List of Articles
- Driver Attitudes - Reluctance to Learn
- Winter Hazards in Cyprus
- Overtaking and Junctions
- The advantages of using your vehicles handbrake
Driver Attitudes - Reluctance to Learn
At a recent meeting, we had quite a pleasing number of new people attending for the first time. As it was only the second meeting of a new series, Mike Moorbygave a talk on driver attitudes and things affecting them and then handed over to me to talk about the System of Car control which is the basis of advanced driving but not by any means the completearticle.
As usual, I encouraged audience participation and questions and one of the new attendees made contributions and showed an interest. This is always pleasing to any lecturer as it shows that at leastone of the class is awake!!
I completed my talk and after further questions we moved on to coffee and cakes when we generally chat with all the people present and offer driving health checks to new people. These are always a useful way of giving a brief driving assessment and then a demonstration drive. If the person doesn't sign up for the full course, at least they will have picked up something useful from the demodrive.
Most however sign up and get the benefit of safer driving, reduced wear and tear on their vehicle and improved fuel consumption. I was pleased to see that one of our observers was talking to my questioner on the system and knowing our man as I do, expected to gain a new member. However when I questioned him he said that the person had said that they thought they may have a problem with ourmethod of gear changing (block changes) and considered themselves a good enough driver anyway. They would not be returning!
This is not an uncommon problem, in my 30 odd years as a driving instructor, both with the police and after I retired working with company car drivers, I found many drivers to have this negative attitude. I never did work out whether it was because they genuinely thought their driving was beyond reproach or they were just frightened to find out that it wasn't. I suspect it was more of thelatter.
All truly good drivers have become that way by constant reassessment of their driving. If you don't have any further training after the driving test, how can they reassess anything? As a police instructor, my driving was regularly assessed by my fellow instructors and theirs by me, so it was a process of continuous learning.
After many years of searching, I can confirm that the perfect driver does not exist; we can all learn something if only we keep our minds open. A closed mind just perpetuates all the bad habits that have been picked up since the driving test and makes a serious accident more likely.
An advanced driving course such as we provide makes you 50% less likely to have an accident, very useful here in Cyprus and you may be assured that your assessor and examiner will have had their driving looked at recently!
Barry Faulkner
Winter Hazards in Cyprus
We are now into winter. It has to be said that so far, at the time of writing, it has been a mild one. Believe it or not this kind weather can actually cause problems for drivers.
There are several situations which can be called Hazards. There are those which are caused by physical features, such as bends, junctions etc. Those caused by the position or movement of other road users. The one that is often forgotten is problems caused by variations in road surface and changes in weather conditions. Weather can have a profound effect on the manner of our driving and theconsequence it has on the handling of a vehicle.
For those of you not used to the weather patterns in Cyprus it can come as a bit of a shock. You may be in the sun with reasonable temperatures in Paphos and decide it's a good time to take a trip up to the Troodos. You should be alert to the fact that the temperatures can drop dramatically and there may possibly be snow and ice on the roads. It is a mountain after all. In these circumstancesaccess is normally restricted to four wheel drive vehicles and those equipped with snow chains.
Any harsh or sudden movement of the vehicles controls may cause a skid. This may seem obvious, but many drivers don't think about the consequences until they are in the situation and it's too late. On many UK roads there is room to maneuver and allow any skid to run its course without too much of a problem, apart from the heart in mouth syndrome of course. Many of the roads in Cyprus, althoughimproving, are narrow with very little safety margin with the prospect of a long vertical excursion.
Another difficulty arises after a few days of sunshine. The roads become very greasy. The problem gets worse when it rains. This is exacerbated by the situation caused by the preponderance of roadwork's currently going on all over Cyprus. The rains come and all of the mud and debris is washed into the road. It often ends up half a kilometer away at the bottom of a hill some where. Theconsequence is that there is often very little warning of the potential problems awaiting the driver.
For those of you on your mountain trip don't forget that around the next bend there could be a rock fall.
We do get fog in the hills. Don't forget to turn your dipped headlights on and your fog lamps if your vehicle is equipped with them. New cars in Cyprus do have them fitted now, to comply with EU regulations.
Do not be tempted to follow the local habit of turning on your hazard flashers while you are moving. This is illegal and counter productive. It is far better to give and receive accurate information of an intention to make a turn so that those around you can plan for the maneuver than to have to guess.
We often get very heavy rain. Don't be afraid to use your headlights. Some citizens seem to think it will cost large amounts of extra money to turn them on and consequently don't bother! They will also helpfully flash you to let you know that yours are on!
Mike Moorby
Overtaking and Junctions
One thing that has come to my notice, particularly during the couple of months or so, is the number of drivers who overtake when at, or approaching a junction.
I was disappointed because on three of these occasions the junction was on the right and blind. The view was completely obscured by a high brick wall.
I would say, from the look of them, that these drivers had a lot of driving experience, in all probability on European roads.
It goes to show that drivers who have been driving for a long time need to be reminded, of the threat that other drivers pose to them, but also the dangerous situations they themselves are causing.
If you think about it there are two main areas of danger in these circumstances.
For example: What do you do when approaching a T junction with the intention of turning left?
Where do you look first?
To the right?
How many times have you seen drivers only look to the right?
I suggest from my experience that if it is clear of traffic from the right drivers fail to look to the left at all.
If they do look, they still continue to travel towards their intended direction of travel.
If you happen to be overtaking and on the wrong side of the road at that time then there is only one outcome, a collision.
Not nice.
The second danger is the car you are overtaking.
Are you sure that the driver really is going to continue straight along the road? Or, might he turn into the junction?
The safest way to carry out the maneuver is to wait until you can see into the junction, and the car you are overtaking has passed the point of no return. In other words it has passed thejunction.
Even if you have a clear view the junction from some distance away, wait until the vehicle to be overtaken has passed the junction.
Overtaking is probably the most dangerous maneuver you will make driving. It should be planned well in advance and be carried out as quickly possible.
It is important that you select a gear with good acceleration so you have good control and can minimize the risks.
Don't rush, but be positive.
Make sure you have plenty of room to move back to your own side of the road on completion of the overtake.
Do not cut back in on overtaken vehicle.
If the overtake can't be done in a controlled and measured manner then don't do it.
Mike Moorby
How often do you use your handbrake?
Most of you will have been taught to use the handbrake on very few occasions, for example when parking, when you are held up in traffic or at traffic lights when you are likely to be there for a while or on a bill start. However the handbrake is a much more versatile tool than you night suppose.
For example, you could and should use the handbrake when coming out of a junction with limited view. The view is restricted so you have to stop. As a rule drivers use the foot brake to stop the vehicle and hold the vehicle stationary with pressure on the footbrake until there is a gap in the traffic. They then accelerate away once the exit is clear. This has some distinct disadvantages. Firstly, when transferring the right foot from the brake to the accelerator, there is a short time is hen the car is not under your control. On any gradient the car will move forward or backwards, neither of which is a good thing. Secondly, many people have difficulty making a smooth transition from the footbrake to the accelerator, either putting in too much pressure or too little. It is naturally exacerbated when a speeding car comes into view and a certain amount of anxiety sets in. The result is an uncontrolled and uncomfortable exit out of the junction
By using the handbrake the car is under your control at all times. Your foot is kept over the accelerator so that it can be applied in a smooth and progressive manner. The handbrake can he held on with your hand with the release button pressed in and let off at the same time as you start to accelerate. the result is a smooth quick exit. Lf you don't believe me try it yourself.
Still on handbrakes, most of you have been taught to simply pull the leaver up when setting the brake. The only reason that I can think of for teaching this method is so that your driving instructor or your driving test examiner were able to hear when you set the brake. Grating isn't it? It also wears out the handbrake ratchet. So is by do it? An advanced driver will press the release button when setting or releasing the handbrake. Silence is golden.
Mike Moorby
