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Stutterer turned down as driving instructor
By Evening Standard reporter Last updated at 00:00am on 11.04.02A man with a stutter was turned down as a driving instructor by the British School of Motoring because he couldn't say "stop" fast enough in an emergency.
Arsenal Whittick, 39, spent 10 months on a course to become an instructor only to be told his speech impediment had put a stop to his career. Today BSM officials told an employment tribunal he would have been a liability on the road because he was unable to give vital commands.
Solicitor Ian Leake, for BSM, told the tribunal Mr Whittick had joined the course in October 2000. He said: "Mr Whittick applied to undertake a driving course validated by the Driving Standards Authority.
"He completed parts one and two. For these, verbal skills are not really required.
"There was a short course in Reading at the end of which was some kind of mock exam of Mr Whittick's instructing technique. It was at this point that it was pointed out to Mr Whittick that in a real driver-trainee situation he would be unable to instruct in time to ensure the safety of the driver and other road users.
"He reassured the company that he felt he did not have a problem and at the time he applied for the course Mr Whittick maintained he had no disability. What could the company do? There were safety-related issues which I would think would be obvious to everyone."
Mr Whittick, from Bournemouth, had paid £2,600 to join the course and quit his £15,000-a-year office job to study for the exams. But the Southampton tribunal ruled it could not accept Mr Whittick's claim that he had been discriminated against as he was not employed by BSM.
He has now set up his own business, Happy Hour Driving School, and is teaching free until he gets enough experience to apply for his licence himself.
He said: "I can see how it might seem funny but I have taken out a loan and bought a dual-control car so I would always be able to brake and would never be a danger."
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