It’s not been the smoothest of weeks. It just seemed that, whenever one problem was solved, another cropped up. In addition to that, it has been an especially bad week for idiotic drivers.
Actually, the week started really well: My pupil passed his test in Elgin. I won’t mention his name because he had to retake his driving test after being disqualified from driving for four years after failing a breathalyser test. On top of that he had to pay a £750 fine, he had to pay a driver for four years so that he could carry on his business, he had to pay me for driving lessons and he had to pay for three attempts at the driving test. Quite a harsh punishment for having a drink, but not harsh enough if he had killed or injured someone as a result of that drink.
For a few short days it seemed as though Spring had sprung. The ice had finally disappeared from the lochs on the Ullapool road, the meltwater had turned the rivers and burns into frothing, bubbling serpents, and only the highest hills remained capped with snow. Of course, you know what happened next. On Sunday we had not just ‘severe’, but ‘extreme’ weather warnings. By Tuesday the Borders were suffering from this ‘extreme’ snow, which led to the tragedy of the 17-year old girl, Natasha Paton, being killed in a coach crash. Strong winds meant that ferries were cancelled, leaving my pupil, Maggie, suffering the brunt of angry passengers in Ullapool and the B&B where I stay being run by the landlady’s mum because the landlady was stuck in the Hebrides. The section of the Highlands that I cover escaped the worst. I became concerned on Tuesday night, when the snow started falling in Ullapool - What on earth would the Inverness road over the hills be like? After 16 hours of lessons in Ullapool in a day and a half, I headed home and was relieved to find the roads well gritted and clear of snow. Someone else had not been so lucky, as I passed a car, on its side in a ditch (no-one inside). This, however, was still not enough of a deterrent to stop a couple of white van men racing down the road, overtaking at the most ridiculous of places. One belonged to Morrison Construction (registration number LC58AZF…. I think) and the other was a hire van.
Even worse driving was witnessed a couple of days earlier. James approached a right turn and was hesitant in crossing. This apparently was reason enough to cause the red Toyota Yaris (SY52AXT) behind to overtake us on a blind bend, with parked cars on the right further adding to the danger, thus causing James to brake to avoid a potential collision.
A while ago, I wrote about other instructors’ reliance on ‘reference points’. To be fair, in order to pass the Driving Instructor Part 3 exam, the DSA examiners expect us to know reference points for all manoeuvres, parking position, driving position and virtually every driving situation imaginable. So it is understandable that many instructors stick rigidly with these reference points. I still don’t agree with the concept though, and I certainly don’t agree with instructors who cover their cars in strips of tape and coloured dots so that their pupils become dependent on these points, rather than actually thinking about what to do with the car. Anyway, one particular instructor didn’t take too kindly to my comments and assumed it was a personal attack on his abilities as an instructor. In fact, he took it so personally that, this week, I received correspondence from his solicitors threatening me with legal action. It was tempting to tell them to go and play with themselves, but in the spirit of peace and harmony to all men, and solicitors, I will remove the ‘offending’ posts from this blog. I have always got on with instructor concerned and, with too many pupils for me to manage in the area he covers, I was going to refer three potential new pupils to him, but, somehow, I no longer think he will appreciate any communication with me.
As I said, not the smoothest of weeks, but any problems I have (or others have with me) are put into sharp context when you consider the plight of Natasha Paton, her family and friends.
Nothing wrong with reference points, at all. Works with some. Doesnt work with others.... there shouldnt be an opinion ! its somrthing for the toolbox!!
ReplyDeleteWhy do you think the dsa use ref points in the test!!! They have spent millions of pounds researching in how learning takes place, the three key elements are KNOWLEDGE JUDGEMENT AND SKILL. Sometimes, depending on the learners physcomotor skills reference points are necessary. Dots/marks on car, no , but they are a good GUIDE to begin with. Tilt your head to the right, and approach a t junction whilst moving, this will simulate how atrue beginning learner sees the road... and how simplicity and guidance like ref points can be useful to begin with...... then further development after from there,, DONT RULE THEM OUT!!!
ReplyDeleteFair enough. In fact, if a pupil REALLY can't do a manoeuvre without them then I will get them to look at what they can see at different stages of the manoeuvre, but trying to avoid phrases such as "line your the tip of your mirror up with the curb", for example. I don't expect a new learner to work out how much to turn, and when, without some guidance, but my own philosophy is to encourage the pupil to do as much thinking as possible, rather than rely on me to tell them exactly how to complete a manoeuvre. I am certainly not saying that the DSA and every other instructor in the land don't know what they are talking about, but I just despair when I get a pupil, who has come from another instructor, who 'can't' do a manoeuvre because I 'haven't got a green dot on my windscreen'.
ReplyDeleteI agree that they are 'something for the toolbox', but I just wish certain instructors (and, no, I am not thinking of anyone in particular) would try to progress their pupil beyond artificial points that are only specific to that particular car.
A couple of months ago I was taking another instructor's pupil for a mock test when she stopped midway across the road during a Turn in the road (3 point turn). I waited for her to continue, but she had almost frozen. "I can't remember if it is one turn to the left, or two." she said. My point is that she was obviously so reliant on her instructor telling her exactly how much to turn, that she was lost when she had to think about it for herself.
yep, thats right. Can be frustrating! My favourite word is flexibility!
ReplyDeleteWell, when I was taught to drive I had reference points stickers all over my instructors car, so when I got my own which was a different car- i was in trouble. I was clever enough to WORK out my own reference points and soon realised what ref point works for one doesnt work for another. I am now training to be a driving instructor and my trainer doesnt insist on them either because he believes that you should learn a man by the feel and getting the eye for it. Not because he told me exactly where to look etc. As PDIs/ADIs we need to know them as a reference for ourselves sat in the passengers seat- but shouldnt we be passing on a skill to our pup- not a colour coded sticker checklist? I m with you on this Martin
ReplyDeleteThanks Sabina. However.... You will NEED to know all relevant reference points for your Part 3 (training and exam), from your pupil's/examiner's point of view as well as yours. And if you have a pupil who really really needs reference points then I prefer to use something that can be transferred to all cars e.g middle of the rear windscreen in line with curb when reversing.
ReplyDeleteInteresting comments, are you training with an ORDIT registered trainer? My trainer was ORDIT, and I was taught to use them and then shown how to develop them from there.
ReplyDeleteYes Martin is right, you do need to know how to provide ref points and where your instructors ref points are in the car, whether you use them or not, you need to know them . If youre not with an ORDIT trainer, i suggest you try one as they are up to date with that sort of thing I guess.
ReplyDeleteI believe there is one in Inverness and she is good.
(Girl Driver is not in Inverness)
ReplyDelete