There's nothing more satisfying than admitting to ones own eff up. I've learned this as a professional pilot. Continually aiming to be better is a goal. Accepting that you will always mess up is the reality.
If everyone, regardless whether your interested in advanced driving or improving your driving or not, could take this advice on board and nothing else then the roads would instantly become a better place. Fantastic bit of advice. And we are ALL guilty of over reacting to someone’s else’s mistake....and 5 minutes later probably thought yeah I overreacted there!
Very true. I learned a long time ago to that if somebody does something that winds you up, let it go, forget it straight away. Otherwise it changes your mindset and then you're not concentrating as well because you're wound up. The worst ones are those who pull into your path and cause you to brake, and you can guarantee it will be one of those "perfect" drivers who have never had an accident because they plod around everywhere at 20mph. I generally find those type of drivers don't even realise they have done it. They're the worst to get out of your heard because you're now seething every second they are sat in front of you, but if you forget it, switch your mindset to something more positive, it gets the angry feeling out of your head very quickly.
A few months ago, I made a similar mistake and hit standing water. I was on the A343 coming out of Lopcome Corner near Salisbury (in the Salisbury Direction); the speed limit goes from a 50 to a national at the point where I went for the overtake. Prior to that point in the road, there are double-whites, and the vehicle in front of me was doddering along at 30mph. While I have done overtakes at that point dozens of times in the past, one thing I haven't done is an overtake at that point in the pishing down rain. Did all my checks, moved out for the overtake, gave it some beans and hit standing water with the offside wheels. The traction and stability controls did their thing, but it was down to me to stop the car going into the vehicle I was passing or into the hedge. I pulled over a little way down the road to recompose myself, and change my shorts.
One of your best. In your incident you stated that traffic was light. My analysis would be that you probably would have been slower if traffic was around so the incident would not have happened and you would not have had to correct without space. This is the advantage of lots of learned experience. Even using the ‘System’ we do things as an automaton sometimes including some of the ‘risk-assessment’. I think this why many ‘trained-advanced-drivers’ can recall incidents that they ‘got out of it’ because perhaps only one element of the whole risk package became out of their control and needed correcting. I had a skidding incident in 1998 (first unintentional one since I started to drive in 1973) after which I initially thought that all my training (in time and money) had been wasted - until I realised that all the training and experience enabled me to thoroughly analyse what happened and learned what I must do in future to prevent a repeat of it. And so far, so good! Just working on all the others now! Long time since I have heard “One year’s experience repeated 30 times!”. Sometimes we do get the “Old head on young shoulders” though - the Earl of Cottenham was in his twenties when he sowed the seeds for Roadcraft.
I had the same thing in my M2, I switched to Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S’s and the car is now MUCH better in wet conditions and coping with standing water on motorways. There have been incidents of M2’s spinning out at 60 mph with at least 5mm on the rear tyres.
This video helped me so much on my test today! Stalled out of a junction and that would normally make me spiral into further mistakes but I accepted it and carried on and passed! Many Thanks.
Great video. Don't dwell on the mistake/incident (you will drive into the next one). Look ahead and start applying the advanced system. Park the mistake/incident until the ignition turned off. I write mine in a small notebook. In all cases when I thought about each incident there was always something I could have done to avoid the incident. Write that down. Keep learning. Thanks again.
Great video and excellent advice on how to handle mistakes - both my own, and others'. Two quick stories... You mentioned seeing test candidates go to pieces after a making a mistake. Funnily enough, on my basic test I dropped a clanger. Examiner directed me to drive down a road with a "No though road" sign. I got it into my head it was a "no entry" sign and refused. Examiner directed me to park up and then gave me a lecture about how examiners would not try to trick me! I thought, "Right, I've messed up. That's another fail then." (I had failed my first attempt.) With nothing to lose, I relaxed and drove normally. The examiner really put me through my paces after that. For example, I had to do my hill start behind a parked car on a busy road. At the end he tested me on my signs again, including "No Entry" and "No through road" which I correctly identified. After a few minutes careful thought, much to my amazement, he announced I had passed! Second story relates to predicting other people's mistakes. Many years later, after I had passed my IAM test, I was in a line of three cars coming up to a roundabout. In front of me was an Audi TT piloted by another IAM member. Looking through the roundabout I could see a service station with a car sitting in the forecourt. The thought came to me, "I bet that car is going to move out in front of us." Sure enough, as the three cars came through the roundabout, the forecourt car moved out. As soon as he started moving, I was on the brakes. And so was my colleage in front of me! A second or so later, the driver in front of us hit the brakes and flashed his lights in reaction to the intrusion. Vividly brought home to me the advantages of having IAM skills. The fool never learns from his mistakes. The sensible man learns from his mistakes. But the really wise man learns from the mistakes of others!
A thought I often have about other people's mistakes. In some cases in that in that last split second when they realise they f***ed up but it's very nearly (or actually) too late for them to do anything about it, they probably needed a change of trousers even more than you did. Watching a Ford transit do 20-0mph in about its own length and end up halfway out into my path (I was riding my bike and already planning to stop/avoid), I remember thinking he must have absolutley soiled himself in that final second or two when he realised that he might possibly run a cyclist over unless he stood on the brakes some time in the next 0.05 seconds 😬.
Hi reg your vidio looks local to me I live in leigh lancashire and did a lot of walking around Horwich (Rivington)next year I am learning to become a Advanced driver in Bolton so I guess I would be doing a lot of driving around there . I think your videos are amazing I am watching and learning great work reg thank you for sharing your knowledge..
I was literally thinking about coming to your channel to see if there's something new, then the notification just popped up. Already pressed the like button, I know it's going to be a great video.
Great video buddy thank-you.. Something I've learnt from starting my Rospa rider training is using observations much more, processing that information and using it.. This has greatly reduced the stress in my driving and riding, I'm much happier on the road and I'm not reacting to everything so much. I was never an aggressive driver just found it can be stressful too often. I wish more people took even a few advanced lessons, it doesn't take much to change your attitude.. Thanks for the video mate
Good day to you Reg. A valuable and worthwhile presentation. I am literally just starting the IAM 'course' so find your video's an excellent add on. Your comments on blame are so right and part of my personal make up. I make no bones about it, it is not easy and i am a slow learner to boot ! Looking forward to the next few months :) Regards Mike in County Durham
Good video thanks. I agree that it is about understanding the root cause of the mistake, perhaps a particular element of IPSGA, and filing it for onward use. It is easy to become preoccupied with a mistake, compromise your concentration and hence your observation which is the key to it all. There are new situations developing up ahead and it would be a shame to make more mistakes whilst thinking about the last one!
The waterlogged bit sounds like the M6 somewhere around Preston northbound. It's a regular problem in those conditions in that area. Some sort of advanced drainage is required and it's well past time the authorities did something about it. You have to accept your own part in any error of course, but I'm a big believer in cause and effect, and the cause was what created the incident in the first place. It makes me angry that they bang on so much about safety yet through inaction, allow things like this to occur.
Hi Reg, just to affirm what you're saying - during an advanced test I accelerated away from a LH T-Junction, making progress then a 40mph repeater appeared!! I didn't hit brakes but immediately took the power off and came back down to 40, had about another 25 mins of my run to go and just had to keep my head. When we sat down for coffee and a debrief the examiners first question was "did you make any mistakes"? As what happened wasn't subtle or an opinion, it was obvious and so I confessed lol, he just smiled and said "everyone makes mistakes, you spotted it, you fixed it immediately"
Inspiring video. I had a similar experience due to a combination of stupid mistakes (too fast on cold tires meets farm entrance, standing water and white lines). I never want to be in that out of control situation again!
Mistakes are how we learn best. But only if we keep an open mind to learning from them. Very often we are quick to blame others when in fact we at least played a part in it. The only bad mistake is the one we do not learn from.
Two things: first, I take it that you weren't on cruise control when you hit the water, but what would have been the likely outcome if you were? And would FWD and RWD make a difference? Second I agree with the comments about mistakes and tests; when I took my IAM test my examiner was being supervised. At one point I entered an oval roundabout just as a car appeared around the far end to my right, fast, about 25 yards away. After the other car had closed up he blasted his horn. The supervisor in the back said, "That was a bit unnecessary," and I spent the whole of the rest of the test wondering whether he was talking about me, or the other car. It completely threw me.
One of my friends passed his DSA driving test a few months ago with no minor errors, so whether some were missed or he only made very minor errors I’m not sure!
I know someone who passed with no minors either. I don’t think it’s THAT uncommon but what we’ve got to remember is the L test is a very low standard compared to to say a police advanced standard. So something that wouldn’t be a minor in a DSA test could be in an advanced test.
During my time as an instructor at a Police Driving School there were some testers who would actually enjoy the drive more if a student made a considerable error on a final drive and then recovered from it to drive well. They realised we all make errors and saw it as a real positive when a mistake was not compounded by further errors caused by worrying about the initial one. The error was most often written off if the student just got on with the job at hand. Obviously, DSA tests are not like that. I make just as many errors as anyone, but as an instructor I was very skilled in covering up for mine. I would ask for constructive criticism after a demonstration drive to be told by students that it was faultless. I'd then analyse the drive and pick out the errors I had made that the students hadn't appreciated. As you say, don't grass yourself up in a commentary.
For your IAM Advanced test, you absolutely can use any and all in-car technology available to you - however your examiner may also wish to see (and you probably want to demonstrate) your own ability to expertly operate the vehicle's controls.
You can, but it will probably hinder your progress should you wish to take an overtaking opportunity (as in the real world, overtakes are not done within the speed limit).
Do you have any tips on patience? Sometimes I feel like I'm not patient enough; like I want to go faster than the car in front but due to circumstances an overtake isn't viable. I don't want to tailgate people to force them into moving over but I want to make sure they know I want to go past if you get me.
Take a mental note of details about them and stay well clear of them for the rest of your driving career, as the blue Reliant probably wished it did with Mr Bean :)
There's nothing more satisfying than admitting to ones own eff up. I've learned this as a professional pilot. Continually aiming to be better is a goal. Accepting that you will always mess up is the reality.
If everyone, regardless whether your interested in advanced driving or improving your driving or not, could take this advice on board and nothing else then the roads would instantly become a better place. Fantastic bit of advice. And we are ALL guilty of over reacting to someone’s else’s mistake....and 5 minutes later probably thought yeah I overreacted there!
Very true. I learned a long time ago to that if somebody does something that winds you up, let it go, forget it straight away. Otherwise it changes your mindset and then you're not concentrating as well because you're wound up. The worst ones are those who pull into your path and cause you to brake, and you can guarantee it will be one of those "perfect" drivers who have never had an accident because they plod around everywhere at 20mph. I generally find those type of drivers don't even realise they have done it. They're the worst to get out of your heard because you're now seething every second they are sat in front of you, but if you forget it, switch your mindset to something more positive, it gets the angry feeling out of your head very quickly.
A few months ago, I made a similar mistake and hit standing water. I was on the A343 coming out of Lopcome Corner near Salisbury (in the Salisbury Direction); the speed limit goes from a 50 to a national at the point where I went for the overtake. Prior to that point in the road, there are double-whites, and the vehicle in front of me was doddering along at 30mph. While I have done overtakes at that point dozens of times in the past, one thing I haven't done is an overtake at that point in the pishing down rain.
Did all my checks, moved out for the overtake, gave it some beans and hit standing water with the offside wheels. The traction and stability controls did their thing, but it was down to me to stop the car going into the vehicle I was passing or into the hedge. I pulled over a little way down the road to recompose myself, and change my shorts.
One of your best.
In your incident you stated that traffic was light. My analysis would be that you probably would have been slower if traffic was around so the incident would not have happened and you would not have had to correct without space. This is the advantage of lots of learned experience. Even using the ‘System’ we do things as an automaton sometimes including some of the ‘risk-assessment’. I think this why many ‘trained-advanced-drivers’ can recall incidents that they ‘got out of it’ because perhaps only one element of the whole risk package became out of their control and needed correcting. I had a skidding incident in 1998 (first unintentional one since I started to drive in 1973) after which I initially thought that all my training (in time and money) had been wasted - until I realised that all the training and experience enabled me to thoroughly analyse what happened and learned what I must do in future to prevent a repeat of it. And so far, so good! Just working on all the others now!
Long time since I have heard “One year’s experience repeated 30 times!”. Sometimes we do get the “Old head on young shoulders” though - the Earl of Cottenham was in his twenties when he sowed the seeds for Roadcraft.
I had the same thing in my M2, I switched to Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S’s and the car is now MUCH better in wet conditions and coping with standing water on motorways. There have been incidents of M2’s spinning out at 60 mph with at least 5mm on the rear tyres.
This video helped me so much on my test today!
Stalled out of a junction and that would normally make me spiral into further mistakes but I accepted it and carried on and passed!
Many Thanks.
20:28 - A pretty well timed scenario for the dialogue! Tight squeeze!
Great video. Don't dwell on the mistake/incident (you will drive into the next one). Look ahead and start applying the advanced system. Park the mistake/incident until the ignition turned off. I write mine in a small notebook. In all cases when I thought about each incident there was always something I could have done to avoid the incident. Write that down. Keep learning. Thanks again.
Great video and excellent advice on how to handle mistakes - both my own, and others'.
Two quick stories...
You mentioned seeing test candidates go to pieces after a making a mistake. Funnily enough, on my basic test I dropped a clanger. Examiner directed me to drive down a road with a "No though road" sign. I got it into my head it was a "no entry" sign and refused. Examiner directed me to park up and then gave me a lecture about how examiners would not try to trick me!
I thought, "Right, I've messed up. That's another fail then." (I had failed my first attempt.) With nothing to lose, I relaxed and drove normally.
The examiner really put me through my paces after that. For example, I had to do my hill start behind a parked car on a busy road.
At the end he tested me on my signs again, including "No Entry" and "No through road" which I correctly identified.
After a few minutes careful thought, much to my amazement, he announced I had passed!
Second story relates to predicting other people's mistakes. Many years later, after I had passed my IAM test, I was in a line of three cars coming up to a roundabout. In front of me was an Audi TT piloted by another IAM member. Looking through the roundabout I could see a service station with a car sitting in the forecourt. The thought came to me, "I bet that car is going to move out in front of us."
Sure enough, as the three cars came through the roundabout, the forecourt car moved out. As soon as he started moving, I was on the brakes. And so was my colleage in front of me! A second or so later, the driver in front of us hit the brakes and flashed his lights in reaction to the intrusion.
Vividly brought home to me the advantages of having IAM skills.
The fool never learns from his mistakes. The sensible man learns from his mistakes. But the really wise man learns from the mistakes of others!
A thought I often have about other people's mistakes. In some cases in that in that last split second when they realise they f***ed up but it's very nearly (or actually) too late for them to do anything about it, they probably needed a change of trousers even more than you did. Watching a Ford transit do 20-0mph in about its own length and end up halfway out into my path (I was riding my bike and already planning to stop/avoid), I remember thinking he must have absolutley soiled himself in that final second or two when he realised that he might possibly run a cyclist over unless he stood on the brakes some time in the next 0.05 seconds 😬.
Hi reg your vidio looks local to me I live in leigh lancashire and did a lot of walking around Horwich (Rivington)next year I am learning to become a Advanced driver in Bolton so I guess I would be doing a lot of driving around there .
I think your videos are amazing I am watching and learning great work reg thank you for sharing your knowledge..
I was literally thinking about coming to your channel to see if there's something new, then the notification just popped up. Already pressed the like button, I know it's going to be a great video.
Great video buddy thank-you.. Something I've learnt from starting my Rospa rider training is using observations much more, processing that information and using it.. This has greatly reduced the stress in my driving and riding, I'm much happier on the road and I'm not reacting to everything so much. I was never an aggressive driver just found it can be stressful too often.
I wish more people took even a few advanced lessons, it doesn't take much to change your attitude..
Thanks for the video mate
Good day to you Reg. A valuable and worthwhile presentation. I am literally just starting the IAM 'course' so find your
video's an excellent add on. Your comments on blame are so right and part of my personal make up. I make no bones
about it, it is not easy and i am a slow learner to boot ! Looking forward to the next few months :)
Regards Mike in County Durham
Good video thanks. I agree that it is about understanding the root cause of the mistake, perhaps a particular element of IPSGA, and filing it for onward use. It is easy to become preoccupied with a mistake, compromise your concentration and hence your observation which is the key to it all. There are new situations developing up ahead and it would be a shame to make more mistakes whilst thinking about the last one!
The waterlogged bit sounds like the M6 somewhere around Preston northbound. It's a regular problem in those conditions in that area. Some sort of advanced drainage is required and it's well past time the authorities did something about it. You have to accept your own part in any error of course, but I'm a big believer in cause and effect, and the cause was what created the incident in the first place. It makes me angry that they bang on so much about safety yet through inaction, allow things like this to occur.
Hi Reg, just to affirm what you're saying - during an advanced test I accelerated away from a LH T-Junction, making progress then a 40mph repeater appeared!! I didn't hit brakes but immediately took the power off and came back down to 40, had about another 25 mins of my run to go and just had to keep my head. When we sat down for coffee and a debrief the examiners first question was "did you make any mistakes"? As what happened wasn't subtle or an opinion, it was obvious and so I confessed lol, he just smiled and said "everyone makes mistakes, you spotted it, you fixed it immediately"
Not just great driving advice, but also great life advice. Thank you.
Thank you for this advice , passed my test 4days ago been alone on the road once and still learning .keep up the good work sir.
A weasel is weasily recognised, a stoat it stotally different.
Inspiring video. I had a similar experience due to a combination of stupid mistakes (too fast on cold tires meets farm entrance, standing water and white lines). I never want to be in that out of control situation again!
8:16 I can't understand people that do that. "I can't go, I know I can't go, lets roll forwards a few feet that will help"
Some good lessons and great advice, thanks Reg 😊
Great knowledgeable video, well delivered. Thanks for posting
Great video, and really helpful for me going into IAM aiming for a first, then Observer, then Masters. Thank you
Excellent. However good our skills are a poor attitude to such issues can betray us all.
Just brilliant videos
Mistakes are how we learn best. But only if we keep an open mind to learning from them. Very often we are quick to blame others when in fact we at least played a part in it. The only bad mistake is the one we do not learn from.
Two things: first, I take it that you weren't on cruise control when you hit the water, but what would have been the likely outcome if you were? And would FWD and RWD make a difference?
Second I agree with the comments about mistakes and tests; when I took my IAM test my examiner was being supervised. At one point I entered an oval roundabout just as a car appeared around the far end to my right, fast, about 25 yards away. After the other car had closed up he blasted his horn. The supervisor in the back said, "That was a bit unnecessary," and I spent the whole of the rest of the test wondering whether he was talking about me, or the other car. It completely threw me.
One of my friends passed his DSA driving test a few months ago with no minor errors, so whether some were missed or he only made very minor errors I’m not sure!
I know someone who passed with no minors either. I don’t think it’s THAT uncommon but what we’ve got to remember is the L test is a very low standard compared to to say a police advanced standard. So something that wouldn’t be a minor in a DSA test could be in an advanced test.
During my time as an instructor at a Police Driving School there were some testers who would actually enjoy the drive more if a student made a considerable error on a final drive and then recovered from it to drive well. They realised we all make errors and saw it as a real positive when a mistake was not compounded by further errors caused by worrying about the initial one. The error was most often written off if the student just got on with the job at hand. Obviously, DSA tests are not like that.
I make just as many errors as anyone, but as an instructor I was very skilled in covering up for mine. I would ask for constructive criticism after a demonstration drive to be told by students that it was faultless. I'd then analyse the drive and pick out the errors I had made that the students hadn't appreciated. As you say, don't grass yourself up in a commentary.
Great advise .
Also can you please advise if you can use a speed limiter on advanced driving test or part 2 to become a driving instructor?
Thank you
For your IAM Advanced test, you absolutely can use any and all in-car technology available to you - however your examiner may also wish to see (and you probably want to demonstrate) your own ability to expertly operate the vehicle's controls.
@@hughraynor8670
Thank you
You can, but it will probably hinder your progress should you wish to take an overtaking opportunity (as in the real world, overtakes are not done within the speed limit).
Do you have any tips on patience? Sometimes I feel like I'm not patient enough; like I want to go faster than the car in front but due to circumstances an overtake isn't viable. I don't want to tailgate people to force them into moving over but I want to make sure they know I want to go past if you get me.
Dear Reg, I think when you aquaplaned you should have just eased off and kept steering straight.
Hi, Good one, but what do you do when someone does it to you three of four times??
Take a mental note of details about them and stay well clear of them for the rest of your driving career, as the blue Reliant probably wished it did with Mr Bean :)
Good video, just a little repetitive for my liking , could have been all said and reinforced in 10 mins.