I love how you're treating your student at 1:50- 3:30. You show understanding, compassion, and calmness. You don't shout or belittle them; you discuss and explain what went wrong and why and how they can improve, all while reassuring them. My driving instructor would've just slammed on the brakes without warning then tell me how stupid I am for making a mistake like that and that I should've known better. I know because he did, on more than one occasion. I don't doubt that he was trying to help me and get his students to improve, but I find your way of teaching so much better.
One thing i drummed into my pupils “ look at the space not the cars etc” Great stuff here Ashley and very relevant to both learners and experienced drivers.
Very interesting insights. This greatly improves my understanding of other drivers. I see a lot happening on the road that I really don’t understand, normally, but seeing it from a fear perspective it actually makes a lot more sense. I can see this realization helping me be more patient on the road, which is something I do often struggle with myself - strangely enough, because I’m usually a super patient person.
It is the case that no matter how "brilliant" a driver is, if he pops up out of nowhere then others ahead, will often lock on. They stop looking for space (even if they usually do). Sometimes steering towards him too or still executing a now dangerous manoeuvre regardless that the road has changed. Even pedestrians will do this. Their original intent is not altered because of where and why they're looking. It can happen to high speed drivers who finally wake up to an otherwise obvious risk, far too late but still in plenty of time to react appropriately to reduce speed of impact at the very least, but nonetheless they still run off the road or collide with something that they are still looking at but still not really reacting to. Looking at the only large tree in the hedge instead of a gap (space), will often mean you'll hit it. Always look for the space. And if it ain't there... braking hard is good. Imagine a truck on a narrow lane doing nothing wrong, slowly plodding inside his own lane looking for a countryside golf course to drop 30 tonnes of gravel, only to have an until then, appropriately driven car steer under the trailer and hit the rear wheels while being on a straight part. I've had that happen. The fear level was likely heightened by the fact that we both had steeply banked verges with over hanging hedges (hence my own low speed to keep my mirrors), like a tunnel with no roof.
The biggest advise I was ever given, 'Look where you intend to go'. don't stare at that guard rail on an icy road, look at the path that will allow you to avoid it, your hands and feet will follow
I was warned about 'locking on' when learning to fly, such as the danger of becoming fixated on another aircraft while airborne or a ground obstruction when preparing to land. You become so concentrated on avoidance you actually start moving 'towards' that that you must avoid.
Been driving for 48 years and my fear seems to have suddenly increased since I started watching your videos LOL I,m not saying this is a bad thing as a certain amount of fear is healthy, and stops you being over-confident Like the youngsters having just passed their test and think they're invulnerable, and as I was in my earlier years. I do feel a bit apprehensive when starting to watch your videos as to what you are going to show in your sent in clips, but again it keeps me in check to all the things that could and sometimes do happen.
I haven't been driving that long (almost 26 years now) but I do think many long-timers pick up a few bad habits. I'm a bus driver and see these things every single day. I'm glad I'm a patient driver. Something I've learned from Ash (and this is important!) is to give learner cars space! So now, when I'm in a bus driving my route and see a learner car, I keep a large gap between us so the learner can focus on what to do with the situation they're in instead of locking on to me in their rearview mirror. As a bus driver, I have priority inside city boundaries when I signal to leave a bus stop and when time permits it, I'll wait for a learner car, signal to leave (in time for them to stop or slow down), see what they do whilst me creeping to leave but still leave room for them to safely pass and if they do continue and don't give way, I'll be assured the instructor has something to talk about. I love these videos. Very insightful!
Are you apprehensive about Ashley Neal videos or as a long standing driver " could it be that Ashley Neal is a brilliant driving instructor" and he would point out your mistakes or habits been a long time driver....Ashley Neal is top drawer....🤗
@@rogiermaas I live a mile from the South Circular in London so roads are busy most of the time. We are also near a test centre so there are a lot of learners. I feel that driving safely on local roads depends so much on courtesy, and we can all help with that - letting people through where we can etc. Bus drivers play a huge part - you have seen it all. I always leave space for bus drivers if I can - I feel any way we can make your working day a bit better is good for everyone! I also "look" for co-operation and it can be a glass-half-full situation on a good day.
I've said you allowed me to enjoy my driving again. I became fearful of being a hazard to other drivers due to my poor health. Suffering with both physical health and depression is a major fight for many these days. These issues are overlooked by those of sound mind and body and we as a society are frequently focused on the "me" rather than others. Gt video, thank you
My issue is with locking onto things, normally when I emerge from a busy junction but I’ve gotten much better after working on it with my instructor - thanks for the great video!
I was reading something online the other day, from someone who had been skiing recently. They said that their instructor told them to think 'find a path' instead of 'don't hit the trees'. In other words, look where you want to go, not what you want to avoid.
@@edwardtye4119 my problem is I check and then double check and end in losing a safe gap - its not a huge thing and I’ve gotten better and always make sure to look into the road when I’m turning/emerging. It only happens very occasionally now but just wanted to say since it was on the list :P
@@bekah4137 Ashley made another video about creeping forwards before moving off properly - you keep observing while creeping forward slowly by holding the clutch at the bite with a little gas, before giving more gas and higher on the bite point to move off properly when you know it's safe. That way, you don't miss gaps because you move into them as they go past (if that makes sense).
Target fixation is so much more awful when you're learning to ride a motorcycle. Making slow, tight turns is really hard when you're looking straight ahead instead of looking where you want to go
I hear this a lot from people but it never made sense to me, and it's not something I've ever had a problem with. My mate did, he ended up in a field. I never struggled with looking where I'm going because if I'm steering then I'm not going straight ahead, I'm going where I'm steering, why would I look straight ahead? Maybe I'm weird.
My instructor gave me a really good tip: if you look at it (pot-hole, for example), you will ride over it. Look where you want to go, not at what you want to avoid.
@@fredmercury1314 Stress. If you're taking a tight turn and there's oncoming traffic you may suddenly stare. + you may forget that when turning at low speeds you should keep your body upright, swing the bike all the way over, and try to put all your weight on the opposite end (if you don't do that then your turn will be wide anyways which is amplified if you're looking at a car in the lane which you don't want to go into)
I have this problem even with 2 years of riding a motorbike. I’m in a country where you drive on the right, so doing a left turn means that you’re going across oncoming traffic. Too many times I’ve been watching the car or bike coming towards me that I’m then not checking out the road I’m going into. I’ve completely swan necked or cut a corner because of it.
on the surface it may only seem like great driving advice (which it totally is) Ashley’s points about locking in on things, trying to move away from fear and looking far ahead and still being able to see both close and far are among the most profound life advice I’ve ever heard. Great respect sir!! 👏
Target fixation is absolutely lethal on a bike. It's one of the things that absolutely gets drilled at you in training because if you're looking at that bus, or that cyclist, oncoming traffic, or the median on a junction, chances are you're not going to lean (or lean enough) to make the turn... I see it all too often on RU-vid where novice riders (especially in the states) fail to go round a bend even at low speed because they suddenly have a lack of confidence when another vehicle is navigating the bend; they tense up while gripping the bars, target fixate on the side of the road, and fail to lean into the corner out of fear of hitting the other vehicle. Before they know it, bam, in the ditch.
One of the best analogies for target fixation I've come across goes a bit like this: A beginner/amateur skier will only see the trees (obstacles) on a slope, which will slow them down and in worst case make them hit a tree. An expert skier will only see the gaps/racing line on the same slope, making them fast and avoiding the trees by default.
I've learned to use peripheral vision all the time as a horseman. It's amazing what you can see when you're not looking at it! And this does indeed transfer to driving.
One of my pet hates is road workers slinging myriad 'Road Ahead Closed' signs all over left right and centre. 90% of the time it doesn't relate to the route I'm going, but it makes me psychologically 'lock on' to the threat of being caught in a dead end, and my driving skills just go to sh*t in many of the ways shown in this vid.
I ride a big motorbike and all the things you mention in this video are crucial to my safety, and I always try and ride with a "bubble" of space around me so I can see what is happening, and most importantly I can take evasive action if needed. I must be doing something right because in over 45 years of riding I'm still in one piece! Good videos by the way, thank you.
Great insights. I think your first point (locking on) has to do with forward planning, too. If you're scanning the road 10-20 seconds ahead of your car, you can plan for the cyclist coming ahead, that way you aren't panicking. If you're only looking at the tarmac directly in front of your car, you'll suddenly see the cyclist a few meters in front, panic and then lock on
Although, once speeds have dropped and the manoeuvre starts, it's mandatory to be looking closer at kerbs, lines, bollards etc with short well-timed looks further away to plan what you'll do on the way back up to speed.
Target fixation is definitely a thing 😅 I think for me, when I learned that I dictated the car and not the other way round - I became much more confident/comfortable. After passing the standard test, I was still scared of hill starts, being in too high a gear, speed on bends etc. I didn't understand how to make the most of the car. I suffered with all of these points you make until I was pushed right out of my comfort zone in an advanced driving course though I still admittedly grip the wheel sometimes 😬. Overall, I think fear shouldn't drive the car but total awareness instead which naturally instills a sense of confidence. Not to get complacent but to equally trust yourself and your decision making, which, will never be perfect but so long as it's safe that's what's ultimately important ☺️ just my two cents haha
Target fixation and loose grip are both things you learn as a cyclist too. The surest way to hit a thing you are trying to avoid on a bike is looking at it, you learn quickly to look where you want to go not where you’re going. Loose grip is especially important on mountain biking, the best control is a relaxed readiness. I don’t think I was taught any of this when I learned to drive (admittedly nearly 40 years ago), I just took elements from cycling for some and others it took lots of experience. Either driving instructions have evolved or you are a great teacher - I suspect both 🙂.
@@davidshipp623 Same thing applies while skiing in trees (well, target fixation for sure - not too much to grip onto while skiing, but having a relaxed upper body and mobility in your arms helps there too!). If you keep looking at a tree, you are pretty much guaranteed to end up in its woody embrace.
I came here to say the same thing. A lot of other sports refer to locking on as target fixation and its often why motorcyclists run wide and when things go wrong actually hit the thing they are trying to avoid. The mantra is usually look where you want to go and overlaps with the looking straight ahead which seems to be why a car turning left finds it easy to not see pedestrians just stepping off the the kerb on the road they are turning into. Well done on doing the advanced driving test. If you really want to be self critical try being an observer that really keeps you on top of your game.
My old driving instructor (40 years ago) was very strong on "You drive the car - NEVER let the car drive you". Good advice which I've never forgotten (thank you, Brian Ryland) - so many potentially hazardous situations can be defused by exerting control and taking corrective action.
During the clip, beginning around 12.15, an addition to your comments regarding awareness to the left would be to mention it’s also useful to remind viewers to double check the left hand side of the vehicle for a ‘fresh’ arrival of a cyclist or motorcyclist. Whilst they may be in the wrong for undertaking a vehicle indicating to turn left, it happens so often it is always best to be aware
Or they be there validly, for example, cyclists may be filtering past other slow moving traffic. Also, traffic may be using bus, tram and cycleways each of which have priority over other left turning traffic, as described in the Highway Code (183).
John Moore , 👍👍 to your reply, the point I made is for the safety of all concerned and that Ashley didn’t suggest in the clip. Yes, cyclists & motorcyclists could be there legally but,as we are all aware some may be in the wrong’ by undertaking & being there. Safety first 😃
Ashley is the king of intuitive eating. Sorry, intuitive driving. Making space. Driving to the conditions , road speed. Defensive proper driving. Nice video Ashley.
Hi Ashley. I came across this video by accident and can I just say a huge thank you. The section on locking on is sheer brilliance and I've been incorporating it into my lessons for the last week or so with great effect. As an ADI of 9 years who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Thanks again.
As an electric car driver, adjusting your feet becomes as second nature as breathing. Foot off and regen kicks in, foot down and you accelerate, foot in the sweet spot around a quarter of pedal travel and you coast. I treat it as a challenge to not use the brake and simply keep adjusting the pedal as necessary. Satisfying when you let it regen to a crawl up to the red light and it turns green before you have to completely stop. I drive the same in the lorry, it encourages looking ahead and always having a plan.
I've been driving for 24 years........I recently received my d1 provisional licence to drive a minibus. So I have decided to brush up. I've found your videos really helpful as it has not only bolstered what I already know, but has pointed out all of the bad habits I've picked up over the years. Not terribly bad habits.....but things that have made me think.......yes even after 24 years of driving I'm still learning. So thank you and keep them coming.
As a former motorbike rider and now car driver, the idea of creeping at a side junction always pings the 'spidey' senses. Too often, I have had to brake or swerve as a vehicle creeps too far out into my lane because they have not come to a complete stop, whether it is a side road or roundabout. As Ashley has said, there are many good drivers who drive with the flow of traffic, but I have seen far too many poor drivers who take chances. Because of the latter, I will always adjust my speed and even brake if there is a creeper because I do not know if they are going to stop, or have even registered that they have seen me despite looking in my direction! As they say, cnce bitten a hundred times shy.
Yes, yes and yes. They didn't catch on over here but in the US, those awful 'spinner' wheel trims used to freak me out because they'd carry on spinning much faster than the vehicle was travelling, thus not only depriving me of a primary source of information on potential risks, but feeding me false information.
Thanks Ashley, another educational post. After an early incident in my driving life, passing much too fast some horses by the roadside, it made me reflect on my own driving and also on how the characters of people I met everyday would be exhibited in driving styles. I guess there is another post coming illustrating the other extremes of character - the fearless?
Horses need to be passed slow and wide, or just stop and let them ride past if possible, just think how vulnerable a rider is, if they fall off it's a ten foot drop onto the tarmac, and that's got to hurt, a lot!
The terminology that you use is different, but this is the core of what is taught in any advanced motorcycle training. Space is one which I think a lot of people have trouble with and results in people fixing on to the back of the vehicle ahead. By dropping back you have a better view to observe and anticipate, resulting in a smoother and more relaxing drive, which allows you to drive better. And for those drivers who want to go faster than the vehicle ahead of them, this is best place to be to plan your safe overtake. Not sat on the tail of the vehicle you want to pass.
Fear is a big problem with some drivers. When I was an instructor I had in-laws who had s fear of motorways or driving outside of a familiar area. It took a lot of time and effort to help them overcome these fears. All of them went onto pass IAM Test.
Great video Ashley. It’s like having a driving lesson . I passed my test many years ago and experience has made me a better driver but also I have picked up poor habits. I’m trying to revert my driving back to how I was taught.
Useful advice, thank you. As it happens I have occasionally caught myself "locking on" but hadn't necessarily understood it in the way you've explained it. Thanks again and have a great week. 👍
I passed my test in August 1970, over 50 years on the roads, but 8 years ago my wife's disability worsened, and I have been driving wheelchair adapted vehicles since. This adds yet another level of required skills as I now have to consider the safety and comfort of my wheelchair passenger, looking for bad bits of road, leaving even more room for braking, careful cornering, So, even after over 40 years driving, there was still plenty to learn.
Fixation is a real problem that we struggle with in a lot of our daily activities. When driving, this, coupled with the fact that we instinctively turn the wheel towards what we're intently looking at can be a real cause of problems. One of the key things I was taught when I was learning to drive fast was how to acquire visual information by glancing and never lingering, instead spending most of my time looking at where I want my car to be going. Searching for moving objects (or places from where they could turn up) whose path could intersect mine, as opposed to staring at them (which is very likely to cause you to drive towards them).
I've only had my full license and been driving on my own for 3 weeks but I'm pretty sure I don't do any of these, I have quite a lot of confidence on the road. The biggest problem I have I would say is anticipating other road users, particularly when having to give way if theres an obstruction on the road and having to judge if theres a fair amount of space or what not but thats something I'm sure takes a lot more experience.
A brilliant explanation of fear related driving. I think I can say I do all of these pretty well, but some of them because they have been improving since I watch your videos, Ashley. Thanks again for this interesting lesson!
When I was learning to drive, I gripped for dear life when doing a hill start. My instructor helped me with this, by taking me to a quiet road and doing a hill start with no hands on the wheel.
My driving instructor used to do these "let's park up and have a chat about that mistake" when "I'm just a shite driver and wasn't looking for space" is literally the only thing that needs to be said. After 10 hours, we stopped doing that, apart from at the end of lessons, unless something serious needed discussing and repetition became name of the game. Improved much more that way. Don't be afraid of telling your instructor that the peps talks are unnecessary, that you don't need to dig deep for reasoning or excuses, and you just need to repeatedly drive with instructor guidance (and telling off when necessary), until you can start anticipating what he's gonna tell you simply through muscle memory. Passed first time after a very slow start. Pep talks get in the bin.
Chances are that I've been guilty of at least two of the points you highlight at some point but can't honestly remember when as they were some time ago 🤔. Having had the benefit of being taught to fly, before learning how to drive, gave me the confidence; not to mention transferable skills at least in part; to avoid many of the pitfalls that many others go through. Don't get me wrong. Not saying that I'm perfect because I most certainly am not...... My post sort-of ties in with your current experience in the Large Goods Vehicles. Perspective you gain from different viewpoints all go towards understanding what's required by other road users. I'm glad to see you took that route. Keep passing this knowledge on Ash and the roads just might be a safer place..... eventually. Stay safe everyone 👍
As a professional driver the 5 things that you talked about are all spot on. these are the most common mistakes I see on the road everyday. Alot of drivers have tunnel vision ,they are not aware of their surroundings and have little to no spatial awareness. which makes my job alot more stress inducing to the point that I'm so used to it, I know what to expect and how to deal with these types of drivers. Which inturn has made me a even better driver than I thought I could be. I'm glad you brought these mistakes to peoples attention because of how common they are.
Professional driver lol hilarious paramadic/police some crash course doesn't make you a professional driver the police tend to have this weriod notion their better then average drivers because they do these courses yet fail to remember they are in a police vehicle with blue lights and the green card to basically drive however you like at any speed you like doesn't make you a professional driver Unless your a F1 driver rally driver ect don't embarrass your self
@@dndkillaztreble5317 I drive for a living, my profession is driving! I hold two other licenses along side my normal drivers license for my job. Who said i was a paramedic or a police officer? I don't know what you have against blue lights or if they have personally effected you, Frankly I do not care. With a quick Google.... I think you should look up the definition of a professional driver before you jump to wild conclusions. Not everything is black and white you know.
@@JackWilliams-bt8wg it pretty is black and white a quick google search serves as zero because no such thing as a professional driver unless your a actually professional competing otherwise your just professional at sticking to the road laws lol Wich practically anybody can do unless you have gained a elite set of skills like rally driving track driving F1 ect then your no different to any old joe on the UK roads I don't have anything against the blues my point was was that they often get smoked and left behind from young kids that don't even have a license and that's traffic police that has took evey course under the sun my point was that if you was police or paramadic them courses don't make you a professional driver and the only reason I assumed blue lights eas becsuse they loved claiming they was yet they get left behind from 16 year old yobs very often lol either way unless your trained to compete at elite level your not a professional driver end of
Target fixation can be deadly look where you want to go! loosey goosey all the way makes smoother and safer driving I understand giving larger vehicles/cyclists space but don’t be scared otherwise you’ll be a fearful, jerky, and dangerous driver
I really enjoy your videos Ashley . I’ve not long been watching your channel but I’m glad I found it cos It helps me with my learning how to drive so much plus you talk to your students like how my instructor talks to me which is encouraging to me too.
Look at the space not the vehicles,Great advice. When I was a Driving Instructor,I had a lovely lady,who was a good driver,but near where she lived,was a fairly narrow railway bridge. When we came through it if there was another vehicle,especially a bus,She would close her eyes and turn her head away! I could not! Under any circumstances stop her from doing this. I tried and tried. But She admitted to me that it scared the hell out of her. I told her that as long as she is on her side,there is plenty of room,for any vehicle on the other side. But! No, she discontinued her lessons saying I will never get this. I never knew if she eventually passed.
I think I do all these things well, but I think that's only from experience of driving for 25 years or so. My dad always taught me to look far ahead and I think that was maybe the most important driving lesson I ever got. It's helped me avoid accidents, potential accidents and all sorts.
I just want to say the way talked to your student about the bus was terrific. Critical yes, but patient and logical. You allowed her to answer the questions and unlock the knowledge herself, and encouraged her going forward. My daughter gave up learning to drive because she couldn't get on with her instructor. He spent large amounts of time on the phone, and performed forceful corrections to her driving without communicating, which often involved pulling the steering wheel while he was on the phone. I think he's approaching retirement and has no interest in teaching as long as he can get paid. Finding an instructor who is a good fit for a student can be a real challenge.
damn, i wish my instructor had been as kind and thoughtful as you are. sure, she got me passed first time, but i remember having a panic attack the day before my test and she was nowhere near as considerate as you are
Tunnel vision was my worst habit when learning. I spent a lot of time breaking that habit before attempting my test. I wouldn't drive into what I was looking at, I would just not focus on other things going on. A good habit to break early before it's too drilled in
Your methods of teaching are very similar to the instructor who got me through my test on 3rd attempt. After 2 fails in cars with assisted steering, I passed in my own car which didn't have any steering assit proper push pull steering! It took me years to have the confidence I now have driving, even though I was taught very well. Many drivers do accelerate and brake too much, instead of jumping on the brakes for example on the motorway, ease of accelerator to make room in front of you, until you're safe to overtake. When brake lights come on, it causes a domino effect, others brake. Sometimes this causes traffic build up, when there is no cause. I always look as far ahead as I can. Once on a road with cars both sides and one oncoming, I noticed on their side a pull in spot which I thought they would use as I got nearer. No, they drove straight past it and we clipped mirrors, mine just bounced back into position, but theirs broke off! They sped to the top of the road and then I saw them turn round in the rearview mirror and chase me and bang into my bumper and trying to get me to pull over. I was terrified and not been driving that long. I didn't stop for them and lost them.
The thing about varying one's speed has been something I have noticed for years, especially on motorways and other dual carriageways. A lot of people just don't, as if it is a religion to stick to the preferred speed. You really can adjust your speed so that you overtake more quickly (or get overtaken more quickly) so easily - even 5 mph change for a few seconds can reduce that overtaking time a lot, or can avoid the slightly scary place where A is overtaking B at the same time as B is overtaking lorry C. It really is not a disaster or a major humiliation to slow down a little for a few seconds appropriately, it is just good driving (it is also suggested when being overtaken in the Highway Code). Some lorry drivers are terrible for this (and they really should know better).
Another point about gripping the wheel vs holding the wheel. It also affects your mood. Gripping makes tou more anxious and or angry, while holding makes you more relaxed. This will influence things like you speed and your ability to accept mistakes from others. Of course the opposite can also be true, your mood will impact your grip. It's a bit of a 2 way street. You can use it to spiral down or up depending on how much effort you are willing to put into it.
I passed my test 49 years ago this month after a full series of lessons from an ADI. Just one of those skills was taught, and I wish they all had been. One of them, my instructor was of a different opinion: if I kept moving slowly over a give way line he'd say "you don't like doing do you?", likewise coming up to a queue of cars at lights when the lights were changing so that the queue was starting to move. I had (still have) the intuitive sense that it's best to try to get the speed and position so that I was at the same speed as the car just in front of me at the point where I was an appropriate distance behind. Again I'd get the comment "you don't like doing do you?". I have never before consciously thought about any of the four of the things you mentioned, and will look out for them next time I'm driving. I think however that I do the of them reasonably well just through my long driving experience. So the one that I have thought about is the grip on the steering wheel, and my instructor said pretty much the same as you about the form grip being fear based. Yes it is, but I think that the advice you and he gave is subtly wrong. The grip is indicative of fear, the same fear that tenses the feet and actually shuts down other driving skills as you rightly say. I find that forcing myself to learn the grip on the wheel does nothing to quench the fear, and actually increases the interference with other driving skills. It's shooting the messenger rather than sorting the real problem. Now when I notice I'm gripping tightly I ask myself what's triggered this? What have I unconsciously noticed that I am not consciously aware of? It might be that I've missed something that I need to be doing differently (adjust for wet road, or a well camouflaged pedestrian, etc) or it might be worries not attached to the driving task (fears about the meeting I am driving to, anger over a conversation the other day, etc). If it is driving trusted as soon as I notice what it is I sort it; if it's non driving related I can drop it if possible and if I can't drop it then stop as soon as I can safely do so. For example: I guess your pupli, if she is like me, when she locked on to the bus pulling out she would have tensed up all over, including her grip on the wheel. Instead of thinking "I must relax my grip" if she had thought "oh it's the bus worrying me" would have triggered "it's not in my way" and would have reverted to the real task which is to look where she wants to go. So my advice to another driver tending up their grip would be to take that as a signal that their subconscious is not happy with something: don't cancel the signal till you know what it's about. While learning of course most of my fear was just the unfamiliarity of the new skills. My instructor telling me not to grip so tight would only add to my dear of being judged by him (not that he was ever judgmental, but I was always scared he would be because I was still in school at the time and that was my experience of how teachers were). I hope you will find this comment useful, and I also hope Ash you will see it and respond as I'm interested in what you think.
The "locking on" wasn't something I was consciously aware of but is something I don't do as I'm aware of the available space in such situations. The last one is interesting as there's a set of traffic lights near my home and I see a lot of drivers take a particular right turn too wide. I'll try to feature it on one of my dashcam video compilations.
About the look far ahead and where you want to go, I found that learning to ride a motorcycle helped me a lot with that aspect in the car as well, since you have to do that there :)
My parents drilled this behaviour into my wee head as a lad, about looking far ahead, hand flow on the wheel etc... Growing up, I thought it as common sense/knowledge but thanks to this video, I now understand why so many people seem to "lack" it and that not everyone is an asshole 😂
I would say this was a major problem with all of the things you highlighted, mainly because of Dyspraxia, the way my father was trying to teach me (when he is used to speed), and other things. but my instructor was right, imagine the examiner got a full boiling cup of coffee filled to the brim in his hand, and he wants it to all be in the cup by the end of the driving test, then you are nearly certainly going to pass. (somehow the gods were looking down on me that day, and did pass first time). but think it was learning to drive a 17-tonne wagon before I got out of the fixation on the bonnet, and learn to take things a little easier. not easy when the instructor for the wagon was also a speed freak!! but when you got a vehicle and you cannot see 6 feet infront of the cab, it gets rid of the fixation on the bonnet, the fact the mirrors are set up for nearly the rear wheels, then there is a huge blindspot, that means you got to be aware of your surroundings, and visual ques before turning then you know if you can make a turn safely or not. and being prepared to stop encase something is coming out of a junction, and how much the backend swings out, and how much the back will cut a corner. all the things I could have done with while learning to drive a car. now there are video simulators on driving trucks etc, whereas back in 94 there wasn't this type of thing. might be an idea to set up a pc for those too scared and fixated on the bonnet to use as a teaching aid.
Great entertaining and educational video again, Ash! Good to know I can say I made none of these five mistakes, but in all fairness, I'm a car, motorcycle and bus driver so perhaps I'm better trained to look further ahead and not locking on. About that locking on: I sometimes ride with a group of motorcyclists and I give them advice. I'm not an instructor, but I do see a lot of mistakes made by motorcyclists: following too close, not keeping your position in your lane, poor lane discipline, not looking through corners and bends (and/or taking bends too close to the centerline, etc), not showing yourself to other road users, etc. After a ride, they often say they've learned valuable lessons. I hope they're safer after the ride. But driving a motorcycle is obviously very different from driving a car: you're much more vulnerable than you are in a metal cage. And you are your own airbag... So I always tell people to look far ahead, scan the area (read the situation), be ready for bends and turns and always try to find a way out of a situation. For example: if you're last in a queue and you're not able to get to the front due to lack of space, keep your distance in case you need to flee from any traffic coming from behind. Those kinds of things make motorcyclists get off the road or get hit by others. I'm lucky I've never been in an accident or caused any damage. I hope I do things the right way and your videos show those things I already do. Jon's driving style looks a lot like mine and I'm relieved to say that almost everything you teach and show in your videos I do as well. So that's a good confirmation for me. Having my driver's license for almost 26 years makes me think: did I pick up any wrong habits? And although I think I have (like holding the steering wheel with one hand on long straight roads), most of the time I can assure myself I'm amongst the 85% of the people who say they drive better than the rest. That's a joke obviously, but I do consider myself a well trained driver. My passengers tell me I am at least, so that's a good thing I suppose.
After doing some performance driver training I learned actually people on the whole always hold the wheel far too tight. You can actually watch how lightly a F1 driver holds the wheel watch how their hands bounce as they pick a turning angle and then the car settles and corrects through the corner. It looks like they do two movements going into corners, but actually it's just the lightness of the touch they have that causes that effect... it's just the car being allowed space to react to the input, and the hands holding the wheel lightly enough to allow it to settle in the drivers hands.
This is an amazing lesson. Ashley, thank you so much! The anxiety around certain situations can seem unavoidable, especially if dealing with a past trauma - it's great to be given answers to combatting those unknowns. Thanks to Liv as well! It's inspiring to see someone who is finding something scary but persevering and doing it anyway! More than a lot of us can do.
@@ashley_neal I'm in a better headspace than I have been for a while, thanks for asking Ashley. I had an INA (Immediate Needs Assesment) report and they included accessing the victim fund to get me on an intensive driving course, on the basis my cycling was my primary mode of transport - so hopefully that will come into fruition. Also, the driver returned a guilty plea and was endorsed with 6 points and roughly £500 in fines. Which has given me some closure.
Youthful licence holders? All licence holders! :) Interesting how you mention fear as an important factor. The new rules are likely to increase that fear, increase the target fixation, with some inevitable results sometimes. As someone who works roadside a lot, I am all too aware that perversely people are more likely to drive into me with all my markings, safety clothing and lights as they fixate on me, and people tend to drive where they look. When instructing in off-road driving, one of the first things I do is teach how to hold the wheel, loosely, and it works on paved surfaces too, no sore wrists or thumbs when the inevitable pothole is hit :) As an example, whilst you have a loose hold on the wheel, I would teach tou to reposition your thumbs, more vertical in your case rather than resting on the spokes. Perversely, a loose grip enables better and quicker control, less muscle to instruct and overcome. A common aspect of almost all of these mistakes is that of positioning, which if I were to say there is one common error above all others, is it. A certain amount of fear is beneficial in driving, due to something called risk compensation. To take it to an extreme, it is often said that the best road safety device would be a sharp 8 inch stainless steel spike in the centre of the steering wheel. Despite that motor vehicles have gotten so much safer over the years, the rate of KSI collisions has pretty much plateaued, people feel safer, so they take more and greater risks. With ABS there is less fear of a skid, so people travel faster, closer. Add crumple zones, traction control, airbags, stability control and such, people are less in control of vehicles, less in control of their safety and ultimate destiny.
Thank you for a great video. It has made me think about where I look when cornering. Please can you produce a video regarding positioning at junctions and on bends. Also it would be be useful how to deal with a multi lane roundabout if you're in the wrong lane. This happens to me on unfamiliar roundabouts or ones poorly laid out.
Well done on your youtube milestone Neil, keep these vids coming. I swear I'm in my 50s and these uploads are dead handy for keeping sharpish on the mad roads x
I will be honest, I've learnt a lot from your videos, as you find out later on, the driving test was the easy bit and you continously learn from then on, how to correct your mistakes and others
When I learned to ride a motorbike 23 years ago at age 50 having been a car driver since age 17, I learned that on a bike, the bike goes where you look. This can lead to 'target fixation' and there are videos on RU-vid taken by helmet cams of riders rounding a bend a bit too fast for comfort and there's one obstacle on the outside of the bend - a lamp post, for instance. Guess what they hit? Yes, the lamp post - because they fixate on it, the bike goes where they look, and they hit it. Much worse if the object of fixation is a car coming the other way round the bend! We are taught to look as far though the bend as possible, right to the 'vanishing point' where you can see no further as the left and right kerbs 'converge'. This is combined with correct positioning of the bike - to the left on RH bends and to the right on LH bends, to enable you to see further into the bend and to make the make the bike go where you are looking - round the bend, not into the kerb! Also, being on the right on a RH bend can put your body into the path of oncoming vehicles as you lean the bike over to the right. Another reason not to be there! I find this also translates to car driving, though the options on road positioning are less due to the width of the vehicle - but they are still there. I also flew tailwheel aeroplanes for 35 years and on the ground these are directionally unstable as the CG is behind the main wheels, so on the runway, especially when landing, you have to use the rudder to keep it straight. Again, the secret to success is look ALL the way down the runway, right to the far end. That way, your vision will detect any tendency to deviate as soon as it begins and your feet will, once you have them trained, move almost imperceptivity to counter the deviation and the aeroplane will run straight. Beginners look too close in front of them, and then by the time they have detected the deviation, it may be too late and the aeroplane will 'ground loop' (swap ends), or would if the instructor did not intervene! Again, this translates to the car - look as far down the road as you can, and on bends, as far around the bend as you can. Your peripheral vision will still cover anything happening close to you.
I know someone that started to learn to drive later on in life - they were (and I think still are) a very nervous driver - doing 50 along a completely clear NSL dual carriageway at night to make sure they didn't break the limit. Their ideal road to drive on, arrow straight one lane up, one down, bus lane either side to give them more space and no cyclists, no junctions. They said their DI had been teaching them "advanced driving", but had no knowledge of the System of Car Control - we wonder if "advanced" for them was turning right as well as left. They would sometimes ask me for advice on their driving - I had more experience, more mileage, and an advanced driving qualification. One day we're out in their car and they ask me what to do if they have someone coming along on blue lights behind them... This question worried me a little on a few fronts: They did "advanced driving" as part of their standard lessons, and did not know what to do here They act like a robot for a lot of their day to day activities. If you say "Move over to the left", then this is what they would always try to do - even when moving to the right would be more beneficial. I ended up telling them to do what ever the most useful thing in the situation would be - assess the situation, the intention of the other vehicle, and take appropriate action on that information. You reminded me of this fun conversation with your bit on teaching skills rather than things - there is a difference between "mechanically operating a vehicle" and "driving". I get the "fear" response at times - I've had gaps open up for me that I've not wanted to take, with someone sat next to me having to say "There is enough room there". I seem to have developed some fear that I am wider than I am (which is safer than thinking you're narrower than you are), but this has caused some delay in journeys by not making progress and sitting waiting for a larger gap to appear, and probably frustration for the other road users that have moved over to let me through, but I have held back and not gone through. I hadn't connected the "Can I fit? Will I lose a mirror?" thought process with the more general fear reaction, though it makes sense now I've reflected on it.
I find a lot of people don't know the width of their car. The phrase “you’re not a tank” often pops into my head as someone takes a primary position when there's 2 clear lanes causing oncoming traffic to stop and the driver slowly creep around whilst leaving over a metre gap on the left.
@@fredmercury1314 I dont understand the people who park in forwards aswell. Its literally more difficult to back out of a spot than into one. Not that either of them are difficult at all
@@fredmercury1314 Dont know what you mean by that. If you can go in forward you can go backwards Its not a driving test, you can go diagonally or as parallel as possible and back into a spot I literally never 90 degree park. No matter how open the space is. Makes life easier and quicker
@@aok9153He just means he parks in forwards because there's bollards that would block access to the boot if he parked in backwards and wasn't hanging out of the space, I do the same.
If you're at a traffic light crossroads and want to turn left some may look ahead and some may look left but you should never forget to take a look to the right as well. That way you can sometimes avoid the morons who drive through the red lights on their side.
Thanks again. I have a fear of lorries indeed. I have the tendense to stear away and even sometimes when they are a little unstable in driving on the highway go to another lane further away if the room is there. I should not do that. For the young readers of comments. I have my license for more then 30 years and still learn from this channel.
yo that ,,steer to avoid,, thing is so accurate. u look at any dashcam compilation and ull see people turning the wheel needlessly, if they braked, thered be no need to turn. + i dont rly believe those people would do a mirror check before ,,steering to avoid,,.
I tend to grip the steering wheel when I am in a busy town that is unfamiliar to me. I also have the habit of keeping my foot on the clutch, until my car warns me of it. My driving instructor always taught me to look well ahead and to plan ahead, which I still do. Have been driving for 25 years.
Best advice I have been given primarily for motorcyclists (have so many more problems than other vehicle drivers!) but also applies to all road users is...... see everything, look at nothing.
I drive a taxi and frequently pickup people who are learning to drive. One thing I point out to them, which I wasn't taught during lessons, was the danger of straight downhill roads especially in built up areas but also on motorways. These are notorious for rear end collisions as the ability to see ahead is massively reduced for yourself and the cars in front of you, so you literally get that knock on effect when people perform emergency stops many cars ahead. I use the example of new long bridges that are built at a curve, so everyone can see many vehicles ahead.
Dear Ashley, I am now 84 years old and have had my licence since 1956. l get enjoy enjoyment watching your lessons. l can feel better about my driving skills, when I view your lessons and it gives me pleasure when I find that I have not lost my driving skills... however I can learn from your advice to" smarten up"to modern road conditions. Thank you so much, in your up to date instructions. to give me the confidenc e to "Keep on driving" KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
I love this guy.. to say he instructs individuals to drive.. he ain’t perfect… his driving position is terrible.. if I drove like that for an hour I would have the posture of a disabled school boy
I was going to say mountain biking helps with locking on and looking where you're going - if you don't learn those skills going off-road you're probably about to hit a tree! But it sounds from the comments below riding a motorcycle might have a similar effect. Relaxing the arms is also important on a bike, but as much for smoothness over bumps as observations.
It's called object fixation, and it's applicable to many things. If you ride a motorbike you're told to look where you want to go, and not at the thing you don't want to hit.
Vehicles parked on the left, vehicles approaching on the right and not much of a gap, but enough, except I’m doing what you say we do; locking on, which makes me doubt that there is room. My solution is to glance away and turning back I see both vehicles with equanimity.
no joke with the hand gripping! first time going on motorways I would grip the wheel so hard my hands, arm and back would be in pain the entire journey lol
You are completely right Ashley the problem of adjusting the foot emerge as the most important problem even with licence holders driving for a long time however this also depends the attitude factor
I’ve definitely suffered from 5 before at a set of traffic lights where I had to cross oncoming traffic, I was looking in front to make sure there were no more cars coming so it’s be safe to go but in doing so I was heading towards one of those keep left of the bollard signs, I did keep left of it but my ide be lying if I said my steering wasn’t a little janky 😂. I’m sure I suffer from more but there’s not any that I’m directly aware of. I feel like there thing that you overlook as a driver but hopefully I don’t do anymore 😂. I’ll keep my eyes peeled though as now I’m aware of it. Great video ash and a little later I’ll probably send you over a few clips of some nice driving, an overtake in the cyclist which affected my speed which I kind off feel like you’d included in this video and maybe a bit of pavement driving from a van 😂.
Most of my driving is done on the outskirts of London, where lots of the roads have cars parked on one or both sides. So what do I most commonly come across on the road? Dodgems. Thanks for highlighting this.
I’ve always said that. When cars close pass me when cycling it’s because they’re scared. Scared of holding people up behind, scared of looking for gaps, scared of me and approaching cars. Same with middle laners. Scared to change lane!
The slight creep forward at the give-way junction is interesting (I don't do that myself as a car driver). As a motorcyclist (especially) on the main road I glance down to look at wheel movement in cars at junction as an early indication of intention to emerge and might slow down more and or toot the horn if they are about to drive out in front of me (not that uncommon). If I'm on the main road and I see people creeping it makes me think they are about to emerge in front of me. Suppose you might say there's two sides ...you creeping is an indication of when you expect to emerge and if that tells me a second early that you haven't seen me its a good thing maybe.
Locking on classic on a motorcycle, I was taught in there is a rock in the middle of the road ,don’t look at it,..you’ll hit it! Look to the road one side or the other.
Great video Ash. Here are some of my own driving shortcomings, fully aired out in public! 1. When practicing the optimum line through a bend, I become too fixated on looking down at the road in my attempt to achieve that ideal line that I forget one of the very reasons I'm doing so is for optimal forward vision through the bend. 2. Not paying enough attention to road signs...and acting on them! If a passenger were to ask me "What was the last road sign we passed?" I'd often not be able to recall. Getting better though. 3. Even though I rate myself better than average in terms of looking well ahead, I need to improve my long distance forward observation even further as well as picking up subtle clues. Sidenote: I play the same game that Ashley stated in other videos he plays: I try to see how much earlier I spot / anticipate things compared to other drivers by virtue of how much earlier I react to hazards. Still need to improve though. 4. Not as yet practicing the advanced system of car control, namely IPSGA (Information, Position, Speed, Gear, Acceleration), despite reading about it and watching videos on it extensively. I tend to just do it all by "instinct" rather than via that formal system, though certainly with a certain degree of being systematic. 5. Not as yet having any formal advanced driver training...nor submitting myself for the subsequent RoadSmart Advanced Driving test. One of these years!
