Talking to driving instructor Sophie Stuchfield.

I find out from Sophie what made her choose to become a driving instructor. She used to be a personal trainer but was tired of commuting into London from Watford everyday having chunks of the day with no clients plus working weekends so retrained as a driving instructor. 

If you thought taking your driving test was scary it's nothing to the training and tests needed to become an instructor. It may well explain why we have a lack driving instructors and such long waiting lists for lessons. Sophie (has a waiting list several months long) gives some great advice - if you're wanting to buy lessons for a 17th birthday look to book them months in advance. 

We compare notes from when I learnt to drive (pre compulsory seat belts!) and now. Oh how I remember the pressures of hill starts, roundabouts and reversing around corners (that bit no longer in the test.

Sophie points out that you're never actually alone in a car until you pass your test as someone else is always driving you somewhere - no wonder that first drive on your own can be so daunting! 

We chat about the lack or state of signage these days, use of sat navs, LED lights blinding you and reason why so many instructors won't teach in the dark now. We discuss possible new rules around eyetests etc. for 'older drivers and Sophie raises some interesting points about why it shouldn't be just for 'older' people. 

She chats about the fears so many drivers have and where some of those fears originate - so be careful if you're the driver and have children or other non-drivers in the car what you say about other drivers!

Her Tuesday quiz each week with 'Tester Anne' on Instagram Stories is a great refresher on the highway code and makes me realise how much I had forgotten or has been added since I learnt to drive. (Look out for answers including Lloyd, her dog and not hard to guess which football team Sophie supports!)  

Sophie is on social media @online_driving_instructor and YouTube @TheOnlineDrivingInstructor