Self reflection and self assessment is an amazing skill which is critically important when learning. This measurement against the target standard helps you focus on what areas to study and which areas have been achieved.
But as I have talked about often here, the driving environment is not the best place to be unclear about your strengths and weaknesses because the errors or off-track actions can get you into a serious scarey humiliating situation. And over-confidence can be deadly.
At the start of every class for drivers, who have not yet mastered driving in traffic, each time we meet I ask, “I Drive or You Drive?” This gives them the opportunity to allow me to drive us to a calm simple environment, as compared to the busy King Edward Ave and Cambie street complex environment. Do they know which area thier skill set fits into best?
I Drive or You Drive
Near everyday I meet fully licensed drivers whom demonstrate their driving to me as I document what I see. We stop and I give them my assessment. Many come to me because of fear or that feeling that they dont feel safe or anxiety.
Near all of them are coming for help with their own self assessment.
“You over-drive your vision.”
You have learned to drive in environments beyond your skill level.”
These are my most common comments after oberving them drive for 20 minutes or so.
Far too many people have learned (for decades) to emulate or copy the fast pace experienced drivers moves. Too many new drivers are taught this pace even when they don’t feel safe or comfortable, nor fully understanding clearly what’s going on. They simply follow.
Over time you simply accept that this is how one drives, often resutling in total blindness to the fact that you are over-driving your vision, or driving through environments, repeatedly, without totally understanding what’s going on.
Do you know your own skill level? Knowing this is a very important skill when driving.
“I Drive or You Drive?”
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