Another newbie
Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2015 11:00 pm
Hi everyone,
Saw this forum mentioned a few times in the AD section of PH so thought I'd come on over for a look. I'm a 32 year old bloke now living in Liverpool and I have had my full UK car license for 10 years. I took a couple of rides out with an IAM observer after passing (whom I met through a driving forum, not through the IAM) and didn't take anything further.
A rekindling of my interest in AD and the system of car control led me to a day out with RideDrive today. Mixed feelings atm being honest as at times, and overall, I've ended up feeling like a worse driver than when I started lol. Despite being familiar with the system and having good eyes up / main beam observation there was a lot to take in and do differently from my usual habits all at the same time and so suddenly. By that I mean I spent ten years doing 20k to 50k+ a year with a clean license and no accidents, then suddenly I have to do ten things differently from before, all at the same time, while remembering to look ahead and actually still drive. It was like being a learner balancing the clutch, gears and steering all over again haha
The instructor (ex police instructor) said I have good natural ability and car control, invisible gear changes and decent awareness but we needed to work on steering and approach to hazards. On very mild bends on country B roads (NSL or below) I would generally just use rotational steering but today I had to lift my hand up the wheel and then pull/push even for the most minute kink in the road which felt unnatural and a waste of movement when I could have done the 3mm adjustment just as well from the quarter to three position.
I was also shown I was seeing hazards from far away, but only actually slowing on the brakes at a 'normal' distance and then changing gear etc. I was shown how to position, use acceleration sense to slow down WAY earlier, then take a gear and sail through which did feel nicer and more controlled once I'd tried it.
The only other issue he picked up on was not offsiding strongly enough (I'd hug or slightly straddle the centre lines instead of fully offsiding), and we worked on this for an hour maybe. Much better car control, acceleration sense and 'decorum' now I think so that's a plus.
I was amazed to see how I was previously a 'drive to the speed limit if it was safe' driver to someone accidentally bumbling along at 40mph in 50mph limits because I was so overloaded processing information and steering etc in the new way my brain couldn't cope with doing it all at once AND keeping up a hefty speed lol.
After lunch I was told I'd get no input and to just drive again (as per the morning assessment). I was amazed when the instructor pointed out I was now automatically positioning boldly, offsiding fully and using the 'new' gear change approach without realising it.... and was now 'making full and good progress' in derestricted roads while actually FEELING like I was driving even SLOWER.
He used the 'like a swan peddling frantically underneath but graceful on top' analogy, and said because I'd smoothed out my inputs and extended my obs that I was naturally carrying better speed suited to the conditions without being bogged down. Hence a faster, but smoother ('slower feeling') drive. Pretty pleased with that, though I think I'll sleep like the dead tonight!!
Anyway I'm now realising after ten years of driving that my DSA test only showed me how to OPERATE a car. Now I'm learning how to DRIVE one. And it's fun! It was a nice sense of accomplishment to walk away with a nationally recognised qualification for my troubles too (level 2 NQF/OCN award for 'Introduction to Advanced Driving').
Thanks for having me.
Saw this forum mentioned a few times in the AD section of PH so thought I'd come on over for a look. I'm a 32 year old bloke now living in Liverpool and I have had my full UK car license for 10 years. I took a couple of rides out with an IAM observer after passing (whom I met through a driving forum, not through the IAM) and didn't take anything further.
A rekindling of my interest in AD and the system of car control led me to a day out with RideDrive today. Mixed feelings atm being honest as at times, and overall, I've ended up feeling like a worse driver than when I started lol. Despite being familiar with the system and having good eyes up / main beam observation there was a lot to take in and do differently from my usual habits all at the same time and so suddenly. By that I mean I spent ten years doing 20k to 50k+ a year with a clean license and no accidents, then suddenly I have to do ten things differently from before, all at the same time, while remembering to look ahead and actually still drive. It was like being a learner balancing the clutch, gears and steering all over again haha
The instructor (ex police instructor) said I have good natural ability and car control, invisible gear changes and decent awareness but we needed to work on steering and approach to hazards. On very mild bends on country B roads (NSL or below) I would generally just use rotational steering but today I had to lift my hand up the wheel and then pull/push even for the most minute kink in the road which felt unnatural and a waste of movement when I could have done the 3mm adjustment just as well from the quarter to three position.
I was also shown I was seeing hazards from far away, but only actually slowing on the brakes at a 'normal' distance and then changing gear etc. I was shown how to position, use acceleration sense to slow down WAY earlier, then take a gear and sail through which did feel nicer and more controlled once I'd tried it.
The only other issue he picked up on was not offsiding strongly enough (I'd hug or slightly straddle the centre lines instead of fully offsiding), and we worked on this for an hour maybe. Much better car control, acceleration sense and 'decorum' now I think so that's a plus.
I was amazed to see how I was previously a 'drive to the speed limit if it was safe' driver to someone accidentally bumbling along at 40mph in 50mph limits because I was so overloaded processing information and steering etc in the new way my brain couldn't cope with doing it all at once AND keeping up a hefty speed lol.
After lunch I was told I'd get no input and to just drive again (as per the morning assessment). I was amazed when the instructor pointed out I was now automatically positioning boldly, offsiding fully and using the 'new' gear change approach without realising it.... and was now 'making full and good progress' in derestricted roads while actually FEELING like I was driving even SLOWER.
He used the 'like a swan peddling frantically underneath but graceful on top' analogy, and said because I'd smoothed out my inputs and extended my obs that I was naturally carrying better speed suited to the conditions without being bogged down. Hence a faster, but smoother ('slower feeling') drive. Pretty pleased with that, though I think I'll sleep like the dead tonight!!
Anyway I'm now realising after ten years of driving that my DSA test only showed me how to OPERATE a car. Now I'm learning how to DRIVE one. And it's fun! It was a nice sense of accomplishment to walk away with a nationally recognised qualification for my troubles too (level 2 NQF/OCN award for 'Introduction to Advanced Driving').
Thanks for having me.