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Professional driNIng tuition
Page 93
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BY JAIN SHERRIFFATA
RECENTLY while travelling across London
by car I had an experience which although almost commonplace was none the less alarming. Parked along the kerb-side were various vehicles unloading goods or passengers. Travelling towards me were two lanes of traffic almost bumper to bumper. Between my car and the car ahead there was a 20 ft. gap. Suddenly and without warning a saloon car left the nearside kerb to occupy the 20 ft. gap.
I could take no evasive action other than to brake sharply—much to the discomfort of those cars behind me. I followed the other car to its destination—only to discover that the driver was in fact a colleague, and a respected colleague. He is pleasant of manner, an excellent business man, not in any way discourteous, But after that experience I feel that he could be a better driver. I later learned that he was accident-free. But I wonder how many accidents he has unwittingly caused.
Important factor
One important factor emerges from all of this—he is successful in his primary function. He drives only as an aid to his primary function.
Transport managers of C-licensed fleets up and down the country are plagued by just this type of situation. For nearly 19 years I controlled the operation of fleets of C-licensed vehicles in some degree. and I was constantly being reminded that the important thing was that the salesmen could sell, or that the inspector, tradesman or domestic help were good at their primary task and that mediocre driving would have to be tolerated.
One cannot deny that the success of the primary function must be the deciding factor in whether or not an operative is retained in employment. But should, say, £800 worth of car be passed into unskilled hands? To hold a driving licence is no guarantee of skill ; that document merely indicates that at some time in the past the holder succeeded in satisfying a MoT driving examiner that he could take a vehicle, with reasonable safety, along the highway, in conditions unlikely to be repeated.
Company approach
Many firms allow their staff to be taught on staff vehicles by authorized drivers; others demand only a sight of a driving licence, while others place so much stress on the primary function that they even ignore this basic demand.
When does a person qualify for the use of a company vehicle? Well, situations vary, but in very many cases it is a mark of promotion: when the salesman becomes a supervisor or the local repre entative becomes the area manager. Surely in such circumstances it pays to train the ne ly appointed supervisor how to make proper use of the company vehicle?
Sideline of the masses
Driver traini g is something which has very much becoñie the sideline of the masses. The use of "Uncle Fred" or the chap next door as a driving instructor is all too common. I can play the piano, golf and tennis, I can drive a car. I cannot however impart my knowledge, I c not teach, and I doubt very much whether ou, the reader, can either, unless you are a teacher by profession. Teaching is a special s
To make a p oper appraisal of the advantages of driver t aining by professionals ComMERCIAL MOTOR as in collaboration with BSM embarked on a rogramme of driving training. We have sele ted a pupil with neither mechanical nor riving skill, a woman in her mid-30s who ight have been promoted recently to bec me a sales supervisor who required a drivin licence.
After each six hours of tuition BSM has, as is its custom, is ued a progress report. After each lesson we ave interviewed the pupil for her reactions, hose reactions have been carefully noted. In the beginning she was apprehensive b after four hours she drove along three-lane roads, the A20 and A2. and in her words, "was exhilarated by the experience".
First six hours
During the fi t six hours tuition, using a dual-control For Cortina, the pupil was taught the basic eleme ts of driving. This excluded use of gear bo , signals, placing. cornering and reversing. In the initial stages Miss Wright was nervous bef re each lesson; however the calm approach if the instructor was transferred to the • upil during 10-minute predriving talks. S bjects of these talks varied from the domes ic scene to driving tuition.
Progress was remarkable and in the next period the pupil as selecting the proper gear, and cornering tisfactorily. In fact the sole persistent faults were steering and judgment. The BSM instru or, Mr. D. F. Sutcliffe, in his report points ou that the steering was erratic especially when pproaching oncoming traffic and during gear changes. Gimmicks can be used to even ou this fault but this is not the method of the professional. The steering deficiency will e ironed out by instruction and practice. After eight hours the change was remarl —for two hours there was a complete la. confidence. This I learned later was norrr the previous confident approach had d oped into over-confidence which had cre carelessness and caused mistakes. T mistakes soon destroyed the confidence v% the instructor then set about restoring ir manner of the professional : he was ne over sympathetic nor was he impat Quietly he persuaded the pupil that the I was unwarranted but not unexpected and : she was again cautiously confident.
After 12 hours the pupil applied for a dr test. The only point which still required j tice, in addition to the steering, was rever Again this is an example of systematic fessional tuition. The pupil must learn to : before she can learn to reverse.
What of additional practice ? For the mor our pupil is not practising ; the only tuition receives is at the hands of the profess; instructor. We have discussed the advisal of practice but this has been left in abeya BSM considers that only after the pupil mastered the art of driving at the hands professional instructor should she be perm to have additional practice.
Instruction and progress have been gra( In the first stages not all of the points struction were applicable while after a ful six hours only the reversing instruction still outstanding. A reverse manoeuvre been attempted but in view of the stet deficiency this element was left until a stage in the course.
What is of particular interest is that err all traffic and weather conditions have experienced. The pupil is being trained to , a motor vehicle in varying road and ti conditions and not around the anticip test route in the best weather conditions. method of instruction is designed to pro( drivers and not just driving test candidate:
The December 23 issue of COMMEF MOTOR will continue this progress report or pupil by which time eve fully expect she have completed the course, hold a lice and be able to drive a car or light van tc complete satisfaction of the transport manz fleet engineer—and other road users.