FROM AN INSTRUCTOR'S EXPERIENCE 

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Personalities and behaviour 

How students behave during a driving lesson - by Dieter Fischer

Driving Instructor would be a perfect job - without the students, I like to joke. Dealing with people all day is very demanding. The constant flow of different personalities: moody, quiet and rigid one lesson, outgoing, noisy and talkative the next, can be very draining.

Why is it that some pupils answer the door, then go back inside to put their shoes on? Others are waiting on the footpath, even in light rain, eagerly anticipating their driving lesson?

One student says ‘sorry’ every time he or she makes a mistake, whilst another questions everything to the point of arguing. The following article looks at the four basic personality types and what to expect from each during a driving lesson.



THE THINKER (Melancholic type)                                                                                                                

Before meeting William you knew he had a melancholic personality. He had booked in for five double lessons in the first week. He tells you he wants to learn properly, which means he expects perfection. At the posh school William attended, they showed car-crash videos. The graphics affected William to the point that he took five years to find the courage to enrol in driving lessons.

                                                                                                               (Photo:qcpages.qc.edu)  


Teach him to apply the handbrake firmly and you will have trouble releasing it afterwards. A thinker type does not waste many words. To lighten the conversation you ask if he plays sport. After a long silence (as if you had asked him about the meaning of life) his answer is a typical ‘one word says it all’: ‘Tennis’.

Being a logical thinker it is best to explain things methodically to William. His exact mind will love 'pull-push steering', the 'System of Car Control' or the 'Moving-off' procedures. His parallel parking is spot on. Traffic situations which involve judgment (lane changing, turning onto a busy road, etc) take him longer to learn. Judgment cannot be learned with a formula. Forever analyzing and striving to get it right, hinders William's decision making and slows his progress. Because melancholic people are quiet and give the appearance of being upset, instructors often try to cheer them up, quiet unnecessarily.

Despite his lack of feedback William's computer brain has stored the information given. He will make a good no-nonsense driver. A lesson with William seems to drag on, the instructor getting tired of hearing his own voice. Don’t let this stress you, our next pupil is charming Jane.

THE ACTOR/ACTRESS (Sanguine type)

Jane’s easy-going, talkative personality has gained her many friends. She had plenty of driving experience with them and won’t usually need many lessons. She grasps concepts quickly but can’t be bothered with detail. During a lesson she might spot a friend driving or walking nearby. This gets her all excited and she will try to get their attention. Being a people person, a sanguine loves being on stage.

                                                                                                Photo: fotolia.com 

A bus stop full of waiting passengers, cars at lights or even just a pedestrian provide a ready audience. Suddenly the windscreen wipers start operating in bright sunshine, indicators flash right, then left, then right again (How do I turn them off??) The accidental tap on the horn gets heads turning in our direction.

What fun we are having! Jane just brushes it off in her happy-go-lucky style, while the instructor feels like tearing his/her hair out. Just join in the laughter. No lecture about the dry windscreen ruining the wiper blades. Why spoil the fun?

When the show is over, Jane will charm the instructor with praise for the expert tuition given so patiently (and how we love to hear it). Lessons with the Janes in this world are seldom boring and time goes fast. She will be one of those surprising you with a little kiss on the cheek after she has passed her test.

THE GOER (Choleric type)

Jim’s focused, confidence approach is a real challenge to the instructor, who may have trouble keeping up with Jim’s pace. Before the instructor has time to outline the lesson, Jim has already completed the cabdrill and is asking , where do you want me to go? This confidence can be misinterpreted as cockiness. It is off-putting to some instructors.

                                                                                                                    Photo: hamline.edu

Jim, in his quest for knowledge asks lots of questions. He may even argue on some points. The instructor wonders, who is teaching who? Keep the goer on the go. Jim hates just driving around and gets bored easily. Invent challenges such as:

  • 'See if you can get four out of six turns correctly!'
  • 'Try to park correctly twice in a row,'
  • 'Please do a three-point turn, I will check if it’s licence test standard.'

His competitive nature makes him excel. There is a tendency to pick on the slightest fault to counteract Jim’s overconfidence. Deep down you will find he is rather touchy and gets easily discouraged.

 Driving too fast is one flaw in his behaviour. He is goal-oriented and tends to take risks. These attributes make him a top achiever at school, but on the road he has to learn to keep things under control. An instructor has to be patient with Jim’s impatience. The focus should stay on Jim’s good points. In time Jim will slow down and form a more realistic view of his abilities or lack thereof. Or last customer, Clare, will bring us back to a slower pace.

 

THE PEACEMAKER (Phlegmatic-type)                                          Photo: dreamstime.com


As a child Clare was very quiet, causing no trouble and is always eager to please. Her gentle, peace loving nature hates being under any kind of pressure. She has a controlled, even temper and even if the instructor raises his or her voice Clare does not seem to be moved. Ask her, if she finds it hard to make decisions, she’ll reply: 'Yes and no.' Clare is content being led by her instructor, who must be careful not to stay equally content to just tell her what to do and when to do it. This may avoid stress on both, but progress will be very slow.                                             

Where Jim, the goer, had to learn that the accelerator can get him into big trouble, Clare needs to experience that speed can also get her out of trouble. Staying calm, when a truck behind only avoided a smash by braking sharply, is ignorant bliss. Waiting behind a parked bus may show great patience, but what if the driver is having his lunch? It is a delicate balancing act between pushing her to progress and to just let her learn at her own pace. 

Any ambition an instructor has, to teach someone in record-braking time should not be attempted with a phlegmatic student. It may turn them off completely. Clare will never develop into a racing car driver. Yet, her steadfast, dependable character should keep her crash-free for many years.

Summary:
Very few people are pure Williams, Janes, Jims or Clares. Most of us have a mixture of two or three personalities. Other factors influencing behaviour need be considered: self- image, upbringing, environment etc. To assume that a learner operating the windscreen wipers by accident is an actor-type in wrong. (He or she may be used to driving the family BMW). 

But equal folly would be to treat a thinker-type like an actor or to try to push peacemakers beyond their comfort zone. A skilful instructor knows his own personality and that of his pupil and adjusts his/her teaching accordingly.

 

More on teaching a Learner drivers:     Aversion therapy   Build confidence in your student

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Disclaimer: Above information could vary in your part of the world. We take no responsibility for any accidents or failed driving tests, even if the advise in this book has been followed. We recommend you use above information in conjunction with a professional driving instructor.

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