Back in August I was contacted by the Energy Saving Trust asking whether I would be interested in attending a meeting about Smarter Driving. At that time I had never even heard of Smarter Driving and so I thought I ought to find out more. A number of meetings followed and then in October I attended a training session to become a Smarter Driving trainer, endorsed by the Energy Saving Trust.
The purpose of Smarter Driving is to try to encourage as many drivers as possible to drive more economically, saving fuel and reducing pollution. As a technique it has been successful across the world and has already been passed on to more than twenty thousand fleet drivers in the UK. The statistics show that the savings can be quite significant, usually reducing fuel consumption by somewhere between 15% and 40% and there is also a corresponding drop in accidents.
Having listened to all the statistics and then been trained myself (showing a potential 15% saving on fuel), I must admit I still didn't believe in the principles being taught. So I tried it out on a couple of volunteers. I was amazed at the savings that both of them showed. One showed potential savings of 27%, and the other 15%. The former reckoned that was worth a holiday to her over the course of a year. So I signed up to the Smarter Driving programme.
The principles are simple, within the abilties of all drivers, and take very little time to learn, usually within a single hour. The cost is relatively low, £25 and, in my opinion supported by the staistics above, is definitely worth the money.
So what is involved? Well, you drive my car in your normal driving style over a pre-determined route and we measure the fuel consumption and the average speed. We then discuss a number of different techniques which may reduce fuel consumption and drive the route again, applying some of the techniques as we go. At the end of the route we see what difference it has made to the fuel consumption and average speed. Then, time permitting we drive it a third time, this time with you just applying the techniques on your own. At the end, we compare the fuel consumption figures from the various runs and see how much you could save if the same techniques were applied to your driving.
No-one likes the idea of someone sitting next to them watching them drive (including me!), but I'm really not interested in any little bad habits you may have picked up - that's not the purpose of the Smarter Driving training. I promise I won't criticise you or think badly of you when it's all over. I'm just interested in trying to promote a more economic and safer way of driving and turning out as many Smarter Drivers as I can.
If the potential savings are not enough of an incentive, on completion of the Smarter Driving training you receive a certificate from the Energy Saving Trust detailing how much you may be able to save, and a Smarter Driver sticker for your car.
So, if you are interested in Smarter Driving for you or someone close to you, you can get more information here or drop me a line. It really is worth it!
www.ashleyschoolofmotoring.co.uk
Saturday, 10 December 2011
Absolutely Avoid Absolutes!
One of the things I have wondered about over the last few years is whether driving is an art or a science? By that I mean, whether you can learn to drive by learning and applying a set of rules alone i.e., science, or whether there is an element of judgement and interpretation i.e., art. Of course the reality is that it is a combination of both. I find that many people when starting to learn to drive tend to think of it as purely a science, a set of rules which must be applied in each and every situation, and application of those rules can deal with every road situation which might occur.
However, whilst the initial learning is predominantly scientific in nature, the good driver will learn to be more flexible in the application of the rules learned, adapting them when required so that they more aptly fit different situations that the driver encounters on the road. I call this roadcraft - the ability to interpret and appraise different driving situations and apply learned skills appropriately according to the circumstances.
So often I see drivers applying their learned skills rigidly, usually because that is what they have been taught to do. Whilst technically correct, this unbending application does not necessarily make for good driving. We all have to be flexible, allowing conditions on the road to influence our decision making and our subsequent actions when behind the wheel.
On some of the forums I frequent there are often requests for advice about how to deal with common difficulties such as stalling when pulling away or how to handle roundabouts. Very often these requests elicit responses which contain advice such as 'When you get 30 metres away from the roundabout change into 2nd gear at about 20 miles an hour...'. The problem with this is that whilst the advice may be valid for some roundabouts, it is not necessarily valid for all and to suggest that it is, is very unwise. Every roundabout has to be judged on its merits because every roundabout is different. Regardless of the actual layout of the roundabout, the traffic will vary hugely between roundabouts and also on the same roundabout. Therefore, there is no absolutely cast-iron method of defining how to handle a roundabout. Yes, there are guidelines for how to do so, but these guidelines need to be applied with judgement. Therein lies the problem, and the difficulty for most learners. Roundabouts require judgement and judgement cannot be learned in a scientific way. It is an art.
There are no absolutes in driving, other than the law (arguably), and it is unwise to think that there are. Each of us has to drive with an open mind, observing, assessing and reacting to dynamic, fluid and constantly changing situations. This is the art of driving!
My advice to any driver, learner or experienced, would be to absolutely avoid absolutes - because there aren't any!
www.ashleyschoolofmotoring.co.uk
However, whilst the initial learning is predominantly scientific in nature, the good driver will learn to be more flexible in the application of the rules learned, adapting them when required so that they more aptly fit different situations that the driver encounters on the road. I call this roadcraft - the ability to interpret and appraise different driving situations and apply learned skills appropriately according to the circumstances.
So often I see drivers applying their learned skills rigidly, usually because that is what they have been taught to do. Whilst technically correct, this unbending application does not necessarily make for good driving. We all have to be flexible, allowing conditions on the road to influence our decision making and our subsequent actions when behind the wheel.
On some of the forums I frequent there are often requests for advice about how to deal with common difficulties such as stalling when pulling away or how to handle roundabouts. Very often these requests elicit responses which contain advice such as 'When you get 30 metres away from the roundabout change into 2nd gear at about 20 miles an hour...'. The problem with this is that whilst the advice may be valid for some roundabouts, it is not necessarily valid for all and to suggest that it is, is very unwise. Every roundabout has to be judged on its merits because every roundabout is different. Regardless of the actual layout of the roundabout, the traffic will vary hugely between roundabouts and also on the same roundabout. Therefore, there is no absolutely cast-iron method of defining how to handle a roundabout. Yes, there are guidelines for how to do so, but these guidelines need to be applied with judgement. Therein lies the problem, and the difficulty for most learners. Roundabouts require judgement and judgement cannot be learned in a scientific way. It is an art.
There are no absolutes in driving, other than the law (arguably), and it is unwise to think that there are. Each of us has to drive with an open mind, observing, assessing and reacting to dynamic, fluid and constantly changing situations. This is the art of driving!
My advice to any driver, learner or experienced, would be to absolutely avoid absolutes - because there aren't any!
www.ashleyschoolofmotoring.co.uk
Sunday, 27 November 2011
Christmas Driving
Last weekend a young man was killed driving home in the early hours of the morning. It seems at the moment that it was more to do with inexperience than anything. However, the consequences for his family are tragic and my heart goes out to them. I truly hope that the family and friends of Jake Johnson find some peace in what is going to be, understandably, a very difficult time. An unexpected death in the family is always a huge emotional upheaval but somehow at this time of year, it somehow seems more tragic and more distressing.
I understand that Christmas brings stress much greater than the rest of the year and the pressure to get organised and buy everything that makes the festive season such fun is enormous. Everybody is in a rush and thoughts are dominated by other things. It is so easy to allow that pressure and the distraction of Christmas to adversely affect our driving.
I have noticed a general deterioration in the quality of driving over the last few weeks and most of it seems to be due to people just being in too much of a rush and driving without due care or consideration for other road users. Some of the incidents have been downright dangerous and really beggar belief. I have seen a number of near misses, some at high speed, and the driving around major shopping centres seems particularly bad. Apart from the obvious risk of having an accident, driving badly causes other road users to become frustrated, building into agitation accompanied by blue air, enthusiastic hand gestures and blaring horns. I understand the frustration but it is so important to maintain a balanced reaction so that we don't make a bad situation much worse.
We all have a duty to make sure that we continue to drive safely and responsilbly throughout the festive period and beyond. I really do not want to hear that someone else has lost their life and another family is facing a Christmas destroyed by such a tragedy. So please, amongst all the pressure and the distraction of Christmas, stay calm and safe on the roads. Leave more time than usual for your journey, expect long delays, be extra courteous and don't allow your frustration to get the better of you.
Finally, please remember that drinking is fun...and driving is fun...but together they cause accidents. If you drink, don't drive - it's not worth it!
Stay safe this Christmas so that we can ALL have a good time!
www.ashleyschoolofmotoring.co.uk
I understand that Christmas brings stress much greater than the rest of the year and the pressure to get organised and buy everything that makes the festive season such fun is enormous. Everybody is in a rush and thoughts are dominated by other things. It is so easy to allow that pressure and the distraction of Christmas to adversely affect our driving.
I have noticed a general deterioration in the quality of driving over the last few weeks and most of it seems to be due to people just being in too much of a rush and driving without due care or consideration for other road users. Some of the incidents have been downright dangerous and really beggar belief. I have seen a number of near misses, some at high speed, and the driving around major shopping centres seems particularly bad. Apart from the obvious risk of having an accident, driving badly causes other road users to become frustrated, building into agitation accompanied by blue air, enthusiastic hand gestures and blaring horns. I understand the frustration but it is so important to maintain a balanced reaction so that we don't make a bad situation much worse.
We all have a duty to make sure that we continue to drive safely and responsilbly throughout the festive period and beyond. I really do not want to hear that someone else has lost their life and another family is facing a Christmas destroyed by such a tragedy. So please, amongst all the pressure and the distraction of Christmas, stay calm and safe on the roads. Leave more time than usual for your journey, expect long delays, be extra courteous and don't allow your frustration to get the better of you.
Finally, please remember that drinking is fun...and driving is fun...but together they cause accidents. If you drink, don't drive - it's not worth it!
Stay safe this Christmas so that we can ALL have a good time!
www.ashleyschoolofmotoring.co.uk
Friday, 18 November 2011
Don't be a lemming!
Lemmings have a reputation, wrongly as it happens, for following each other even into dangerous or deadly situations. Astonishingly some drivers are like that too. I was out with a pupil yesterday who I asked to turn right into the next road. He didn't check his mirrors or signal. We parked up and I asked why he hadn't signalled. He said "Because the car in front didn't!"
I'm sure you will agree that this is a poor argument. So, if the guy in front drives into a lamppost, you're going to do the same? Of course not, but the suggestion nevertheless is there. He does it, you do it. I don't teach people to do what other drivers do; I teach them to drive properly. Every day I see many examples of bad driving, not signalling being one of the most common (and most irritating). In these days when day to day communication is handled in the briefest way possible (i.e., text messaging) some drivers seem to think that signalling in good time has become superfluous. It hasn't and if anything, due to the congestion on our roads, has become more important than ever.
However, although signalling is important it has to be done appropriately. Not every situation requires a signal and sometimes a signal given can cause more confusion than not given. So always consider carefully whether a signal is appropriate and if it is, give it in good time.
Above all, if you choose to copy the driver in front, and he does it wrong, then you'll do it wrong as well - with all the consequences that there may be!
www.ashleyschoolofmotoring.co.uk
I'm sure you will agree that this is a poor argument. So, if the guy in front drives into a lamppost, you're going to do the same? Of course not, but the suggestion nevertheless is there. He does it, you do it. I don't teach people to do what other drivers do; I teach them to drive properly. Every day I see many examples of bad driving, not signalling being one of the most common (and most irritating). In these days when day to day communication is handled in the briefest way possible (i.e., text messaging) some drivers seem to think that signalling in good time has become superfluous. It hasn't and if anything, due to the congestion on our roads, has become more important than ever.
However, although signalling is important it has to be done appropriately. Not every situation requires a signal and sometimes a signal given can cause more confusion than not given. So always consider carefully whether a signal is appropriate and if it is, give it in good time.
Above all, if you choose to copy the driver in front, and he does it wrong, then you'll do it wrong as well - with all the consequences that there may be!
www.ashleyschoolofmotoring.co.uk
Sunday, 11 September 2011
Do you want to be a better driver?
SLOW DOWN!
I know it probably seems like a completely pointless comment but I am constantly amazed at how fast people drive, unnecessarily so. I really cannot understand why. Having driven many miles over the years I have found that rushing rarely gets me to my destination any quicker than taking my time and I would prefer to arrive unstressed and unflustered rather than looking like I've been in a sauna with a bad tempered bear!
Although some of my pupils are 'typical' learners, those who have never driven before or have very limited experience, I also have a number of pupils who are specifically taking a UK test having a number of years driving experience behind them already. Some have international licences and wish to have a UK licence instead, some are trying to regain their licence after losing it and some have considerable experience from driving illegally without a licence. Rather than try taking their test without any professional instruction, they take a few lessons with me in order to ensure that they will pass. I approach these cases by carrying out an assessment of their driving to try to identify whether they will pass and whether they need to resolve any specific faults before presenting themselves for test. This approach has proved to be quite an eye-opener and in almost all cases the same bad driving habit is at the centre of all the problems. That habit is simply driving too fast, which leads to a whole host of other problems and would inevitably lead to a fail at test time.
So is this a fault solely applicable to those approaching tests? No, I don't think it is. I have come to the conclusion that there is an epidemic of speeding occurring on our roads. I don't mean breaking the speed limit but I do mean driving at a speed which is inappropriate for the conditions and in particular when approaching hazards. I definitely don't advocate reducing speed limits as such - I enjoy driving fast - but all of us have a responsibility to make sure that our speed is always appropriate for the traffic, road and weather conditions which are presented to us at the time. If everyone drove according to what is sensible, reasonable and safe for all road users, we wouldn't actually need so many speed limits in place. The reduction need not be significant, a maximum of 5 miles per hour, in many cases less, and the impact of it in terms of journey duration is negligible. These days life is so often conducted in such a rush that the extra 30 seconds which can be gained on the journey to work seems like a matter of life or death.
I often hear the complaint that speed limits are too finite. A road on which 60 mph is appropriate during the day might be able to handle faster traffic in the early hours and some drivers who want to drive faster at that time feel aggrieved because they can't. They assert that they can maintain control of the vehicle at higher speeds and should be allowed to do so. Notwithstanding that they may actually have a very inflated view of their own abilities and actually can't handle high speeds, I believe that speed limits should be more flexible. However, until such time as drivers are taught, and actually learn, to drive at an appropriate speed for the conditions, this simply isn't possible. We need a sea-change (and I hate the term!) in our approach.
It would be so easy to blame this speed epidemic on the few but unfortunately it has already infected the many and until such time as each of us cures ourselves I'm not sure there will be a quick resolution. With very few exceptions, all of us can become better drivers by slowing down. It won't cost you more than you can afford - a few extra minutes at most - and you might save someone else having to pay the highest cost of all, their life!
Please slow down.
www.ashleyschoolofmotoring.co.uk
I know it probably seems like a completely pointless comment but I am constantly amazed at how fast people drive, unnecessarily so. I really cannot understand why. Having driven many miles over the years I have found that rushing rarely gets me to my destination any quicker than taking my time and I would prefer to arrive unstressed and unflustered rather than looking like I've been in a sauna with a bad tempered bear!
Although some of my pupils are 'typical' learners, those who have never driven before or have very limited experience, I also have a number of pupils who are specifically taking a UK test having a number of years driving experience behind them already. Some have international licences and wish to have a UK licence instead, some are trying to regain their licence after losing it and some have considerable experience from driving illegally without a licence. Rather than try taking their test without any professional instruction, they take a few lessons with me in order to ensure that they will pass. I approach these cases by carrying out an assessment of their driving to try to identify whether they will pass and whether they need to resolve any specific faults before presenting themselves for test. This approach has proved to be quite an eye-opener and in almost all cases the same bad driving habit is at the centre of all the problems. That habit is simply driving too fast, which leads to a whole host of other problems and would inevitably lead to a fail at test time.
So is this a fault solely applicable to those approaching tests? No, I don't think it is. I have come to the conclusion that there is an epidemic of speeding occurring on our roads. I don't mean breaking the speed limit but I do mean driving at a speed which is inappropriate for the conditions and in particular when approaching hazards. I definitely don't advocate reducing speed limits as such - I enjoy driving fast - but all of us have a responsibility to make sure that our speed is always appropriate for the traffic, road and weather conditions which are presented to us at the time. If everyone drove according to what is sensible, reasonable and safe for all road users, we wouldn't actually need so many speed limits in place. The reduction need not be significant, a maximum of 5 miles per hour, in many cases less, and the impact of it in terms of journey duration is negligible. These days life is so often conducted in such a rush that the extra 30 seconds which can be gained on the journey to work seems like a matter of life or death.
I often hear the complaint that speed limits are too finite. A road on which 60 mph is appropriate during the day might be able to handle faster traffic in the early hours and some drivers who want to drive faster at that time feel aggrieved because they can't. They assert that they can maintain control of the vehicle at higher speeds and should be allowed to do so. Notwithstanding that they may actually have a very inflated view of their own abilities and actually can't handle high speeds, I believe that speed limits should be more flexible. However, until such time as drivers are taught, and actually learn, to drive at an appropriate speed for the conditions, this simply isn't possible. We need a sea-change (and I hate the term!) in our approach.
It would be so easy to blame this speed epidemic on the few but unfortunately it has already infected the many and until such time as each of us cures ourselves I'm not sure there will be a quick resolution. With very few exceptions, all of us can become better drivers by slowing down. It won't cost you more than you can afford - a few extra minutes at most - and you might save someone else having to pay the highest cost of all, their life!
Please slow down.
www.ashleyschoolofmotoring.co.uk
Thursday, 5 May 2011
Good Driving
Surprising as it may seem, learning to drive is not about passing your test. It's actually about learning to control a huge, heavy lump of metal in such a way that it does not endanger you or any other road user. There is no leeway in this. Any loss of control is likely to have serious, potentially fatal, consequences and therefore anything we can do to prevent it, we must do.
The driving test sets a minimum level of driving competency which must be attained before the driver is let loose on the roads on their own and, as such, it is a good thing. However, with the increase in vehicle capability, the amount of traffic on the roads, the general urgency of life and societal attitudes towards courtesy and reasonable conduct, the minimum level is simply no longer enough. Nowadays it is wrong to assume that a test pass means a safe driver. Unfortunately it is possible for a poor driver to have an uneventful, lucky test and to pass when in reality they should not have. They are then free to motor on for the next 50 years without any further examination of their driving ability. Do we really believe that that is acceptable? Surely there has to be a better way of training and testing drivers.
Nobody likes being told that their driving is not good - that's human nature. Now that I am older, I know that I should not have passed my test first time. I was lucky and had a very lenient examiner. As a result I was not a good driver but I was lucky and eventually trained in the police to a much higher standard. Nevertheless I had a high speed accident after I left the police in which I could have been seriously injured. Fortunately I wasn't and mine was the only vehicle involved. The accident was caused by me simply being too blase about driving and not taking enough care. It changed my view of driving because I know how lucky I was.
Although I can tell people the tale, I cannot convey the effect and impact that the accident had on the view of my own driving. Therein lies the problem. We learn through experience and despite our best efforts, experience will always be the best teacher. So should we give up teaching best practice and expect everyone to have a view changing accident? No, we need to change attitudes towards driving right across the industry and this is not the responsibility of solely one group of people. It requires politicians, the police, the DSA, insurance companies, examiners, instructors, learners and all road users to work together to improve the standard of driving right across the board. All road users have to accept that they have a responsibility towards all other road users. Anything less than this and the ultimate goal of safe roads will elude us completely.
Over the next couple of weeks I will post some of my ideas as to the weaknesses in the current system and how it might be changed to make it better. I have no doubt that these ideas will have their sceptics but if one suggestion made changes one person's view and makes them a safer driver, then it will be worth it.
www.ashleyschoolofmotoring.co.uk
The driving test sets a minimum level of driving competency which must be attained before the driver is let loose on the roads on their own and, as such, it is a good thing. However, with the increase in vehicle capability, the amount of traffic on the roads, the general urgency of life and societal attitudes towards courtesy and reasonable conduct, the minimum level is simply no longer enough. Nowadays it is wrong to assume that a test pass means a safe driver. Unfortunately it is possible for a poor driver to have an uneventful, lucky test and to pass when in reality they should not have. They are then free to motor on for the next 50 years without any further examination of their driving ability. Do we really believe that that is acceptable? Surely there has to be a better way of training and testing drivers.
Nobody likes being told that their driving is not good - that's human nature. Now that I am older, I know that I should not have passed my test first time. I was lucky and had a very lenient examiner. As a result I was not a good driver but I was lucky and eventually trained in the police to a much higher standard. Nevertheless I had a high speed accident after I left the police in which I could have been seriously injured. Fortunately I wasn't and mine was the only vehicle involved. The accident was caused by me simply being too blase about driving and not taking enough care. It changed my view of driving because I know how lucky I was.
Although I can tell people the tale, I cannot convey the effect and impact that the accident had on the view of my own driving. Therein lies the problem. We learn through experience and despite our best efforts, experience will always be the best teacher. So should we give up teaching best practice and expect everyone to have a view changing accident? No, we need to change attitudes towards driving right across the industry and this is not the responsibility of solely one group of people. It requires politicians, the police, the DSA, insurance companies, examiners, instructors, learners and all road users to work together to improve the standard of driving right across the board. All road users have to accept that they have a responsibility towards all other road users. Anything less than this and the ultimate goal of safe roads will elude us completely.
Over the next couple of weeks I will post some of my ideas as to the weaknesses in the current system and how it might be changed to make it better. I have no doubt that these ideas will have their sceptics but if one suggestion made changes one person's view and makes them a safer driver, then it will be worth it.
www.ashleyschoolofmotoring.co.uk
Monday, 2 May 2011
Never too old to learn
It is very easy to sink into the mentality that says "I know it all, I have nothing else to learn" in any area of life and none more so than driving tuition. It seems strange because, being in the 'teaching' profession you would think that we would be more aware than anyone of the dangers, but it is something against which we have to guard constantly.
It is therefore important to constantly review the way we do things and make changes where necessary. For example, things that seemed to need emphasis when I started instructing now take a lesser place because I have found that although they were an issue to me, others did not find them so. Conversely, some issues that seemed to me largely irrelevant at the beginning have now become very important. There are also issues that are important one week and less so the next. In essence the teaching process is constantly evolving, not least because every pupil is different and what one finds easy, the next will find difficult. It is my job to ensure that both find success in driving and it's what makes it so enjoyable.
In re-evaluating my perfomance and identifying how I could do things better, the input of others becomes invaluable. I listen to friends, family, past and present pupils and other instructors to get different perspectives on what works and what doesn't. I would be foolish to think that I have a monopoly on good ideas and the right way of teaching. To all those who have helped in the past, I offer my considerable thanks - please continue to be honest with me; it keeps me honest too.
Emma
www.ashleyschoolofmotoring.co.uk
It is therefore important to constantly review the way we do things and make changes where necessary. For example, things that seemed to need emphasis when I started instructing now take a lesser place because I have found that although they were an issue to me, others did not find them so. Conversely, some issues that seemed to me largely irrelevant at the beginning have now become very important. There are also issues that are important one week and less so the next. In essence the teaching process is constantly evolving, not least because every pupil is different and what one finds easy, the next will find difficult. It is my job to ensure that both find success in driving and it's what makes it so enjoyable.
In re-evaluating my perfomance and identifying how I could do things better, the input of others becomes invaluable. I listen to friends, family, past and present pupils and other instructors to get different perspectives on what works and what doesn't. I would be foolish to think that I have a monopoly on good ideas and the right way of teaching. To all those who have helped in the past, I offer my considerable thanks - please continue to be honest with me; it keeps me honest too.
Emma
www.ashleyschoolofmotoring.co.uk
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