Are you a great driver? The guy in the blue BMW behind us at the T junction who peeped his horn at my pupil probably thinks he is. If he could just stop and think about how that may affect a new driver.
The initial response from my pupil was confusion (was he peeping at me?) but could have been one, some or all of the following. Panic, surprise, shock, stress, irritation, anger, increased nervousness (none of which are useful when dealing with any traffic situation).
Any of which could cause the pupil to
- freeze completely
- lose focus
- be unable to think clearly about how to proceed
- move out without ensuring it is clear
- stall
- over accelerate
In turn, this would lead to the pupil taking more time to join the new road safely or emerge before it is safe to do so, causing others to have to slow down, swerve or stop.
Be considerate, be patient, it won’t help us, it won’t get you away any quicker, indeed probably much slower – and it’s not great for your own health!! Perhaps you can remember what it was like when you were learning and it happened to you ?
So, all in all, before using your horn, please consider how it will benefit YOU.
Keep safe, keep smiling
