I almost entitled this post 'So you think you're a good driver?'. 40 years with a clean licence certainly made me think I was one. However, a session with experienced driving instructor +Ken Monkman soon knocked me off my self-erected pedestal (actually, within 5 minutes of starting!).
Leaving aside my sloppy habits with the steering wheel - hands in my lap, letting the wheel slide through my hands when returning to the straight etc - Ken homed in on information as my key weakness. Apparently I did not seek information, give information, or use information in any effective way...
So I need to adopt the following mantras...
- Be a 'nodding dog' - use your mirrors every five seconds to ensure you know exactly what is going on behind and alongside your vehicle
- TUG - Take information / Use information / Give information
- Remember that brakes are for stopping and gears are for going (in my defence, I did learn to drive when using the gearbox to slow down was more acceptable...)
- Drive at a speed appropriate for the road conditions and think ahead with the aim of not stopping unless specifically instructed to do so (road signs, traffic signals etc) or because of the actions of other road users
- Don't rush!
Ken has kindly offered to take me out again in a month's time - fingers crossed that I will have changed at least one of my bad habits by then.
My thanks to Ken for his patience - Ken Monkman Driver Training
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