My oral presentation by Irene Barrienau of Generation 9 was on how to set up a Quality Driving Circle (QDC). In her report she provides information, guidelines and reasons for setting up a QDC. She indicates the primary reason in establishing a QDC is to change our driving habits and address our emotions when we are drivers, passengers, and/or pedestrians. The challenge begins with acknowledgment of the need for change as its first step.

I. WHAT IS A QDC?

Dr. Driving gives a definition and overview of a Quality Driving Circle and the QDC's fundamental purpose. QDC's are part of Traffic Psychology. QDC is a new approach to spread awareness of the "runaway" driving problems". It is a means in which to encourage good driving behavior. It consists of a group of five to ten people who are committed to meeting once a week for a six week period to discuss issues surrounding commuting. It is believed that in the sharing of commuting experiences, members can learn alternative solutions to dealing with their emotions and reactions. Its goal is to encourage quality of driving among the members through positive peer influence for self-modification of negative driving behaviors.

II. WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM QDC?

Anyone, possibly everyone. In our lifetime we have been held the role of pedestrian, passenger and/or driver. People who at any time during a commute, experienced feeling exhausted, angered, emotionally and/or physically drained.

Repeat traffic violators who feel they have no control in getting cited.

People with low driving esteem (fear of driving and aggressive behavior).

Dr. Driving has recommended a QDC to many that have emailed him with their emotional experiences while commuting. A QDC may benefit these people in addressing and altering these negative emotional experiences.

III. HOW DO I BECOME A MEMBER OF A QDC?

The best way to become a member of a QDC is to start one. At this time QDC is not formally organized. Therefore, they cannot be located in the Yellow Pages or searched on the Internet. Starting a QDC is not difficult to do. The benefits are not only to yourself but also to those within your group. In taking the initiative as group leader, you can gain valuable input on how to address and correct how we feel and act in negative commuting situations. In addition, you gain leadership and communication skills that can be applied in other areas of your life.

BEGINNING YOUR QDC?

STEP ONE: Surfing the Net

The first step to beginning your a QDC is to conduct research. There is a lot of information on the Net, therefore it helps take on a little at a time. Other members of the group can help gather information too. However, in addition to the results of the search, much of the information obtained will be from the sharing of personal experiences.

Dr. Driving's Traffic Psychology class has done individual and group mini-research experiments. Utilizing the information from this class can aid your QDC group in assessing and addressing specific driving behaviors. In addition to the gaining of this valuable knowledge, Dr. Driving has many web sites discussing specific aspects of driving such as "gaining control" behind the wheel, tailgating, and the Nine Zones of your driving personality.

QDC will fundamentally involve:

* thoughts and feelings behind the wheel

* driving personality makeovers projects using behavioral techniques of self-modification

* checklists, test, and inventories to help keep track of changes and patterns in one's driving

This may seem complicated and require a lot of time, but with all members participating it will not be too difficult to accomplish. This load is additionally lightened by the availability of these checklists, test and inventories through Dr. Driving's web site and other student's web sites.

STEP TWO: Recruiting Members

It is easy to recruit potential members because there are so many of us who have had negatives experiences as pedestrian, passenger and/or drivers. The people who talk with you about negative experiences are potential members that could be recruited. You can let them know that there is a way to address the stress, modify their behaviors so that future experiences on the road are positive. Word of mouth is usually the best source of advertising. In addition, flyers and posters can be used to put the word out. It will not be an easy concept to sell, because most of us feel that negative experiences while driving is the "norm". This report is to tell you otherwise. With these two steps implemented, big and positive changes are well on the way into our driving lives!

IV. RUNNING AND PARTICIPATING IN QDC

To effectively run and maximize participation in QDC. It is recommended that the meeting place be a quite, natural, calming environment. In addition, a scheduled meeting time and day should be set that allows all members to participate. Ground rules and an agenda should be set to expedite the meetings. A six-week format has been provided as a guideline.

Week One

The first meeting will be an introduction and getting to know session.

It is important for the group leader to:

¨ Stress honesty

¨ Open communication lines by asking why they joined QDC

¨ Have members take personality test and share results with group

¨ Select specific area of member's driving behavior to focus on

¨ Have members agree to complete self-witnessing reports during commute

Week Two

In the second meeting, members meet to share and discuss their week's commute experience. It is a good idea to find a general theme for the whole group to work on. This general theme will consist of a common experience or emotion broad enough to allow the whole group to participate. This is important because:

1) It avoids the possibility individual(s) will be isolated; and

2) It simplifies the task when several people work together.

• I feel angry with other drivers and want to retaliate by cutting them off, yelling, showing negative or aggressive gestures, etc.
• I feel scared and/or helpless while driving, and I don't know what to do when people react aggressively towards me. I end up feeling distressed or upset when I reach my destination.
• I take it personally when drivers make mistakes or drive too slow. I am intolerant of most other driver's driving behaviors.

In week three, each member should search for a  generation report or one specific problem solution from Dr. Driving's web site. This is done to ensure that the members be involved in an in-depth discussion on specific themes. Posted solutions and alternative explanations will be shared among the members. Each member should have two checklists resembling this:

Checklist One For Each member Checklist Two for the Group

Specific Aspects Surrounding Theme: Theme: xxx

Specific Aspects Surrounding Theme:

1.____ I have accomplished..... 1.____ As a group we have accomplished...

2.____ I have accomplished..... 2.____ As a group we have accomplished...

3.____ I have accomplished..... 3.____ As a group we have accomplished...

Week Four

By week four, there should be enough member information gathered to start the individual driving personality makeovers. After each makeover, each member discusses their makeover and chooses one generational report on driving personality makeover. The group should then discuss their individual makeover efforts. All problems encountered and solutions tried should be discussed.

Week Five

This week is dedicated to self-modification techniques. Each member of the group decides to utilize a self-modification technique pertinent to the specific aspect they want to change.

Week Six

The group member should discuss their own experiences as they employed the self-modification techniques. The leader up until this time should be keeping all the data. In addition, each person should be continuously recording (or self-witnessing). The leader then can review the member's records and come up with the most significant aspect for them to work on. The sixth week is technically the end of the basic QDC. Ideally, the QDC should not end here, members should take what they have learned apply it as often as possible. They should share their knowledge by initiating their own QDC and recruiting new members. The goal at the end of the six weeks is the main discussion on Being a Supportive Driver. The attainment of this goal involves Random Acts of Kindness and Being A Driving Buddy.

V. QDC FOR THE FUTURE

If QDC's could become formally organized meetings, funded by automobile companies, the government or private companies they would expand and become synonymous with other group self-help establishments. Road rage is not going away, in fact it is on the incline. We learn to drive when we are passengers and witness the way our parents, grandparents, and/or caregivers drive. It is for this reason that Dr. Driving has recommend that courts could use QDCs as a form of treatment for drivers who are repeat offenders. QDC could also be part of high schools driver's education as part of the curriculum. QDC should be a part of lifelong Driver's Education, in our roles as pedestrian, passenger and driver.

DR. JAMES

Q: Would you recommend to your driving partner that he join our on-line QDC?

 A: Yes.

Q: What problems do you anticipate with this driver?

A: His inability to see that he is responsible for his behavior and action while driving. His confrontational nature is my biggest challenge.

Q: Would this approach work with the other drivers you know?

A: Yes, most, however there are the few "macho" friends that would require more working with.

Q: How can you encourage work-based QDC groups?

A: Arrange one day of the week to have office meeting time set for QDC group meeting. Initiate some kind of point system for movie tickets if members satisfactory complete six-week session.

Q: Do truckers need QDCs?

A: Yes, I believe everyone especially Truckers who in addition to encountering all the things we non-rig drivers encounter spend longer periods of driving on the roads.

Q: What is the difference between face to face and on-line QDC?

A: The main difference is personal face to face influence. In face to face people have to be committed and accountable to the cause to take the time to be at all meetings. However, you might not get the mass amount of sharing and truthfulness as you would on-line because of the anonymity. Both forms of communication could be effective as long as the people participating are serious about Quality Driving Circle.

SHAUNNA MAZZA

Q: Are there a lot of people involved in QDCs? I have never heard of such a thing. Is it popular?

A: It is my finding that there are not a lot of people involved in QDCs. This is hard to quantify because they are not a formally organized or recognized group. It is for these reasons that I do not feel it is too popular.

Q: How do the QDCs actually help? Does it help change driving personality?

A: Yes, QDC does help when the members are willing and ready to be helped. Its goal is to have members take their driving personality test and have them choose what area(s) they what to focus on to change.

Q: Are the meetings in person or could it also be beneficial in such a thing as a QDC chat room?

A: Most of the meetings are in person. I am sure it could be as beneficial in some kind of a chat room, however it looses some of human aspects (eg: personal attention) but can reach more people in less time.

MARISSA MURAOKA

Q: What are some QDC web sites?
 
A:    Currently (Spring 2000) all QDC web sites are through Dr. James' courses.

Q: Is anyone using QDC yet?

A:    Yes, Generation 13 of Dr. James' class are the first to be using QDC.

Q: When did QDC begin?

A:    QDC began this semester in this specific format.
 

ROBBY SOLMSSEN

Q: As far as recruiting members, do you think that it should just focus on those who have had a negative experience?

A: No, we could all benefit in being aware or our behavior and emotions in our roles as pedestrian, passenger and/or driver.

Q: If the QDC became too large, should there then be more than one leader?

A: Maybe, if the group becomes too large it can be split into smaller more personal and manageable groups.

Q: Does each generation progress together or do most participants "drop out" after the first generation? In other words do earlier generations continue to support the QDC?

A: Yes, I believe most generations support and practice the application of QDC's purpose. Being aware of driving habits and behaviors and taking steps to change them.