So, how's your day? Bad day at work? Kids playing havoc? Partner stressing you out? Why not get in the car and go for a nice, relaxing drive. Take a good CD; no Buzzcocks, Metallica or Prodigy though. How about something laid back, like Central Reservation by Beth Orton (especially http://open.spotify.com/track/2lHHH2Sa4FhKwh5VS5T8It), or maybe Jane's favourite, Let's get it on by Marvin Gaye. Find a road where traffic is minimal and, ideally, where you can just leave it in 5th/6th gear for a while. How close are you to the car in front? 1 - 2 seconds? Drop back a bit; then, every time they brake you can just ease off the accelerator. Van behind getting too close? Drop back a bit more, give yourself even more time to react; if they want to overtake you, that's fine, you're not in any hurry. Are you getting into the music yet? How does that feel? It's quite relaxing not to be in any rush, not battling with other drivers.
Perhaps I should have given this advice yesterday. In fact, when I think about it, I did give this advice yesterday. I have just had one of my pupils take her test (2nd attempt). After her 1st attempt she was very, very upset, to the point of being angry (see my post on 5th Ocotber 2009). That time she failed for approaching a junction too fast and also for encroaching on the other side of the road on a bend. Times are hard, so she has not had a lesson since then (until yesterday), but has practicing with friends and family.
Yesterday she booked a two-hour lesson. She is a very confident and competent driver, but a bit too confident sometimes. She wanted me to give her a mock test, where I just give directions (no instruction). No problems on the manoeuvres, but she was still approaching junctions and other hazards too quickly. This was in her car (so no dual-controls) and, after I had to tell her to brake to avoid a meeting situation (when the road is not wide enough for both you and the oncoming vehicle), I asked her to pull over and switch off the engine.
"What's the hurry?" I asked.
"Who had priority back there?"
"I don't know."
"Did you not see the sign ordering you to give way to oncoming traffic?"
"No."
"Ok, you need to keep an eye out for road signs. But could you not see that you were heading straight towards that other car?"
"Ermm. Perhaps I should put my contact lenses in."
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
She got her lenses out of her handbag and put them in. I took a deep breath.
"Ok. We are going to forget this mock test. For the rest of the lesson we are going to work on your approach to junctions and other hazards. When you see anything that may cause you to slow down, I want you to check your mirrors and consider your approach. I don't want you coming up to junctions too quickly. I want you to bring your speed down early, select the appropriate gear, look early and then you may not even have to stop, if it is safe to go."
"But no-one drives like that" She complained.
"Yes they do, and, if they don't they should do. What is the point of rushing up to a junction and having to stop when, if you had brought your speed down earlier, you may have had time to see that the junction was clear?"
"But my Mum and none of my friends do that."
"So what would happen if you or they approached junctions too quickly and there was a bit of black ice in the road? Or the roads were wet?"
Silence.
She did make an effort to drive with more consideration for the rest of the lesson.
This morning I picked her up ten minutes before her test. She is the only pupil I have ever had who did not want an hour's lesson before her test. The short drive to the test centre was good and I praised her on her new approach. "Just keep it like that. Take your time. Concentrate and slow down in plenty of time.......... and you have got your contact lenses in, haven't you?!"
She failed. I had a chat with the examiner immdeiately after. She failed for coming up to a roundabout too quickly and deciding to go when a car was coming round, causing the other car to slow down. She also failed for driving at 25 mph in a 20mph zone.
"STUPID EFFING STUCK-UP BITCH!" Were her first words when I joined her in the car. "What right has that bitch got to fail me? I've got two kids who I need to drive around."
I had to consider my reply. She obviously was not in the mood for a calm reflection on what went wrong. "Did you not see the flashing 20mph sign?"
"Yes, but there was no-one around. If I had seen any kids I would have slowed down."
"And what about the roundabout? Did you think you had time to go, or do you think you may have been better waiting for a bigger gap?"
I don't know why I bothered. Any utterance from me was just a red rag to a bull.
"He was stupid. He didn't have to slow down that much."
Actually Daisy, I think you are the one who is stupid. Back at her house I left her, still swearing, boasting that she is just going to drive anyway. 'She doesn't have to wait for that effing examiner to tell her she can drive.' Ok, good idea. Just go ahead and drive your two young children around without a licence. Of course, you won't be insured, but you're not going to crash are you? Rushing up to junctions and meeting situations, braking harshly and not giving way when you should.
Iris is an experienced and fair driving examiner. I am a fully-qualified Approved Driving Instructor. However, you obviously know far more about driving than we do so, clearly, you no longer need my services.
I shouldn't have posted this. It's just wound me up. Still, it's nothing that a few more ginger biscuits and a nice, relaxing drive won't put right.
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