Frequently asked Questions
How BSM handles personal data
Lessons
How do I buy lessons that are shorter or longer than 2 hours?
You can buy lessons that are 1 hour long, or 3 hours or more, by contacting us on 08457 276 276*. However, we do recommend 2-hour lessons, as this maximises your learning time after you've settled into the car. To buy 2-hour lessons, simply select the buy more lessons option within your lesson organiser. If you're a new customer, select the book lessons link from the left navigation.
How do I schedule lessons that are shorter or longer than 2 hours?
If you've purchased lessons that are 1 hour long, or 3 hours or more, please ask your instructor about scheduling these or contact us on 08457 276 276* and we'll be happy to schedule them for you.
How do I cancel a lesson?
To cancel a lesson, please call us on 08457 276 276*. You can cancel a lesson up to 2 working days (a working day being Monday to Friday inclusive) before it's due to be taken, with no charge. If you cancel later than this, we'll have to charge you for the lesson.
Gift vouchers and account credit
How do I spend my gift voucher?
You can redeem a gift voucher by calling us on 08457 276 276*.
How do I use my account credit?
If you have credit on your account, just call us on 08457 276 276* to use it.
Address changes
If I change my address will I need another instructor?
This depends on how far you are moving away from your instructor's working area. If you're thinking of moving home, please call us on 08457 276 276* and we can liaise with your instructor on your behalf.
Product updates
Theory CD-ROM
This update should be applied once you have installed the latest version.
Note: it will not work with older versions of the product.
Theory Interactive Update (14/10/2007, v1.2, 142KB).
Product Support
MAP and Fault Fixer
For email support, go to Product Support - MAP and Fault Fixer
What is MAP?
The Mind Alertness Programme (MAP) is a unique interactive training package that improves your chance of passing your Practical Test. Learners can either useit at their BSM Centre or take it home for use on their own PC. The Mind Alertness Programme contains two main sections: personal assessment and personal training.
What is a PEP?
A PEP is a unique learner number given to a BSM customer when they first register with BSM.
Where can I get my PEP?
If you haven't already got a PEP, you need to call BSM on 08457 276 276. We're open Monday to Friday 8am - 8pm, Saturday 9am - 5pm and Sunday 10am - 4pm.
Logging into MAP/Fault Fixer
Once you have been given a PEP, you can use it to log into MAP or Fault Fixer.
When asked by the program to input your PEP, you must put 2 zeros ("00") directly in front of your 7 figure PEP number.
If you receive an error message saying "You have entered an incorrect PEP number", then most likely you have forgotten to append your PEP with 2 zeros. You must therefore re-enter your PEP number with 2 zeros at the beginning.
Example: if your PEP is "7433420", then to log into MAP or Fault Fixer you will need to input "007433420" to enter the program.
Is MAP compatible with Windows Vista?
No. The current version of MAP is not compatible with Windows Vista. We are in the process of updating the program to ensure it is compatible with Windows Vista.
What is the Personal Assessment?
The personal assessment can be accessed only twice. It contains 17 tasks to evaluate the different abilities that are related to driving, such as reaction time, distance/time/speed estimation, short-term memory, focusing, and visual scanning. At the end of the training, feedback is sent by email to your instructor, grading your abilities according to your performance. It's important to perform the assessment as well as you can, and without distractions.
What is the Personal Training?
The personal training is designed to train mental abilities associated with driving. You'll be given tasks to train basic elements of cognitive abilities such as attention, memory, perception and hand-eye coordination. The training programme consists of two periods of six weeks each. In each week you are scheduled to practise three times. It is recommended to have a 48-hour break between every two training sessions. Each session will take about 20 minutes and comprises three tasks, each relating to a cognitive aspect of driving.
Do I need an Internet connection to run the programme?
Yes, an Internet connection is necessary to use this product.Why do I need an Internet connection?
The Internet connection is needed to validate the CD-ROM and to send and receive results for the assessments you'll need to complete.
How and when can I access the assessment?
You can access the assessment twice:
- A week before starting driving lessons. (Recommended)
- At the end of the whole training, after sending all the training results.
Requirements for taking the assessment:
An Internet connection is needed in order to start the assessment and to send the results to the database to receive feedback. If this is your first assessment, the system must verify that an assessment has not already been performed with your personal code. If you've already taken the assessment, please make sure you've sent the results of the 36 training sessions to the database. Only then will you be able to perform the second assessment. It is recommended that you take the first assessment a week before you start your driving lessons.
Do I have to stay online during the Assessment or the Training?
No. At the beginning of the assessment you have to connect to the Internet in order to verify that the code you've entered is correct and that nobody has used that code before. After getting the permission to start the assessment, you may disconnect and start the assessment. At the end of the assessment, which takes about 30 minutes to complete, you will have to reconnect in order to send the data.
During the training you don't have to be online. It is recommended to connect at the end of each training day and to send the results, but you may send the results the next time you do the training.
Can I quit in the middle of the assessment?
We recommend completing the assessment with no breaks. However, if you quit in the middle of the assessment, the next time you enter it you'll start at the task from which you quit. In addition, if you quit the assessment in the middle, you won't be able to access the other parts (personal training, task pool, etc) until you complete the assessment.
Do I have to send my personal details via the Internet?
No. The database contains no names and is completely anonymous. You will only have to enter general details such as your age, gender and computer experience.
What is a task pool?
The task pool contains a list of tasks you've already performed at least twice. You can access the tasks you want, or the tasks that you wish to make improvements to. At the end of each task you'll see a graph, comparing your current results to your highest results. Each task can be played anytime, as many times as you wish.
Why is the Task Pool empty?
The task pool will be empty until the end of the second training week. After completing each task twice, the tasks you have already performed will be available at the task pool. As you advance in your training days, more tasks will be available in the task pool.
What are Training results?
The training results contain the list of tasks graphs. You can access each graph from the list to view your results and progress during the training. The performance is measured by two variables: accuracy and reaction time. To view your results and progress at each stage, click 'show stages' and click on each stage. The training results graph is also displayed after completing each task.
Why is the Training Results empty?
The training results will be available after completing a whole training day. The more tasks you perform, the more results will be available.
How and when can I send the data?
At the end of each training day, you'll be able to connect to the Internet and send the data. If you haven't sent the data previously, it will be sent together with the current files. If you haven't sent the data during the whole training (36 training days) and you wish to send it now, enter the 'personal training' and click 'connect'. To send the data, you'll be asked to connect to the Internet. If you don't have a permanent connection, you'll need to open your dial-up connection and connect to the Internet manually. If your modem dial-up connection is hidden behind the MAP window, drag the MAP programme to any location on the screen.
Why can't I access the Personal Training?
We recommend doing the training programme 3 times a week, every other day, so the training cannot be accessed within 25 hours of the previous training day. In addition, if you quit in the middle of the assessment, the personal training cannot be accessed until completing the assessment.
Why are the tasks repeating themselves?
The tasks are given at a rate of one per week, where the content of each task changes randomly. For example, in the 'perception threshold' task, the signs that appear for a brief moment are different each time the user performs the task.
Why do I need to practise 3 times a week?
In order to progress and sharpen your mental skills, it is recommended to train 3 times a week. Training more than this may not produce further progress, as it takes time for the mind to adjust. It's like filling a glass of water. If you try to fill the glass with high pressure, it won't fill up. But, if you fill up the glass slowly, it'll fill up completely. On the other hand, training less might not be effective since the 'glass of water' will be filled too slowly. The optimum number of times to be trained is therefore 3 per week, for a period of 3 months, to reach significant and stable improvement in a comfortable and natural way.
What do I train? What is it good for?
Cognitive training deals with improving the work of the brain's systems. It increases the efficiency (speed) in which the brain processes information and creates reactions. Also, connections and communication between different brain areas are refreshed and sharpened. The result of the training should be expressed in real life activities such as driving. For example, if a person sharpens their attention skills, their driving is expected to improve in the ability to perform two tasks simultaneously (such as looking at the rear view mirror and paying attention to a pedestrian in front of the car).
Can I quit in the middle of a training day session?
Quitting in the middle of a training session will reset the current results. Next time you enter MAP, you will be presented with the same tasks.
What happens when I've completed the whole training programme?
Once you've completed the training programme, and sent your results, the second assessment will be available. You can now perform the second assessment and view your improvement, by clicking on 'assessment feedback' from the training results. At this stage, all the tasks will be available in the task pool, and can be accessed anytime.
Why was I presented with the tasks I had already performed the day before?
If you haven't completed a training day, the next time you log in you will be presented with the same tasks.
How do I know that my abilities are really improved?
Improved abilities and skills are gained with training. At first, some effort will be needed to perform a task, until gradually it will become more automatic and easy. Once you feel that you can do a certain task (such as reacting to a stop sign) faster and with less effort than before, you will have improved your ability in scanning and reacting.
How can I print out the Scientific Background?
In order to print the articles, you should first open them using Word or Acrobat Reader by clicking on the icons at the top of each article. Then, print the documents using the 'print' option from the 'file' menu.
To print the Scientific Background, what if I don't have Microsoft Word installed on my computer?
The documents will be automatically opened by Winword, which is installed in every computer.
To print the Scientific Background, what if I don't have Adobe Acrobat Reader on my computer?
By clicking the Acrobat icon, you can access the Acrobat installation. Click 'yes' to install Acrobat and follow the installation instructions.
Do I have to pay for Acrobat Reader?
No. Acrobat Reader is freeware.
How can I print the graphs?
When viewing a graph, click on the printer icon. Your default web browser will be opened with the graph displayed. Use the browser 'print' option from the 'file' menu in order to print it out.
What happens after scheduling a driving test date?
As long as you don't have a driving test date scheduled, the personal training can be accessed every other day, and the tasks cannot be skipped. Once you are close to your driving test date, the training can be accessed more intensively (every day), and the number of training days is changed to enable you to finish the last training session, access the second assessment, and to view your improvement.
What is the Sound Check for?
Some of the tasks require sound. At the beginning of each training day, and at the instructions of each sound task, you'll find a sound check button. Clicking on it will open the sound check procedure. Click 'play, and music will be played. If you can hear the music, click 'yes', otherwise click 'no' and keep following the instructions. If you can't hear the music through the whole procedure, the task (or the sound part of the task) will be skipped.
What is the difference between the graphs?
The graphs indicate your performance in each task. The performance, or improvement, is measured by two variables: reaction time (seconds) and accuracy (% correct answers). Progress in both is a significant improvement in cognitive training. After completing 3 tasks for the day of training, you'll be presented with the best improvement rate, compared to the first week of training.
After completing each of the two training periods (of 6 weeks each), a graph will be presented to compare your improvement in all abilities. You'll be able to view, for example, how your attention was improved compared to your visual scanning or any other ability.
How are the Assessment Feedback and End of Training graphs calculated? Does the percentage given for each ability refer to the accuracy or the reaction time?
This graph refers to a mixture of accuracy rate and reaction time.
Why can't I run MAP from another computer?
Once you've installed MAP and generated a password, your PEP number is registered to the database and it's not possible to run it from a second computer using the same PEP number. MAP can be accessed only from the computer you generated the password from. This prevents sharing the CD (and PEP) by different users.
MAP is running too slowly, what should I do?
Please make sure that you have at least 100MB free in the operating system drive (usually drive C:\). (If you don't know where the operating system is installed, search Windows or Winnt and look for its location). If you don't have enough disk space, delete all the unnecessary files on your computer (for example, temporary Internet files/temp files).
If the programme is running from the CD (compact installation) and the CD drive works too slowly, make sure that you have at least 370MB free hard-disk space. Uninstall the programme, by clicking start > programmes > control panel > add/remove programmes > MAP. Then re-insert the CD into the CD-drive, click install, and this time when choosing installation type, click 'typical installation'. This will install all the files to your hard-drive, and you won't need the CD any more.
Can I run another application when MAP is running?
Please do not launch any other application while MAP is running. Opening different applications while MAP is running may cause problems, such as error messages.
What is the difference between Compact and Typical installation?
Compact installation copies only the minimum files needed to run the programme. The CD is required each time in order to run the programme. Typical installation copies the whole CD to the hard drive, so the CD is not needed any more. 370MB hard disk space is needed to install and run the programme.
When and how can I access the second assessment?
The second assessment can be accessed after completing the whole training and sending the results.
How can I view my progress between the first and the second assessment?
After sending the second assessment, click 'training results' and go to 'assessment feedback'.
Theory CD-ROM
For email support, go to Product Support - Theory CD-ROM
Is the Theory CD-ROM compatible with Windows Vista?
Yes. The current version of the Theory CD-ROM (v1.2) is compatible with Windows Vista.
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