Do as I say AND as I do.

If you are thinking about becoming a driving instructor, you may want to have a good look at the way you drive, and not just because the second part of your Driving Instructor qualification is an extended driving test.
When I began my training to become a driving instructor I had a 2 litre V6 24-valve sports carwhich I absolutely loved. I loved the way hugged the corners and I loved the ease with which it could overtake anything in its path. The trouble was, the way I drove was NOT how I should be teaching pupils to drive. In other words, the way I was driving was not just illegal, but wrong: Mirrors? No need - there wasn't likely to be much catching up with me. Speed limits? No problem, I would just do the same as everyone else and slow down for the speed cameras.
When I was with my trainer, however, I did everything a driver is supposed to do. For an experienced driver, this is not difficult. It involves the correct use of mirrors, especially before any change of speed or direction; correct use of signals at the appropriate time; progressive braking and accelerating with sympathetic use of the gears; and constant and effective observation, with awareness and anticipation of others. Then, when training had finished, I would get in my own car and revert to my bad ways.
What's wrong with that? My driving didn't cause anyone any harm, so what's the problem? The problem is, learners, by definition, are not experienced, so they have to consider every single movement of their eyes, hands and feet. Their instructor then, has to be a few seconds ahead of them and thinking 'what should they be doing now?' before the pupil (hopefully) does it. The best way for me to improve my instruction was to improve my driving. I'm not saying I started driving like a learner, but I started driving exactly as I wanted my learners to drive. I kept my sports car (for a while), but I began driving to the standard which would be good enough to pass test after test without fault. I still drive like that, much to the surprise of people who had experience of how I used to drive. In fact, every day, I am always thinking of how to improve my driving. Then, by thinking like that, I will be looking for my pupils to do the same.

Despite all my claims to (now) be a good, safe driver, even I get caught out sometimes.
When approaching a junction, you should approach at a speed which affords you ample time to decide whether it is safe to progress. However, you should not be going so slowly that it causes confusion to other road users. This morning, I was heading along the A96 into Inverness. The speed limit is 50 mph; road, traffic and weather conditions were good, so I was doing 50mph and in 5th gear. Approaching the retail park roundabout - a 3-lane roundabout with good visibility - I checked my mirrors (nothing behind), braked gently and selected 3rd gear as I watched a car approaching from the other side of the roundabout. It was ok, he was approaching in his far left lane, with no signal, so I had to assume he was going straight ahead. Just as I decided it was safe to proceed he swung round to the right so I had to brake....
"STUPID, DROOL-SWIGGING SCROTAL-SMEAR!!! IDIOTIC, SPHINCTER-PLUCKING PUBE-FLOSS!!!" As you may have guessed, I was not a happy bunny.
I just don't get it. What is so difficult about extending your left finger and clicking the right indicator on? And even if your indicators have broken (as they often seem to do on taxis and Audis), is it really so complicated understanding that approaching in the right lane (as opposed to left) would make a right turn so much more easy (and obvious). I teach my pupils not to trust other vehicles' indicators, but to watch the vehicle's position and where their wheels are pointing. In this case, the (lack of) indicators and the fact that they were in the far left lane clearly suggested that they were NOT turning right. I'm so glad I was driving, and not a pupil. If a learner had been driving, they would subsequently have approached roundabouts at excessively slow speeds, causing potential confusion and frustration for following vehicles.
As I have said before (certainly to my pupils), 'EXPECT other road users and pedestrians to do stupid things - because they will'. But there is a limit. I can't start approaching roundabouts expecting everyone in the outside lane to be stupid and turn right at the last moment. Therefore, I can't start teaching my pupils that.
While I'm having a little rant about setting an example, I will return to my held opinions on reference points. A couple of days ago, I had my first lesson with a new pupil. She had moved from a different area where she had undertaken a 30 hour intensive driving course. Her general driving was good, so I had a look at her reversing manoeuvres. We stopped before a turning on the left and I asked her to go past it, then reverse into the road. She checked her mirrors and blind-area, then drove past the road, having a glance into the road as she did so....
"Aargh!" She groaned.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"I forgot to count the curbs."
"Sorry?"
"I forgot to count the curbstones. My instructor told me that if there are lots of curved curbstones then it will be half a turn of the wheel. If there are only a few curved curbstones it will be full left-lock. And if there are about 7 - 9 curbstones in the bend then I will need to turn the wheel about three-quarters of a turn."
COME ON!?!  Am I supposed to believe that her instructor would count curbstones in a bend before he reversed into it? Of course he wouldn't! He would just drive past the road, then reverse around the corner using regular checks in his rear windows and left mirror to assess whether to steer closer to or further from the curb. And if we (instructors) would do this, then should we not be teaching our pupils the same? Yes, yes, I agree that 'reference points' are a useful tool, and should not be ruled out, but can you imagine a pupil going for his/her test and panicking because they forgot to count the curbstones, or because they could not remember whether it was half a turn or three-quarters of a turn? Why make things difficult for them? When going forward you turn where you want the front of the car to go. When reversing you turn in the direction you want the back of the car to go. That's it. Simple.

On a final note about instructors driving as they would like their pupils to drive, I was teaching in Inverness today when the RED driving school car in front of us stopped at a traffic light, way over the area reserved for cycles. I was then gobsmacked to see that the car was being driven by the instructor. D'oh!