We regularly run FORs Safe Urban Driving courses in Chelmsford as we did yesterday from our venue in Chelmer Cycling Club.
Discussions around the Hierarchy of Road Users are always interesting and always provoke a lot of comments.
It is a fact that HGV and PCV Drivers are held to a higher standard than the average car or van driver.
The expectation, borne out in the courts, is that Professional Drivers have much better “Road-Craft” than other drivers.
Now there is often a conversation around the responsibility of Vulnerable Road Users, in particular Cyclists, to keep themselves safe which none of us would dispute.
My obvious question is
“Who would you rather trust with your safety, an Trained, Experienced and Competent Professional Driver or the average motorist?”
We point to their level of experience, between 60,000 and 90,000 miles annually against the average commuter’s 10,000 miles.
I ask them – how many times do they “See a problem before it becomes a problem?”
The answer normally comes back “All Day, every day!!!”
How many times do you look at another vehicle and say to yourself
“They’re going to do that next” only for them to do exactly that.
Crucially, I ask “How many times in your working day do you take your foot of the accelerator to get someone else out of trouble?”
“Far too many times to count” is the consensus.
This week we have delivered two FORs Safe Urban Driving courses in Chelmsford.
While the banter has been fierce, the feedback from drivers has been overwhelmingly positive.
FORS Safe Urban Driving courses are are not just for companies who are, or are seeking, FORs Silver accredited.
We believe it should be part of any continuous Professional Driver Development Plan.
If you want to know more Contact Us for details