Opening door using 'Dutch reach'

According to ADI News the Highway Code is set to be updated to include added safety for cyclists and pedestrians.
One of the amendments is to encourage people to use the "Dutch reach" when opening a vehicle door.  This technique has been known and used in driver training for several years and is now set to be included in the Highway Code.
You place the hand furthest from the door on to the door handle prior to opening the door.  This will make a blindspot check over the shoulder be more natural and an easier movement since the upper body is already twisting towards the door.

Have you noticed how the brake pedal is slightly higher than the accelerator?  Have you noticed that to put the gear lever in reverse, most car manufacturers force the driver to add a specific movement?

How could you incorporate this subject into your driving training for your pupils?

Optimism bias

In your BIG TOM driving instructor training, you will be invited to consider not only how you perceive risk but how you can have discussions with your pupils about their perceptions.
Take driving on country roads for example.  Some pupils will not necessarily be considering the possible outcomes of not setting the speed for the driving conditions.  They may have what is termed "optimism bias" which means they tend to view their driving outcomes in a more favourable light than others might.  It can be potentially dangerous if it prevents them from following key safe driving concepts such as braking before a country bend, not on it.
It can, of course, go the other way too, a pupil may display behaviour which is risk-averse as they tend to bias their thoughts around the worst-case scenario.  These pupils might suffer from anxiety and emotional stresses which can affect their ability to drive.
Often the consequences to the pupil's driving ability will go un-noticed by them once they are driving alone.  Either other road users may take avoiding action for the drop in driving performance by your pupil, or perhaps the design of the road infrastructure absorbs any error by accommodating the fault.  Potentially your pupil could be narrowly avoiding collisions without any appreciation of the fact (unconsciously incompetent).  A particular set of less forgiving circumstances can lead to a collision.

There is an art to creating conversations with pupils about such subjects.  This kind of 'inward thinking' is not natural for all and especially not to discuss with a driving instructor.  That is why you will get guidance in your BIG TOM driving instructor training on how to create these conversations.

Crossing solid white lines

DID YOU KNOW?

Drivers of emergency service vehicles are no different to the rest of the public when it comes to not being allowed to cross solid white lines ..... even when on an emergency call.

You are allowed if it is safe and you are entering a side road, to pass a stationary vehicle, overtake a bike/horse/road maintenance vehicle if travelling <10mph

Check out HWC rule 129 

Planning a journey in fog

When training in fog, it is an opportunity to stress the importance of planning a journey and continuing risk assessment throughout the session.  Role 1, unit 1.3 of the National Standard makes reference to this point.  Always be prepared to maintain safety by reviewing the risks should the fog get worse on a training session.  In the clip shown above which occurred this morning between 6-8am the fog did not worsen, but even so, it is good to make mention of being prepared to review weather conditions because it sets a good example to our pupils. Take a look at the 2 Level 5 requirements relating to weather conditions in Learning to Drive (pg 65).  Note that our pupils are required to be capable of achieving these goals consistently without any help.

A very good reference on the subject of driving in fog is provided in DES (pg 323-327). 

Interacting with other road users

Role 4 of the National Standard refers to driving safely and responsibly in the traffic system.  This video demonstrates the competency required of cooperating with other road users by being aware of and predicting likely actions of other road users.  However, do look carefully at the signage and markings on the road.  We need our pupils to start connecting dots within roles of the standard.  In this case, role 3 which refers to using the road in accordance with the Highway Code and complying with signs and road markings.  Rewind the clip and pay close attention to the signs and road markings.

On your BIG TOM driving instructor training, you will be encouraged to consider events like this shown in the video and use the resources you have to understand and appreciate what has occurred.  In that way, you are better equipped to inform your pupils appropriately.

For your information, I would advise you take a look at pg 114 of your KYTS re signs, and pg 64 re road markings, and DES pg 132.  BIG TOM provides all trainees with the very latest, comprehensive and authoritative resources.
Take a close look at the position of the van.  

What do you think?

Progressive braking

For maximum control and smoother stopping use a technique known as progressive braking under normal situations of slowing. Light pressure is applied on the brake pedal initially and gradually increased to stop the vehicle.  At the very moment just before the vehicle pausing, ease OFF the brake pedal to create a smooth stop.

This technique helps to reduce skidding, gives drivers behind plenty of notice of your slowing, makes for a more comfortable ride for your passengers (remember that unlike you, they may not be looking up when the vehicle is moving), uses less fuel than intense braking and reduces wear on the brakes, tyres and suspension.

You will be encouraged to experiment with this technique within your BIG TOM driving instructor Part 2 in-car training.  There will appropriate places for you to practice it without unduly affecting other road users.

To book your Part 2 in-car training with BIG TOM call 0800 689 4174 

Crippled by fear

A logical, understandable and widespread reaction to the feeling of fear, is to do nothing. While doing nothing, irrational imaginations of doom and gloom can develop.  A visceral response which no-one should be ashamed of experiencing.  Michael Pritchard (a comedian) wasn't joking when he said: "Fear is that little darkroom where negatives are developed".

Before you even start training with BIG TOM to become a driving instructor, you will have wrestled internally with these demons of doubt and resistance to change.  When you are receiving the training, there will be fear regarding the qualifying tests.  After qualifying, the next obstacle is what to say and do when you have your first pupil sat in the car.  What's going to happen when your first pupil goes to take their driving test?

Sit back, relax those shoulders, have a cup of tea.  

BIG TOM training provides customers with the appropriate preparation for the unknowns. There will not be hidden surprises.  The training, for example, includes working with real pupils, so you get plenty of practice providing first-class driving instruction in realistic situations where you get to witness actual responses from pupils rather than artificial role-play scenarios.

One little tip that it is worth considering is that how you are feeling is not too dissimilar to your pupils when they first meet you.  Your experiences now will help you to empathise with customers once you are successfully qualified.

Why we do the things we do

When you book yourself in for one of the online BIG TOM pedagogy training sessions, be prepared to start looking at things differently. It is a vital skill for an effective driving instructor.  I say "effective" for a good reason.

A young lass recently contacted me and couldn't explain to me on the phone why her driving instructor had advised her to book up a driving test but then dropped her, inexplicably, like a stone.  I, like you I'm pretty sure, immediately question the authenticity of what this pupil is telling me.  Right?  Treat anything that pupils say to us about previous training with a healthy dose of scepticism.

When this lass is sitting next to me in the car, and we are looking at each other face to face.  It turns out that there were, in fact, two driving instructors who had "rejected" this pupil.  

But why?  

No meaningful, logical, reasonable explanation was provided.  We moved on - life is too short.  All I could immediately pick up with absolute 100% certainty was that in front of me was a pupil lacking in confidence, showing signs of feeling lost and confused.  I could almost see this heavy rock sitting upon her young shoulders and boy was it laying heavy upon her.  And all this was noticed before she had even sat in the driver's seat.

Having spent some time working with this pupil, I start to notice some more points of interest.

She is smart.  Really smart.  She answers questions I put to her with razor-sharp accuracy.  She speaks softly, with little eye contact, but she is listening intently to everything I am saying and can recall key learning points without hesitation.  She asks excellent questions albeit with little riders at the start such as "I know this is a silly question" or "Sorry to ask you this but..."

However, her driving ability does have somewhat unpredictable elements that crop up from time to time.  She will force the gear lever into 1st when she attempts to do a 4th to 3rd or 5th to 3rd gear change.  She will steer too far left off the road when something is coming. She won't do useful observations at a junction before pulling out.  She will quite happily drive either left or right with no prior observations.

Talk to her about these issues, and she knows precisely what is required - which is borne out by the fact that 99% of gear changes, directional changes and junctions are carried out satisfactorily.

So what do we have here?  We have a pupil who is low in confidence, high in driving ability and knowledge but who makes occasional, but pretty catastrophic driving faults.

It's interesting to see this.  Or is it?  Do I dare say some driving instructors might choose other words to describe this situation? Risky, dangerous, infuriating, disappointing, frustrating,  harmful for the car.  Might some instructors even consider this pupil more trouble than the income generated is worth?

There seems to be a conflict as far as I can see.  One question that is at the very forefront of my mind which is staring at me with flashing lights and loud hooter sounds:  

"Why has this pupil who is committing these kinds of driving faults got a driving test booked up?"

That, I would suggest, is at the heart of this situation.  Why do we do the things we do?   Incredibly compelling case and one that for me, makes this job very challenging but also stimulating.

If you also find this subject interesting then consider signing up for some 'Pedagogy' foundation block driving instructor training with BIG TOM.  Call 0800 689 4174