Keeping focus tips and tricks

[Kuroblack350]

Hi all,
I’m after some advice I’m looking to try and improve my focus when driving, I’m finding it difficult to keep total attention and occasionally make some daft errors (silly things for me, nothing dangerous of course!)

As background, my daily in an M4 Competition - so everything you could ask for performance wise, and a completely visceral, all consuming drive. I love driving it and have no issues whatsoever keeping focus.

However, I occasionally (a few times a week) drive my partner’s Octavia. Whilst it’s a complete brilliant car in every way, I do find it boring and find it hard to keep to the standard of attention I prefer.

Does that make sense? Does anyone else drive a performance nutty thing; and also something really standard and have trouble ‘attuning’?

I’m thinking of getting back into the IAM, but I don’t have the time these days for Observing on a regular basis.

NY Thoughts?

[carreauchompeur]

Difficult one really. I’m a Police advanced driver and find that when I am on a ‘run’ everything just comes together. It’s the hours of general patrol that I tend to make the small, stupid errors!

The lesson here is *not* to drive everywhere at Warp Factor 12, but, Yano…

[Kuroblack350]

carreauchompeur said:

Difficult one really. I’m a Police advanced driver and find that when I am on a ‘run’ everything just comes together. It’s the hours of general patrol that I tend to make the small, stupid errors!

The lesson here is *not* to drive everywhere at Warp Factor 12, but, Yano…

I think it’s more about the general numbness of some cars - there’s just no feel to the drive, no sensation - they seem designed to make you feel comfortable to a point where you’re detached from the experience. It’s not about speed per se, I don’t drive fast at all, but I enjoy the sensation of tyres on tarmac, and the Octavia isolates that for me

[Kuroblack350]

fesuvious said:

You're not enjoying driving, you're enjoying the car.

Two different things

I was discussing with the wife how much skill used to be needed in old HGV's to maintain progress. 150bhp, but 10tonnes to haul. Hills needed the most skillful gear changes down, one mis-time and you're toast, crawling up in 2nd at 15mph....

Every steering input at speed needed care, light touch....you could watch the Speedo drop 2mph if you were heavy. Measuring out the effects of your inputs versus distance travelled in that all too rigid 4.5hour window......

What to many would be a painful, horrible task made into a test of your true ability behind the wheel.....

Finding the way to tip a loaded HGV into a corner, loading up the weight gradually, maintaining progress, genuinely reaching the limit of tyres and chassis.

All skills that if you can't master them in something slow you sure can't do it in something quick.

There is a solid logic behind Rob Wilson coaching some of the world's best drivers in a standard Ford Focus.

Stop worrying about the car, and start enjoying the driving. The M4 is a heavy dullard anyway. Too much grip, too fat, too fast.

True skill would see you mastering that Octavia.

Try going all the way through the gears and back again without adjusting road speed. Say keep it to 30mph and try going from 2nd, all the way up and back again without feeling the change or changing the speed.

That'll keep you focussed for a while

I think I’m with you, and I’m saying a similar thing. The driving experience is dulled to a point of boredom. The M4 isn’t about speed, it’s about feel, and that’s what is missing from the Octavia, and many modern cars in this sector. They’re designed as white goods, not cars - it’s why they do everything so competently. It degrades skill - probably a similar argument many modern pilots make with the advent of so many new automation aspects to the cockpit.

Reading your post actually reminds me of many childhood holiday weeks spent with my Dad travelling up and down the UK, he drove for Christian Salvesen for most of his career, and I remember many of his roadcraft lessons. Great days ‘;)

fesuvious said:

The M4 is a heavy dullard anyway. Too much grip, too fat, too fast.

I’ll disagree with you here

[7mike]

I just burst into a bit of commentary whenever I sense focus levels are dipping, works for me

[Toltec]

7mike said:

I just burst into a bit of commentary whenever I sense focus levels are dipping, works for me

Yes, I will use that to keep myself awake too. I also play timing games, how many seconds before I catch and need to pass the vehicle in front, how many seconds until the car catching me will pass etc. Use it so you make the smallest speed changes possible while not getting in anyone else's way.

[Toltec]

fesuvious said:

Exactly, it's about engaging with the act, art and craft of driving.

What you're driving makes absolutely no difference.

Blaming the vehicle for losing focus is plain daft. If you choose to there are endless ways to improve your interaction. No matter if you're on a lawnmower or in a race car

Steering the shopping trolley through the store or car park with just the tip of one finger on one corner. As an exercise while learning my dad got me to drive from one town to another without using the brakes. No junctions to stop at and no one behind to annoy obviously, but there were hills and speed had to be varied between 30 and 60 for bends etc. It wasn't supposed to be about being a good way to drive, but about anticipation and flow.

[Kuroblack350]

fesuvious said:

You're not enjoying driving, you're enjoying the car.

Two different things

I was discussing with the wife how much skill used to be needed in old HGV's to maintain progress. 150bhp, but 10tonnes to haul. Hills needed the most skillful gear changes down, one mis-time and you're toast, crawling up in 2nd at 15mph....

Every steering input at speed needed care, light touch....you could watch the Speedo drop 2mph if you were heavy. Measuring out the effects of your inputs versus distance travelled in that all too rigid 4.5hour window......

What to many would be a painful, horrible task made into a test of your true ability behind the wheel.....

Finding the way to tip a loaded HGV into a corner, loading up the weight gradually, maintaining progress, genuinely reaching the limit of tyres and chassis.

All skills that if you can't master them in something slow you sure can't do it in something quick.

There is a solid logic behind Rob Wilson coaching some of the world's best drivers in a standard Ford Focus.

Stop worrying about the car, and start enjoying the driving. The M4 is a heavy dullard anyway. Too much grip, too fat, too fast.

True skill would see you mastering that Octavia.

Try going all the way through the gears and back again without adjusting road speed. Say keep it to 30mph and try going from 2nd, all the way up and back again without feeling the change or changing the speed.

That'll keep you focussed for a while

I think I’m with you, and I’m saying a similar thing. The driving experience is dulled to a point of boredom. The M4 isn’t about speed, it’s about feel, and that’s what is missing from the Octavia, and many modern cars in this sector. They’re designed as white goods, not cars - it’s why they do everything so competently. It degrades skill - probably a similar argument many modern pilots make with the advent of so many new automation aspects to the cockpit.

Reading your post actually reminds me of many childhood holiday weeks spent with my Dad travelling up and down the UK, he drove for Christian Salvesen for most of his career, and I remember many of his roadcraft lessons. Great days ‘;)

fesuvious said:

The M4 is a heavy dullard anyway. Too much grip, too fat, too fast.

I’ll disagree with you here

[Donbot]

Start riding motorbikes. Being more aware of your own and others mortality will help focus the mind.

[Salted_Peanut]

The only problem with motorcycling – for me, at least – is that car driving is boring in comparison. I lost all interest in cars (track days and advanced road driving alike) after getting on two wheels.

[Donbot]

Just because something is boring it doesn't mean you won't concentrate. Plenty of people have boring and repetitive jobs which are safety critical, but training and recognising potential consequences helps stop the mistakes.

Which is why motorcyclists, pilots etc tend to be more attentive drivers.

The way I drove a car changed a lot after I started riding.

[R56Cooper]

fesuvious said:

Exactly, it's about engaging with the act, art and craft of driving.

What you're driving makes absolutely no difference.

Blaming the vehicle for losing focus is plain daft . If you choose to there are endless ways to improve your interaction. No matter if you're on a lawnmower or in a race car

At the risk of causing offence I must say I totally agree with this. If you struggle to maintain focus because the car is boring, that suggests, dare I say it, a rather immature attitude.

[Super Sonic]

As Toltec said, try and avoid the necessity of using the brakes. It's all about anticipation and reading the traffic. Very focusing.

[NS66]

Super Sonic said:

As Toltec said, try and avoid the necessity of using the brakes. It's all about anticipation and reading the traffic. Very focusing.

Totally agree - plus turn the heater down and radio off!!

[Kuroblack350]

R56Cooper said:

fesuvious said:

Exactly, it's about engaging with the act, art and craft of driving.

What you're driving makes absolutely no difference.

Blaming the vehicle for losing focus is plain daft . If you choose to there are endless ways to improve your interaction. No matter if you're on a lawnmower or in a race car

At the risk of causing offence I must say I totally agree with this. If you struggle to maintain focus because the car is boring, that suggests, dare I say it, a rather immature attitude.

I’m not entirely convinced you’ve got either the point of the post, or point of the sub-forum, but thanks for the input though I’m not sure that as a 45 year old bloke I’m immature, but again, thanks for insight into my character If I were to make a similarly bizarre assertion, I’d say it’s those simplistic, digital views that persuaded me to leave the IAM behind after years of effort and Observing…

Moving from an M4 to an Octavia is the equivalent of walking out of a live arena gig and firing up a CD player in the house… it’s just not the same, and requires a different approach to get the best from the experience; that’s all I’m pondering.

7mike said:

I just burst into a bit of commentary whenever I sense focus levels are dipping, works for me

That’s a cracking suggestion, it’s been a while, but really works And thanks for restoring my faith in the AD sub-forum

[Kuroblack350]

Super Sonic said:

As Toltec said, try and avoid the necessity of using the brakes. It's all about anticipation and reading the traffic. Very focusing.

Yup, agree

[wyson]

fesuvious said:

Exactly, it's about engaging with the act, art and craft of driving.

What you're driving makes absolutely no difference.

Blaming the vehicle for losing focus is plain daft. If you choose to there are endless ways to improve your interaction. No matter if you're on a lawnmower or in a race car

I find some cars feel weird and that weirdness to be distracting. With a Chrysler 300C I hired on holiday in America, I couldn’t trust what the car was telling me, and it meant my focus was half on what the car might or might not be doing for a given input. It definitely meant my attention wasn’t fully on the road.

I think the ‘language’ of the car, its feedback and control weights definitely have an effect on how present you feel in the moment, and hence affect how much focus you can have on your surroundings.

As ever with these things, its horses for courses.

The solution is clearly to buy your other half a BMW M3 so on the occasion you have to use their car, you are covered.

You'll also probably find a lesser 3 Series better than an Octavia.

FWIW, I'm the other way. Much prefer VAG tuning to BMW's.

Edited by wyson on Saturday 21st May 09:55

[Simon_GH]

My point has already been made but I find giving a continuously running commentary helpful. I had a few driving lessons from a retired policeman who said there’s so much going on when you’re drinking that your prose should be continuous; corners, dips, crests, bus stops, houses with risk of people being on the road, parked cars, gates, change in speed limits, overgrown greenery etc.

The last few miles after a long journey are often cited as the highest risk because you start relaxing on home turf and make silly mistakes.

[Toltec]

Simon_GH said:

The last few miles after a long journey are often cited as the highest risk because you start relaxing on home turf and make silly mistakes.

That is no doubt an element of it, however those last few miles are the ones you also spend more time on proportionally than any other section of road because no matter where you go you always drive over them.

[Toltec]

There is a FB post about how people overestimate the time saved by going a bit faster. I pointed out that speed selection is more than the time and fuel used. I also pick a speed based on work rate, I like to use a speed that naturally keeps me focused on the drive without being too much effort. Going slower isn't necessarily any less effort, you just spend longer doing it so over a journey it is more tiring. That is different than being totally engaged in a fast drive and the feel of the car, but even in a boring car you can stay focused by trying to get the best flow. Sliding through traffic without anyone else really noticing you are there, making better than average progress through timing and observation of the situation can be very challenging and engaging.

I even do it walking down crowded pavements and have done since before I could drive.