Short sighted and long sighted

 Driving has been my job for 32 years. During that time I have driven all makes and sizes of heavy goods vehicles, double and single decker buses. I put myself through advanced driving courses, passing six tests with the Institute of Advanced Motorists and ROSPA, in cars, lorries, and buses. I reached Grade One status. 

Driving is an art, and a science. You need the ability to process what you see in front of you, to be able to make your decisions on how to proceed. Your eyes will send messages to your brain, and your actions will be based on what you see. 

Elevated in a lorry cab gives a much wider and longer field of vision. Advanced warnings of what is ahead allows plenty of time to consider your next moves, and adjust your speed of approach if necessary. A good driver will not find themselves hurtling towards a disaster if their heightened concentration levels are working correctly. Take your eyes off the road and you have no escape route. 

A driver must be aware of what is going on directly in front of the bumper. There are more blind spots in a larger vehicle. Mirrors help but should not be relied on totally. Constant checking according to the area you are driving through becomes automatic for a good driver. Being aware of your surroundings, and being ready to expect the unexpected, can save lives. 

It goes without saying that good eyesight is conducive to navigating yourself around  road networks. But lets not forget the role that ears play as well. Listening is important, and can provide an extra dimension to the overall picture. For a driver to get from A to B without incident means there has to be a co ordination between eyes, ears, and brain. They work in unison. Saying that, a deaf person can get a licence. This post is not about driving laws.

So, you start driving, your field of vision will vary with the size of the vehicle. Your eyes will be checking that the road ahead is clear, and they will be re focussing every nanosecond to send messages to the brain. You must never ignore what you see directly in front of your bumper, and the same goes for anything else as far as you can see. Just because something appears to be tiny half a mile away, it is important to acknowledge that sooner or later you will reach the point where any obstruction will need to be navigated. 

I liken driving a vehicle in the same way as driving a path through life. Tomorrow is just in front of my bumper, next week is half a mile down the road, next month is a couple of miles away, and a year is a few more miles in the distance. This is how I work out what I need to do next. It is a plan. I process what I see, what I hear, I gather information, then I decide which route I want to take. 

Now it's time for brekkie. Thanks for popping in. Have a nice day. ilona