Driving Instructors - beware of what you say whilst in the Test Centre! Even if what you said was said in jest!

Driving Instructors - beware of what you say whilst in the Test Centre!  Even if what you said was said in jest!

Haven’t written for a while…sorry, been REAL busy! However, a conversation that took place in the Test Centre got me thinking. So I thought I’d share it with you all.

My pupil and I entered the waiting room and were joined shortly by two other ADI’s. One of whom had been partially trained by me, so we knew each other well. The other ADI had qualified the same year I did…and we very rarely saw each other. Male. To protect his identity I’ll call him X. The conversation between X and I went like this;

Me - SO, how’s u X?

X - Fine, how are you? He pulled a funny face…

Me - Loving it! (Meaning that I was loving my job)

X - Really? You must be crazier than we already thought you were then!!

At that point the conversation ended as the examiners walked in…

What’s the problem I can hear you ask? Well, to me there was no problem. I knew this guy, and I have come to expect his rather dry (un-funny remarks!) But when I drove my pupil home, I was being my usual random self, and just happened to ask her what she thought of X. I was quite surprised when she wrinkled her nose up, and said he looked like a paedophile!! She also added that she didn’t think much of what he’d said to me. When I asked her to expand on this she explained that because of what he’d said to me, she now thought that he DID’NT enjoy his job!! and certainly wouldn’t want to be trained by him!!

So, that’s what I meant by the title of this blog…be careful of what you say whilst in the driving test waiting room…people will form opinions of you simply because of what you look like…AND from what you say!! 

Helen Adams ADI

www.purple-driving.co.uk

www.121aditraining.co.uk

The benefits of a mock test...

So are there any benfits to a mock test?

 

 

Aaron - mock test, part 1

 

Used as an assessment tool I find mock tests really useful. I'd like to know what you all think?

Here are some of the reasons I find them useful;

• Just like in school, they give both student and teacher a really good idea of how the student will perform on their real "test".
• It shows how your pupil behaves when they are driving totally without your help
• It gives a good idea of what is involved in taking a real driving test

• It lets both you and your pupil know what, (if anything!) still needs more work/practice/fine tuning/explaining, etc....

Please do let me know what your ideas are?!! Be honest!!

Take care, Helen :-)
 

Roundabouts - I thought I would probably stop…

Roundabouts - I thought I would probably stop…

 

Roundabouts are great, as they allow traffic from different roads to merge or cross without having to stop. I love them and, throughout my years of driving and driver training, I realise I now hardly give them any thought…negotiating them happens automatically!

However, it would seem they are a major hurdle for learner drivers…for many reasons…here are just some of the reasons I have been given by pupils when I asked them why they hesitated…why they didn’t go when there was quite clearly a gap they could have taken…

“I didn’t go because last time I tried to pull out I stalled.”

 

So, what is the problem here? It could be that the pupil does not have the confidence to pull out because the last time they tried the car stalled and they are frightened it will happen again. 

So, just how does an instructor deal with this problem? The way I deal with it is to get the pupil to practice pulling away quickly, using throttle and clutch in a balanced way. This is a skill that can, for some, take quite a while to get just right. Some pupils are frightened at the thought of using a lot of gas for fear that they will shoot off. So, in order to get them to understand this better I get them to play my “moving off quickly” game. This involves getting them to find the bite, then set the gas too high (say about 2,000 revs) then pull away as slowly as they can. Sounds daft doesn’t it? Especially when the objective is to get them to pull away promptly? But it works. Once they have lost their fear of setting the gas to a reasonable level, then we progress onto the next stage of my game. Which involves me counting them down (saying, 3, 2, 1, GO!) and asking them to imagine they’re at a junction and they need to pull away as fast as they can. This takes as long as it takes! Sometimes the pupil will stall; if this happens it’s a case of helping them to understand why they stalled, and what they should do about it (keep clutch down, turn engine off and back on again-handbrake only if necessary), and some will almost do a wheel spin! Again, explanation of why it happened, and gaining their understanding of what they did that made it happen. It’s best to choose a nice quiet road or car park to practice this game, so they don’t need to worry about anything else. Once it clicks in their brain, (and it will!), and they gain in confidence, then it’s off to put their new found skill into practice at roundabouts…

“I was going to pull out but I waited for that car as he was indicating right”.

 

This is where I feel quite sorry for my pupils. Why don’t people signal? And if they do, why don’t they signal correctly? How many times have YOU waited for another car because they’re indicating right, but then they go off left?! The way I deal with this problem in the early stages is basically to let THEM decide when they want to pull onto the roundabout. Some might say I should prompt the pupil when to go…but in my mind the pupil would then just get really proficient at pulling onto a roundabout when I want them to. This is counterproductive in my mind as they are then waiting for me to TELL them when to pull out, and they will not learn when they should pull out for themselves. I don’t like even confirming their decision, because in that split moment it takes or me to okay their decision, the moment is lost and the gap no longer exists!

So, once they are making their own decision as to when to pull out (which will be when their brain tells them it is safe), then I like to involve them in a discussion that gets them to probe deeper into the problem of other drivers, not signalling or signalling at the wrong time. Such as the speed of their car, where is the driver looking, where is their car positioned, where are the wheels facing?  I suggest that they ask themselves on the approach to the roundabout exactly where they think the other cars going? I have also found that if I give them a demonstration drive, they are quite surprised at how I deal with roundabouts. Most of my pupils are surprised at how many times I just don’t stop at the roundabouts, but just merge onto them. Over time, as the pupils gain in confidence (and are able to look, assess, decide, act), this skill of reading what is happening at the roundabout, and being able to see the gap to merge onto the roundabout, develops quite quickly, and once  they start to get more right, roundabouts cease to be so much of a problem. For my pupil and me, it’s a wonderful moment when the penny drops, and they find they can deal with roundabouts with assertiveness and confidence…

Of course there are many other reasons why a pupil struggles to deal with roundabouts in a smooth confident manner; which leads me onto why I’m writing this post…correct analysis of the problem is vital if we, as instructors, are to help our pupil efficiently.  The other day whilst on a driving lesson, I asked my pupil why she stopped at a roundabout (when, for me, there was so obviously going to be a gap to merge onto), and her answer was;

“I thought I’d probably stop.”

Very interesting…for many reasons! After she negotiated the roundabout we pulled up to discuss her thoughts about what had just happened. For me it is crucial to get HER opinion as to why she didn’t see the gap she could have merged into onto the roundabout. So I asked her what she was thinking as she approached it. That’s when she said, “I thought I’d probably stop”. When I probed a bit further as to why she thought this, she said she saw the three or four cars in front of her at the roundabout, and thought she’d HAVE to stop. It was also interesting because after she had stopped, she then said that she could have gone… So, what exactly was she NOT doing as she approached the roundabout? She wasn’t looking far enough ahead (I was watching closely where she was looking), which meant that she didn’t notice that although there were cars in front who were queuing to get onto the roundabout, she wasn’t able to see that by the time she got to where she’d need to make a decision she didn’t have time to get into a suitable gear to merge onto the roundabout. Further questioning revealed that she was thinking about what she needed to do as she approached – her MSPLS routine – which prevented her from being able to look, assess, decide and act (LADA). I asked her about her speed on approach to the roundabout (in my opinion she was going too fast, which meant that she didn’t give herself the time she needed to LADA). Interestingly, she didn’t think she was going too fast! That’s why I find it SO important to ask the pupil first, before jumping in with my analysis of why something happened… The other factor that has been troubling her for some time is the fact that this pupil had initially booked a semi-intensive driving course. She had booked her driving test already, but it soon became clear that she simply wasn’t going to be ready for her test so, after discussion, we rescheduled it for a later date. She said she was desperate to get driving, as lots of her friends at school had already passed. So she was putting herself under a lot of pressure…

It seemed to me that she was really getting irritable at herself for NOT “getting” roundabouts. And this in itself is another problem. The more a pupil doesn’t “get it”, the more they feel they are a failure, and this just compounds the problem…

So, how did this session end you might ask? Well, we discussed the situation with her mother. She had been putting a lot of effort into helping her daughter by getting her to drive her own car most evenings. She said she had noticed the same thing happening, mostly at the larger roundabouts. Her mother felt the same as I did, she didn’t want her daughter to take the test and fail. She wanted to be sure that her daughter was able to drive safely, able to make all the decisions she needed to make, and at the right time. We all agreed to reassess the situation a few days later, whilst she still had time to postpone her driving test without loss of fee. In the meantime, she would continue to practice roundabouts with her mother…

And how do I feel about this situation? Well, I’m pleased that I had a chance to discuss this pupil’s progress with her mother. I do sometimes feel under pressure to get the pupil to achieve their goal. Occasionally, they have said they don’t understand why it’s taking such a long time for their teenagers to develop the skills needed to be safe on today’s roads. That’s why I like the parent to sit in on a lesson…so they can see exactly what goes on.

Our plan for the next lesson is to practice more roundabouts. Smaller ones, so that I can encourage her to start her LADA much further away from the roundabout, so that she has a good opportunity to do all she needs to do on the approach, and start to get it right! This will build up her confidence in her own abilities, making her more relaxed, and thus more able to achieve her goal of mastering roundabouts…at least, that’s what we HOPE is going to happen! I’ll keep you posted…

Helen Adams ADI – July 2012

www.purple-driving.co.uk

To push pull or not?

There has been a lot written about the pros and cons of using the "push pull" technique of steering, not just for the driving test, but beyond. The DSA do NOT consider it a fault if the candidate does not demonstrate this technique during the driving test, or hold the wheel at ten to two or quarter to three. All they are concerned about is whether the pupil uses the steering wheel in a smooth, safe, controlled manner.

Having said that, just consider the disadvantages of crossing your hands when turning the steering wheel. What could happen if the airbag employs and you've got your hands covering it? What if you need to apply more turning? Very difficult if both hands are on one side of the steering wheel! 

Hope this helps? Helen :-) 

www.purple-driving.co.uk

www.121aditraining.co.uk

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