I'm surprised no-one has commented on this. Last night's Fifth Gear had a report by QW on a short tempered driver who was counselled by a driving psychologist. In a short while he was transformed from an angry, aggresive, swearing, hooting idiot and into a polite calm courteous driver. I was impressed. The technique could be crudely summarised as "Keep your distance, assume the worst of other drivers, and remember that they are people in those cars."
I reckon we should clone this psychologist chappie and send his test tube siblings out to train anyone convicted of driving without due care and attention. At their own expense of course.
And why isn't this a fundamental part of learning to drive?
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"And why isn't this a fundamental part of learning to drive?"
If you were prepared to pay about a hundred quid an hour to have a psychologist sitting in on your lessons, it could well be.
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With all due respect, if you need a shrink to teach you something this basic, you need to see a shrink....
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I wasn't suggesting the shrink replace the driving instructor. Rather I meant that some of the ideas should find there way into the lessons and theory exam.
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To be honest I wasn't convinced by any of this - how long will it be before that chap is back to his old ways ?
I can't believe a miracle conversion over the space of a few hours will work in the long term. Once the cameras are gone ....
IMO the only way drivers like this are turned around are being involved in / witnessing a bad RTA - or old age (if they get there).
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SteveB: I think the point was that the nasty driver was in practice a nice guy with bad driving habits. His bad habits - such as driving too close - meant that he got very wound up and then his bad side came out. Cure his bad habits and you got a good driver. Most drivers aren't like that, but some are and they don't realise why they get uptight.
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I have to say that if I came across that bloke and he leaned on his horn at me the way he was in that program he would be nursing a black eye. People like him generate road rage. They are catalysts, not the poor sap who does something wrong.
Mind you I have to say my road rage feelings are somewhat curtailed after an episode of Cops where a road rage incident let to a bloke getting run over by an artic and getting his leg ripped off.
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I agree with leif, I thought it was quite good too. Let's be honest most people can keep their cool if they try or lose their temper if they want to. I think it's a good idea to draw a parallel, it works in all sorts of enviroments. How many people say they can't do whatever then it's pointed out they already have.
Steve.
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Try keeping you cool to this...
4 lane highway , average speed 140kph , you are in the outside lane overtaking a slower car , you have indicated and are passing him , in your rear view mirror are a set of lights 300 mts away flashing and approaching at 250kph+ , if you brake and try to get back to the third lane he will hit you , so you stay put and watch him pass you in the emergency lane ...Just a normal drive to work in Dubai.
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I agree with Leif as well. They did a good job in the few minutes of programme time that they had. Obviously it wouldn't work in that short a time but the idea is sound. The main thing wrong with driving in the UK is the poor training, and this idea of self-control should be one of several things added to driver training to try to improve standards. Having a licence is seen as a right here when it should be considered as a priviledge.
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