JODA COLLINS
DRIVING ACADEMY LLC
Enrollment/Registration Form/Application
GENERAL QUESTIONS
Answer only the questions you want to answer.
These questions are for the Client (the financially responsible person) and/or the customer of the Vocational Rehabilitation Department (VR), if the training is paid for by the VR.
A. What is your name?
B. What is your telephone number?
C. What is your secondary telephone number, if you have one?
D. What is your email address?
E. What is your mailing address?
F. What brings you to this web page?
G. If the student-driver is not the same person as noted in A above, what is the name of the student-driver?
H. What is the driver license or driver permit number of the student-driver?
I. Does the student driver have any condition(s) that you think I (Joda Collins) should know about that might be a concern for safety on the road/in-traffic driving?
CONTRACTS
A. Seeking private lessons for personal reasons and you are paying for the training.
(1). If you are seeking personal and private driver training for the purpose of training to pass the Florida Driver Exam and/or become a safer driver and you ARE the one paying for that training, please go to http://www.jodacollins.com/agreement.html and read the Introduction to All Contracts, Contract Six and Attachment One (found immediately after Contract Seven). Do you have any questions about any of those Documents? Having no questions is tacit approval of and acceptance of the benefits and responsibilities outlined in those Documents as they apply to you. If you have questions, please state them in the space below.
B. Seeking private lessons for personal reasons and your are NOT the person paying for the training.
(2). If you are seeking personal and private driver training for the purpose of training to pass the Florida Driver Exam and/or become a safer driver and you are NOT the one paying for that training, please go to http://www.jodacollins.com/agreement.html and read the Introduction to All Contracts, Contract Six and Attachment One (found immediately after Contract Seven). Do you have any questions about any of those Documents? Having no questions is tacit approval of and acceptance of the benefits and responsibilities outlined in those Documents as they apply to you. If you have questions, please state them in the space below.
C. You have or will lose your license due to three crashes in three years if you do not receive this training.
(3). If you need to enroll in the Three-in-Three (three crashes in three years) Course, please go to http://www.jodacollins.com/agreement.html and read the Introduction to All Contracts, Contract Seven (not Six) and Attachment One (found immediately after Contract Seven). Do you have any questions about any of those Documents? Having no questions is tacit approval of and acceptance of the benefits and responsibilities outlined in those Documents as they apply to you. If you have questions, please state them in the space below.
(4). If you are an employee of the Vocational Rehabilitation Department please go to http://www.jodacollins.com/agreement.html and read Contract Ten. Do you have any questions about Contract Ten? Having no questions is tacit approval of and acceptance of the benefits and responsibilities outlined in those Documents as they apply to you. If you have questions, please state them in the space below.
(5). If you are a customer of the Vocational Rehabilitation Department please go to http://www.jodacollins.com/agreement.html and read the Introduction to All Contracts, Contract Seven (not Six) and Attachment One (found immediately after Contract Seven). Do you have any questions about any of those Documents? Having no questions is tacit approval of and acceptance of the benefits and responsibilities outlined in those Documents as they apply to you. If you have questions, please state them in the space below.
SERVICES OFFERED
(1). If you are not a customer of the Vocational Rehabilitation Department, would you like a quote for door-to-door service? If, “yes,” what is the address, including zip code, where you want training to begin and end?
(2). Are you using the Joda Collins Driving Academy for parking and three-point turn training?
(3). Are you using the Joda Collins Driving Academy vehicle for over-the-road, in-traffic training?
(4). If you are NOT using the Joda Collins Driving Academy for 100% of the training, whose vehicle will you be using for the training (in whole or in part)?
(5). Is the driver recognized by your insurance company as an insured driver for that vehicle? If, “yes,” please provide, in the space below,
(a). The year, make (such as Chevrolet) and model (such as Impala), and the VIN (vehicle identification number).
(b). The telephone number, including area code, of the insurance office I can call to verify insurance coverage.
TRAINING GOAL OR GOALS
(1). As the student-driver, what is your goal or what are your goals for driver training?
(2). If the student-driver is not paying for the driver’s training, what is the goal or what are the goals for driver training person paying for the training has for the student-driver?
(3). If the two answers above are not the same, I (Joda Collins) will need to know, after discussion between the student-driver and the client, what they have come to agree on is the goal or are the goals of driver training. I can only train in one direction at a time. A word to the wise, it is nearly impossible to teach people what they are not motivated to learn. Putting pressure on a person to work harder and learn more than he or she wants to seldom provides the internal motivation to work harder to learn more than the person wants to.
PAYMENT
A. After:
(1). We are agreed on the fee, and
(2). If you are paying with a Visa or MasterCard credit or debit card, and
(3) If you want to use this secure payment method,
I will direct you to this web site address and this Section for payment.
SECTION TWO
PARKING AND
THREE-POINT TURN
(Turn-About)
850 981-3355
54i
e
Welcome to
JODA COLLINS
DRIVING ACADEMY LLC
Behind-the-Wheel Training
Serving Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa Counties since 2008!
Please read your Service Agreement (Contract) Carefully! Thank you.
Working Agreements/Service Contacts
CONTRACT FOUR Also known as Attachment One Basics
SECTION 1. CONTRACT(S)
For all legal documents, unless otherwise obvious, first person (I, me) is Joda Collins Driving Academy LLC. Second person (you) is the Client, or the Student-driver as clarified by the context.
A. LIMITED LIABILITY CLAUSES/PROVISIONS
(1). 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 for any person that is in excess of the liability specified in any signed or agreed on legal document. Agreement testified by email is considered binding.
B. CONTRACTUAL COMMITMENTS
(1). Children cannot be, legally, held accountable for anything they sign; however, I require anyone under the age of 18 to agree to and sign some documents found at http://www.jodacollins.com/agreement.html .
(2). I do not expect anyone to memorize the content of any legal document. Contracts exists not for memorization, but so a person can determine if he or she wants to engage in business with the agency, and for mutual protection if confusion arises that can be resolved by reference to the Agreement (Contract). (a). I do expect a person to be gracious towards me if I remind them of something in a Contract he or she forgot.
(3). A person is no better than their word. I will honor my word (Contract) with you. I expect you to show me the same consideration.
(4). It is estimated that, in our culture today, 80% of those that sign a Contract never read it. Dangerous! 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 or did not understand the content or intent of any specified legal documents. (a). Read, ask, understand, and approve is the honorable, respectful, and mature business procedure. It is the formula for a good working relationship. (b). Do not understand, do not ask, just assume, and/or do not read is a dishonorable, disrespectful, immature and is wrong. Such dishonor, disrespect and immaturity is the best formula for future difficulties between us. I have no and do not honor any verbal agreements not assumptions. (5). I do not honor anything that follows, "But you said...!" No matter who says it, including me. I do not honor anything that follows, "But I thought...!" I do not honor anything that follows, "But I assumed...!"
(6). If you can suggest a way to shorten your legal documents without removing important information, I (Joda Collins) would be grateful. (7). 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. (8). If you think anything in the legal documents is unfair or unreasonable, let me know, in print BEFORE YOU AGREE TO IT, how you want the challenged section to read, and I will consider your recommended rewrite. The only thing I will not consider changing are my charges; I cannot charge less and stay in business.
(9). I reserve the right to create a Contract for anyone that is different from my on-line/website Contract. (10). I (Joda Collins) reserve the right to refuse service to anyone for any reason, expressed or not. (11). I (Joda Collins) reserve the right to require a signed and notarized paper Contract and full payment in my possession before scheduling any service.
(12). 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 other arrangements for card verification are made. I cannot, by law, do financial business with anyone except the contractually stated and agree-on financially responsible person, even if said person is related to the financially responsible person. (13). Contracts and/or contract proposals, including fee quotes are not guaranteed until the Contract is OFFICIALLY accepted by the Client. Contracts expire 30-days from approval if no lesson has been completed in that period of time, and 90-days after the most recent paid for lesson is completed. (14). It is the Client's responsibility to keep the Student-driver apprised of all matters relative. It is the Student-driver's responsibility to keep the Client' apprised of all matters.
2. COMMUNICATION A. If you do not get an email reminder of your driving session between 12:01am and 8:30pm the day before your driving appointment EVEN IF YOU RECEIVED A REMINDER/CONFIRMATION EARLIER, there IS a scheduling problem. Please call 850 981-3355 or email to discover the problem so I can try to resolve the difficulty. (1). Without your phone call or email, with at least a two-hour notice, I will not be able to resolve this difficulty and will not assume any responsibility or liability for this missed lesson. B. All Clients commit to read (or look for) my emails at least once every 24-hours and one-hour before any scheduled lesson. Clients and student-drivers will not hold me (Joda Collins) responsible for anything or any charge that arises from you failing to do that. I hold myself responsible to look for your email every 24-hours and one hour before all scheduled lessons, and I will not hold any student-driver or client responsible for anything or any loss of fees that arises from me failing to do that.
C. I do not operate my business like you would if you owned it. I operate my business like a man with 16-year's experience in this profession, applying 16-years of learning. D. HOW TO READ MY CONTRACTS
(1). Slowly, carefully, completely, intelligently, inquisitively, and as if a failure to understand will cause you unnecessary stress and unnecessary added expense, because it will.
(2). Ignore the things in all legal documents you like and agree with. When they happen, you will like it. (3). Make a list of all questions you have and ask before agreeing to anything. (4). Make a written list of the things you do not like so you can ask for changes to them or prepare for them.
E. 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.
F. To avoid confusion, I do not verbally clarify, discuss, debate or negotiate legal documents (Contracts) after my initial contract with a prospect.
G. 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. H. It is the student-driver's responsibility to keep informed of facts, figures, commitments and obligations by the client. It is the client's responsibility to keep informed of facts, figures, commitments and obligations by the student-driver.
I. TELEPHONE
(1). I seldom answer my telephone for several excellent reasons I will gladly share if requested.
(2). If you do not receive a response from me within 14-hours after your email or voice mail, I did not get it. (3). AFTER the Contract is approved by all parties, I do not return phone calls to talk about or address anything relative to scheduling, service or fees. (a). 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 approved by all parties. My mailing address is 4033 Buttonbush Dr., Milton, FL 32583. This is NOT my business address. Thank you for not coming to this address unannounced. (b). AFTER the Contract is approved by all parties, if a phone call is made to me regarding scheduling, service or fees, with a request to return that phone call, there is a $15 charge for that return phone call service. I will not assume responsibility for no voice mail capacity and make many calls hours, days and or weeks later hoping someone will answer. I will make three call attempts in a row, however.
J. I have an administrative office; however, I do all business by phone, voice mail, email or US Postal System. K. If you 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, asking me to repeat, review, reconstruct, paraphrase, direct you to, or cut and paste from the online/website Contract(s) is not FREE.
L. 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.
SECTION 3: FINANCES/MONEY
A. After you (the Client) approve the legal documents, for every inquiry that requires me to repeat information in the legal documents there is a $15 charge, otherwise my life is consumed with hours of answering endless questions, for free, about already accepted and approved contractual commitments. Ask before you sign, please.
B. Cancelation with less than a two-hour notice will incur a charge. Check your Contract details.
C. I accept cashier's check, money order, cash (but no cash in the mail, unless otherwise encouraged, and no cash for the initial payment). I accept Visa or MasterCard Credit or Debit card. I accept personal check, upon approval for lessons two and following, but not for the initial lesson, unless approved.
D. In 2023, my total profit (salary) was $11.05 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). If I wasn't working 60 to 70-hours per week, I could not make a living.
E. I do not accept prepayment for unscheduled lessons.
F. I do allow scheduling for unpaid lessons as far at 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.
G. The first training session has to be paid for and in my possession in advance of scheduling.
H. Double check my facts and figures with your Contract.
I. Non-refundable fees are for money paid for services already rendered. Normal people do not expect money back for a meal already eaten, a tank of gas already used, or a service already rendered. J. If you pay with a money order or cashier's check and send it in the mail, even though I have never lost anything in the mail or had anything ever sent to me in the mail that got lost, there may be a first time, so keep your proof of purchase because I will not give financial credit on the bases of, "But I mailed it to you!" K. CERTIFICATE FEE (Certificate is Optional)............$30
SECTION 4: TRAINING MATTERS
A. I will not teach students that are strongly devoted overriding my instructions because the crash probability is too high. Someone has to make the final decisions regarding safety. If the student feels more qualified to be the final decision maker, I will consider taking driving lessons from that student. B. THE THREE-POINT TURN (1). I will teach the three-point turn in my vehicle ONLY after a driver has memorized the steps for the three-point turn well enough to quote the without hesitation or error and upon request. (a). Those steps, if using my (Joda Collins) vehicle, are: (1). Slow, right, look, signal, stop. Look, go slow & turn fast, stop, reverse. Look, go slow & turn fast, stop, drive. Look, go slow & turn fast, accelerate. (b). Those steps, if using any vehicle that is not the Joda Collins vehicle are: (1). Slow, right, look, signal, stop. Turn, look, coast, stop, reverse. Turn, look, coast, stop, drive. Turn, look, coast, accelerate.
(2). Under most circumstances, 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. (a). I suggest doing the three-point turn training as soon as possible to avoid coming to the end of your 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.
(3). Because of rack/pinon damage caused, and excessive wear on the tires, I will not teach the three-point turn in my vehicle by allowing the driver to do it over and over and over until driver memorizes the steps. (a). I will teach the three-point turn by allowing the driver to do it over and over and over until driver memorizes the steps in any vehicle other than my own anytime and under any circumstances.
C. Student-driver must have a valid license or a valid permit. If student-driver has a permit, driver cannot drive after sunset for 91-days after the date of issue of said permit.
D. I will not train out of skill capability sequence. (1). 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. (2). I will not extensively train a driver to drive safely in congested traffic if that driver cannot drive safely in mild traffic. (3). 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!
E. Driving and/or Training Between Lessons
(1). Before I address this, I want to be sure we are in agreement about the following.
(a). One-hundred percent is a huge number. (b). Never, is a very, very long time. (c). "Too many cooks spoil the broth." (1). "In 1575, the English historian John Hooker wrote The Life and Times of Sir Peter Carew. In that he included the line: 'Too many cooks spoil the broth." At that time, Hooker considered the statement a long standing proverb. This proverb had 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!
(2). If we are in agreement about the above, then consider the following:
(a). 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.
(b). 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.
(3). 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.
F. After lesson verbal report. Most Clients do not want an after-lesson verbal report because if 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 for to provide a report.
G. 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.
H. With the exception of those using Contract Seven and the occasional instance when I just do not know, 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. 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.
J. I have vocal cord damage from severe Covid19 and 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.
K. 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 truck 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. L. 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. Drivers, when no
M. SCHEDLING (1). Only the client can cancel, schedule or reschedule appointments.
(a). 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. The paper copy is presented at the start of training. 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.
(2). I (Joda Collins) do not reschedule due to adverse weather conditions that are short of the severity that requires a National Weather Advisory. A scary forecast of wind and rain (storm) is NOT a National Weather Advisory. (a). However, if you (the Client and/or the Student-driver) are fearful due to adverse weather conditions, I do allow cancelation and rescheduling with no financial ramifications (penalties/charges), if you provide to me, at least, a two-hour notice by email or phone (voice mail).
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. 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 how to allow 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. (2). While you are in the vehicle front passenger's seat or back seat unless the vehicle is stationary other than to answer the phone and ask the caller to wait while I pull over and out of traffic. Then, use your cell phone for your conversation. However, the time on the phone is taken from the training time. (3). When you are in the back seat, except to let the caller know you will be with them after the vehicle is stopped and ask them to wait.
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 120-MINUTE LESSONS May 29, 2024
Ignore the parts you like. Make a written list of the parts you do not like.
1. CHARGES/FEES FOR LESSON ONE. All initially stated charges are for a 60-minute lesson. The fee adjustment for longer lessons are listed herein.
Services, after provided, are non-refundable. All other services are refundable only in accord with contractual agreement/provisions.
A. Enrollment/Registration Service..................$99
(1). All non-refundable fees are per Contract,
not per student or per lifetime
(2). This is a one-time fee and non-refundable.
It 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 date. B. Two or More Person Contract Service...... $15
(1). This is a one-time administrative charge that only applies if the Student-driver and the Client (financially responsible person or Agency) are NOT the same person and the Client does NOT live in the same residence as the Student-driver. This fee, once paid, is non-refundable. C. Appointment Scheduling............................$27 (1). This $27 fee is non-refundable and non-transferable to any other date or time.
D. Door-to-door charge is $2.95 per round trip mile, per lesson ............................$______
(1). This charge was (is) provided to you via email.
E. No Email Extra Administration Expense. $108
(1). This is a one-time no-refund charge.
F. 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 two per year. G. Vehicle Charge #1......................................$21 (1). Parking and/or three-point turn use of the Joda Collins Driving Acdy vehicle. H. The total of A through G above is....$_____
I. Tuition (for one-hour lessons)..................$128 Adjustment for lessons in excess of one-hour will follow. The best learning curve is 75 or 90-minute lessons.
J. Vehicle Charge (for one-hour lessons)
(1). Vehicle Use Charge #2.........................$23
(a). This per lesson fee only applies if the Student-driver is using the Joda Collins Driving Academy vehicle for over-the-road training lesson rather than another person's insured vehicle for the lesson. K. Training Day (for one-hour lessons) Adjustment for lessons in excess of one-hour will follow. (1). Training on Friday or Saturday............ $25
L. The total of I, J, and K above...............$_____ The best learning curve is 75 or 90-minute lessons. M. If you are using: (1). 60-minute lessons, add...........zero dollars (2). 75-minute lessons, add 25% of the amount in line L above = ..................$______ (3). 90-minute lessons, add 50% of the amount noted in L above =................$______ (4). One-hour and 45- minute lessons, add 75% of amount in L above fees = .............................................................$______ (5). If you are using two-hour lessons, then double the amount in H, above =.........$______ N. The total of one, and ONLY one amount, from M(1 through 5) is.....................$______ PAYMENT METHOD O. If you are paying with an approved
form rather than a Visa or MasterCard Credit or Debit card, multiply the total in N above by .93 (point 93) for a 7% discount. What is that total after you drop the cents?...................$______
The amount, above, is your relevant total.
2. THE CHARGE FOR LESSON TWO AND FOLLOWING. One-hour lessons initially quoted.
A. Training Appointment Scheduling.............$27 (1). This is non-refundable and non-transferable to any other lesson date or time.
(2). This fee is charged for one to six lessons, starting with lesson two. Schedule up to six lessons with one email, pay for all scheduled lessons with one payment and do not miss, cancel or reschedule any lesson for any reason, and pay only $21 for scheduling six lessons, rather than $21 per lesson for scheduling.
B. Door-to-Door Service Fee, if any, is shared with you in an email. It is................ $_______ C. After Lesson Progress Report Service........$6
(1). This is a mandatory report because it is very important to the Student's progress.
D. The total of the charges in A, B and C above is............................................................$_____
E. Tuition (for one-hour lesson)....................$128
Adjustment for more than one-hour lessons follows. The best learning curve is 75 or 90-minute lessons. F. Joda Collins' vehicle use charge for training (for one-hour lesson) .............................$23
Adjustment for more than one-hour lessons follows.
G. Training Day Fee (for one-hour lesson) (1). Tues, Wed or Thurs, add....... zero dollars
(2). Friday or Saturday, add....................... $25 H. Total of fees in E, F & G above.............$_____
Section I (eye) below, Items (1) through (5) should only be one selection (one charge). The best learning curve is 75 or 90-minute lessons. I. If you are using (1). 60-minute lessons, add...........zero dollars (2). 75-minute lessons, add 25% of the amount in line H above = .......................... $_____ (3). 90-minute lessons, add 50% of the amount in line H above =.................................. $_____ (4). One hour and 45-minute lessons, add 75% of the amount in line H above = ....... $_____ (5). Two-hour lessons, then double amount found in line H above =..........................$_____ J. The total of D above which is $_____, and H above which is $_______, plus one amount in I(eye) above which is $_______ =....................................................$_____ PAYMENT METHOD K. If you are paying with a cashier's check or money order, rather than a Visa or Master Card Credit or Debit card, multiply the total in J above by .93 (point 93) for a 7% discount. What is that total after dropping cents.............$______ The amount above is your total.
Fees noted above do not take into account any Rebate.
3. REBATE
A. Rebates do not apply to Friday or Saturday lessons. B. Starting with lesson two, if you schedule two or more lessons with one email, pay for all of them with one payment, and do not miss, cancel or reschedule any lesson for any reason (other than fear of adverse weather) including reasons that fall into the category of acts of God, aka, "not your fault," or "unavoidable," your rebate paid to you at the start of the last paid for lesson, in the current series of prepaid lessons is as follows. (a). One (Tue, Wed, Thurs) lesson = 0% dollars. (b). Two (Tue, Wed, Thurs) lessons = $6 (c). Three (Tue, Wed, Thurs) lessons = $12 (d). Four (Tue, Wed, Thurs) lessons = $20 (e). Five (Tue, Wed, Thurs) lessons = $30 (f). Six (Tue, Wed, Thurs) lessons = $42 plus $6 per additional Tue, Wed and Thursday lesson. (1). Missing, canceling or rescheduling a lesson or lessons does not negate the Rebate, but it does reduce the Rebate to the Rebate percent equal to the previous amount.
4. PAYMENT A. 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. B. 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. C. REFUND POLICY (1). To secure a full refund of unused funds including any door-to-door fees, minus the Enrollment Fee and Scheduling Fee, the Client must provide more than a two-hour notice. The Enrollment Fee and Scheduling Fee is non-refundable because they are payment for services already provided.
(2). If you (the Client) provide less than a two-hour notice of a missed lesson but more than a 15-minute notice, 75% of your non-refundable fees, excluding door-to-door fees, are refundable.
(3). If you miss a driving session with less than a 15-minute notice from the Client, 50% of your fees you paid in advance are refundable excluding door-to-door fees (if any) and non-refundable fees.
(4). If you did not get an email reminder between 12:01am and 8:30pm the day prior to your lesson, even if you received a reminder two or more days prior to your appointment, there is a scheduling problem. Please contact me (Joda Collins) immediately or I will not assume any responsibility for that missed lesson.
5. LESSON SPECIFICS
A. The best learning curve is 75 or 90-minute lessons.
B. HOW MANY LESSONS WILL IT TAKE TO REACH YOUR DRIVING GOAL(S)?
C. If, and only if, the Client rides for the first lesson, I will provide an estimate of future progress.
D. Driving between lessons will probably increase number of lessons I will need to have the driver at his or her driving training goal
CONTRACT SEVEN
THREE-IN-THREE TRAINING for drivers who have had three crashes/ tickets in three years. Information (facts and figures) edited 8/3/2024
Ignore the parts you like. Make a written list of the parts you do not like.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION
2. ADDRESSING THE ELEPHANT IN THE CAR.
3. CERTIFICATION AND RECORDING OF THIS TRAINING.
4. CHARGES, PAYMENT AND SCHEDULING
5. WHEN IS YOUR PAYMENT DUE?
6. DISCLAIMERS
1. INTRODUCTION
A. No one fails. Everyone passes. Training with me is not a test. 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, and 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 Q and A, it detracts from all of this. Questions that do not relate to those 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 get to them all before the four-hours of training is over. So far, after 16-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 me. (c). Allow me to lead the training rather than try to direct it with a barrage of questions.
(d). Want to learn to be a safer driver and are willing to put in the effort.
2. 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 16-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 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, 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. 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. 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. End of sermon. Thank you for reading.
3. 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, 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 48 business hours (weekday/non-holiday), let me know. Something is wrong.
4. CHARGES, PAYMENT AND SCHEDULING
A. You will receive a notice of the non-refundable under any conditions down payment required, the minimum total due and the possible maximum total due. (1). The non-refundable down payment of $190 must be paid before scheduling. (2). The balance due will be charged within 24-hours of your appointment. (3). If, for any reason, there is a refund of any amount due, a notice of said refund will be emailed to the Client within 12-hours of the completion of the training and that refund will be mailed to the Client within two business days. (4). When I (Joda Collins) am paid in full, I will turn in your completion to the State. (5). Payment guarantees the terms, fees and conditions of your Contract for 90-days from the date of payment. B. 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, nor accept cash in the mail. (3). BE SURE TO KEEP YOUR PROOF OF PURCHASE. While we have never had anything we mailed or anything mailed to us lost in the mail in the full 16-years I have been in business (or in my entire life), but there may be a first time. (a). I do not assume responsibility for the mistakes, failures or problems of others, including postal workers. I have enough of my own.
A. STANDARD BASE SERVICE IF PAYING WITH VISA OR MASTERCARD CREDIT OR DEBIT CARD. (1). Registration/Enrollment Application.......$150 (a). 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 $150 fee is non-refundable because it is for service already rendered. (2). Scheduling Fee and/or Rescheduling Service...................................................$15 (a). 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 as it is for service already rendered. Schedule two two-hour sessions, add $55.00. Miss the second two-hour session, forfeit the $55 fee.
(3). Time Reservation and/or Re-reservation Service...........................$25 (a). 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. (b). 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 non-transferrable to any other date and time than the date and time scheduled, because they are for services already rendered. I do not serve nor work for free. "Time is money." Ben Franklin. I trade my time (life) and expertise for money.
(4). Tuition (Other expenses and 7 to 9% Profit)......$512 (a). All of my tuition for all students is $128 per hour. $128 times four hours = $512.00.
(5). Training Day (a). Training on a Friday or Saturday in whole or in part...................................................$44 (6). Additional Service Fee on Account.......$200 (a). This fee (at my, Joda Collins, discretion) will be refunded in full if there are no Additional Fees as clarified/itemized in the remainder of this Contract. It is possible that additional charges beyond the $200 will apply as clarified in (7) through (20) below. Additional fees, beyond this $200 will not exceed and additional $175.00. (b). I charge this fee in advance because $100 to $200 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 many positive experiences wherein a driver incurs additional charges as contracted, and the client cheerfully pays me the promised additional fee.
(7). AFTER TRAINING REPORT..................$24 (a). The purpose of this report is to provide the driver with a written list of 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. (b). 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.
(8). Total Base Fees (Items 1-7 above).....$970
(9). Registration/Enrollment Application Rejection/Non-Follow Through is $0 or $18.........$____ (a). When a prospect enrolls but does not follow through with scheduling within 90-days of enrollment, I get paid a token fee of $18 for my one to two hours of work to enroll the first time.
(10). Extra Administration Service if the Student-driver and the Client are NOT the same person is $0 or $50..........................................................$____
(11). Insurance Verification Service. $0 or
$25.......................................................................$_____ (a). If you are driving a vehicle that is not registered to you, I contact the registered owner's insurance provider to verify you are an insured driver of said vehicle. (12). Door-to-door Service (if applicable)..$____ (a). This fee is provided to you via email after the Client provides to me the start and end address for the training. (13). 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. $0 or $25.......$_____ (a). 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. 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. (14). Service charge for using the
Joda Collins vehicle for over-the-road /
in-traffic training rather than another
insured vehicle for no added fee. $0 or $120....$_____ (1). 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 and assume all liability for $120.00. This is twice the fee paid by others, because, on average, three-in-three driver drives twice to three times as far as others. (15). RETURNING DRIVER? $0 or $43.$____ (a). Drivers that have taken this four-hour course before are charged a $43 service fee returning driver fee for reasons I will clarify if asked.
(16). Total of Additional (to Base Fees) Pre or Post Training Fees Items 9 through 15.........................................................................$_____
(17). Add the total on line (8) to the
total on line (16). That total is..........................$_____
This is your sub-total if paying with a Visa or MasterCard Credit or Debit Card. Subtract 7% if you are paying with a cashier's check.
(18). Lack of Memorization Fees, if applicable. (a). 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 ..............$50 (1). If this is memorized well enough to quote it without hesitation and upon request, this fee will not be charged, or if charged will be refunded. Failure to memorize this eats up training time and puts added pressure on me to do all the training required by the State. (b). 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 .......................$100 (1). If this is memorized well enough to quote it without hesitation and upon request, this fee will not be charged, or if charged will be refunded. (c). 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, "I know my name, but I forgot it so that proves I memorized it." (d). If you want to know the reason for this fee, go to Attachment Two, Section One.
The maximum charge is for accumulated charges noted below, not to exceed $175 more than the amount above in (17) above. I, Joda Collins, reserve the right to collect, prior to training, up to the maximum and refund all unused funds.
(19). Additional Possible Fees
(20). Failure to follow written instructions and /or create unnecessary and administration expense..................................................$10 per failure. (a). To incur this fee, said failure must cause me (Joda Collins) added admin effort. Maximum charge is $70.00. (21). Declined Credit or Debit Card Fee.......$10 (22). I do not use the telephone for business, unless....TELEPHONE RETURN CALL AND/OR TEXT REQUEST FEE.........................$10 per call and/or text. (23). Contract Alteration Fee.......................$30 (a). Any change in Contract fees, due to any change not related to my (Joda Collins') action, after Contract fees are approved but before the training begins, incurs this fee.
(24). Training in two, two-hour sessions rather than one four-hour session............................$65 (a). This fee is non-transferrable to any other date or time unless I, Joda Collins, request a change of appointment or in the event of a National Weather Advisory for Escambia or Santa Rosa Counties. A scary forecast of wind and/or rain is NOT a National Weather Advisory. (25). Partial Payment Fee..............................$20 (a). Not paying in full within 96-hours of the completion of training. (b). This fee covers the average bookkeeping expense to create, carry and close a charge. (26). Training on a Friday or Saturday...........$35 (27). Credit/Debit Card Charge Denial Response BEFORE the Training is Completed.......$18 (a). This takes time, and time is money.
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 for me to change any behavior in order to avoid any of these charges.
D. 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.
(28). Aggravation Fee........................$50 to $100 depending on my perception of the degree of aggravation. (a). 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, or waste my energy telling me why you disagree with traffic laws and prefer to make up your own rules of the road to replace State and Federal traffic laws. Do not tell me, directly or by insinuation, I am wrong, and you are right without givng me a chance to finish my thoughts/presentation of the matter. If I ask you a question that can be answered by "yes" or "no," have the courtesy to give me a "yes" or "no" answer rather than provide a discourse or monologue. 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. 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 four-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. 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 15-years of experience. I hope, in your case, I am wrong, and you are the exception to the norm.
(b). 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 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 a holy life characterized by...(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). (29). Chatterbox Fee...................................$21 (a). Excessive chatter does the following.
(1). It makes it more difficult for me to concentrate on the 35 driving skills needed to drive with maximum safety.
(2). It makes it harder for me concentrate on the driver's most pressing needs.
(3). It makes me nervous and causes me extra stress.
(a). 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 about 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 the one student is my class.
(30). Interrogation Fee.................................$35 (a). 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 irritate and interrogate me for four-hours. (b). 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. (c). If I do not get to all of your questions by the end of the training, as long as I am alive, you can email me any questions you have, and I will answer them free of charge. (31). 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 $100 depending on my determination of the degree of poor comprehension. (a) If a student-driver or the client (if not the same person) does not exhibit, in my 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. (b). I practically beg those I serve to carefully read my Contacts. About 80% of those I serve that are non three-in-three drivers carefully read the Contract. About 80% of three-in-three drivers do NOT carefully read the Contract. I consider that disrespectful towards me. I get paid more to be disrespected. ............................(c). I do not like being around people that are not truthful. There is something about the countenance and behavior of liars that irks me. I can't put it in words, but I know it when I am in the presence of liars. I can see it and I can feel it in the air. It is extremely irritating to 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 created by their lack of understanding. (32). Reading Assignment Failure.................$38 (a). 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. (33). Failure to follow safe-driving directions and/or traffic laws......................................................$75 (a). The following things should be understood before the start of training. (1). I am 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 of just empty-headed putting in the time to mark it off a to do list. (2). One of us has to be nervous when I give driving directions 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 crash or the student-driver has to be nervous and follow my directions and we do not crash. I opt for the first scenario. (3). Sometimes drivers do not follow my directions because: (a). They think they are better-qualified drivers than me and feel obligated to ignore my directions if they disagree . (b). 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. (c). Overriding fear. (d). Arrogance towards or defiance of authority. (No one is going to tell them what to do!) (e). Anger issues. (f). Distrust (g). Hatefulness. (h). Cognitive (mental) or emotional problems that are not their fault. (i). Narcissistic, sociopathic or psychopathic tendencies. (j). 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 and, if crippled or killed, just as crippled or dead. Therefore, the reasons for failing to follow my directions 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 four-hours with a driver who, for any reason, is committed to do as they want, not as I ask. I am putting my life in the hands of a person that is, according to the State of Florida unfit to keep his or her driver license at his or her current driving safety skill level. No offense is intended, but it is what it is. When my life and limb are in greater, unnecessary and added danger because of the shortcomings of others, I charge more. My life and limb are valuable; at least worth $75.00. The stress the student-driver puts me under by riding with a dangerous driver for four-hours, who is committed, come Hell or high water, to driving dangerously, or who is emotionally or psychologically unable to drive safely and/or in accord with my instructions is worth at least $75.00. (34). Credit/Debit Card Charge Denial Response AFTER the Training is Completed...........$25
(35). PARKING IN THE WRONG PLACE.....$13 (a). 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. I use this place for many meetings. I ask my Clients and Student-driver to park in a space facing the side of the building in order to keep the front of the building parking spaces free for paying customers of this business. 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 $13.00. (36). THE CLIENT'S INABILITY TO PRODUCE, IN PERSON, THE PHYSICAL CHARGE OR DEBIT CARD AT THE START OF THE TRAINING.................................................$32 (a). You, 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. E. UNNECESSARY DISCOMFORT FEE (37). Excessive Acceleration Fee................$40 (a). 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. 5. WHEN IS YOUR PAYMENT DUE? (a). Unless otherwise arranged, agreed, or stated in your Contract, payment is due in full before scheduling. 6. 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 will do it. C. It is my 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. D. 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.
F. Additional disclaimers, as noted in Contract Four, also apply.
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, 2024
If you want a paper copy of this mailed to you, just ask. Or, you can copy and paste to another format.
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 name of the VR Customer.
B. The name of the VR adult representative for the Customer if the VR Customer is not representing him or herself in all matters.
C. The contact information for the VR Customer or the adult representing the interests of the VR Customer.
(1). Said person's name, restated.
(2). Telephone number
(3). Mailing address.
(4). Physical address.
(5). Email address.
D. Any information on the condition of the Student-driver that might affect safety when driving in traffic.
E. The service/financial VR Authorization.
3. FINANCES: VR AUTHORIZATION SUGGESTED STATEMENT FOR FIRST FINANCIAL AUTHORIZATIONS A. 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.)
(1). "Five (5) weekday 90-minute driving lessons @ $193 per lesson ($965 total). or
(2). "Five (5) weekday and/or Saturday driving lessons @ $200 per lesson ($1,000 total) minus $7 for each weekday lesson. (3). All charges for everyone except the VR increased in July 2024. That equal increase is delayed until January 1, 2024 for the VR. (4). Door-to-door service is $2.42 per round trip mile. Provide to me the start location address and I will provide to you the to the penny fee for door-to-door service.
(5). CHANGE REQUEST FOR FINANCES FOR AND NOT UNTIL 2025. AUTHORIZATION SUGGESTED STATEMENTS FOR 2025.
For 2025 charge increase brings the VR charges to about 80% to 85% of what individuals are charged (depending on several variables).
B. The following as found in (1) or (2) 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 @ $225 per lesson equals $_________.”
----or----
(2). "_______ 90-minute driving lessons @ $240 per lesson equals $_________, minus $15 per lesson for not training on a Friday or Saturday.
C. 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.
D. Sending me the Authorization is the same thing as approving this Service Contract/Agreement. 4. A TRIPLE CHECK TO BE SURE I (JODA COLLINS) PROCESSED THE AUTHORIZATION A. Every once in a while I miss an email. My best efforts to avoid this mistake, sometimes fail. I have a triple check system to be sure I did not miss an emailed Authorization. (1). I respond immediately to the VR Representatives 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.
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. The purple print was added 11/28/24.
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 does not have a driver license, training begins with learning how to pass the State Driving Exam as it is given at the W Street (Marcus Point) DMV office if driver lives in Escambia or Okaloosa County or the Gulf Breeze DMV if driver lives in Santa Rosa County, then the General Safety Course, then the Defensive Driving Course; funding permitting. (1). If driver is not licensed and has permit for more than one year, 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. (2). If a driver fails his/her State exam due to a failed three-point turn attempt, I will provide 15 to 60-minutes (my decision on time commitment) of FREE three-point turn training in any vehicle but my own, limited to 90-days after the failed driver license exam, 120-days after the most recent completed paid for lesson, or 18-months after the issue date of the drivers permit, whichever is longer. C. At least one nighttime driving session is recommended if I (Joda Collins) deem driver safe enough to drive at night. 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. If the Student-driver is NOT using any other vehicle besides the Joda Collins Driving Acdy vehicle, please inform me (Joda Collins) immediately, as the above memory list will be changed. E. The student-driver asked to give his or her best attempt to memorize the following before the start of lesson two:
(1). Slow, right, look, signal, stop. Turn, look, coast, stop, reverse Turn, look, coast, stop, drive. Turn, look, coast... (a). If this is not memorized by the start of lesson two, some time will be devoted to memorizing this during lesson two, with the vehicle stationary.
(b). This work is far easier than compared to the knowledge and memory work required to pass the written State driver exam. (1). However, 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 to one hour, at no charge to you and no charge to the VR. So far, every student, except one, that has taken advantage of this FREE offer, has memorized the material using this FREE service. The one student was an O.D.D. sufferer, which is a very rare condition that severely hinders all training/learning.
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.
(a). The missed lesson fee is 50% of the total charge for that lesson, plus 100% of the door-to-door fee if I arrive to your start location with no notice from you of cancelation.
(2). Rescheduling Administration Fee
(a). For every lesson that is missed, canceled or rescheduled, including lessons missed, canceled or rescheduled that were not your fault (otherwise known as unavoidable or acts of God), there is a re-scheduling fee of $30 to cover the administration effort. The VR does, often, pay for one-half of that expense ($15). You pay for the $15 remainder. (1). If you cancel for fear of adverse weather, there is no rescheduling fee.
(3). 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).
(4). Schedule from our web site (www.jodacollins.com) Available Dates and Times Section, in accordance with directions there.
3. RIDERS
A. 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
A. 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.
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 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 .
Eetcc
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 $1.94 per (in car) minute. Requirements:
1. This training must be added to an existing lesson of 75 or more minutes.
2. The training has to take place in the Client's insured vehicle.
3. The maximum training time per 75 -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.
Today, my FREE three point turn consisted of testing you while you were in the passenger's seat with me in the driver's seat to see if you memorized the steps for the three-point turn. In total it took only about three to five minutes to do so, which included driving to the location for the three point turn, providing instruction to you to state the steps from memory, and me doing them to show you what the steps looked like in real life and changing sides with you to begin the paid driving session.
You ACED the memorizing the steps. When the three to five minutes of FREE training was over, I changed places with you to begin the paid training. We started the lesson at 2:25pm and ended the lesson at 3:47pm; a total of one hour and 22- minutes or 82-minutes of training of which five was devoted to free three point turn training leaving 75-minutes of paid training and 2-minutes of additional free training. I always try to go a couple of minutes over to be fair.
At the end of the training you shared with me that you were not allowed to do any of the FREE three-point turn training. I shared with you that you did get the FREE three- point training. You seemed confused and I shared with you that I would clarify with an email. This is that email.
However, I know what you meant. What you meant was that you were not allowed to be behind-the-wheel of my car to do the three-point turn training for FREE. And that is correct. Before I put a driver behind the wheel for FREE three point turn training, I usually first verify the driver has memorized the steps well enough to quote them without hesitation, without error and upon request and show the driver those steps as they play out (are done) in real life. That is driver's training. Once I know a driver can quote the steps without error or hesitation, I put the driver behind-the-wheel to do those steps, which will be done the next lesson.
In contrast, if today, I would have spent five minutes driving to the three point turn location, clarifying what we were doing during the three-point turn, having the you quote the steps slowly so I could show them, then changed sides with you and then having you actually do the steps, the total amount of time I would have given to FREE training would have been closer to 15 minutes rather than five. Five minutes of FREE training is a about a $10 value. Fifteen minutes of free training is about a $29 gift. While I enjoy and want to give some free time, I seldom give $29 worth of my time for free in one lesson; not because I am negative towards giving the training, but because my lessons are often back to back, especially on Saturday and if I give 15-free minutes to every driver, that would mean I lost one full hour of training time every day (if I had four drivers), which is not unusual for a Saturday because Saturdays fill up first and fastest. That is too much free training to give and too much lost training (income) time.
Next lesson we will start the training with you behind-the-wheel to do the three point turn. The free training consists of everything relative to the three-point turn that you can do without unnecessary hesitation and without error. This limits my free gift to you to a limit I can give away and still make the most of my limited time I have to earn my living.
Thank you for your good question. I hope this clarifies and is a good answer to your good question.
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.
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
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