How To Drive Like A Driving Instructor | Have They Seen Me? Thanks
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 ก.ย. 2024
- I wish more people would use this question when I drive.
Big thanks to @ChrisMartinEMS for the inspiration for this subject. At 32:22 I explain how.
/ @chrismartinems
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Ego is the biggest barrier to being a good driver.
Ego is a big barrier to all road users. Even professionals need to learn to accept that they make mistakes and that they can learn from the advice of others.
This can be applied to everything unforunately.
Totally agree. However, don't forget: Age, Eyesight, Training, and many factors that make up natural ability.
And impatience.
What? You mean that I shouldn’t just stare at the road 30’ in front of me?
😂
Many years ago, a flying instructor imparted the following advice that I try to follow in all I do:
It’s not the risk, it the consequences.
Thank you Bruce
I would never have thought of checking the position of another vehicle's door mirror!
Great collab. I've been following Chris for years now. The skill required to drive at speed combined with the attitude to remain calm enough to then arrive and administer skilled healthcare is beyond admirable.
One thing I’ve heard Chris and other emergency drivers say do and say is, when approaching other vehicles that are maybe in a pinch point or are passing close to each other etc is that they hold back and say something like “I’ll let them sort themselves out”. I find that philosophy helps me as a van driver. So many people insert themselves into a problem, but if you sit back, let others fix themselves out, then you proceed often you get through quicker because you are not adding an element of complication
Best video ever by my opinion.
It's a shame only a small number with an interest & willing to improve will watch it.
This should be put on the national curriculum as it is a life skill not just a one time 'good enough to pass the test' video.
Great work Ashley
That, Ashley, was a masterclass. No shit. You perfectly demonstrated that normal, everyday driving demands a lot of careful attention - that the "cognitive load", as you would say, is high. I've noticed that just driving 30 yards down my street, the amount of brain-work involved is immense: for perception, interpretation, reasoning, judgment, etc. Which poses a practical problem: Because driverless vehicles don't have consciousness, they can only do a tiny fraction of what humans can do! (You unintentionally triggered my driverless car phobia.) Anyway, thank you, and Peace Out!
15 mins in and this is the best video on driving I've ever watched, excellent.
People who say, "I have priority", regardless of insurance outcome, it still goes against you
Nicely timed video. I have just got back from cycling. I was on a roundabout earlier. My positioning was good, indication was good & I was wearing fluoro yellow. A car approached & it was my right of way. I was not in their A post blind spot. They had no excuse whatsoever for not seeing me but they failed to stop & caused me to take evasive action by riding another full circle around the roundabout. I was aware because I had my leg broken in a near identical incident a few years ago. Another driver acknowledged me when I went to turn off at the same exit again. I am pretty sure they had seen everything as they approached.
"My right of way" would not have helped. I saved myself from another road user causing me injury.
@@TheRip72 It's also about looking out for your safety, rather than your rights.
I too prefer inconvenience over injury.
@@StefanVeenstra Very well put.
@@TheRip72 that's not about whether you had priority or not though, you had priority and was already taking it, you took evading action to stop being smashed into AFTER ou'd taken priorit. Not taking priorit would have meant you let the car go past before entering the rbt.
The thing is though is that more and more the vulnerable user ceding to those that do more harm, means the take even less resp overall and take even more dangerous actions thinking others will get out the way
Hi Ashley, I have been watching for probably 2 plus years now and even sent you a couple of videos that you have used.
I just fealt id like to say that i class myself as a professional driver (Delivering Grocerys). i can safly say i never thought of others as much as i do now / you are right and it has saved me meny a time. i now find mysalf putting your principles in to practice and enjoy my driving more and feeling good if i help putting a situation right by holding back or just reading the situation early. Keep up the great work.
I love that you said ''have I been seen'' is the opposite of ''I have priority''. 😀
It is a much better way of thinking isn't it.
Priority is given and never taken is one that I like which also leads into the have they seen me mantra as nothing can be given if you haven’t been seen
There's a common adage in software engineering, "A good programmer checks both ways before crossing a one-way street" i.e. one should check that their assumptions about the inputs and the current state are actually correct before proceeding with the rest of the code. Applies just as well to an actual road.
"Priority is always given not taken" is a mindset that has certainly changed my driving.
As well as asking "Have they seen me?" I also make a point of asking myself "Have I seen the other road user?" Because, as well as other road users making the mistake of not seeing you, it's also possible you could make the same mistake.
Classic example is pulling out of a side junction, have I looked sufficiently in every direction to make sure I haven't missed a motorbike (and they don't always have their headlight on, can be a dark coloured bike and rider in dark clothing, even on a rainy day!). I still remember the old "Think Once, Think Twice, Think Bike" public service information films.
Also, in any situation where another road user fails to see you, use that as a learning experience to not make the same error yourself. Again, it's a two way learning opportunity. A good example is when another driver merges into Lane 1 of a motorway when you are in Lane 2 and then that driver immediately starts to change into Lane 2 when you are in their blind spot. You can use that as TWO learning opportunities. 1. Try not to be in the blind spot of someone who's just merged onto the motorway. 2. Don't make the same error yourself when merging - check your blind spot via over the shoulder, and don't rush your lane changes or try to blend two lane changes into one continous manouvre
Sometimes, the IGP brigade rush round a corner then blame traffic pulling out from side roads as if they are meant to be truly psychic. Don't take any of this stress from others personally. We have no idea what other people are going through in their lives, etc. But whatever trials in life you go through, as soon as you get in the car, take a moment; a deep breath; get centred, and then proceed (seat belt, lights, wing mirrors.... have I been seen).
Couldn't agree more, Ashley. I don't think that training for my Advanced Driving test taught me much about driving that I didn't already know (you need those basic skills to pass a driving test after all!), but what it DID do is teach me about observation and being seen, as you point out in your video. I also agree with Hozzer below about "ego" - well said!
I'm looking into possibly doing and advanced driving course probably with IAM, who did you do yours with if you don't mind me asking?
I certainly feel how I drive has changed a lot since watching your videos. I don't trust any other driver on the road now & as long as I do everything possible to keep myself and others around me safe then I'll do it. A RTC may be the other person's fault but you could then still have to deal with insurance companies, have no car for a while & worst case scenario injuries or death.
The checking all other directions when moving off when traffic light turns green is something I have started doing recently without giving it a 2nd thought - perhaps partly through one of my local junctions appearing on your bad driving videos.
I'm know I still have loads of "faults" in my driving - would be love to have a qualified instructor sit with me and point out my flaws.
That could almost have been myself writing what you just wrote! I found myself agreeing with just about all of it and very much reflects my own approach.
Actually, this video came at a good time to point out something I wanted to mention. Some time ago, Ashley had a collection of "viewer submission" videos, one of which was from an international viewer driving down a mountain road on a sunny day with shaded areas to the side. That video clip showed them just barely noticing a cyclist in the shaded side area at the last moment and the viewer swerved to just barely avoided them. I remember Ashley commenting "This clip is from Canada" and by a remarkable coincidence, I immediately recognised it as the road coming down Cypress Mountain on the north shore of Vancouver, which many of you know, is my other home town as a Brit-Canadian.
Anyhow, what I'm Ieading up to with this is: My Mum and I were coming back from a local car show here in Kent yesterday. Sunny day and we decided to take some back roads home. We entered a shaded area of road and I immediately thought of that Canadian clip from a few years ago. I even commented to my Mum that one thing I really have to watch out for here is cyclists hidden in the shady areas. I also went on to comment that I am taking my sunglasses off for that very reason. Well, not 30 seconds later along that shaded stretch, guess what we encountered? Hidden in the shadows were a couple of cyclists, barely visible in the shade. I have 6/6 vision in each eye btw. Anyhow, as a direct result of remembering that video clip, I was conciously looking out for cyclists hidden in the shade, was able to spot them early enough to be able to plan ahead, slow down and give them a nice wide berth with no oncoming traffic.
This is a prime example of how Ashley's videos have helped in my driving. So Ashley, a very big Thank You indeed. I guess in this instance I can also thank a fellow Canadian for sending their clip in a few years ago!
Completely agree with you Ash on your point about the perspective of insurance companies and the police. They do just look to aportion blame, and it absolutely does encourage poor road users to take a certain attitude They should look to take a more holistic approach, analysing the risk posed by all road users in a situation (even if they had priority) to ascertain what could have been done differently and hat can be learned, rather than just try to workout out who was "at fault."
I think I’m a reasonably good driver but could do better and I’ve been driving for over 50 years. It’s your videos that tell me I could do better and at 70+ making me more aware, well done buddy!
As a motorcyclist,»have they seen me?» or «what If? Let me back off!» did save me more than once.
Being defensive is the key to your and their safety.
something else that may help you predict the future is watch the front wheel. as you drive by a T junction and you have priority, once you have made yourself visible to the driver (can see their window) then start to watch the front wheel, you will see movement far quicker than their reaction. if you are in multiple lanes, say a car to your left and they begin to slow for a reason and you could be in their blind spot (even though i feel you would most likely be not), watch their front wheel, you will see it if they begin to turn it to change lanes or do a U turn. its one of the best thing my dad taught me, he was an advanced driving instructor, it helped me a lot when i got into motorbikes.
i also found it interesting the different small tips from Ashley compared to things my dad taught me, still lots to learn.
One of your best videos yet Ashley. A master class in observations and positioning.
Yes, as you said, for drivers instructed/tested to Advanced level, that is the sort of watchfulness we practice.
At 31:25 you mentioned people who open doors without looking. Worth mentioning the "Dutch Reach" there, where the HC now expects us to open a door with the arm opposite to the door, thus forcing a look around.
When you slowed for the silver Mercedes emerging to your left, the bus driver behind you had obviously expected you to just power on through (as you say, the "I have priority" mindset) so he got a bit close to you! Always worth considering the traffic behind before slowing to let somebody out. It's not just a case of, "Have I been seen?" but also "Do they understand what I am going to do?" In cases like that, I deliberately touch the brake pedal (even if I don't actually need to brake) just to let drivers behind know that I am not accelerating. Must say, it did show poor anticipation by the bus driver and I was surprised by that as normally they are excellent. Just shows that even the good drivers (like bus drivers) can have a momentary lapse. I know I have, all too often!
Yes, I too watch Chris's videos and they are really good. I have found them helpful to show me how to deal with emergency vehicles properly and calmly.
Your ability to chat coherently, process what is going on, plan, drive, provide comment and also navigate at the same time is awesome.
Well worth the watch and lots of great points raised. Top job!
13:10 to 13:43
Yep, never ever stay alongside a lorry. In my area that has thousands of lorries, I have lost count of accidents caused by people putting themselves in blind spots and/or trying to overtake lorries in roundabouts, it happens all the time.
I had someone tailgating and waving their arms at me as I wouldn’t close the gap to the car in front and in the process put myself next to a lorry. We wasn’t going anywhere fast as there was a lorry in front that was overtaking another one but still they felt if they closed the gap they will get there sooner. Madness I tell you
@@smilerbob Better safe than sorry indeed. Never take orders from other road eejits.
Had one in a laundry delivery van recently behind me at a roundabout, putting arms in the air and pointing at his watch (as seen later when looking at my back camera footage), then he tried to race me twice going nowhere fast. I think madness is the right choice of word.
Drivers should be responsible for their blind spots but they often get missed, so try to be aware of others' blind spots & if you have to pass through them, try to do so as quickly as possible.
@@smilerbob I've had similar and I totally sympathise with you. Those kind of drivers just don't understand the principle of reducing risk by driving in a staggered formation.
@@ibs5080 Indeed they do not and in the scenario of this video where one lorry takes the space you are heading for (and anticipated) then you slow slightly to return to the staggered formation the vehicle directly behind takes immediate offence and thinks you are deliberately holding them up.
I ignore and carry on my day. I like to keep my blood pressure low these days 😉
At around 28:27 that's a rather awkward situation that is totally not of your own making. You chose the right hand lane in good faith in order to get past a row of stationary buses and in the meantime, they start to move off, leaving you stranded in the right hand lane which is for straight ahead and right turn, with the potential of leaving you trapped behind traffic waiting to turn right. I have been in a similar situation and as much as good driving involves anticipation, there is no way you could have anticipated when any of those buses would have moved off, leaving the left hand lane flowing again for you to use.
I remember reading about an advanced driving course for police drivers quite some time ago. I assume they are still taught the same way or at least very similar: They were asked to verbalise their observations and what they meant for their driving. Many things were covered in this video, like have the other drivers seen me, where is potential risk, what does a road layout mean etc. One example I remember was them driving on a motorway/dual carriageway, passing an exit slip road (and possibly going under a bridge, can't remember all details) in a bend meaning they couldn't see very far ahead. Having passed an exit slip road they were expected to verbalise that there would likely be an entry slip road soon after, meaning vehicles joining.
Another thing I remember was that they were not only expected to notice and verbalise other participants but also various environmental factors. One example was noticing rain clouds in the direction they were travelling, so they should verbalise that they might encounter rain, which in turn could mean less visibility, less grip due to wet surface and more. During the colder months they should notice and verbalise areas with a higher risk of ice, eg bridges. They were also expected to prepare for it if possible, eg switching on lights before fully necessary
Can't remember if that was mentioned in the article, but I think it's good to also keep in mind "events" and time. I noticed this being mentioned in this video but also other clips. Things like a funeral (or wedding for that matter, I think that came up before?) when passing a church. Considering pub closing times. Obviously school start/end times. If you have local knowledge various other events like football games starting/ending and whatever else could bring more people out, especially when they might be distracted by the event they are going to / coming from.
Commentary driving, or "Spoken thought" is a great advanced driving technique. Ashley has recommended it: well worth a try!
Good advice at the end for each of us to try commentary driving ourselves. I'd go as far as to say that if you have a dash cam, occassionally review your own footage afterwards too, especially also if you have indeed done some commentary driving. I find when I review my own footage, I pick up on things I missed as well as things I could have done differently.
I often review my own footage especially when there had been a monent on a journey that I wasn’t 100% sure on and then look, review and make adjustments where necessary to my driving 👍
Maybe that could be a new feature on this channel - “Rate my commentary” - where we record a 30 minute journey giving commentary on our actions, when we have seen and what we are thinking, and Ashley rates each part out of 10 (or maybe A-F) and then an overall review at the end
Congratulations Ashley, this is superlative. I already do the verbalisation on my own sometimes, fantasising that I have a dashcam. The next stage might be to do it and stay calm with my most frequent passenger, who hasn't quite got the programme.
Police and insurance blame-apportioning mentalities have their place when things have gone badly wrong, but I agree that to be a good road user takes much more, an attitude of "How can I contribute?". And as you observe, this eliminates your own stress on a drive in a big city. A good starting point, in life as well as using roads, is to take 100% responsibility for whatever we can, and this video is a perfect example of that.
when teaching my son, when he was approaching a junction, i had to repeatedly say "LOOK RIGHT, TRY AND MAKE EYE CONTACT" that eye contact is pivotal to me, sun glasses reduce that possibility so you have to try to use extra cues to confirm/accept recognition and never assume and be prepared.
One thing I am bearing in mind as I go through this excellent video and listening to Ashley's running commentary. I recall in another of Ashley's "How to Drive Like a Driving Instructor" series, Ashley mentioned in his running commentary that there is actually a great deal more going through his mind than he has time to comment on. So this is something else to bear in mind in any of his commentary videos. In this video, he is focusing on the topic of "Have they seen me?" in his commentary but we can safely say there is a lot more that he is assessing in his mind as he drives along, and so should the rest of us.
Very true, even doing a commentary drive one has to prioritise the importance of what to comment upon and what to just do without talking about it.
At around 10:53, you make an excellent point about checking every which way even when proceeding through a green light. I reckon very few drivers do this and instead just automatically think "I've got the green light, nothing can go wrong". We've all seen plenty of videos of Red Light Jumpers. Also, so many drivers, in their enthusiasm to be first away from the lights, don't bother checking for cross traffic, plus they are often away during the red and amber phase.
The other issue is to watch out for emergency vehicles coming through red lights, treating them as a "Give Way".
I did that myself, once, during an emergency dash to hospital. So you cannot assume a red light means nobody is going to come through!
Excellent content, thanks for sharing. I totally agree re the "I have priority" mindset, it's been around for years but still a growing trend, exacerbated by many factors but mainly self importance.
I’m a fellow instructor…I always say “if you can’t see them, they can’t see you “ and “the danger always comes from where you can’t see”
The distance between your eyes are around 2 1/2"inches wide. A car is about 6ft wide. So a van or truck driver in front in his left mirror can see your car well before you can see him.
@@saundersdachicken6197 Until that truck turns slightly then the mirrors are useless. Have you ever seen the stickers on the back that say "if you can't see my mirrors, I can't see you" exactly the same principle. Take someone reversing off a drive or coming out of a restricted view junction. If you can't see that drivers eyes, they can't or haven't seen you
@@ianspeare539 if a car behind a truck moves 4ft to the left the trucker can clearly see that much of the car. The drivers may not be able to see each other. If the car is directly behind the truck up to a certain distance they would not be able to see each other. Different with a pedestrian, cyclist or biker. That saying would be true.
I love Chris's channel. Super driver, even if those with whom he shares the road aren't always the best!
At around 41:29 one of the things I like about driving in the UK is that even the smallest courtesy is often acknowledged by the other driver. I strive to do the same. In this example, you simply moved left ever so slightly to share the space with the oncoming van and from you reaction of "You're alright buddy" I gather the van driver acknowledged your courtesy, though I could not tell directly from the video, purely from your reaction. I have to say, the other thing about UK driving is the "give and take" that often occurs, with drivers working together to deal with a narrow or awkward situation. So it's not all bad here!
We should all have the mindset that roads are there to be shared 👍
Aww Ashley you are an amazing instructor 💯👌hopefully this will help with my test 😊...I love when you say Bob n Tom its soo cute 😍 ,yes speaking out loud helps with concentration ☺️And love your ending with the video with big respect 🙏 to the funeral 💖
Once again thank you 😊 xx
At around 42:36, absolutely spot on regarding from a "police and insurance company" perspective versus a defensive driving perspective of reducing risk and avoiding an accident in the first place, regardless of whether you have priority or that it was the other driver's fault. As has been said on many occasions, good driving is partly skill but also partly having the right attitude.
That can really depend where you're at, where I live, in Puerto Rico, you can get shared fault by both the police and insurance and I've heard of similar out in some of the states, however most places only focus on who broke the rules and nothing more.
Driving according to how the police or insurance will judge you simply reduces your thinking to 'what can I get away with?' - immediately following this thought comes running lights, habitual speeding, squeezing through gaps, and so forth.
but loading more responsibility onto the non at fault party is where this is going and it doesn't work at population level, that deflects responsibility away from them and they never learn and think the can carry on like that until they meet someone who isn't as nuanced or worse, a vulnerable road user!
Ashle basicall states peds and bike riders need to take more responsibilit and yet this only works for worse outcomes as drivers take even less care.
Regarding the way the police/insurance view incidents, they apply the test of "Have they achieved the minimum standard of driving", not "Have they achieved an exceptional level of driving".
Aim to be exceptional and you'll always far exceed the minimum. We should all try to be better than "just good enough".
Have I been seen before I watch this this is a vital question for anyone especially cylists and even more so Motorcyclists.
I love these drive like a instructor videos, always gets me thinking about my own driving. Even before this video I say constantly have they seen me, even more important driving a bus everyday as they do take some stopping when full and empty come to think about it. But it's surprising how many people don't see us and the surprised look on there faces when they do, keep up the great work Ashley.
The Jct where you held back before pulling behind the car at the lights . The bus pulled into the keep clear.!!
I would suggest that when you come to traffic lights or any other time you may have to stop for any time that you use your handbrake. If you're shunted from the back, your foot will come off the brake and you could hit the vehicle in front, or hit a pedestrian if you're first in the queue at a crossing. It also prevents the 21w brake lights blinding the driver behind you, especially at night.
This was such a great video. The cars emerging round the bends at the start of the video proved your point perfectly
At around 20:50, good point about checking your nearside mirror prior to exiting a roundabout. I have noticed a growing trend recently for other drivers to use the left lane of certain roundabouts to turn right, just to jump the longer queue of vehicles correctly using the right lane for the same exit. I know that SOME roundabouts do legitimately allow two lanes to take a roundabout exit that's past the 12 O clock position but I'm talking about ones that don't.
Here's a small story as a comment on the "insurance company point of view". My mom and stepdad were involved in an accident on a motorway. They were travelling in two separate cars (both with one passenger, not necessarily in the front seat) when my mom accidentally pushed the brake instead of the gas and came to a full stop on the motorway. For context, this was in France so they drove on the right-hand side; motorway had 2 lanes, they were travelling in lane 1, lane 2 wasn't clear (traffic was overtaking); hard shoulder was very narrow. So my stepdad crashed into the back of my mom, causing severe damage to both cars and the bicycle they were carrying, but luckily with only minor human injuries (glass damage).
My mom claimed she was fully at fault for stopping on the motorway, however the insurance company held my stepdad fully liable, and I fully agree. He should have been able to stop in the distance he saw as clear, was travelling way too close and potentially too fast as well. Of course, you cannot anticipate someone to randomly stop on a motorway, but what if a deer crossed, or a gantry sign fell off, or debris fell of a truck in front, etc.? He should have been able to stop in the distance he saw as clear, not matter what.
"Have they seen me" is something I experienced today while out driving, I was approching a roundabout just as a 2 Parents with a 5-7 year old child started walking over the crossing on the other side where I was going to exit, So I slowed down more then I normally do in a roundabout to show that "I have seen you, you can continue walking", I don't think the Dad or the Kid saw me at all, the Mom on the other hand did and gave me a "Thank you" wave.
And that should be the standard, by allowing the vulnerable persons to clear you're decreasing conflict massively. As the driver of a vehicle that is well known to kill and maim daily, the onus should be on us to take 100% responsibility, I don't need them to see me to make the right decision. I also don't need thanks as it's down to me to do the right thing to make sure others aren't getting hurt..
G'day from Australia. I enjoy your channel a lot!. I would call myself a "seasoned driver' BUT I do pick up on a lot of your little tips and apply them to my driving which (in my mind) do make me a lot better driver... Cheers and keep up the good work. :)
this is so accurate i passed a year ago and drive a 3.5tonne van and people do not realise how many blind spots i have to deal with and how careful you have to be while driving it they also think that i am as confident as them while driving because of the van
Exceptional video. Thanks Ashley.
I have to say, having been a driver, both privately, and as a professional, for over 40 years, I still learn from your video's, admittedly, most of it is refreshing things I might have been doing subconsciously anyway. I still have an up-to-date copy of the Highway code, as well and a probably not so up-to-date copy of the Road Craft book, and refer to them often, but watching your videos puts the advice into practice which anyone can recognise the benefits of doing themselves.
When I was young, I thought I was the best driver in the world, but did an advanced driver course, and got shown the error of my ways, from that point, I have always accepted that none of us are perfect, we can so easily drift into bad habits, or become complacent about everything around us, and probably, one of the worst habits, is not being aware of how much or little, others are aware of your presence. I drive as if nobody can see me, and until I am sure they have, treat them as a hazard. I had one driving instructor that would often ask me if the person in a car he deemed to be someone I should have been observing, was wearing glasses or not, if I didn't know the answer, he would ask me how I could possibly know if they had seen me or not.
Your comment at around 38:50 regarding passengers opening taxi doors. As you mentioned, part of the issue is that some taxi passengers are not drivers themselves, so don't always consider the dangers. The other issue is, passengers getting out of any taxi rear door will not have a door mirror they can glance into and tend to just open the door without checking behind first. I've seen other YT videos of taxi passengers opening doors straight into the path of a cyclist. I'm sure some have also done it to a car and had the taxi door ripped off.
This is precisely why London black cabs have doors that lock automatically when they drive off and don't unlock until the driver presses a button.
This is what my amazing instructor taught me. Your speed should be based on how far you can see. But where I've moved to taxis especially seem to think their existence on the road is devine. And the only reason we haven't had head in collisions is I've driven so boringly slow...
As well as asking myself "Have I been seen?" I also ask "Has my signal been seen?" As an example, if I apply my signal when another car is alongside me, chances are they may not know I am signalling. One "saving grace" with my car is that it has indicator repeaters in the side mirrors but I try not to rely on those being seen every time. This is where TIMING of signal can play a big part. One other thing with this is there are occassions I will consider applying my signal a little earlier than I normally would if by doing so it means my signal goes on in a shaded area before reaching bright sunlight. As long as it's not too early to confuse anyone of course.
I find it shocking how small the indicators are on new cars now. There's a few brand culprits but I was behind a Tesla yesterday and the size of its rear indicators made me laugh. I thought it was just an indicator that its battery was running out
Also due to the new fashion of super bright headlights, an oncoming car's front indicators have become almost invisible at night time, so reading a car's positioning and speed is the only true indicator these days
I see this video was inspired by ChrisMartinEMS. I'm subscribed to his channel too and have a huge respect for his calm professional manner of driving despite being in "EMS mode". Was quite a surprise to see him mentioned on Ashley's channel!
Great video as usual Ash, and fantastic advice all round. The only comment I want to make regarding "have they seen me, have they seen me?" is that even though some people see you it doesn't mean that they won't cause you a problem! A lot of inexperienced drivers take too many risks, and a lot of older drivers misjudge situations, possibly due to worsening eyesight with age. However, with this level of awareness you should be able to deal with anything thrown at you.
Thing you need to do a video on mirror positioning, to cover in depth what you mentioned and help drivers out, great video as always 😊
even a trucker now retired over 30 years trucking agreed with my comment, when he started mirrors were small he always knew what was around him, blind spot is an excuse it is not using mirrors enough, you use them enough then you see them enter a blind spot then that lane is closed till you see same example car back behind or ahead and do that with every road user. he said 60 % looking in your mirrors and 40% looking ahead he also said he did training too. yes it not good idea to hang around in blind spot as too many do not use mirrors enough but it still an excuse as you should spotting them entering it and make metal note someones in it and you do that with everyone. i don't hang about around trucks i do not trust them many not use them as much as they should so i get past fast hold back when safe go for it get past so safe gap i get ahead enough they will for sure see me
I realised a few days ago, that I seemed to be asking this question to myself more, or saying 'I'm not confident this person has seen me', but it didn't really feel like I had to make much more extra effort to think this, I think once people realise, once you start getting into the habit, it's not so difficult to do. On the subject of passengers exiting taxi driver's, drunken passengers can be an issue. This could be a good video to make, driving through Liverpool on a busy night with drunken/emotional pedestrians, I've driven through Liverpool on a bust Saturday night, and just because of the high volume of revellers, you really had to be on top form.
One the "people only consider the police and insurance perspective" topic. You just have to ask yourself, how many people drive 10 over the limit because they know that that's how fast they can go without having to pay when they get into a speed trap.
Just about to watch this 50 min video. Right off the bat, one thing I will say right away with regards to "Have I been seen?" is to use dipped headlights at all times. Yes I know, cars have had daytime running lights in the UK for some time now but as we know, they don't always illuminate the tails lights as well. Useful to have on even on a sunny day going through a shaded area. I'd also say that your choice in colour of car can make a difference as to whether you've been seen. My car is metallic silver.
Of course all the above still depends on whether the other road user has even looked in your direction as well as such factors as if you are in their blind spot or not in their line of sight in some way. Naturally, having headlights on still won't help if you are in someone's blind spot.
I use dipped beam as well even in the summer as any assistance with being seen is always useful. As you say shaded areas can be an issue and just this morning as I approached a junction I didn’t see a cyclist on a shared path as he was wearing dark clothing and was in similar contrast to the light / shaded area. We both stopped, he went on his way and it was a non event but shows the importance of colour schemes as well as lights, as you say 👍
Agreed, I have front DRLs and an intermediate light mod on the car, activating just the tails when the daylight conditions start to get shadowy.
Sometimes using full beam instead can be useful though.
i agree about car colours. I have never understood why funereal black and depressing grey are so popular. And since you ask, my car is yellow, but even so, people don't always see me.
Big thanks to Ashley for another super useful drive along, and an extra shoutout to whoever cancelled their training to open up the slot so we could all benefit! 😅
I'm constantly evaluating my driving when i do something a little silly or just something i could have done better. Most of the time it's a result of rushing slightly.
At 16:41 with the super close tailgating Ford. Tailgating is bad at any time but it's particularly dangerous when approaching a stale green light that could change at any time! Those kind of drivers really give no thought at all to what they are doing or the increased risk they are causing.
It's amazing that in just two and half minutes you can already find someone driving poorly (the black Merc) and I would describe "abandoned" (not parked) cars on pavements preventing anyone from using them. The owner of the silver Transit; it boggles my mind how the owner could look back and thing "yeah, it will be fine there". On a pavement where the kerb is dropped for pushchairs/wheelchairs and obstructing road users view of the junction.
The bit about the funeral really got to me. I lost my dad on Sunday. Great video as usual Ashley
45:05
Hi Ashley,
I'm the equivalent of a special constable for the motorway police in my country.
I agree with you about educating people to best road use but honestly there is already so much to do with drivers that completely disregard basic safety rules that it would be hard to justify trying to enforce something which isn't really enforceable from a highway code stand point. Unfortunately, the general public will just think we are being antagonistic. People are often convinced they are the best driver in the world so when you tell them otherwise, they just shut down and won't to listen to you anymore.
Also, while we are trying to educate someone about how they could have done better, we are not dealing with the people who cause the worst accidents.
I had an example of that happen ealier this year : We stopped a driver for going 20 km/h over the speed limit on a fairly quiet road. While we were busy in a petrol station with that driver who had a good driving history, another car flew by on the motorway and caused a serious collision a few minutes later.
Knowing what happened, it would have been better to let the first driver go and look for the reckless driver that was about to come past us.
I really appreciate the videos you put out. They truly helped me understand what I would call "more advanced" driving skills back when I was still new at driving and even now, I still pick up on some new things in your videos. I wish everyone was implicated enough in their driving to look for the kind of content you make. But as you say, most people are not the best and they use there cars to go from A to B without thinking about what a 1,5 ton car can do to another road user if not handled properly. Ironically, it is for each individual to look after themselves and others because others won't.
At 9:50 - Driver of number 159 bus not giving a good example by stopping over a "Keep Clear" road marking !!
I'm a taxi driver around Wigan and always tell the rear offside passenger if its safe to exit the car, because they don't have a mirror. Nearly everyone does try and look before they exit the car and I'll keep saying "safe, safe, safe" when I know they're going to get out, if its safe
If they're not paying attention to me or the road, then I fully open my door as soon as I stop to let incoming traffic from the rear know that its already going to happen
Its because I like my doors being continuously attached to my car, but also passenger safety is quite important as well. Both actions assist me to carry on making money
I pretty much assume they haven't seen me, and drive with an escape in mind. I see people driving and it's clear that the only thing they've sussed out is: "I have priority". Of course, many times they haven't ACTUALLY, they just believe they do. My plan is not to be in an accident, or worse, hurt someone, because they can't see five seconds down the road. I was driving to work one morning, observed a cyclist get knocked off his cycle by the right rear view mirror of a bobtail one morning. I stopped, and luckily the cyclist appeared to be OK. I don't believe the lorry driver was aware that she had struck the cyclist.
16:31 Great point about mirror positioning. If you haven’t, could you do a video on how to adjust your mirrors. There are many (most?) who either don’t adjust them at all or adjust them so they can see their own car, instead of minimizing blind spots.
I can honestly say i ride to a high standard an read the road as you were doing tho i also pay as much attention to what's going on behind me as well, i only have a motorbike at the moment but it's the same whether i'm in a car or on my bike, although it's rare it's bliss when others are driving to a higher standard as i can relax that bit more as it's easier to read what everyone is doing or going to do, i'd have to watch it again but when you let the Mercedes out it looked like the bus behind you had to do a final bit of hard braking as he didn't read what you were going to do ( i maybe wrong on that) which is part of the reason i read what's going on behind me, i'm an advocate of knowing what's going on around you at all times tho it's fluid depending on traffic
20:30 is very important as others do not move around in the car and if you are in their A pillar blind spot and both approaching the the same speed you will always be in the blind spot. Always make sure they are slowing.
I had a lorry not slow properly a few days ago while I was turning right and rather than move immediately into the left lane when I was supposed for the exit I slowed and watched them. If they didn’t stop at all I could abort and do another lap round the roundabout or, in this case, they did stop but over the line I was able to see and manoeuvre around to take the exit.
No dramas and just a case of watching, anticipating and making sure they had seen me 👍
I was in Richmond Park the other day, 20mph sped limit. I usually set the cruse at 19 - I had cyclist over end undertaking me at the same time!
I think people use that priority and I have it attitude across all of life now not just driving. It’s the blame culture.
Brilliant video, very informative. Some fantastic tips. I think you have a very good point about police and insurance perspective. I too share your view that its a large factor in that "priority and blame" perspective rather than looking to drive in a manner that aids everybody. Brilliant stuff. Keep up the great work 👍
Great video Ash!
How to drive like a driving instructor. Just wave your hands around non handed as demonstrated like this guy😂😂😂
An excellent video.
One thing I have struggled with at times is when I recognise a situation where I have probably not been seen and expect a possible sudden increase in risk as a result, this can cause a degree of fixation which in itself can also increase risk. Would be interested in any tips on how to prevent this immediate potential risk fixation.
Very true.
Deliberately keeping up a scanning routine with your eyes, where you look long distance in front, then medium distance, then short distance, then to either side, then mirror helps. When aware of a developing hazard, it is then easier to keep scanning (because it has become automatic) and thus avoid "target fixation".
For the first time in a while, I'm actually home during a new release of Ashley's video! Was going to go to Brighton to see the finish of the annual London to Brighton Mini run today but my mum and I have been on the go attending so many events for months now (plus a very busy trip back to Canada), we decided to give it a rest today before we get busy again. A shame to miss all those Minis though, especially as mum has a 1978 Mini Clubman owned from new. Anyhow, on to Ashley's 50 min video. Looking forward to this!
What I have gathered over the months is that your mum is very lucky to have a son like your good self.
@@thomaselliot2257 You are very very kind Thomas. Thank You for that. And at the risk of sounding immodest, you are a good judge of character. Though just as with driving, there is always room for improvement.
I get similar comments from others actually. Even folks that don't know us when we get talking to people at these various events. When we tell them our whole story, they comment in a similar fashion. I shall mention your comments to my Mum actually. I think it will make her day. You've already made mine!
@@ibs5080 thankyou for thanking me. In the same vein as today's title, you HAVE been noticed 😃 Your mum sounds like a lovely lady as well.
@@thomaselliot2257 Well Thank You for....OK, I'll stop that part there! Yes, my Mum is indeed a lovely lady. I will again mention your comments to her. By the way, she gets TWO Mother's Days every year. The UK one as well as the Canadian one. Actually, the latter one isn't just Canadian but more accurately "most of the rest of the world" Mother's Day, which is different to the UK.
13:21 LOL you can see the Lorry runs the red light then a second or so later the guy behind Ashley saves the clip on his dashcam 😅
I rewatched that part and see that now, with the driver behind reaching up, presumably for the Save button. Well spotted. Would be interesting if they submit that to Ashley's channel in a few months!
32:34 Man people just can't help but look at their phones whilst stopped in traffic. The penalty needs to be greater for this. Look how immediately distracted they are, i.e. rolling forwards.
Thank you
26:24 I would’ve positioned myself defensively more to the right, so that I had a better view round the bend, especially when travelling through a long bus stop area. This would provide earlier warning if there was a bus waiting (blocking the path of the vehicle) and positionally, been better placed to pass the waiting bus. I think the arrow road marking is advising general motorists to this effect. Staying close to the left in this scenario invites opportunity for others to use the road space and overtake, hence the right hand position is defensive. Being further to the right also gives pedestrians that may have just alighted more opportunity to see vehicles coming around the bend.
8:11 This is one of the many reasons as to why I dislike pavements/sidewalks that run adjacent to main roads, more often than not they put pedestrians at risk by not allowing at least a "barrier" of sorts (grass patch, parking spaces, wider kerbs, etc...) between the road and the designated walking path.
But the hierachy of responsibility should mean motorists should be driving slower and possibl wider, like they should around people on bikes and horses.
Just because there's a slight raise in the tarmac doesn't mean motons can drive fast past the vulnerable, though that often occurs when you are on a bike or horse.
Had a vehicle with driving school logos just about break their neck to pass me because I was only 3km over the speed limit. I followed them all the way to my turn, no problem keeping up because they were behind other compliant traffic. This was on a stretch that regularly has Blitzers and Radar teams deployed. I'd say I by evidence drive better than some instructors.
I dint drive but i find the videos informative and interesring to watch only came across rhese videos roughly a moth ago
Had a near miss rather pertinent to this in Australia.
Was turning left onto a main road via a slip lane adjacent to a set of lights. In turning was watching constantly for traffic travelling along the lane I was entering.
When I was certain that the lane was clear I proceeded to enter. In the process a car entered my field of view as the nose was just over the line.
In response I immediately stopped avoiding a collision on the driver's side.
Unfortunately the angle was such that it would not be captured on the dashcam.
I believe that the car that approached was undertaking a right turn and likely trying to beat a red light change. In the case of a collision the driver would most likely argue that they had priority.
After seeing one of your comments on ChrisMartinEMS video I was hoping you'd do a video in regards to it.
you ask the question "could you pass a driving test again?" and although i have 19 years of driving and did have a father that was an advanced driving instructor so learning from an early age, i would say no i could not pass a modern tdriving test unless i had some lessons to brush up on my skills for the test.
one thing i noticed when i was learning to drive doing the practice hazard perception computer test, my dad would fail it regulary because he saw all the potential hazards rather than the main one or 2 in that clip. adding to that although i drive a van and ride a motorbike, i have built up some bad habits. i feel i am above average, probably a good driver as i look at the road in a similar way to Ashley but put me in test conditions without a refresh and an update of the new test criteria, i feel i would fail or maybe scrape a pass.
and that is a problem on the roads, you have many drivers having all sat different tests from different years and only a small amount have went on to take advanced lessons or even go back and take some basic lessons. how many people would actually go and buy a new version of the highway code when one commes out with updates? not many, it takes years to get new rules filtered out and for drivers to change their attitudes but even then, the stubborn ones wont.
Very informative videos. Loving the content! I drive a Mk 7.5 GTI and im currently waiting for my Clubsport to arrive.
19:48 Amber lamp in a clear lens strikes again. Modern indicators are getting harder to see on so many vehicles in favour of looks.
I have an amber bulb in a clear lens on my vehicle but I can tell you now it is pretty obvious I am turning. It is one of those “normal” bulbs that has a fairly high wattage to be seen - 21W I believe
I have found some vehicles have that little 2 inch circle in the middle of the cluster with a 501 side light bulb that can only be seen in the dark, when it is clear and from a maximum 5 feet away…and somehow they pass the safety requirements to be on the road 🤷🏻♂️
Now regulated in the US hence you see the headlight off during the blinking phase.
When I could still drive. I think estates where the places I liked driving least. Below poorly maintained country roads and motorways even.
12:55 on the M3 this morning I watched a lady in a Nissan qashqai following a lorry. She was about 3 feet behind it at 60mph 😮
At 8:25 you talk about feet behind parked car for pedestrians crossing the road. I found it quite worrying that young children are taught to cross a road while being behind a parked car rather than, when I was taught, it was find a big open gap to be seen. What are your thoughts on this new approach to teaching children to cross the road? To me that goes against the whole “Have I been seen” philosophy which should be for all road users in my opinion
99% of people's mirror positions are terrible. You should not be able to see any part of your car in a seating position. To see your door handle you should have to move around 4in to your right. That widens your view and reduces the "blind spot". And with a cheap blind spot mirror you don't have a blind spot.
you find now that most people that have been driving for a long time cause a lot of problems and possibly wouldn't pass their test if they were to do it now. when people pass they tend to throw away everything they have learned and end up losing their license or having an accident
My workshop is off a narrow road that is used by everything from a K-Car to a Full on Heavy.. If I see a heavy , I pull to the side , stop and let it pass, makes little difference to me but two of us trying to proceed at 10MPH makes no sense risk wise...
You say 95% of people don't do this. And I agree that most people drive poorly. Do you ever feel like you're fighting a losing battle?
At 33:03 the shadow of your various dash cam's on the passenger seat in the top right screen looks as though that's the actual pattern of the seat cover! Partially on your shirt too. This could be the start of a new fashion!
Some people on the road are using so much processing power on keeping the car between the white lines that they have no room for observations
The junction at 24:40: I wonder how many drivers when encountering the light on green will just continue through the rest of that left turn thinking they are protected from traffic on the new road. From what I can gather, those traffic lights within the left turn lane are for pedestrians. There is still a Give Way to consider a few feet further on, as traffic coming from right to left on the new road will always have priority. As per around 24:55.
I think there's an element of "teaching to the test" in many driving schools - and, for that matter, many schools in other fields. You get the student through the exam, then they have the coveted piece of paper and the privileges that come with it. Never mind what comes after that, and the skills they'll need in life to handle the responsibilities that go with those privileges.
Other modes of transport have *only* professional drivers, whether on the railways, on the high seas, or in the air. There are also stringent and highly comprehensive safety regulations. In each case, there has been a watershed moment when regulators realised that, when investigating an accident, they needed to get to the truth of the matter *in a blame-free environment.* Only in relatively rare cases is a law-enforcement approach warranted for the individuals involved. With finger-pointing and blame-shifting mostly eliminated, it becomes much easier to ascertain the root cause of an accident and decide how to prevent it from occurring in future.
At 33:37, the clip from EMSChris. I saw the original footage directly on his channel but just to say, I've encountered this myself as the driver of the first car to pull over for a Emergency Vehicle, only to have the driver behind me, overtake me, not realising the reason why I'm pulling over. Moments later, they get a sudden wake up call!
I regularly get overtaken by a column of cars, all of whom haven't spotted the big flashing noisy thing that I've pulled over for - I've got some video of one occasion where three in a row went past me like that. Ditto the idiots who overtake me when I've stopped before one particular blind bend and rather than asking themselves "What is round the bend that he's stopped for" charge on, only to meet the ambulance head on that's just come out of the ambulance station 50 yards down the road.
@@ianmason. It's very frustrating, isn't it? And quite alarming as to how frequently this occurs.