Triggers of behaviours

Often (but not always), when a driver commits what would be classified on a driving test as a 'driving fault', the trigger that caused that behaviour is not as obvious as one might think.

The practical driving instructor training provided by BIG TOM for trainee driving instructors addresses this point because as trainers of people, it is vital to have an understanding of why people do what they do. Many triggers cause driving behaviour.  

Here are a few examples of the point I am attempting to raise:

Speeding - what triggers a driver to do 33 in a 30? Is the behaviour internally caused or are there external factors at play?  What would need to happen for a person to eradicate this behaviour from their driving?
Observations - if an observation is missing let's say a blind spot check, is it a habitual issue, does the driver not value the need for the check, is there an external factor that occurs which causes the oversight?
Tailgating - has the driver, over many years of observing others drive become conditioned to drive too close to the vehicle in front unconsciously?
Aggressive driving style - why do drivers use the horn to vent their anger? Does it demonstrate an underlying cause that is affecting driving behaviours?

To put this into perspective, here is a real example that happened just over this weekend involving me approaching a mini roundabout. Opposite me was a vehicle driving straight over the roundabout towards me. To my right was a vehicle approaching the roundabout looking to turn right, in effect, taking the same exit as my intended.

As my car and the oncoming vehicle effectively join in the middle of the roundabout, the driver of the car approaching to my right accelerates hard on to the roundabout, swerving away from the white circle of the roundabout and uses the horn for a 5 second blast aimed at me.

The driver and his wife get out their car and with lots of finger pointing and raised voices saying how outraged they were. When I countered that the chap was supposed to give way to the right and then go around the white blob, the female passenger said:

"The only reason why my husband did that was because you had driven on to the roundabout". 

Now spend a moment (as I have spent more than just one) to try and get your head around that logic.

So to explain what she means by that remark, I will need to mention the timing of events.  As I approached the mini-roundabout, the vehicle to my right had slowed to a stop, quite correctly, as there was a vehicle approaching from the right, which did need to be given way.

I was able to read that situation and effectively could see that the oncoming vehicle to me was acting as a "blocker" to the vehicle to my right (there were no 'signals' from the oncoming vehicle's speed, position or indicators to suggest it was going around the mini roundabout).

Even though the vehicle to my right had arrived earlier to the mini roundabout than myself, it did have to give way and had no choice in the matter. I believe, what the couple object to in this situation is that I was able to anticipate how this was going to develop and make progress without the need to pause; I had arrived later to the junction than them but left earlier. 

Shock, horror, what an outrage.  

And that 'trigger' was all it took for that driver to then accelerate hard on to the roundabout (immediately after the car passed it), swerve to the right, therefore, ignoring the white circle to then make some gain on my vehicle as the horn was sounded.

Were they in a rush? No, they pulled into the local superstore to do some shopping.  Was the car driven by a young, impatient, hot-headed 17 year old who wanted to show off his fast car? No, the chap was about 60.  Did the driver to my right feel like he had lost face by my action?  Was the driver irritated for some reason for having to give way to the vehicle to his right?  Did the driver feel like the vehicle to his right was driving too slowly for the situation, thereby unnecessarily holding him up?  Did the driver spot my driving school 'L' plates and not expect the driving behaviour that I displayed thinking it was bound to pause being driven by a learner driver?

Who knows?

Why do some drivers not give way to pedestrians approaching a zebra crossing?

Who knows?

When you eventually start working with pupils as a qualified driving instructor you have the opportunity to start exploring into why certain driving behaviours occur and help identify triggers. Learner drivers don't (on the whole) deliberately drive around committing driving errors, there will be triggers, and if you can attempt to discover them, you will be opening up their mind to realising how thoughts, feelings, beliefs and attitudes affect behaviours.