Lesson 6. Duration 2 hours

Well Annie did really well with her ‘voluntary research’ into Pedestrian Crossings. She came out with a lot of important info about them, and each ones uniqueness. Any gaps in her knowledge were filled in with some Q&A.

She reflected back to her rbts lessons and decided it would be good to start Ped X’s by working on the speed she should approach (I love it when customers begin to use previous experience to help them in the ‘now’) I feel Annie is really starting to get that skills and ideas can be transferred.

We discussed things that might impact her speed. We used her knowledge of skiing to think about what happens to her speed when she can’t see so well, or when she is not sure what the skier in front of her might do. What would happen if she assumed it was clear and assumed she knew what the skier in front might do. In her words ‘it’s good to be on the know’…love it

Discussed what help she might need, and off we went. Her doing her part of the ‘deal’ and me mine. Annie got the concept of speed and vision straight away. She understood the dangers and really wanted to be ‘in the know’.

I think it really helps sometimes setting some homework, home study, voluntary research or whatever you want to call it. They come with some knowledge and then it seems a bit easier to understand and ‘get’ once they experience it.

Annie was showing she was really comfortable and happy with Ped X’s. After a quick chat she confirmed she ‘got them’.

‘So what’s next then?’

‘Can we practise shields some more so I can get comfortable with them too?’

So off we went. I talked about her shields as we approached the first few, and then I did something a little naughty……..!

……..I felt she was doing well with the shields. She had asked me to talk her through some, but I felt it was only so she couldn’t be blamed for if it went wrong. So without letting her know I began to stop talking about shields at rbts…I know, naughty right!

She didn’t notice! She carried on all by her little self. Didn’t get anything wrong. Really proud of Annie, and I felt I was getting better at understanding her.

We discussed the shields and how she did. I asked if she had realised I’d stopped talking?

‘No? Did you?’ with a look of shock/surprise

‘Yeah I did…….so what does that tell us?’

‘You’re sneaky!’

We had a good laugh at that comment.

‘What else does it show you?’

‘That I can do it by myself I guess’

The ‘I guess’ comment at the end suggests to me that she was still having a little struggle with confidence in herself.

Next was meeting traffic (my suggestion, Annie didn’t know what she wanted to work on next). I did a demo drive of not so great hold back positions. Again pros & cons were discussed, and it was Annie’s turn. We had to imagine a few cars coming towards us (as the law of sod suggests no bugger came towards us when we wanted them to!) and we just practised pulling in to let an imaginary car through and moving off again. Always thinking about was that the easiest way and best place to stop.

We also had time for a little reversing practise. Just getting Annie to think about the best speed & where to look. I also gave her a couple of ‘tests’. Could she move the car closer to the kerb? Could she keep it the same distance?…she could! She picked up reversing really easily. Some people just do.

Annie had some news at the end of the lesson. Her parents had bought her a car to practise in and they were just waiting for the insurance to start. Annie was very excited. The reaction was great news, it showed me Annie enjoyed driving and was looking forward to driving between lessons.

We discussed what she had done well today. She was really happy she felt comfortable with rbts and Ped X’s. And she had enjoyed reversing. Next lesson we would work on some more meeting.

After Annie had done so well with reversing I decided I would do something a little naughty again next lesson….!