OBSTRUCTIONS

When you’re driving and you come across obstructions in the road, it’s important to give enough clearance when passing.

For example, when some of my pupils approach parked cars for the very first time, they position the car so that it will be too close, or within the distance of a door width, particularly on a straight road where we can see that there is no oncoming traffic. In this situation I will gently move the steering wheel to an exaggerated position which is well clear of the vehicle we are about to pass, so in the event of the door opening we will not need to swerve or take avoiding action. When I do this my pupil will often say that they thought that this was too far out. I reply with the question “So you think this is ‘too safe’? That you want to make it a bit dangerous?”