Just started to drive any tips???

[Madman monkfish]

Just started my lesons any tips for my test or in general?

[directhex]

Keep a portable snow shovel in the boot. And a high viz jacket. And a warning triangle. And a solar-powered battery charger.

[Ttaskmaster]

Don't crash.
Ever!

If it makes you feel any better, I've just started driving lessons too.
I've been biking for ages, but the time has finally come to get my 4-wheeler in as well... if only so I can go do my H-Licence!

Listen to your instructor, read any handouts, go online and get as geeky about this as you would about the latest games/hardware. The more effort you put in, the more you will get out.

One of the biggest things to master (and what I'm working on at the moment) is the muscle memory, so you can change gears/operate pedals without thinking and so put more attention on watching the road.

If possible, have someone (over 21 with 3+ years experience, I think it is) supervise you in their L-Plated car while you get some practice time in. Practice everything, from hill starts to parking, U-turns and just driving around in a variety of situations and speed limits.
If you can't practice like this, pretend. Sit there and keep going over everything in your mind. As you walk around, or ride with someone else, apply what you've learned and get into the driving mindset.

Lastly - Most people tell me it's easy and given that there are some serious morons out there who have their licence, I'm starting to think it is indeed easy!!
However, don't try to rush or feel pressured by anyone else into anything, beyond what your instructor feels you're ready for. You will get it when you get it and it's FAR better to take longer and learn to be safer than just working to get through the test.


And one more thing - Enjoy yourself!!

[Madman monkfish]

Thanks guy love the snow shovel idea might be a bit far with the warning triangles tho.

[g8ina]

Triangles and hi vis jackets are legally required in France, wont be long b4 it is law here too. So not as daft as it sounds.

[Flibb]

My tip is to give people room to do weird stuff. Much easier to take avoiding action, or stop if you have left a nice gap.

[Marenghi]

with regards to general driving: it sounds obvious but being observant and paying attention will be your biggest defence of having a crash/being crashed into, pay attention to all road signs, note the weather conditions and time of day (fear the 3-3:30pm rush of parents and school children!) and try to not blindly follow the car in front, if you can watch the car that's in front of the one you're following (or beyond) and try to anticipate what drivers are going to do - admittedly this last one will be hard for a while as you don't have the experience.

Also don't tailgate, use your indicators and please don't use your phone for anything - always pull over if you need to text/phone back, there are numerous videos of American teenagers with a cam facing the occupants of the car texting and then having a crash because they were distracted for a couple of seconds

[DanceswithUnix]

Take good notice of how far it takes you to stop when practicing emergency stops. That is your stopping distance. If you are going around a blind corner, and you can't see as far as your stopping distance then you are going too fast. One day there may well be a broken down car just around the corner.

I think if you can get a cheap old car with really skinny tyres it helps learn handling techniques because most modern cars are so stuffed with electronics that assist the big wide tyres that if you ever get to the handling limits people don't know what to do. But you probably want to play with that *after* you get your test passed

[scaryjim]

Remember everyone on the road is an idiot.

Then remember that you are on the road

Don't assume you know what someone is going to do. If there's any room for doubt wait for them to do it. In particular, don't move if there's any chance of you getting in someone else's way, even if it looks like the right thing to do. I almost got collected by someone pulling on to a roundabout because they assumed that my right indication was an error and I was going to pull in to the road they were exiting from (I was going all the way round because I'd taken the wrong exit from an earlier roundabout).

Be kind to cyclists. They can't really damage you; you can do awful things to them. They have as much right to the road as you do.

Do the pass plus (if it's still available). Even if it makes no difference to your insurance premiums, there's nothing quite like having your instructor alongside you telling you what to do the first time you drive on the motorway. I'm pretty sure I'd've caused some horrible accidents in my first year of driving if I hadn't done pass plus.

if you can afford it, buy a cheap little wreck as soon as you've passed your test and just drive. Nothing gets the confidence up like miles and miles of driving. It wasn't intentional, but I ended up doing North Yorkshire to Birmingham and back at least once a week for several months after I passed my test. That taught me more about driving than any amount of lessons.

[virtuo]

if you can afford it, buy a cheap little wreck as soon as you've passed your test and just drive. Nothing gets the confidence up like miles and miles of driving. It wasn't intentional, but I ended up doing North Yorkshire to Birmingham and back at least once a week for several months after I passed my test. That taught me more about driving than any amount of lessons.

This. I passed my test but couldn't afford a car for a couple of months afterwards, you forget even the simple things without regular lessons and it's hard to build up the confidence.

I'd also say have a go at changing a tyre as soon as you get a car, find an empty car park or do it on the drive. Will save a lot of stress knowing where the tools are and what to do with them when you find yourself on the side of the road with a flat.

[law000]

Remember you are learning to pass a test first, driving second.
Also forget if your mates say they passed first time or theory first time - I passed my car theory and practical on the 2nd time round. It doesn't make you a bad driver or good driver on how you passed of failed. I know people that passed first time and frankly are a danger on the road.

[Macman]

Just started my lesons any tips for my test or in general?

Even when you pass your test, your still learning to drive.

I passed my test, a week later I found myself driving in Dundee coming back from a Car Cruise (Yes I was a ned 11 years ago lol). Found myself driving in a foot of snow that hadn't been cleared from the roads. And the snow was chucking it down, was a scary experience!

Keep calm, remember your lessons and apply common sense. And you'll be fine.

Oh and if someone is on your backside... and your doing the speed limit then the person behind you is in the wrong. Do not feel the need to speed up.

And don't speed... I've been there done that and tbh its a pain. It isnt worth it.

52 in 30
47 in 30
140 in 60
96 in 70

Due to the points stacking up, I lost my license.. had to go through it all again. It really isn't worth it :/, I'm now 28 and have no desire to show off, as it doesn't take skills to put the foot to the ground. It takes skill to be the better man.

[ik9000]

keep to the speed limit - no point getting tickets even when the 50mph on the motorway is blatantly BS.

Stuff the guy behind. The more they tailgate the more you need to gently slow down.

don't middle lane hog

Do the speed limit or pull over and let people past. Especially on country roads.

Remember you're not a good driver. No-one is. The idiots are the ones who think they are.

[watercooled]

Along the lines of what others have said, keep your distance and don't get over-confident.

Also, make a conscious effort to not zombie-out on motorways; pay constant attention to what's going on around you and move lanes if/when necessary. Moving forward at a constant speed with other traffic can give you a false sense of safety.

Like scaryjim I'm glad I did pass plus regardless of insurance benefits and would recommend it. It's pretty unsettling that most people start legally driving solo on motorways with zero experience and no formal training. Country roads at night are fun too!

Something else which starts righteous ramblings from time to time is the issue of not being a #'&^* to other motorists just because the law doesn't demand it. Guess what, you can still be breaking the law for driving without due care and attention even if you're not technically breaking any of the formal laws. That rant isn't aimed at the OP BTW - just some especially arrogant examples elsewhere who are so sure they're the perfect driver that everyone else must be in the wrong.

Edit: Another good bit of advice from my instructor was that passing your test is the start of your learning in many ways.

[Ttaskmaster]

LOOK OUT FOR MOTORCYCLES..... then look a second time!!

Most drivers take less than a third of a second when observing all-round. Don't just look in that direction or that mirror, but make sure you SEE what is there. Might only be another car most of the time, but just like when you turn your head right on approach to a roundabout, slow a touch more and actually SEE if it's clear before hedging your bets on whether it's safe to pull out or change lanes.

Failing that, do what many drivers do and don't bother looking at all - Just pull out.
Go ahead. I won't care. I'll be dead. You'll be the one with 52 stone of solid metal bike crashing through your side window... and no, your side protection won't stop the majority of the impact, either. It will either be your face, of the faces of your children in the back seat that bear the brunt of this. A lifetime of disfigured suffering, or a couple extra seconds to make sure it's safe - Your choice.

Or, to put it as my Police instructor did - "When you take to the road, you take into your hands responsibility for the lives of yourself, your passengers and all those people around you".

[Zak33]

Tip 1: Learn to park

doesn't matter how awesome your driving skills... when you get to your destination safely and timely.. if you can't park , you might as well have got the bus/train.

Tip 2: Learn to park

Now I know that looks a lot like Tip 1, but it's so important I think it's worth pointing out twice.