Sometimes you are forced into a situation of having to create supremely clear learning materials. That is what Peter Chalmers, a driving instructor since 2000, found when he travelled with his wife to work in an orphanage in India for two months in 2010.
The older inhabitants wanted to learn to drive but some had never sat in the front of a car so had no idea about how to drive – even how to use a steering wheel, let alone what the lights on the dashboard mean.
They were studying in English, but had limited vocabulary and had never heard an accent from down under therefore Peter decided to write a back-to-basics instruction manual so that absolutely anyone could learn how to drive.
It covered the operation and reason for the horn, hand brake, gear lever, key, lights, indicators, windscreen wipers, rear mirrors, all dashboard lights and gauges, and adjusting the seat properly. Plus, the reader will learn what vehicle checks to perform, safety tips, starting the vehicle, working the pedals, hill starts, changing gear, safe stopping, controlling the vehicle on the road, and more.
Within a short time the students understood the basic concepts and Peter was then able to take advantage of the orphanage’s 45 acres, much of which was planted in crops or rubber trees. Dirt roads was used to get the students up-to-speed, and Peter taught steering by having them drive figure-8s. He taught 15 young adults, most of whom went on to get a driver’s licence, allowing them to get a job and have some income.
The book starts right at the beginning and is a useful resource for new drivers. While we in the Western world would almost certainly know what the steering wheel and accelerator pedal do, many new drivers don’t know what all the warning lights are on the dashboard, or what safety checks they should do on a car.
You can download the ebook from Amazon for $2.99 by clicking here
Darren is an expert on driving and transport, and is a member of the Institute of Advanced Motorists
