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The Ultimate Learning to Drive Thread - MK II

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Had another lesson today. It's all starting to sink in now! :biggrin:

I stalled today though, and panicked when I tried to get going again - the person behind me wasn't very pleased I don't think! Ah well, I'm a learner.
Had a couple goes at reversing round a corner and went quite well I thought. Also trying to work on my spatial awareness still, because I have a dodgy left eye - makes it hard to look out the back window when I'm reversing - but I keep drifting too close to kerb because it feels like I'm too far over my side of the road.

Reply 81

Atrixa

DebraN9

Well I've been taught two ways of doing it too - but not really allowed to look at the left wing mirror...well you can, but only glances. Got to really look behind but I find it difficult cos I just can't really tell where the kerb is when I do that..

Did your instructor give you a reference point for where you're meant to keep the kerb on the back window?

Reply 82

Couldxbe

Ahh it's so horrible to be in this thread (no offense guys :p:

) but I'm still a learner until I eventually pass my test.

With regards to manoeuvres, my first instructor taught everything with reference points. When I moved cities, I was retaught using mirrors. I definitely prefer the second method because if you screw up then you can correct it as your doing it, whereas I never had a clue how to correct if I'd missed the reference point.

My next test (3rd :frown:

) is 10th April, really hope I pass this time...

Reply 83

giran

Within 4 weeks, I'm able to do alley docking, parallel parking and 3 point turns! I hate doing alley docking though! :mad:

I've almost perfected clutch control, but I seem to be feeding the car too much petrol.

They say if you come to a stop for more than ten seconds, it's not advisable to ride the clutch!

Reply 84

DiamondsAreForever

I failed my theory test by 1 point :frown:

got 56 on hazard perception aswell.

Reply 85

Diamond Matt

Been learning since October..

Hade an awful lesson a fortnight ago and stalled 6 times. Just one of them times when nothing went right and I got frustrated. Last week though made up for i and was almost faultless. Got next lesson in about 20 mins :smile:

Reply 86

DebraN9

Atrixa

Did your instructor give you a reference point for where you're meant to keep the kerb on the back window?

Yes - I've got that but it just doesn't seem to click in my head about how to follow the kerb round, cos obviously there are points where I will lose it..I dunno, it's just not happening. I bought a practical test book today but it's just telling me the same things I've been told verbally. I've got my next lesson tomorrow so going to ask him a few questions and see how it goes...

Also, for reverse park - I've been taught, that when I start steering, I should put one turn onto the right - but the book is telling me to put one and a half turns on - how have you (and everyone else) learnt?

Reply 87

DebraN9

Diamond Matt

We all get those terrible lessons (although I get too many lol) but they are made better by the good ones - how did the one go today?

Reply 88

fearny1989

I've had about 23 lessons, and have decided to change instructor. I was learning in a diesel and really wasn't learning proper clutch control - it really shocked me when I had a go in my brothers car which is petrol lol. I know it's easier to stall in a petrol but I'd prefer to know when I'm not stalling its coz I've really got the hang of it - not just because its easier. I tried to tell my driving instructor my worries and he really wasn't interested. Anyway, this and a culmination of other things (He hasn't even shown me a correct way of pulling up, just grabs the wheel and does it for me!) and have decided to change...I'm going to be learning in a petrol polo which I'm really excited about because hopefully thats the car I'll be getting from young marmalade! :smile:

Anyway, thought it was about time I joined this thread. Hope I'm not really far behind because of my instructor not being great...and I hope this instructor will be a lot better!

Reply 89

chemical_bex

I've had seven lessons so far, and i think i'm doing okay, apart from on monday, i was going quite fast for me (about 40) and for some reason i went into first gear?? I hit my head off the steering wheel and everything. I was sooo lucky the van behind had decided to overtake me!

But since then i've been perfect at my gear changes :biggrin:

I start learning reversing next week!

Reply 90

NeedToPass

Well I thought I would join this thread as I have failed 2 tests so far. I feel like right now I need to work on concentration because one of my three majors was driving past a give way line which i ofcourse didnt see otherwise I would have stopped. Another of my faults was not seeing the light turn green because I was concentrating on another set of traffic lights! My last fault was for not looking out the rear window properly so I got a major for that.

So all in all I think I need to concentrate more whilst driving and I noticed on my report sheet that that I got a minor for my signals, one for times and one for signaling correctly. I also got a minor for meeting situations, no matter how hard I try, I never get my meeting situations right! I either wait too far back or too close, which is very annoying!

I am hoping 3/4 lessons before my test on the 9th corrects all these issues. Funny thing is, my isntructor said I wasnt making any of these mistakes prior to the test, how annoying!

Reply 91

Buster_Bunny

I passed an hour ago :smile:

Reply 92

Melting Sugar.

*is learning to drive*

had a two hour lesson yesterday where we did bay parking :o:

Reply 93

thetopnotch

I have my test next week but I haven't driven in almost 3 months. Before the test the most I will get to drive is 5 hours and I've had to drop plans to even get that amount of hours :colonhash:

If I fail this time then my theory will run out and I'll have wasted even more money. I've already wasted almost £600 on lessons in holidays where it's turned out that I've had to cancel my test for stupid reasons. Argh!

Reply 94

samanthaaaa

Buster_Bunny

I passed an hour ago :smile:

Bit late but congratulations! :smile:

Reply 95

luckylucifer

i had my first lesson last week where we just did starting and stopping, although i've done up to 30mph driving around empty roads with my parents. i hope he doesn't spend too long teaching me stuff i already know...

Reply 96

Hippysnake

Quick question guys. Say I'm moving off from behind a parked vehicle and I can't see ahead of me, but having looked all around, there are no pedestrians or other cars, or they are very far away, do I need to signal?

In general, when moving off from the side of the road, should I give a signal even if I see a car in the distance or any pedestrians anywhere?