I'm taking a guess and saying that the significant others that are bad drivers don't wakeboard themselves? I think that makes a world of difference. Once someone has experienced a crappy pull from a bad driver, they learn to appreciate good driving, and become aware that there is good and bad driving. My wife, who slaloms, wakeboards, and wakesurfs; is getting pretty good, but she is still nervous driving, mostly about shallow water and driving around other boats.

Honestly, it really surprises me that so many people have trouble driving a boat. To me, it is much easier than driving a car. Hell, there are bascially no speed limits and no lanes to stay in. I know a few guys that own wakeboats (nicer than mine) that are not great drivers. I know one guy that is so bad, I won't ride behind his boat any more.

So familiarity with the sport makes a driver be better about speed consistency, driving in straight lines, and not power turning. I have never met a rider that LIKES inconsistent speed, riding in curves, and riding in rough water over rollers (except d-ups). I think for the shallow water, that is a tough one. I have tried to explain to my wife that unless the depth finder reads less that 2 feet, then we are okay, and not to panic about it. And in most bodies of water, for that to be an issue, the boat would have to be so close to the shore that the rider can't cut out on that side.

As for the other boats, this is tricky. I have tried to explain to her that the best way to drive a boat, is know the rules and follow them confidently. Of course, knowing the rules can be tough. You might suggest that you both take a boater safety course TOGHETHER. There are to many people out that sort of know the rules, but don't stick to their guns about it. For example, staying to the right, easy rule, but if my wife is driving towards another boat (head on) and they don't acknowledge her going to the right a quarter mile out, she starts to panic and turn to pass them on the other side, then I get po'd and both drivers get confused. This is how boats collide and people get killed. So I try to tell my wife to forget what the other idots are doing and do what you know to be right. At least that way if there is a collision, then the other boat is a fault.

Sorry for the long response, but the short answer is, I don't really know, I haven't been terribly successful. Stay calm, have patience, and try to use lots of "I" statements. You know, "I prefer to get pulled in a straight a line as possible." Not, "Why can't YOU drive in a straight line!"