Only a few days ago, I wrote about how a notice had appeared stuck up on just about every wall in the building which houses the Beeston Test Centre informing driving instructors that they MUST stay in the waiting room while their pupils are out on test, that they MUST NOT go into the reception area, and that they MUST pass through the reception quickly when entering or exiting the building in order not to be seen by anyone who might be visiting.
The tone of the notice suggests that typical visitors include royalty, senior politicians, and the non-corporeal figureheads of most major religions.
Shortly after I published that article I received an email via the Contact Form from an instructor in this area. Here’s what he or she says (the email address doesn’t make their gender clear):
I saw your story about those letters at the Beeston test centre and thought you would like to hear what happened to me today.
It was a nice day and I went into the reception to get a coffee so I could go and sit outside. I saw the reception woman come in and I could feel her standing somewhere behind me. I assumed she was waiting to make sure I didn’t sit down anywhere so I ignored her. I picked up my coffee and went to the door. As I was just outside I heard “excuse me, excuse me”. I turned and said “yes” – spilling hot coffee all over my hand as I did so. She just said “THREE cups? THREE?”
What I had done is use three paper cups nested inside each other because the coffee from that machine is very hot and you can’t walk far without having to put it down. Unable to bitch at me for sitting down in the foyer she decided to go for something else. Like I said she was standing behind me just looking for something to complain about. I just said “its because the coffee is hot. Why don’t you put up another notice about it?” and walked out.
I’m not sure if I would have been as diplomatic. All I can say is “three cups! I mean, THREE paper-bloody-cups”. Someone call the police.
One thing I didn’t realise is that the woman in question is new. I never had any problems with the previous receptionist, who was quite friendly, nor did I encounter any loud or noisy instructors. However, it would appear that this harridan is prepared to lie through her back teeth to get what she wants, and from what I have been able to pick up from others ADIs have been smoking, crack-dealing, and plotting bank heists using a 500W PA system just outside this woman’s lair. Such has been the nature of the justifications given to DVSA prior to posting all those notices. Whenever I sat in there, I saw very few other instructors. What I did see, though, was an endless stream of noisy and dirty workmen and delivery boys.
DVSA is a tenant of the Beeston Business Centre just as much as anyone else. I can only assume that this vicious woman – who never seems to do any work – is either prejudiced against them and/or learners and instructors, or is just a bitch to everyone who works there.
The centre manager needs to get his act together quickly. He needs to remember that he (and his staff) work for the tenants – it’s not the other way around. It sends shivers down my spine, because it reminds me so much of some of the scumbags I used to have to work with. All it takes is one promotion, one single change in their job description, and their ego runs riot, sprinting miles ahead of their actual ability.