Your Questions Archives

posted by Ged Wilmot

“I Want to Complain About a Driving Examiner”

It’s a question we occasionally get asked – “How do I complain about a driving examiner?” Thankfully, we are hearing of fewer and fewer instances of people having issues with examiners’ bad attitudes towards driving test candidates and driving instructors. We have personally found most examiners to be very friendly, professional and approachable. This is likely to be down to the DVSA’s increased emphasis on providing excellent customer service. In this article, we explain how driving examiners are trained and continually assessed. We also look at how you can express your concerns or even complain about a driving examiner, should the need arise.

Firstly, let me share a true story…

Whilst sat in a Driving Test Centre waiting room one day, several nervous driving test candidates awaited the arrival of their examiners. Increasingly loud footsteps prompted their arrival, one by one. Each called the name of their candidate, whilst each instructor anxiously hoped their pupil wouldn’t get… ‘John’. John was the examiner notorious for his extraordinary ability to transform a reasonably calm and confident pupil into a gibbering, nervous wreck within seconds of him meeting them.

John walked into the waiting room, standing tall and firmly holding his clipboard, with his air of authority and self-importance. Without even looking around the room to smile and pleasantly greet the instructors in the room, as all the other examiners did, John called the pupil’s name. “Ben Smith. Can I see your driving licence?” Ben promptly stood up from the seat next to his mum, who had gone with him to the test centre. Clutching a flimsy A4 plastic sleeve full of, mainly unnecessary, documentation such as; his car’s purchase receipt, MOT certificate, insurance policy, theory documents, Highway Code and other paperwork Ben nervously handed John a DL-sized transparent plastic wallet, which held his photo card and counterpart driving licence. In his nervous haste, he dropped the entire contents of the A4 plastic sleeve all over the waiting room floor. As Ben scrambled around the floor to pick up his paperwork, the examiner tossed the driving licence, still in its transparent wallet, onto the table in front of Ben, and said, “Take the licence out of that.” The examiner then turned to stare blankly out of the waiting room window, still clutching his clipboard. As the seconds passed, he glanced impatiently at his watch whilst Ben gathered his belongings. By this point, Ben was visibly shaken, sweat forming on his forehead, blushing, and rippling with fear. Hardly able to keep his hands steady as he did so, he removed the paper counterpart and plastic card from the DVLA stamped plastic wallet and handed it to John.

As soon as the door to the test centre closed behind the last examiner and test candidate, Ben’s mum looked over at all the instructors in the room and said, “Wow – what a horrible, horrible man. Is he always like that?” We all nodded in agreement – Ben had drawn the short straw.

Why is it that the vast majority of driving examiners can be pleasant and able to put pupils at ease, whilst a very small number of others can turn the test candidate into a fearful mess before they even get into the car? How can it be fair? And as instructors, can we, and should we, do anything to complain about a driving examiner?

We all have bad days

It’s true that we all have our bad days – we all have personal ‘stuff’ going on in our lives that can sometimes negatively impact our mood. I’m sure that being an examiner can be quite challenging at times. Some Approved Driving Instructors might say that it’s the same for us. In an ideal world, we would all keep our personal stuff hidden – ‘fake’ a good mood so that our personal baggage doesn’t impact on our work. But let’s face it, we’re all human and from time to time, others might notice our aura of discontentment.

But that is not what this article is about. We’re discussing those examiners that have a reputation for instilling fear in test candidates or those that show little respect towards driving instructors – those who could at times be described as negative, condescending, arrogant or even rude. Thankfully these examiners are few and far between, but we’ve received enough feedback about it to take some time to provide you with an insight into how examiners are trained and assessed in terms of providing a positive customer experience, and what you, or your pupil, can do about it if you feel particularly aggrieved by an examiner at your test centre.

“How are examiners initially assessed and trained in customer service?”

During a recent visit to the DVSA’s Training & Development Centre in Cardington, Bedfordshire, we learned more about the examiner training process and we asked a senior trainer to what extent personality traits and attitudes are taken into account when examiners are trained. We also learned how the DVSA openly welcome feedback from driving instructors and driving test candidates, especially when someone feels the need to complain about a driving examiner due to their attitude or general manner.

We were pleased to learn that potential candidates for the position of driving examiner are assessed on their personality characteristics and customer service throughout the whole process, from the initial application form through to final test centre placement, and beyond.

All trainee examiners must undertake Situational Judgement Tests during training – some of these are scientifically designed to highlight any issues in respect to personal thought processes and responses. In addition, job-related role play assessments take place, in which professional actors are used in problem scenarios to see how the trainee examiner responds. This, again, highlights strengths and weaknesses in their ability to deal with members of the public.

Throughout their time at the Training & Development Centre, trainee examiners are continually assessed against 4 core competencies:

Control of the test
Assessment of the test
Completion of paperwork
Customer service

The ‘customer service’ element looks at how the trainee examiner relates to, and communicates with, everyone else during their 4-6 week training course. In life beyond the course, everyone that examiner could come into contact with in their working life is defined as the ‘customer’. This, of course, includes learner drivers and their instructors.

Trainees are closely observed on how they communicate with the test candidate during role play driving tests and to the trainers providing feedback and classroom training throughout the programme. Communication and behaviour during social gatherings, meal breaks, and even smoking breaks, is subtly scrutinised – this includes the trainee’s relationship with their fellow candidates, trainers and other staff members at Cardington, even extending to the cleaners, canteen and hotel staff. Nothing goes unnoticed.

In learning about customer service, trainee examiners are taught the need to be fully aware of, and adapt; their body language, the way they observe the candidate, their seating position, respect of the candidate’s personal space, suitable levels of eye contact, appropriate tone of voice, etc. A large part of customer service training is centred around how verbal and non-verbal communication can be interpreted, or misinterpreted. Therefore, all qualified examiners should be aware that it is how their verbal and non-verbal communication is interpreted by others that is important – more so than the intention behind that behaviour.

When training and assessing candidates for driving examiner positions, senior training staff at Cardington are looking for people with specific personal characteristics and customer service skills. They need to have a calm confidence, especially when in confrontational situations. But they equally need to be reassuring when dealing with test candidates who have emotional outbursts.

**“Yes, but what happens after placement at a driving test centre?”**

It’s all well and good for a trainee examiner to be able to demonstrate good customer service skills whilst in the presence of senior trainers at the DVSA Training Centre, but what happens when they’re out there in the real world? Isn’t this when the problems start?

The training team at the DVSA acknowledge the fact that no matter how many assessments, role plays and Check Tests are conducted during training and whilst out there on the job, trainee and qualified examiners are often able to ‘play the game’ when being assessed. Their actual conduct whilst out there on the job could be something entirely different. During a trainee examiner’s initial training programme, the environment at the Training Centre is very positive, and as such, the trainee examiners’ behaviours are positively influenced by those around them.

This same influence will affect them after they are placed at a driving test centre. They will continue to be influenced by their peers – if a more long-standing examiner, working closely alongside them, has poor attitudes, then the new examiner is much more likely to mimic their behaviour.

For the first 9 months, which includes the 4-6 week training period at Cardington, each new examiner is on probation. They are very closely supervised by either the LDTM (Local Driving Test Manager) or an experienced examiner at that particular test centre. During the first month, each new examiner has one day per week devoted to development – this takes the form of 4 supervised practical driving tests, 16 in total for the month, and time for discussion after each test. Assuming all goes well on those 16 supervised tests, each new examiner will continue to have one development day per month for the next 3 months, equating to a further 12 supervised tests.

In addition to the above, each new examiner will shadow another more experienced examiner from time to time, and be routinely assessed by a member of the QUAT (Quality Assurance Team) to ensure the new examiner is continuing to demonstrate the 4 core competency skills.

Outside the above 4 month period, all examiners will have a minimum of 6 check tests per year, assessed by their LDTM, plus further QUAT assessments. In total, most examiners will have approximately 12-15 check tests / assessments per year. And to think – we ADIs often moan about having 1 or 2 in every 4 year period!

“How do I complain about a driving examiner’s poor attitude and customer service?”

An examiner may appear to come across, intentionally or otherwise, as; negative, condescending, ignorant, rude, malicious, intimidating or bullying. Most of these examiners may be totally unaware of it. Their fellow colleagues may feel that they are not in a position to challenge it for fear of reprisals. Nevertheless – it still needs addressing. Do not be afraid to be the one to complain about a driving examiner to the DVSA – if nobody says anything, nothing will change.

If you or your pupil have an issue with an examiner’s customer service skills, the first point of contact should be with your LDTM. If you are unsure who that is, check on the local notice board in your driving test centre. If it is not there, you could either ask another examiner for the contact name and number of the LDTM, or call the DVSA on 0300 200 1122 and ask the advisor for the information.

Once you have your LDTM’s contact details, either have a telephone conversation with the LDTM or arrange a meeting with them to discuss how you, or your pupil, perceived the examiner’s behaviour. Express your concerns honestly and respectfully, remembering that the examiner concerned may not be intending to come across in that way. It’s important that your issues are conveyed in the right manner and for the right reasons. Remain calm and professional.

Listen to what the LDTM has to say – they should follow up your discussion by speaking directly to the examiner concerned about how their behaviour is coming across. If after having done so, you still experience issues with that particular examiner, put your complaint in writing. Written complaints MUST be followed up by senior management, so rest assured that your issue will definitely be addressed.

Remember – unless ADIs and/or customers express their concerns about such examiners, nothing can be done.

We do find that instructors often avoid complaining about a driving examiner’s conduct for fear of retribution from that examiner. We know this has happened on some occasions but thankfully, such problems are very rare. If an examiner does have an undesirable attitude, there’s likely to be little change unless the DVSA are made aware of it.

Thankfully, Claire and I have personally found examiners’ customer service skills to be excellent, on the whole. On the rare occasion that we have encountered issues, we have never been afraid to confront this issue, either directly with the examiner themselves or by contacting a more senior member staff at the DVSA. Incidentally, we have never defined the reason for our contact as being a ‘complaint’ – instead we discuss our ‘concerns’ or ‘observations’. Each time we have done so, the senior examiner has been very grateful for our feedback and has followed up on our concerns. In each and every case, we have found noticeable improvements, with no open detriment to that examiner’s attitude towards us.

How do you find customer service at your local test centre?
Do you have an examiner with a notorious reputation for his or her attitude?
Have you, or one of your pupils, ever felt the need to complain about a driving examiner?
If so, how have you dealt with it?
Might you handle things differently in the future as a result?

Please share your thoughts below – we love hearing from you and learning from your experiences! And remember, if you can think of someone that would benefit from this article, please hit one of the buttons below and SHARE it!

*Please note that the names within the story above have been changed to protect their real identities.

posted by Ged Wilmot

h4 Comments

A Simple Guide to Using Reflective Logs

“I have been reading various things on Facebook about reflective logs being needed for the ADI Standards Check, but I’m not really sure what they’re for and why the DVSA is forcing us to use them. From what I can make out, it’s something that the pupil fills in at the end of the lesson about what they have learned. Can you explain more about what a reflective log is and convince me why I have to use them?”

Thanks for your great question! Let’s first start by reassuring you that nobody is forcing you to use anything that you (or your pupils) don’t want to use. The DVSA’s Standards Check is intended to assess your ability to instruct and whether that instruction helps your pupil to learn in an effective way. A reflective log is simply one ‘tool’ you can use to encourage your pupil to reflect on their own learning and progress, and plan for their way forward.

So what exactly is a ‘reflective log’?

Essentially, a reflective log is a record of the pupil’s learning experiences, thoughts, feelings and reflections. It should be thought of as a critical assessment of how the pupil is progressing. In using the word ‘critical’, this should not be thought of as a negative assessment – quite the contrary. It should be seen as an honest and positively-framed appraisal of what things are going well, where improvements can be made and a plan for moving forward (the next steps).

Reflective logs (or journals) are nothing new – they have been used very successfully for many years in other educational establishments, including some primary and secondary schools. Therefore, it’s quite possible that your pupils will be very familiar with the process, even if it might feel alien to you.

Why is it a good idea for us to use them with our learners?

Some ADIs will advocate using a reflective log as an additional resource for their pupils to complete and keep. For others, the reflective log can be used in place of a lesson record. From starting out as an ADI in the late 1990’s, I have always kept lesson records in A4 landscape format. They looked like this (I could fit 13 lesson records to a double-sided A4 sheet):

This enabled me to keep a track of not just what we covered and when, but specifically how well my pupils carried out those tasks and where they needed to improve. Together, we would then plan what to cover next lesson (although admittedly I frequently ‘led’ the pupil with this decision).

I later replaced this ‘Lesson Record’ with a ‘Reflective Log’ (see below). It’s essentially the same format but now phrased with more client-oriented wordings, and with space for the pupil to add in what steps they can take to improve between this session and the next. This may be something as simple as reading a handout or a section of the Highway Code, watching a particular training video or observing another driver’s handling of a skill (such as dealing with roundabouts). Or they may record detail on what specifically they will focus on during private practise with a friend or relative. The new reflective log also enables the pupil (or me) to note down anything else of relevance, e.g. ‘advised to put test back a couple of weeks’ or ‘block booking payment due next week’.

From a learning perspective, keeping a reflective log will help your learner take more responsibility for the direction and content of lessons. It can also improve ‘flow’ throughout their course of lessons. As they become accustomed to using a log, you may find they progress quicker as they practise the skill of self-reflection. As a bonus, you get to better understand your learners’ thought processes – giving you a valuable insight into their view of the world.

When should it be filled in, and by whom?

Ideally it should be completed by the pupil at the end of a driving lesson. We say ‘ideally’ because sometimes the pupil won’t want to do it, and instead would rather the instructor took the notes. If an instructor is being truly client-centred, they will leave it up to the pupil to decide who writes it.

It is most beneficial for the pupil to write the log themselves so that they don’t censor their thoughts and feelings. However, as long as the record is a true and honest reflection of the pupil’s thoughts and feelings, it shouldn’t matter too much who does the writing. Personally, I have found that most clients prefer me to take the notes whilst they are reflecting on the progress and expressing their thoughts verbally. I then summarise what they’ve said and enter it onto the log. This also saves lots of time.

If I am doing the writing, I will still write the log in the first person, e.g, expressing the comments as “I”. I will also be careful not to alter the pupil’s terminology or wording. To make the biggest impact, it’s important that what is written on the log comes from them, with very little input from me, as their instructor.

It is best if the reflective log is completed in-car, as you can ensure that it is completely thoroughly. Expecting a learner driver to go into their home, school, college or work and complete it usually results in them conveniently ‘forgetting’!

Doesn’t it take too long to complete? Pupils want to be driving, not writing!

I think it’s fair to say that most conscientious ADIs have been completing some form of lesson record at the end of each lesson for some time anyway, whether that be giving a score for each particular skill on the training record, or writing some notes on progress during that particular lesson.

Yes it’s true that some ADIs choose to complete lesson records after the lesson is over and the pupil has gone, but for me personally, the end of session debrief is such an important and integral part of the lesson that ADIs shouldn’t feel obliged to exclude record completion from the lesson time.

Make it a normal part of your lesson and your pupils will accept it. In every educational setting, lessons have a start (recap), middle (learning) and an end (recap/debrief), so why should driving lessons be any different?

Completion of a reflective log will probably take no more than 5 minutes.

My pupil is always itching to get out of the car at the end of the lesson. How can I maintain their attention?

We’ve all been there – as soon as the pupil pulls up at their house, their hand is on the car door handle and they’re readying themselves to jump out! Their attention is on the missed text messages or phone calls on their mobile phone. They are mentally ‘elsewhere’ – certainly not in the right frame of mind to complete any paperwork.

Fortunately, there’s a really easy solution to this problem.

Pull up a couple of streets away from their drop-off point and complete the reflective log there. Their full attention is still likely to be on the lesson, as there’s still more driving to do! Therefore, you’re less likely to see them ‘switch off’. Once the log is complete, they can practise a bit of independent driving to their final destination.

Where can I get one of these reflective logs?

There are various options you could choose from.

Some instructors supply each of their pupils with a ‘Starter Pack’ when they start lessons (which might include a branded pen, terms and conditions, Highway Code, referral vouchers, etc). Adding an inexpensive blank notepad to this pack, labelled ‘Reflective Learning Record’ is one idea. Who keeps the learning record is entirely up to you, although in my experience 17 year olds can be quite forgetful. If you intend to leave the learning record with your pupil, you’ll need a plan in place for when they forget it, or it gets ‘eaten by the dog’.

The DVSA have conveniently supplied a sample reflective log in their ‘ADI1 Standard Operating Procedure’ (see page 77). You could print that off and maybe even develop your own, based around the headings used on the DVSA version.

You could click here to download our version. As I mentioned earlier, our reflective log is based on our previous ‘Student Lesson Record’ which has been publicly available for download on our www.activedrivingsolutions.com website for some time. It is double-sided and A4-sized to fit conveniently in a binder or plastic wallet, and you can record up to 6 driving lessons on each sheet. Simply print them out as you need them.

If you have access to an iPad, check out the ‘Robosoul Reflective Logs app’ designed by Neil Snow. It’s currently available for £2.49 on the iTunes App Store.

Using the app has the added benefit of you being able to directly email completed logs to your students from within the app, keeping them up to date and enabling them to build a personal record of their progress. It can definitely be useful for you both to have a copy of the log.

Will the examiner want to see my pupil’s reflective log on my Standards Check?

Not necessarily. This is what is written in the ADI1 Standard Operating Procedure (page 69):

If the ADI offers to supply training documents (such as the reflective log) you should discuss the content with them but if they do not bring such papers this will not invalidate the standards check.

If you and your pupils do use reflective logs successfully, we would definitely recommend taking your pupil’s log into the test centre to show the examiner before the lesson commences. If you’ve read our industry contributions in the past, you’ll know how much emphasis we place on making a great first impression – it can definitely make a big difference to the examiner’s initial perception of your skills before they even get into the car. If you want to do well on your Standards Check, your aim should be to set a fantastic impression from the outset.

Do you use reflective logs with your pupils? What format have you found works best? Do you complete it, or do you encourage your pupil to do so?

If you haven’t used reflective logs in the past, might you consider it? What other questions do you have that we haven’t answered?

Please share your thoughts, questions and reflections in the comments below. And remember, if you can think of someone that would benefit from this article on using reflective logs, please hit one of the buttons below and SHARE it!

Follow Ged Wilmot on Google+!

posted by Ged Wilmot

h21 Comments

10 Tips to Boost Your Driving Test Pass Rates!

“Hi, Ged & Claire. Like most ADIs, I really enjoy all your articles and posts, so keep it up! I was, however, wondering if you could offer some advice on improving driving test pass rates…

I’m scratching my head at the moment: I qualified a little under a year ago and started very positively with my pass rate – 8 out of the first 10! However, of late, I have had several unsuccessful attempts in a row. I prepare all learners in exactly the same way, and always ensure they pass a mock test before booking a real one. I am slightly concerned for my reputation, both with learners and with examiners, and am working hard to arrest the slide. Is it my fault? The learner’s? Or are peaks and troughs like this normal? Any advice would be appreciated, as I’m sure I’m not the only one who stresses about their pass rate!”

Well, first, what an achievement. 8 out your first 10 tests passed – that’s great! My first ever learner to test failed, and it was an awful feeling. Yes, peaks and troughs are normal and I’m sure many excellent instructors have had their fair share of ‘bad runs’. No matter how good we are, expecting to have a 100% test pass rate is unrealistic. We can, however, do everything we can to improve. It’s worth mentioning that this is no one’s fault or failure. You’re just learning from experience. After all, a FAIL is just the ‘First Attempt In Learning’ and if they do fail it’s not a matter of life and death. To put it into perspective, it’s just a test! And they can take it again until they do pass.

How to Improve Driving Test Pass Rates

10 Top Tips which I hope you will find useful in improving your driving test pass rate.

Tip 1 – Monitor

If you want to know what you’re good at and what you could improve on, measure your results. Taking a photo of the driving test report or copying a test report onto a blank one will allow you to keep records of what your learners are picking up faults on. Is there a trend? When I did this, I found that I was getting quite a few driver faults on mirrors, including the odd serious one. I decided to remove my eye mirror, and the learners became aware of when I was watching them. This prepared them for being watched by the examiner, and also became a subliminal prompt. After that, my mirror faults decreased significantly!

Tip 2 – Shut up (in the nicest possible way!)

This has always been a particular challenge for me. Even on ‘mock’ tests, and certainly in the lessons on the run up to the test, it’s easy to overlook how much help you are actually giving your learners. Getting them used to total independence for set periods of time will not only prepare them for the test conditions, but also give you insight into how much you actually help them without thinking about it!

Tip 3 – Use records

A common question after around 8 lessons is, ‘When can I book my test?!’ If you use records, it’s much easier to show the learner what they need to be able to do BEFORE they book their test and what standard they need to reach for all the topics listed. ‘When you have covered all these topics and can do them without my help, shall we crack on and get that driving test passed?’

Tip 4 – Syllabus

Sounds simple, but do make sure your learner can deal with everything required for the test and much more! Allow your learners to experience a wide variety of areas, types of road and traffic situations – the more variety, the better. They will become better all-round drivers, and much more capable of dealing with situations on their test. That said, if there are any tricky bits or junctions where ‘local knowledge’ is needed on test routes, it’s best to make sure they can deal with them confidently, too.

To download a copy of the DVSA’s ‘Safe and Responsible Driving Syllabus’, click here.

Tip 5 – Say NO!

We have all had the learner who books a test when you know you have more chance of winning the lottery than getting a pass from them. Some learners deteriorate after booking the test, some come to us with a test already booked. If they’re not ready, say NO and stick to your guns. It’s your car, and your reputation. If they can’t meet the requirements for the test, don’t take them. Make sure your terms and conditions cover this.

Tip 6 – Pick the best time

Some people work best in the morning, some in the afternoon. Find out what works best for your learner and book a test to suit. I also used to avoid the rush hour test times and the school kicking-out times. The kids from the school round the corner from my local test centre used to play ‘chicken’ with learners: not great when your learner is already under a lot of stress!

Tip 7 – Does your learner feel ready?

Irrespective how how ready YOU think they are, confidence in their own ability will help your learners deal with test day nerves. If they don’t want to do their test just yet, let them decide when they do want to do it. What do they want to achieve before they take their test? Can you help them achieve that first? Having goals will help create a sense of confidence. ‘When I can do Manchester Street roundabout, I know I will be able to deal with anything on my test’.

Top 8 – Deal with test day ‘nerves’

Learners will naturally have some degree of nervousness on their test day. What helps them relax? Is there relaxing music that they can listen to before the test? Do they need a cigarette (assuming they smoke, of course!)? Accommodate their needs and make sure you allow sufficient time to do so. Some won’t want to drive beforehand. If that’s what works for them, then great. Learn some basic breathing techniques to help them relax. Make them laugh. Encourage them to have a brisk walk to the end of the street and back. Have some Rescue Remedy in the car, even if you don’t believe it works. If they think it will, then it will! Ask them to tell you again what passing the test will give them. Motivation is a powerful force!

Tip 9 – Eliminate negative language and self-talk

Be positive, and encourage your learners to do the same. This applies not only to the test day but also to the days leading up to it. Those who have trained with me will know that ‘if’ is banned in my car, as is ‘hopefully’. They are equal to swear words! ‘If I pass my test’ becomes ‘WHEN I pass my test’ and ‘Hopefully I’ll do it’ becomes ‘I WILL do it’.

Also, be aware of and eliminate any negative body language. Walk to the test centre with your learner proudly, smile and say ‘hello’ to your fellow colleagues and the examiners. Present a positive environment to your learner (even if you have to fake it!) 😉

Tip 10 – Be positive about all the examiners

Learners are influenced by what their mates tell them. ‘I hear one of the examiners never passes anyone there’. A simple reframe will quell any fears. ‘Really? I have an 80% test pass rate with him!’ People see what they expect to see. It’s much more useful for your learner to go in thinking that the examiners are all nice and looking to give out a pass than to believe they’re all evil and waiting for the chance to fail them – which, of course, they aren’t 😉

Have you any further advice that you would like to share? What has helped you improve your driving test pass rate?

Please let us know in the comments below.

If you like this article, please share it!

posted by Claire Wilmot

h10 Comments

“Just check your b****y mirrors!!!” (Part 2 of 2)

In the first part of this article, we explored how to effectively develop our learner drivers’ mirror use. If you missed it, we’d strongly advise you read that part first – click here to read Part 1.

In the second part of this article, we will be looking further into the cyclic nature of the Look – See – Respond routine. Also, we’ll check out some higher level techniques to ensure your pupils not only continue to use their mirrors with better levels of understanding, but will learn to develop their own effective strategies to deal with situations arising behind them.

The ‘Silent Conversation’

In Part 1, we took some time to explore some examples of questions to use at the RESPOND phase of the routine. Although many instructors encourage their learners to look for cars, cycles or other vehicles behind or to the sides, it’s not these objects that cause crashes – it’s the driver of that vehicle that is responsible for their course of actions.

It can be helpful to consider the cyclic nature of the mirror routine as a ‘silent conversation’ between you and the other driver or rider. Not only do we need to respond appropriately to what we see in the mirrors, we also need to take into account how the driver/cyclist behind responds to our response. And having LOOKED and SEEN how they respond to our actions, we will then need to again RESPOND accordingly… and so it goes on!

So, assuming it’s daytime and you have a decent view of the driver behind, try asking your learner questions such as:

What’s the driver behind doing?
Is the driver behind paying attention?
What do you notice about the driver behind?”

It may be that they are arguing with a passenger, distracted by their children, bopping away to a really good tune, lighting a cigarette, picking their nose (ewww!), texting/chatting on the phone, putting on makeup (okay, some women are distracted sometimes, too!). I’m sure we’ve all seen what other drivers do while at the wheel.

Once you’ve identified what the driver is doing, explore how this will affect your pupil’s decisions – in effect, how they will ‘communicate’ with that driver. You could ask:

How can we make allowances for him?
What can we do differently with our speed on the approach to these lights?
How early should we start signalling for our turn?”

Once the learner has replied to your question and/or taken action, encourage them to LOOK and SEE how the other driver has RESPONDED to our ‘communication’:

What’s happening behind now?
Have they recognised what we’re doing?
How is he responding / What is he doing now?
Do we need to do anything else now?”

A painful experience

A few years ago, one of my former franchised instructors was giving a lesson to one of his pupils. During this lesson, they had a crash which could potentially have resulted in very serious injury or even a fatality.

The learner driver was just a few weeks away from taking his driving test. During this particular lesson, he was approaching a zebra crossing with a pedestrian walking towards it. The instructor was watching the learner driver to see if he had checked the mirrors. On noticing the learner’s lack of mirror use, the instructor failed to intervene, because (in his words after the crash) “he had his driving test booked and should have known what to do!” There was no mirror check or any early positive indication that the learner had seen the crossing or the approaching pedestrian.

Only at the last moment did the learner driver see the pedestrian. He then slammed on the brakes… hard.

Meanwhile, the learner and instructor had both failed to realise was that there was an enormous quarry lorry close up behind them. Needless to say, when the learner driver slammed on the brakes the lorry couldn’t stop in time. The lorry crashed heavily into the back of the instructor’s car pushing it through the zebra crossing. Fortunately the pedestrian hadn’t started crossing – imagine the outcome if they had 🙁

This whole situation could have easily been averted. Regardless of the standard of the learner driver, it is always the instructor’s responsibility to keep everyone safe. On identifying the pedestrian crossing early and failing to see any response from the learner driver, the instructor could (and should) have asked something along the lines of:

What hazards do we have up ahead?
How close is the truck behind?
What will you do with your speed?
How is the driver behind responding?”

Developing Coping Strategies:

I’m sure most of us have experienced how learner drivers can get flustered with drivers following closely behind. We explored this more fully in our ‘Dealing with aggressive tailgaters’ article. As covered in that article, you may want to explore how to get out of the way if the driver behind seems totally distracted. By doing so, they are no longer a concern, especially if your pupil seems on edge about having them behind. In both of the examples below, the ‘silent conversation’ between me and the driver behind helped avoid potential crashes…

Example 1: Looking for a POSITIVE RESPONSE

Whilst driving home from work recently, the driver of a supermarket delivery van was following about an inch from my bumper (OK, so that might be a slight exaggeration, but he was still really really close!) I could see that he was occasionally glancing at the road but that most of his attention was directed at something on the passenger seat – maybe his delivery schedule.

My first thought was, “I don’t want this guy behind me; I’ll pull up and let him pass”. I didn’t pull up as normal though – I signalled left and kept my speed at 30 mph. I continued to drive until I got a positive response. I saw that he had seen my signal because he began looking in his right mirror to look for an opportunity to pass me. Only then did I slow down to pull up – he ‘spoke’ to me before I responded. Had I not waited for the positive response and reduced my speed before he recognised my signal and intention to pull over, I would undoubtedly have ended up with an embarrassed van driver and a ton of groceries in my boot!

Example 2: Using observation links

A couple of years ago, whilst waiting to turn right into a side road, I saw a car approach a T-junction further up the road. It shot straight over the give way lines and only stopped when almost at the centre line on the major road! I made my turn and watched in my mirrors to see if the car would turn into the road behind me. It did. Before reaching the end of the road where there was a mini roundabout with just a left or right exit to choose from, I instinctively decided to turn into an empty car park without losing much speed, as I didn’t want the car behind to get too close to me.

The driver behind may have not have stopped at the previous junction for a number of reasons – perhaps he didn’t realise it was a give way junction? Maybe he was distracted, drunk or under the influence of drugs? Regardless of his reasons for doing so, I wasn’t feeling comfortable being in front of him so I turned off as soon as I could.

So what happened next? He continued to the roundabout, failed to stop and drove straight into the lamp post on the other side of the roundabout!

These are just 2 examples of when crashes may have been averted (away from me anyway!) by using the LOOK – SEE – RESPOND – LOOK – SEE – RESPOND cycle. These examples also illustrate the importance of using ‘observation links’ within this cycle (clues as to what other road users are likely to do next). This is what our pupils need to be able to do as well. They need to interpret the other driver’s response in our ‘silent conversation’ – does the driver behind recognise what you’re doing? Is he responding appropriately or is he ignoring you?

ATTITUDE WARNING!

Sometimes, thought-provoking questions relating to the behaviours of drivers behind can highlight your learner drivers’ poor attitudes towards other road users. Your learner may scold the driver behind for using his mobile phone or for driving too closely, or for whatever other bad habit the driver behind is displaying. Instead of displaying similar levels of aggression by rebuking the other drive, think how you could use the other driver’s behaviours as a valuable learning opportunity.

What effect could that have on him? What about us? What could be the possible consequences?

You could then ask your pupil to identify what possible ‘bad habits’ they may develop once they’ve passed the driving test? Just how attached are they to their phone? What if it rang whilst they were driving? In what situations might they be tempted to answer it? How are they for time-keeping? What if they were running late for work, an interview, appointment or party? How rowdy are the friends that they will be offering lifts to? How might that impact their driving? What strategies will they have in place to deal with it?

Are you up for the challenge?

Let’s look back at the example questions we provided in Part 1 of this article when encouraging your pupils to LOOK and SEE what’s there…

What’s going on behind?
How close is the car behind?
How fast is the car behind going?
Are there any bikes coming down on our left?
Is there anything overtaking us?”

What’s missing from all these questions? That’s right – the word ‘mirror’ isn’t mentioned at all. Our challenge to you would be to try and eliminate repetitive reference to the ‘mirrors’ from your everyday teaching and instead to use awareness questions. You can start doing this from the very first lesson!

‘Bottom-up’ instruction

Try to avoid the ‘bottom-up’ approach to teaching. This is a typical trait of some PDIs and ADIs (especially those training for Part 3 or who have recently qualified). For example, when teaching their pupils how to move off, they will often instruct in the following way:

Have a quick check in your centre mirror, then check your left blind spot, left door mirror, centre mirror again, the road ahead, right door mirror, and your right blind spot”

This simply gets the pupil to LOOK, but no further parts of the routine are explored. Some lessons later, the instructor goes on to help their learners understand what they’re looking for (SEE) and then some will get around to exploring how the learner driver should RESPOND to what they see in the mirrors.

Other bottom-up approaches include encouraging the pupil to routinely apply the right signal when moving off for the first time (“just for practise”), rather than to LOOK, SEE and RESPOND appropriately to what is around us at the time. Read our article on signalling for more guidance 😉

Unfortunately, such short cuts make life MUCH harder for the ADI and the learner in the long run – the bad habit of just looking blankly in the mirrors will have already formed from those early lessons and may be very hard to break at a later stage. This is why we may often see the pupil quickly glance at the mirrors (and apply the right signal), but we know full well that they cannot possibly have had the opportunity to fully assess what they can SEE (and therefore signal accordingly).

‘Top-down’ instruction

Top-down teaching, on the other hand, is where we would start with the reasons for effective all-round observation, followed by directions on what specifically we need to be looking out for, and how to respond to (or ‘communicate’ with) what we see. A top-down approach is more likely to create a natural response and natural awareness within your learners, which naturally becomes much harder for them to forget! An example might be:

So now we have the car prepared, it’s important for us to look for a safe opportunity to move away, so we need to be aware of what’s happening all around us… so let’s first look to see if there’s a safe gap behind… then have a sweeping check all around… Anything coming out of the driveway over our left shoulder? Any cyclists coming down our left side? Still clear behind? Is it safe ahead? What about our right side – any vehicles coming up to overtake? And is there anyone emerging from the junction over your right shoulder? What would be our best course of action? Would it be safe to go now, do you think? Would a signal benefit anyone?” etc…

Although this is an example of an instructional approach, a coaching conversation would work really well, too. Yes, top-down approaches will take a little longer in the short-term, but the long-term benefits definitely outweigh this.
So, ask yourself if there is there any more you could be doing to encourage your pupils to have a better awareness of other drivers’ behaviour. How could you work on helping them to communicate better with others on the road? How can we help them be aware of their choices once they’re out there on the road themselves?

*Disclaimer: Throughout these articles, I have referred to drivers who exhibit poor driving behaviour as ‘he’. This is just for ease of writing – it isn’t because I think men are impatient and generally daft drivers at all… honest! 😉

Have you any further advice for Paul (who originally asked the question about mirrors) that you would like to share? What techniques or strategies have you used with your learners that has been successful? How do you incorporate the skills that kill (using phones, speeding, driving under the influence, showing off, etc) into your everyday teaching?

Please let us know in the comments below – I’m sure it will be appreciated by many.

If you like this article, share it so someone you know might benefit too by hitting one of the social media buttons below.

posted by Claire Wilmot

h32 Comments

“Just check your b****y mirrors!!!” (Part 1 of 2)

“Hi Ged and Claire, I’m getting really frustrated with my pupils not checking their mirrors, they do it sometimes when I ask or tell them to, but then go right back to forgetting again when I stop helping them. What can I do?”

This is probably a very common frustration for a lot of ADIs, so rest assured you are not alone! I know I’ve had the same issues in the past, too and you can feel like a bit of a nag or a broken record repeating yourself every 2 minutes!

The problem with some pupils is that no matter how many times we tell or ask them which mirrors to check, unless we keep at it, some will keep forgetting. So what can we do differently so they are less likely to ‘forget’?

I like to think there are 3 elements to effective mirror use:

LOOK

Many instructors stop after teaching this first part. So invariably the pupils LOOK but don’t SEE. This is more likely to happen when the instructor says things like:

Check your centre and right mirror before signalling
Which mirrors should we check?
New road, new mirrors
Remember – Mirror… Mirror… Signal
Come on, check this left mirror, you keep forgetting!

Any of these sound familiar to you?

Although these questions or commands may well instigate a mirror check, the check in itself has very little value. The pupil is simply learning by rote, or ‘parrot fashion’. They know they need to check them – after all, you’re there to keep reminding them! But this is not an effective approach for long-term learning. They are checking the mirrors because they think they have to check them to pass the driving test (and to stop your constant nagging!). You’ll get a similar effect with chants or ‘easy reminders’ like “One Two Three” relating to centre mirror (one), door mirror (two), signal (three). Another one we hear being used a lot on lessons is “Mirror, mirror, signal”.

Learners who are taught in this way can pass the driving test. And afterwards, they’ll breathe a huge sigh of relief and think, “Yes! I passed! Don’t need to check my mirrors all the time now!”

SEE

Many instructors get to this part easily, although not always often enough. This is where we start getting to the WHY. In the ‘look’ part of the sequence, they learner looks in the mirrors but they won’t always ‘see’ what’s there.

For the most part, the reason for this is that the learner has no idea what they are specifically looking for. They’ve simply been told or asked to check the mirrors (as in the examples above).

So how can we direct their attention a little further? Here are some examples of better questions to ask:

What’s going on behind?
How close is the car behind?
How fast is the car behind going?
Are there any bikes coming down on our left?
Is there anything overtaking us?”

These are much more efficient questions than some of those I used to ask in my early days as an ADI, such as, “What colour is the car behind?” [‘Red…. so what?!’]. And then there were also times when I would cover the interior mirror with my right hand and ask, “What’s behind?” These tactics don’t necessarily encourage the pupil to do much more other than check the mirrors more frequently to avoid getting caught out! There’s still no guarantee they’re considering the proximity or speed of vehicles behind.

And this brings us to a secondary issue that we need to be aware of – and that is ‘inattentional blindness’. This is a psychological phenomenon which relates to our failure to notice unexpected visual stimuli when we are focussing on another task. Driving demands a great deal of attention and focus for the novice driver, and their focus is largely on the control of the vehicle and the things going on in front of them.

Many of you will have seen this video (or ones similar to it) before, but if not, here’s a great illustration of inattentional blindness in action:

We could write a whole article on the perils of inattentional blindness when driving, but let’s focus back on the topic of effective mirror use for now…

In essence, we tend to notice what we are looking for – what we are expecting to see. By asking poorly-phrased or poorly-directed questions, the learner driver does not notice the things which they should be noticing – those things which are of a high priority and could have an effect on our driving plan. As experienced drivers and instructors, we may notice that the driver of the bus behind is glancing down at a newspaper, or that the driver of the car behind is more pre-occupied with their screaming children in the back seats than they are focussed on the fact we are braking to a stop.

Appropriately phrased questions will help bring these higher priority things to the learner’s attention – things which they may not have even considered paying attention to, or were ‘blind’ to due to overwhelm.

So ‘seeing’ isn’t about knowing if your pupil has checked the mirrors or even seen what’s there. Instead, it’s about creating a connection between using the mirrors and knowing what to look out for. It doesn’t really matter if they’ve seen the car behind, or if it’s red, blue or polka dot, what matters is that they realise they need to recognise what the car (or driver) behind is doing, e.g. distracted, driving close, approaching too quickly, overtaking, etc.

Now the pupil is looking and seeing what’s there, they’ve started to understand WHY there’s a need to check the mirrors… or have they?

RESPOND

If the pupil knows what they’re looking for, it might mean they understand what to check for, but not necessarily why that’s important and how to interpret and respond to it.

Let me share a short story…

I once asked a pupil of mine to turn right at the next traffic light controlled junction. We were travelling along a dual carriageway and we needed to change lanes. She looked in her centre and right mirror. “Great,” I thought to myself, “she knows which mirrors to check and so she’s seen the red car travelling at high speed who’s about to overtake us”. She then went to signal and steer. I pulled the wheel back and cancelled the signal and said “there’s a red car there!” She replied “Yea I know!” I was gobsmacked. If she saw the car, why on earth did she try to change lanes as it was about to overtake us?!

Her actions and words told me that she had looked in the correct mirrors and had seen the red car, but she simply didn’t know how to respond to what she had seen. She had actually thought the driver would let her go once she started signalling so we worked through what could have happened and what to do next time.

Fortunately this happened on a driving lesson and not after she had passed her test. Imagine that scenario on a crowded motorway! :O

The point is that until then, I didn’t realise how important it is to make sure (and not just assume) that the pupil knows how to respond to what they see in the mirrors. It meant that I hadn’t been doing my job properly and it was a valuable lesson for me to make sure every pupil knew how to respond correctly to what they had seen.

Because this golden opportunity doesn’t present itself all that often, and because there never seems to be a cyclist coming down the left hand side when your learner is turning left, sometimes we as instructors can forget this important step in developing our learners’ effective use of mirrors. The ‘what if’ question can be the most important question to ask.

How close is the car behind? What would you do if it was really close?
Are there any cyclists coming up on our left? What would you do if there were?
Is there anything overtaking us? What would you need to do if there was?

If you get a blank expression or “erm… I don’t know” as a response, then brilliant – you can save this driver from making a costly mistake once they pass their driving test! You know that they don’t really understand the significance of using the mirrors effectively, and this can be a big enough reason for them to ‘forget’ to check and for you to keep having to remind them over and over again.
You can also explore different options and how they may need to respond:

If the driver behind was really close, what would we do differently with our speed/signal before our next turn?
What would be the benefits of doing that?

If there was a cyclist coming up quickly on our left, how might it affect the timing of our signal?
What would be the problem of signalling to turn left if he was very close to our car?”
“What if he was a lot further away? Would you do anything differently?

What would you do with your speed/signal if you were being overtaken and you wanted to turn right?
How do you think that would benefit us and the driver overtaking?

Once we turn, if the new road is clear and the car behind is following really closely, what could we do with our speed?
If the driver behind looked like he was about to overtake us, what would we do with our speed then?

Finally, it’s important to notice that the diagram at the start of this article is cyclic. The process is continuous – after responding, we need to once again LOOK and SEE how the driver or cyclist behind/on our left/passing is in turn responding to our action.
Now what you should achieve is lots more value attached to mirror use.

The pupil has a deeper understanding of their importance, will want to become more aware of what’s going on around them and more importantly, will be able to make decisions on how to respond to what they see.

In the second part of this article, we will be looking further into how being aware of the actions of other road users around us affect our learners and how they can develop strategies to deal with these situations. Click here to read Part 2!

For now, please share your experiences! Please let us know how you develop your learners’ effective use of the mirrors – what questions do you find get the best results? Your comments in the box below could really help other instructors improve their skills 🙂

posted by Claire Wilmot

h31 Comments

Dealing with aggressive tailgaters!

Another great question was sent in to us this week – this time about dealing with aggressive drivers. Find more information about what to do and how to deal with aggressive tailgaters and angry drivers during a driving lesson.

“Hi Ged & Claire, I love reading all of your articles and love the long detailed answers you give. Any advice on dealing with other crazy people on the road?

I had a few moments recently when I thought I was going to get my head kicked in! For doing the speed limit! Doing 30 mph in a 30 zone, this person comes flying up behind, driving an inch from my bumper. We are doing the speed limit, so what can I do? I asked my learner to pull up on the left, but then the other driver pulls up alongside us and gives a mouthful about nothing! People turn into ‘gangsters’ when they get behind the wheel.

I had another incident the other day. My learner was giving way to oncoming traffic at a meeting point in the road where a sign indicates oncoming traffic has priority. Then this woman comes up behind staring into my mirror screaming the words “F***ING GO THEN!” several times! I pointed to the sign, but then she overtakes, bouncing up the island and nearly smashing into the car that we were giving way to!

And they say it’s young drivers that causes crashes. No. It’s other peoples stinking attitude. The ‘always in a hurry’ kind of attitude.

I know the best thing to do is just try to ignore it, but it really gets my adrenaline going. It’s that kind of feeling when somebody starts on you – fight or flight.

I’m sure I’m not the only ADI getting stick for not breaking the law?

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance”

When people find out you’re a driving instructor, do you often hear them say, “Wow, you must have lots of patience”? It’s true. We do. And we probably all have a lot of patience when teaching our learners – after all, they’re not getting things wrong on purpose!

Our patience really gets tested, however, when dealing with impatience and aggression from other road users, and I totally understand your frustration. I think most driving instructors have the same frustrations too. Here are some ideas on how to minimise and deal with aggressive actions from others on the road.

Tips for Dealing with Aggressive Tailgaters and Angry Drivers!

Fit some in-car cameras

Photo courtesy of Mark Oliver’s Driving School

An increasing number of driving instructors are choosing to install forward- and rear-facing cameras in their training vehicle. These serve their purpose if you’re ever involved in a crash, as video footage can be invaluable for proving who was at fault. However, having a sign in the rear of your car stating that you have CCTV fitted can act as a great deterrent to aggressive tailgaters and angry drivers. A local instructor has the above “You’re on CCTV” sign on the rear of his car and we think it’s a great way of letting others know that their actions are being caught on camera. He says he has definitely noticed a reduction in the number of drivers being aggressive or displaying impatience and that fewer drivers follow too closely. In-car cameras range from inexpensive £15 models to all-singing-and-dancing High Definition, GPS & WiFi models costing around £350 – £400.

Not interested in getting an in-car camera? Well, even if you don’t have CCTV, a sticker stating that you do may be just as effective! 🙂

Add a sign or message to the rear of your car

A well thought-out sign or written message on the back of your car can help encourage good behaviour. The level of effectiveness may depend on the language used, and of course the temperament of the driver behind! More tips about prevention and dealing with aggressive tailgaters.

If I stop, can you? Some following drivers may see this as more of a challenge to their ability, “Of course I can!”

Keep your distance – This should encourage people to keep back, but with it being phrased as an order, some drivers may rebel against you telling them how to drive.

You were a learner once – Most drivers can empathise with this, but this message alone may be a little too subliminal. “Yes I was” they may think while they drive 10cm from your bumper!

DANGER! Sudden braking! – Whilst it might keep people off your bumper, this message may not be not as encouraging for potential pupils or your current learners who see it every time they come out to the car for their lesson.

Please be patient – This is better for encouraging drivers behind to be courteous and patient if it is read as a question rather than an order. However, some people reading it might just think, “No, I won’t be b***dy patient!” 😉

Thanks for being patient 🙂 – This is our personal favourite. We all like thanks and there is a presupposition here that the following driver has been patient, meaning that they are more likely to be. A smiley face confirms the tone in which it is meant.
Black Dragon Kick Boxing – I always wonder if drivers who advertise their local martial art club experience less aggression on the roads?! Some drivers become intimidating once they get behind the wheel, I wonder if they would do the same if they realise the driver in front could be a black belt! I always remember one of my instructors telling me of one of his experiences… During a lesson, he asked the pupil to pull over to have a polite word with the driver behind who was being aggressively impatient and quite verbal in the safety of his own car. The other driver couldn’t say “sorry” enough when he saw the massive body builder physique of the instructor that climbed out of the little Vauxhall Corsa!

Ditch the roof sign and try just L-plates

For some reason, many instructors report that using a roof sign can attract a greater number of other drivers ‘making poor decisions’ than when just displaying L plates alone. We’re not entirely sure if this is actually true or just a false perception. If it is true, it may be that others may:

a) Perceive that a learner driver will almost certainly be behind the wheel of the driving school car. In the case of a car with L-plates on, it could be being driven by a full licence holder who normally accompanies their son or daughter for private practice;

b) Consider that a driving school car is under more control due to a driving instructor being present. Parents with their son or daughter at the wheel have less ability to stop or control the car is something goes wrong. Therefore the risky or aggressive driver takes more chances around the driving school car;

c) Have been conditioned by parents, friends and peers to HATE learner drivers – the bright decals and roof sign are like a red rag to a bull for some people, and they will do ANYTHING to get past ‘that damn learner’.

Whatever the reason, we’d be interested to hear your views on this. Have you tried removing your roof sign and just using L-plates instead? Did it make any noticeable difference to the way other drivers behaved around you? Let us know your thoughts and experiences!

Route planning

If your learners feel they are being pushed into situations that they find difficult to deal with (or are not yet confident with), they are more likely to be hesitant and slow on the road. This will inevitably lead to following drivers trying their hardest to get past. The more your learner gets overtaken, or experiences aggression from other road users, the more it can affect their confidence and ability. This is a vicious circle. I had a few rear-end shunts in my first few years as an instructor and looking back, I know I was too tough pushing learners into situations they weren’t ready for. It’s an easy trap to fall into!

A polite gesture

A clear (and polite!) gesture to the driver behind may encourage a bit more patience. A raise of the hand to apologise or thank a driver after making a mistake (e.g. stalling) will often be appreciated and can very quickly eradicate any frustration or aggression on the part of the other driver(s). Be warned though, if the following driver is a bit further away, the exact meaning of the gesture may be misinterpreted!

Pull over

When driving myself, I will often pull over if I think a driver behind is becoming excessively agitated by my adherence to the speed limit. As professional drivers and instructors, we have to accept that other drivers don’t always like keeping to the speed limit. It’s not our job to police, and by stopping the following driver from overtaking, we could actually encourage a much more dangerous situation to develop.

So, if someone is following dangerously close behind on a driving lesson, there’s always the option to pull over to allow let them pass. If the learner comes to accept this as a perfectly normal thing to do under certain circumstances, they will feel more in control and have a good coping strategy. Better that than to have them constantly looking in the rear view mirror and worrying about the thoughts and feelings of the driver behind.

Reason it out

Putting yourself or your learner ‘in the shoes’ of the driver behind may help you and your learner empathise with the other driver’s thoughts and feelings. Could it be that the driver behind is late for work and has already been threatened with the sack if they turn up late one more time? Maybe he’s just got a call to say that his wife has been rushed into hospital? Maybe her child has had a nasty accident at school? Maybe they’re just desperate for the loo? The fact is, we’re not mind-readers, so we don’t know what is going on in the world of the other driver.

One day it may be us in a desperate rush to get somewhere and we might just drive a bit too close or take a risk we wouldn’t normally take. We’re not perfect, and neither is everyone else. Recognise and accept it.

Make a choice

You can’t necessarily control aggressive tailgaters and the other driver’s behaviour, but you can control your own. If you choose to retaliate and show anger or aggression in return, you’ll suffer from palpitations and increased blood pressure. You’ll be demonstrating exactly the type of behaviour that upset you in the first place. And worse still, frowning encourages wrinkles! 😉

Or, you can choose to be calm, not rise to it, remain neutral and enjoy the rest of your day… and suffer no extra wrinkles! The choice is yours.

Remember, if you have a pupil driving, you are a role model. You have an invaluable opportunity to lead by example. By remonstrating with other drivers and calling them ‘idiots’, ‘crap drivers’ (or worse), you are teaching them how to behave negatively behind the wheel. That’s certainly not going to do them any favours once they pass their driving test and are driving independently.

Angry Drivers and Aggressive Tailgaters – So how do you cope when other drivers follow too closely, display aggression or do daft things? How do you encourage your pupil to deal with it? What are you going to try to minimise aggression from other drivers? Please share your experiences and strategies in the comments box below so we can all learn from each other. We LOVE hearing from you!
Finally, if you liked this article, please share it on Facebook and Twitter – simply hit one of the social media buttons below. Thanks!

posted by Ged Wilmot

h19 Comments

Motivating the Unmotivated

“Hi Ged & Claire. What do I do about a pupil that doesn’t seem to want to learn? He keeps paying me for lessons, but pulls up and demands to get out for a smoke when things aren’t going so well. I think he spends more time smoking than he does driving. I really feel like I’m wasting my time with him and I hate feeling like this. I love my job and I just want to teach! But how can I motivate him to want to learn?”

Motivating the Unmotivated Learner Driver

This is a great question, and is an issue that I’m sure many ADIs have encountered, myself included. Let me first share my story of ‘Marc’ (not his real name) – a pupil I taught to drive about 13 years ago – and then I will offer a few suggestions on how to address this problem.

Marc had been learning to drive with me for about 6 months. I had always been very proactive in encouraging my pupils to study towards their theory test, and Marc had scored really well on all the mock tests that I had given to him after each lesson. But actually getting him to book his theory test was another matter. “I know, I know, I’ll book it tomorrow” was Marc’s usual response.

During his lessons, Marc seemed quite disinterested. He seemed to ‘plateau’ for a few lessons, and I was struggling to help him to improve. At the end of one particular driving lesson in which Marc hadn’t really shown much improvement, we pulled up outside his house. He wasn’t forthcoming with his feedback when I encouraged him to self-reflect on his progress. So I chose to ask him, “Why is it you want to learn to drive, Marc?” “I don’t”, came his reply. “So why are you having driving lessons?” I asked him. “Cos my dad wants me to”. Marc’s dad ran a successful Italian restaurant and a takeaway pizza parlour. It turned out that Marc’s dad had him lined up to do the pizza deliveries, hence was financing Marc’s driving lessons.

Marc didn’t want to learn. And neither I nor his dad could make him learn.

Tips about Motivating the Unmotivated Learner Driver or Anyone!

Instinctively, I took out my A4 notepad, removed a page, and wrote at the top, “What passing my driving test will mean to ME” and then wrote the numbers 1 to 5 down the left-hand side. “Marc, I want you to take this home and think about five opportunities that passing your driving test will open up for you. Think about the benefits to YOU – what positive changes will it bring?” Marc grimaced at my request but took the piece of paper, folded it up untidily and pushed it into his pocket. “OK, see you next week” he said, as he walked down the driveway to his house.

To be quite frank, I didn’t enjoy teaching Marc. He was the perfect definition of what I would term a ‘mood hoover’ or ‘energy vampire’ – over the course of a 1 hour driving lesson, he had this amazing ability to suck every piece of enthusiasm out of me and turn me from a happy, inspiring, smiley driving instructor to a sullen-faced, unmotivated instructor, who felt like packing it all in and getting a ‘proper’ job.

On the morning of his next lesson the following week, my heart sunk when I saw Marc’s name pencilled in from 3.30pm – 4.30pm, straight after he finished college. Whilst I waited for him in my usual parking spot, I rehearsed my end-of-lesson advice – to stop his driving lessons and save his dad’s money. After all, if his heart wasn’t in it, then he was unlikely ever to succeed.

But as Marc appeared from the college gates, there was something different about him. He had a spring in his step and a smile on his face. This wasn’t the Marc that I knew… As he opened the door, the first words of his mouth were, “I did that thing you asked me to do”. “What thing?” I asked (I had forgotten all about it). “The thing about why I want to drive. I did it.” He took the folded sheet of paper from his trouser pocket and proudly passed it to me. I prepared myself to read the 5 things that Marc would gain from passing his driving test. But instead of just 5 things, Marc had FILLED the sheet of paper with positive outcomes. I was absolutely GOBSMACKED.

I’ll be able to drive to my girlfriend’s house
I’ll be able to drive to college and back
I won’t get piss wet through in the rain waiting for the bus
I won’t have to listen to Radio 2 on the way to college ever again
I’ll be free to get out of the house whenever I want
My mates will respect me more
It will give me my confidence back
I’ll be able to get a job and earn some money…

This list went on and on, and some of the reasons honestly brought a lump to my throat. “I’m ready” he said. “And I booked my theory test – it’s on Monday after college”.

I have to admit, this was a real moment in my life as an ADI. Through one simple exercise, Marc TRANSFORMED. And that’s no exaggeration. He finally had his own reasons for wanting to pass his driving test, and none of them involved his dad. He passed his theory test the following Monday, then passed his driving test at the first attempt a couple of months later.

I am fairly convinced that had I not encouraged Marc to find his own motivation, he would still be having lessons today. And his dad would probably have sold the restaurant and pizzeria by now in order to pay for his driving lessons!

You CANNOT motivate others!

This has been a well-researched theory, and I believe it to be true. We cannot make people change. All we can do is help open them up to change. We cannot directly motivate our pupils to want to drive, in the same way that their parents cannot make them want to drive. I have been to see a fair few motivational speakers in my time – last year I spent a week in the USA in the presence of several wealthy motivational speakers. The fired-up, ‘I can do anything’ beliefs that we leave such events with are only short-lived. Before too long, we return to the way we were.

What motivational speakers do succeed in though, is in encouraging us to take the next step. The next baby step. And sometimes this is all it takes to start the ball rolling. In effect, this is what I did with Marc. I started the ball rolling. Don’t get me wrong – Marc wasn’t magically ‘fixed’ by this single exercise – we worked hard together over the following few weeks and I regularly had to help him to re-focus on his main motivational ‘drivers’. But the exercise was the catalyst that sparked the change.

Motivation versus Inspiration

Whilst working with my personal coach, she helped me recognise that our aim should not be to motivate, but instead to inspire. Which led me to explore the differences between ‘motivation’ and ‘inspiration’. There are a few different schools of thought on this, but here’s how I would define each:

Motivation is EXTERNAL
– It relates to the things we think we should do or that we’re supposed to do

Inspiration is INTERNAL
– It’s all about the inner desire, our passions, our calling

Motivation is the PUSH
– It is usually only very short-lived

Inspiration is the PULL
– Nothing can stop us from taking action when we’re inspired!

The short exercise I asked Marc to carry out encouraged him to become INSPIRED – to find and act on his inner ‘pull’, not the external ‘push’ from his Dad.

6 Steps to INSPIRE your pupils to move forward

Step 1: ASK
Help your pupil to get clear about what they want. I’m not simply talking about ‘passing the driving test’ here – we want the pupil to focus on what it MEANS to them to gain a full driving licence. What positive outcomes will it bring to THEM. It’s imperative that they focus on their OWN desires, and not those of their friends, parents, or even us! Most important of all, get your pupil to write them down. How will it benefit them to have a full driving licence? How will it positively affect them as a person? What opportunities will it open up to them?

Step 2: LISTEN
Actively listen, pay attention to what your pupils are saying and how they are saying it. Notice any body language cues. People feel great when they are truly listened to, especially teenagers – many have strained relationships with their elders, often having been pushed by parents and teachers. Give them the time and space they need to let you know what drives them. Most importantly, leave your thoughts and opinions out of it – this isn’t about you!

Step 3: REMIND
Even though inspiration will drive us for longer than motivation, we often need a reminder from time to time. If you’ve listened to (and made notes on) your pupil’s innermost reasons for learning to drive and passing the test, then you should be able to use these throughout the pupil’s lessons with you. Creating empowering pictures, sounds and feelings in relation to these goals will drive the pupil to success much faster. To use Marc as an example, I could ask, “how will you look, sound and feel once you’ve passed your test and you’ve got your confidence back?” or even, “so when you no longer have to listen to Radio 2 in mum’s car, what will you choose to listen to once you’ve passed your test?”

Step 4: BELIEVE
Some people are naturally negative. If we’re not careful, these ‘emotional vampires’ can suck out our positivity and belief that they will ever succeed in passing the driving test. They can even lead us to give up altogether and hope (or suggest!) they go and find another driving instructor to be miserable with. Don’t let them get you down! Instead, see them as being successful – able to achieve anything, irrespective of what they may tell themselves. It’s amazing how your perception of them will come through in your voice, tonality, attitude and body language. Switch your normally negative perception of them to a positive one, and you will start to notice a huge shift in their confidence. Try it!

Step 5: RECORD Earlier on, I talked about baby steps. And this is important. When learning something new, we all need to set and recognise ‘mini-milestones’ along our journey to our ultimate destination. Recording progress of this journey is important. Love them or loathe them, keeping good lesson records is a must (in my opinion). A written record of progress is so powerful in helping people like Marc keep track of their successes. It enables them to see their proximity to the end goal. If (like me) you’ve ever tried to lose weight, taking note of your weight loss progress on a weekly basis is tremendously motivating – it gives us an idea of our chances of reaching the end goal. Progress is accelerated even further if we ‘track’ or keep a daily record of what we have eaten. If we just decide one day to lose weight and don’t bother to track our progress, we’ll soon lose interest and never reach our target. I believe it’s the same with learning to drive and keeping well-structured lesson records.

Step 6: LEAD
As a driving instructor, you have a much more important role to play than simply teaching someone to drive a car. You need to lead by example. Develop, improve, be ambitious, aim to be the best. Set yourself daily, weekly, monthly and yearly targets. By being a leader and demonstrating your desire to succeed, your learners will follow. YOU want to be that person they name when asked in later life, “who inspired you when you were younger?”

SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES! Have you had a pupil that just didn’t want to learn? How did you overcome it? What strategies did you try to help inspire them? What worked? What didn’t work? Please share your advice and experience – we’d love to hear from you.

Finally, if you liked this article about Motivating the Unmotivated (learner driver) or anyone for that matter, and know someone else that could benefit from it, please hit one of the social sharing buttons below!

posted by Claire Wilmot

h34 Comments

20 Top Test Tips for Driving Instructors!

A newly-qualified instructor recently asked me what they need to do on test day, so I decided to put down some helpful test tips for driving instructors so others can benefit from them too. If you’ve been teaching a while and have any other tips to share, please add them in the comments box at the bottom of this post!

Getting ready for driving test day starts well before the day itself. As an instructor, you want to make sure that everything is in place ready for your pupil’s practical test. Here are some tips so that test day goes as smoothly as can be for both of you.

Helpful Test Tips for Driving Instructors

As soon as the test booking has been made…

TOP TIP 1: If your pupil has booked the test themselves, ask them to print off and bring confirmation of booking (email or letter) to their next lesson. Double-check that the date, time and test centre they have booked are correct.

2-3 weeks before test day…

TOP TIP 2: Ask the pupil to bring along both parts of their driving licence to a lesson for you to check. This will make sure they know exactly where they are and won’t be rushing around trying to find them on test day! You might even want to ask them where they will put them and make a note of their ‘safe place’. It’s amazing how many say ‘I put them in safe place… I just can’t remember where!’

TOP TIP 3: Check the pupil’s eyesight – it may have deteriorated since the initial check you did with them on their first lesson. If in doubt, refer them to an optician.

TOP TIP 4: Run through the safety check questions, making sure they can open and close the bonnet without your assistance.

TOP TIP 5: Let the pupil know that you can sit in on their test. You can be there to see exactly what happens on their test and give extra feedback at the end as they probably won’t listen to the examiner properly after hearing they’ve passed! Letting them know about this before test day will allow them to decide if they would like you there or not rather than being put on the spot in the test centre on the day. Also let them know that a supervising examiner will need to sit in on tests from time to time. Reassure them that the supervising examiner will be there to assess the examiner conducting the test only, and they won’t actually be ‘tested’ by two examiners! It may be an idea to practice carrying a passenger on a lesson or two so they get used to having an extra person in the car.

The day before test day…

More test tips for driving instructors.

TOP TIP 6: Advise the pupil to get an early night, have something to eat on the day of the test, and make sure they’re drinking enough (non-alcoholic!) fluids to keep properly hydrated.

TOP TIP 7: Check your car over. I know most of this goes without saying, but check all the lights are working, check the tyres have sufficient tread depth, are correctly inflated and free from cuts/bulges, check fluid levels, washers and wipers and make sure you have a valid tax disc displayed. Make sure your car is clean and tidy. Finally, make sure the L-plates are on! Obvious I know, but if you take off your roof sign whilst cleaning the car, it’s easy to forget to put it back on, especially if it’s out of sight! Carry a spare set of L-plates in case one goes AWOL and a spare set of bulbs in case you need to make a last-minute bulb change (assuming your car doesn’t need almost complete dismantling to do so, like some do!).

The big day!

TOP TIP 8: Make sure your pupil has:

Either both parts of their driving licence (check the issue numbers match), or their old-style paper licence and valid passport;
Any recent change of address filled in at the bottom of the counterpart;
Theory test pass letter;
Booking confirmation (again check test centre, date and time);
Glasses or contact lenses, if required;
Drink/food (bananas are a great natural energy booster). Dehydration leads to poor levels of focus and concentration, so it’s worthwhile you having a fresh bottle of water to hand in case they’ve not had much to drink that day;
Anything that may help them keep calm, e.g. music, childhood teddy, herbal calming remedies, bottle of vodka (only joking!)

TOP TIP 9: Aside from the necessary paperwork, put all valuables, handbags/man bags/rucksacks in the boot out of sight. You don’t want to be doing this at the test centre in full view of any ‘rogues’! It’s a good idea to encourage pupils to leave their valuables in the boot throughout the test rather than leave them on view on the back seat. Thieves are great opportunists and the car will be stationary several times on test.

TOP TIP 10: Use the pre-test time wisely. This will depend on the needs and desires of your pupil. Some won’t want a full 1 hour lesson before test as they may get tired. Others may like the full hour as a warm-up and to go over any last-minute concerns. Some may benefit from you giving a demo-drive with commentary, others will benefit from a tea or coffee. Make the decision between you as to what will work best for them.

TOP TIP 11: If you do opt for a regular pre-test lesson, keep it simple – mistakes may occur due to pre-test nerves and lacking 100% focus on the driving task. This is absolutely normal, so let your pupil know beforehand that it’s normal too. It can be a good idea to avoid doing any manoeuvres at this point – if one (or more) goes wrong, the pupil may go into meltdown! Stay close to the test centre area prior to the test, particularly if it’s not your regular test centre and aren’t familiar with the area or there are lots of road works.

TOP TIP 12: Be positive with your language. Prepare your pupil’s mindset for success rather than failure. Encourage the pupil to be positive, focussing on WHEN they pass rather than IF they pass. Reassure them that if they make a mistake it doesn’t mean they have failed, so they should forget the mistake and carry on so they can minimise any further errors. Let the pupil know that the examiner will write on the test sheet throughout the test – this doesn’t necessarily mean the pupil is making mistakes – the examiner just needs to mark off what has been covered throughout the test to make sure he has assessed everything required.

TOP TIP 13: If your test centre doesn’t have toilet facilities, ask the pupil in plenty of time if they need a toilet break so you have time to call at a supermarket or fast-food restaurant. Let the pupil know that the test centre doesn’t have toilet facilities so that they realise the importance of letting you know in advance. Nervousness can cause all sorts of ‘toilet trouble’, so be sensitive to the fact your pupil may need more than one visit! Another one of the important test tips for driving instructors.

TOP TIP 14: Arrive at the test centre 5-10 minutes before the test appointment to make sure you can find somewhere to park in plenty of time, allowing time for other learners’ to bay park if your test centre has a car park. Many test centres request that test candidates arrive no earlier than 10 minutes prior to test to avoid congestion in the car park, so do take note of any notices in the waiting room to such effect.

TOP TIP 15: Check if your pupil wants you present on test, if not, ask if you can be present at the end to listen to the examiner’s debrief.

TOP TIP 16: In the test centre, make sure your pupil has both parts of their driving licence ready for the examiner to inspect (remove it from any plastic wallet or envelope).

TOP TIP 17: If you are sitting in on test, sit behind the driver or behind the examiner – whichever you prefer (each have their benefits). You must make no attempt to communicate or signal to your pupil and keep movements to a minimum. If the examiner suspects you are trying to help the pupil, the test will be terminated. So no coughing every time a mirror check is needed!

TOP TIP 18: If you have not sat in on the test, be nearby when your pupil returns. Make sure you’re in view of the examiner. Wait until the examiner signals to you to come over to listen to the debrief – due to data protection laws, they need to first check with your pupil that they would like you present for the debrief.

TOP TIP 19: The majority of the time, an instructor will drive their pupil home after the test to allow them time to relax after passing (or sob after being unsuccessful). This can also be a time for them to phone friends and relatives to let them know of the result. Bear in mind that it’s a good idea for you to remove your roof sign and/or L-plates if your pupil will be on the phone – it’s amazing how many members of the public will incorrectly assume that “the instructor in that car gives lessons whilst on the phone”.

TOP TIP 20: Some instructors allow their pupil to drive home after test – this is a great opportunity for newly-qualified drivers to experience driving with extreme emotion, whether that be elation, giddiness, happiness, frustration, anger or sadness. In a safe environment, you can help the pupil become aware of how their emotions affect their driving, what the consequences might be and discuss what they can do to keep safe on the roads when feeling emotional. It might just help them make the right decision about getting behind the wheel when emotionally-charged at some point in the future when you’re not there with them. There should be no insurance issues if the drive home after test is used for driver development – many driving school insurance policies will prohibit under 25’s from driving for social, domestic or pleasure purposes, so make sure the time is used for the correct purpose.

Our test day faux pas!

Read this and use the test tips for driving instructors to avoid costly problems like these below on testing day.

Turning up a day late for a test after trusting the date and time my pupil had told me. Lesson learned: always ask to see their written confirmation!

Unbeknown to me and my PDI, whilst checking her driving licence on the walk over to my car, the card part fell out of the plastic wallet and it was left in the car park. Lesson learned: always ask them to show you their licence and let them keep hold of it. An expensive £111 lesson for me!

Finding out that a brake light on the PDI’s car is not working 10 minutes before a Part 2 test. Lesson learned: Regardless of how new or old a car is, or who owns it, ALWAYS carry out a thorough vehicle check. Also know where the nearest garage is!

Driving off from the car wash without my L-plates! Lesson learned: always carry a spare pair!

Booking a test at a test centre I have never used before and then wandering too far away from the test centre and getting lost! Lesson learned: stay close to the test centre area and/or have the address already programmed into the sat nav.

CONFESSIONS OF A DRIVING INSTRUCTOR! What driving test day blunders have you made or witnessed? Please share so others can learn from them (and perhaps have a chuckle at the same time!)

Finally, if you liked this article and know someone else that could benefit from it, please hit one of the social media sharing buttons!

posted by Ged Wilmot

h2 Comments

Effective Fault Analysis ADI Part 3

“Hi Ged & Claire. I failed my ADI 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)

Fault Analysis ADI Part 3

Thanks for your question, Jim. Fault analysis, the second of the three main core competencies on the ADI 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?”

[Read more…]

posted by Ged Wilmot

h12 Comments

To Signal or Not to Signal… That is the Question! When to use Car Indicator Signals

“Hello Ged, I’m looking to get your opinion on the “use of car indicator 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.”

When to use Car Indicator Signals

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.

[Read more…]

We all have bad days

“How are examiners initially assessed and trained in customer service?”

“Yes, but what happens after placement at a driving test centre?”

“How do I complain about a driving examiner’s poor attitude and customer service?”

So what exactly is a ‘reflective log’?

Why is it a good idea for us to use them with our learners?

When should it be filled in, and by whom?

Doesn’t it take too long to complete? Pupils want to be driving, not writing!

My pupil is always itching to get out of the car at the end of the lesson. How can I maintain their attention?

Where can I get one of these reflective logs?

Will the examiner want to see my pupil’s reflective log on my Standards Check?

How to Improve Driving Test Pass Rates

Tip 1 – Monitor

Tip 2 – Shut up (in the nicest possible way!)

Tip 3 – Use records

Tip 4 – Syllabus

Tip 5 – Say NO!

Tip 6 – Pick the best time

Tip 7 – Does your learner feel ready?

Top 8 – Deal with test day ‘nerves’

Tip 9 – Eliminate negative language and self-talk

Tip 10 – Be positive about all the examiners

The ‘Silent Conversation’

A painful experience

Developing Coping Strategies:

Example 1: Looking for a POSITIVE RESPONSE

Example 2: Using observation links

ATTITUDE WARNING!

Are you up for the challenge?

‘Bottom-up’ instruction

‘Top-down’ instruction

LOOK

SEE

RESPOND

Tips for Dealing with Aggressive Tailgaters and Angry Drivers!

Fit some in-car cameras

Add a sign or message to the rear of your car

Ditch the roof sign and try just L-plates

Route planning

A polite gesture

Pull over

Reason it out

Make a choice

Motivating the Unmotivated Learner Driver

Tips about Motivating the Unmotivated Learner Driver or Anyone!

You CANNOT motivate others!

Motivation versus Inspiration

6 Steps to INSPIRE your pupils to move forward

Helpful Test Tips for Driving Instructors

As soon as the test booking has been made…

2-3 weeks before test day…

The day before test day…

The big day!

Our test day faux pas!

Fault Analysis ADI Part 3

When to use Car Indicator Signals

Skip to a Section:

**“Yes, but what happens after placement at a driving test centre?”**