Social Media is big business.  Not only for the companies themselves, but also for its millions of users who are using it to promote their businesses.

Having in excess of 1,000 ADI Facebook friends, I am in a privileged position to share thoughts, information and ideas with others in an instant, learn new things, gauge opinion by asking a question, or even advertise to my target audience if I need to.  But it would be very easy to alienate myself from my colleagues and potential customers if I wasn’t careful about how I use this fantastic (and free!) network.

Now I’m certainly no expert, but over the years I have noticed a fair few ADIs who are far less careful, and I have seen reputations tarnish within seconds of posting an inappropriate comment or picture.  This article is by no means intended as an attack on these individuals – in fact, quite the opposite!  I write it in the hope that ADIs new to Facebook can learn from the mistakes of others (including myself – I’m no saint!), and avoid pressing the ‘self-destruct’ button when it comes to joining the wonderful Social Media revolution.

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With effect from Monday 1st November 2010, the Driving Standards Agency will accept vehicles fitted with any type of electronic parking brake on practical driving tests.

Electronic parking brakes had until recently mainly been fitted to some higher specification vehicles, but now more mid-range vehicles are having them fitted, too, including the popular new Vauxhall Astra.

Marie Law DSA ADI, with her new driving school car

Until now, the DSA had refused the use of any vehicle fitted with this technology on driving tests, which in recent times has meant that ADIs have been restricted as to which training vehicle they choose. Marie Law, a driving instructor with Latics Driver Training in Oldham had been unaware of this restriction when she recently traded in her 2006 Vauxhall Astra at her local dealership in Rochdale for a brand new 2010 model which arrived with an electronic parking brake. After voicing her concerns, the salesman assured her that all new Vauxhalls were being fitted with the new parking brake. As Marie had purchased the car through Vauxhall’s Driving Instructor scheme, she took his word for it and drove off in her new car.

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