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About LinkBacksEverything except the charger is in my car atm. I do have a wind up torch and a disposable camera thoughOriginally Posted by directhex
Everything except the charger is in my car atm. I do have a wind up torch and a disposable camera though
Your there to pass the test mostly, you'll learn how to drive and how you feel comfortable to drive after your test when you get out on your own.
1-Make sure your instructor does not take advantage of you and make you do 100 lessons as he keeps on telling you you are not ready.Take 12 lessons and then book the test. If your instructor makes a fuss, get rid of him and go with a new instructor. If you fail two tests with the same instructor, go for a new one.
Choose a test centre with a pass %
2-Learn to drive manual. Do not learn to drive automatic. There are hardly any used automatic cars around and they cost around £1500!
3-Perfect all your manoeuvres. esp. Bay parking and parallel parking!
4-Enjoy driving. Do not look at it as something scary. If you are scared, you will panic in difficult situations and cause accidents. Start by driving in 30mph roads. When you are confident, then only do dual carriageways.
5-Do not be a brainless sheep and follow other drivers. e.g. when they all go into a all day bus lane.
6-Always use indicators. I cannot stress this enough! If you are in a left only lane and you wanted to go straight, you can indicate and the driver behind you will let you go.
If you are in a left only lane, turn left. Find a place to stop, and figure out how to get back en-route. The number of accidents I have seen due to idiots panicking and trying to shove across (indicators and all) in busy traffic... Indicators are not a means to get what you want. If you've cocked up, go with it, and deal with the annoying detour. Far safer all round. Either one car slams on the anchors to let you across and gets rear-ended (and often shunted into you too) or the car doesn't stop and you enjoy a nice wing-to-wing kiss.
Same goes for motorway junctions
Oh and motorway slip roads give way to motorway itself. Always be ready to stop if you can't get on. Most drivers will try to move to middle lane to let you out, but it is not always possible, and the car coming onto the motorway will be deemded to be the one at fault if an accident occurs.
No. Never assume another driver will a) notice that you're doing the wrong thing and b) be polite enough to simply back off when you try to correct for it. if you go straight on from a left turn only lane you're primarily at fault if there's an accident. Certainly if you do that on your test you'll fail.
This - every time. Obey all road signs and indications on the road. It's better to be five minutes late because you had to renavigate your route, then be an hour late because you caused an accident trying to hop lanes or make an inappropriate manoeuvre. Your driving instructor should tell you this as well. Even on your test - if you end up in the wrong lane to make the manoeuvre the examiner asks you for you make the correct one for the lane you're in.
Quite, don't assume someone will be paying attention and give you room if possible. However the person with priority isn't always in the right. Priority doesn't translate to 'it's my right of way so I can pretend I'm in a bubble and completely ignore everything else around me'. Driving without due care still applies, priority or not.
It's like a T junction - if someone pulls out a bit aggressively but a car on the carriageway with priority doesn't attempt to slow down when there's time and slams in to the back of them, they'll also be in trouble and potentially get injured. That's another thing - being in the right doesn't make you invincible. That's said at every step of the course and exams - if someone is in the wrong, deal with it safely rather trying to police the road and causing an accident.
+1 for markings/road signs though. If you make a mistake and end up in the wrong lane but don't do anything dangerous, you'll probably just get a minor fault. Make an illegal move and you'll instantly fail and possibly have the instructor take control. The test is about driving safely, not perfect navigation.
Another minor thing. If you have the instructor go along for the ride on the test, which I'd recommend as they're the best one to provide feedback and help you correct any errors if necessary, bear in mind the extra weight can make a difference depending on the car. I did and I could tell the difference when driving slowly in 2nd in traffic.
Should have given a better example about use of indicators.
I have one (and a high vis), came with the car.
What are they?Should have given a better example about use of indicators.
No seriously, they are there to be used, and flashing lights look nice. Also the are an indication of your intent to maneuver, not a right of way.
I wouldn't take my instructor on the test. Nothing more annoying than seeing them grimmacing in the rear mirror. And trust me, on your test, that is the last thing you want. It also says to the instructor you're more confident if they are not in the car. The examiner will give you a brief summary of what went wrong if you ask them at the end.
Relax, listen and absorb everything the instructor is telling you.
Parking today... About the most complicated thing I've done so far.
I can't seem to see a bloody thing and am relying on full lock and the instructor's word that I'm doing OK.
I miss my motorcycle...!!!
How about you, Monkfish - How's your learning coming along?
http://forums.hexus.net/automotive/2...llel-kerb.html
No trees were harmed in the creation of this message. However, many electrons were displaced and terribly inconvenienced.
Cheers - haven't done parallel yet. Only parking bays in Morrisons... Lefts and rights, both empty and between 2 other cars, though.
Awkwardly, I'm learning in a diesel Skoda thing, so a lot of it is just a touch of clutch, no throttle and light as anything power steering.
Gonna be a horribly bad driver when I finally get my Supra III...!!
Haha, that was my issue eons ago.
Now that I am a FQD, I angle my car in until I hit the kerb and then straighten my car. I also open the driver door just to check if I am near or far. Having a mini mirror stuck in your wing mirror also helps.
For parallel parking you can tilt the passenger side mirror down in the test iirc.
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