SafeSpeed wrote:
Rigpig wrote:
Surely the best possible solution is to remove the need for a risk assessment at all? Discourage people from eating, phoning etc at the wheel by reminding them that their primary concern is controlling the vehicle. Reduce the number of risk assessments that need to be conducted (working along the base of the triangle again) and you reduce the number that will be screwed up surely? Trying to make people better at conducting an assessment they don't really need to make in the first place is an exercise in Tower of Babel construction - it will never satisfactorily be completed.
But if we don't trust and encourage people to assess and manage risk then how will we [people] ever acquire those skills?
More realistically, we're working on one of those slopes... The more we tell them what to do the less they learn for themselves. I know this is a fairly trivial example, but I believe that the broad principle is absolutely vital.
I have an interest in this process of aquiring skills.
I have two sons, one of whom has slight learning difficulties.
therefore their learning is entirely different from each other.
Clearly we have a difficulty which is identified, and when he is older, disadvantaged son will learn to judge when he is challenged and needs more time or help with a task.
HOWEVER, many road users seem to have a difficulty grasping basic priciples of driving, and seem to be wholly unaware of their problem.
Yesterday (Sunday) I was car 3 of a line of cars which pulled off the A591, drove through Staveley, and turned into the Mill Yard.
So far, so good.
However, for some reason, car 1 was the only one NOT to o see the turn left sign, or the
Ahead for HGV's only sign, and so continued straight ahead, while car 2 and myself drove around the one way system.
As I met the main lane again, car 1 was turning left, into oncoming one way traffic, while looking RIGHT at some building work.
Clearly, his driving went awry when he turned into the yard, slowed right down, and assumed it was OK to look around the yard instead of where he was going.
Given the cycle shop allows customers - often children to test the bikes around the yard, it is NOT safe to give up any amount of attention - indeed there are several low speed collisions every year - any one of which COULD prove serious to a child on a bike, who is likewise riding while not necessarily paying attention.
Quote:
But if we don't trust and encourage people to assess and manage risk then how will we [people] ever acquire those skills?
The answer is some drivers will never learn, while others will EVENTUALLY take it all in.
A staged driving test like the motorcycle route would help to weed out the inept from the downright dangerous!