MisterMMM.com: Mark's blog

March 30 2011

I was near the test centre yesterday and the driver I was with pointed out that there seemed to be lots of learners around. I flippantly commented that many instructors appeared to teach only on test routes, and that this might help people pass their test. The idea I think is that when you are familiar enough with the test route, the only variable will be what the other drivers are doing. Maybe on the day you only have a few minor incidents and you get your licence with no hassle at all.

I don't have this kind of approach. Many of my drivers only go around the test route area the lesson before their test, simply because it is too far to go during a 1 hour lesson. Imagine trying to get to Sinfin and back from Belper or Duffield, in an hour. It's not really conducive to attempting many manouvers.

I attempt to teach driving skills that are valid anywhere. I practice them myself when I go on holiday and drive around towns and cities that I have never been to before. The skills I have seem to work pretty well, and no matter where I go there are people getting it wrong.

Anyway, someone I teach lives in Sinfin, just around the corner from the test centre, so by default we have always driven around test routes. You might think that this is an advantage, but there is a big problem. When they get nervous, they rely on previous experience, and even though they are now quite familiar with the roads around the test centre: it doesn't help. In fact, it causes a problem.

If you know the road, you could say that last time you did a particular junction, something happened. You could assume that that same thing will happen again. Or, nothing will happen, just like last time.

Of course, driving the same route is very rarely the same. Your positioning on the road might be different, causing you to steer differently. Or there might be the effect of speed. More often than not though, the other drivers do different things.

What happens if it is a new and rare occurence?

You can't carry on the same. You have to apply the skills and knowledge you have learnt when driving.

So, anyway, to cut a long story short, we are going down to Burton. We are going to the Super test centre there, and taking a test on roads never driven before. I am hoping that this will ensure no prior knowledge of the roads, no previous experience of what other drivers will do. Nothing but seeing what's there, driving to the conditions, coping with the hazards that are really there, driving properly!

Of course, if the driver is not ready to pass their test, it won't work, but I am sure they know how to drive.

Ok, so some instructors would think I am missing the point that people just want their licence! Am I really missing the point?