.
.(*
The Q and A Section follows the Registration Section
NO-OBLIGATION REGISTRATION #1 This is not an enrollment. This is information only. Completing this information is necessary for a fee quote. This is no-obligation request for information for Clients that are NOT 3/3 drivers. If you do not know what a 3/3 drive is, this IS your No-obligation Registration. If you are a 3/3 driver, read the next paragraph, then scroll down to No-Obligation Registration #2.
This web site is not interactive. Please return this information to me by email at jodacollins@aol.com or voice mail (850 981-3355) if you do not use email. You do not need to reproduce the following. Just provide the info in the order it is requested, and I will know from the order
how to interpret the information. You can copy and paste from this webpage.
1. CLIENT'S (financially responsible person's) INFORMATION AND SERVICE INQUIRIES.
If your funding is coming from an Agency, just list the name of the Agency and their telephone number. That is all I need. If your funding is not coming from an Agency, I need the following:
A. Your name
B. The Client's specified goal or goal for driver training. Be as general or as specific as you want.
C. Email address D. Telephone number(s) E. Complete mailing address, including City, State and Zip. F. Would you like a quote for door-to-door service. If so, please provide the complete street address, including city and zip or would you like to begin and end training lessons at my location just off of Interstate 10 at Exit 26? G. Training costs less if you use your vehicle for training. Do you anticipate using your vehicle or the Joda Collins Driving Academy Vehicle for training?
2. STUDENT-DRIVER'S INFORMATION H. Name
I. Removed J. Driver license or driver permit number K. Year of birth L. The Student-driver's specified goal or goals for driver training. Be as general or as specific as you want. M. Does the Student-driver and the Client, if not the same person, live in the same residence as the Client (financially responsible person)?
3. WHAT NEXT? I will contact you via email and walk you through the process that leads to training.
NO-OBLIGATION REGISTRATION #2
ONLY FOR STATE MANDATED TRAINING IN ORDER TO KEEP OR REGAIN YOUR DRIVER LICENSE
This is a request for information. This web site is not interactive. Please send this information to me by email at jodacollins@aol.com or voice mail (850 981-3355) if you do not use email. You do not need to reproduce the following. Just provide the info in the order it is requested. I can tell by your response what question you are responding to. You can copy and paste from this webpage. This Registration expires 60-days after completing it, 60-days after a payment or 90-days after the completion of your most recent driving lesson.
1. STUDENT-DRIVER INFORMATION
A. Your name exactly as it appears on your driver license or State ID (same number).
B. Your driver license or State ID Number.
C. Your date of birth.
D. The last four numbers of your Social Security Number:
E. Your third citation number. (This number, or series of letters, or a combination of letters and numbers if found in paperwork mailed to you from Tallahassee.)
F. If your driver license is not currently active, what is the date of your temporary (letter from the Tallahassee that denotes you must have that letter with you during the four hours of driver training). If your driver license is not currently valid and you do not have that letter (temporary), call 850 617 2000 to ask for it. Call as close to 7:01am and 7:05am on non-holiday weekdays to avoid a long hold time. (1). If you cannot get through you can request your temporary permit at (delete spaces):
https://flhsmv.service-now.com/csp?id=sc_cat_item_attachment&sys_id=6c7f9f9347959d101a1968aaf36d43d3 .
G. Are you the financially responsible person for driver training fees?
H. What is your telephone and/or cell number?
J. What is your physical address, including zip code? K. Have you ever had Three-in-Three training with me before? If so, how many times? L. Please scroll down to Contract Seven and read it carefully. It is not important that you understand it perfectly now, but is important that you read it carefully, one time, now. Thank you.
Q and A Section
This section is new and will develop as I have time to create it.
Dear Friends,
These are real emails sent to clients. I provide them so future clients and drivers do not have to receive any email like these and, hopefully, I will not have to write any more like these.
I have enjoyed a positive working relationship with more than 99% of those I have served.
I have had a strained working relationship with less than 1% of those I have served. One hundred percent of those that I have had a strained working relationship with had five things in common.
1. They did not or could not read the Agreement/Contract(s) well.
2. They did not ask relevant questions needed to understand the Agreement/Contract(s)
3. They did not keep their word.
4. They did not assume responsibility for their actions.
5. They assumed I would run my business like they would if they owned it and attempted to hold me responsible to them in accord with the way they would run my business if they owned it.
If you are not willing to read the Working Agreement/Contract(s) carefully, ask relevant questions to best ensure your understanding, are not willing to keep your word and/or are not a person that assumes responsibility for your actions, please do not employ me. It won't end well because I will hold you responsible for your word, that is, for what you sign. Feel free to ask as many questions as you want to before signing. I am open to considering changing anything except my charges. I cannot work for less and stay in business. If you sign the Contract and later have a concern, let me know your concern and let me try to resolve your concern.
If you will read the Working Agreement/Contract(s) carefully, keep your word and assume responsibility for your actions --WELCOME, WELCOME. I look forward to working for you and with you.
Just for fun, when reading the emails below, try to identify which of the three failures in each case caused the difficulties.
REAL EMAIL #1
Mr. Collins,
My son will have to cancel his training for now because he does not have the time to do the mandatory reading from the driving Workbook that your contract requires.
My Response: My Contract does not require any mandatory reading. It does provide some optional reading that will help the driver and will reduce the time needed behind-the-wheel and, therefore, save you money.
I never received a response.
REAL EMAIL #2 - My Response Only:
Dear Mr. Smith (not real name),
You brought up several concerns. Every concern is clarified in detail in the one-page Summary Agreement you signed. Please re-read your copy. Let me know, after reading your copy, if you have any lingering concerns. If you want to change something in our Contract, just ask. I am easy to work with. I just need to know what you want me to consider changing. The only thing I will not consider changing are my charges.
I never received a response from the above party.
REAL EMAIL #3 - My Response Only:
Dear Mrs. Jones (not real name),
I, too, am concerned about your Son's extremely low progress in driver's training.
You are highly motivated for him to learn to drive, but he is not even slightly motivated to learn to drive. He is taking lessons because you are paying for them and forcing him take driver's training. He made it clear to me, in your presence, before you and he signed the Contract and before you paid me any money that he did not want to take driver's training and that he would not work at it. I made it plain to you at that time that I felt paying for driver's training would be a waste of money.
He tells me that he has an abundance of family and friends, including you, who drive him anywhere he wants to go anytime he wants to go for FREE. He tells me that once he gets his license, he is going to have to pay for his own car, gas, car payments and insurance and those things will necessitate him getting a job. He does not want a job. He does NOT want to get his license. Therefore, he does not want to learn to drive.
It is very hard to teach a person who wants to fail. You might want to reconsider enrolling him in training at this time. If and when he loses his free and convenient rides, he will be interested in learning to drive. After each lesson I have shared with you, in print and in is progress report, that he is not motivated to take driver training and paying for lessons is not a good investment of your money. Permit me to, once again, state that I think you are wasting your money to pay for him to be in driver's training. He is not learning because refuses to do so, just as he told you he would.
REAL EMAIL #4
Mr. Collins,
Do I have to do everything listed in order to have the full money back Guarantee for the five lessons? It seems like a lot to do.
Dear Mrs. Refund (not real name),
I do not offer a money back guarantee on lessons already started or completed. Tell me, please, where you got that idea.
The Client wrote back stating, "I just assumed I could get a full refund for all completed training if I did not like the way my son drove when the five lessons were over."
I (Joda Collins) responded: I do not refund money for services already rendered. I sensed you might be expecting faster progress from him than he is capable of at this time, so encouraged you, both in word and in print, to check his progress between lessons and only continue training if his progress met with your approval.
You assured me that his autism would not hamper his progress because he gets good grade in school. However, there is a world of difference between sitting at a desk with a book and setting behind-the-wheel in ever-changing traffic conditions.
REAL EMAIL #5
Mr. Collins,
Why did you send the Evaluations/Progress Reports to my mother? I am your adult student and I am the one you should be sending the reports to.
Why did I have to pay $630 just to learn to pass the State Driving Exam?
I never liked or agreed with your Contract.
Dear Ms. Disgruntled:
I got your mother's email address from you! Your signed Contract denotes your request for me to send all emails to you and your mother. Do you not remember making that request, or seeing it in your Contract?
If you only wanted to learn enough to pass the State exam you should have enrolled in the Pass the State Driving Exam ONLY Course, not the Defensive Driving Course.
If you never like or agreed to the Contract, why did you sign below the written statement: "I accept and agree to my benefits and responsibilities as outlined in this document." By law, signing any contact, the signer officially agrees to the Contract.
Also, in my Contact I state, "Except for my fees, I am willing to consider changing anything in the Contract. Just ask." Why didn't you inquire about changing anything you did not like and give me a chance please you with a revised Contract for signing it.
I received no response from this above individual.
REAL EMAIL #6
Dear Mr. Collins,
My Son came away from his first lesson believing he drove well until his evaluation was received with a long list of things yet to learn.
My Response:
He progressed well during his first lesson. I complimented him on his progress, especially considering this was his first time behind-the-wheel of a vehicle. While his progress for lesson one was impressive, no driver after one-hour of driving experience/training is a good driver. I regret that my compliments on his first lesson progress were misunderstood that he did not have anything else, or much more to learn in order to be a safe driver.
No response from this Client followed.
REAL EMAIL #7
Do you provide instruction to student-drivers in real-time (during the lesson) or is the method of providing an email evaluation after the lesson the only method or training we should expect in the future?
My Response:
I am a little confused. What makes you think he did not receive real-time instructions during his driver training?
Client's Response:
When I asked him what he learned during the training, he said, "Nothin!" However, I did get an email detailing his driving pros and cons.
My Response:
Your son received a full 75-minute lesson of verbal instructions and behind-the-wheel practice regarding a wide variety of safe driving skills, including but not limited to steering skill, proper braking, proper acceleration, making safe right turn rather than wide right turns, braking earlier rather than aggressive braking just before crashing, no lingering at green light thus delaying the normal flow of traffic, proper use of 4-way stops, the meaning and use of yield and merge signs, the meaning of yellow lines, double yellow lines and white lines, when to and when not to stop at a yellow light, and much, much more.
The Evaluation/Progress Report is the promised after lesson report that lists all of the above and more. It is in addition to and/or complimentary with the in-car driving instruction your son received.
The fact that he said he learned nothing during the training is often a standard response of teens to a common question of, "What did you learn in school today?" However, I can assure you I provided a lot of training. Whether he learned anything, I will not know until the next lesson.
Update: I received no response, nor a request for a second lesson.
REAL EMAIL #8 - My Response Only.
Dear Mrs. Davis (not correct name),
At the end of the previous lesson I asked your son if he wanted to memorize the steps for entering a parking space on his own time for free before the start of the next lesson or learn them at the per minute charge during the next lesson. He said, and I quote: "I want to memorize the steps for entering a parking space on my own time, so my mom does not have to pay for the time it takes me to do that during a training lesson."
At the start of today's lesson I said, "Did you get a chance to memorize the steps for entering a parking space." He said he did not. I asked him if he wanted to use some of the training time today to memorize the steps or memorize them on his own time for free in preparation for the next lesson. Again, he asked not to use paid driving time for learning the steps for parking.
If he was upset at me for asking that, he did not show it. If he expressed to you that question upset him, my only response is,
why was he upset with me for asking that? My Contract states a Client/Driver has the option of memorizing the steps during paid driving time or on his/her own time for free. I do not understand how asking the driver if he had a chance to memorize the steps he said he would memorize in preparation for the lesson, can be considered out of line for me or traumatizing for him. I do not see how asking him if he wants to memorize the steps on his own for free or during paid driving time would upset him. That option is clarified in the Contract he read and signed.
Update: I received no response.
REAL EMAIL #9
Mr. Collins,
Why did you have me write, "No refund for completed lessons," on my check? What is that about? What if I am not happy with the training and want all of my money back?
Dear Ms. Refund (not real name),
At the start of your first lesson, you asked me about my refund policy. I read it to you word-for-word from the one-page Contract you signed. That statement included, "There are no refunds for completed lessons." I got the impression you were not listening well and/or did not understand, so I took a couple of minutes and restated it in expanded form with specific emphasis on the sentence, "There are no refunds for completed lessons." Still, it seemed to me that you were not listening and/or did not understand. I asked if you had any questions? You did not respond. So, I asked you to write on your check, "No refund for completed lessons." You did so. You signed a Contact that stated, "No refunds for completed lessons." I explained that sentence in great detail to you twice before the lesson started. I asked you to write that statement on your check. You did. Now, you state you want me to guarantee you a full refund of all lessons upon such a mandate. There are no refunds for completed service. If you do not accept or cannot grasp that fact, then it would be best not to continue training.
Update: She did not continue.
REAL EMAIL #10
Why did you accuse my son of being and angry person?
My Response:
I did not accuse your son of angry.
When traffic was slow in front of him, he got mad at the drivers ahead of him and began to curse. I will not repeat here the foul language he used. When traffic lights turned red and he was required to stop, he got angry at the traffic light.
When I mandated that your son drive within the speed limit, he became angry and told me that he would continue to exceed the speed limit because, "people tailgate him and force him to drive over the speed limit." When I required your son not to enter turns fast and brake abruptly in turns, he got mad at me and demanded I allow him to drive fast into turns and brake hard halfway through because he advised me that, "intersections are dangerous and fast turns and hard braking are the best way to drive in turns".
It appears to me he is confused about who the student is and who the instructor is.
I did not accuse your son of being an angry person. However, he was angry about something almost all of the time during training. I did tell him it was not wise to drive when angry. There is a difference. Whether he is an angry person by nature, I would not know until I saw him in environments other than behind-the-wheel.
REAL EMAIL #11
Mr. Collins,
My wife is just about finished with her four lessons. When do I get my 50% rebate?
Mr. Doe,
My maximum rebate is $10 per lesson. However, if you will show me a 50% Rebate statement on my website or in your Contract and I will honor it.
Update: No response to date.
PostScript:
Dear Friend,
Do you see why we do not have nor honor any verbal agreements, ever!? Do you see why I require a Contract that is signed in my presence (unless other arrangements are made). In addition, some people struggle greatly with understanding words even when they are written clearly.
Some people are just manipulators. In any case, imagine if you were held hostage by anything that followed, "But you said...." or "But I thought those words on paper meant something else..."
If I allowed people to hold me hostage to everything they misunderstood/assumed, refused to understand, and/or con artists that lie for self-gain, I would be out of business in six months.
CONTRACT
CONTRACT SEVEN
THREE-IN-THREE TRAINING
for drivers who have had three crash realted tickets in three years. February 10, 2025
Ignore the parts you like. When they happen that is good for you. Make a written list of the parts you do not like so if and when they happen, you are better-prepared or, at least, aware.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. THE TYPICAL PROCESS/PROCEDURE
2. INTRODUCTION
3. MINIMUM CHARGE
4. PRE-TRAINING CHARGES
5. PAYMENT AND SCHEDULING
6. POST-TRAINING CHARGE
7. ADDRESSING THE ELEPHANT, THAT IS, TOO OFTEN, IN THE CAR.
8. CERTIFICATION AND RECORDING YOUR COMPLETION 9. DISCLAIMERS
1. THE TYPICAL PROCESS/PROCEDURE
A. I (Joda Collins) answer any questions asked.
B. Registration
C. Approval of Legal Documents
D. Identification of Services
E. Agreement on Charges
F. Payment Receive
G. Invitation to Request Scheduling Date/Time
H. Confirmation of Scheduling Date and Tim
I. Removed
J. Training Occurs
K. Payment of Post-training Fee/Charges, if any, and if not charged in advance, under which circumstances, any charges that is not warranted is refunded.
L. I (Joda Collins) inform the State of your Completion
M. When I am informed of the State recording of your Completion, I notify the Client that the Driver can contact the local Driver License Office to schedule Driver's State Driving Exam.
2. INTRODUCTION
A. Training with me is not a test. No one fails. Everyone passes. It is training to best be sure you pass your State driving test and become as safe a driver as possible in four-hours of training.
B. There are 35 driving skills I am doing all of the time, while watching your driving habits and looking for teaching moments. I have a long list of State requirements for training I am trying to fill, and more. Please limit your questions. My focus is on your most serious safety needs. When the lesson is filled with a student's questions, it detracts from all of this. Questions that do not relate to a driver's most serious needs poorly invest the 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 for as long as I am of sound mind to do so. I will usually answer all your questions before the four-hours of training is over. So far, after 17-years in this business, no one has emailed me denoting a question they had that was not addressed during the training
C. Four-hours will not be enough to do everything, but we can get a lot accomplished if you:
(1). Are humble, mature and interested in learning and willing to put in the effort.
(2). Do not spend your time arguing or trying to debate with me.
(3). Allow me to lead the training rather than try to direct the training with a barrage of questions or otherwise trying to tell me what to do.
3. THE MINIMUM PAYMENT IS $938 WITH A MAXIMUM REFUND OF $209 = A MINIMUM TOTAL COST OF $729 IF....
A. If everything below (1-13) is correct, your minimum initial charge is $938 and your maximum refund is $209.00. Thus, the minimum total charge is ($938 minus $209 = ) $729.00.
(1). You follow my directions well that lead to scheduling.
(2). You train on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.
(3). Your start time is 11am and you train in one four-hour session.
(4). The student-driver is also the client (the financially responsible person).
(5). Payment is being made by cashier's check rather than a Visa, Discover or Mastercard.
(6). You are using an insured vehicle that is registered to you. Proof of insurance is required.
(7). Training beings and ends at my location in Milton, FL.
(8). The lesson, once scheduled, is not canceled by you for any reason other than fear of adverse weather for which you provide, at least, a one-hour notice.
(9). You schedule your training no sooner than eight days AFTER I receive your payment.
(10). You correspond with me by email, ONLY, after my first email to you, on all matters that concern contractual matters, including but not limited to service and fees.
(11). You have not taken any training from me before.
(12). You do not incur any post-training fees/charges as itemized in Section Six below. (13). While you are welcome to ask as many questions via email as you want to, after, I give an answer to every question, you are able to understand the legal documents (Contracts).
4. PRE-TRAINING CHARGES
A. Charges are guaranteed for life of this Contract. The Life of this Contract is 30-days from the original and 45-days from your payment.
B. Before accepting any money, I (Joda Collins) must have a signed paper copy of the Contract in my possession, unless other arrangements are made.
C. Registration Fee.............................$177 or $227 (1). This fee is non-refundable under any condition(s) because it is for service already rendered. Do NOT pay if you are not or cannot train within 30-days of the payment.
(2). After the end of the Life of this Contract (See 4A) above, the driver has not completed his or her four-hours of driver training, the Registration and Enrollment Fee is forfeited, and a new Registration is required along with another Registration Fee.
(3). The $177 is for clients that following my directions perfectly during this registration and enrollment process. This keeps my admin expense to the minimum.
(4). The $227 is or clients that do not follow my instructions perfectly during this registration process thus cause me to add, in my opinion, significant admin time and expense to this process.
D. Reservation of training date and time............$25 This fee increases to $99 on Oct. 1, 2025. (1). Re-reservation fee..................................$25 (a). This fee increases to $99 on 10/1/25. (b). This fee applies if the Client does not provide, at least, a one-hour notice of the need to reschedule, for reasons, including but not limited to any mistake or error on the part of the Client and/or Student-driver and/or any situation or condition that is out of the control of the Client and/or Driver, so called, "Acts of God."
E. If, for any reason, all four-hours cannot or will not be taken in one session, there is an additional fee for the second of two, two-hour sessions ..................................................................................................$111
F. If a driver wants to begin at any other time than 11am, add $19 per hour, or any part of an hour to the fee = $19 times ____ hours = .............$____
G. TUITION.......................................................$476
(1). This fee reduces to $402 on Oct. 1, 2025.
H. CREDIT OR DEBIT CARD FAILURE.............$20
I. Removed.
J. Fully (100%) Refundable Additional Service Fee on Account......................................................$209
(1). This fee, of $209 if paying 100% with a money order of cashier's check or $225 if paying 100% with a Visa or Mastercard, will be refunded (at my, Joda Collins, discretion) in full if there are no Additional Fees as itemize in this Contract. It is possible that additional charges beyond the $209 or $225 will apply as clarified in Section 7 below ONLY if you are reading this on my web page; however, additional fees, beyond this $209 or $225 will not exceed $175 more than your total pre-training fees. Any refund will be mailed to you within two weekdays along with an itemization of charges (if any). See Section 7. POST TRAINING CHARGES for details.
(2). I charge this $209 or $225 fee in advance because $225 is the average additional fee of the average three-in-three driver. It is easier for me to charge this fee in advance and refund it if not used, rather than add it to the total if it is used. If not used, I cheerfully refund money and never give any client a hard time about refunding money, but I have not had a single positive experience wherein a driver incurs additional charges as contracted where the client kindly, graciously and without giving me a hard time, pays me the promised additional fee as contractually agreed. (3). Why is this fee charged. (a). It is embarrassing when a long-time driver cannot pass the State exam because he or she cannot drive well enough to pass the State exam, an exam that a 16-year-old new driver passes! (1). New drivers are committed to learning what it takes to pass the State exam. They are nervous and work hard to pass it. Experience drivers are often overconfident and sometimes quite argonaut and are sure they will Ace the test, so they do not prepare for it. When they cannot change lanes safely, cannot park or do a three-point turn in accord with the State law requirements (which is more than just being able to do those things without crashing on the spot), they fail the State exam. That is embarrassing for them and not a good mark on my record as a professional driving instructor. Therefore, I mandate that a driver be able to change lanes, park and do a three-point turn, as least well enough compared to a 16-year-old that has done the necessary homework and memory. (b). Because of test anxiety, I require a driver to memorize well enough to quote the steps without hesitation or error and upon my request. Otherwise, the driver, not knowing the procedure well, will likely not remember the steps during the testing (test anxiety). (c). Almost every experienced driver will pass the road test. But, very few can pass the safe lane procedure, the three-point turn or the parking procedures AS REQUIRED BY THE STATE. Again, just because a person can do these things without crashing during the exam does not qualify as safe driving. You might be able to drive 60mph in a residential zone without crashing, but you would fail the exam anyway. (d). If a driver cannot remember the steps for changing lanes, parking and three-point turn, the necessary time to memorize those steps during training is required. I have spent all four-hours with some drivers who never got out of the parking lot because it took them four-hours to learn the steps for these procedures. They finished their training just as dangerous on the open road as they were when they started training with me. Not good! (e). Less than 5% of three-in-three drivers memorize the steps for the three-point turn or the safe-lane procedure before the start of their training. This is, I think, because older people have lost much of the ability to memorize without a lot of effort and most older people lack the motivation to give a lot of effort. I hope you are part of the 5% that gives the effort.
K. AFTER TRAINING REPORT...........................$24
(1). This Report provides written evidence of training for the State and a list of driver positives and needs. It is impossible to remember all of the instructions for safer driving. Having that list in print allows the driver to check the list before every driving outing and double check it at the end of each outing to see if he or she is showing improvement
(2). This report is not mandatory, but it is valuable. If, however, you do not want this report, let me know before you pay for it. Once paid, it is non-refundable.
L. Registration/Enrollment Application
Rejection/Non-Follow Through is....$18 Per Application
When a prospect enrolls but does not follow through with scheduling within 30-days of enrollment, I get paid a token fee of $18 for my two to three hours of work to enroll the Student the first time or each time, if more than one.
M. Training Date
(1). Removed.
N. Registration/Enrollment Administration Service
(1). If the Student-driver and the Client are NOT the same person...........................................$50
(2). If the Client cannot or will not allow me to communicate with him/her directly by email at my desire or upon my need to do so, 100% of the time............................................................................$100
(a). When email is not available to me to directly communicate with the Client, I will accept voice mail inquiries, but I reserve the right to respond to inquiries that address any contractual matter, scheduling or finances, by US Postal Service rather than return phone calls. This willingness on my part does not negate the $100 charge noted above.
P. Insurance Verification Service.........................$26
If your vehicle is used for training, I verify your insurance coverage. If you have insurance, I will refund this fee, if paid, or not charge it if it has not yet been paid. If you are not using your personal vehicle, this fee will not be refunded under any conditions.
Q. Door-to-door Service (if applicable).............$ to ? This fee is provided to you via email after the Client provides to me the start and end address for the training.
R. Rental charge for using the Joda Collins
vehicle for over-the-road / in-traffic training
rather than another insured vehicle.........................$152
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 lets a driver, that is considered, by State standards, to be a dangerous (crash prone) driver, (no offense is intended; just stating a fact), drive his/her vehicle for four-hours for $41 per hour while the vehicle owner assumes all liability. No insurance company in the Florida (that I know of) insures unlicensed drivers, except when driving in a vehicle registered to a professional driving school. I (Joda Collins) am not obligated to let anyone and everyone use my vehicle. If a driver is too dangerous behind the wheel to entrust driver with my vehicle and my financial future I will not let said person drive my car.
S. RETURNING DRIVER - PER ADDITIONAL APPOINTMENT, EVEN IF THE APPOINTMENT WAS MISSED, CANCELED OR RESCHEDULED FOR ANY REASON OTHER THAN FEAR OF ADVERSE WEATHER, FOR WHICH AT LEAST A TWO- HOUR NOTICE IS PROVIDED, FOR THE FOUR-HOURS OF 3/3 TRAINING................$120
T. EXPEDITE / FAST TRACK.............................$80
If the training occurs within seven days of payment received (in any amount), this fee applies. If you want to know the reason for this charge, scroll down to the bottom of this page (of writing) and then scroll up to Section Eleven.
U. STATE RECORDING FEE..............................$27
V. SPECIAL/ADDITIONAL MEETING
If a client and/or student-driver wants to or needs to meet with me prior to a scheduled training appointment, there is a charge of..............................$38 This fee is not subject to (does not receive) the 7% discount for paying with a Visa or Mastercard. This fee must be in my possession before I will schedule the meeting.
W. HYBRID PAYMENT(S) 1. Some payment made with a Visa card or Mastercard and some payment made in any other form.................................................................$19
2. Some payment made by one party, and some payment made by another party or parties; that is, two or more clients........................................$17
X. EXTRA ADMINISTRATION NEEDS
It is good if each step in the process of serving takes only one email, but that is unusual. There are a lot of possible variables that may take more clarification. Failure to follow written directions or provide accurate information that required an additional response. This charge is reciprocal.....................................................................$5 Per Response
1. My (Joda Collins) business is established on set procedures, like a car assembly line. This keeps expenses lower. I do not average the cost for service and charge everyone the same. I average the cost of service if the Client and/or Driver follows directions, then add a fee for each time I have to do extra work because the Client and/or Driver did not follow written directions. There are a lot of reasons why a person does not follow written directions, including but not limited to, poor reading skills, English is not his/her first language, or too lazy or too busy to read carefully. However, what ever the reason, the cost in time and money to me is the same. I fall into the last category.
2. Every variable, that was/is not the result of me not following procedures, not following directions or providing errant information to you, that requires you to respond to me, is a FREE response.
3. Every variable, that was/is the result of me not following procedures, not following directions, or providing errant information to you, that requires you to respond to me, is a five-dollar charge to me, that I pay (owe) you. Your time is as valuable. I assume responsibility for my mistakes that cost you (the Client) time out of your life and/or money out of your pocket.
4. Every variable, that was/is not the result of you not responding to directions accurately or providing errant information to me, that requires me to respond is a FREE response from me.
5. Every response from me that was/is the result of you not following written directions or providing errant information to me, is a five-dollar charge, that you pay (owe) me. I expect those I serve to assume responsibility for their mistakes that cost me time out of my life and money out of my pocket. My time is valuable, als
6. Failure of Client to communicate by email only after my initial contact with the Client.................$5
(a). All communication after my initial contact with you is by email, unless otherwise requested in accord with the following
(b). I will respond by phone, text, IM, at your request for $5 per requested and performed response, that you pay (owe) me.
(c). I will never ask you to respond by phone, text or IM.
Y1. EXTRA ADMINISTRATION REQUESTS........$35
Per honored request.
1. My business operates on a systematic format. Doing so reduces administrative time and saves my clients money, since time is money. When a client requests that I do something for him/her that is out of sequence, I am happy to try to oblige, but since it will take me more time, money, effort and stress, I will not do it for free. If your employer said, "I want you to work overtime today; for free," How would you feel?
Y2. What is the total of all figures above?.........$_____ This is your total if you are paying with a cashier's check or money order.
Y3. Plus $91 if training only on a Friday or Saturday or $0 of training only on a Tue, Wed or Thursday.........................................................$_____
Y4. What is Y2 minus Y3?.................................$_____
Y5. Multiply the total in Y3 by 1.0753 and delete cents if payment is being made with a Visa or MasterCard........................................$______
There is a 7% reduced charge on all pre-training fees when paid with a cashier's check or money order. Said 7% discount is not applicable to any post-training charges.
Z. PAYMENT PLAN I used to extend credit, but in the half-dozen times I did, I never got paid even though every person promised profusely to pay later. I do not extend credit because I do not have any way to force payment after my services are rendered. Put it this way, would you loan money to me if I promised to pay you sometime in the future? If you owned a business, would you work on credit for a person you do not know on their promise to pay you sometime in the future. Me either. Not anymore. Been there. Done that! I have a soft heart, but I cannot afford to be a soft touch. I do not delay turning the completion to the State, until full payment is made because of the legal and ethical problems associated with that.
5. PAYMENT AND SCHEDULING
A. 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.
(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.
B. I do accept payment (including via cash) in person. I make a special appointment for payment via cash and that appointment incurs a $38 charge for my time and admin time it takes to schedule and send a reminder. I do not accept cash in the mail.
C. BE SURE TO KEEP YOUR PROOF OF PURCHASE. While I have never had anything lost in the mail in my entire life, there may be a first time. So, keep your proof of purchase for your money order or cashier's check.
6. POST-TRAINING CHARGES
These fees are not punitive for any behavior or personality difficulties, real or imagined, of a driver. I am not your parent or counselor. I do not have a mandate or overwhelming commitment to help any student become a better person. My mandate is to help my students become safer drivers. If a student's personality or behavior causes me extra irritation, stress, danger or work, these fees help offset those irritations, danger and/or work. These fees are simply for added stress, danger, difficulty, irritation and effort on my part regardless because of the behavior and/or countenance of the driver, whether the driver intended it or not, or can or cannot control him or herself enough to avoid such things. It is payment for services, not personal or vindictive accusations against the character or personality of the driver. However, because I itemize and clarify the charges, unless asked in advance not to do so, there is necessity for clarification which might sound personal. I assure you, that none of these things, in any setting that would not cause me added stress, danger, difficulty or irritation would incur a single penny of charge or even a hint of such an intent. I would, simply, walk away and the problems are immediately resolved. All additional difficulties are easily avoided with few footsteps in the opposite direction in any environment where that is an option. That is not possible if I am going to serve you.
If, at any time before the end of the first hour of training, you find my presence intolerable, let me know and I will cease training and give you a full refund, excluding door-to-door fees and the agreed-on $177 or $195 non-refundable fees for pre-training services already rendered. We can consider that we never met.
A. Lack of Memorization Fees, if applicable. (1). Failure to memorize: "Ahead, Behind, Mirror, Shoulder, Signal.
Ahead, Behind, Mirror, Shoulder, Move.
well enough to quote it without hesitation or error and
upon request ........................................................$79 or $85
(a). $85 if you paid 100% with a Visa or Mastercard, or $79 if paying with a cashier's check or money order.
(b). If this is memorized well enough to quote it without
hesitation and upon request during training, this fee will not be charged, or if charged will be refunded. Failure to memorize this and the procedure noted below, eats up training time and puts added pressure on me to do all the training required by the State. I have had drivers that spend the entire four-hours memorizing these procedures!
(2). Failure to memorize if using the Joda Collins Driving Acdy Vehicle for three-point turn training:
"Slow, right, look, signal, stop. Look, go slow and turn fast, stop, reverse. Look, go slow and turn fast, stop, drive. Look, go slow and turn fast, coast, accelerate."
The most important facts are you must: 1. Look in the outside left rearview mirror and over your left shoulder before you signal otherwise you are signaling an intent to crash into a vehicle, if one is approaching from the rear. Turning on your signal does not give you the right of way. 2. Signal five seconds before you stop just as is required by law to stop at any stop sign where you are making a turn.
3. Always look before you move just as is required by law when crossing any lane of traffic.
Or, if using any other vehicle rather than the Joda Collins Driving Acdy vehicle for the three-point turn training, memorize: "Slow, right, look, signal, stop. Turn, look, coast, stop, reverse. Turn, look, coast, stop, drive. Turn, look, coast, accelerate.
well enough to quote it without hesitation, or error and
upon request.....................................................$130 or $140
(a). $140 if you (the Client) paid Visa or Mastercard or $130 if paying with a cashier's check or money order
(b). Partial financial credit is not provided for partial remembering or stumbling through the list in a bewildered effort. There is no financial consideration for failed effort or sincerity ("I really tried hard!") for effort or sincerity. If this is memorized well enough to quote it without hesitation and upon request this fee will not be charged.
(c). Please do not argue with me with a claim that
you once remembered these things but, "just forgot them," counts as memorizing for this training. That is like saying, saying, "I know my name, address, phone number and birth date, but I forgot them, so that proves I have them memorized." (d). If you want to know the reason for this fee,
go to Attachment Two found at the bottom of this column, Section Two.
B. The maximum charge is for accumulated
charges noted below, shall not exceed $175
more than your total pre-training charge(s),
that is, the total you paid before scheduling.
The following charges are not subject to a discount when paying in any other form other than a card.
C. Failure to follow written instructions ................. $15 Per Failure.
To incur this fee, said failure must cause me
(Joda Collins) added administrative effort.
D. Contract Alteration Fee.......................................$30 Any change in Contract, including but not limited to missed, canceled or rescheduled appointment due to any change not related to my (Joda Collins') action, after Contract fees are approved but before the training begins, incurs this fee.
E. A cut and paste from or reference to any legal documents................................................................. $5 Per need/action.
After a client agrees to the legal documents, if the client inquires about something contained in the legal documents that is answered by me with cut and paste from or reference to the Legal Documents, incurs this fee.
F. Credit/Debit Card Charge Denial
Response BEFORE the Training is Completed........$18
(1). This takes time, and time is money
(2). I, the Client, give Joda Collins the authority to charge (after the training is over) for all items noted below and to do so without my (the Client's) further approval. I do request that he attempt to give me ample warning (ample warning in the opinion of Joda Collins) for me to change any behavior in order to avoid any of these charges.
G. 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.
H. Aggravation Fee.....................................$50 to $100 depending on my (Joda Collins) perception of the
degree of aggravation.
(1). Do not argue with me, ignore me, refuse to follow
my directions and/or tell me why you will not or did not
follow my directions as justification for doing so, or waste my energy telling me why you disagree with traffic laws you think are stupid, do not try to justify wrong driving decisions after I think I have adequately clarified what you did wrong, or make up your own rules of the road to replace State and Federal traffic laws.
(2). Do not tell me, directly or by insinuation, I am
wrong, and you are right without giving me a chance to
finish my thoughts/presentation of the matter.
(3). If I ask you a question that can be answered by a
"yes" or "no," have the courtesy to give me a "yes" or "no"
response rather than provide a discourse or monologue.
(4). Keep casual conversation about home, work,
school, money, jobs, family, favorite _____ to a minimum as that eats up time, makes it harder for me get done for you what I am assigned by the State to do in the limited time I have to do it, and takes my mind off the task -- all of which is unkind and irritating to me.
(5). Know, also, that this fee is not conditioned on your opinion if I was aggravated by your behavior or not, but solely on my subjective evaluation. I know when I am being aggravated, even if others do not; even though they should know. Also, some people have the ability to aggravate others even while smiling or even while doing so with a sweet-sounding voice. Sometimes driver's say to me, "Well, that is just my personality!" as if to say that because they have a aggravating personality, I should overlook it and endure it for FREE. I do not. I will not. Just be a kind, considerate and decent person rather than obnoxious, confrontational, argumentative, degrading, unteachable, and/or filling hours with justification of doing wrong rather than be teachable and learn to drive better. It isn't hard for normal people to do that. I am easy to get along with, but if your behavior exceeds the level of basic logic or common courtesy often enough, you just lost money.
(6). It has been my experience that the majority of three-in-three drivers have significant psychological and/or social and/or cognitive and/or behavioral problems; I am entitled to my opinion. My opinion is credible because it is based on 17-years of experience. I hope, in your case, I am wrong, and you are the exception to the norm. I will assume you are the exception unless you prove me wrong.
(a). Hints: (1). If I say something like, "You did not come to full stop at the stop sign," do not say, "Yes, I did! you lying ignorant fool!" Don't even say, "Yes, I did!", because I will assume you intend (are implying) the latter also. (2). If I tell you that you broke a traffic law, do not tell me why you violated the law and/or why your rules of the road are better than the legal rules of the road everyone else has to follow. Making up one's one rules of the road is one of the major habits of many three-in-three drivers and one of the main reasons for crashing, thus, also, putting my life in danger with you behind-the-wheel. (3). If I tell you a traffic law that you did not know, do not justify your displeasure or disagreement with the traffic law by telling me that you think the law is stupid. Traffic laws are not subject to your approval or mine. What you or I think of them is meaningless. (4). If I instruct you to do something, do not tell me why you refuse to do it. I am putting my life in your hands and if you are going to view my instructions as mere suggestions that you will follow only if you agree and approve, then I am only as safe as your decision-making ability, so I quit. (5). When I am providing instructions, do not interrupt me. I find rudeness aggravating, especially for four-hours in a row in a trapped/closed environment. (6). Do not try to lead the training by plummeting me with questions; just listen and learn. This is not a four-hour Q and A session with drivers asking the questions they think they need to know or feel I am obligated to answer because I am being paid. I am obligated to attempt to train you in accord with State standards, not yours. Allow me to lead the training by giving the training I think you need to know. I cannot teach everything about safe-driving in four-hours, so allow me to use your time to teach you the most important things I think you need to know. If I have not answered your questions by the end of training or any question about safe-driving that might arise in the future, you can email me the questions and I will respond via email at no charge to you. This offer expires in 10-years.
(7). Do not argue or debate with me. (8). If you have no interest in learning anything, have the decency to tell me rather than aggravate me non-stop hoping I will shut up, and I will meet only the bare minimum standards required by my contract with the State and say no more. There is no reason for me to work hard if the student does not want or appreciate the effort. (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 a 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 and I am accustomed to working with those who struggle with these conditions. I will be able to do my best if I know of the condition in advance.
(a). "Real wisdom, God's wisdom, begins with...(being) gentle, reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings...not two-faced...doing the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor." James 3:17-18(MGS Version).
J. Chatterbox Fee..................................................$21 (1). Excessive chatter does the following.
(a). It makes it more difficult for me to concentrate on the 35-driving skills needed to drive with maximum safety
(b). It makes it harder for me concentrate on the driver's most pressing needs
(c). It makes me nervous and causes me extra stress.
(1). Think about it this way. Assume you are a teacher in a classroom session and while you are trying to teach
your class, one student chatters a lot into the wind about a lot of non-relevant things. Would that make it more difficult to get your training assignment done? Yes, it would. Would it grate on your nerves? Yes, it would. The vehicle is my classroom, and you are my one student in my class.
K. Interrogation Fee................................................$35 (1). Interrogation does not have to be violent,
forceful, or include the infliction of physical pain. A five-year
old can interrogate an adult simply by asking, "Why," after
every sentence an adult utters! "Interrogation...refers to the
act of questioning someone or something in a formal...
manner... (or setting), (or) the process of asking someone a
lot of questions for a long period of time in order to get information...." Webster's Dictionary. The goal of this training
is not for drivers to interrogate/question me for four-hours.
(2). The goal of this training is for you to become a
safer driver in only four-hours and to drive crash free the
entire four-hours. To do that I focus, first on safety and second
on making it my priority to help you overcome your most dangerous driving errors. I cannot do those things if I am concentrating on hearing and answering a ton of questions.
We will not be able to do everything, so let me lead the
training by teaching rather than you try to 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 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. I can do that if you want me to, and allow
me to lead the training.
(3). If I do not get to all of your questions by the end
of the training, as long as I am alive and of sound mind, you can email me any questions you have, and I will answer them free of charge.
L. Poor comprehension of the Contract
which makes me have to spend time explaining
basic facts of the Contract and or other legal documents and/or ignorance of how to avoid the penalty fees found in Section G of this Contract.................................................................$56 to $95 depending on my determination of the degree of poor comprehension.
(1) If a student-driver or the client (if not the same
person) does not exhibit, in my (Joda Collins) opinion,
sufficient evidence that he, she or they know how to avoid
the penalty fees noted in this Contract that, almost always, creates a major source of difficulty when teaching. I
mandate a small token remuneration for that added
unnecessary and easily avoidable stress. I get paid more
to endure avoidable stress. If the driver does not know
how to clarify, verbally, at the start of the training, how to
avoid the fees in Section G of this Contract, this fee will
be charged with no notice of said charge.
(2). I practically beg those I serve to carefully read my
Legal Documents. About 80% of those I serve that are not
three-in-three drivers carefully read the Contract(s). About
20% of three-in-three drivers carefully read the Contract. I
consider that disrespectful towards me.
(a). I get paid more to be disrespected.
(b). It also increases my workload to have to
explain the legal documents during training. I get paid more
for working harder, especially when said extra work is easily avoided.
(c). Taking time to explain the legal documents
often follows a conflict of some kind for which clarifying the
legal documents resolves. I get paid more for enduring unnecessary and easily avoidable conflict.
(d). Taking time during training to clarify the
content of the legal documents means I have less time to
devote to training to try to get done everything the State
asks me to do. That is extra pressure on me. I get paid
more to endure extra and easily avoidable pressure.
(e). Having less time to train because I am
explaining the content of the legal documents means the
student is less likely to pass the State exam. That failure
goes against my record. I charge more for that possible
negative on my record, which is the fault, not of me, but
of the client and/or student. More importantly, less training
means the driver will be less safe. That fact goes against
my conscience...........................M
(3). I do not like being around people that are not
truthful. There is something about their countenance that
irks me. People who sign the Contract testifying they have
read and understood the Contact but have not read it well
and do not understand it are not truthful in this instance. I
get paid more to be in the deal with the negative and
strained atmosphere for four-hours caused by less than
truthful people.
M. Reading Assignment Failure..............................$38 If the Student-driver is younger than 25-years of age
and does not read the following short article or does read it
but not well enough to remember the basic components or
the one most important thing, such as the title or the fact of the article. Reading without basic comprehension is no different than not reading at all.
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=1&ContentID=3051
prior to the start of training, this fee applies. If clicking on the above link or touching it on your screen does not work, you
can copy and paste it to a search engine.
N. Failure to follow directions and/or traffic laws (Hazard Pay).............................................................$75
(1). Sometimes drivers do not follow my directions because:
(a). Cognitive (mental) or emotional problems that are not their fault. Disabilities or difficulties such as word processing disorder, ADD/ADhD, autism, OCD, defiant disorder and a host of other things can cause strain, stress and/or added danger during training. I get paid for added strain, stress and/or added danger even if such is unavoidable because I am providing a service. I get paid for my service, just as my auto mechanic gets paid for his service, even if the car repair was not my fault or the counselor would get paid for helping a person with a condition that is not his or her fault. That is just adult life. I am less likely to apply this fee strictly when we are driving someone else's vehicle and not mine, thus putting their car, insurance, and financial well-being at greater risk, and not mine.
(b). They think they are better-qualified drivers than me and feel obligated to ignore my directions if they disagree.
(c). They blame their reflect action, thus attempt to excuse that they are not following my directions on the bases that it is impossible for to do so because of their reflexes, overriding fears, arrogance towards or defiance of authority. (No one is going to tell them what to do!), anger issues, distrust issues, hatefulness, narcissistic, sociopathic or psychopathic tendencies, -- and/or dislike or disagreement with the rules of the road and a commitment to dishonor those rules and replace those rules with and a commitment to honor the student's personal rules, thus mandating by word or deed that I honor their personal rules and not traffic laws or safe driving skills.
(1). Whatever the reason for failure to follow my directions, we will be in the same crash or higher chance of crashing and, if crippled or killed, just as crippled or dead. Therefore, any reason for failing to follow my direction are immaterial to me. The level of training will be below the level of commitment to following my directions, including the directions the student does not like, does not understand or does not agree with. Safety first. I get paid $75 extra to spend time in the car with a driver who, for any reason, does not follow my directions. When my life and limb are in greater, unnecessary and added danger because of the shortcomings of others, I charge more. My life is worth, at least, $75.00. The stress the student-driver puts me under by riding with a driver who is emotionally or psychologically unable or unwilling, or willing but does not so do, to drive safely and/or in accord with my instruction is worth at least $75 in hazard pay, and more if it is my vehicle and my business the driver puts at unnecessary risk.
(k). The following things should be understood before the start of
training.
(1). One of us has to be nervous when I give a driving direction that the student-driver disagrees with or is uncomfortable following. Either I have to be nervous because the student-driver does not follow my directions, and we have a higher chance of crashing or the student-driver has to be nervous and follow my directions and we face a lower chance of crashing. I opt for the second scenario.
(2). I am probably better-qualified to keep us safe on the open road than the student-driver is. If the student-driver only follows the directions and instructions I give when he or she wants to or agrees, then we are only as safe as the decision-making ability and the driving skill level of the student-driver. If the student-driver follows my directions and instructions even when he or she disagrees with me, then we are as safe as my decision-making and my diving skill. Student-drivers that believe they are authorized or welcome to override my directions/instructions are invited not to take lessons from me. One mistake on the open road can cost everyone, everything. Driver training is not a game. The goal is not having fun or just getting it over with.
(a). If it become apparent that my my student is a safer driver than me, I will cease being the instructor, ask the student to train me to be a better driver, refund all fees paid to me and double that amount of refund as payment for his or her service.
P. Failure to allow me to have control of my vehicle upon request..............................................$15 per failure.
I will clarify, at the start of training, how to do relinquish control of my vehicle to me.
Q. Credit/Debit Card Charge Denial
Response AFTER the Training is Completed...........$25
R. PARKING IN THE WRONG PLACE...................$24 This Contract directs those that meet me at 3804 Garcon Point Road, to park in any space that faces the side of the building by the business manager's request. This is true even if you buy something in the store or at the pump or if 100% of the parking spaces facing the front of the building are empty when you arrive. I use this business for many meetings. Management has asked me to have my students park facing the side of the building. Failing to do that puts me in a bad light with the business management. For that ill-at-ease condition and jeopardizing my good working relationship with that business, I charge $24.00.
S. THE CLIENT'S INABILITY TO PRODUCE,
IN PERSON, THE PHYSICAL CHARGE OR DEBIT CARD AT THE START OF THE TRAINING.................................................................$32You, the Client, must produce the credit or debit card you used to pay any fees; this must be done, in person, at the start of your training session. If you do not have that card in your possession, or are not present a the start of the training, the training will not occur, and you will forfeit (or be charged $320.00) for this missed lesson.
T. Failure to provide the Registration
Information within one email thus necessitating additional admin time/expense on my part t to secure that requested/mandatory information..........$22
UNNECESSARY DISCOMFORT FEE
U. Poor control of the accelerator............................$40 (1). Accelerate slowly and gracefully, in a manner that does not through my head back (no g-forces) upon acceleration more than three times in the training session and avoid this fee. No matter how fast you drive or how fast you accelerate, we will end up at the start location at the designated time. Jackrabbit (aggressive) acceleration causes me to pull muscles in my neck and back. It is painful and if severe enough may cause me to cancel your lesson and reschedule at YOUR expense. Accelerate as your great, great grandmother might. Accelerate as if you just picked me up from the hospital with a neck brace on after neck surgery and the doctor told you to drive without hurting my neck. If I have to ask you to accelerate less aggressively more than twice, you can assume this fee is lost. If you are aggressive with the accelerator, I will try to remember to remind you often. However, the primary responsibility to remember to accelerate gracefully is yours. As an experienced driver with normal IQ, you should be able to accelerate gracefully without constant reminders to do so.
(2). Do not pump the accelerator or use it as an off and on switch, as it puts me in four-hours of neck discomfort. Unless traffic conditions mandate otherwise, think in terms of apply and reducing the pressure on the accelerator at the width of a piece of paper so acceleration is graceful to begin with and consistent when traveling at desired speed. The vehicle should not feel like being in a mini-roller coaster to passengers.
V. Poor control of the brake (stopping in a
manner that throws my head forward)......................$45
7. ADDRESSING THE ELEPHANT THAT IS, TOO OFTEN, IN THE CAR.
A. The majority (not all, and hopefully not you) of three-in-three drivers, in my opinion and in my 17-years of experience, have not been very good people. They have been argumentative, passive-aggressive personalities, narcissistic, not truthful, fail to assume responsibility for their own actions, mad at the world and everyone in it, have an overriding sense of entitlement and/or are unteachable. "Never correct conceited (arrogant) people; they will hate you for it. But if you correct the wise, they will respect you." Proverbs 9:8. (Parenthesis mine, Joda Collins.) I did not state your name. I am assuming you are a decent individual unless you prove me wrong.
B. The majority of three-in-three drivers, to date, have not read this Contract carefully or do not expend the time and energy to get their questions answered before agreeing to it and are, therefore, unprepared for the training appointment. Being unprepared for the training they tend to get confused, frustrated and/or anger more easily.
C. It has been my experience that about 70% of three-in-three drivers have been quite immature and treated me like arrogant, disrespectful, snotty, know-it-all teens treat their parents. Unlike many parents, I did not put up with that with my children. I will not tolerate it, now, from adults. I am not being paid to be spit on, so to speak. I hope you are part of the 30% that are not like that. If you are like that, try to fake adult level socially maturity/behavior for four-hours. I prefer fake good behavior to real, nasty, behavior.
D. Be decent and respectful towards me and I will be decent and respectful towards you. Do not antagonize me for fun or as an expression of your character, and there is no reason for me to confront you for antagonizing me. However, if you antagonize me, I will confront you for doing so. I am not a spittoon nor a door mat. The training is not easy for student-drivers. I understand that. It is not easy for me either. If you have no interest in learning to drive better, I will honor that. Let me know so I can save my breath and energy and provide only the legal minimum effort. Why do more?
E. After I correct you and explain why what you did behind-the-wheel was unsafe or illegal, please do not provide justification, rationalization or argument regarding why you drive poorly or in violation of traffic laws. Confronting or attacking me about your dislike of traffic laws just eats up time, creates a strained environment and changes nothing regarding your situation with your license status and I will charge you more for the added stress, irritation, danger and for wasting training time and my energy. I do not work harder for free.
8. CERTIFICATION AND STATE RECORDING OF YOUR TRAINING.
A. Certification of completion of your training is accomplished electronically between me and the State. You will not need and will not receive a paper copy of your completion notice. I will notify you when your completion is recorded by the State. You can, the, contact the driver license office to schedule. If I do not contact you within three business days, it is your responsibility to contact me to find out why the delay.
B. You, the 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 until our business is completed, and one hour before your scheduled training appointment.
9. DISCLAIMERS
A. I (Joda Collins) may not offer another door-to-door service if the Client cancels, misses, reschedules training or is not able to take the training due to no fault of mine.
B. Please understand that those I serve are in a position to ask me to do anything for them, however, those I serve are not in a position to demand that I do everything they demand or ask.
C. I, the Client and, I, the Student-driver, will not hold nor attempt to hold Joda Collins responsible or accountable for any ramifications, financial or otherwise, that arise because I did not read or did not understand the content or intent of any legal document.
D. Additional disclaimers, as noted in Contract Four, also apply.
E. It is my (Joda Collins) responsibility to verify your license is valid or you have the valid letter from the State that serves as your temporary permit for the training before providing training.
(1). Errors or expense to you of any and every kind due to you not knowing if your driver license is or is not valid are your expenses, not mine.
(2). IF YOUR DRIVER LICENSE IS NOT VALID OR WILL NOT BE VALID AT THE TIME OF TRAINING, PROVIDE THE ORIGINAL OF YOUR DRIVER PERMIT (LETTER) THAT AUTHORIZES YOU TO DRIVE FOR THE FOUR-HOURS OF TRAINING. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THAT DOCUMENT, CALL 850 617-2000 ANY NON-HOLIDAY WEEKDAY BETWEEN 7:01 AND 7:05AM (TO AVOID LONG HOLD TIMES) AND REQUEST THAT DOCUMENT/LETTER.
F. I am not an employee of the State of Florida. I have nothing to do with any driver's arrangements or association with the State of Florida. I will not assume any responsibility that arises as a result of any other person's association or business with any Driver License Office, State of Florida or any agency of the State of Florida.
CONTRACT EIGHT Removed
SECTION CONTRACT NINE SERVICE CONTRACT FOR EMBRACE FAMILIES Removed
VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION
SECTION (CONTRACT) TEN
SERVICE CONTRACT BETWEEN VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION AND
THE JODA COLLINS DRIVING ACADEMY.
January 2, 2025
If you want a paper copy of this mailed to you, just ask. Or, you can copy and paste to another format for easier reading or printing.
1. CONTRACT A. State and Federal law requires me to have a contract with everyone I serve.
B. My Contracts are not written in stone. If you want to change, add or subtract anything in this Service Agreement, just ask. (1). The only things I cannot do and stay in business are to serve for less money or do more for free. C. Client's Responsibility (1). My primary Client is the Vocational Rehabilitation. Client's assume financial responsibility. However, in this arrangement, the VR puts a lot of trust in those they fund because those they fund are in a position to waste VR funds by failing to give a two-hour notice for cancelation. In which case, the lesson time is lost and the funds for that lesson are consumed with no service rendered for that appointment. I encourage the VR to emphasize to their customers the importance of providing to me (Joda Collins) no less than a two-hour notice of cancelation. Doing so avoid the loss of the funds for that lesson. There is a rescheduling fee, however, under no conditions will the charge to the VR excess the Authorization figure. 2. INFORMATION I NEED FROM THE VR A. The contact information for the VR Customer or the adult representing the interests of the VR Customer.
(1). Said person's name.
(2). Telephone number
(3). Mailing address.
(4). Physical address.
(5). Email address.
C. Any information you, the VR, can share about the emotional, medical or psychological condition of the Student-driver that might affect safety when driving in traffic. Me, learning this by trial and error with the driver behind the wheel increases the chances of crashing exponentially.
E. The service/financial VR Authorization.
3. FINANCES: For 2023 and 2024, my charges to the VR were less than my charges to everyone else. The failing economy has forced me to either raise my prices everyone else except the VR, or bring all charges to all I serve to the same level. I opted for the latter.
A. VR AUTHORIZATION SUGGESTED STATEMENT FOR FIRST FINANCIAL AUTHORIZATIONS FOR 2025 (1). The following, if acceptable, needs to be printed in the VR Services Authorization and Billing Notice "Comment Section" and/or the "Service to be Provided" Section as a prerequisite to service for tuition. (Feel free to replace the "5" lesson number with any number of lessons you prefer and adjust the total accordingly.)
A. The following as found in (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) or (6) below, whichever is acceptable/applicable, needs to be printed in the VR Services Authorization and Billing Notice "Comment Section" and/or the "Service to be Provided" Section as a prerequisite to service.
(1). "_______ 90-minute driving lessons on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday @ $230 per lesson equals $_________ minus $8 per lesson that is not missed, canceled or reschedule by the VR customer, except for fear of adverse weather.
(2). "_______ 90-minute driving lessons @ $255 per lesson equals $_________, minus $25 per lesson for not training on a Friday or Saturday, minus $8 per lesson that is not missed, canceled or rescheduled by the VR customer, except for fear of adverse weather.
(3). "_______ 90-minute driving lessons on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday @ $230 per lesson equals $_________ minus $8 per lesson that is not missed, canceled or reschedule by the VR customer, except for fear of adverse weather. Friday and/or Saturday training is available at an additional fee of $25 per lesson to be paid by the VR Customer.
OR, for 75-minute lessons:
(4). "_______ 75-minute driving lessons on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday @ $210 per lesson equals $_________ minus $8 per lesson that is not missed, canceled or reschedule by the VR customer, except for fear of adverse weather.
(5). "_______ 75-minute driving lessons @ $235 per lesson equals $_________, minus $25 per lesson for not training on a Friday or Saturday, minus $8 per lesson that is not missed, canceled or rescheduled by the VR customerm, except for fear of adverse weather.
(6). "_______ 75-minute driving lessons on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday @ $210 per lesson equals $_________ minus $8 per lesson that is not missed, canceled or reschedule by the VR customer, except for fear of adverse weather. Friday and/or Saturday training is available at an additional fee of $21 to be paid by the VR Customer.
B. Door-to-door charge is $2.95 per round trip mile plus any toll fees plus toll bridge charge.
(1). Provide me with the pick-up address if door-to-door services is wanted and I will tell you the fee or you can calculate if from the start location of 4033 Buttonbush Dr., Milton, FL 32583 plus $5.50 for the Garcon Point (Gulf Breeze) toll bridge if used.
C. Providing to me (Joda Collins) the Authorization is the same as approving this Service Contract/Agreement. D. If the student-driver uses the Joda Collins Driving Academy vehicle for parking and/or three-point turn, there is an additional fee charged. However, the total charge will not exceed the fee noted on the Authorization in Section Two. This fee for all other than Vocational Rehab students is $21 as of July 2, 2025. This fee was added to the VR Contract on July 2, 2025, but will not become effective until January 1, 2026 and will not exceed the 2026 fee for others for this same service.
4. HOW DOES THE VR KNOW I RECEIVED A SERVICE/FINANCIAL AUTHORIZATION? (1). I respond immediately to the VR Representative with an email denoting by Client/Customer Initials and the Authorization Date and Number that I received the Authorization. If you do not receive such a notice within two business days that means I do NOT have your Authorization for said person recorded. Please renotify me. It does not happen often, but I make a few missteaks hear an their. (2). You (the VR Rep) can instruct your Client/Customer to contact me by email (JodaCollins@aol.com) to inquire of the Authorization status, if I have not contacted that person within three days. (3). Unless otherwise directed or if doing is something I think is unproductive, I send a copy of every email to the Client/Customer, also, to every VR Representative noted on the Authorization.
5. THE PURPOSE OF TRAINING A. The purpose (goal or goals) of the training is (are), first, enroll driver in the Basic Vehicle Control Course, then the Pass the State Driving ONLY Course, then in the General Safety Course, then in the Defensive Driving Course. The driver is to be taught to the be safest driver possible in least amount of training time possible. (1). My suggestion if five or six lessons; however, VR is certainly free to fund fewer or more lessons.
6. WHAT IS THE TYPICAL TRAINING REGIMEN?
A. Enroll driver in the Basic Vehicle Control Course where the driver learns the proper use of the brake, accelerator and steering wheel. (1). This includes proper hand-over-hand steering and allowing the wheel to slide through the driver's hands to complete standard right and left turns rather than manually steer out of turns.
(a). Poor/dangerous steering is the #1 cause of crashing during driver's training, so I do NOT allow a driver to pass the Basic Vehicle Control Course until the driver has good control of and understanding of the steering wheel. (1). Upon graduation from this Course, if the driver has not reached saturation (the inability or unwillingness to learn anything more that is new at this time in his or her life until some of what the driver has learned has become habit or until the driver makes a decision to do the hard work needed to learn more) then I enroll driver in the Pass the State Driver License Course, then the General Safety Course, then the Defensive Driving Course, then the Advanced Defensive Driving Course.
(a). The General Safety Course where driver learns 12 very specific driving skills that keep the driver from being the cause of crashing among driver that honor the rules of the road. (b). The Defensive Driving Course where 23 very specific driving techniques are taught to keep the driver from becoming involved in crashes that crash prone drivers cause. (c). The Advanced Defensive Driving Course where two reasonably difficult (more challenging) defensive driving techniques are taught.
B. THREE-POINT TURN TRAINING
(1). I use my vehicle for the three point turn training if the student-driver has memorized the following well enough to quote it upon request, without error or hesitation.
(a). Slow, right, look, signal, stop.
Look, turn fast and coast, stop, reverse.
Look, turn fast and coast, stop, drive.
Look, turn fast and coast, accelerate.
(2). I use any other insured vehicle for the three-point turn if the student-driver wants or has to do the three point turn over and over and over and over, and memorize the following steps by doing the three-point turn many, many times.
(a). Slow, right, look, signal, stop.
Turn, look, coast, stop, reverse.
Turn, look, coast, stop, drive.
Turn, look, coast, accelerate.
(3). I (limited) guarantee the student-driver will pass the three-point turn part of the State exam or I will provide up to one-hour of three-point turn training at no charge to the VR customer and no charge to the VR.
(a). The limit of this guarantee is:
(1). Ten months from the completion of the training that is paid for by the VR, or age 17, whichever is last. (2). This offer is a service offer only. This offer has no cash value. (3). The time limit is one hour, but I (Joda Collins) have the right to provide less time if I feel the Student-driver will pass this part of the Exam. (4). This training must be in the vehicle the driver is using for the State exam. (5). There is no door-to-door service with this offer. (6). This offer is terminated if I am no longer in business.
C. PARKING TRAINING
(1). I use my vehicle for parking training if the student-driver has memorized the following well enough to quote it upon request, without error or hesitation.
(a). Slow, right, look, signal, stop.
Look, turn fast and coast, stop.
(2). I use any other insured vehicle for the parking training if the student-driver wants or has to do the parking turn over and over and over and over, and memorize the above steps by doing the three-point turn many, many times.
(3). I (limited) guarantee the student-driver will pass the three-point turn part of the State exam or I will provide up to one-hour of three-point turn training at no charge to the VR customer and no charge to the VR.
(a). The limit of this guarantee is:
(1). Ten months from the completion of the training that is paid for by the VR, or age 17, whichever is last. (2). This offer is a service offer only. This offer has no cash value. (3). The time limit is one hour, but I (Joda Collins) have the right to provide less time if I feel the Student-driver will pass this part of the Exam. (4). This training must be in the vehicle the driver is using for the State exam. (5). There is no door-to-door service with this offer. (6). This offer is terminated if I am no longer in business.
D. FOR STUDENTS WHO STRUGGLE WITH MEMORIZATION....
(1). If a student struggles with memorization, I direct the student to let me know immediately. I will provide a tutor, to work with the student on the telephone for 45-mintues to one hour, at no charge to the student and no charge to the VR. The tutor will say each word one at a time and the student will repeat it one at a time for 45-mintues to one hour. So far, every student, except one, that has taken advantage of this FREE offer has memorized the material within one-hour.
1XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
CONTRACT ELEVEN
SERVICE CONTRACT BETWEEN
VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION CLIENTS, STUDENT-DRIVERS AND THE JODA COLLINS DRIVING ACADEMY June 30, 2025
Ignore the parts you like. Make a written list of the parts you do not like.
1. TRAINING A. Student-driver is to be trained to be as skilled and safe a driver as possible, with the funds allotted. B. If the driver has a driver permit, but does not have a driver license, training begins with learning how to pass the State Driving Exam at Gulf Breeze or at the Brent Lane location in Pensacola.
(1). If driver is not licensed and has permit for more than 91-days, it is strongly suggested that, at least, one lesson be devoted to driving after closing time on the DMV Driver License Office lot and typical route taken for the driving exam. C. At least one nighttime driving session is recommended. Driver must have permit for no less than 91-days to drive after sunset.
D. The Student-driver is asked to give his or her best effort to memorize the following before the start of lesson one:
(1). Ahead, Behind, Mirror, Shoulder, Signal. Ahead, Behind, Mirror, Shoulder, Move.
(a). If it is not memorized by the start of lesson one, time will be devoted to memorizing it during lesson one, mostly in a stationary vehicle.
E. THREE-POINT TURN AND PARKING TRAINING
(1). Unless otherwise agreed on and approved, before agreeing to this Contract, for parking and three-point turn training, any vehicle wherein the Student-driver is insured, other than mine, will be used.
(2). I will use my vehicle for the three-point turn training if the student-driver has memorized the following well enough to quote it upon request, without error or hesitation.
(a). Slow, right, look, signal, stop.
Look, turn fast and coast, stop, reverse.
Look, turn fast and coast, stop, drive.
Look, turn fast and coast, accelerate.
(b). I will not accept responsibility to teach the three-point turn or parking in my vehicle if the student-driver does not memorize the procedure above first. Memorizing the above takes but a fraction of the mental capacity to learn the basic rules of the road, meaning of street signs and pavement markings needed for a driver to pass the written State exam. Drivers that cheat and have someone else take the State exam for them will, often, not be able to memorize the above without physically do the three-point turn over and over and over and over, thus memorizing, not the words, but memorizing their body movements.
(3). I use any other insured vehicle for the three-point turn if the student-driver wants or has to do the three-point turn over and over and over and over, and memorize the following steps by doing the three-point turn many, many times.
(a). Slow, right, look, signal, stop.
Turn, look, coast, stop, reverse.
Turn, look, coast, stop, drive.
Turn, look, coast, accelerate.
(b). The claim by any driver that he or she cannot memorize the above because he or she is mentally incapable is without merit. It takes only a fraction of the mental ability to memorize the above than it does to pass the State written exam. If driver knows his name, address, cell phone number, his/her birthday and names and cell phone number of a parent, he/she has already memorized much more than the words above, considering that about half of the words above are repeated three times. Memorize the first two lines = almost 50% of what is to memorize. If someone took the State exam for you because you cannot pass it by yourself, you might not be able to remember the procedure above, but you should not be driving anyway.
(4). I (limited) guarantee the student-driver will pass the three-point turn part of the State exam or I will provide up to one-hour of three-point turn training at no charge to the VR customer and no charge to the VR.
(a). The limit of this guarantee is:
(1). Ten months from the completion of the training that is paid for by the VR, or age 17, whichever is last. (2). This offer is a service offer only. This offer has no cash value. (3). The time limit is one hour, but I (Joda Collins) have the right to provide less time if I feel the Student-driver will pass this part of the Exam. (4). This training must be in the vehicle the driver is using for the State exam. (5). There is no door-to-door service with this offer. (6). This offer is terminated if I am no longer in business.
C. PARKING TRAINING
(1). I use my vehicle for parking training if the student-driver has memorized the following well enough to quote it upon request, without error or hesitation.
(a). Slow, right, look, signal, stop.
Look, turn fast and coast, stop.
(2). I use any other insured vehicle for the parking training if the student-driver wants or has to do the parking turn over and over and over and over, and memorize the above steps by doing the three-point turn many, many times.
(3). I (limited) guarantee the student-driver will pass the three-point turn part of the State exam or I will provide up to one-hour of three-point turn training at no charge to the VR customer and no charge to the VR.
(a). The limit of this guarantee is:
(1). Ten months from the completion of the training that is paid for by the VR, or age 17, whichever is last. (2). This offer is a service offer only. This offer has no cash value. (3). The time limit is one hour, but I (Joda Collins) have the right to provide less time if I feel the Student-driver will pass this part of the Exam. (4). This training must be in the vehicle the driver is using for the State exam. (5). There is no door-to-door service with this offer. (6). This offer is terminated if I am no longer in business.
E. IF YOU STRUGGLE WITH MEMORIZATION.... If you struggle with this task, let me know immediately. I will provide you with a tutor, to work with you on the telephone for 45-mintues, at no charge to you and no charge to the VR. The tutor will say each word one at a time and you will repeat it one at a time for 45-mintue to one-hour. So far, every student, except one, that has taken advantage of this FREE offer, has memorized the material within 45-minutes using this FREE service.
2. FINANCES A. The VR does not pay for every possible service I offer. The following is list of additional service fees the VR does not cover. These expenses are yours (the Student's or his/her Representative) if you opt for these added services. Unused funds are 100% refundable. Payment for the full Contract is required in advance of scheduling. (1). Fee for missed lessons belongs to the VR Customer or his/her Representative and not the VR.
(2). Door-to-door fee for all lessons not starting and ending at 3804 Garcon Point Road, Milton, FL 32583 is $2.95 per round trip mile from my home with is one-mile from 3804 Garcon Point Road; $2.75 or $2.95 per round trip mile plus a $15 per payment for door-to-door service.
(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, with one email request. If you do so there is no scheduling fee charged to you.
(b). If you schedule less than all VR approved lessons, or six lessons (whichever is less) with one email request, there is a $30 fee per scheduling request. This fee must be paid in advance of scheduling by the financially responsible person. Having that payment in the mail is considered paid in advance as long as we actually receive the payment. Our mailing address (not our business address) is:
Joda Collins Driving Academy
4033 Buttonbush Dr.
Milton, FL 32583
I accept money order, check (personal or business) and/or Visa or MasterCard credit or debit cards. I have never had an envelope lost in the mail, but there could be a first time. Keep your proof of purchase for your money order or cashier's check as we do not provide free service if an envelope (payment) is lost in the mail.
(c). All scheduling dates and times are available to VR drivers except for Saturday mornings unless otherwise noted by the VR Authorization (funding and service document).
(3). Schedule from our web site (www.jodacollins.com) Available Dates and Times Section, in accordance with directions there.
3. RIDERS
I do not allow anyone to ride in the back seat of my car during VR funded training; there are exceptions, but few.
4. SCHEDULING
A. Unless otherwise agreed on and arranged, all scheduling is done by email or voice mail (850 981-3355).
B. Who can schedule lessons? ONLY a person 18-years of age or older and who is the financially responsible individual for all charges the VR does not pay for can schedule, cancel or reschedule lessons. 5. ADDITIONAL LEGAL DOCUMENTS
It is responsibility of each person that signs this Contract to have also read, understood and agree to the terms and conditions in Contract Four, Five and Ten, found at www.jodacollins.com - Agreement page, as those terms and conditions affect each one that signs below.
6. PROPER HAND OVER HAND STEERING If a VR student does not have proper steering accomplished by the end of the second lesson, then I will stop teaching steering skills and concentrate on passing the State exam. The State does not require good steering, beyond controlled steering at low speeds in non-challenging steering conditions, in order to pass the State Driving Exam. Once the driver passes the "Pass the State Driving Exam ONLY" course, I will return to a concentrated effort on proper steering as a prerequisite. The VR primary initial goal is for the Student to become skilled enough to secure a driver license. If I make proper steering a prerequisite for learning to pass the State exam, and the driver never learns to steer well, then at the end of VR funded training, the driver will not be able to pass the State driving exam.
ATTACHMENT TWO
Section One: This charge exists because lane changes are among the top cause of crashes. To teach the memorization of this skill during paid training and in traffic increase the chances of crashing. When I am in my car with a driver or in his or her car and exposed to unnecessary and easily avoidable excess danger of loss of limb, life or livelihood (if you crash my car), I charge extra. It is hazard pay because it is avoidable with just a little effort before the training appointment. I will keep going up on this fee until most people will do that little extra work before training.
Section Two: Like most businesses during this time of national economic crisis, I have had to go up on my charges to stay in business. I decided to go up on my prices by charging more to those that cause me to do the most extra work and endure added stress. Hence, this charge.
Section Three: Driving between lessons and/or training between lessons without my okay or encouragement to do so is always a bad idea. Always. There is a method to learning to drive well in the shortest amount of time. It is called a "Training Schematic." The Training Schematic for the General Safety Course (12 General Safety Skills) is this:
2
2 3
2 3 4
2 3 4 5
2 3 4 5 6
2 3 4 5 6 7
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
1------- 2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9---10----11----12 = General Safety Course Graduate
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 2 3 4 5 6 7
2 3 4 5 6
2 3 4 5
2 3 4
2 3
2
The blue numbers represent the 12 General Safety Skills to learn.
The red number represent the 12 most dangerous/deadly driving habits of the student.
The green numbers represent two successes (the two lowest numbers deleted) in the preceding vertical line. The number 1 is the entry status of the driver, which takes into account skill, personality, teachability, motivation level and much more. That number equivalent sets the hierarchy for all numbers that follow.
All numbers are fluid depending on the personality of the driver, the driving environment, the commitment level of the driver, the driver's "Driving IQ" (which is not the same as scholastic IQ), the driver's standard IQ, the driver's learning disabilities, if any, and much, much more. Every student is different. I must concentrate training on the top blue number and the bottom red number without ignoring all of the numbers below the top blue number and above the bottom red number. When a driver drives between lessons without my okay, and/or has a co-trainer between lessons without my okay, the schematic is always out-of-whack when the student is delivered to me for more training, and I need to work harder and work the student harder spending more training time and effort to get back to the skill and safety level I was at the end of the previous lesson in order for the lesson to be the most productive and as safe as possible. If the student and/or co-teacher knew how to concentrate his or her efforts on the skills the top represent and the dangers the bottom numbers without ignoring all the skills the other numbers represent, that driver would progress between lessons appropriately. Co-teachers can be a benefit if they concentrate their efforts only on what I ask them to do. Few do because only a few can, and most of the few that can, won't.
If a co-teacher wants to be involved, I ask him or her to do something that concentrates on the lowest number in a driving environment that minimizes the danger of all the higher numbers causing a crash. I rejoice to have that assistance. It reduces the training time and expense while making the driver safer, faster.
Section Four: Learning hand over hand steering for free on your own time.
A. This is easier to write than to do. Hand-over-hand steering is an athletic move. It is not easy. Imaging the steering wheel as a clock with numbers 1 through 12. Start your turns with hands at 10 and 2. Drop the lead hand a 5 or 7, whichever comes first and, without stopping or slowing the turn of the wheel, place dropped hand at 12. See: https://youtu.be/Y3ArlcIqmOg .
Section Five: The purposes of this charge are:
A. If a driver does not know the steps to a safe and legal lane change, but has to learn it by doing it, that makes every lane change more dangerous than necessary. Unsafe and illegal lane changes are the second most common causes of crashing. I get paid more to be in greater danger than is necessary, and if using my vehicle for training, I get paid more for putting my vehicle at greater risk of crashing than in necessary. This is form of additional (and unnecessary) hazard pay.
B. Learning this procedure during paid driving time means that all of the time I could be spending on teaching safer driving is spent on having the student-driver memorize. This means the driver is less safe when the training is over, less safe during the training as it progresses, and more likely to fail or do poorly on the State exam. Drivers that do poorly or fail the State exam create a bad reputation for me, my school and my teaching ability. If too many of my students do poorly or fail the State exam, I can lose my enrollment in the three-in-three program and not be allowed, by the State to train three-in-three drivers. This puts my earning capacity at risk. I charge more to those that increase my chances of gaining a poor reputation and put my future earning capacity at risk.
Section Six: The purposes of this charge are:
A. A proper and legal three-point turn is one of the hardest procedures for most people do to well. While is it is relatively easy to do a three-point turn, doing it legally is not easy for most people. It is illegal to threaten to hit someone or another vehicle with a vehicle, so it is required to be sure it is safe to signal left before signaling. It is illegal to crash into someone or another vehicle while moving into or out of a three-point turn, so it is required to look before moving into a turn. Most drivers cannot do those things unless and until they memorize the steps. Most people do not memorize well or quickly. Our society seems to have lost the definition and ability (or willingness) to memorize. Memorize means you know it as well as you know your name, address and telephone number and can quote it anytime without error or hesitation. Anything less than that is not memorization, it is familiarization/recognition, but it not memorization. If you can only recognize it as accurate when I quote it, that proves that I memorized it, and you did not. Memorization is not easy. Most people are too lazy or too busy to invest the time and hard work to memorize.
I have been told over and over by drivers, "I can't memorize!" However, they have memorized their name, address, telephone number, how to use a cell phone, a computer, their job location, what they need to memorize for their job, their classroom schedule if in school, their parents' names and birthdays, and phone numbers, the route to and from school and or work, their locker combination, the times and dates of their favorite TV shows, and the basic rules of the road, street sign meanings, and pavement making meanings needed to pass their written driver exam. They expect me to believe they cannot remember a few words. I do not. What they are offering me is an excuse for their failure to do the necessary work and invested the necessary time for the task. That is their right, which I defend 100%, but the fee stands for them.
I have spent the entire four-hours with some drivers in an effort for them to be able to do a safe and legal three-point turn. One hundred percent of them can do a safe and legal three point turn on their first attempt AFTER they memorize the steps.
B. The second reason for this charge is I do not want this fee. I want the student to avoid this fee and memorize this procedure on their own time for free. This fee started at $35.00. I keep going up hoping the savings will be enough that most people will find the savings worth the effort to memorize the steps on their own time for free.
C. The third reason for this fee is that when I have to spend a lot of training time helping the driver memorize these steps so he/she can do a legal and safe three point turn on the first attempt after memorizing the steps, that takes away my time that I need to devote to the long list of driving skills I am supposed to evaluate and/or teach. This puts a lot of added pressure on me to get done all I have to do in a shorter period of time. I get paid more for being put under added pressure.
D. The fourth reason for this charge is that I have to go up on my prices to stay in business. The US economy is in free-fall; very bad. A dollar is nearly worthless. Rather than go up in my prices to everyone, I added this fee to get my increase in income from those that cost me the most time, effort and difficulties. So far, less than 5% of all three-in-three drivers have memorized this procedure before the start of the training. Their failure to do so is keeping charges to others lower, and that is good for others. However, as stated, I would rather go up a little bit for everyone and not charge this fee.
Section Seven: I seldom answer my phone, but I do, as promptly as I can, return voice mail by phone or by email. Do not complain that you cannot reach me if you do not leave a voice mail.
I seldom answer my phone for the following reasons:
1. Some people that do not read the legal documents want to ask me questions that are clearly answered in the legal documents. I do not have the time to read the legal documents to others.
2. Some parents want to help their teenager move into the adult world by having the teen do all the leg work for driver training scheduling. Many young people lack the awareness, listening ability or work ethic to talk with me about detailed matters of service and scheduling and then relay that information accurately or fully to their parent(s). This not only eats up my time to have to correct the recollection of the child (person under 18 years of age), but it opens the door for the parents to question my honestly if they are prone to take the word of their child over mine. That is when I hear the dreaded, "Buy my child said that you said...!"
3. No one says everything 100% perfectly 100% of the time and no one hears everything said 100% perfectly, perfectly 100% of the time. I avoid miscommunication by phone, by not being caught unprepared with every phone pick up. If I have a voice mail, I can prepare for a better response when I know the topic or the question(s) in advance.
Section Eight: The Scheduling Fee is charged for lesson one, even if more than one lesson is scheduled. The Scheduling Fee is charged for lesson two, even if more than one lesson is scheduled before the start of lesson one. I do this because I offer a reduced charge for all lessons beginning with lesson two not lesson one. This is to discourage Clients from scheduling more than one lesson to start with, knowing they can cancel all future lessons with no financial penalty, but get lesson two free of a Scheduling Fee. That is a win-win for the Client, but a win-lose for me if they do not take lesson two. All I get is one lesson, cancelled lesson two, or three, or four, and a clogged up future calendar.
Section Nine: For Clients using Contract Six, why do I (Joda Collins) welcome and invite the Client to ride for the first lesson, only? For the first five-years of my business (2008 through 2012) I allowed clients to ride during training. That was a disaster. It did not work out for me or to the driver's benefit. Mostly, I ended up teaching the client how to train, and in every case the client was overconfident, stopped the training early and took over training to save money, but to the detriment of the student-driver and all those ever near him or her in traffic.
In late 2013, I started allowing the client to ride during the first lesson, as a condition for me providing an estimate of future progress. That way, when the estimate of future progress is given, the client has an idea of my teaching ability and can better decide if he or she wants to continue training in light of the estimate. That has worked out well.
From 2013 through 2016, I sometimes let clients ride mid-training, if requested. However, that NEVER worked out well, so in late 2016, began to enforce my policy of a rider welcome ONLY during the first lesson.
Sometimes the client was wanting to learn how I taught so the client could take over the training and save money, and that only led to an unqualified trainer in every instance, and my efforts creating, indirectly, a driver that was less safe than he or she could have been.
Sometimes, the client doubted my skill, motivation or commitment, and wanted to ride to, "check me out." I would rather a client cease training that enter a training session with doubts about me, as the only thing that can happen is he or she will think I did well just because he or she road along or that I really am a terrible person/teacher. Either way, I lose. If doubts about me arise, it is best to cease training. I understand.
When a client enters the training mid-stream, it puts a lot of pressure on me as I am now in a situation where I have to try to satisfy two persons and two personalities. And, with each lesson, dynamics change that are part of my experience and the driver's experience and incorporate those change of dynamics into my teaching method. The client, not part of the evolution of the process, often, does not fare well in the training experience. The variables are too many to clarify.
Sometimes, the client wants to see how the driver is doing. However, that is not possible as the driving lessons are training sessions, and my input is part of the driver's success and safety at the moment.. Many clients misunderstand the ability of the driver to following my directions as driving skill, and it is not a good guide for driving skill, but a good guide for the ability to follow directions, thus, the client ends the training overconfident about the skill of the driver. That is not good. The other alternative is that I let the driver drive at his or her best without my directions, and hope there is no crash or ticket in the process. I am not willing to do that in my vehicle and put my vehicle and our lives at unnecessary risk. I could offer to ride in the client's vehicle and provide no instructions so the client can see the dangers, but that would still put life and limb at risk. I completely understand the dilemma of a client who wants to know how the student is doing but does not personally take the driver into traffic to learn that. That is one of the reasons I provide a written report after every lesson. Also, I am open to informing the client, if requested to do so, when and where a driver might be most safe in case the client wants to ride in the passenger's seat in his or her own vehicle while the student drives not during a paid driving session. Also, I invite any client to follow the training vehicle anytime. Also, I invite a stealth recorder in my vehicle at any time. I do not record lessons nor approve of a recording devise I know is in the car because that only makes my efforts suspect of extra effort knowing I am being recorded.
So, to summarize, I only allow the client to ride for the first driving lesson, even if we are using a vehicle that is not mine.
Section Ten
REALITIES ABOUT THREE-POINT TURN TRAINING
1. There are two vehicles that can be used for the three-point turn training
A. The Joda Collins Driving Academy Vehicle for a fee of $19.53 or $21.00,
B. Any other vehicle provided by any other person as long as the Student-driver is insured to drive that vehicle, for which there is no additional fee and I (Joda Collins) will pay you $21.00.
2. There are two people that can teach the three-point turn to the Student-driver.
A. Joda Collins
B. Any other person other than Joda Collins
(1). If any other person besides Joda Collins teaches the three-point turn to the Student, then Joda Collins must teach that person how to teach the three-point turn in a manner that will be stringent State requirements. This is not a negotiable requirement even if the other person is able to do a three-point turn without crashing because the State requires higher standards in the State exam beyond not crashing.
3. There are two ways to learn to do a three-point turn. I do not teach the three-point turn until the driver has good control of the vehicle at speeds of up to 5mph.
A . Muscle Memory Learning
(1). The Student does the three-point turn over and over and over and over and over and over and over again and again and again until driver has memorized the procedure my memorizing the body movements.
(a). I, Joda Collins, do not use my vehicle for training a driver to learn the three-point turn by muscle memory for the following reasons.
(b). The average driver requires 15 to 25 practice attempts to learn the three-point turn by muscle memory. Doing the three-point turn requires turning the steering wheel with the vehicle stationary, or barely moving. This is called "dry steering." After about 200 training attempts, I have to take a half-day off, take my vehicle to the mechanic and have my front end realigned. Also, I only get about 24,000 miles of tire life, rather than the 40,000 my tires are designed to provide. This increases my costs for tires by 60% from $209 each mounted and balanced to $348 each relative to tire life. If the average student takes 15 attempts, then every 13 students, I will need a $75 front end alignment and a half-day to get the job done (go there, get service, get back). I must make $40 per hour to make expenses. Four hours times $40 = $160.00. Not counting the additional 60% for tires, every 13 students, it will cost me $75 plus $160 = $235.00. That amount ($235) divided by 13 students = $18 extra per student. Additionally,
(c). My mechanic warned me that if I continue to use my vehicle for excessive dry steering, I can expect $2,500 to $3,500 every couple of years in power steering repairs and possible, very dangerous, power steering failure during the operation of my vehicle.
2. Cognitive Learning.
A. The student memorizes the steps for the three-point turn and, once memorized, does the three-point turn. So far, after 17-plus years in this business, 100% of all drivers that have memorized the steps, have been able to do the three-point turn perfectly the first attempt (assuming the driver has passed the basic vehicle control course thus can use accelerator, steering wheel and brake accurately and knows where his/her vehicle is in space). The same basic steps are used for parking.
(1). In my experience, somehow, and I do not know how, it seems that most people do not have the ability or determination to memorize things on their own. Out of the more than 3,000 students I have taught, only four have memorized the steps for the three-point turn by the start of the first lesson while most have been adamite at the start of lesson one that they have memorized the steps when they have not done so. This reality baffles me, but it is reality (at least in my world) none-the-less.
(a). Here is the procedure if using the Joda Collins Driving Academy vehicle for the three-point turn training.
(1). Slow, right, look, signal, stop.
Look, go slow and turn fast, stop, reverse.
Look, go slow and turn fast, stop, drive
Look, go slow and turn fast, coast, accelerate.
(b). Here is the suggested procedure if using any vehicle other than the Joda Collins Driving academy Vehicle for the three-point turn training.
(1). Slow, right, look, signal, stop.
Turn, look, coast, stop, reverse.
Turn, look, coast, stop, drive.
Turn, look, coast, accelerate.
(2). For those that find memorization too difficult, I provide a tutoring service for five dollars. I have the student-driver call at a specified day and time. My secretary will work with the student-driver on the phone for 45-minutes to one hour. During that time, my secretary will say each word one at a time and the student will repeat each word one at a time. So far, every person that has availed himself/herself to this FREE service was able to memorize the steps within one hour.
Section Eleven
I have been in business more than 17-years and had more than (an estimated) 300 three-in-three drivers. As a matter of fact, I have, never had a 3-in-3 driver carefully read the Legal Documents carefully enough to understand the major points. There are, I think, a number of possible reasons for that strange fact, but this is not the place to list those reasons. When drivers are not aware of their contractual obligations, that causes me and the driver a lot of unnecessary difficulties later. For me to endure those unnecessary difficulties caused by others, that added aggravating and extra energy investment, I charge money. That is fair. My charges are based on time, my skill, the degree of danger, the amount of liability, my safety record, my business integrity record, the cost of doing business (expenses), and the amount of energy investment.
Now, I usually (not always), mail a copy of the Legal Document to the 3-in-3 driver and ask him/her to read and sign it. I, usually (not always), highlight key point of the Contract. I ask the driver to sign it and bring it when they meet with me for the training.
This procedure gives me a day or so to get the Contract in the mail, and a day or so for the 3-in-3 driver to better understand the Contract. This procedure has greatly improved the driver's comprehension of his/her obligations, and greatly reduced the stain and difficulties on me.
Eetcc
Type your paragraph here.
Type your paragraph here.
e
54i
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, Coast, Stop, Reverse.
Turn, Look, Coast, Stop, Drive.
Turn, Look, Coast, 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)
I 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.
ADDITIONAL OFFER
I (Joda Collins) will train any licensed driver to train any person how to pass the parking and three-point turn part of the State driving exam for the standard per lesson fee. Requirements:
1. This training must be added to an existing lesson of 60 or more minutes.
2. The training has to take place in the Client's insured vehicle.
3. The maximum training time per 60 -minute or longer lesson is 15-minutes unless otherwise arranged. Most experienced drivers can learn to teach parking and three point turn in 15-minutes.
ADDITIONAL OFFER
Any Client can ride during parking and three point turn training of his or her Student-Driver and learn from watching how to train for parking and three-point turn. Charge for riding and learning how to teach parking and three-point turn is zero dollars. Standard training fees still apply for Student-Driver training.
I will train any Client to train any student to do parking and three-point turn. Standard training fees still apply.
If you have any remaining questions, just ask!
SECTION TWO
This is for those directed here. If you have not been directed to this Section, it will not make sense to you.
THREE POINT TURN
Far right
Go slow
Look
Signal
Stop
Turn
Look
Coast
Stop
Reverse
Turn
Look
Coast
Stop
Drive
Turn
Look
Go
ENTERING PARKING SPACE
Get right
Go slow
Look
Signal
Stop
Turn
Look
Coast
Stop
Parking & transmission brakes.
EXITING A PARKING SPACE
Reverse
Look
Coast
Stop
Turn
Look
Coast
Stop
Turn
Look
Go
Turn steering full left when parked uphill with curb on right.
Moving vehicle must miss pedestrian by three feet minimum.
Put both feet on brake. Hold brake down with left foot. Move right foot to accelerator. Small acceleration. Remove left foot from brake.
One difference is turn lane is shorter than deceleration lane.
Know where horn, emergency flashers, bright and dim headlights are.
CLARIFICATION OF FREE THREE POINT TURN TRAINING
What follows was in response to a real email which read: "Mr. Collins, you said I would get some FREE three-point turn training today and I did not. Why?"
My Response: Free behind-the-wheel training is unusual for any driving school to offer. Unlike other businesses, such as grocery stores for example, that can offers something for free or at a reduced price and can make up the lost profit on the sale of other items, driving schools only have one product/service which is driver's training.
Eighty percent of driver's training is cognitive/mental only. Ten percent of driver's training is a combination of cognitive and physical.
Ten percent of driver's training is physical.
1. COGNITIVE/MENTAL ONLY (80%)
A. Learning the rules of the road and how to apply those rules of the road in traffic,
B. Learning the 12 General Safety skills and now to apply those skills in traffic and
C. Learning the 23 Defensive Driving Techniques and how to apply those techniques in traffic.
2. A COMBINATION OF PHYSICAL AND MENTAL (10%)
A. Learning how the steering wheel influences the front tires.
B. Learning how the brake and accelerator influences the speed of the vehicle.
C. Learning when and how to use coasting.
D. Memorizing the steps for parking and three point turn.
Ten percent of drivers training is:
2. PHYSICAL (10%)
A. Learning the physical moves to safely operate the accelerator, brake and steering.
I give away FREE driver's training in the following ways:
1. The workbook which is all mental/cognitive.
2. These emails which is all mental/cognitive.
3. The written steps for parking and three point turn, which is all mental/cognitive.
4. Responding to any questions about driving presented in email format which is cognitive/mental.
5. Under specific conditions, couple of minutes at the start of each lesson devoted to free three-point turn and parking skills, which is a combination of mental/cognitive (memorizing the steps) and physical (doing the memorized steps behind the wheel).
Now, let's take the major points made in this note so far and put them together.
1. It is unusual for a driving school to give away driver's training whether it be cognitive/mental skill information, physical training behind the wheel or any combination of physical and mental/cognitive training.
2. FREE three point turn training consists of memorizing the steps and doing them. However, I only give away a minute or two free driver's training per lesson and only until driver can do the three-point turn and parking well enough to pass that part of the State exam.
Questions? Just ask.
Sincerely,
Joda Collins
SECTION THREE
SAVING MONEY!
OUR MOTTO IS "WE GO THE EXTRA MILE."
In the days of Jesus on Earth, any Roman Solider to order any person to carry anything the Roman Soldier was carrying and do so for up to one mile. Jesus said, if a Roman Soldier orders you to carry his gear (or anything else) for a mile, then volunteer to carry it an extra mile. In other words, do twice as much for the Roman Solider than is required and do it with a positive attitude.
In order to fulfill our motto, we have to give you the opportunity of progress through the training at twice the rate, therefore at half the expense. Drivers who:
1. Memorize the steps for parking and three point turn.
2. Memorize the assigned 10-words prior to the start of lesson one.
3. Do the assigned three hours of self-study in preparation for each lesson starting with lesson two. Client's must ask for this reading material early as it requires the purchase of a study workbook that is found online.
4. Read and reflect on progress reports after each lesson.
5. Learn hand over hand steering on their own time.
6. Learn to let the wheel slide through hands to complete standard 90-degree turns on their own time
Progress twice as fast and at half the expense compared to drivers who do none of the above.
A. MEMORIZE
Memorize the following 10-words in consecutive order before the start of your initial driving session, "Ahead, Behind, Mirror, Shoulder, Signal, Ahead, Behind, Mirror, Shoulder, Move." Save $30.00 (not $30 off, but $30 less).
B. MEMORIZE
Memorize the steps (procedure) for parking and three-point-turn on your own time. Save $150.00. (Not $150 off but $150 less.)
C. FREE written report of your driving progress and/or needs after each or almost every lesson. Learn by reading. You have to ask for this report via return email. Mr. Collins pays a Secretary $15 to turn his coded notes into something you can read if and only if you want those notes sent to you email FREE of charge to you. Only about 30% of drivers and 70% of Clients want those notes, so Mr. Collins does not spend the money producing them if they are not valued. One request is all that is needed for notes after every lesson.
D. WORKBOOK
Read 15-pages of the study Workbook in preparation for your initial training session. That workbook is attached to your first email from us. Or, you can order the workbook on line at
http://www.lulu.com/shop/joda-collins/joda-collins-driving-academy-course-workbook/paperback/product-24099355.html
Read for a devoted one-hour 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 10% to 30% of your tuition expense (not 10% to 30% off, but 10% go 30% less) because you will progress faster thus invest less money in training.
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.
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. 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.
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 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.
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.
This is akin to a person that learned to read by memorizing words rather than via phonics.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Registration and Q and A Section
Welcome to
JODA COLLINS
DRIVING ACADEMY LLC
Behind-the-Wheel Training
Serving Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa Counties since 2008!
850 981-3355
SECTION TWO
PARKING AND
THREE-POINT TURN
(Turn-About)
Copyright © 2016. Joda Collins. All rights reserved.