ADI Part 2 - Look

Look

The final phase of the ms-psl jigsaw. This is the part of the routine that breaks down further to look, assess, decide.

It's interesting that the look phase is placed at the end of the hazard routine. Could it have been a little earlier in the sequence? After all, you must have been looking earlier, or you wouldn't have spotted the hazard to start the routine in the first place.

The look phase is incorporated into the system simply to ensure that the required observations are carried out. The routine is designed to be a step by step sequence, easily achievable by all drivers.

It is essential that the driver takes careful observations on arrival at the hazard, assess the situation, and takes the right decisions on what to do. That's why the look phase is incorporated at this point.

In reality, on part 2 and in your driving in general, things are a little different to the very simple ms-psl sequence of events. The ms-psl jigsaw is a little more complex.

What actually happens is that you start the ms-psl sequence with look, or to be more precise, with road observations. You are, or should be, constantly looking, assessing and deciding on everything that appears before you.

If you see a hazard and you commence the routine by performing a mirror check, do you stop looking ahead through the windscreen until you've gone completely through signal(s), position, and speed?

No, you don't. You quickly check the appropriate mirrors, then look. Then you give, or consider, a signal whilst you continue to look. You take up the correct position in the road and get to the correct road speed, but you also continue to look whilst doing this.

The point to make is that the look, assess decide phase is a piece of the jigsaw that is always in play, always being considered.

When you read about the ms-psl routine in the DSA publications, it's easy to forget about the importance of the look phase. It's tagged onto the end of the sequence, a lonely place to be, and it seems so obvious that we hardly pay it any attention. This is the danger. We don't see it as being of any real importance. Not until something goes wrong, and the look phase bites us where it hurts . . . on the SE's marking sheet.

Your road observations need to be developed to a very high level to ensure success at part 2, and to fully prepare you for part 3. When you have the skills to see the hazards and 'sense' the dangers way before the average driver would, you'll not only enjoy your driving, but you'll give yourself time to react.

Time to react is important in your part 2 training, but time to react is far, far more important at part 3. At part 3, you'll have to see the danger, warn your learner of it, and ensure that they go through the full ms-psl routine. All this while keeping the car safe and issuing instructions.

Take every opportunity you can to improve your observation skills. Practice with your trainer, practice alone, practice as a passenger. Constantly strive to improve your observation skills. Make look the most important part of the ms-psl routine. You won't go far wrong, and you'll prepare yourself fully for the work to come at part 3.

ADIT Team.