Just imagine for a moment

You would be forgiven for thinking that a pupil who has passed the theory test (which includes the hazard perception section) would be able to transfer that skill when they drive.  Not necessarily true.  

If you are observing that your pupil is reacting late to developing hazards, have a discussion about the transfer of this skill.  Pupils must recognise the practical value of the theory study when learning to drive.

The extent to which a pupil perceives hazards when driving could be entirely different from how they perform when riding a bike, for example.  Why is that?  Ask them.  A PDI who asked that kind of cognitive question when training with me would be rightly praised - that is a smart question.  Why is it smart?  You have no idea what the answer is (although you may have suspicions).  More importantly, it is the kind of question that encourages pupils to think deeply.  Thinking at deeper levels is a pre-requisite for effective, long-term learning.

Let's say that your pupil can't put their finger on the mis-match.  They hear what you are saying, they do not outwardly disagree with you, but they literally can't tell you why they are not identifying hazards when driving that they normally would when cycling.  What to do?

Pause the car in a safe place by a busy town road that they know well.  Encourage them to consider what possible reasons there might be why they do not see hazards developing as they drive up that road.  In other words, encourage them to imagine.  They may need a helping hand to get them going, but at some point, it will do them good to visualise driving up that road and imagine what might develop.  This is a skill that differentiates us from other living creatures: the power to imagine.  If your pupil can start imagining what might occur when they are driving, then they will be one step closer to being able to manage any given situation.  

At some point, there will be a recognition that some hazards require positive action on the part of the driver approaching it, and others, need to be kept an eye on.  It is a skill to be able to differentiate and prioritise hazards that occur while driving.

Often you will be able to ask your pupil to activate a previously covered subject and ask them how that knowledge can be transferred to a new subject.  For example, you may have covered how the lack of vision up ahead on a country road often results in slowing down so as to be able to stop in the distance seen to be clear.  Assuming they do, once your pupil recalls that learning point, ask them to imagine what might occur driving on the busy town road where that same learning point will be relevant.  A dustbin lorry paused, wanting to turn right, will very likely restrict vision as you approach from behind intending to pass it to the left.  The lack of vision, should by all accounts, result in a lowering of speed (and possibly gears).   Your pupil can imagine there is every possibility that someone might be coming out of that junction that they cannot see.

On BIG TOM driving instructor training, you will be made aware of different techniques that can be utilised to facilitate these learning points.  Consider these techniques like tools in your kit bag.  It is very handy to not only have the right tool for the job but have a choice of tools.  You do not have to sign up to in-car training to raise your awareness of cognitive and metacognitive skills - a one-hour video call for £20 will cover a lot of ground.

I would not want to give the eager PDI reading this blog the impression that the above is a given.  It really isn't.  Some pupils will need assistance in metacognitive knowledge of how they learn.  I am always very wary of how authors (especially in our industry) either state on a video or write in a blog how easy it is to ask the "right question" at the right time and pop open their pupil's mind like opening a tin of beans.  Hey presto, their pupil automatically starts engaging them in 'deep-thinking' conversation as sure as night follows day; not so readers.

Five hours ago, a lady posted up a question on one of my YouTube videos about emerging right using a central reservation area:

"I'm looking for a video about where to wait when making a u turn in between a central reservation.  Naturally you'd want to wait on the right side, because that's closest to us, but since we drive on the left in this country we'd wait on the left. I'm confused, please help"

Although I suspect there may be more to this discussion, my initial reply has been:

Hi Jane   For starters you do have to check that what you are planning (in the circumstances you describe) is legal, as that is not a given.  You might want to consider why in some cases they do not want vehicles doing U  turns.  But assuming it is legal, then you would need to be paused in the "safe" area of the central reservation.  You can't wait in the lanes (whichever lane) as you would then be a hazard, so you really have no choice but to pause in the area where the gap in the central reservation is.  Am I reading your question as you intended?  Is that making sense? ...tom

I'm encouraging Jane to imagine for a moment why it is illegal in some locations to do a u-turn.  There is an opportunity there for some deep thinking, as the answer will not be immediately obvious to all.  There will be graphics that can be shown, when in-car she could go to a variety where either she or I drive.  We could attempt to tie the Highway Code knowledge into practical training.  She could be asked to imagine what possible outcomes could occur for a variety of different places that she might pause; this develops her ability to risk assess.  She might be asked to consider how often this situation is likely to arise and in what circumstances it does crop up (putting context to the discussion).

Just because something might be legal, it does not follow that it is safe and appropriate.  I can think of plenty of examples on the A1 where I would not even use the area Jane speaks of to turn right on to the A1, let alone do a legal u-turn; and yet they are perfectly legal.  Does Jane have to experience these dangerous situations herself to learn this point or can she imagine the risks involved?