Just say it!!

Me again!

Another tough driving lesson!

Ok, so, had a session booked tonight from 5-7pm with S. Yesterday we went through what I call a prompted test route…in order to give her a proper idea of what to expect on the day of her driving test. This is where I give her directions, stay quieter than usual (so not to distract her), but for her to ask me if she needed my guidance, and me to offer advice if I felt she needed it.

Tonight the plan was to go through a “proper” mock test…with me playing the examiner…and not being “me” at all. I have always found the use of mock tests a really useful learning tool, as it helps both the learner and I to assess exactly where we’re at, and to see what else needs to be worked on.

So, back to tonight. I picked her up from home and this gave her a chance to relax on the drive to the test centre. On route, she emerged right out of a T-junction…and I commented that it would have been better if she had waited as the car behind the one that turned left was picking up speed. Once we got to the test centre she reversed into one of the bays and then I went into role as an examiner. The test centre exit is not particularly easy…uphill, and a real “creep and peep” junction, with very restricted views. Immediately it highlighted her reluctance to use the handbrake, and we rolled back a little. We sat at the light controlled crossroads for a while before turning left into a tight junction, and she went over the other side of the road…not too much of a problem as there was no oncoming traffic. I could tell she was really nervous. At the end of the road I asked her to turn left…a very tight turn and very easy to mount the kerb if you don’t position your car just right…which is exactly what she did!

She turned left at a mini roundabout, and then at the next one I had to dual brake her as she was going to pull out at the wrong time. Immediately she said, “That’s a fail isn’t it?”

I asked her to pull up for some “time out”. We discussed what had happened. She said that she was still thinking about why she mounted the kerb at the T-junction and she admitted that she had let the driver behind affect her, and she knew the car was inching forward, which made her press the brake, which meant that she couldn’t then pull away confidently with gas…At this time I could tell she was near to tears, so I didn’t look directly at her for too long…this seemed to help her regain her composure. She decided that she’d like to continue with the rest of the test route. I thought this would be a good idea as it would give her a chance to re-focus and see if she could rise above what had happened.

Unfortunately, things just got worse. She went to signal right at a roundabout to go ahead, then she missed two opportunities to go, and she didn’t notice that her left indicator was still on for about 300 yards – resulting in 3 serious faults in a very short space of time!

I asked her to park up and she had a problem with this too. I could FEEL how stressed she was, so I just suggested that it was a good time for her to have a cigarette…which she did!

I have to admit that I felt SO bad for this poor girl at this time. I knew how much she wanted/needed to pass her driving test, and she was such a hard worker, (worked as a health care assistant) and had been let down by her last instructor….however, in my heart I just knew she wasn’t ready to demonstrate the standard of driving required to pass the test. I vocalised this to her and immediately I could tell that she was holding back the tears…

To cut a very long story short, it ended up with us booking in more sessions with me, and her agreeing that if I didn’t feel she was ready to be alone out on the road, then I would withhold the use of my car…

I found myself saying that I would only charge her for an hour (even though it was at least an hour and a half) and drove her to the hospital, ready for work.

The MOST interesting part about all of this (for me!) is that on the drive to the hospital the conversation came round to us discussing her previous instructor, and then me asking her what she felt about me as an instructor – was she happy with me? And if not, what would she change? Yes, she was much happier with me than her last instructor, BUT she felt that I should not be afraid to point out if she was doing something that was wrong and needed correction! In effect what she was saying was that she felt I was a bit of a “soft touch”, and that when I pointed out any driving errors, she felt that I said it in such a way that she didn’t take it too seriously! 

What a revelation for me!! I always felt that I got the balance just right when dealing with driver errors…but S wanted me to be firmer! I just LOVE this job SO much…I am always learning…and it’s great to have this sort of feedback from pupils. In actual fact, I don’t particularly find it easy to criticise pupils; usually because I know they are doing their best. However, this has been such a valuable driving lesson, and has made me realise that sometimes, as instructors, we have to dish out “tough love”…it is simply part of our job!

Or, in other words don’t be afraid to see it, say it, and then sort it!!

Thanks for reading…Helen Adams ADI

Roundabouts - dealing with them!

For all you learner/novice drivers out there...just thought I'd share my thoughts on how to deal with roundabouts...

Approaching roundabouts – Use the M.S.P.S.L. and L.A.D.A. routines

Mirrors

Start your routine early. Check all three mirrors before you do anything else (centre, left, then right), to make sure it is safe to do what you are planning to do…

Signal …if necessary.

Left - signal left on approach if you are taking the first exit.

Right (past 12 o’clock) - signal right on approach if you’re going right at the roundabout.

Ahead - do not signal on approach if you’re going ahead at the roundabout.

Position

Taking position on approach to the roundabout is much like it is for other junctions. Unless road signs direct you otherwise:

If you are going left, take position on the left.

If you are going right, take position on the right.

If you are going ahead, keep left.

Speed

Start bringing your speed down nice and early. If you're doing 70mph, you can start decelerating when you reach the red and white "Reduce Speed" signs. By the time you get to the 300 yard marker a speed of 40 mph is more than enough. You need to see what’s coming from the right on the roundabout and you also need to keep an eye on where you’re going. By reducing your speed, this will give you the time to do what you need to do…

Look

When approaching a roundabout, your observations should begin as early as possible. You need to use several quick glances to the right. This will enable you to build up a complete picture of what’s happening on the right while still watching where you’re going. Look to stop, but be prepared to go...

Gears

LADA! - Look, Assess, Decide, Act.

Try to resist the temptation to change gear early. You’ll be taking pot luck and you’ll probably find you need to change gear again before joining the roundabout. If you need to change gear, it will usually be the last thing you do before joining the roundabout. It is better to use the LADA routine, so that you can avoid unnecessary gear changes, and can move smoothly onto the roundabout, without interrupting the traffic already on it…or prepare to stop…

 On the roundabout

Don’t rush. Pay attention to your position. Be aware of what's going on all around you...check your blind spot. And be prepared to take evasive action if other road users force you to…you may need to slow down, speed up, or change lanes…but you can ONLY do this once you have checked it is safe to do so…

You may change gear on the roundabout if it’s appropriate and you have a suitable opportunity. However, a sensible speed and good position are higher priorities than gear changing. Checking mirrors and signalling to exit also have a higher priority than gears.

Exiting the roundabout

If you’re going left into the 1st exit of the roundabout, you should already be signalling left on approach. Make sure this signal remains on until you have exited the roundabout.

If you’re going into any other exit (2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th etc.), you will need to give a separate left signal before leaving the roundabout. The correct timing for this signal is just as you are passing the previous exit. For example, if you’re taking the 2nd exit, you should signal left as you’re passing the 1st exit. As with any left signal, you should check your interior and left mirrors before giving the signal. Plan ahead and allow yourself time to check your mirrors first, and to react to what you see in them. Consider the need for a left blind spot check too.

As you exit the roundabout, aim to resume your normal road position in the new road. Therefore, you should be on the left in the new road unless you have a good reason for being elsewhere. For example, exiting onto a dual carriageway

Once you’ve exited the roundabout, make sure your left signal has cancelled. If it doesn’t cancel automatically, cancel it yourself, but ONLY once you have finished steering! Be especially careful if you’re going to move towards the right after exiting a roundabout (e.g. to pass a stationary vehicle): make sure your left signal is off before you move right.

Helen Adams ADI – www.purple-driving.co.uk

Spiral Roundabouts

Spiral roundabouts

For some reason, spiral roundabouts really send people into a spin!

They are really not that difficult, but there are a few things you need to know so that you can get them right:

You need to recognise the difference between a spiral and a normal roundabout.

You need to find the correct lane when approaching and joining the roundabout.

Once in the correct lane, you need to stick with it and let it carry you off the roundabout.

Sainsburys Spiral Roundabout - Chichester

 

Look at the lines that are formed by little white dots. These are temporary lane markings which help you to find the lane on the roundabout that corresponds to the lane you approached in. Any car that's approaching in the left lane is guided around to the left. Anyone approaching in the middle lane is guided to the middle. Anyone in the right lane is guided to the right lane of the roundabout.

Spiral roundabouts have dotted lines at every point of entry. The dots are only for people joining the roundabout. Once you've joined, you can safely ignore the dots.

Staying in lane

Now that you're on the roundabout and in the correct lane (the one that corresponds to your approach lane), all you need to do is continue following the lane you're in. This is just like lane discipline in normal driving: don't cross the white lines either side of you unless you have a good reason. You will not normally need to change lanes on a spiral roundabout. If you do need to change, make sure you check it's safe before you do so. Signal if necessary.

Once you are following your lane, it should guide you off the roundabout and into the exit you were looking for. As you follow the lane, keep an eye on the road markings to confirm you're still on course for your destination.

Helen Adams ADI – www.purple-driving.co.uk

Too honest for my own good?

Am I TOO honest to be a driving instructor?

June 18th 2012

What a strange day I've had today!  

My first lesson has been booked for quite a while, and involved me travelling for approximately 25 minutes in order to meet this young girl. We had previously arranged to meet at the train station in my home town, in order for her to get the most out of her driving lessons and not use me as an expensive taxi! She has had approximately 12 hours training so far.

When I met her today I asked her about her Theory Test, and she said she had it re-booked for tomorrow. I asked her if she had been out driving with her parents, and her answer was no. I felt this was a real shame as I always find that those that do get out and about in their own cars do SO much better! I asked her if she felt ok to drive into town and she said no. So, this would mean that out of the hour and a half she'd booked, 50 minutes of it would be spent with me driving! Which, to me is a complete waste of time! However, when I asked how she felt about meeting me at the station she made it quite clear she didn't want to do this anymore. 

After further discussion a decision was made; mostly by me! I told her I wouldn't charge for today. And that she needed to decide whether she wanted to start meeting me at the train station again, or find another instructor who lived and worked nearer her. I have also emailed her Dad to let him know what happened today...So my question is, did I do the right thing?

So, onto my evening session! A normal driving lesson - or so I thought!!

After an initial discussion she decided she wanted to practise the turn in the road...a new skill. When we got to a suitable road, we parked up and turned the engine off. Before we went into the briefing, we started to book some more lessons in. And then, I asked her when she thought she like to take her practical driving test,

"Before I go back to College", was her reply. So we looked at my Diary, and find out that I've got two semi-intensive courses booked with a week in between in July and August. I could see the look on her face immediately...and it transpired that she wanted to learn asap! No surprise there then! I asked her if she had booked her Theory test...

"No, I haven't yet..." was her reply.

To cut a long story short, the session ended up with me suggesting that she could always find another driving instructor who would be able to accommodate her needs...and then driving her back home to discuss this further with her Dad! 

There are a couple of things I would like to add before I go. I HATE "losing" pupils! To me it feels like I've let them down in some way. However, I HAVE to be guided by how I feel and how I would like to be treated...and for me that means complete transparency and honesty. I have managed to walk away from today, knowing that I have done my best by these two students and their families...even if I am losing out on the potential income...for me, money is SO not important!! And it certainly never drives me...as long as I've got enough to live on and continue being a driving instructor - because for me, it's the BEST job ever!!

Thanks for taking the time to read this! 

Helen Adams ADI