Having in excess of 1,000 ADI Facebook friends, I am in a privileged position to share thoughts, information and ideas with others in an instant, learn new things, gauge opinion by asking a question, or even advertise to my target audience if I need to.  But it would be very easy to alienate myself from my colleagues and potential customers if I wasn’t careful about how I use this fantastic (and free!) network.

Now I’m certainly no expert, but over the years I have noticed a fair few ADIs who are far less careful, and I have seen reputations tarnish within seconds of posting an inappropriate comment or picture.  This article is by no means intended as an attack on these individuals – in fact, quite the opposite!  I write it in the hope that ADIs new to Facebook can learn from the mistakes of others (including myself – I’m no saint!), and avoid pressing the ‘self-destruct’ button when it comes to joining the wonderful Social Media revolution.

TIP 1:  Your Profile Picture… Serial Killer?  Porn Star? Professional ADI?

You know that old cliché, “you never get a second chance to make a good first impression”?  Well, guess what?  It’s true.  For those who have never met you before, your profile picture is the single most important factor in helping them form their initial opinion of you.

If you’re already on Facebook, what does your profile picture say about you?  Approachable?  Professional?  Friendly?  Trustworthy? Remember – your photo is seen by everyone, and that includes potential customers and colleagues.  Sure, you may look mighty hot in a skimpy bikini (and that goes for the ladies as well), but is this the first impression you would like to give to a potential client?  Is this how you’d greet them on their first lesson?

Be choosy about your photo, and ask a few other people before you make your final choice – if I was a potential pupil and you looked like a criminal, porn star or drug addict, I think I’d be taking my business elsewhere!

TIP 2: Avoid suicidal status updates

“Had a ******* prick driving up my ar*e on last lesson tonight… gave the **** a right mouthful when he pulled up alongside us at a set of lights”

“Was teachin a rite muppet 2day.  Crunched my gears about 50 million times + hit the kerb 3 times. Why did he av to cum learn wiv me FFS????”

Once people have seen your picture and you have been added as a friend, the next thing that they’ll undoubtedly read is your status updates.  Although fictitious, the above two are typical of some that I read on a regular basis.  Do these status updates give off a good impression?

It’s probably also a good idea at this point to suggest staying away from posting your opinions on sensitive topics such as politics, religion or racial issues.  Remember, others may not take kindly to your views, and this is a sure-fire way to lose friends and even tarnish your reputation.

TIP 3: Share your sensible sense of humour!

I personally think a sense of humour and fun in the world of social media is essential.  Making people laugh means that they will return to read your status updates time and time again.  I can think of a few Facebook friends in particular who regularly post humourous anecdotes – I love reading them!

But in the same way that ‘sensitive issues’ can rub people up the wrong way, posting a distasteful joke you received by text message about a dead celebrity on your status or the joke that your mate told you in the pub last night after a few pints can have exactly the same effect on your kudos.  Sure, some may find it funny, but many may not.  Steer clear!

I tend to use the ‘Grandma Test’ before posting a joke or anecdote online – would I tell it to my elderly Grandma?  Sometimes I come across a fantastic joke or YouTube video, but since I use my Facebook profile for business, have to think twice before posting it!

TIP 4: Be honest

“I have a 95% first time pass rate”, “I’m rated by the DSA as number 1 ORDIT Trainer in the UK”

I see dodgy claims like this all the time.  But before you post a blatant lie or exaggerated claim on your Facebook status, think again.

Since 1^st March 2011, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has had powers to police the claims companies make on websites and social networks.

Not only do such claims undermine you as a professional, they could land you in a sticky situation with the ASA.

TIP 5: Have a personality, but avoid being personal

I think it’s important that others see your ‘human’ side – it can help build rapport if others can relate to your comments on a personal level.  So feel free to share interesting things about your day and what you’ve been up to in your free time, particularly if you think it will be of interest to others.

I like to read about people’s social lives – it makes me realise that I really need one!  But bearing in mind your profession, THINK about the potential pitfalls before posting how much you had to drink last night and how you don’t remember how you got home.  THINK before posting status updates when you’re drunk.  THINK about the impression your status updates and posts will give to others who may not know you so well.

At the far end of the scale, some like to use social media to vent their personal problems – do colleagues and potential clients really need to know that your ex-partner is a loser or all the juicy details about last night’s sexual endeavours?

TIP 6: Beware of the ‘Misinterpretation of Communication’!

It’s easy to inadvertently upset someone when posting a message online – you only have to take a look at the millions of internet forums to see this happens on a daily basis, even if the poster didn’t mean any malice in their comment.

“The meaning of any communication is the response it gets”.  In other words, it’s not what you say that matters, it’s how it is interpreted.  I have to remind myself of this sometimes, having forgotten this very fact and inadvertently offended someone by a totally innocent comment.  So once you have written something in text format, read it again.  Could what you typed be taken out of context?  I often find it helpful to add a smiley to the end of the comment, which can help infer the tone in which it should be taken

TIP 7: Be mindful of what you click on

Tempted to click on that video of some hot naked chick on a webcam?  Go ahead (if you want the rest of the world to know you’re a pervert!)  Generally, links like the one on the right are designed to entice users to click on them, which inevitably turns out not to live up to its expectations and instead spam you with adverts and popups.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, the ultimate public humiliation comes when the innocent click leads to an internet ‘trojan’ or ‘worm’ posting the depraved link to all your friends on your behalf.  Nice!

Two simple solutions!

Aside from the above, there are a couple of easy ways to keep your personal things private, which can allow you freedom of expression without fear of damage to your reputation:

1. Set up a separate business profile, and keep your personal one for friends/family only – then you can be as crazy as you like!
2. Control what parts of your profile your business clients and colleagues can see by creating friends lists.  For example, I have “ADIs & PDIs I know” “Non-Personal ADI Contacts” and “Limited Profile”.  I can separately control which parts of my profile each group can see, which photos they have access to, who can view my status, etc.

Final word on staying safe

Rarely a week goes by without me reading about someone’s upcoming holiday and how excited they are about it.  My first thought is usually an envious one – he/she is getting a holiday whilst I’m seemingly working 24/7.  My second thought is fear.  What some fail to recognise is that potential criminals use this fantastic information to target unoccupied homes, and empty them, safe in the knowledge that they won’t get disturbed by the homeowner.

Facebook Places is a new and funky feature that you can use to tell people where you are, too.  Very handy for would-be criminals – they can see exactly where you are and when you’re likely to be home!

If you think only close friends and family can view your status updates, think again… who is looking over their shoulder?  Are they using a shared computer to log onto Facebook?  What if your Facebook friend’s mobile phone is stolen, which they regularly use to access social media sites?  If you want to tell people about your holiday, do it when you get home!  Even if your address isn’t on your Facebook profile, with internet technology it’s VERY easy to find out where you live.

The bay park exercise can be one of the most frustrating to teach and to learn.  Getting the car in between the two white lines first time isn’t always easy, especially from a 90 degree angle to the bay, and when there are no other parked cars in the adjacent bays to help guide you.

But does it have to be done this way?  Not at all!

Two common myths among learner drivers (and even some instructors) seem to be that on driving test day:

1.       You have to park from a 90 degree angle, and
2.       You will fail your driving test if you don’t get the car into the bay in one movement.

A recent trainee driving instructor I was training believed the above to be true because she was told this by her previous ADI trainer.  Many other instructors will have been told the same by their trainers.  Inevitably, this gets passed on to the learner driver.  They too believe they have to carry out the bay park from a 90 degree angle and complete it first time.

The ‘90 degree’ method

The ‘90 degree’ method is often the preferred option by instructors for the following reasons:

• It can be easier to develop a ‘method’
• It helps them relate to the reverse around a corner exercise
• It can encourage the learners to not rely on their mirrors as much.

It can be easier to use reference points from a right angle to the bay, but this relies on the driver starting the manoeuvre from the same distance from the bays, and the width of the bays being the same in each car park.  If these conditions are met, this method regularly results in success.

“So what are the disadvantages?”

Well, the ’90 degree’ method can be inconsistent.  If the driver turns the steering wheel slightly before or after their point-of-turn reference point, if they’re sat a little closer or further away than last time, if they’re in a different car, if they’re sat up straight or slumped a little, stopped a bit closer or further away than last time, if the bays are narrower or wider than last time, then not surprisingly, the manoeuvre will not be as accurate.

Also, due to the angle that the car enters the bay, it’s often only once the vehicle is virtually all the way in that the driver notices they are well over the line.

Consistency becomes elusive, parking anxiety can noticeably increase and frustration can set in for both the learner driver and the instructor.

Another disadvantage of the ‘90 degree’ method is that when starting position space is limited, reversing into a parking bay with empty bays on either side can often result in the driver crossing over the nearest line.  And although crossing the line isn’t a problem in this situation, how often do drivers really reverse into an empty area of a car park?

The ’90 degree’ method can also be far more difficult when reversing into a bay with vehicles parked on either side.  The initial starting position would have to be quite wide to reduce the chances of getting too close to the adjacent parked cars.  This might be a problem if lanes are narrow and the front of the car might swing close to cars in the opposite bays.

So this brings us back to the DSA’s motto – ‘Safe Driving For Life’.  By solely teaching the ‘90 degree’ method, are some instructors truly developing their learners’ real-life parking skills?

Another way…

If you are reading this article as an experienced driver, how would YOU position the car to reverse into a parking bay?

I personally prefer to start the park from a diagonal angle to the bay.  It is much easier to notice errors in position due to the lines being much easier to see from a quick glance in the door mirrors.  And when I don’t feel happy with the position I’m entering the bay, I simply move forward (just enough to adjust my position) and continue parking.  Sometimes I’ll reverse from the left, sometimes the right.  My starting angle will depend on the space that is available to me.  The next time I park will be different from the last.

Allowing the learner driver to explore different options and experience different methods will develop a greater sense of spatial awareness and they will find their preferred method, and find it easier to adapt it where needed.  If they are flexible in their approach, they are much more likely to experience success.

Their options may be:

1.       Parking from a 90 degree angle to the bay

2.       Parking from a lesser angle (more diagonal) to the bay

3.       Parking in a straight line, either because there’s room or using a bay opposite

4.       Drive forwards into the bay to park.

Parking in a straight line will probably be the easiest option although this option isn’t always available.  Be aware that although mirrors will become a good aid to help the learner judge their position, awareness of the situation around them is crucial.  Awareness will decrease if the learner focuses too much on the mirrors alone.

Parking from a diagonal angle will inevitably make it harder to use reference points.  The learner will still have to recognise what their starting position ‘looks’ like prior to starting.  How much of the bays they can see, what the starting angle looks/feel like, and whether they can get in the bay they chose.  This is how most drivers do it.  Reference points are much more ‘recognised pictures’.  We recognise when we’re at a good angle and which bay we can get into by how it looks and feels when we start.  With learners, a gradual procession form parking straight, gradually increasing the angle will develop the learner’s spatial awareness.  A diagonal angle can be much easier to tweak than the 90 degree angle start and therefore can have greater flexibility.  It will also enable the learner to see both white lines in the door mirrors much earlier than the 90 degree method.

Correcting

So… what if the manoeuvre starts to go pear-shaped?

If our learner driver begins to go ‘wrong’, then we should see it as a valuable learning opportunity to develop problem-solving skills and manoeuvring skills.  During driving lessons, if the learner driver doesn’t look like they’re going to get it into the bay in one movement, some instructors ask them to move back to the starting position and try it again from the beginning.

What options are open to the learner?  Can they correct it in reverse?  Would they go over the lines to get in the bay?  Would that matter if there were empty bays to the sides?  What if they were parking between cars?  What other options do they have?  Can they readjust by going forward?  How far forward do they need to go?  What would be the best position to be in before they come back again?  What other options?  Is there a bay opposite that they can drive into and reverse straight back out of into a bay behind?

In the DSA’s DT 1 document (available here), it states:

The size and layout of the car park may restrict the options available to the candidate. Examiners should allow the candidate to reverse into any bay of their choice and no attempt should be made by the examiner to determine or dictate which bay is used or how the candidate carries out the exercise.

They should be asked to drive out of the bay to the left or right (if both options are available in that car park) and stop with the wheels straight before reversing into any convenient bay and parking the car (examiners should not instruct candidates to park in the centre of the bay). The instruction is to prevent them reversing back, into the bay on the same lock.

Providing some attempt has been made to straighten the front wheels, examiners should not be concerned if the wheels are not completely straight. The candidate may elect to drive forward to adjust the angle at which they address the bay they intend to reverse into, or space permitting, they are allowed to drive forwards into one bay before reversing back in a straight line into the opposing bay.

The DT 1 also gives an example of how this manoeuvre can be marked under the box for ‘Control’:

Driving Fault: Re-positioning required to correct a loss of control or accuracy.

Serious Fault:  Excessive re-positioning to correct complete misjudgement and /or significant loss of control. Final parking position parking – outside the bay.

Dangerous Fault: Any situation brought about by the above loss of control that resulted in actual danger to the examiner, candidate, the general public or property.

Putting the test aside though, what is important here is that the learner feels confident and competent, no matter how they carry out the manoeuvre.  Even if your test centre doesn’t have a car park, and the bay park would not be required, remember it’s our responsibility to help our learners become proficient safe drivers for life.  That includes parking.

Which is why we shouldn’t overlook parking in a bay forwards.  Sometimes, your learner will prefer to do this when they’ve passed – normally when they need easy access to the boot.  What are the added dangers with this method of parking?  Do they recognise the difference in manoeuvrability when parking forwards?  Do they realise that it will be harder to park in a space in between parked cars unless they have room (and its safe) to swing wide prior to entering the bay?  How about exiting the bay?  Do they realise how much more aware of the situation around them they need to be exiting the bay and how blind spots become much more limiting?  Are they comfortable knowing when to start steering as they exit?  Too soon could be disastrous, especially if they are concentrating on what is going on behind them!  I know of one instructor who heard that two of his previous learners both crashed into other vehicles exiting a bay from a forward position within a couple of months of each other.  He never taught them to park forwards on their lessons.  Who is to blame?  I’m sure there’s many more instances where new drivers have crashed, scraped or even hit pedestrians, when reversing in or out of parking bays.

So, are you really doing the best job you can?  Are you allowing the learner to experience all the options?  Is there anything more you can do?  Is there anything more the learner wants?  Let’s prepare the learner for much more than just a test.

Road crashes are the biggest killer of young people.  In 2009, 11 young people were killed and 125 more were seriously injured every week in Great Britain.

Chris Dale was one of those killed.  He was hit as he crossed a road in Oldham by a young speeding driver, showing off to his 2 female passengers.  Read a news article about the incident here.

Becca, Chantel & Charlotte

Charlotte Kilroy & Chantel Birtwistle of Oldham Youth Council decided something needed to be done.  They, along with Chris’ sister, Becca Dale created ‘Every Life Matters – The Chris Dale Campaign’ (ELM).

They have campaigned tirelessly with fantastic results.  After 8 deaths on the same stretch of road, ELM succeeded in their campaign for not one but two speed cameras to be erected close to where Chris and others were killed.

Another of the brilliant achievements of the ELM campaign is ‘The Split Second’, a play that follows 3 friends and an event that changes all their lives.  It’s hard-hitting, powerful and relates fantastically with its target audience of young people.  It’s touring schools and colleges around Oldham, has generated much interest and is having a profound effect on the students that see it.  Read a press article about the play here.

So what difference can driving instructors make?  Well, we’re in a unique position to help young people make the right decisions.  Telling them what to do and not do doesn’t work, so what can we do instead?

Oldham Theatre workshop have kindly agreed to a special showing of The Split Second, exclusively for driving instructors.  To experience it first hand was my biggest motivation for getting involved.  You will understand when you see it that we can’t just sit back and hope our students will stay safe when they pass their driving test.  We need to be proactive. The special instructors’ showing will be followed by a short workshop and discussion.  We want to hear your experiences of what you feel works and your ideas on what could work.  We need to make a difference and collectively, we can.

The special instructors’ showing of The Split Second is on Wednesday 23^rd February 2011 at 7pm at Oldham Theatre Workshop.  Admission is free, although any donations to the ELM campaign would be gratefully accepted.

There are limited places so please book your place as soon as possible by emailing me via our contact page.

To illustrate effective coaching in action, let’s take one example of a risk increasing factor – passengers.  Any distraction can increase the risk of a driver crashing, we all know that.  But the distraction of carrying passengers and the effects of peer pressure are quite often a contributory factor as to why young drivers crash, especially young male drivers.  How do you address this issue with your learners?

As driving instructors, we’re in a unique position to deal with this issue before it results in your learner becoming just another statistic once they pass their test.  You may deal with this issue with your learners already, e.g. you may advise them not to be distracted by passengers, to ask the passengers to be quiet, or perhaps even to avoid carrying passengers, where possible.  And young people have this uncanny ability to let things go in one ear… and out of the other.  In actual fact, some have the determination to do exactly the opposite of what they are told (‘advised’).  I know I did at that age!  Not surprising then that this approach to dealing with crash causation factors, although meant with good intention, will not have a great deal of effect.

Coaching enables the coachee to experience and to learn, to make errors and to find solutions.

Imagine for a moment offering the suggestion to your learner to pick up some of their mates during one of their driving lessons.  The ultimate decision to do so should be their choice and they need to feel ready for it (of course you wouldn’t even suggest this to a learner who hasn’t attained a suitable level of driving ability yet).

Next, imagine encouraging their mates to talk freely in the car while your learner is driving.  Now we have a real driving situation, one where real learning can take place.  After dropping off their mates, imagine the learning you can both explore.  For example, you could ask questions such as:

• How did you feel when you had your mates in the car?
• How did this affect your driving style?
• What else did you notice about your driving?
• Where was your attention while your mates were in the car?
• How aware were you of other road users while your mates were talking to you?
• What did you notice about your reactions and decisions?
• How aware were you of your speed?
• What did you notice about the car’s handling, for example when braking and moving off?

The following questions are essential if you really want to make a difference.  Make sure you allow time for reflection from your learner and don’t be afraid of silences.  It’s essential that the learner gets in touch with their true thoughts and emotions for an effective outcome.

• What are the potential consequences of being distracted by your mates?
• What would physically happen to the car if you were involved in a head on crash, for example?
• What injuries would you be likely to sustain in that crash?
• (OK, so let’s say your legs were shattered, leaving you unable to walk unaided, or maybe you were paralysed…) How would these injuries affect your day to day life?
• If you were convicted of driving without due care and attention, how would this affect your life, your university chances and your future job prospects?
• What if one of your mates died in the crash, how would that affect your life?
• How would that affect your relationship with your mates and your family?

Now to some, this is quite heavy and very sombre.  But it is also a chance of recognition and realisation that this could happen to them.  They are there in the moment, this is happening in their head.  It is extremely powerful.  They can believe it could happen to them.  It may have happened to someone they know (be sure to check and recognise any potential distress, only go as far as the learner is comfortable with).

So now they’ve explored and mentally experienced the reality and possible consequences of carrying their mates, what options do they have available to them?  How will they cope with the extra pressure of having their mates in the car which could result in the ‘vision’ they imagined?  What options do they have?

• How will you deal with your mates if they’re being a bit loud whilst you’re driving?
• What if asking them to shut up provokes them further and they take the micky?
• What other options do you have?
• What are the possible outcomes of that option?
• When or with who will that option work best with?
• When will that option be unlikely to work?
• What other options do you have?

Asking ‘what other options do you have?’ after exploring each option helps the learner develop a whole bank of coping strategies, which they have created – not impersonal strategies pushed upon them by driving instructors, parents or teachers.

This form of mental rehearsal enables the learner to start working out which option may be the best in certain circumstances and also provide a backup plan if the first option doesn’t work.  Additionally, you can help them decide what choices they will make when they’re a passenger…

• If you were a passenger in your mate’s car, how would you recognise when he/she is being distracted?
• What could you do to help your mate concentrate when he/she is driving?
• How effective would that be?
• When would that not work?
• What other options do you have?

With all the options considered, the learner can now decide what action they can take.  Now the learner has a way forward, a coping strategy or strategies, a plan or plans, both as a driver and a passenger.

Now together you can look forward to some new goals.

• So if we drove with your mates in the car again, what would you do differently?
• What do you want your mates to think of your driving?
• What sort of a driver do you want to be?
• How will you become that driver?
• When would you like to achieve that?
• How will you know when you’ve become that driver?

You could suggest additional challenges while driving with their mates as passengers.  Maybe they would like to drive somewhere that they would normally go with their mates after they’ve passed (to the cinema, shops, etc).  Where possible, allow them to drive there themselves, without your direction.  They may like to have the radio or some of their own music on.  Allow them to experience, allow them reflect on their performance, allow them to explore their options and allow them to find their ways that work.

Yes, it goes against the grain.  Yes, you may initially be extremely uncomfortable doing this.  Yes, you may have some learners that you think it would not make a difference with.

But let’s say it does make a difference, let’s say you become comfortable with it, how much learning can take place?  And before you say it, yes it may take a chunk of time out of their lesson, but you can’t put a price on a life… right?

To learn more about coaching and its benefits, why not come along to one of our ADI Coaching Skills workshops?  Click here to read more.

“Hi Ged & Claire.  I failed my Part 3 test last week and the examiner told me that although I spotted all his faults and tried to fix them pretty well, my fault analysis needed work.  But I’m not sure where I went wrong, because I did what my trainer had told me.  For every fault, I asked him why he did it, but he just said, “I dunno” or “not sure”, and at one point he acted really defensive.  Is my trainer right, or was my examiner just having a bad day?”  Jim (PDI)

Thanks for your question, Jim.  Fault analysis, the second of the three main core competencies on the Part 3 test and ADI Check Test, is often an area of weakness for PDIs and ADIs, so hopefully I can help clear things up for you!

To explain the basic principles of the core competencies in simple terms, imagine you have terrible stomach pain and decide to pay a visit to your local GP.  After entering his room and briefly explaining your symptoms to the doctor (IDENTIFYING the problem), what would his next step be?  Is he likely to ask:

a)    “Why do you have stomach pain?” or
b)    “When did the pain start?  Where is the pain, specifically?  Are there any circumstances in which it is better/worse?”

In my experience, he would tend to go down the second route.  In fact, if I was the patient and was asked “why do you have stomach pain?” I would almost certainly respond, “I dunno” or “not sure” (or maybe even “you’re the doctor, you tell me!!”).  By taking the second route and asking a series of open questions, he is ANALYSING the problem far more effectively.  Once he has determined what the cause of the pain is, he can then offer a REMEDY, possibly in the form of a suitable prescription.

A GP’s livelihood (and often the life of his patient) depends upon a correct diagnosis, or ‘analysis’ of the patient’s symptoms.  With driving instructors, unless they thoroughly analyse the cause of the mistake, they will rarely eradicate it completely, regardless of how much instruction he/she uses.  This often results in frustration on the part of both the instructor and his/her pupil.

Hopefully, that has shed some light on the point the examiner was trying to make when you were asking the ‘pupil’ why he was making each mistake.  In terms of the defensive attitude the examiner portrayed, just imagine you were learning a new skill and the teacher asked you, “why did you do that?” or “what did you do that for?”  How might you react to those types of question?

In driving instruction, fault analysis involves discussion of the CAUSE and EFFECT.  As the instructor, you have two jobs to do when analysing a driver’s mistake:

1.    Establishing the root cause of the mistake, and
2.    Ensuring the driver is aware of the potential consequences of making that mistake.

Mistakes are generally caused by a deficiency in one or more of the following 3 areas: Knowledge, Understanding and where applicable, Judgement.  Asking a series of relevant open questions will usually uncover the root cause of the error and their awareness of the effects.  Here are some examples:

Knowledge – Does the pupil KNOW?

•    When do you think would be the best time to signal if we’re taking the second road on the right?
•    Where do we need to look before emerging from a junction?
•    Where is it best to position on approach to a roundabout if we want to turn right?

Understanding – Does the pupil UNDERSTAND?

•    In what ways might it be better/safer to…?
•    What are the benefits/advantages of…?
•    What is the importance of…?
•    How did/could … affect other road users?
•    How did/could … affect you?

Judgement – How does the pupil JUDGE it?

•    How do you judge…?
•    Where are you looking when…?

Once you have discovered the cause of the problem, and ensure they are aware of the potential consequences/effects, then you can go on to provide an appropriate amount of instruction to remedy the mistake.

I hope that helps!

“Hello Ged, I’m looking to get your opinion on the “use of signals”.  A discussion has started up in our local association with regards to following traffic and giving signals.

Some say that once you have stopped and taken up position in a meeting situation, you should put on your signal to show your attention to all parties. Others say that you should solely use your vehicle position to show your intention and no signal is required.

Basically, would you give a signal every time you are stopped from making progress?

Another question on signals also came up today – some instructors are saying that when changing back to lane 2 or lane 1 on dual carriageways or motorways that we should always give a signal.  Would you say that it’s necessary?

I would be interested to find out your opinion on these points and pass them on to the association.”

This is a regular topic of discussion with many PDIs that are working towards their Part 2, and I also often come across it when assessing ADIs in preparation for their Check Test.  In a nutshell, many PDIs and ADIs are guilty of trying to create a ‘one rule fits all’ approach.  In the modern world, this just isn’t workable – there are far too many factors to take into account, and besides, a good driver should be able to decide if and when a signal is appropriate, or when one could lead to confusion or even danger.

The main occasions when a driver would consider giving a mechanical indicator signal are when:

•    Moving off
•    Stopping
•    Turning at junctions
•    Overtaking
•    Changing lanes
•    Passing stationary or very slow-moving vehicles (includes meeting situations)

The situations you have described relate to the last two in the list, but let’s take a brief look at each of the other ones first, examining the ‘if’ factor, initially:

Moving off & Stopping

In my experience, most driving instructors get this part across to their pupils well, suggesting that they give a signal if necessary, i.e. if another road user could benefit.  But then we should ask ourselves if it is dangerous to signal to move off or stop when nobody is around?  Not at all – but a good driver should be able to demonstrate an ability to determine the necessity of such a signal.

Changing lanes

Many say that a driver should always signal when changing lanes, but there may be times when it’s not absolutely necessary to, e.g. if moving from lane 2 to 1 on a dual carriageway or motorway, with NOTHING ahead or following behind in lane 2.

But again, one should consider if giving a signal in situations such as these could cause a danger?  If there are junctions or slip lanes ahead, drivers and other road users may think we are doing something in addition to a lane change, i.e. leaving the carriageway via the slip road.  In that case, however, I would argue that the physical act of changing lanes at this point would demonstrate poor planning and anticipation.

Overtaking

This is the one situation in which I believe a signal would almost always be of benefit.  Even if there are no vehicles approaching from ahead or behind, the driver of the vehicle we are overtaking will certainly benefit if he/she is considering a lane change themselves, or check their mirrors to see if it’s safe to move around an object / hazard in the road.

Turning at Junctions

This can be a point of contention in the world of advanced driving.  I have had several discussions with RoSPA and IAM observers who maintain that if nobody is around to benefit from a signal, then it should not be given.  My counter-argument is always the same – what if there is someone out of view who could benefit, e.g. a pedestrian around the corner.  The observers then often create a mental image of a completely flat road, with no hedges, no obstructions, and no other road users in sight, then ask me, “in that case, is a signal necessary?”  The answer is ‘no’, of course, but how many times in real life do we come across that idyllic image?  And even if we did, what would be the problem with signalling anyway?  What danger would it cause?

Passing stationary or slow-moving vehicles

When discussing signals, many often forget that there are three other very important signals we give as a driver (besides our vehicle’s mechanical signals): our personal body language, our vehicle’s position, and our vehicle’s speed.

When referring to our personal body language, I am referring to direct eye contact, the physical movement which may be made when checking the right door mirror and right blind spot before moving out, the right hand taking up a higher position on the steering wheel, ready for moving out to the right, etc.

Our vehicle’s position on the road is the main signal of intent we send out to other road users.  For example, if we saw a driver waiting to emerge from a T-Junction with a right signal on, but taking up a position to turn left, we would tend to trust the position more than the signal, or at the very least, hold back to wait and see which signal is correct.

In a meeting situation, our road position is extremely important, and one could argue that is the only signal usually necessary.  However, this is where we come around to your initial question – “would we give a signal every time you are stopped from making progress?”  I am guessing that having read my perspectives on signals given in other situation above, that my answer will not come as a surprise… and that is, we should give a mechanical signal if necessary.

What if the road you are travelling along is extremely narrow, with parked vehicles either side, and you need to move close in to the left to allow an oncoming vehicle to come through?  In this case, your road position ‘signal’ is lost, and your position may be such that following traffic may assume you have parked up.  So would an indicator signal be useful in this case?  Most certainly.

Another example of when I have personally used a signal in a meeting situation was only last week, when travelling along the main road through our local village.  My side of the road was completely blocked by about 30 metres of road works, not controlled by any means.  On approach to the situation, I saw vehicles approaching from the opposite direction, so duly stopped to give way, as their side of the road was clear.  Over the next minute or so, I was faced with an endless stream of vehicles approaching, none of whom had recognised that a large line of traffic was beginning to build up behind me.  So I faced a dilemma:

1. “Sit tight and wait for a natural gap in the traffic?” (which could have taken a VERY long time!), or
2. “Signal my desire to move out, in the hope that an oncoming driver will be courteous enough to concede priority?”

Due to the length of the road works, my view well up the road and the fact that oncoming drivers were either not noticing my road position ‘signal’ or choosing to ignore it, I decided on option 2, and gave a right indicator signal.  This was used as a polite ‘request’ for oncoming drivers to hold back to allow me to come through.  And it worked.

So why not signal in the first place?  Well, remember that signals show intent – they can indicate a desire to turn right as well as move out, so had there been any junctions on the right, oncoming and following drivers may assume my intention is to turn into that junction.  My signal could also have been interpreted by some as ‘bullyish behaviour’ – after all, my side of the road was blocked, so I should really concede priority to oncoming traffic.

We are more likely to react to signals if we see them from the moment they are applied.  For example, consider the times when you have been in a stream of fast-flowing traffic and have seen a driver pulled up on the left with a right signal on.  Or the vehicle in lane 1 of a motorway that has seemingly left their signal on, because they are showing no intentions of actually moving into lane 2.  After a while, a signal becomes somewhat ‘redundant’ – people tend to ignore it and carefully drive past (often shaking their head!).

So when giving signals, we also need to think about their timing.

WHEN to Signal?

The timing of our mechanical signal is a very important consideration; giving a signal to move off just as a vehicle is about to pass could prove dangerous – the other driver may take some form of avoidance action as a result (swerving or braking).  Similarly, leaving a signal on whilst waiting for a gap in fairly fast-flowing traffic could have similar affects.  But when traffic flow is very slow, and no gaps are apparent, a signal could be used to seek ‘permission’ from drivers coming up behind to move out into the flow.

On approach to junctions, signalling too late leaves drivers behind with little time to consider how your actions will affect their driving plan.  Giving one too early could lead to a driver behind attempting an overtake manoeuvre before you have pulled over.  Similarly, other road users (such as drivers emerging from junctions or pedestrians wishing to cross the road) could be confused by our intentions.

To Summarise…

As good driver coaches, we need to develop THINKING drivers, drivers who are able to self-evaluate and have developed a strategy to decide if a signal is necessary, and when would be the best time to give it.  This strategy will not only serve them well on the day of their driving test, but will also keep them safe and responsible throughout the rest of their lives.

Just like almost everything we teach, there are almost always shades of grey – must we ALWAYS adhere to the speed limit?  Must we NEVER cross a stop line at a red traffic light?  Must we NEVER enter a bus lane during its period of operation?  I am sure all of us have been in situations where these ‘rules’ have had to be broken…

During a practical driving test, examiners have been trained to look at the given situation and make a judgement based on the circumstances at the time.  They are not training to record a driving fault if a pupil signals in a meeting situations if he/she sees the benefit of them doing so.  They do not have a set of pre-determined rules that should be adhered to when changing lanes on a dual carriageway or motorway.  They are trained to assess if a signal was necessary, if the timing was appropriate, and if the correct signal was given.

It was a truly excellent day, with some great speakers.  Towards the end of the event, Peter Harvey (MSA’s National Chairman) gave delegates lots of latest industry news, having very recently met with the new Minister for Transport, Mike Penning.

Mr Penning is the person responsible for the decision to cease the publication of test routes and the theory test questions, so it appears he is not afraid to take immediate steps to change our industry.  A few interesting things appear to be coming our way, which will obviously not come without much controversy!

Trainee Licence & DSA ‘Log Books’

The first two points mentioned were the Trainee Licence and DSA ‘Log Books’ (or Drivers Records).  Mr Penning is said to be “considering their future”, but made no further comment as to what his decision might be.

Examiners Working Away From Driving Test Centres

Something that Mr Penning was keen to explore (and has been reported recently in the media), was the possibility of having examiners work from bases other than driving test centres.  He is apparently dissatisfied with driving test candidates having to wait 8 weeks or longer for a practical test appointment, and feels that the DSA should be offering a much more efficient service.  With this goal in mind, he is keen to explore ways in which driving examiners can be used more effectively.  No mention was made of closing any driving test centres (as was reported by some members of the media), but he did say that additional facilities needed to be put in place, especially for candidates travelling some distance to reach their nearest test centre.  To this end, he is looking into the potential for perhaps hiring areas of public car parks, where examiners can work from their vehicles. 

Publication of ADI Pass Rates

Mike Penning seriously thinks it’s a good idea, and in the public interest, to publish ADI pass rates.  He is also under the impression that ADIs are actively asking for this to happen, yet the vast majority of members at the MSA Seminar were not in favour.

Learners on Motorways

Of all the points raised during Mr Penning’s meeting with the MSA, this seemed to be the one point which he seemed determined to introduce – that of learner drivers being permitted to drive on motorways.

Most ADIs would agree that compulsory motorway training is essential.  In the past, the main concerns have been around its implementation if carried out before the practical driving test.  ADIs will no doubt be delighted to hear that this planned exemption for learner drivers to drive on motorways would only be when accompanied by an Approved Driving Instructor.  ADIs have so far welcomed the idea, the Transport Select Committee have backed the plans, and other key Government Officials have indicated their approval.  So watch this space!

ADI Part 3 Examiners

Some ADIs and ADI Trainers have argued for many years that examiners who conduct Part 3 Tests should themselves have been through the ADI qualification process and have been ADIs themselves.  The DSA have always rejected these calls, suggesting that their intensive 6 week training programme fully equips examiners for the task of conducting Part 3 examinations.  The Minister agreed with the view of the ADI Trainers, indicating that he would be looking into the credentials of those conducting the ADI examinations.

Conclusion

Although many former Ministers in Mr Penning’s position have set out with lots of well-meaning goals, few have carried them through.  However, it does appear that this Minister means business, and with

the two most recent changes occurring so quickly, it seems this is only the tip of the iceberg.

I wait with baited breath to see what happens next!

The Motor Schools Association (MSA) is a company limited by guarantee, a true non-profit association run for ADIs by ADIs.  For more information, or to become a member of the MSA, click the logo.

Mike Penning MP

Road Safety Minister, Mike Penning, has announced that the DSA will cease publishing the theory test multiple choice questions  Tests taken from 1st January 2012 will be generated using new, unpublished questions.

This decision follows the move to stop publishing practical driving test routes from October this year, making it easier for examiners to test a learner’s ability rather than their capability to memorise routes.

The decision will ensure that learners have better knowledge and understanding of the theory of driving.  It will also ensure they have prepared well for the theory test rather than just learning answers from the published question bank.

Minister Mike Penning said:

“The driving theory test should help to prepare drivers for real life on the road – good driving is not just about vehicle-handling skills, but also about having the knowledge and understanding of safe driving theory.

“No longer publishing these questions and answers will mean that successful candidates will have to understand the theory rather than simply memorising answers.

“I believe that this – along with the other changes we are making to the driving test regime – will lead to better drivers and safer roads.”

The DSA will change the format of books and learning aids available for people preparing to take the theory test in September 2011.  At the same time, the DSA will be introducing more challenging case studies to the theory test.

Practice questions will still be available to help candidates with revision, although these will be questions not used on the theory test.  The new theory test questions from 1st January 2012 will not be available for other companies who produce learning materials.

Electronic parking brakes had until recently mainly been fitted to some higher specification vehicles, but now more mid-range vehicles are having them fitted, too, including the popular new Vauxhall Astra.

Marie Law DSA ADI, with her new driving school car

Until now, the DSA had refused the use of any vehicle fitted with this technology on driving tests, which in recent times has meant that ADIs have been restricted as to which training vehicle they choose. Marie Law, a driving instructor with Latics Driver Training in Oldham had been unaware of this restriction when she recently traded in her 2006 Vauxhall Astra at her local dealership in Rochdale for a brand new 2010 model which arrived with an electronic parking brake. After voicing her concerns, the salesman assured her that all new Vauxhalls were being fitted with the new parking brake. As Marie had purchased the car through Vauxhall’s Driving Instructor scheme, she took his word for it and drove off in her new car.

The first pupil Marie took for test in the new car resulted in a pass! It wasn’t until Marie took her next pupil for test, the SECOND test in her new car on 22nd October, that she became aware of the problem. The examiner promptly returned to the test centre shortly after leaving on test, and Marie was told that the test could not be conducted because of the electronic parking brake.

A call to DSA Technical Support confirmed Marie’s worst fears. Claire Wilmot, Director at Latics Driver Training, made a second call to the DSA and was informed that a senior Examiner would be test driving the new Vauxhall Astra to assess it’s suitability for driving test purposes and was assured that a decision would be made by the following Friday.

Marie, pointing out the new technology fitted to her Vauxhall Astra

Less than a week later, the following Thursday, Marie and Claire got the phone call with the outcome they were hoping for. All vehicles fitted with an electronic parking brake would be deemed suitable for test purposes as from 1st November.

Marie said ‘I’m so glad the DSA have made this decision. I have been so stressed about the whole thing and the last week has been a nightmare. It’s great that I don’t need to change my car now, it could have ended up costing me a fortune!’

Claire added, ‘In all my years of being an ADI, I have never witnessed such a turn around in such a short amount of time from the DSA. They really have been most helpful and a huge thanks to everyone who played their part. I’m sure we weren’t the only ones who have had this issue, however the DSA have given us their personal and swift attention. We are delighted with the outcome.’

The DSA have issued the following guidance…

There are usually two ways of releasing an electronic parking brake:

• using the footbrake while releasing the parking brake, then coordinating the accelerator and clutch to move away
• coordinating the accelerator and clutch – when the electronics sense the clutch is at biting point the parking brake releases automatically

The parking brake will not usually release automatically if:

• the accelerator is not used
• the controls are not coordinated correctly

If there is no loss of control either method is acceptable.

If the examiner needs to take action to stop the vehicle, and it’s not fitted with dual controls, they will apply and hold the electronic parking brake – this will bring the vehicle to a controlled stop.

“Hey Ged.. I got a really difficult pupil later. Good control of the car but in a ‘boy racer’ way. Very impatient, slightly aggressive to other road users, especially cyclists. He does know all the dangers/hazards but has the ‘it’s their own fault’ attitude. Any advice?”

Great question! Firstly, the problems of attitude, peer pressure, etc, cannot be dealt with on a superficial level, which ‘traditional’ driving instruction deals with. Rather than concentrate on the dangers/hazards OUTSIDE the car, this guy needs to take a closer examination of the dangers/hazards WITHIN the car, or more specifically… the person sat in the driving seat. For this reason, I would definitely deal with this issue using a coaching approach.

I would first start off by suggesting that this be carried out at the start of the lesson. It may take 10 minutes or so, so if you are conscious of the time taken to do this, ask if it’s ok for the lesson to run over by 10 minutes. Then say something along the lines of, “OK, so what I’d like to do this afternoon is to explore what your thoughts are on driving. So I just want to ask you a few questions to find out your opinions; some of these may be a little challenging, but I’d like you to answer as honestly as you can – that way you’ll get the full benefit. Is that OK with you?”

I may then use a line of questioning as follows:

“OK, [name], what type of driver do you aspire to be?
a) a bad driver
b) an average driver
c) a good driver
d) an excellent driver”

Inevitably, the pupil replies “an excellent driver”, so the conversation could continue as follows:

“Great, so let’s explore the qualities of ‘an excellent driver’ – what particular skills or attitudes will the excellent driver have?”

Allow them to list all the things they can think of, whilst you write them down in a vertical list. Aim to get around 10-12 good qualities. You must resist the temptation to give them answers – it’s essential that this list comes from them! Occasionally asking, “and what else?” will usually generate more responses, and if they get really stuck, you could maybe re-focus the question, e.g. “what will their forward planning skills be like?” “how would an ‘excellent driver’ respond to a road rage incident?”, etc. If you are good at this, you should be able to bring the focus subtly around to how an excellent driver would deal with cyclists, and any other irritations that this pupil may have.

Once you have the list, compliment him on coming up with so many ideas, and enthusiastically agree with his list, remembering to remain non-judgmental.

The next part of the exercise would be for the pupil to rate himself on all of those qualities. It’s important that he is honest in doing this, and if you have rapport at this stage, then he should be. Ask him to rate himself on each quality between 1 and 10, 1 being ‘I don’t have this quality at all, or I am awful in this area’ and 10 being, ‘I have this quality in abundance, or am perfect in this area’.

Again, it is essential that you are non-judgmental during this exercise. If, in your opinion, the pupil is over-rating himself, then that is absolutely fine. This may just show misplaced confidence, but we can deal with that part separately. He also may ask you what YOU think his rating should be. Simply remind him that it’s his rating that you’re interested in, and that your opinion is irrelevant for this exercise.

Once you finish, you should have a list of 10 qualities and 10 corresponding numbers. The whole purpose of this exercise is to generate awareness of the pupil’s skill level. If they have rated themselves honestly enough, then there will be few (if any) 10′s. If there are any 10′s, then ask them what an excellent experienced driver would be rated as in that area. They will usually respond, “10″, and then will often reflect on their initial grading of themselves and lower it, or you could ask, “so if someone will excellence and experience is a 10, then where would you put yourself on the scale?” Even a 9 can be improved – so whatever the number is, I would use this next question:

“What do you need to do to take that to a higher number?” or “How can we get you to a 10?”

The whole purpose of this exercise is to generate awareness and responsibility – the essence of coaching.

Another completely different way to approach this would be to look at the pupil’s motivation for wanting to learn to drive…

“Why do you want to learn to drive?”
“What are the 5 biggest benefits passing your test will bring you?”
“What car would you like to own?”

You can then take this one stage further:

“What do you like doing in your spare time?“
“Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?“
“What career would you like?“

As a skilled coach, your job is then to get the pupil to understand how a crash, injury or licence endorsements will impact on these latter findings. For example the conversation could go something like this:

Instructor: “So if we were to accidentally (or intentionally) knock a cyclist off his bike, what would happen?”
Pupil: “I’d stop to make sure he was alright, then drive on”
Instructor: “Let’s say that the cyclist wasn’t alright then, and he had a serious injury from hitting his head – what would happen then?”
Pupil: “I’d call an ambulance”
Instructor: “Would any other emergency services get involved then if someone had been injured in a crash?”
Pupil: “Well, the police might come, I guess”
Instructor: “And why would they need to come along?”
Pupil: “To see what caused the accident and who was to blame”
Instructor: “Let’s say they deemed you to be at fault then, what would happen then?”
Pupil: “Not sure. I may get a fine or points on my licence”
Instructor: “How would these points on your licence affect your insurance premium, do you think?”
Pupil: “Dunno”
Instructor: “And if you did know?”
Pupil: “They might go up I suppose”
Instructor: “Let’s say your premiums doubled then, which isn’t unusual, say from £2000 to £4000, what would the effect of that be?”
Pupil: “I’d be skint!”
Instructor: “And what would the effect of you being skint have on your ability to keep up with the insurance payments?”
Pupil: “I’d struggle”
Instructor: “So let’s say you had already accumulated points through other offences, and this crash was to take you to 12 points, what would happen then?”
Pupil: “I’d lose my licence”
Instructor: “And what effect would that have on your career…? Your spare time activities…?”
Pupil: “I may lose my job… and I wouldn’t be able to drive to my mates’ houses – they’d have to pick me up all the time”

Can you see where we’re going with this? So the skill of a good coach is to generate awareness of the risks, well beyond the simple traditional questions such as, “Why is it important to give a cyclist 1.5m clearance?”. Once the pupil has the awareness of what could really happen, then they begin to self-develop a sense of responsibility, thus directing them towards the ‘excellent driver’ they aspire to be.

I hope that helps! If you’re interested in becoming a better driver coach, and developing your skills away from the ‘traditional’ methods, then come along to one of our ‘Practical Coaching Skills for Driving Instructors” workshops – see www.adicoaching.co.uk for more details.

Ged