Private practice, blessing or curse?
This article is all about private practice. The good and the bad points about practicing in your own vehicles, plus some advice on how to do it better
You would imagine that the availability of a car to practice in could only
be positive. You would be wrong! If the person sitting
in the passenger seat overplays their role
then it can be a nightmare
On the other hand if the learner does not follow a few simple rules then things can be worse. Here are a few observations of my own and some guidance on how to maximise the benefit of private practice and reduce the opportunities for frayed tempers, raised voices or worse.
The above paragraphs will seem a little melodramatic to those of you that have already tried driving with someone else and enjoyed a positive experience.
If you are a driver that is considering taking a learner out for the first time then the advice available here can be invaluable to both of you. If you are a pupil then you will benefit from remembering that it is a very difficult thing for someone else to entrust their vehicle to a learner, as you will probably find out when someone else asks you to let them use yours in the future.
What are the requirements of a good accompanying driver?
Patience has to be top of the list. Depending upon how far they are through the course you may find that the learner is slower than you are expecting to get things done.
Please do not rush them.
As new drivers they are practicing a set of procedures that they need to be able to perform quite strictly. Getting them exactly right in the beginning is far more important than doing them quickly. As they gain experience at performing these procedures properly the competence and therefore the confidence to perform them quicker will develop.
Self control is the other main factor. As driving conditions in our towns and cities have changed over the years so has the style by which beginners are taught to drive. It is quite possible that you will not agree with a procedure that is being carried out because it is different to what you were taught, or because you do not do it that way.
Just to give you a couple of the most common examples I have lost count of the number of pupils of my own that tell me that when driving with a parent they have to drive far away from the kerb because the parent do not feel safe with them driving at the twelve to eighteen inches (half a metre) that I insist upon.
The other favourite is the choice of gears. You may indeed believe that choosing a higher gear at a lower speed returns higher fuel economy figures. If a higher gear is taken too soon then the ability to make further suitable progress is lost. High gears at low speeds can also lead to a labouring engine. An immediate sign that the choice of gear is incorrect.
Beginners are taught that the correct gear choice is the highest gear that is suitable for the speed that you are cruising at. Forward planing takes precedence though so if there is a need to make further progress quite soon then the lower gear may still be required because lower gears take acceleration easier, especially on an incline.
Lots of previous pupils of mine have said that they have to take the highest gear possible at the soonest moment that the car can take it to prevent moaning. This is a shame.
These learners are having to drive with two different styles to be able to practice in semi peaceful conditions. Not ideal but still better than nothing.
What role should the accompanying driver play in the car
while the practice is taking place?
You are there to fulfill a legal requirement of course but there is more to it than that. You have the experience to spot a hazardous situation developing before the learner driver. An early warning from yourself about an impending situation can be the difference between an emergency stop and a situation being dealt with calmly.
In case of an emergency it is possible that the experienced driver may need to tell the learner driver to stop the car without having the time to explain their reasons why. It is always best if a signal for this is agreed upon before setting off. I suggest a raised hand and the word 'STOP' spoken clearly.
Whatever signal you choose does not matter at all just as long as you both know what it is. A pre-arranged signal, even if the driver does not immediately understand why it has been given, has got to be better than an accompanying driver suddenly yanking at the handbrake, yelling and trying desperately to pull the gear to neutral.
Who should drive at the start?
This depends upon where you live and the level of ability of the learner driver. If is usually a good idea to follow whatever the driving instructor did at the beginning of the previous driving lesson.
What rules should be imposed on the learner driver and why?
1) Practice only the parts of the syllabus that they have covered with their instructor.
These are the parts of the driving sylabus that you will improve upon the most by practising. If you try and move on to procedures for junctions that you have not been taught yet then there can be problems. At the very least you may pick up bad habits. At the worst you may scare yourself silly, damage a car or get hurt.
2) Stick rigidly to those procedures - the accompanying driver will probably not know the modern system exactly.
Do not be lazy. Do the details that you know your regular instructor would look for. If you take the chance to get away with things you are wasting both your own time and the time generously given by the accompanying driver.
3) If the experienced driver uses the 'STOP' command, just do it.
It is in the interests of safety that you have agreed a signal beforehand. You will have to trust their experience at the time. You can always ask why afterwards. Usually the reason is more than obvious immediately afterwards.
In summary: -
Private practice is an excellent way to reduce the number of driving lessons that you need to pay for. You should only practice the procedures that you have been taught by your instructor and make sure that you stick to them as rigidly as you can. There should be an agreed signal for emergency situations that is known by both parties. The accompanying driver needs to be observant and patient if they think that things are taking a little longer than they should. They also need to exercise self control if they want to tell the learner to do something differently.
Private practice is a great thing. Be careful, enjoy yourselves and learn safely.
