A question about driving. Please Help.
Hi everyone, I've got my driving test coming up next month and I'm really struggling with something and it's making me really depressed.
Basically I was having lessons with my original instructor, he was really nice and patient and when I got to about 16 lessons with him he said I can book my test. I was taking lessons with my father as well to complement them. We even did mock tests and according to him I was close to test standard. Anyway I booked my test for July, thinking that as soon as I got my exams out of the way I can focus on driving, however unfortunately my original instructor had to stop giving lessons because of ill health so I had to find a new instructor and it also meant that I had gone over 2 months without driving.
What I'm really really struggling with is probably something most people would find super easy and I just feel that my driving has gone 10 steps backwards. I just don't know how to do it correctly:
When your turining left from a main road into a side road I know we have to follow the MSPSL routine.
So e.g if turning left.
Mirrors (interior and left)
Signal (left)
Position (slightly close to the kerb if wide road or more to center if narrow)
BUT when it comes to the Speed and look bit everything falls apart.
Lets say for instance I'm approaching in 3rd gear, and my instructor says turn left into the road. I can't seem to slow the car down to the right pace (sometimes I slow down too much and sometimes too little) and I honestly don't know when to correctly change the gear. I can't seem to coordinate the clutch and brake correctly and I can't decide in time whether it's first or 2nd gear. I can make the turn in the end without stalling but I just really don't get it.
Literally with my new instructor we spend hours just trying to do this and I still can't get the hang of it and he's nowhere near as patient as the last instructor I had.
Can someone please help me out here. I'm going to practice with my dad tomorrow on some quieter roads but want to learn and understand how to do it correctly so we can move on to other aspects of driving as well.
Can someone please break it down into baby steps because I'm really confused.
Thanks
Basically I was having lessons with my original instructor, he was really nice and patient and when I got to about 16 lessons with him he said I can book my test. I was taking lessons with my father as well to complement them. We even did mock tests and according to him I was close to test standard. Anyway I booked my test for July, thinking that as soon as I got my exams out of the way I can focus on driving, however unfortunately my original instructor had to stop giving lessons because of ill health so I had to find a new instructor and it also meant that I had gone over 2 months without driving.
What I'm really really struggling with is probably something most people would find super easy and I just feel that my driving has gone 10 steps backwards. I just don't know how to do it correctly:
When your turining left from a main road into a side road I know we have to follow the MSPSL routine.
So e.g if turning left.
Mirrors (interior and left)
Signal (left)
Position (slightly close to the kerb if wide road or more to center if narrow)
BUT when it comes to the Speed and look bit everything falls apart.
Lets say for instance I'm approaching in 3rd gear, and my instructor says turn left into the road. I can't seem to slow the car down to the right pace (sometimes I slow down too much and sometimes too little) and I honestly don't know when to correctly change the gear. I can't seem to coordinate the clutch and brake correctly and I can't decide in time whether it's first or 2nd gear. I can make the turn in the end without stalling but I just really don't get it.
Literally with my new instructor we spend hours just trying to do this and I still can't get the hang of it and he's nowhere near as patient as the last instructor I had.
Can someone please help me out here. I'm going to practice with my dad tomorrow on some quieter roads but want to learn and understand how to do it correctly so we can move on to other aspects of driving as well.
Can someone please break it down into baby steps because I'm really confused.
Thanks
Original post by futuremedic19
x
Hey OP
First of all I'm really sorry that your instructor can't teach you anymore. I'm a learner myself and the idea of changing instructors terrifies me. I've just moved this over to Learning to drive where someone should be able to give you some good advice. I hope you're OK
Cheers!
Ethan
I have my driving test coming up soon also!
When I turn left into a side road, this is what I do:
Check the interior and left mirror, and apply the left signal.
Begin slowing down (if I'm approaching in 3rd gear, I slow down to just under 20mph). If the new road is narrow, I brake more firmly (but not too much!).
Press the clutch down and change down into 2nd gear just before I start to make the turn.
Flex the clutch back up gently and look into the new road as I'm turning in.
I can imagine that trying to get used to a new driving instructor is hard! But I'm sure you'll be just fine!
When I turn left into a side road, this is what I do:
Check the interior and left mirror, and apply the left signal.
Begin slowing down (if I'm approaching in 3rd gear, I slow down to just under 20mph). If the new road is narrow, I brake more firmly (but not too much!).
Press the clutch down and change down into 2nd gear just before I start to make the turn.
Flex the clutch back up gently and look into the new road as I'm turning in.
I can imagine that trying to get used to a new driving instructor is hard! But I'm sure you'll be just fine!
(edited 7 years ago)
I've just passed my driving test...
When i turn left into a side road this is how i do it;
1: Check interior and Left door mirror
2: Signal & and begin to slow down...
3: when at low enough speed, i change to second gear
4: check left mirror again, and turn into the road.
can i just point out though the gears would depend on how narrow the road is...if it's very narrow...i'd slow down and change to gear 1...when approaching the road.
When i turn left into a side road this is how i do it;
1: Check interior and Left door mirror
2: Signal & and begin to slow down...
3: when at low enough speed, i change to second gear
4: check left mirror again, and turn into the road.
can i just point out though the gears would depend on how narrow the road is...if it's very narrow...i'd slow down and change to gear 1...when approaching the road.
Original post by Dann.It
I've just passed my driving test...
When i turn left into a side road this is how i do it;
1: Check interior and Left door mirror
2: Signal & and begin to slow down...
3: when at low enough speed, i change to second gear
4: check left mirror again, and turn into the road.
can i just point out though the gears would depend on how narrow the road is...if it's very narrow...i'd slow down and change to gear 1...when approaching the road.
When i turn left into a side road this is how i do it;
1: Check interior and Left door mirror
2: Signal & and begin to slow down...
3: when at low enough speed, i change to second gear
4: check left mirror again, and turn into the road.
can i just point out though the gears would depend on how narrow the road is...if it's very narrow...i'd slow down and change to gear 1...when approaching the road.
Thanks. I'll try putting it into practice.
I've been driving for almost a year, when I was learning and had to turn left, I ALWAYS made sure I got down to second gear, so anywhere from 15-19mph, unless it was a really sharp turn, in which case it was 1st gear. It's important to remember that you're in a car that makes it REALLY obvious that you're a learner, so slowing down loads is fine
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