WHAT MAKES A GOOD DRIVER?

It's actually as very simple question to answer. A good driver is someone who drives smoothly, shows appreciation for the vehicle they are using, is always in the correct gear for the speed they are travelling and follows the rules of the HighWay Code. I guess the question I'm asking is what gets someone to that stage. We know what it looks like but how do we actually get there? More importantly what makes a learner driver good enough to pass the driving test. What's the difference between success and failure? Since 2003 I have seen many students take a driving test. Not everyone passes first time, and in fact mentally passing first time is a very difficult task. You will notice I have underlined the word 'mentally' which is suggesting that passing the driving test is not all about skill. Many students who fail the driving test will return and say - 'Oh why did I do that?', I've never done that on lessons. This is because many of the reasons for failing a driving test are not related to skills but what we are thinking and feeling. You could argue that those who are having less battles inside are likely to be the ones who pass the driving test first time. Here are some of the more common battles you may experience on a driving test. 1. He/she has not spoken to me, oh maybe they don't like my driving. 2. He/she just wrote something down, I bet I failed now. 3. Do they want me to go now. 4. I should be moving, I should be going now I've been here too long. 5. He/she is too nice, why they being so nice, I must have failed. Our battles tend to be negative ones. But don't let that worry you, it's perfectly normal to have negative thoughts, but we don't want them to start to wash over every part of our lives. Being aware of our battles is part of the learning process. If we hide them away you can guarantee that under a stressful situation like a driving test they will rear their ugly head. It's about finding a coping strategy. This could be different for each student. Some may require additional help that an instructor cannot supply. Just brushing it under the carpet is not the solution. Being told ' Don't Worry', Don't be Scared' is not enough as you are not fighting the battle, just being told to forget you need to face your anxiety head on. Driving is a task that requires skill, but it also requires someone to be aware of their emotions, their thoughts and feelings. When all these points come together you can begin to drive more freely.