Dual Control & Instructors
Very interesting concept, these Dual Controls.
I personally have never believed in them and never will.
Yes, I understand that the idea of using dual controls is a safety measure for both the driver and instructor. Some instructors won’t even begin to think of doing a driving lesson without dual controls in their car. Each to his own, I say on this subject.
Yes, I know a driving school car takes a bit of a knock and punishment when it’s not equipped with dual controls, what with all the impact of a learner driver without good clutch control, etc. Point is that my car is a teaching instrument, not a Ferrari on a Sunday Cruise. It has 1 nick and 1 scratch, earned with honour way and beyond its call of duty – each, respectively teaching a lesson otherwise buried for ever, perhaps.
The following I’m not saying to knock instructors using dual controls, but rather as a clear illustration of my view point.
Instructors using dual controls tend to get very controlling, very quickly. They often cut off the real valuable learning experience from the client when they engage the pedals under their control. This, in effect, does not teach the client anything other than frustration and reliance on the instructor. Think about it… Every time you end up in the wrong gear and the car would have jerked (as a reminder) and the dual pedals are engaged, you totally miss this experience…you never learn to hande that yourself in any situation. You simply have to sit back and accept the instructor’s intervention. Now that’s no fun, is it?
Then, of course, there’s the other angle where the client becomes reliant on the instructor to salvage any and all situations that may come up. This may make the instructor feel über cool and in charge, but that’s not the point, now is it? The point is that YOU are in charge because YOU’RE behind the wheel and the instructor is just there to guide you.
My belief is that instructors should be sharp enough to be able to talk any driver through any situation they may encounter, safely. If they cannot do that without taking charge of a vehicle, then their skill is lacking. A client should never get into a situation that they cannot handle in the first place because it’s the driving instructor’s job to guide and teach clients about the dangers; what they are, when they might occur, how to identify them and how to avoid them.
The idea is to get to know your client well in order to “read” their actions and quirks as soon as possible so that constant reminders and feedback can keep a client safe, yet in control. For me there’s no other way to build confidence and have driver-accountability quicker.
Maybe I’m just a maverick out there, but one thing I can assure you is that clients appreciate being in charge right from the start because they realise that one day they’ll have to survive on their own. That’s the ultimate. That’s liberation. That’s independence!
Never, not once, have I heard compliments about dual controls. And you know what? It’s a personal choice I respect.
Valuable thoughts and advices. I read your topic with great interest.
Thank you for your kind words, Arsento.
Had we not been so spread across continents I would have sent my learner drivers to your pharmacy for a Test Day Script ;o)