There is more to entering and exiting a parking space than what is noted above, but the additional information is easily incorporated into the steps above once the steps above are memorized.
Entering a parking space when using Academy vehicle for parking.
1. Go slow
2. Get far right
3. Look over left shoulder and if safe.
4. Signal left.
5. Stop.
6. When safe, coast at 0 to 1 mph and then
7. Turn wheel fast 1.5 turns left (as soon as your from bumper passes post.
8. Turn wheel to 1.5 turns to right.
9. Stop centered in your lane one to 12 inches from curb or concrete stop.
10. Put parking brake on and transmission in Park.
Exiting a parking space when using Academy vehicle for parking.
1. When safe, put in reverse and when safe, back.
2. Stop when told to do so, when directed turn wheel full left then stop vehicle at 45 degree angle.
3. Put in drive and when safe, coast at 0.1 to 1mph and then steer into your lane.
Three Point Turn when using Academy vehicle for three point turn training.
1. Go slow, get far right, look over left shoulder and if safe signal left and stop.
2. When safe, remove some brake pressure, coast, and turn full left and stop before any part of vehicle goes off the road.
3. Put in reverse, when safe, coast with partial brake pressure on, turn wheel full right as fast as you can, stop when told.
4 Put in drive, when safe, remove some brake pressure, coast while turning wheel left as fast as you can and steer into your lane.
Note: "Stop," means "stop when I (Joda Collins) tell you to stop. "Coasting," is always at 0 to 1mph, accomplished by keeping some brake pressure on.
There is more to entering and exiting a parking space than what is noted above, but the additional information is easily incorporated into the steps above once the steps above are memorized.
We offer a free written Memory Course that, upon completing, most student drivers have memorized the parking procedures. That free Memory Course is found at
http://www.lulu.com/shop/joda-collins/driving-skills-memory-work/paperback/product-20127983.html
If you want to use this Memory training and need more direction to do so, just ask!
For student-drivers that have completed the Driving Skills Memory Workbook and turned in the completed written work to us (as evidence of completion of the Memory Workbook) and still find they cannot memorize the steps for parking, we set you down at a table and quote each step to you one and you restate them. We do this for one hour. So far, everyone who thought they could not memorize, did.
Every driver that has secured a driver's license in the State of Florida has memorized steps for parking and a three-point-turn. You can do it, too.
Even if the vehicle that the driver will use for the State test is not available for use for training, I still prefer to use the Client's or Student-drivers personal vehicle instead of my vehicle for parking and three point turn training. That is because I do not allow my vehicle have the steering wheel turned while the vehicle is stationary. It is very hard on the power steering over a long period of time. It will not hurt power steering if done a few hundred times, but can damage the power steering when done a few thousand times as it is when done in a vehicle use for training every day.
FREE TRAINING (PARKING AND THREE POINT TURN)
We do not charge for parking and/or three point turn training, in whole or in part, if the following conditions are met:
1. Driver has memorized the steps for parking and three point turn, in whole or in part, well enough to quote them without hesitation or assistance and upon request before training for parking and three point turn during paid sessions. This means driver does not have memorize all the steps at one time. Memorize as much or as little as you want and we can practice what you have memorizes free of charge to you anytime you want. It only takes about 45 seconds to to a complete three point turn after steps are memorized and it only takes about two minutes to enter and exit a parking space in accord with State law once the steps are memorized. So, all I do is a two or three minutes to any existing lesson at no charge any time a driver wants to practice what he or she has memorized of the steps for parking and/or three point turn.
2. Before memorizing the steps for parking and three point turn, read the red and green print above.
3. Driver must have at least 90 General Safety Points before practicing parking and/or three point turn if using the Joda Collins Driving Acdy vehicle for parking and three point turn training.
ADDITIONAL OFFER
I (Joda Collins) will train any licensed driver to train any person how to pass the parking and three point turn part of the State driving exam for the standard per lesson fee. Requirements:
1. This training must be added to an existing lesson of 60 or more minutes.
2. The training has to take place in the Client's insured vehicle.
3. The maximum training time per 60 -minute or longer lesson is 15-minutes unless otherwise arranged. Most experienced drivers can learn to teach parking and three point turn in 15-minutes.
ADDITIONAL OFFER
Any Client can ride during parking and three point turn training of his or her Student-Driver and learn from watching how to train for parking and three-point turn. Charge for riding and learning how to teach parking and three-point turn is zero dollars. Standard training fees still apply for Student-Driver training.
I will train any Client to train any student to do parking and three-point turn. Standard training fees still apply.
If you have any remaining questions, just ask!
SECTION TWO
This is for those directed here. If you have not been directed to this Section, it will not make sense to you.
THREE POINT TURN
Far right
Go slow
Look
Signal
Stop
Turn
Look
Coast
Stop
Reverse
Turn
Look
Coast
Stop
Drive
Turn
Look
Go
ENTERING PARKING SPACE
Get right
Go slow
Look
Signal
Stop
Turn
Look
Coast
Stop
Parking & transmission brakes.
EXITING A PARKING SPACE
Reverse
Look
Coast
Stop
Turn
Look
Coast
Stop
Turn
Look
Go
Turn steering full left when parked uphill with curb on right.
Moving vehicle must miss pedestrian by three feet minimum.
Put both feet on brake. Hold brake down with left foot. Move right foot to accelerator. Small acceleration. Remove left foot from brake.
One difference is turn lane is shorter than deceleration lane.
Know where horn, emergency flashers, bright and dim headlights are.
CLARIFICATION OF FREE THREE POINT TURN TRAINING
What follows was in response to a real email which read: "Mr. Collins, you said I would get some FREE three-point turn training today and I did not. Why?"
My Response: Free behind-the-wheel training is unusual for any driving school to offer. Unlike other businesses, such as grocery stores for example, that can offers something for free or at a reduced price and can make up the lost profit on the sale of other items, driving schools only have one product/service which is driver's training.
Eighty percent of driver's training is Cognitive/Mental only.
Ten percent of driver's training is a combination of Cognitive and Physical.
Ten percent of of driver's training is mostly Physical.
1. COGNITIVE/MENTAL ONLY (80%)
A. Learning the rules of the road and how to apply those rules of the road in traffic,
B. Learning the 12 General Safety skills and now to apply those skills in traffic and
C. Learning the 23 Defensive Driving Techniques and how to apply those techniques in traffic.
2. A COMBINATION OF PHYSICAL AND MENTAL (10%)
A. Learning how the steering wheel influences the front tires.
B. Learning how the brake and accelerator influences the speed of the vehicle.
C. Learning when and how to use coasting.
D. Memorizing the steps for parking and three point turn.
Ten percent of drivers training is:
2. PHYSICAL (10%)
A. Learning the physical moves to safely operate the accelerator, brake and steering.
I give away FREE driver's training in the following ways:
1. The workbook which is all mental/cognitive.
2. These emails which is all mental/cognitive.
3. The written steps for parking and three point turn, which is all mental/cognitive.
4. Responding to any questions about driving presented in email format which is cognitive/mental.
5. Under specific conditions, couple of minutes at the start of each lesson devoted to free three-point turn and parking skills, which is a combination of mental/cognitive (memorizing the steps) and physical (doing the memorized steps behind the wheel).
Now, let's take the major points made in this note so far and put them together.
1. It is unusual for a driving school to give away driver's training whether it be cognitive/mental skill information, physical training behind the wheel or any combination of physical and mental/cognitive training.
2. FREE three point turn training consists of memorizing the steps and doing them. However, I only give away a minute or two free driver's training per lesson and only until driver can do the three-point turn and parking well enough to pass that part of the State exam.
Questions? Just ask.
Sincerely,
Joda Collins
SECTION THREE
SAVING MONEY!
OUR MOTTO IS "WE GO THE EXTRA MILE."
In the days of Jesus on Earth, any Roman Solider to order any person to carry anything the Roman Soldier was carrying and do so for up to one mile. Jesus said, if a Roman Soldier orders you to carry his gear (or anything else) for a mile, then volunteer to carry it an extra mile. In other words, do twice as much for the Roman Solider than is required and do it with a positive attitude.
In order to fulfill our motto, we have to give you the opportunity of progress through the training at twice the rate, therefore at half the expense. Drivers who:
1. Memorize the steps for parking and three point turn.
2. Memorize the assigned 10-words prior to the start of lesson one.
3. Do the assigned three hours of self-study in preparation for each lesson starting with lesson two. Client's must ask for this reading material early as it requires the purchase of a study workbook that is found online.
4. Read and reflect on progress reports after each lesson.
5. Learn hand over hand steering on their own time.
6. Learn to let the wheel slide through hands to complete standard 90-degree turns on their own time
Progress twice as fast and at half the expense compared to drivers who do none of the above.
A. MEMORIZE
Memorize the following 10-words in consecutive order before the start of your initial driving session, "Ahead, Behind, Mirror, Shoulder, Signal, Ahead, Behind, Mirror, Shoulder, Move." Save $30.00 (not $30 off, but $30 less).
B. MEMORIZE
Memorize the steps (procedure) for parking and three-point-turn on your own time. Save $150.00. (Not $150 off but $150 less.)
C. FREE written report of your driving progress and/or needs after each or almost every lesson. Learn by reading. You have to ask for this report via return email. Mr. Collins pays a Secretary $15 to turn his coded notes into something you can read if and only if you want those notes sent to you email FREE of charge to you. Only about 30% of drivers and 70% of Clients want those notes, so Mr. Collins does not spend the money producing them if they are not valued. One request is all that is needed for notes after every lesson.
D. WORKBOOK
Read 15-pages of the study Workbook in preparation for your initial training session. That workbook is attached to your first email from us. Or, you can order the workbook on line at
http://www.lulu.com/shop/joda-collins/joda-collins-driving-academy-course-workbook/paperback/product-24099355.html
Read for a devoted three hours (or less if so noted) from the study workbook in preparation for each lesson beginning with lesson two and turn in the self-study written work, unsolicited, at the start of each lesson. Save 30% to 50% of your tuition expense (not 30% to 50% off, but 30% go 50% less) because you will progress up to twice as fast and at up to half the expense compared to those who do not do the reading or written work.
None of the workbook is required reading. None of the reading is expected. The workbook is nothing like the Florida Official Driver's Manual. The workbook is optional reading for those who want to progress faster through the training, thus at a lower expense. Some find it very helpful and progress up to twice as fast and therefore at half the expense. Others find it tedious reading and of no value at all.
Learning to drive safely is 10% physical ability, 40% behind the wheel training and 50% mental. For example, if I gave an elementary school student a copy of the times tables on Monday and said we would study the times tables on Friday and I would charge the student's parents $1.68 per minute for every minute it took me on Friday to teach the times tables and between Monday and Friday the child spent eight hours memorizing the times tables, on Friday I would ask the child a dozen or so times tables questions such as what is 3 times 3, 6 times 4, 7 times 9 and so on. If the child got every answer right I would know in about a minute or so if the child had learned the times tables. If so, I would charge the student's parents about $2.00. However, if the student waited until Friday to study the times table with me as the teacher and it took him or her eight classroom hours to learn the times tables, the charge tot the parent would be $1.68 times 60 minutes times eight hours = $806.00. The savings for the first child is $804 ($806 minus $2). That is not $804 off, but it is $804 saved.
That is the way it is with driver's training. If you want me (Joda Collins) to explain during paid driving time the meaning and application of the 45 most common traffic laws, the meaning and application 10 most common traffic signs, the meaning and application of the 12 general safety skill and the meaning and application of the 23 defensive driving techniques, I can do that at a cost to you of several hundred or several thousand dollars (depending on your listening skills and learning speed). Or, you can learn them for free by reading the assigned homework.
The only reason I offer this savings opportunity is for the students who could not otherwise afford driver's training. However, if you can afford driver's training but want to invest half as much for twice the learning, you can do self-study also.
Only about 10% of students avail themselves to this savings opportunity. If most students did use the workbook, I could not afford to offer it.
Those who do not avail themselves to this FREE learning often say they learn by doing and not by reading. However, they never tell any other teacher that. For example, how many times does a person have to negotiate a four-way stop without instructions on the rules for a four way stop before they learn the rules of a four-way stop. My estimate is about 10 to 20 times. How many times must a driver read the rules to four way stop before the driver knows the rules to a four way stop? My estimate is about four times at a cost of zero dollars.
When a student is learning from me in the car, I am doing is telling the student how to apply what is in the workbook, but charging by the minute to do so. Use your behind the wheel time learning how to apply what you learned by reading, not learning what is in the 266 pages of reading material.
Sometimes a student tells me they cannot do the homework because they cannot read. Please see: https://donmcminn.com/2020/01/how-to-learn-from-reading/?unapproved=47797&moderation-hash=a5a7f3da1c5b26eed090089a2727ff1b#comment-47797
Most students who cannot read, can listen to someone else read it. If you do not have some one to read it to you, let me know and I will pay my secretary to read it to you and charge you nothing. Just call or email for details.
E. Follow directions during training and learn by doing rather than ask "why" before you will follow directions. Save $1.68 per minute for each minute Mr. Collins invests to answer your why question before you will follow his direction. (Not $1.68 per minute off, but $1.68 per minute less.) Once you follow the direction, you will experience why.
F. Shuffle steering slows training. If you want to know the details of why shuffle steering slows training (and adds training lessons), just ask.
https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2010/05/just-say-no-to-shuffle-steering/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3ArlcIqmOg (Hand-over-hand steering)
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/road-safety/2748533/Bad-and-unnatural-steering-practices.html
There is no such thing as a perfect steering method. Every method has positives and negatives. You must determine which positives and negatives you are willing to live with. I teach the 10 and 2 hand over hand method because I think the positives of this method outweigh the negatives. In all other forms of steering I think the negatives outweigh the positives. If you are devoted to a form of steering other than 10 and 2 hand over hand, let me know and we will honor your wishes. Just let us know. Otherwise, we teach 10/2 hand-over-hand.
FREE TRAINING (PARKING AND THREE POINT TURN)
We do not charge for parking and/or three point turn training, in whole or in part, if the following conditions are met:
1. Driver has memorized the steps for parking and three point turn, in whole or in part, well enough to quote them without hesitation or assistance and upon request before training for parking and three point turn during paid sessions. This means driver does not have memorize all the steps at one time. Memorize as much or as little as you want and we can practice what you have memorizes free of charge to you anytime you want. It only takes about 45 seconds to to a complete three point turn after steps are memorized and it only takes about two minutes to enter and exit a parking space in accord with State law once the steps are memorized. So, all I do is a two or three minutes to any existing lesson at no charge any time a driver wants to practice what he or she has memorized of the steps for parking and/or three point turn.
2. Before memorizing the steps for parking and three point turn, read the red and green print above.
3. Driver must have at least 90 General Safety Points before practicing parking and/or three point turn if using the Joda Collins Driving Acdy vehicle for parking and three point turn training.
Good Afternoon Mr. and/or Ms. Client,
Question: Do you want the driver to use our (Acdy) vehicle or your vehicle for the three-point turn for the upcoming lesson? Before answering that question, please carefully read this detailed email. Thank you.
See www.jodacollins.com , Agreement page, Section One, Colored print for details. Be sure to memorize the list of steps relative to the vehicle you are using for training for parking and three point turn.
If the driver has not memorized the steps for the three point turn well enough to quote them upon request without error or hesitation, then Mr. Collins will ask this question of the Client at the start of the lesson tomorrow,
1. Do you want to spend paid driving time at the upcoming lesson with the driver memorizing the steps for the three point turn. or
2. Skip the training for parking and three point turn today, memorize the steps for the three point turn on your own time for free between lessons, and go on today to General Safety Skills (driving in traffic)
Note: At the upcoming lesson, if you want the driver to memorize the steps for the three-point turn during paid training using the Acdy vehicle, that is done:
1. With the student in the passenger's side while Mr. Collins shows the three point turn. The student-passenger directs Mr. Collins from the passenger's side to do the three point turn until the driver has the three point turn steps in short term memory. Then,
2. Driver does the three point turn helping driver move steps from short term memory toward long-term memory.
Why doesn't the student begin the training for the three point turn in the driver's side of the Acdy vehicle? Because....
1. It takes longer because the student often does the steps out of order, thus frustrating learning as learning the wrong order is counter-productive and the more the driver does the steps out of order the longer the training takes.
2. Most new drivers think that, or have been taught that steering is done with the vehicle stationary. However, every auto mechanic will tell you and almost every car maintenance manual will state that turning the steering wheel with the car stationary is not recommended as it is very hard on (damaging to) the power steering, the front wheel assembly and the front end alignment. When I was allowing student drivers to turn the steering wheel with my vehicle stationary I had to get my vehicle front end (tire) aligned every four to six weeks, plus I incurred some costly and unnecessary front end repairs. Plus, my 40,000 mile tires only got about 24,000 miles when I did not often align the front end. I no longer allow drivers to steer in my vehicle with the vehicle stationary.
To dissipate the weight of the vehicle on the tires/front end alignment/parts, when steering, my car must be moving at least 1/100th of one mile per hour (the speed an ant moves). I have been mandating that for six years and have not had to spend one penny on front end alignment or front end repairs during the past six years. Most new drivers find it very difficult to regulate the brake pressure so the progress is slow and steer fast enough to do a three point turn in three points. That is one reason why I suggest using the driver's or client's vehicle for the three point turn and parking training. With the vehicle owner's permission, I do allow a driver to turn the steering wheel of his, her or the client's vehicle while that vehicle is stationary. I allow this for the following reasons.
1. It takes about 200 full turns in a stationary vehicle to cause the first signs of needed a front end alignment. Most students do not need 200 attempts to memorize the steps for the three point turn. However, since I work with many new students all of the time it does not take long for 200 three point turn, full stationary turns left or right to be made in my car.
2. I pay my vehicle repair bills and pass that expense on to Client's in the form of higher prices.
3. I do not have to pay for your vehicle repair bills.
Question: Do you want the driver to use our (Acdy) vehicle or your vehicle for the three-point turn for the upcoming lesson?
Questions? Just ask.
Sincerely,
Ms. Jackie, Scheduling
Joda Collins Driving Academy
850 981-3355 www.jodacollins.com
WHAT IS SATURATION?
What follows is a cut and paste from my web site. It is generic and intended for every driver who has reached saturation. No offense is intended by this generic cut and paste. What follows are just facts; facts of life and facts of learning.
Driver appears to me to have reached saturation. Saturation is not about a learner's character, disabilities, motivation or IQ. Saturation is just something that just "is."
CATEGORY ONE
Those with excellent character, no learning disabilities, higher motivation and normal IQ along with
CATEGORY TWO
those with poor character, learning difficulties/disabilities, low motivation to learn driving skills and less than normal IQ all face saturation sooner or later.
However, those in Category Two above reach saturation sooner compared to those in Category One (above).
Saturation = driver can not learn more new things at a reasonable progressing rate/speed of learning at this time until some of the things the driver is now learning becomes habit.
I am not a psychiatrist, psychologist nor a sociologist. It is not my job to diagnose why a learner has reached saturation but only diagnose to the best of my ability when a driver has reached saturation. My job is to be the best instructor I can be and provide as much motivation as I know how to provide to the student-driver to become as safe as the student-driver can be at this time in his or her life. There is only so much room in the human mind and emotional reserve for a person to deal with the quality of new things to learn. Otherwise, we would wait unit a person is 17-years old and send them to school for one year to earn their high school diploma rather than spread the learning of new things out over a 12-year period of time.
Some of the typical signs of saturation are listed below. All 12 signs are not needed, nor am I stating that driver has more than one of the following. Saturation is just a fact. It happens to every driver sooner or later for one or more reasons. Human beings are not created to learn a ton of new things in a short period of time. We all have our limit of new things. There comes a time when the material to learn is just too much for the present time and we need time, practice and experience (applying what we are learning and have learned) to turn what we are struggling to make good habits, good habits.
Like all good habits, it takes time, work and practice to develop good habits. Saturation is not about a learners character. Those with excellent character and those with poor character all face saturation sooner or later. Saturation is just something that just "is."
Saturation is just a fact. It happens to every driver sooner or later for one or more reasons. Some of the typical signs of saturation are listed below. All 12 signs are not needed, nor am I stating that driver has more than one of the following signs (evidences) of saturation.
1. Two consecutive lessons with loss of General Safety Points or General Safety Points considerably below drivers current real ability.
2. Three lessons in a row with less than two General Safety Points average for those three lessons.
3. Driver is forgetting to do the things that he or she has remembered to do well in past lessons.
4. Driver has lost a significant amount of interest and/or motivation to do the hard work it takes to learn more things relative to driving safer.
5. Forgetting to bring General Safety Scored card with him or her to the lesson for updating said card after the lesson ends, and showing no interest in driver's General Safety Score following the lesson.
6. Lack of attention in training to directions.
7. Passive attitude about learning (kind of an oh-hum approach to learning new things).
8. Emotionally neutral (or negative) towards constructive criticism about driving in an unsafe manner.
9. Lacking the ability or desire to do simple tasks.
10. Experiencing a degree of frustration or anxiety that is excessive or unusual for the driver when asked to do simple tasks.
11. Driver appears more excited and interested in the lesson being over than excited or interested for the training lesson to begin.
12. Driver walks away from the vehicle faster after the lesson is over compared to drivers walk to the vehicle to start the lesson.
CATEGORY ONE
Driver has the ability to learn to become a safer driver at this time in his or her life but lacks the internal motivation to do the hard work it takes to learn to become a safer driver; the longer the training lasts the more challenging the task as one moves into more challenging driving environments; driver will struggle to remember and apply driving skills learned due to lack of interest and/or internal motivation; expect considerable regression. If driver finds or rekindles ample internal motivation to do the hard work it takes to become a better-skill (safer) driver in more challenging driving environments, driver will benefit greatly from continued professional driver's training. Or....
CATEGORY TWO
Or, driver has the motivation to do the hard work it takes to become a safer driver in more challenging driving environments but lacks the ability to do so at this time in his or her life; thus, driver needs time to practice what he or she has learned until some of the things he or she has learned becomes habit, thus making more room in mind and emotions for continued learning of new material. Once learning becomes habit, this driver will benefit greatly from continued professional driver's training.
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO NOW?
Saturation does NOT mean the student-driver cannot learn any more new and challenging material regarding learning to drive with more safety. It does, however, mean the progress in the future may be painfully slow and may not be worth the expenditure of time, effort and finances. However, the decision to continue in training is not mine to make. That decision belongs to others.
REAL EMAILS
Mr. Collins,
My son has had four lessons devoted to safe lane changes. He still cannot make safe lane changes in traffic. How come?
Mr. Client
Thank you for your inquiry.
The short answer to your question is that he lacks developed the abstract thinking that is probably related to his severe autism. What follows is an email I wrote to another Client in response to a similar question he asked.
1. Safely changing lanes in traffic.
A. Right turn lane.
B. Right deceleration lane.
C. Left turn lane.
D. Left deceleration lane.
E. Right turn lane.
F. Right deceleration lane.
G. Left turn lane.
H. Left deceleration lane.
I. Merge lane
J. Right protected lane.
K. Right to left through lane.
L. Left to right through lane.
(1). The skill of changing lanes has not yet transferred via the abstract process in the driver's mind, thus each of the above is a new skill to the driver at this time.
(a). This is akin to a person that learned to read by memorizing words rather than via phonics.
(1). Example: A driver that reads by memorization of words might know that STOP is the arrangement of letters that is pronounced stop. But said person cannot pronounce nor read STEP, because the driver memorizes words, not phonetics. Said person does not sound out words, as in STEP is pronounce S as he sound ssssss, T as the sound of ta, E as the sound eh, or P as the sound puh. My older brother learned to read by memorizing words in school when they tried that form of teaching as an experiment. He died a few years ago not being able to read any word he had never memorized. In his entire life he never read a book! He could read the word "elevation" because he memorized it for a job where he needed the word for reports he had to make, but he could not read the word "elevate" because he never memorized it.
(b). Abstract thinking is the ability to take concepts learned in one situation and transfer some or all of those concepts to a different environment or situation.
(1). Example: When changing lanes from right though lane to left through lane I instructed driver to look in his outside left mirror and over his left shoulder before changing lanes to the left. Following this, I asked him to change lanes from left through lane to right through lane. Doing this, he looked in his left outside mirror and then over his left shoulder and then would have changed lanes to his right and crashed into a vehicle immediately on our right had I not stopped his lane change. Thus, each new environment, basically, starts the learning of proper and safe lane changes from square one. Several attempts had to be made with specific instructions to look in right outside mirror and over right shoulder when make a lane change from left lane to right lane for driver not to use left mirror or left shoulder look for right movement in changing lanes.
(2). Example: After spending a lot of time in the past lessons teaching a lane change in residential locations from parallel parking position to through lane on his left and helping him with step by step lane changes in traffic both left and right, on the way home last session I asked him to drive applying what he has learned, and he changed lanes from through lane to right turn or declaration lane three times and from through lane to left turn lane a total of six times and never used checked for traffic conditions in his outside mirror or over his shoulder. Until he can make the connection of a safe lane change skill in different environments, I will continue teaching lane changes by memorization with each new driving environment, but it takes a long time. Eventually, the abstract thinking dawns on a student for safe lane changes, but until then explaining it with words is like trying to explain traveling using a paper road map to a young child. It is to them, like speaking in a foreign language and the child can only understand routes of travel by memorizing landmarks. Drive two blocks and two turns out of the memorized area and the child is lost. (a). Example: I had a driver recently (age 36). We drove from Milton to Pensacola (17 miles, about 25 minutes) to get some Hwy 90 driving skill. In Pensacola, I had him drive in a residential area about two square miles, for about 35-minutes but never on the same road. I wanted to test his abstract thinking ability. After 35-minutes of driving, I told him it was time to head back to Milton. He said, "Aren't we already in Milton. We have been driving a long time." One of his greatest challenges was to get from his home to Hwy 90. There were three routes he could take. He could drive out of his driveway to his left and make two consecutive left turns or he could drive out of his driveway and to his right and make his first right and then his first left. After 10 lessons taking both routes five times each, I told him, that without my instructions, to take us to Hwy 90. He could not do it. At that point, I told him, the only way for him to get to Highway 90 was to drive out of his driveway and drive towards the yellow sign that marked a left curve. This would be a right turn out of his driveway if he drove head on into his driveway, or a left turn out of his driveway if he backed into his driveway (he d
Working Agreements/Service Contacts
JODA COLLINS
DRIVING ACADEMY LLC
SECTION TWO
PARKING AND
THREE-POINT TURN
(Turn-About)
.
it
NO-OBLIGATION REGISTRATION
INTRODUCTION: This a request for information. This web site is not interactive. Please send this information to me by email at jodacollins@aol.com or voice mail (850 981-3355) if you do not use email. You do not need to reproduce the following. Just provide the info in the order it is requested, and I will know from the order how to interpret the information. Before completing this Registration, I suggest you read Contract Four, Five and SEVEN if you are a 3-in-3 driver. If you do not know what a 3-in-3 driver is, then you are not one. If you are not a 3-in-3 driver, please read Contracts Four, Five and SIX. If you have any questions, before or after reading the Contracts, please feel free to ask via email (jodacollins@aol.com) or voice mail (850 981-3355). 1. STUDENT-DRIVER'S INFORMATION A. Name B. Driver license or driver permit number C. Date of birth D. The Student-driver's specified goal or goals for driver training. Be as general or as specific as you want. E. Address: Street name only!
2. CLIENT'S (financially responsible person's) INFORMATION. If your funding is coming from an Agency, just list the name of the Agency. That is all I need. If your funding is not coming from an Agency, I need the following: A. Name B. The Client's specified goal or goal for driver training. Be as general or as specific as you want. C. Email address D. Telephone number(s) E. Complete mailing address, including City, State and Zip.
3. IF YOU ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE FOUR-HOURS OF DRIVER TRANING IN COMPLIENCE WITH THE FLORDA 3-IN-3 PROGRAM IN ORDER TO KEEP OR REGAIN YOUR VALID DRIVER LICENSE STATUS, PLEASE PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION. A. The last four numbers of your Social Security Number: B. Your third citation number. C. If your driver license is not currently active, what is the date of your temporary (letter from the Tallahassee that denotes you must have that letter with you during the four hours of driver training). If your driver license is not currently valid and you do not have that letter (temporary), call 850 617 2000 to ask for it. Call as close to 7:01am and 7:05am on non-holiday weekdays to avoid a long hold time. 4. HOW MUCH DOES TRAINING COST? A. The least expensive training for lesson one is $242 for one-hour of training if you are NOT a 3-in-3 driver (if you do not know what a 3-in-3 driver is, then you are not one). B. The least expensive charge for lesson two and following is $149 for a one-hour lesson, if you are NOT a 3-in-3 driver (if you do not know what a 3-in-3 driver is, then you are NOT one). This $149 does not take into account the possibility of between of between $3 and $20 lesser charge due to several factors/variables which will be clarified later. C. If you are NOT a 3-in-3 driver and want to see the itemization of charges, go to Contract Six below. D. If you are a 3-in-3 driver and want to see the itemization of charges, go to Contract Seven below. E. The least expensive training for a 3-in-3 driver for the four-hours of training is $679.00. If you want to see charges for 3-in-3 training, go to Contract Seven, below. 5. WHAT IS NEXT? A. After I receive your Registration Information, I will prepare a to-the-penny quote for your review and approval. Following this will be your approval of Contracts Four, Five and Six if you are NOT a 3-in-3 driver or Contract Four, Five and Seven if you are a 3-in-3 driver. Feel free to read them anytime. They are found below. Then, will be payment, then scheduling, and then training.
B. My legal documents (Contracts) are long and tedious because they include itemization of charges and many client and student-driver benefits. They are not as simple as hiring your next-door neighbor's kid to cut your lawn. My business is afflicted with the Florida Department of State, the local driver license offices, Santa Rosa County Business Licensing Office, the Florida Department of Highway Safety in Tallahassee, my business insurance provider, the Court system if training is ordered by the Court(s), and any agency that is paying for your training. Like anything in life, a business can be slip-shod in responsibilities, or conscientious in meeting proper standards. I am conscientious in order to meet all legal requirements and protect your rights and welfare and mine. If you can suggest a way to shorten any legal document without removing important information, I (Joda Collins) would be very grateful.
C. If you find the suggested Contract(s) too complicated, too time-consuming and/or two tedious to use, feel free to request a Short Contract. In the Short Contract I just delete most of the reasons why a charge exists, itemization of charges, and most of your benefits. That is the only way I can shorten and simplify my contracts. D. If you prefer this Short Contract, you must request it. After reading it, you are free to reject it, in favor of the longer Contract(s), with no negative ramifications to you whatsoever.
E. The Short Contract will be sent you via email. It is:
(1). My commitment to you.
(a). Service and/or Course Enrollment
(b). Limited Liability Clause
(c). Refund Policy
(d). Other relevant details.
(2). Your commitment to me.
(a). Payment
(b). Other relevant details.
F. If you want a paper copy of all Legal Documents sent to you in the mail, just provide to me your complete mailing address along with a request for a paper copy of the Legal Documents. G. If you have any questions, feel free to ask via email (jodacollins@aol.com) or voice mail (850 981-3355).
CONTRACT FOUR Basics April 4, 2025
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION 1: CONTRACT(S)
A. IDENTIFICATION
B. LIMITED LIABILITY CLAUSES
C. CONTRACTUAL COMMITMENTS
SECTION 2: COMMUNICATION
SECTION 3: FINANCES/MONEY
SECTION 4: TRAINING MATTERS SECTION 5: SCHEDULING
SECTION 1. CONTRACT(S)
A. IDENTIFICATION
(1). First person (I, me) is Joda Collins, CEO of the Joda Collins Driving Academy unless different and obvious by the context. Second person (you) is the Client, or the Student-driver, or as otherwise obvious by the context.
(2). All section identification of "O" and "I" are often excluded to avoid confusion, since "O" can be a number or letter and "I" can be a capitol I (eye), a lower-case L or number one.
B. LIMITED LIABILITY CLAUSE (1). If you are not the student-driver and your contractual agreement allows you to ride for lesson one (or beyond), if you would not ride in roller coaster, do not ride or be in a driver's training vehicle and/or during driver's training; in both cases (roller coaster and during training) you are taking an assumed risk at your own risk. You (the Client) and you (the Student-driver) agree not to hold Joda Collins and/or the Joda Collins Driving Academy responsible for any physical, emotional or psychological damage, real or imagined, that occurs during training relative to but not limited to any steering, braking or acceleration that is not associated with a crash and said crash must incur, at least, $200 property/vehicle damage regardless of who is driving or who is steering, braking or accelerating. When, in a client's vehicle, the vehicle owner assumes all liability including all liability that is over and above car owner's maximum insurance limit.
(2). Under no conditions will a missed appointment or appointments incur any liability in excess of the liability specified in print in my legal documents.
C. CONTRACTUAL COMMITMENT
(1). It is estimated that, in our culture today, up to 80% of those that sign a Contract never read it, never read it well enough to understand it or cannot understand it. Dangerous! The most difficult part of my job is not the driver training but trying to work with drivers and clients that have not read the Legal Documents well enough to know their obligations. Please show me the kindness and professional courtesy to know your contractual obligations. Make a list written list of your obligations that you do not like so you can review them carefully before you sign and, by your signature, agree to them. "Honesty is the best policy." Sir Edward Sandys, 1599, one of the founders of Jamestown, Virginia in 1606.
(2). Those under age 18-year of age cannot be, legally, held accountable for anything they sign; however, for their needed understanding, I require anyone under the age of 18 to agree to and sign one or more of the documents found at http://www.jodacollins.com/agreement.html .
(3). No one expects anyone to memorize the content of long legal documents, however, you should know what will cost you money. Contracts exist not for memorization, but for information so a person can determine if he or she wants to engage in business with the agency/person, and for mutual protection if confusion arises that can be resolved by reference to the Agreement (Contract). Responses vary from those that read my Contracts. Some thank me for being thorough and clear. One person wrote me and called me an, "obnoxious blowhard." Those that think poorly of my Legal Documents do not do business with me and those who appreciate my openness, honesty and willingness to clarify every important detail, do business with me. That is what I want.
(4). I do expect reasonable comprehension of the major points of the legal documents. Sometimes I am told, "I read the Legal Documents, but I am not a good reader, therefore, because I cannot understand words and/or I cannot remember anything I read, I am not responsible or accountable for anything I sign." "Ignorance is not an excuse," is a saying has been around for about 2,500 years. Leviticus 5:17 states, "If a person...does...(wrong)...even though he does not know it, he is guilty and will be held responsible." (Parenthesis mine, Joda Collins). If a contract could be declared null and void on the basis that I say I am ignorant, then every contract would be worthless. I could take your money and provide no service because I claim I am an ignorant person. You could rip me off on the basis that you claim that you are ignorant.
(5). I do expect a person to be gracious towards me if I remind him or her of something in the Legal Documents, he or she forgot but dislikes, did not read or did read but did not understand and did not get clarification before signing.
(6). I will honor my word (Contract) with you. I expect you to show me the same consideration starting with keeping your word to carefully read and understand the Legal Documents (Contracts) before signing. If you have questions, just ask before agreeing. I will cheerfully clarify.
(7). I, the Client and, I, the Student-driver, will not hold nor attempt to hold Joda Collins responsible or accountable for any ramifications, financial or otherwise, that arise because we (Client and/or Student-driver) did not read, remember or understand the content or intent of any specified legal documents.
(8). Read, ask, understand, and then approve is the honorable, respectful, and mature business procedure. It is the formula for a good working relationship. It is the respected procedure for adults. I invite and welcome the Client to ask as many questions as he or she wants to at no additional charge BEFORE agreeing to the Contract(s).
(9). Do not understand, do not ask, just assume, and/or do not read is dishonorable, disrespectful, immature and is wrong. Such dishonor, disrespect, and immaturity is the best formula for future difficulties between us.
(10). I do not honor anything that follows, "But you said...!" "But I thought...!" or "I assumed...!, no matter who says it, including me. Get it in writing if it is important to you. I do.
(11). If, for any reason, you do not want to use the legal documents I assign for you, let me know and I will ask you a few questions and create a one-page Contract for you that will keep all of your obligations, but delete some of your benefits and most clarification; those are the only ways to make the Contract shorter and protect my interests.
(12). If you think anything in the legal documents is unfair or unreasonable, let me know, in writing, BEFORE YOU AGREE TO IT and how you want the challenged section to read. I will consider your recommended rewrite. The only thing I will not consider is changing my charges; I cannot charge less and stay in business.
(13). I reserve the right to create and propose a Contract that is different from my on-line/website Contract.
(14). All parties reserve the right to terminate service for any reason, expressed or not. Termination does not relieve any party from any financial obligation except as specified in the Legal Documents.
(15). I (Joda Collins) reserve the right to require a
signed and notarized paper Contract and full payment in my possession before scheduling any service.
(16). The Client (financially responsible person) has to be in attendance at the start of the (first) lesson to sign the Contract unless other arrangements are made and, if paying with a card, to produce the card for ownership verification unless another arrangement for card ownership verification is made.
(17). I cannot, by law, and will not do business with anyone except the Client; the contractually stated and agree-on financially responsible person.
(18). It is the Client's responsibility to keep the Student-driver apprised of all relative matters. It is the Student-driver's responsibility to keep apprised by the Client of all matters the Client deems important for the Student to know.
(19). Contracts and/or contract proposals, including fee quotes, are guaranteed for 30-days from the original offer date or 90-days after the most recent paid for lesson is completed, whichever comes last.
(20). I (Joda Collins) will not assume any responsibility, financially or otherwise, except as demanded by civil law, for any ramifications of a driver that drives after sunset with a permit with an issue date of 91-days or less from the training date
SECTION 2. COMMUNICATION A. If you do not get an email reminder by 8:30pm the day before your appointment, there IS a scheduling problem EVEN IF YOU RECEIVED A REMINDER/ CONFIRMATION BEFORE 12:01AM THE DAY BEFORE YOUR DRIVING APPOINTMENT. Please call 850 981-3355 or email jodacollins@aol.com to discover the problem so I can try to resolve the difficulty.
B. Without your phone call or email, with at least a two-hour notice, I may not be able to resolve the difficulty and will not assume any responsibility or liability, financially or otherwise, for this missed lesson.
C. I treat adults like adults, and not like children that need a babysitter. Clients and student-drivers will not hold me (Joda Collins) responsible for any charge, discomfort or loss that arises from the Client and/or the student-driver not understanding any legal document and/or failing to read my emails at least once every 24-hours and one-hour before any scheduled lesson.
D. I (Joda Collins) do not operate my business today like I did when I first started it in 2008, nor like I did last year. I am constantly working to improve everything. I operate my business like a man with 17-yeas of experience in this profession, applying 17-years of learning. I will probably not operate my business like you would. Thank you for giving me the benefit of the doubt and credit for learning better how to operate my business in my 17-years concentrated effort/learning. E. HOW TO READ MY LEGAL DOCUMENTS
(1). Read the Legal Documents slowly, carefully, completely, intelligently, inquisitively, and as if a failure to understand will cause all parties unnecessary stress and/or unnecessary added expense, because it will. It is tedious but it is only a once in a lifetime task. The effort is worth it because ignorance is expensive. I am putting my life in the hands of the Student-driver and the Student-driver is putting his/her life in my hands. We are engaging in a serious effort. It warrants serious pre-consideration.
(2). Ignore the things in all Legal Documents you like and agree with. When they happen, you will like it. Know well what you do not like so when it happens, especially things that will cost you money, so you are not shocked when it happens. In the adult world, ignorance of available information, is not a valid excuse for not knowing nor a valid excuse for failure.
(3). Make a list of all questions you have and ask before agreeing to anything to avoid added fees for asking for clarification AFTER signing. Such responses require time and effort and may incur a charge. Time and effort are money.
(4). Make a written list of the things you do not like so you can ask for changes to them or prepare for them. Avoid the drama.
(5). Its' eazy two make uh misstake innuh emale. Anything and everything in any email is null and void (in error) if it is in contradiction to the content of an applicable legal document found on this page (www.jodacollins.com - Agreement page), unless the email specifically denotes the email content is in place of and supersedes the Contract(s) and/or legal documents information.
(6). If the error is not caught and corrected before the service for that payment is completed, the error will NOT be corrected if corrections would be to the detriment of the Client or the Student-driver. The error for all future lessons, paid for in advance or not, will be corrected for all lessons not yet completed (even if they were paid for in advance). Clients always have the option to say no, decline service and receive a refund in line with the dictates of the Contract(s).
(7). I do not have and will not honor any verbal agreements. If it is not in print, you nor I ever said it. I will not attempt to hold you hostage to anything that follows, "But you said....!" I will not be held hostage to anything that follows, "But you said...!" I have no verbal agreements, ever, no matter what.
(8). I reserve the right to add or subtract to my online legal documents without notice as long as the additions or deletions are just clarification and do not alter the fundamental facts, figures or intent of the legal documents.
F. TELEPHONE
(1). I seldom answer my telephone for several excellent reasons. If you want to know the reasons, scroll down to the near bottom of this page to Attachment Two and read Section Seven. Please do not call me, hang up without leaving a voice mail, and then complain that you cannot reach me by phone. Leaving a voice mail is reaching me by phone. I will respond.
(2). If you do not receive a response from me within 14-hours after your email or voice mail, I did not get it or forgot. Please forgive and contact me again. I will not assume responsibility for any negatives if you do not do this.
(3). After the Contract is offered, reference and made available to the Client, I will not make or return phone calls to address anything relative to scheduling, service or fees; however, I will make a return email contact or US Postal Service contact to address anything relative to scheduling, service or fees. Good business practices are in writing and are a testimony to the integrity of all parties involved.
(4). Please use voice mail (850 981-3355), email or the US Postal System to communicate with me, about anything regarding scheduling, service or fees, AFTER the Contract is made available for review. My mailing address is 4033 Buttonbush Dr., Milton, FL 32583. This is NOT my business address. Thank you for not coming to this address.
(5). I have an administrative office; however, I do all business by phone, voice mail, email or US Postal System.
(6). Please do not complain to others about me or my business policies without giving me a chance to make amends. If you cannot or will not grant me that elementary kindness/consideration, please do not do business with me. I want to make you happy. I will do my best, but I am not perfect. I won't bite and I assume responsibility for my mistakes in a graceful manner.
SECTION 3: FINANCES/MONEY
A. If you, the Client (financially responsible person), have any questions, just ask. Asking before you agree to the Contract(s) is FREE. After a client agrees to and/or signs a Contact:
B. Asking me (Joda Collins) to call you on the phone to address anything that has to do with service or fees, after you have approved, by email notice, the Legal Documents, is $15 per phone call. Asking me to repeat information already in the agreed-on Legal Documents, wherein there is no request for a return phone call, and I can respond by email, is $15 per response after the third request. I cannot afford to spend time, for free, answering questions already clarified in the Legal Documents that Clients have already read, accepted and approved. Time is money.
C. All communication, after the Legal Documents are approved, is by email from me to you, and email, voice mail (850 981-3355) or US Postal Service from you to me and are at no additional charge, except as clarified in (1) above.
D. Cancellation, except for fear of adverse weather, with less than a two-hour notice, does incur a charge. Check your Contract for details.
E. For the first lesson I accept cashier's check, money order or Visa/MasterCard Credit/Debit card but not cash. For lessons two and following, I accept all of the above, plus cash, and (upon approval) personal or business check.
F. In 2024, my total profit (salary) was $17.85 per hour before income taxes and with no benefits. When you consider my charges, please take into account my less than impressive net income (earning/salary) and the challenges of what I do for a living. If I wasn't working 60 to 70-hours per week, I could not make a living.
G. I do not accept prepayment for unscheduled lesson.
H. I do allow scheduling for unpaid lessons as far as 30-days in advance from the date of the first lesson and/or two months in advance from the date of any lesson after lesson one is completed. The scheduling fee applies to lesson one and, also, a separate scheduling fee charge to lesson two even if lesson two is scheduled at the same time as lesson one. If you want to know why, please scroll down to the near bottom of this column to Attachment Two, Section Eight.
(J). Unless otherwise arranged, the first training session has to be paid for in full, and in my possession in advance of scheduling. Said fees can be paid by Visa or MasterCard credit or debit card, money order or cashier's check. If paid by money order or cashier's check please mail it to Joda Collins Driving Academy, 4033 Buttonbush Dr., Milton, FL 32583. This a mailing address only and not a business address. Please do not come to this address personally.
(K). While I have never lost or had anything lost in the mail in my entire life, including the 17-years in this business, there might be a first time, so keep your proof of purchase for your money order or cashier's check. I will not provide free service on the basis that someone said they mailed the money order or cashier's check but lost the receipt, therefore, I must work for them for free.
(L). If you want to make arrangements with me to pay in person for the first (or the only lesson you are taking), I will do that for a fee of $38.00.
(M). No one is perfect. I make a mistake hear an their. Double check my email facts and figures with your Contract. Accomplish due diligence. "Let the buyer beware," is a legal construct that dates back to 1606.
(N). Non-refundable fees are for services already rendered. Normal/reasonable people do not expect money back for a meal already eaten, a tank of gas already used, or a service already rendered.
(P). Barter. If you have a skill of any kind that you make available to the public, I am willing to discuss a barter for services for my services.
(Q). CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION OR GRADUATION FEE (Certificate is Optional)...$30
(R). Rebates and Refunds are treated as distinct financial matters, rather than combined with fees leading to reduced charges for service. This helps keep tax records accurate where specific designation for income and expense is mandated. It also avoids confusion when Clients when charges and refund/rebates are distinct transactions. (S). Hidden added expense for driving between lessons. There is a hidden/indirect added charge when a student drives between lessons. It requires more paid training time to correct the mistakes taught by others or the mistakes of a driver not corrected by others, thus said driving errors becoming more of a habit. Established bad driving habits take a long time to correct, and they are quick to establish since driving is doing the same thing over and over and over and over in a short period of time. If you want to know more about this subliminal expense, scroll (a long way) down the bottom of this page, to Attachment Two, Section Two.
(T). Late or No Arrival Charge (1). Time is money because life is limited by time, therefore, time has value. Late arrival, beyond 10-minutes, no matter the reasons, including reasons that are not your fault, including Acts of God (no one's fault), is charged at $1 (one dollar) per minute starting with the first minute, not to exceed $50.00. Unless the lesson is cut short by the amount of time equal to the late arrival. That decision belongs to the Client. This is not a penalty charge, but a recognition that life is time and being late is a waste of other people's lives. (2). This same fee is paid by me to the Client, if I am late beyond 10-minutes, because your time and life is as valuable as my time and life. (3). If a student's late arrival (for a lesson not cancelled in time to avoid charges) is after the scheduled ending time for the lesson, the lesson is forfeited along with the fee, and the charge of $50 for late arrival is not charged. If I (Joda Collins) arrive beyond the scheduled ending time for the lesson, there is no charge to reschedule the lesson, including any door-to-door fee and the rescheduled lesson is free, as is the door-to-door service for that lesson, however, there is no additional $50 fee.
(4). No-show and no-call. If a client misses a lesson and does not call at least two-hours in advance to cancel, the Client is charged full price for the lesson, including any door-to-door fees.
SECTION 4: TRAINING MATTERS A. In my vehicle, I will not teach students that I think are strongly devoted to overriding my instructions, because the crash probability is too high. Someone has to make the final decisions regarding safety. If the student is more qualified to be the final decision maker, I will consider taking driving lessons from that student. B. I will consider teaching in any other vehicle the driver is insured to drive, if I think the driver lacks the ability to follow my directions when the driver disagrees or is overcome by fear to the point where ignoring my directions the student does not like, is unavoidable. I will just try to keep the challenge level so low that the student is never fearful. Learning with only this super slight challenge, will increase the learning time.
C. THE THREE-POINT TURN (1). Unless otherwise agreed on and stated in writing BEFORE the approval of the Agreement (Contract), the three-point turn training is accomplished in any other vehicle than mine, wherein the student-driver is insured. (2). Because of rack/pinon (front end vehicle) damage caused, and excessive wear on the tires caused by repetitive dry steering (steering with vehicle stationary or quick steering with vehicle barely moving), and, eventually, power steering failure, I will teach the three-point turn one time in my vehicle ONLY after a driver has memorized the steps for the three-point turn well enough to quote them without hesitation or error and upon request. To date, 100% of all drivers who have memorized the steps have only required one training effort to do a perfect three-point turn, if driver knows where the front and back of the vehicle is in space. I will not assume responsibility for a student-driver that does not memorize the steps for a three-point turn and therefore, does not know how to do a three-point turn because I did not teach him or her how to do a three-point turn in my vehicle. See (2) below. (3). Under most circumstances, unless the driver is mandated by the State to take training to keep or regain his/her license, I do not initiate, promote, nor suggest three-point turn training. The Client must tell me if and when he or she wants the three-point turn training taught. It is 100% the responsibility of the Client to let me know if and when three-point turn training will occur.
(4). I suggest doing the three-point turn training as soon as the student can pass the Basic Vehicle Control Course. This will avoid coming to the end of training without completing the three-point turn training. I assume zero responsibility if training ends, and the driver has not received adequate three-point turn training.
(5). Any student of mine who graduates my Pass the State Driving Exam Course and passes the State Driving Exam, except for the three-point turn part of the training, can secure additional training from me at no charge, excluding any door-to-door fees for which there is no discount, for up to one-hour in the vehicle the driver used or will be using for the next State exam. This offer is limited to 10-months from the date of the most recent completed driving lesson with me or until the driver is 19-years of age, whichever comes last. Service value only. No cash value. Offer is expired if I am no longer in business.
(6). There are two vehicles that can be used for the three-point turn training; the Joda Collins Driving Academy Vehicle or any other vehicle provided by any other person as long as the student-driver is insured to drive that vehicle.
(7). There are two people that can teach the three-point turn to the Student-driver, Joda Collins, or any other person other than Joda Collins.
(8). Many drivers adamantly proclaim, "I already know how to do a three-point turn!" What they mean is that they can do a three-point turn without crashing. However, the State requires doing a three-point turn using all of the safety procedures needed to be able to do the three-point turn without crashing under any all circumstances and in any and all traffic conditions.
(a). If any other person besides Joda Collins teaches the three-point turn to the Student, then Joda Collins must teach that person how to teach the three-point turn in a manner that will be stringent State requirements. This is not a negotiable requirement even if the other person is able to do a three-point turn without crashing, because the State requires higher standards, to pass the State driving exam, beyond not crashing during the exam.
(9). There are two ways to learn to do a three-point turn. One is muscle memory learning where the student does the three-point turn over and over and over and over and over and over and over again and again and again until driver has memorized the procedure my memorizing the body movements.
(10). I, Joda Collins, do not use my vehicle for training a driver to learn the three-point turn by muscle memory for the following reasons:
(11). The average driver requires 15 to 25 practice attempts to learn the three-point turn, in the manner that passes the State driving exam, by muscle memory. Doing the three-point turn requires turning the steering wheel with the vehicle stationary or barely moving. This is called "dry steering." After about 200 training attempts, I have to take a half-day off, take my vehicle to the mechanic and have my front end realigned. Also, I only get about 24,000 miles of tire life, rather than the 40,000 my tires are designed to provide. This increases my costs for tires by 60% from $209 each mounted and balanced to $348 each relative to tire life. If the average student takes 15 attempts, then every 13 students, I will need a $75 front end alignment and a half-day to get the job done (go there, get service, get back). I must make $40 per hour to make expenses. Four hours times $40 = $160.00. Not counting the additional 60% for tires, every 13 students, it will cost me $75 plus $160 = $235.00. That amount ($235) divided by 13 students = $18 extra per student. Additionally....
(12). My mechanic warned me that if I continue to use my vehicle for excessive dry steering, I can expect $2,500 to $3,500 every couple of years in power steering repairs and possible, very dangerous, power steering failure during the operation of my vehicle.
(13). The second method is Cognitive Learning when the student memorizes the steps and, once memorizes, does the three-point turn one time. So far, after 17-plus years in this business, 100% of all drivers that have memorized the steps, have been able to do the three-point turn perfectly the first attempt (assuming the driver has passed the basic vehicle control course thus can use accelerator, steering wheel and brake accurately and knows where his/her vehicle is in space).
(14). In my experience, somehow, and I do not know how, it seems that most people do not have the ability or determination to memorize things on their own. Out of the more than 3,000 students I have taught, only four have memorized the steps for the three-point turn by the start of the first lesson while most have been adamite at the start of lesson one that they have memorized the steps. This reality baffles me, but it is reality (at least in my world) none-the-less.
(15). Here is the procedure if using the Joda Collins Driving Academy vehicle for the three-point turn training.
(a). Slow, right, look, signal, stop.
Look, go slow and turn fast, stop, reverse.
Look, go slow and turn fast, stop, drive.
Look, go slow and turn fast, coast, accelerate.
(17). Here is the procedure if using any vehicle other than the Joda Collins Driving academy Vehicle for the three-point turn training.
(a). Slow, right, look, signal, stop.
Turn, look, coast, stop, reverse.
Turn, look, coast, stop, drive.
Turn, look, coast, accelerate.
(18). For those that find memorization too difficult, I provide a free tutoring service. I have the student-driver call at a specified day and time. My secretary will work with the student-driver on the phone for 45-minutes to one hour. During that time, my secretary will say each word one at a time and the student will repeat each word one at a time. So far, every person that has availed himself/herself t this FREE service was able to memorize the steps within one hour.
END OF THREE POINT TURN TRAINING SECTION
(19). WHAT I WILL NOT DO
(1). I will not train out of skill capability sequence. For example:
(a). I will not attempt to extensively train a person to drive on the Interstate if he or she cannot drive safely in a parking lot.
(b). I will not extensively train a driver to drive safely in congested traffic if that driver cannot drive safely in mild traffic.
(c). I will not attempt to provide concentrated training from point A to point B if doing so has any driving conditions between that are excessively beyond the driver's current reasonably safe skill level. Safety first!
SECTION 5. IF YOU ARE NOT SCHEDULED FOR MORE THAN ONE LESSON AND HAVE NO NEED OR INTENTION TO TAKE MORE THAN ONE LESSON, SKIP THIS SECTION AND GO GO SECTION 6.
A. If a student-driver is present to me with all of the bad driving habits (habits of commission) of the previous teacher or teachers engrained. It takes a long for me to help the driver break those bad habits.
B. The driver is presented to me with none of the good driving the previous trainer or trainers do not do (bad habits of omission). It takes a lot of extra time, work and training fees to create those good habits once a driver has the habit of driving without them.
C. The driver is presented to me with all of the bad habits of commission and omission that are particular to him or her, that the trainer or trainers were not able to identify or correct. Again, additional training needed and unnecessary costs incurred.
D. I am not averse to doing the extra work if the client is not averse to paying the additional fee.
E. Driving and/or Training Between Lessons.
(1). Before I address this, I want to be sure we are in agreement about the following. One hundred percent is a huge number. Never, is a very, very long time. "Too many cooks spoil the broth."
(2). In 1575, the English historian John Hooker wrote The Life and Times of Sir Peter Carew. In that, he wrote, "Too many cooks spoil the broth." At that time, Hooker considered the statement a long-standing proverb. This proverb has endured for centuries because is rings true to all people in all generations. The more people in involved in a single task, wherein the authority is equal in truth, authority, application or assumption, the worse the results. The Chinese symbol for chaos, disruption and failure is two women in the same kitchen.
(3). If we are in agreement about the above, then consider the following:
(4). One hundred percent of the time when a driver drives between lessons when I do not ask or invite them to, and one hundred percent of the time when someone trains one of my students, when I do not ask or invite them to it always adds lessons and expense to the training of the student
(5). Never has a single student benefited from driving between lessons without my okay to do so. And, never has a person trained one of my students between lessons without my approval without that effort costing the student skill ability in one or more areas and added more time and expense to the training effort. If you want to know why, see Attachment Two, Section Three at the bottom of this page.
(6). With that clarified, drivers that have to or want to drive between lessons and others that want to be co-trainers with me between lessons without my encouragement to do so, do so with my conscience clear. I will need more money for more training or produce a less-skilled driver with a clear conscience. There are no other options
SECTION 6:
A. After Lesson Verbal Report. Most Clients do not want an after-lesson verbal report because they are anticipating an after lesson written report. The verbal report is just a short version of the written report. However, if you want a one-minute verbal report, just meet me at my vehicle when I return from the lesson or be on your way to my vehicle when you see me return and in the process of saying goodbye to the student and changing sides, so I can see you coming. I do not, however, go to your car or home door to provide a report.
B. I (Joda Collins) reserve the right to ask if the student-driver has ADD, ADhD, Autism or anything else that might affect our safety. You, the Client and you, the Student-driver reserve the right not to answer that question. If you do NOT want me to ask that question, it is YOUR responsibility to tell me in advance or deny me that information when asked.
C. With the exception of those using Contract Seven and Eleven, and the occasional instance when I just do not know, after a driver spends one full hour on the open road, I provide an estimate of, or statement about, future progress denoting how many more lessons I think might be needed for the student-driver to reach his or her driving goal(s), if that estimate is requested and, only if, the Client (if not the same person as the driver) rides during the first lesson. I no longer allow riders after lesson one, under any circumstances. Scroll to the bottom of this column, Attachment Two, Section Nine for the reasons why.
D. Unless otherwise arranged, the start location for session one is 3804 Garcon Point Road, Milton, FL 32583, which is one tenth of one mile off of I-10 at Exit 26. This is not my official business address, however.
E. I have permanent vocal cord damage from severe Covid19 in December of 2019. The more I talk, the more likely I will cough. You cannot catch vocal cord damage from a cough. If I put a cough drop in my mouth and stop talking for about 30-seconds, I stop coughing. I will ask you if you know why I might cough as a test to see whether you read this Contract.
F. The maximum legal passenger weight for my training vehicle is 800 pounds with no more than 400 pounds on each side of the vehicle and no more than 280 pounds per power/hydraulic seat (front seats). If I think you are in excess of 280 pounds, I have a scale in my trunk if you are willing to step on it as proof. No offense is intended. A bar tender checks ID before serving a drink because he can lose his liquor license. A grocery store clerk checks ID before selling tobacco because of a large possible fine. Allow me the same consideration because of hydraulic damage and because of the legal weight limits of my vehicle. I will train a person in excess of 280 pounds in any other insured vehicle.
G. I teach slow acceleration and braking early, unless the driving environment calls for quicker starts and quicker stops. I teach slow acceleration and early braking for great reasons I will clarify during training. When a student is driving without me in the vehicle, faster acceleration and later braking that is within the skill level and traffic conditions are not discouraged.
H. I can and do guarantee training. I cannot and will not guarantee learning.
SECTION 7: SCHEDULING
A. Only the Client can cancel, schedule or reschedule appointment
B. The Client is the person that is paying for the training in whole or in part. By law, the Client must sign a PDF copy or a paper copy of the Contract. I do not have PDF. If the Client (financially responsible person) will not be at the first meeting at the start of training to sign the paper copy of the Contract let me know so we can make other arrangements for signing.
C. I do not schedule training unless the driver verifies or states he/she has a valid license or permit and payment, as agreed on, is made. It is the driver's responsibility to have his/her license or permit with him/her at the time of the training.
D. I (Joda Collins) do not initiate rescheduling because of adverse weather conditions that are short of the severity that requires a State or National Weather Advisory. A scary forecast of wind and rain (storm) is NOT a National Weather Advisory.
E. However, if you (the Client and/or the Student-driver) are fearful due to adverse weather conditions, I do allow cancellation and rescheduling with no financial ramifications (penalties or fees).
F. I am not a car rental agency. I do not rent my car out to anyone, anytime for any reason, including to take the State Driving Exam.
SECTION 8: PROPER STEERING
A. All learning is systematic. Crawl, walk then run. The Alphabet is taught in order, A, B, C, D, E.... Math is taught in sequence, adding, subtraction, fractions, multiplication, division, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, then calculus. Sport is taught from the most basic skill to the most difficult. For example, in basketball, the trainee is taught to stand in one spot and bounce the ball while looking at it, then while not looking at it, then while walking and looking at the bouncing ball, then by walking and not looking at the ball, then by running and looking at the bouncing ball, then by running and not looking at the ball and so on. Water skiing is taught by skiing on two skis, then one ski, then barefoot. Each skill is the foundational skill for the next skills, and combined skills are the foundation for learning more complicated skills that require the ability of the combined skills.
(1). Learning to drive safely in traffic is no different. The first Course is Basic Vehicle Skills, then General Safety Skills that keep the driver from causing crashes, then Defensive Driving Techniques which keep the driver from becoming involved in the crashes that crash prone drivers cause.
(2). The Basic Vehicle Skills are proper steering, proper braking and proper acceleration. Proper steering includes proper hand-over-hand steering and letting the wheel slide through the driver's hands to complete standard turns. This is the most difficult skill for a driver to learn if he or she has driven a vehicle before coming to me because 95% of all drivers I have taught that have driven before coming to me for training have been taught or allowed to teach themselves poor steering habits. Once diver has made two or three dozen turns, the steering habit is established in stone. If it is a good steering habit, that is wonderful. If it is a bad steering habit, that is not wonderful at all. It his horrible and very dangerous. Poor steering means that in a situation where proper steering would easily avoid a crash, the person with poor steering crashes. Most driving school crashes are due to poor steering. For safety, that is why I address steering concerns first.
(a). Proper braking and proper acceleration are relatively easy to teach or correct.
(3). The reality is that many licensed drivers have poor steering and many of them drive crash free. That may be because they have never yet had a driving condition where proper (quick) steering was needed to avoid a crash or they may have developed the skill, by sheer years of repetition, to steer poorly but quickly. Regarding my training, my business, ethics, conscience, vehicle, and my life, and the life of my student, and others lives we might harm or end, I do not assume that we will never have a driving condition where proper steering is needed to avoid crashing. Second, no new driver has the years of experience and repetitious steering action that will permit a driver to steer poorly and quickly at the same time.
(4). All of these things said, if a client wants to skip the work of learning proper steering, I will consider training said student in any vehicle, other than mine, in which the driver is insured to drive. I will severely limit the number of turns the driver takes, try to keep the driver in as mild of traffic conditions as I can in order to decrease our chances of crashing due to poor steering.
CONTRACT FIVE
Student-driver Contract THIS CONTRACT IS FOR the Student-driver, but every person involved in asked to read and approve this.
1. STEERING
A. The #1 behavioral cause of crashing is when a student-driver does not follow the directions of the Instructor. The #1 physical cause of crashing during driver training is poor/slow steering. Poor/slow steering is shuffle steering, X (cross arm steering), short hand-over-hand and a few more (less used) steering methods.
B. Because poor steering is the #1 cause of crashing during driver training and because of I want to keep my 100% crash-free record, until a driver can do proper hand-over-hand steering and allow the wheel to slide through his or her hands to complete standard right and left turns, I reserve the right to keep the driver in a parking lot and/or out of fast-moving traffic no matter how long it takes a driver to do proper steering and allow the wheel to slide through his or her hands to complete standard right or left turns. My estimates of future progress do not include the time it takes a driver to learn hand over hand steering and allowing the wheel to slide through his/her hands to complete standard right and left turns. If a driver wants to learn hand-over-hand steering on his or her own time for free see Attachment Two, Section Four at the bottom of this page.
C. If a driver cannot, will not or does not use proper hand-over-hand steering and/or cannot, will not or does not allow the wheel to slide through his or her hands to complete standard right and left turns, I will allow a driver to use any form of steering he or she wants if we are using any other insured vehicle besides mine. To the best of my ability, I will keep driver out of any situation that requires normal steering speed to avoid crashing. However, I cannot guarantee that such a condition will not arise in the normal driving experience.
2. BRAKING
A. Stopping without jolting the vehicle or throwing the head of passenger's forward.
B. The ability to use minimal brake pressure to drive no faster than 2mph for 30-consecutive seconds.
C. I teach super slow acceleration unless traffic/safety conditions warrant quicker acceleration. I teach super slow acceleration for many good reasons I will share upon request.
(a). If, after training with me, a driver wants to increase his or her acceleration rate, that is his or her decision or the decision of the vehicle owner. Faster acceleration than I teach, as long as the acceleration rate is within reason, is not in and of itself bad or unsafe driving.
3. DURING TRAINING PLEASE DO NOT DO THE FOLLOWING.
A. Do not reach into the back seat from the front seat. The back of the seat is not built for full body weight.
B. Please do not take it personally when I correct your driving. It is not personal. It is professional.
C. Do not use your cell phone
(1). While you are in the driver's seat unless the vehicle is stationary and not in a traffic lane. Feel free to use your cell phone if you are not in the driver's seat; limited use is encouraged since fees continue as I cannot teach over a competing conversation.
D. Do not bring foods, snacks or drinks of any kind into the car (except water in a container with a screw on cap) for consumption during training. Please do not chew gum or use candy. If you want know why, go to:
http://www.lulu.com/shop/joda-collins/selective-soft-sound-syndrome/paperback/product-18785296.html .
(a). If you want to stop for any of these things, just ask. The time it takes you to buy them and consume them will be added to your driving time, thus no loss in training time to you.
E. Making up personal rules of the road and driving in traffic by those secret rules is dangerous.
F. I try to be easy to get along with. Be decent and respectful towards me. I will be decent and respectful towards you.
G. Please do not provide justification, rationalization or argument regarding why you drive poorly or in violation of traffic laws. Confronting or attacking me about your dislike of traffic laws just eats up time, creates a strained environment and does nothing good for either of us.
H. Do not accelerate in a manner that throws my head back or stop in a manner that throws my head forward.
I. If I tell you that you did not do something correctly, do not respond with, "YES I DID!" If I make a mistake that does not put us in danger and is minor, let it pass gracefully. I will do the same for you.
J. During training, please do not answer yes or no questions with long answers. For example, if I ask you if you see the red light, do not answer by telling me what a red light means, just say "Yes" or say "No."
K. Do not slap at or otherwise abuse my vehicle controls. Do not slam my car doors. Treat my vehicle gently. It is expensive. Thank you. Do not mistreat my equipment and I will not toss your cell phone around the car.
L. If I am standing at your door when you get into the vehicle, please do not close the door. Allow me to close the door. When I am sure you are not a door slammer, I will feel better having you close my car doors.
M. Wear tight fitting shoes such as tennis shoes or dress shows and not crocks, sandals, boots, slippers, or flip flops
N. Be clean and wear clean clothing.
O. Do not wear anything that will snag seats.
P. Have your permit or license with you.
Q. Do not bring any drink into my vehicle except water in a container with a screw on cap. Do not drink and drive.
CONTRACT SIX
FOR 60 TO 240-MINUTE LESSONS Oct. 29, 2024
Ignore the parts you like. Make a written list of the parts you do not like.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section 1. CHARGES AND SERVICES
Section 2. PAYMENT POLICY
Section 3. REFUND POLICY
Section 4. NON-BINDING ESTIMATE OF FUTURE PROGRESS
Section 5. FIRST LESSON FREE TRAINING - TIME LIMIT Section 6: REBATE POLICY
Section 7: AFTER LESSON WRITTEN REPORT
SECTION 1. CHARGES AND SERVICES
Lessons can be anywhere from 60-minutes to 240-minutes (four hours). The typical process is to ask a client to complete the Registration and approve the Legal Documents before I quote any charges; however, if I get the impression that the client would prefer the fees first, and I have enough information to make some educated guess about the service the client might want, I will provide charges first. If, after Registration and approval of the Legal Documents, I learn that any of my assumptions were wrong, I will correct the charge to fit the realities I learned.
NON-REFUNDABLE CHARGES (A, B and C)
A. Enrollment/Registration Service.................$9
(1). This is a one-time fee and non-refundable.
(2). This $99 fee is, however, transferable for the same student to any other date and time other than the original appointment if the canceled appointment is within 90-days of the registration.
B. If the Client does not have/use email,
this requires a lot of additional admin work
for which a one-time non-refundable charge
of $108 applies. If the Client does not have an
email address, enter $108 on this line. If the
Client does have an email and will use it, enter
zero dollars on this line.......................................$_____
C. If the Student-driver and the Client
(financially responsible person or Agency)
are NOT the same person, and in addition, the
Client does NOT live in the same residence as the Student-driver, enter $15 on this line.
Otherwise, enter zero dollars on this line...........$____
This fee, once paid, is non-refundable.
D(1). If the driver is using the Joda Collins
Driving Academy vehicle for parking and/or
three-point turn, and/or the quick start and/or the quick stop training, enter $21 on this line. If the driver is using any other vehicle for parking and/or three-point turn, in which the driver is specifically insured, enter zero dollars on this line..........................................$21 or $0
While I do not use my vehicle for the driver to
memorize the steps by doing them, I do show the three-
point turn to the driver, thus dry steering and/or semi-dry
steering is necessary. This fee is for that vehicle use and
wear and as an incentive for drivers to use any vehicle other than mine for parking and/or three-point turn training. If you want to know why I do not use my vehicle for repetitious attempts at trying to memorize the procedure by muscle memory, see Section Ten in Attachment Two section near the bottom of this column.
D(2). I pay the Client $21 to use any vehicle the Student is insured to drive other than mine (Joda Collins'), for the three-point turn and/or parking and/or quick start and/or quick stop training.........$____
This option is for new Clients as of 3/28/25 Credit If the student requires more than one lesson to learn parking and three-point turn, the $21 payment is not per lesson, but one payment only, of $21.00. E. Insurance Verification Fee............................$26
If your vehicle is used for training, I reserve the right to verify your insurance coverage. If you the driver is insured to driver your vehicle, I will refund this fee, if charged, or not charge it if the verification comes in before the this is charged.
F. Appointment/Scheduling Fee.........................$27
(1). This $27 fee is non-refundable and non-transferable to
any other date, time or person. I will not schedule more
than one lesson to start. I will, however, do my best to
keep my calendar clear for all dates/times requested in
advance. (2). This $27 fee applies to lesson two even if lesson two is requested in advance. (3). For lessons two and following this fee is $27 total for one to six lessons if said lessons are scheduled with one email request and paid for with one payment. A savings of up to $135 for six lessons = a savings of up to $22.50 per lesson.
G. Door-to-door charge is $2.95 per round
trip mile, per lesson ......................................$______
This charge was (is) provided to you via email.
H. After Lesson Progress Report Service...... $6
This is a mandatory report because it is important
for the student's progress. It is, however, just a token fee
and creating the report usually incurs much more admin
expense than five dollars. If I forget a report here and there,
this fee is not refundable as it is, as noted, just a token fee.
I miss very few reports, however; so far, about one out of every 1,500 appointments.
J. How long will your lesson be?.._______ Find that time below and place the corresponding fee here.....................................$______ Most drivers find one hour and 15-minute to two-hour lessons most productive.
LENGTH OF LESSON FEE/CHARGE One hour lesson...................... $128 One hour and 15-minutes........ $160 One hour and 30-minutes........ $192 One hour and 45-mintues........ $224 Two hours................................. $256 Two hours and 15-minutes....... $288 Two hours and 30-minutes....... $320 Two hours and 45-minutes....... $352 Three hours.............................. $384 Three hours and 15-minutes..... $416 Three hours and 30-minutes..... $448 Three hours and 45-minutes..... $480 Four hours................................ $512
K. If the driver is training on Friday or
Saturday, multiply the dollar amount in J
above by .1085 and drop cents.........................$_____
If the driver is training on a Tuesday,
Wednesday or Thursday, enter zero dollars in
the line above.
L. If the Student-driver is using the
Joda Collins Driving Academy vehicle for
training, multiply the total amount in line J above by .175 and drop cents............................$_____ If the Student-driver is using any other vehicle for which the driver is insured to use, enter zero dollars on the line above. This fee increases 20% to .210 for all Contracts signed on April 24, 2025 and after.
Beginning April 24, 2025, for all new
Contracts, L above will read:
L. What is the total of K and L? $______.
If the Student-driver is using the Joda Collins Driving Academy vehicle for all training or all training except for parking and/or three-point turn training, add the dollar amounts found K and L, multiply that total by .210 and delete cents.......................................................$____ If the Student-driver is using any vehicle other than the Joda Collins Driving Academy vehicle for which the driver is insured to use, enter zero dollars on the line above.
M. What is the total of A through L above?...$_____
If you are paying using a Visa or Mastercard credit/debit card, the figure above is your total due for your identified service. However,
N. If you are paying with any other approved form of payment other than a Visa or Mastercard, multiply the amount on line M above by .93 and delete cents..............$_____ That is your total due for lesson one
P. THE CHARGE FOR LESSON TWO AND FOLLOWING, if all details remain unchanged, compared to the charge for lesson one, is between $93 and $123 less per lesson depending on several variables and after all financial considerations are applied. The average is about $104 less than lesson one.
SECTION 2. PAYMENT POLICY
A. I require full payment for lesson one before scheduling. I require clients under the age of 26 to pre-pay for all lessons before scheduling.
B. Unless otherwise informed, only the non-refundable fees will be immediately or soon charged to your card. The balance for lesson one will be charged to your card within 24-hours of your appointment. If, however, you are paying with a money order or cashier's check, full payment for lesson one is required before scheduling.
C. Unless otherwise informed, non-credit or debit payments for lesson two and following can be made at the start of each lesson or any scheduled lesson(s) can be paid for in advance AFTER the completion of lesson one. After lesson one is completed, unless otherwise agreed on, I accept scheduling and payment for up to six more lessons or two months in advance, whichever is less.
SECTION 3. REFUND POLICY
A. To secure a full refund of unused funds, excluding non-refundable fees (charged for services already rendered), with refundable fees that include door-to-door fees, minus the Enrollment Fee and Scheduling Fee, the Client must provide more than a minimum two-hour notice. The Enrollment Fee and Scheduling Fee (noted as non-refundable) are non-refundable because they are payment for services already provided
SECTION 4. NON-BINDING ESTIMATE OF FUTURE PROGRESS
A. If, and only if, the Client rides for the first lesson I will, usually, provide an estimate of future progress. There are a few situations where I will need two lessons, and four times in 17-years of service, I was not able to provide an estimate of future progress for various reasons.
B. It is not easy to determine the future, especially since there are many variables outside of my control. Therefore, the estimate of future progress is not a guarantee or a prophesy. It is, non-binding. That means it is my best educated guess for which I assume no responsibility if I am wrong in by guess. However, after 17-years in this business, I am seldom off by much.
C. Driving between lessons will probably increase number of lessons I will need to have the driver at his or her driving training goal because it breaks the continuity of the training, and usually gives me more correction to administer as most students are taught the bad driving habits by others, do not correct many bad driving habits, or correct them out of sequence since not every bad driving habit can be corrected at one time. All of the above, add professional driving time. If the driver is licensed and driving alone, he or she will not be trained well enough in skills not yet learned to practice them correctly. Perfect practice makes perfect. Imperfect practice equals more money and time in professional training to overcome solidifying bad driving habits by practicing them between lessons.
D. If there are any learning disabilities I do not know about before I provide the estimate of future progress, when I learn of or discover said disabilities the estimate of future progress is null and void
SECTION 5. FIRST LESSON FREE TRAINING - TIME LIMIT
For the first lesson only, if I state to a client and/or driver that the driver's time does not start until driver is behind-the-wheel, that means the driver's time starts when he or she first gets in the driver's seat and behind-the-wheel, however, the driver's time (paid training time) includes all the time I am showing driving skills behind-the-wheel AFTER the driver is first behind-the-wheel. After lesson one, all time, including time I am training the driver by showing skills behind-the-wheel, is paid driving time.
SECTION 6. REBATE POLICY A. Rebate assumes payment for lessons was made with a Visa or MasterCard credit or debit card. Payments made in any other from earned a 7% discount, therefore Rebates for lessons paid for with any other form of payment other than a card will be 93% of the amounts noted below, starting with all clients/students enrolled on March 15, 2025 or after.
B. Beginning any time after lesson one, schedule all lessons with one email request, all lessons are at least 75-minutes long, all lessons are paid pay for with one payment shall receive the below designated rebate at the start of the last lesson in that series of lessons if none of those lessons are missed, canceled or rescheduled for any reason, including a reason that is not your fault or unavoidable, except for fear of adverse weather for which a notice of at least one-hour is provided minus.
Two lesson = $8 rebate at the start of second lesson in this series of lessons
Three lessons = $15 rebate at the start of the third lesson in this series of lessons.
Four lessons = $25 rebate at the start of the fourth lesson in this series of lessons
Five lessons = $40 rebate at the start of the fifth lesson in this series of lessons.
Six or more lessons = $10 per lesson at the start of the last lesson in this series of lessons.
SECTION 7: AFTER LESSON WRITTEN REPORT A. I provide a written report for every lesson except one. I say, every lesson except one, because I might forget to do one. I have forgotten to do seven in 17-years of service. The, "except one," gets me off the hook!
B. After lesson reports can vary a great deal for the following reasons.
(1). The mood and/or concentration of the Student-driver.
(2). Traffic conditions.
(3). Weather conditions.
(4). Regression of the driver.
(5). Sudden spirts of driver improvement that may or may not carry on to the next lesson.
(6). The route chosen to drive.
(7). More....
(a). Reports are intended to give a general overview of progress, not a guarantee that the progress noted in one lesson is maintained by the driver in the future. Being able to do a skill is not the same thing as being able to do it as a habit.
CONTRACT SEVEN
THREE-IN-THREE TRAINING for drivers who have had three crashes/ tickets in three years. February 9, 2025
Ignore the parts you like. When they happen that is good. Make a written list of the parts you do not like. When they happen, you are prepared.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION
2. REGISTRATION 3. ADDRESSING THE ELEPHANT IN THE CAR
4. CERTIFICATION AND RECORDING OF THIS TRAINING
5. PAYMENT AND SCHEDULING
6. PRE-TRAINING CHARGES
7. POST-TRAINING CHARGES
1. INTRODUCTION
A. Training with me is not a test. No one fails. Everyone passes. It is training to best be sure you pass your State driving test.
B. There are 35 driving skills I am doing all of the time, while watching your driving habits and looking for teaching moments. I have a long list of State requirements for training I am trying to fill, and more. Please limit your questions. My focus is on your most serious safety needs. When the lesson is filled with a student's questions, it detracts from all of this. Questions that do not relate to a driver's most serious needs waste time that could be spent on priorities. If any questions remain after the training is over, email them to me. I will answer them for FREE. I will usually answer all your questions before the four-hours of training is over. So far, after 17-years in this business, no one has emailed me denoting a question they had that was not addressed during the training.
(3). Four-hours will not be enough to do everything, but we can get a lot accomplished if you:
(a). Are humble, mature and intelligent enough to be teachable.
(b). Do not spend your time arguing with m
(c). Allow me to lead the training rather than try to direct the training with a barrage of question
(d). Want to learn to be a safer driver and are willing to put in the effort. (4). The standard process,accomplished by email, is:
(a). Registration
(b). Agreement on Services
(c). Agreement on Charges.
(d). Agreement on legal documents found at www.jodacollins.com, Agreement page, Contract Four, Five and Seven (not Six).
(e). Agreed-on fee received.
(f). Scheduling
(g). Training
2. REGISTRATION
A. If, after reviewing Contracts Four, Five and this Contract (Seven), you want me to assist you, please provide the following information by email to jodacollins@aol.com.
(1). Your name exactly as it appears on your driver license or State ID.
(2). If you driver license is not valid, I need the date of your letter from the Dept of Hwy Safety, Tallahassee (aka FLHSMV) that serves as your temporary permit for the four-hours of training. If you do not have it, call 850 617-2000 any weekday between 7:01am and 7:02am to avoid very long hold times.
(3). Your date of birth.
(4). The last four numbers of your Social Security Number.
(5). Your third citation number as found on the paperwork mailed to you by the Department of Highway Safety, Tallahassee, also known as FLHSM.
(6). Your complete mailing address, including zip code (7). Your telephone number.
(8). Your email address.
(9). If you want a quote for door-to-door service rather than start and end your four-hours of training at my location that is 1/10th of one mile off of Interstate 10 at Exit 26, 6.5 miles East of Pensacola, the I need the complete physical address of that start/end location, including zip code.
(10). The following information for the person that is paying for your 3-in-3 training, if that person is NOT you.
(a). Name.
(b). Email address.
(c). Telephone number.
(d). Complete mailing address, including zip code.
6. PRE-TRAINING CHARGES
A. Registration/Enrollment Application..................$150
(1). My office expense (overhead) is about $38 per hour. It takes about three to four hours to help an average Client and/or Student through the Registration and Enrollment process to the point of payment and scheduling. This fee is non-refundable because it is for service already rendered; however, it is transferable to any other date and time within 30-days of the original financial offer, if cancelled.
B. Scheduling Fee and/or Rescheduling Service.........................................................$15 or $30
This fee is for the time and effort to access our manually updated my website and manually change all relevant times. This charge applies to all and every kind of scheduling and/or rescheduling (appointment time, date, location and door-to-door service changes). This fee is non-refundable and non-transferable to any other date or time. Those who complete the training in one four-hour session pay $15 and those who use two two-hour sessions pay $30.00.
C. Time Reservation and/or Re-reservation Service............................................$25
(1). This fee covers the expense I incur to reserve four-hours of time, work around that reserved time to schedule others, face possible loss of income due to that time not being available to others, clog my calendar up in future dates since your reserved time is not available and/or incur the time and/or income loss if the appointment is not kept, regardless of the reasons; good reasons do not cost me less than bad reasons. This fee is non-refundable.
(2). The above noted "non-refundable fees" are non-refundable unless there is a National Weather Advisory in effect for Escambia and/or Santa Rosa County within three- hours of the appointment. They are non-refundable and/or non-transferrable, as clarified above, to any other date and time than the date and time scheduled (except as clarifed
above), because they are for services already rendered. I do not serve nor work for free. "Time is money."
Ben Franklin. Like everyone that works for a living, we trade our time (life) and expertise for money.
D. If, for any reason, all four-hours cannot
or will not be taken in one session, there is an additional fee for the second of two, two-hour sessions .................................................................................................$100
E. Tuition (Other expenses and 7 to 9% Profit)...............$512
All of my tuition for all students is $128 per hour; $128 times four hours = $512.00.
F. Training Day Training on a Friday or Saturday in whole or in part............................................................................$98
G. Fully (100%) Refundable Additional Service Fee on Account..................$225
(1). This fee of $225 if paying with a Visa or MasterCard
credit or debit card of $209 if paying with a money order
or cashier's check will be refunded (at my, Joda Collins,
discretion) in full if there are no Additional Fees as itemized
in this Contract. It is possible that additional charges beyond the $225 will apply as clarified in Section 7 below; however, additional fees, beyond this $225 will not exceed $175 more than your total pre-training fees. Any refund will be mailed to you within two weekdays along with an itemization of charges (if any). See Section 7. POST TRAINING CHRAGES for details.
(2). I charge this $225 fee in advance because $225 is the average additional fee of the average three-in-three driver. It is easier for me to charge this fee in advance and refund
it if not used, rather than add it to the total if it is used. If
not used, I cheerfully refund money, but I have not had any
positive experiences wherein a driver incurs additional
charges as contracted where the client kindly and graciously pays me the promised additional fee.
H. AFTER TRAINING REPORT...............................$24
(1). This Report provides written evidence of training for the State and a list of driver positives and needs. It is impossible to remember all of the instructions for safer driving. Having that list in print allows the driver to check the list before every driving outing and double check it at the end of each outing to see if he or she is showing improvement.
(2). This report is not mandatory, but it is valuable.
If, however, you do not want this report, let me know before
the training begins and I will not do the work during training
to keep the list and will not charge you the $24 fee.
J. Registration/Enrollment Application
Rejection/Non-Follow Through is.............................$18
When a prospect enrolls but does not follow through
with scheduling within 30-days of enrollment, I get paid a
token fee of $18 for my two to three hours of work to enroll the Student the first time.
K. Extra Administration Service
(1). If the Student-driver and the Client are NOT the same person...............................................$50
(2). If the Client does not have or allow me to
communicate with him/her by email at my desire
or upon my need to do so, 100% of the time.............$100
(a). When email is not available to me, I will accept voice mail inquiries, but I will respond to all such inquires by US Postal Service that address any contractual matters, regarding money and or scheduling.
L. Insurance Verification Service............................$26
If your vehicle is used for training, I verify your insurance coverage. If you have insurance, I will refund this fee, if paid, or not charge it if it has not yet been paid.
M. Door-to-door Service (if applicable)................$____ This fee is provided to you via email after the Client
provides to me the start and end address for the training.
N. Service charge for using the Joda Collins
vehicle for a fee rather than your (Client's) or
another insured vehicle for no added fee, for
showing parking and/or three-point turn training....$23 If we use any other insured vehicle besides the
Joda Collins Driving Academy vehicle for parking and/or
three-point turn training, this fee not charged and I will pay the vehicle owner $23.00. No insurance company in the world insured unlicensed drivers, except when driving in a vehicle registered to a professional driving school or a professional driving school owner, with said vehicle likewise registered with the State.
O. Rental charge for using the
Joda Collins vehicle for over-the-road / in-traffic
training rather than another insured vehicle...........$120
This fee does not cover my expense (wear/tear
and insurance charge) or strain for accepting liability. For example, imagine asking a taxi driver, owner of a chauffeur service, any business owner with a vehicle registered in the business name, or any stranger with a personal vehicle to let you drive his/her vehicle for four-hours for $120 while the
vehicle owner assumes all liability. For all service contract where charges are quoted on April 23, 2025 and after this fee is $140.00.
P. RETURNING DRIVER - PER
ADDITIONAL APPOINTMENT FOR THE FOUR-HOURS OF 3/3 TRAINING...................................$129
Q. EXPEDITE / FAST TRACK..................................$82 (1). If the training occurs within seven days of the Client's approval of the Legal Documents, this fee applies.
R. STATE RECORDING FEE...................................$28
S1. What is the total of all figures above?.........$_____ This is your total if you are paying with a visa or mastercard.
S2. Minus $98 if training only on a Tue, Wed,
or Thursday or $0 of training only on
a Friday or Saturday............................................$_____
S3. What is S1 minus S2?.................................$_____
S4. Multiply the total in S3 by .93 if you are
paying with a cashier's check or money order,
and training on a Tue, Wed or Thurs, otherwise put $0 on this line..........................................$______
T. If you meet the criteria in (1), (2) and (3) below I will accept 60% of the total due, plus any door-to-door fee, plus a one-time $29 bookkeeping fee (to carry the charge), and you can pay the balance anytime in the future. However, I will not turn in your completion to the State until your debt is paid in full. This means you will not be able to take your State exam until your debt is paid in full
(1). Have no other charge or challenge against your driver license that will keep your driver license from being reinstated other than the three-in-three violation.
(2). Are training on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.
(3). Are training with one four-hour lesson.
7. POST-TRAINING CHARGES
These fees are not punitive for any behavior or personality difficulties, real or imagined, of a driver. I am not your parent or counselor. I do not have a mandate or overwhelming commitment to help any student become a better person. My mandate is to help my students become safer drivers. If a student's personality or behavior causes me extra irritation, stress, danger or work, these fees help offset those investments/results/realities/facts even if the student's personality or behavior is out of his or her control. These fees are simply for added stress, danger, difficulty, irritation and effort on my part regardless of if the driver intended such a result or not or can control him or herself enough to avoid such things. It is payment for services, not personal or vindictive accusations against the character or personality of the driver. However, because I itemize and clarify the charges, unless asked in advance not to do so, there is necessity for clarification which might sound personal. I assure you, that none of these things, in any setting that would not cause me added stress, danger, difficulty or irritation would incur a single penny of charge or even a hint of such an intent. I would, simply, walk away and the problems are immediately resolved. All additional difficulties are easily avoided with few footsteps in the opposite direction in any environment where that is an option. This is not one of those.
If, at any time before the half-way point of the training, you find my presence intolerable, let me know and I will cease training and give you a full refund, excluding door-to-door fees. We can consider that we never met.
These charges are not subject to a discount when paying in any other form other than a card.
A. Lack of Memorization Fees, if applicable. (1). Failure to memorize: "Ahead, Behind, Mirror, Shoulder, Signal. Ahead, Behind, Mirror, Shoulder, Move."
well enough to quote it without hesitation or error and
upon request ....................................................................$75
(a). If this is memorized well enough to quote it without
hesitation and upon request during training, this fee will not be charged, or if charged will be refunded. Failure to memorize this and the procedure noted below, eats up training time and puts added pressure on me to do all the training required by the State. I have had drivers that spend the entire four-hours memorizing these procedures!
(2). Failure to memorize if using the Joda Collins Driving Acdy Vehicle for three-point turn training:
"Slow, right, look, signal, stop. Look, go slow and turn fast, stop, reverse. Look, go slow and turn fast, stop, drive. Look, go slow and turn fast, accelerate."
Or, if using any other vehicle rather than the Joda Collins Driving Acdy vehicle for the three-point turn training, memorize: "Slow, right, look, signal, stop. Turn, look, coast, stop, reverse. Turn, look, coast, stop, drive. Turn, look, coast, accelerate.
well enough to quote it without hesitation, or error and
upon request....................................................................$125
(a). If this is memorized well enough to quote it without hesitation and upon request during training, this fee will not be charged, or, if charged, will be refunded.
(b). Please do not argue with me that because
you once remembered these things but, "Just forgot them,"
counts as memorizing for this training. That is like saying,
saying, "I know my name, but I forgot it so that proves I
have it memorized."
(c). If you want to know the reason for this fee,
go to Attachment Two found at the bottom of this column,
Section Two.
B. The maximum charge is for accumulated
charges noted below, shall not exceed $175
more than your total pre-training charge(s).
C. Failure to follow written instructions ................. $15 per failure.
To incur this fee, said failure must cause me
(Joda Collins) added admin effort.
D. Contract Alteration Fee.......................................$30 Any change in Contract, including but not limited to missed, canceled or rescheduled appointment due to any change not related to my (Joda Collins') action, after Contract fees are approved but before the training begins, incurs this
fee.
E. A cut and paste from legal documents................ $14
After a client agrees to the legal documents, if the client inquires about something contained in the legal documents that is answered by me with cut and paste from the legal documents, this $14 per cut and paste applies.
F. Credit/Debit Card Charge Denial
Response BEFORE the Training is Completed........$18
(1). This takes time, and time is money
(2). I, the Client, give Joda Collins the authority to charge (after the training is over) for all items noted below and to do so without my (the Client's) further approval. I do request that he attempt to give me ample warning (ample warning in the opinion of Joda Collins) for me to change any behavior in order to avoid any of these charges.
EXTRA EFFORT FEES (Penalty Fees) I (Joda Collins) am always happy when I have no need/cause
to impose these extra effort charges. I much prefer the
benefits afforded to me when no extra effort fees are due
than the collecting of said fees and incur the additional effort (work). Any or all of these fees are charged at my
(Joda Collins) discretion. These charges may, also, be
charged in advance, at my discretion and refunded if not
used. Extra Effort Fees do NOT enjoy the 7% discount for
paying with cashier's check or money order. If you want to
pay for these charges by cash at the end of the lesson, bring
as much cash as you think you might need. These fees
have nothing to do any kind of accusation against a person's character any more than the total charge for a tank of gas,
a bag of groceries, a dental bill or the charge for a restaurant
meal has to do with a person's character. I do not do
anything for free including enduring unnecessary added
stress, irritation, difficulty or danger. My charges, like all
charges, are directly related to cost for products and charges
for services rendered. All of the fees below are related to
things that others do that make my job more difficult, more dangerous, less productive, and/or more stressful/irritating
than is necessary.
G. Aggravation Fee...............................$50 to $100 depending on my (Joda Collins) perception of the
degree of aggravation.
(1). Do not argue with me, ignore me, refuse to
follow my directions and/or tell me why you will not or did
not follow my directions as justification for doing so, or waste my energy telling me why you disagree with traffic laws you think are stupid, do not try to justify wrong driving decisions after I think I have adequately clarified what you did wrong, or make up your own rules of the road to replace State and Federal traffic laws.
(2). Do not tell me, directly or by insinuation, I am
wrong, and you are right without giving me a chance to
finish my thoughts/presentation of the matter.
(3). If I ask you a question that can be answered by a
"yes" or "no," have the courtesy to give me a "yes" or "no"
response rather than provide a discourse or monologue.
(4). Keep casual conversation about home, work,
school, money, jobs, family, favorite _____ to a bare minimum as that eats up time, makes it harder for me get done for you what I am assigned by the State to do in the limited time I have to do it, and takes my mind off the task -- all of which is unkind and irritating to me.
(5). Know, also, that this fee is not conditioned on your opinion if I was aggravated by your behavior or not, but solely on my subjective evaluation. I know when I am being aggravated, even if others do not; even though they should know. Also, some people have the ability to aggravate others even while smiling or even while doing so with a sweet-sounding voice. Sometimes driver's say to me, "Well, that is just my personality!" as if to say that because they have a personality of aggravation, I should overlook it. I do not. Just be a kind, considerate and decent person rather than obnoxious, confrontational, argumentative, degrading, unteachable, and/or filling hours with justification of doing wrong rather than be teachable and learn to drive better. It isn't hard for normal people to do that. I am easy to get along with, but if your behavior exceeds the level of basic logic or common courtesy often enough, and that causes me to raise my voice to you, you just lost money.
(6). It has been my experience that the majority of three-in-three drivers have significant psychological and/or social and/or cognitive and/or behavioral problems; I am entitled to my opinion. My opinion is credible because it is based on 17-years of experience. I hope, in your case, I am wrong, and you are the exception to the norm.
(a). Hints:
(1). If I say something like, "You did not come to full stop at the stop sign," do not say, "Yes, I did! you lying ignorant fool!" Don't even say, "Yes, I did!", because I will assume you intend (are implying) the latter also.
(2). If I tell you that you broke a traffic law, do not tell me why you violated the law and/or why your rules of the road are better than the legal rules of the road everyone else has to follow. Making up one's one rules of the road is one of the major habits of many three-in-three drivers and one of the main reasons for crashing, thus putting my life in danger with you behind the wheel. (3). If I tell you a traffic law that you did not know, do not justify your displeasure or disagreement with the traffic law by telling me that you think the law is stupid. Traffic laws are not subject to your approval or mine. What you or I think of them is meaningless. (4). If I instruct you to do something, do not tell me why you refuse to do it. I am putting my life in your hands and if you are going to view my instructions as mere suggestions that you will follow only if you agree and approve, then I am only as safe as your decision-making ability, so I quit.
(5). When I am providing instructions, do not interrupt me. I find rudeness aggravating, especially for four-hours in a row in a trapped/closed environment.
(6). Do not try to lead the training by plummeting me with questions; just listen and learn. This is not a four-hour Q and A session with drivers asking the questions they think they need to know or feel I am obligated to answer because I am being paid. I am obligated to attempt to train you in accord with State standards, not yours. Allow me to lead the training by giving the training I think you need to know. I cannot teach everything about safe-driving in four-hours, so allow me to use your time to teach you the most important things I think you need to know. If I have not answered your questions by the end of training or any question about safe-driving that might arise in the future, you can email me the questions and I will respond via email at no charge to you. This offer expires in 10-years.
(7). Do not argue or debate with me.
(8). If you have no interest in learning anything, have the decency to tell me rather than aggravate me non-stop hoping I will shut up, and I will meet only the bare minimum standards required by my contract with the State and say no more.
(9). If you are mad at the police department, the DMV, your husband, wife, boss, parents, kids or just generally an angry person, take out your hostility on someone else, not me. I am easy to get along with as long as I am not treated like a spittoon. If you have been diagnosed with some kind of mental or physical abnormality that causes you to be angered easily or have a confrontational or argumentative personality, tell me in advance so I can try to work around that personality flaw. I will not be judgmental. I know such conditions exist. I will do my best.
(a). "Real wisdom, God's wisdom, begins with...(being) gentle, reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings...not two-faced...doing the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor." James 3:17-18(MGS Version).
H. Chatterbox Fee..................................................$21 (1). Excessive chatter does the following.
(a). It makes it more difficult for me to concentrate on the 35-driving skills needed to drive with maximum safety.
(b). It makes it harder for me concentrate on the driver's most pressing needs.
(c). It makes me nervous and causes me extra stress.
(1). Think about it this way. Assume you are a teacher
in a classroom session and while you are trying to teach
your class, one student chatters a lot into the wind about
a lot of non-relevant things. Would that make it more
difficult to get your training assignment done? Yes, it
would. Would it grate on your nerves? Yes, it would.
The vehicle is my classroom, and you are the one
student is my class.
J. Interrogation Fee................................................$35 (1). Interrogation does not have to be violent,
forceful, or include the infliction of physical pain. A five-year
old can interrogate an adult simply by asking, "Why," after
every sentence an adult utters! "Interrogation...refers to the
act of questioning someone or something in a formal...
manner... (or setting), (or) the process of asking someone a
lot of questions for a long period of time in order to get information...." Webster's Dictionary. The goal of this training
is not for drivers to interrogate and question me for four-hours.
(2). The goal of this training is for you to become a
safer driver in only four-hours and to drive crash free the
entire four-hours. To do that I focus, first on safety and second
on making it my priority to help you overcome your most dangerous driving errors. I cannot do those things if I am concentrating on hearing and answering a ton of questions.
We will not be able to do everything, so let me lead the
training by teaching rather than you lead the training by interrogating me. If, after this State mandated training, you
want to hire me to answer questions in person, call for an appointment. While I want to be sociable, it is important to remember this four-hour session is, primarily, for me to teach
you as many of the 35 specific safe driving skills as you need
and as many of the traffic laws as I can that you do not know.
I am held accountable by the State for the quality and effectiveness of my teaching. If I fail to do a good job, the
State does not accept my excuse of, "He/She would not
stop asking me questions, so I was not able to get to the
teaching required by the State!" Also, is a better use of
time for you to listen and learn rather than question me along
the way with questions with answers that are less relevant to
your most dangerous driving habits. Or questions I intended
to answer later in the training. This is not a four-hour Q and A session. I cannot get to everything in four hours. That is not
my job. My job is to help you with your most dangerous
driving habits.
(3). If I do not get to all of your questions by the end
of the training, as long as I am alive and of sound mind, you
can email me any questions you have, and I will answer them
free of charge.
K. Poor comprehension of the Contract
which makes me have to spend time explaining
basic facts of the Contract and or other legal documents and/or ignorance of how to avoid the penalty fees found in Section G of this Contract.................................................................$56 to $95 depending on my determination of the degree of poor comprehension.
(1) If a student-driver or the client (if not the same
person) does not exhibit, in my (Joda Collins) opinion,
sufficient evidence that he, she or they know how to avoid
the penalty fees noted in this Contract that, almost always, creates a major source of difficulty when teaching. I
mandate a small token remuneration for that added
unnecessary and easily avoidable stress. I get paid more
to endure avoidable stress. If the driver does not know
how to clarify, verbally, at the start of the training, how to
avoid the fees in Section G of this Contract, this fee will
be charged with no notice of said charge.
(2). I practically beg those I serve to carefully read my
Legal Documents. About 80% of those I serve that are not
three-in-three drivers carefully read the Contract(s). About
20% of three-in-three drivers carefully read the Contract. I
consider that disrespectful towards me.
(a). I get paid more to be disrespected.
(b). It also increases my workload to have to
explain the legal documents during training. I get paid more
for working harder, especially when said extra work is easily avoided.
(c). Taking time to explain the legal documents
often follows a conflict of some kind for which clarifying the
legal documents resolves. I get paid more for enduring unnecessary and easily avoidable conflict.
(d). Taking time during training to clarify the
content of the legal documents means I have less time to
devote to training to try to get done everything the State
asks me to do. That is extra pressure on me. I get paid
more to endure extra and easily avoidable pressure.
(e). Having less time to train because I am
explaining the content of the legal documents means the
student is less likely to pass the State exam. That failure
goes against my record. I charge more for that possible
negative on my record, which is the fault, not of me, but
of the client and/or student. More importantly, less training
means the driver will be less safe. That fact goes against
my conscience...........................M
(3). I do not like being around people that are not
truthful. There is something about their countenance that
irks me. People who sign the Contract testifying they have
read and understood the Contact but have not read it well
and do not understand it are not truthful in this instance. I
get paid more to be in the deal with the negative and
strained atmosphere for four-hours caused by less than
truthful people.
L. Reading Assignment Failure...............................$38 If the Student-driver is younger than 25-years of age
and does not read the following short article or does read it
but not well enough to remember the basic components or
the one most important thing, such as the title or the fact of the article. Reading without basic comprehension is no different than not reading at all.
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=1&ContentID=3051
prior to the start of training, this fee applies. If clicking on the above link or touching it on your screen does not work, you
can copy and paste it to a search engine.
M. Failure to follow directions and/or traffic laws (Hazard Pay).............................................................$75
(1). Sometimes drivers do not follow my directions because:
(a). Cognitive (mental) or emotional problems that are not their fault. Disabilities or difficulties such as word processing disorder, ADD/ADhD, autism, OCD, defiant disorder and a host of other things can cause strain, stress and/or added danger during training. I get paid for added strain, stress and/or added danger even if such is unavoidable because I am providing a service. I get paid for my service, just as my auto mechanic gets paid for his service, even if the car repair was not my fault or the counselor would get paid for helping a person with a condition that is not his or her fault. That is just adult life. I am less likely to apply this fee strictly when we are driving someone else's vehicle and not mine, thus putting their car, insurance, and financial well-being at greater risk, and not mine.
(b). They think they are better-qualified drivers than me and feel obligated to ignore my directions if they disagree.
(c). They blame their reflect action, thus attempt to excuse that they are not following my directions on the bases that it is impossible for to do so because of their reflexes, overriding fears, arrogance towards or defiance of authority. (No one is going to tell them what to do!), anger issues, distrust, hatefulness, narcissistic, sociopathic or psychopathic tendencies, -- and/or dislike or disagreement with the rules of the road and a commitment to dishonor those rules and replace those rules with and a commitment to honor the student's personal rules, thus mandating by word or deed that I honor their personal rules and not traffic laws or safe driving skills.
(1). Whatever the reason for failure to follow my directions, we will be in the same crash or higher chance of crashing and, if crippled or killed, just as crippled or dead. Therefore, any reason for failing to follow my direction are immaterial to me. The level of training will be below the level of commitment to following my directions, including the directions the student does not like, does not understand or does not agree with. Safety first. I get paid $75 extra to spend time in the car with a driver who, for any reason, does not follow my directions. When my life and limb are in greater, unnecessary and added danger because of the shortcomings of others, I charge more. My life is worth, at least, $75.00. The stress the student-driver puts me under by riding with a driver who is emotionally or psychologically unable or unwilling, or willing but does not so do, to drive safely and/or in accord with my instruction is worth at least $75 in hazard pay, and more if it is my vehicle and my business the driver puts at unnecessary risk.
(k). The following things should be understood before the start of
training.
(1). One of us has to be nervous when I give a driving direction that the student-driver disagrees with or is uncomfortable following. Either I have to be nervous because the student-driver does not follow my directions, and we have a higher chance of crashing or the student-driver has to be nervous and follow my directions and we face a lower chance of crashing. I opt for the second scenario.
(2). I am probably better-qualified to keep us safe on the open road than the student-driver is. If the student-driver only follows the directions and instructions I give when he or she wants to or agrees, then we are only as safe as the decision-making ability and the driving skill level of the student-driver. If the student-driver follows my directions and instructions even when he or she disagrees with me, then we are as safe as my decision-making and my diving skill. Student-drivers that believe they are authorized or welcome to override my directions/instructions are invited not to take lessons from me. One mistake on the open road can cost everyone, everything. Driver training is not a game. The goal is not having fun or just getting it over with.
(a). If it become apparent that my my student is a safer driver than me, I will cease being the instructor, ask the student to train me to be a better driver, refund all fees paid to me and double that amount of refund as payment for his or her service.
N. Failure to allow me to have control of my vehicle upon request....................$15 per failure
I will clarify how to do this
O. Credit/Debit Card Charge Denial
Response AFTER the Training is Completed...........$25
P. PARKING IN THE WRONG PLACE...................$24 This Contract directs those that meet me at 3804 Garcon Point Road, to park in any space that faces the side of the building by the business manager's request. This is true even if you buy something in the store or at the pump or if 100% of the parking spaces facing the front of the building are empty when you arrive. I use this business for many meetings. Management has asked me to have my students park facing the side of the building. Failing to do that puts me in a bad light with the business management. For that ill-at-ease condition and jeopardizing my good working relationship with that business, I charge $24.00.
Q. THE CLIENT'S INABILITY TO PRODUCE,
IN PERSON, THE PHYSICAL CHARGE OR DEBIT CARD AT THE START OF THE TRAINING.................................................................$32You, the Client, must produce the credit or debit card you used to pay any fees; this must be done, in person, at the start of your training session. If you do not have that card in your possession, or are not present a the start of the training, the training will not occur, and you will forfeit (or be charged $320.00) for this missed lesson.
R. Failure to provide the Registration
Information within one email thus necessitating additional admin time/expense on my part t to secure that requested/mandatory information..........$22
UNNECESSARY DISCOMFORT FEE
S. Poor control of the accelerator............................$40 (1). Accelerate slowly and gracefully, in a manner that does not through my head back (no g-forces) upon acceleration more than three times in the training session and avoid this fee. No matter how fast you drive or how fast you accelerate, we will end up at the start location at the designated time. Jackrabbit (aggressive) acceleration causes me to pull muscles in my neck and back. It is painful and if severe enough may cause me to cancel your lesson and reschedule at YOUR expense. Accelerate as your great, great grandmother might. Accelerate as if you just picked me up from the hospital with a neck brace on after neck surgery and the doctor told you to drive without hurting my neck. If I have to ask you to accelerate less aggressively more than twice, you can assume this fee is lost. If you are aggressive with the accelerator, I will try to remember to remind you often. However, the primary responsibility to remember to accelerate gracefully is yours. As an experienced driver with normal IQ, you should be able to accelerate gracefully without constant reminders to do so.
(2). Do not pump the accelerator or use it as an off and on switch, as it puts me in four-hours of neck discomfort. Unless traffic conditions mandate otherwise, think in terms of apply and reducing the pressure on the accelerator at the width of a piece of paper so acceleration is graceful to begin with and consistent when traveling at desired speed. The vehicle should not feel like being in a mini-roller coaster to passengers.
T. Poor control of the brake (stopping in a
manner that throws my head forward)......................$45
3. ADDRESSING THE ELEPHANT THAT IS, TOO OFTEN, IN THE CAR.
A. The majority (not all, and hopefully not you) of three-in-three drivers, in my opinion and in my 17-years of experience, have not been very good people. They have been argumentative, passive-aggressive personalities, narcissistic, not truthful, fail to assume responsibility for their own actions, mad at the world and everyone in it, have an overriding sense of entitlement and/or are unteachable. "Never correct conceited (arrogant) people; they will hate you for it. But if you correct the wise, they will respect you." Proverbs 9:8. (Parenthesis mine, Joda Collins.) I did not state your name. I am assuming you are a decent individual unless you prove me wrong.
B. The majority of three-in-three drivers, to date, have not read this Contract carefully or do not expend the time and energy to get their questions answered before agreeing to it and are, therefore, unprepared for the training appointment. Being unprepared for the training they tend to get confused, frustrated and/or anger more easily.
C. It has been my experience that about 70% of three-in-three drivers have been quite immature and treated me like arrogant, disrespectful, snotty, know-it-all teens treat their parents. Unlike many parents, I did not put up with that with my children. I will not tolerate it, now, from adults. I am not being paid to be spit on, so to speak. I hope you are part of the 30% that are not like that. If you are like that, try to fake adult level socially maturity/behavior for four-hours. I prefer fake good behavior to real, nasty, behavior.
D. Be decent and respectful towards me and I will be decent and respectful towards you. Do not antagonize me for fun or as an expression of your character, and there is no reason for me to confront you for antagonizing me. However, if you antagonize me, I will confront you for doing so. I am not a spittoon nor a door mat. The training is not easy for student-drivers. I understand that. It is not easy for me either. If you have no interest in learning to drive better, I will honor that. Let me know so I can save my breath and energy and provide only the legal minimum effort. Why do more?
E. After I correct you and explain why what you did behind-the-wheel was unsafe or illegal, please do not provide justification, rationalization or argument regarding why you drive poorly or in violation of traffic laws. Confronting or attacking me about your dislike of traffic laws just eats up time, creates a strained environment and changes nothing regarding your situation with your license status and I will charge you more for the added stress, irritation, danger and for wasting training time and my energy. I do not work harder for free.
4. CERTIFICATION AND RECORDING OF THIS TRAINING.
A. Certification of the completion of your training is accomplished electronically between me and the State. You will not need and will not receive a paper copy of a completion notice. I will notify you when your completion is recorded by the State. You can, then, contact the driver license office to schedule. If I do not contact you within three business days, it is your responsibility to contact me to find out why the delay.
B. You, the student-driver and you, the Client (financially responsible person), commit to checking your email and your voice mail for a contact from me no less than once every 24-hours from the date of your first contact with me, also, one hour before your scheduled driving session, and at least once every 24-hours after your training is over checking for your conformation from me that your completion is recorded with the State. If you do not receive that conformation within three business days, let me know. Something is wrong.
7. PAYMENT AND SCHEDULING
A. If payment is made using a Visa or MasterCard credit or debit card, $190 must be paid and is non-refundable under any and/or all conditions. The balance of the pre-training fees will be charged the day before the training.
B. If payment is made via money order(s) or cashier's check the total pre-training fees must be paid in advance of scheduling of which $176 is non-refundable under any conditions.
C. If paying by mail and not with a visa or MasterCard credit or debit card, mail your money order or cashier's check for the amount, specified in your Summary Contract sent to you email AFTER you agree to fees, to Joda Collins Driving Academy, 4033 Buttonbush Dr., Milton, FL 32583.
(1). I must receive payment before scheduling.
(a). When I receive payment, I will send you an email invitation to go to www.jodacollins.com, to the Available Dates and Times Section and request your scheduling appointment by return email.
(2). I do not accept cash because I do not make a special appointment for payment via cash and that appointment incurs a $38 charge for my time and admin time it takes to schedule and send a reminder. I do not accept cash in the mail.
(3). BE SURE TO KEEP YOUR PROOF OF PURCHASE. While I have never had anything lost in the mail in my entire life, there may be a first time. So, keep your proof of purchase for your money order or cashier's check.
8. DISCLAIMERS
A. I (Joda Collins) may not offer another door-to-door service if the Client cancels, misses, reschedules training or is not able to take the training due to no fault of mine.
B. Please understand that those I serve are in a position to ask me to do anything for them, however, those I serve are not in a position to demand that I do everything they demand or ask.
C. I, the Client and, I, the Student-driver, will not hold nor attempt to hold Joda Collins responsible or accountable for any ramifications, financial or otherwise, that arise because I did not read or did not understand the content or intent of any legal document.
D. Additional disclaimers, as noted in Contract Four, also apply.
E. It is my (Joda Collins) responsibility to verify your license is valid or you have the valid letter from the State that serves as your temporary permit for the training before providing training.
(1). Errors or expense to you of any and every kind due to you not knowing if your driver license is or is not valid are your expenses, not mine.
(2). IF YOUR DRIVER LICENSE IS NOT VALID OR WILL NOT BE VALID AT THE TIME OF TRAINING, PROVIDE THE ORIGINAL OF YOUR DRIVER PERMIT (LETTER) THAT AUTHORIZES YOU TO DRIVE FOR THE FOUR-HOURS OF TRAINING. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THAT DOCUMENT, CALL 850 617-2000 ANY NON-HOLIDAY WEEKDAY BETWEEK 7:01 AND 7:05AM (TO AVOID LONG HOLD TIMES) AND REQUEST THAT DOCUMENT/LETTER.
CONTRACT EIGHT Removed
SECTION CONTRACT NINE SERVICE CONTRACT FOR EMBRACE FAMILIES Removed
VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION
SECTION (CONTRACT) TEN
SERVICE CONTRACT BETWEEN VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION AND
THE JODA COLLINS DRIVING ACADEMY.
January 2, 2025
If you want a paper copy of this mailed to you, just ask. Or, you can copy and paste to another format for easier reading or printing.
1. CONTRACT A. State and Federal law requires me to have a contract with everyone I serve.
B. My Contracts are not written in stone. If you want to change, add or subtract anything in this Service Agreement, just ask. (1). The only things I cannot do and stay in business are to serve for less money or do more for free. C. Client's Responsibility (1). My primary Client is the Vocational Rehabilitation. Client's assume financial responsibility. However, in this arrangement, the VR puts a lot of trust in those they fund because those they fund are in a position to waste VR funds by failing to give a two-hour notice for cancelation. In which case, the lesson time is lost and the funds for that lesson are consumed with no service rendered for that appointment. I encourage the VR to emphasize to their customers the importance of providing to me (Joda Collins) no less than a two-hour notice of cancelation. Doing so avoid the loss of the funds for that lesson. There is a rescheduling fee, however, under no conditions will the charge to the VR excess the Authorization figure. 2. INFORMATION I NEED FROM THE VR A. The contact information for the VR Customer or the adult representing the interests of the VR Customer.
(1). Said person's name.
(2). Telephone number
(3). Mailing address.
(4). Physical address.
(5). Email address.
C. Any information you, the VR, can share about the emotional, medical or psychological condition of the Student-driver that might affect safety when driving in traffic. Me, learning this by trial and error with the driver behind the wheel increases the chances of crashing exponentially.
E. The service/financial VR Authorization.
3. FINANCES: For 2023 and 2024, my charges to the VR were less than my charges to everyone else. The failing economy has forced me to either raise my prices everyone else except the VR, or bring all charges to all I serve to the same level. I opted for the latter.
A. VR AUTHORIZATION SUGGESTED STATEMENT FOR FIRST FINANCIAL AUTHORIZATIONS FOR 2025 (1). The following, if acceptable, needs to be printed in the VR Services Authorization and Billing Notice "Comment Section" and/or the "Service to be Provided" Section as a prerequisite to service for tuition. (Feel free to replace the "5" lesson number with any number of lessons you prefer and adjust the total accordingly.)
A. The following as found in (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) or (6) below, whichever is acceptable/applicable, needs to be printed in the VR Services Authorization and Billing Notice "Comment Section" and/or the "Service to be Provided" Section as a prerequisite to service.
(1). "_______ 90-minute driving lessons on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday @ $230 per lesson equals $_________ minus $8 per lesson that is not missed, canceled or reschedule by the VR customer, except for fear of adverse weather.
(2). "_______ 90-minute driving lessons @ $255 per lesson equals $_________, minus $25 per lesson for not training on a Friday or Saturday, minus $8 per lesson that is not missed, canceled or rescheduled by the VR customer, except for fear of adverse weather.
(3). "_______ 90-minute driving lessons on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday @ $230 per lesson equals $_________ minus $8 per lesson that is not missed, canceled or reschedule by the VR customer, except for fear of adverse weather. Friday and/or Saturday training is available at an additional fee of $25 per lesson to be paid by the VR Customer.
OR, for 75-minute lessons:
(4). "_______ 75-minute driving lessons on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday @ $210 per lesson equals $_________ minus $8 per lesson that is not missed, canceled or reschedule by the VR customer, except for fear of adverse weather.
(5). "_______ 75-minute driving lessons @ $235 per lesson equals $_________, minus $25 per lesson for not training on a Friday or Saturday, minus $8 per lesson that is not missed, canceled or rescheduled by the VR customerm, except for fear of adverse weather.
(6). "_______ 75-minute driving lessons on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday @ $210 per lesson equals $_________ minus $8 per lesson that is not missed, canceled or reschedule by the VR customer, except for fear of adverse weather. Friday and/or Saturday training is available at an additional fee of $21 to be paid by the VR Customer.
B. Door-to-door charge is $2.95 per round trip mile plus any toll fees plus toll bridge charge.
(1). Provide me with the pick-up address if door-to-door services is wanted and I will tell you the fee or you can calculate if from the start location of 4033 Buttonbush Dr., Milton, FL 32583 plus $5.50 for the Garcon Point (Gulf Breeze) toll bridge if used.
C. Providing to me (Joda Collins) the Authorization is the same as approving this Service Contract/Agreement.
4. HOW DOES THE VR KNOW I RECEIVED A SERVICE/FINANCIAL AUTHORIZATION? (1). I respond immediately to the VR Representative with an email denoting by Client/Customer Initials and the Authorization Date and Number that I received the Authorization. If you do not receive such a notice within two business days that means I do NOT have your Authorization for said person recorded. Please renotify me. It does not happen often, but I make a few missteaks hear an their. (2). You (the VR Rep) can instruct your Client/Customer to contact me by email (JodaCollins@aol.com) to inquire of the Authorization status, if I have not contacted that person within three days. (3). Unless otherwise directed or if doing is something I think is unproductive, I send a copy of every email to the Client/Customer, also, to every VR Representative noted on the Authorization.
5. THE PURPOSE OF TRAINING A. The purpose (goal or goals) of the training is (are), first, enroll driver in the Basic Vehicle Control Course, then the Pass the State Driving ONLY Course, then in the General Safety Course, then in the Defensive Driving Course. The driver is to be taught to the be safest driver possible in least amount of training time possible. (1). My suggestion if five or six lessons; however, VR is certainly free to fund fewer or more lessons.
6. WHAT IS THE TYPICAL TRAINING REGIMEN?
A. Enroll driver in the Basic Vehicle Control Course where the driver learns the proper use of the brake, accelerator and steering wheel. (1). This includes proper hand-over-hand steering and allowing the wheel to slide through the driver's hands to complete standard right and left turns rather than manually steer out of turns.
(a). Poor/dangerous steering is the #1 cause of crashing during driver's training, so I do NOT allow a driver to pass the Basic Vehicle Control Course until the driver has good control of and understanding of the steering wheel. (1). Upon graduation from this Course, if the driver has not reached saturation (the inability or unwillingness to learn anything more that is new at this time in his or her life until some of what the driver has learned has become habit or until the driver makes a decision to do the hard work needed to learn more) then I enroll driver in the Pass the State Driver License Course, then the General Safety Course, then the Defensive Driving Course, then the Advanced Defensive Driving Course.
(a). The General Safety Course where driver learns 12 very specific driving skills that keep the driver from being the cause of crashing among driver that honor the rules of the road. (b). The Defensive Driving Course where 23 very specific driving techniques are taught to keep the driver from becoming involved in crashes that crash prone drivers cause. (c). The Advanced Defensive Driving Course where two reasonably difficult (more challenging) defensive driving techniques are taught.
B. THREE-POINT TURN TRAINING
(1). I use my vehicle for the three point turn training if the student-driver has memorized the following well enough to quote it upon request, without error or hesitation.
(a). Slow, right, look, signal, stop.
Look, turn fast and coast, stop, reverse.
Look, turn fast and coast, stop, drive.
Look, turn fast and coast, accelerate.
(2). I use any other insured vehicle for the three-point turn if the student-driver wants or has to do the three point turn over and over and over and over, and memorize the following steps by doing the three-point turn many, many times.
(a). Slow, right, look, signal, stop.
Turn, look, coast, stop, reverse.
Turn, look, coast, stop, drive.
Turn, look, coast, accelerate.
(3). I (limited) guarantee the student-driver will pass the three-point turn part of the State exam or I will provide up to one-hour of three-point turn training at no charge to the VR customer and no charge to the VR.
(a). The limit of this guarantee is:
(1). Ten months from the completion of the training that is paid for by the VR, or age 17, whichever is last. (2). This offer is a service offer only. This offer has no cash value. (3). The time limit is one hour, but I (Joda Collins) have the right to provide less time if I feel the Student-driver will pass this part of the Exam. (4). This training must be in the vehicle the driver is using for the State exam. (5). There is no door-to-door service with this offer. (6). This offer is terminated if I am no longer in business.
C. PARKING TRAINING
(1). I use my vehicle for parking training if the student-driver has memorized the following well enough to quote it upon request, without error or hesitation.
(a). Slow, right, look, signal, stop.
Look, turn fast and coast, stop.
(2). I use any other insured vehicle for the parking training if the student-driver wants or has to do the parking turn over and over and over and over, and memorize the above steps by doing the three-point turn many, many times.
(3). I (limited) guarantee the student-driver will pass the three-point turn part of the State exam or I will provide up to one-hour of three-point turn training at no charge to the VR customer and no charge to the VR.
(a). The limit of this guarantee is:
(1). Ten months from the completion of the training that is paid for by the VR, or age 17, whichever is last. (2). This offer is a service offer only. This offer has no cash value. (3). The time limit is one hour, but I (Joda Collins) have the right to provide less time if I feel the Student-driver will pass this part of the Exam. (4). This training must be in the vehicle the driver is using for the State exam. (5). There is no door-to-door service with this offer. (6). This offer is terminated if I am no longer in business.
D. FOR STUDENTS WHO STRUGGLE WITH MEMORIZATION....
(1). If a student struggles with memorization, I direct the student to let me know immediately. I will provide a tutor, to work with the student on the telephone for 45-mintues to one hour, at no charge to the student and no charge to the VR. The tutor will say each word one at a time and the student will repeat it one at a time for 45-mintues to one hour. So far, every student, except one, that has taken advantage of this FREE offer has memorized the material within one-hour.
1XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
CONTRACT ELEVEN
SERVICE CONTRACT BETWEEN
VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION CLIENTS, STUDENT-DRIVERS AND THE JODA COLLINS DRIVING ACADEMY Edit March 1, 2024, for clarification only
Ignore the parts you like. Make a written list of the parts you do not like.
1. TRAINING A. Student-driver is to be trained to be as skilled and safe a driver as possible, with the funds allotted. B. If the driver has a driver permit, but does not have a driver license, training begins with learning how to pass the State Driving Exam at Gulf Breeze or at the Brent Lane location in Pensacola.
(1). If driver is not licensed and has permit for more than 91-days, it is strongly suggested that, at least, one lesson be devoted to driving after closing time on the DMV Driver License Office lot and typical route taken for the driving exam. C. At least one nighttime driving session is recommended. Driver must have permit for no less than 91-days to drive after sunset.
D. The Student-driver is asked to give his or her best effort to memorize the following before the start of lesson one:
(1). Ahead, Behind, Mirror, Shoulder, Signal. Ahead, Behind, Mirror, Shoulder, Move.
(a). If it is not memorized by the start of lesson one, time will be devoted to memorizing it during lesson one, mostly in a stationary vehicle.
E. THREE-POINT TURN AND PARKING TRAINING
(1). Unless otherwise agreed on and approved, before agreeing to this Contract, for parking and three-point turn training, any vehicle wherein the Student-driver is insured, other than mine, will be used.
(2). I will use my vehicle for the three-point turn training if the student-driver has memorized the following well enough to quote it upon request, without error or hesitation.
(a). Slow, right, look, signal, stop.
Look, turn fast and coast, stop, reverse.
Look, turn fast and coast, stop, drive.
Look, turn fast and coast, accelerate.
(b). I will not accept responsibility to teach the three-point turn or parking in my vehicle if the student-driver does not memorize the procedure above first. Memorizing the above takes but a fraction of the mental capacity to learn the basic rules of the road, meaning of street signs and pavement markings needed for a driver to pass the written State exam. Drivers that cheat and have someone else take the State exam for them will, often, not be able to memorize the above without physically do the three-point turn over and over and over and over, thus memorizing, not the words, but memorizing their body movements.
(3). I use any other insured vehicle for the three-point turn if the student-driver wants or has to do the three-point turn over and over and over and over, and memorize the following steps by doing the three-point turn many, many times.
(a). Slow, right, look, signal, stop.
Turn, look, coast, stop, reverse.
Turn, look, coast, stop, drive.
Turn, look, coast, accelerate.
(b). The claim by any driver that he or she cannot memorize the above because he or she is mentally incapable is without merit. It takes only a fraction of the mental ability to memorize the above than it does to pass the State written exam. If driver knows his name, address, cell phone number, his/her birthday and names and cell phone number of a parent, he/she has already memorized much more than the words above, considering that about half of the words above are repeated three times. Memorize the first two lines = almost 50% of what is to memorize. If someone took the State exam for you because you cannot pass it by yourself, you might not be able to remember the procedure above, but you should not be driving anyway.
(4). I (limited) guarantee the student-driver will pass the three-point turn part of the State exam or I will provide up to one-hour of three-point turn training at no charge to the VR customer and no charge to the VR.
(a). The limit of this guarantee is:
(1). Ten months from the completion of the training that is paid for by the VR, or age 17, whichever is last. (2). This offer is a service offer only. This offer has no cash value. (3). The time limit is one hour, but I (Joda Collins) have the right to provide less time if I feel the Student-driver will pass this part of the Exam. (4). This training must be in the vehicle the driver is using for the State exam. (5). There is no door-to-door service with this offer. (6). This offer is terminated if I am no longer in business.
C. PARKING TRAINING
(1). I use my vehicle for parking training if the student-driver has memorized the following well enough to quote it upon request, without error or hesitation.
(a). Slow, right, look, signal, stop.
Look, turn fast and coast, stop.
(2). I use any other insured vehicle for the parking training if the student-driver wants or has to do the parking turn over and over and over and over, and memorize the above steps by doing the three-point turn many, many times.
(3). I (limited) guarantee the student-driver will pass the three-point turn part of the State exam or I will provide up to one-hour of three-point turn training at no charge to the VR customer and no charge to the VR.
(a). The limit of this guarantee is:
(1). Ten months from the completion of the training that is paid for by the VR, or age 17, whichever is last. (2). This offer is a service offer only. This offer has no cash value. (3). The time limit is one hour, but I (Joda Collins) have the right to provide less time if I feel the Student-driver will pass this part of the Exam. (4). This training must be in the vehicle the driver is using for the State exam. (5). There is no door-to-door service with this offer. (6). This offer is terminated if I am no longer in business.
E. IF YOU STRUGGLE WITH MEMORIZATION.... If you struggle with this task, let me know immediately. I will provide you with a tutor, to work with you on the telephone for 45-mintues, at no charge to you and no charge to the VR. The tutor will say each word one at a time and you will repeat it one at a time for 45-mintue to one-hour. So far, every student, except one, that has taken advantage of this FREE offer, has memorized the material within 45-minutes using this FREE service.
2. FINANCES A. The VR does not pay for every possible service I offer. The following is list of additional service fees the VR does not cover. These expenses are yours (the Student's or his/her Representative) if you opt for these added services. Unused funds are 100% refundable. Payment for the full Contract is required in advance of scheduling. (1). Fee for missed lessons belongs to the VR Customer or his/her Representative and not the VR.
(2). Schedule all VR approved lessons with one email or the additional fee of $30 per request belongs to the VR Client/Customer, not the VR.
(a). Please schedule all VR approved lessons, up to six at a time, with one email request. If you do so there is no scheduling fee charged to you.
(b). If you schedule less than all VR approved lessons, or six lessons (whichever is less) with one email request, there is a $30 fee per scheduling request. This fee must be paid in advance of scheduling by the financially responsible person. Having that payment in the mail is considered paid in advance as long as we actually receive the payment. Our mailing address (not our business address) is:
Joda Collins Driving Academy
4033 Buttonbush Dr.
Milton, FL 32583
I accept money order, check (personal or business) and/or Visa or MasterCard credit or debit cards. I have never had an envelope lost in the mail, but there could be a first time. Keep your proof of purchase for your money order or cashier's check as we do not provide free service if an envelope (payment) is lost in the mail.
(c). All scheduling dates and times are available to VR drivers except for Saturday mornings unless otherwise noted by the VR Authorization (funding and service document).
(3). Schedule from our web site (www.jodacollins.com) Available Dates and Times Section, in accordance with directions there.
3. RIDERS
I do not allow anyone to ride in the back seat of my car during VR funded training; there are exceptions, but few.
4. SCHEDULING
A. Unless otherwise agreed on and arranged, all scheduling is done by email or voice mail (850 981-3355).
B. Who can schedule lessons? ONLY a person 18-years of age or older and who is the financially responsible individual for all charges the VR does not pay for can schedule, cancel or reschedule lessons. 5. ADDITIONAL LEGAL DOCUMENTS
It is responsibility of each person that signs this Contract to have also read, understood and agree to the terms and conditions in Contract Four, Five and Ten, found at www.jodacollins.com - Agreement page, as those terms and conditions affect each one that signs below.
6. PROPER HAND OVER HAND STEERING If a VR student does not have proper steering accomplished by the end of the second lesson, then I will stop teaching steering skills and concentrate on passing the State exam. The State does not require good steering, beyond controlled steering at low speeds in non-challenging steering conditions, in order to pass the State Driving Exam. Once the driver passes the "Pass the State Driving Exam ONLY" course, I will return to a concentrated effort on proper steering as a prerequisite. The VR primary initial goal is for the Student to become skilled enough to secure a driver license. If I make proper steering a prerequisite for learning to pass the State exam, and the driver never learns to steer well, then at the end of VR funded training, the driver will not be able to pass the State driving exam.
ATTACHMENT TWO
Section One: This charge exists because lane changes are among the top cause of crashes. To teach the memorization of this skill during paid training and in traffic increase the chances of crashing. When I am in my car with a driver or in his or her car and exposed to unnecessary and easily avoidable excess danger of loss of limb, life or livelihood (if you crash my car), I charge extra. It is hazard pay because it is avoidable with just a little effort before the training appointment. I will keep going up on this fee until most people will do that little extra work before training.
Section Two: Like most businesses during this time of national economic crisis, I have had to go up on my charges to stay in business. I decided to go up on my prices by charging more to those that cause me to do the most extra work and endure added stress. Hence, this charge.
Section Three: Driving between lessons and/or training between lessons without my okay or encouragement to do so is always a bad idea. Always. There is a method to learning to drive well in the shortest amount of time. It is called a "Training Schematic." The Training Schematic for the General Safety Course (12 General Safety Skills) is this:
2
2 3
2 3 4
2 3 4 5
2 3 4 5 6
2 3 4 5 6 7
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
1------- 2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9---10----11----12 = General Safety Course Graduate
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 2 3 4 5 6 7
2 3 4 5 6
2 3 4 5
2 3 4
2 3
2
The blue numbers represent the 12 General Safety Skills to learn.
The red number represent the 12 most dangerous/deadly driving habits of the student.
The green numbers represent two successes (the two lowest numbers deleted) in the preceding vertical line. The number 1 is the entry status of the driver, which takes into account skill, personality, teachability, motivation level and much more. That number equivalent sets the hierarchy for all numbers that follow.
All numbers are fluid depending on the personality of the driver, the driving environment, the commitment level of the driver, the driver's "Driving IQ" (which is not the same as scholastic IQ), the driver's standard IQ, the driver's learning disabilities, if any, and much, much more. Every student is different. I must concentrate training on the top blue number and the bottom red number without ignoring all of the numbers below the top blue number and above the bottom red number. When a driver drives between lessons without my okay, and/or has a co-trainer between lessons without my okay, the schematic is always out-of-whack when the student is delivered to me for more training, and I need to work harder and work the student harder spending more training time and effort to get back to the skill and safety level I was at the end of the previous lesson in order for the lesson to be the most productive and as safe as possible. If the student and/or co-teacher knew how to concentrate his or her efforts on the skills the top represent and the dangers the bottom numbers without ignoring all the skills the other numbers represent, that driver would progress between lessons appropriately. Co-teachers can be a benefit if they concentrate their efforts only on what I ask them to do. Few do because only a few can, and most of the few that can, won't.
If a co-teacher wants to be involved, I ask him or her to do something that concentrates on the lowest number in a driving environment that minimizes the danger of all the higher numbers causing a crash. I rejoice to have that assistance. It reduces the training time and expense while making the driver safer, faster.
Section Four: Learning hand over hand steering for free on your own time.
A. This is easier to write than to do. Hand-over-hand steering is an athletic move. It is not easy. Imaging the steering wheel as a clock with numbers 1 through 12. Start your turns with hands at 10 and 2. Drop the lead hand a 5 or 7, whichever comes first and, without stopping or slowing the turn of the wheel, place dropped hand at 12. See: https://youtu.be/Y3ArlcIqmOg .
Section Five: The purposes of this charge are:
A. If a driver does not know the steps to a safe and legal lane change, but has to learn it by doing it, that makes every lane change more dangerous than necessary. Unsafe and illegal lane changes are the second most common causes of crashing. I get paid more to be in greater danger than is necessary, and if using my vehicle for training, I get paid more for putting my vehicle at greater risk of crashing than in necessary. This is form of additional (and unnecessary) hazard pay.
B. Learning this procedure during paid driving time means that all of the time I could be spending on teaching safer driving is spent on having the student-driver memorize. This means the driver is less safe when the training is over, less safe during the training as it progresses, and more likely to fail or do poorly on the State exam. Drivers that do poorly or fail the State exam create a bad reputation for me, my school and my teaching ability. If too many of my students do poorly or fail the State exam, I can lose my enrollment in the three-in-three program and not be allowed, by the State to train three-in-three drivers. This puts my earning capacity at risk. I charge more to those that increase my chances of gaining a poor reputation and put my future earning capacity at risk.
Section Six: The purposes of this charge are:
A. A proper and legal three-point turn is one of the hardest procedures for most people do to well. While is it is relatively easy to do a three-point turn, doing it legally is not easy for most people. It is illegal to threaten to hit someone or another vehicle with a vehicle, so it is required to be sure it is safe to signal left before signaling. It is illegal to crash into someone or another vehicle while moving into or out of a three-point turn, so it is required to look before moving into a turn. Most drivers cannot do those things unless and until they memorize the steps. Most people do not memorize well or quickly. Our society seems to have lost the definition and ability (or willingness) to memorize. Memorize means you know it as well as you know your name, address and telephone number and can quote it anytime without error or hesitation. Anything less than that is not memorization, it is familiarization/recognition, but it not memorization. If you can only recognize it as accurate when I quote it, that proves that I memorized it, and you did not. Memorization is not easy. Most people are too lazy or too busy to invest the time and hard work to memorize.
I have been told over and over by drivers, "I can't memorize!" However, they have memorized their name, address, telephone number, how to use a cell phone, a computer, their job location, what they need to memorize for their job, their classroom schedule if in school, their parents' names and birthdays, and phone numbers, the route to and from school and or work, their locker combination, the times and dates of their favorite TV shows, and the basic rules of the road, street sign meanings, and pavement making meanings needed to pass their written driver exam. They expect me to believe they cannot remember a few words. I do not. What they are offering me is an excuse for their failure to do the necessary work and invested the necessary time for the task. That is their right, which I defend 100%, but the fee stands for them.
I have spent the entire four-hours with some drivers in an effort for them to be able to do a safe and legal three-point turn. One hundred percent of them can do a safe and legal three point turn on their first attempt AFTER they memorize the steps.
B. The second reason for this charge is I do not want this fee. I want the student to avoid this fee and memorize this procedure on their own time for free. This fee started at $35.00. I keep going up hoping the savings will be enough that most people will find the savings worth the effort to memorize the steps on their own time for free.
C. The third reason for this fee is that when I have to spend a lot of training time helping the driver memorize these steps so he/she can do a legal and safe three point turn on the first attempt after memorizing the steps, that takes away my time that I need to devote to the long list of driving skills I am supposed to evaluate and/or teach. This puts a lot of added pressure on me to get done all I have to do in a shorter period of time. I get paid more for being put under added pressure.
D. The fourth reason for this charge is that I have to go up on my prices to stay in business. The US economy is in free-fall; very bad. A dollar is nearly worthless. Rather than go up in my prices to everyone, I added this fee to get my increase in income from those that cost me the most time, effort and difficulties. So far, less than 5% of all three-in-three drivers have memorized this procedure before the start of the training. Their failure to do so is keeping charges to others lower, and that is good for others. However, as stated, I would rather go up a little bit for everyone and not charge this fee.
Section Seven: I seldom answer my phone, but I do, as promptly as I can, return voice mail by phone or by email. Do not complain that you cannot reach me if you do not leave a voice mail.
I seldom answer my phone for the following reasons:
1. Some people that do not read the legal documents want to ask me questions that are clearly answered in the legal documents. I do not have the time to read the legal documents to others.
2. Some parents want to help their teenager move into the adult world by having the teen do all the leg work for driver training scheduling. Many young people lack the awareness, listening ability or work ethic to talk with me about detailed matters of service and scheduling and then relay that information accurately or fully to their parent(s). This not only eats up my time to have to correct the recollection of the child (person under 18 years of age), but it opens the door for the parents to question my honestly if they are prone to take the word of their child over mine. That is when I hear the dreaded, "Buy my child said that you said...!"
3. No one says everything 100% perfectly 100% of the time and no one hears everything said 100% perfectly, perfectly 100% of the time. I avoid miscommunication by phone, by not being caught unprepared with every phone pick up. If I have a voice mail, I can prepare for a better response when I know the topic or the question(s) in advance.
Section Eight: The Scheduling Fee is charged for lesson one, even if more than one lesson is scheduled. The Scheduling Fee is charged for lesson two, even if more than one lesson is scheduled before the start of lesson one. I do this because I offer a reduced charge for all lessons beginning with lesson two not lesson one. This is to discourage Clients from scheduling more than one lesson to start with, knowing they can cancel all future lessons with no financial penalty, but get lesson two free of a Scheduling Fee. That is a win-win for the Client, but a win-lose for me if they do not take lesson two. All I get is one lesson, cancelled lesson two, or three, or four, and a clogged up future calendar.
Section Nine: For Clients using Contract Six, why do I (Joda Collins) welcome and invite the Client to ride for the first lesson, only? For the first five-years of my business (2008 through 2012) I allowed clients to ride during training. That was a disaster. It did not work out for me or to the driver's benefit. Mostly, I ended up teaching the client how to train, and in every case the client was overconfident, stopped the training early and took over training to save money, but to the detriment of the student-driver and all those ever near him or her in traffic.
In late 2013, I started allowing the client to ride during the first lesson, as a condition for me providing an estimate of future progress. That way, when the estimate of future progress is given, the client has an idea of my teaching ability and can better decide if he or she wants to continue training in light of the estimate. That has worked out well.
From 2013 through 2016, I sometimes let clients ride mid-training, if requested. However, that NEVER worked out well, so in late 2016, began to enforce my policy of a rider welcome ONLY during the first lesson.
Sometimes the client was wanting to learn how I taught so the client could take over the training and save money, and that only led to an unqualified trainer in every instance, and my efforts creating, indirectly, a driver that was less safe than he or she could have been.
Sometimes, the client doubted my skill, motivation or commitment, and wanted to ride to, "check me out." I would rather a client cease training that enter a training session with doubts about me, as the only thing that can happen is he or she will think I did well just because he or she road along or that I really am a terrible person/teacher. Either way, I lose. If doubts about me arise, it is best to cease training. I understand.
When a client enters the training mid-stream, it puts a lot of pressure on me as I am now in a situation where I have to try to satisfy two persons and two personalities. And, with each lesson, dynamics change that are part of my experience and the driver's experience and incorporate those change of dynamics into my teaching method. The client, not part of the evolution of the process, often, does not fare well in the training experience. The variables are too many to clarify.
Sometimes, the client wants to see how the driver is doing. However, that is not possible as the driving lessons are training sessions, and my input is part of the driver's success and safety at the moment.. Many clients misunderstand the ability of the driver to following my directions as driving skill, and it is not a good guide for driving skill, but a good guide for the ability to follow directions, thus, the client ends the training overconfident about the skill of the driver. That is not good. The other alternative is that I let the driver drive at his or her best without my directions, and hope there is no crash or ticket in the process. I am not willing to do that in my vehicle and put my vehicle and our lives at unnecessary risk. I could offer to ride in the client's vehicle and provide no instructions so the client can see the dangers, but that would still put life and limb at risk. I completely understand the dilemma of a client who wants to know how the student is doing but does not personally take the driver into traffic to learn that. That is one of the reasons I provide a written report after every lesson. Also, I am open to informing the client, if requested to do so, when and where a driver might be most safe in case the client wants to ride in the passenger's seat in his or her own vehicle while the student drives not during a paid driving session. Also, I invite any client to follow the training vehicle anytime. Also, I invite a stealth recorder in my vehicle at any time. I do not record lessons nor approve of a recording devise I know is in the car because that only makes my efforts suspect of extra effort knowing I am being recorded.
So, to summarize, I only allow the client to ride for the first driving lesson, even if we are using a vehicle that is not mine.
Section Ten:
REALITIES ABOUT THREE-POINT TURN TRAINING
1. There are two vehicles that can be used for the three-point turn training
A. The Joda Collins Driving Academy Vehicle for a fee of $19.53 or $21.00,
B. Any other vehicle provided by any other person as long as the Student-driver is insured to drive that vehicle, for which there is no additional fee and I (Joda Collins) will pay you $21.00.
2. There are two people that can teach the three-point turn to the Student-driver.
A. Joda Collins
B. Any other person other than Joda Collins
(1). If any other person besides Joda Collins teaches the three-point turn to the Student, then Joda Collins must teach that person how to teach the three-point turn in a manner that will be stringent State requirements. This is not a negotiable requirement even if the other person is able to do a three-point turn without crashing because the State requires higher standards in the State exam beyond not crashing.
3. There are two ways to learn to do a three-point turn. I do not teach the three-point turn until the driver has good control of the vehicle at speeds of up to 5mph.
A . Muscle Memory Learning
(1). The Student does the three-point turn over and over and over and over and over and over and over again and again and again until driver has memorized the procedure my memorizing the body movements.
(a). I, Joda Collins, do not use my vehicle for training a driver to learn the three-point turn by muscle memory for the following reasons.
(b). The average driver requires 15 to 25 practice attempts to learn the three-point turn by muscle memory. Doing the three-point turn requires turning the steering wheel with the vehicle stationary, or barely moving. This is called "dry steering." After about 200 training attempts, I have to take a half-day off, take my vehicle to the mechanic and have my front end realigned. Also, I only get about 24,000 miles of tire life, rather than the 40,000 my tires are designed to provide. This increases my costs for tires by 60% from $209 each mounted and balanced to $348 each relative to tire life. If the average student takes 15 attempts, then every 13 students, I will need a $75 front end alignment and a half-day to get the job done (go there, get service, get back). I must make $40 per hour to make expenses. Four hours times $40 = $160.00. Not counting the additional 60% for tires, every 13 students, it will cost me $75 plus $160 = $235.00. That amount ($235) divided by 13 students = $18 extra per student. Additionally,
(c). My mechanic warned me that if I continue to use my vehicle for excessive dry steering, I can expect $2,500 to $3,500 every couple of years in power steering repairs and possible, very dangerous, power steering failure during the operation of my vehicle.
2. Cognitive Learning.
A. The student memorizes the steps for the three-point turn and, once memorized, does the three-point turn. So far, after 17-plus years in this business, 100% of all drivers that have memorized the steps, have been able to do the three-point turn perfectly the first attempt (assuming the driver has passed the basic vehicle control course thus can use accelerator, steering wheel and brake accurately and knows where his/her vehicle is in space). The same basic steps are used for parking.
(1). In my experience, somehow, and I do not know how, it seems that most people do not have the ability or determination to memorize things on their own. Out of the more than 3,000 students I have taught, only four have memorized the steps for the three-point turn by the start of the first lesson while most have been adamite at the start of lesson one that they have memorized the steps when they have not done so. This reality baffles me, but it is reality (at least in my world) none-the-less.
(a). Here is the procedure if using the Joda Collins Driving Academy vehicle for the three-point turn training.
(1). Slow, right, look, signal, stop.
Look, go slow and turn fast, stop, reverse.
Look, go slow and turn fast, stop, drive
Look, go slow and turn fast, coast, accelerate.
(b). Here is the suggested procedure if using any vehicle other than the Joda Collins Driving academy Vehicle for the three-point turn training.
(1). Slow, right, look, signal, stop.
Turn, look, coast, stop, reverse.
Turn, look, coast, stop, drive.
Turn, look, coast, accelerate.
(2). For those that find memorization too difficult, I provide a tutoring service for five dollars. I have the student-driver call at a specified day and time. My secretary will work with the student-driver on the phone for 45-minutes to one hour. During that time, my secretary will say each word one at a time and the student will repeat each word one at a time. So far, every person that has availed himself/herself to this FREE service was able to memorize the steps within one hour.
Eetcc
e
54i
Copyright © 2016. Joda Collins. All rights reserved.