Should you aim be to pass the driving test or safe driving? I've seen an increase in the number of questions online asked by students that are test focused. I'll give you a few examples: 1. Do I need to signal to pass a bus? 2. What happens if I go over the speed limit?
3. What happens if I drive too slowly?
4. Can I talk to the driving examiner?
5. What is seen as an immediate fail? 6. What's it like driving early in the morning? (times may vary)
These questions are not isolated to learner drivers as I'm seeing more and more appear on driving instructor pages.
Driving is not like taking a Math's test. Well, to some extent parts of it can be. With driving the situations can change. You take the same route to work 5 days a week and everyday the drive will be different.
So on Monday morning I would signal to pass the bus because on the opposite side of the road someone was about to run across to catch the same bus at the same time I controlled my speed and covered the horn just in case the pedestrian went too early.
On Tuesday the bus was at the same stop, but this time there were more people at the bus stop and the road was clear so I overtook the bus and continued with my journey.
I can almost hear the next question coming.......................................
Why don't I just signal regardless?
That's a good argument and one I get very often. It comes back to the point of - Stop Trying to Pass the Driving Test.
If you learn in such a way that allows you to deal with various situations you will not be trying to fit the narrative of doing what the driving examiner wants. You will also become a better driver and driver who thinks and applies systems to the situation.
Anxiety and Nerves are playing a huge part in peoples learning to drive process.
I find when I take on new clients one of the biggest challenges I see is trying to undo what I would class and regimented training.
Regimented Training is a set of systems that are designed to fit around a one size fits all approach. It can work for most of your driving. A left turn may not change much, but take that left turn and find there are parked cars and a police vehicle approaching you are faced with another challenge.
I remember some years ago taking a student out on their first lesson. They had failed a driving test and I was conducting the first driving lesson. I noticed the student was looking for something in the right pocket but was not sure what.
It turns out the student has notes on how to do the reversing exercises. This is not a bad idea. Before anyone says - That Keith does not like notes. My point is can you imagine going into a test with notes of how to reverse, and it was clear these notes were from the instructor not the student. Its so much harder to learn something new, but if you learn it yourself you will remember for many years.
When you try to overload your brain with information and systems it tends to throw things out, or closes down.
Training should be focused on goal settings.
So for example the goal is to practice approaching a junction and controlling our speed.
What does it look like now?
How will you know that goal is achieved?
What input do you want from your instructor?
If this type of training that will allow you to focus on smaller parts of your driving rather than the negative parts of looking at fault avoidance.
What parts of the junction do you do well? How have you measured your achievement during that process?