Commentary driving - Practise makes perfect!

"The sun is shining, the road is clear - and I'm on my way!"

This section concludes your commentary driving training programme, but, like your car-care checks you are advised to carry on with your practise until the your new skills become habitual, second nature.

Giving a commentary drive during an advanced test requires the ability to turn the road scene ahead into words in an ever unfolding story.

If you are training to become a driving instructor, a large part of your job will involve discussion about what's happening ahead coupled with the appropriate instructions to help your pupils as they grapple with the complexities of the modern traffic situation.

The following guidelines will help you to hone your talking skills both when behind the wheel and, for ADI students, in the instructor's seat.

• Keep your commentary simple, avoiding too much detail

• Focus on things that will affect speed and position

• Don't just think it, say it...

• Be prepared to interrupt yourself!

• Include occasional 'non-visible' aspects that could affect the drive

Keeping it simple

Simple statements of intention , action and fact are all that is required.

While "Slowing down for the little old lady with a green full length coat and slightly overweight Cairn Terrier on a flexi-lead" might demonstrate keen powers of observation, it does not show a general awareness of other important factors!

What else is around? What are you doing to ensure that your actions are safe? Etc.

Focusing

The main elements of your commentary will be on things that might, or will affect your speed and position. Will the bus move off from the bus stop? Will the van pull out? Remember to think in terms of 'What ifs'.

Focus on the main issues, the 'must mention items' first. If there is a child about to run out ahead it is far more important than the fact that the road is damp (although that will obviously have a bearing on the situation).

If you find it difficult to focus attention you are probably spending too much time thinking about the commentary rather than the drive! This in itself will deter from the drive. To fix this, go for a brisk (6am Sunday morning) drive across country and practise using short, sharp punchy statements to build your commentary. make the commentary fit the pace of the drive as opposed to slowing the drive down in order to keep up the chat.

Say it ...

Thinking and speaking require very different mental processes using different areas of the brain.

Some people will find it easy to put their thoughts into words, others less so (see the article about 'Teaching the unteachable' in the ADI section of the SmartDriving Web Site).

The ability to 'talk' is essential for driving instructors, the best way to gain initial practise is when you are in the car alone - this way you will not have the embarrassment of 'getting it wrong' that can be experienced in some training situations; you can simply correct yourself and start again.

Interrupt

Things sometimes happen quickly. If something more important arises, stop yourself in mid flow and change the subject. If you are a student instructor, this is a skill that you will often have to use when giving instruction to learner drivers (you'll often have to interrupt them as well!).

The more you plan your driving ahead the less you will interrupt yourself. In a well planned drive the drivers eyes and brain might visit a hazard once or twice before it's time to include it in the commentary. Planning ahead will also keep your commentary one step ahead - by the time the hazard is reached, a good commentary has moved on!

What you can't see

Depending upon your route, there may be times when you can't find much to say.

Here it is reasonable to consider potential hidden dangers. Fore example, if there are dustbins on the footpath, there might be a lorry around the corner; if you see a 'cattle' road sign, you might include the fact that you are watching for mud on the road, farm vehicles, loose animals, etc.