Hardest thing about driving?
Scroll to see replies
Original post by Jack93o
I get what you mean, but every car would be different though won't it? (i.e. your memory of how to park, including the reference points, is only specific to that particular car you're learning in) cars come in all different shape and sizes, so if you get a new car, you'd have to kinda start all over again with learning to park by 'experimenting' with new reference points and knowing how they correspond to how far away the car really is from the objects around it, yes?
what I don't get is how people can just jump into a different car and park/drive it with no problem, or does this only happen on TV and not in real life?
what I don't get is how people can just jump into a different car and park/drive it with no problem, or does this only happen on TV and not in real life?
Yeah, you have to kinda learn how each car feels I suppose. You just need reference points to show you where your back wheel is
It'd only take a couple of tries to figure out where they are
My boyfriend got a new car a few months ago and he still says it feels weird to drive :L
Original post by Dusky Mauve
Yeah, you have to kinda learn how each car feels I suppose. You just need reference points to show you where your back wheel is
It'd only take a couple of tries to figure out where they are
My boyfriend got a new car a few months ago and he still says it feels weird to drive :L
It'd only take a couple of tries to figure out where they are
My boyfriend got a new car a few months ago and he still says it feels weird to drive :L
and also something I just thought of, those reference 'blobs' on your back window would only be helpful for a very particular way of sitting
say if you or someone else shifted the driver seat forwards/backwards, that would render those reference points useless. Even changing the tilt of your head would cause those reference points to be inaccurate. Sitting slightly slouching down also has an effect.
I don't know, maybe I'm overthinking this, I know I got taught the same method by my instructor and I remember being a bit annoyed at this, it seems like I'm not learning a 'universal' way of parking, rather, just parking under a specific set of circumstances
Original post by Jack93o
and also something I just thought of, those reference 'blobs' on your back window would only be helpful for a very particular way of sitting
say if you or someone else shifted the driver seat forwards/backwards, that would render those reference points useless. Even changing the tilt of your head would cause those reference points to be inaccurate. Sitting slightly slouching down also has an effect.
I don't know, maybe I'm overthinking this, I know I got taught the same method by my instructor and I remember being a bit annoyed at this, it seems like I'm not learning a 'universal' way of parking, rather, just parking under a specific set of circumstances
say if you or someone else shifted the driver seat forwards/backwards, that would render those reference points useless. Even changing the tilt of your head would cause those reference points to be inaccurate. Sitting slightly slouching down also has an effect.
I don't know, maybe I'm overthinking this, I know I got taught the same method by my instructor and I remember being a bit annoyed at this, it seems like I'm not learning a 'universal' way of parking, rather, just parking under a specific set of circumstances
You get used to leaning over in a certain way, you can see when you're doing it right. I suppose with enough practise you'll know what feels right, like when you can definitely feel when you're perfectly parallel to the kerb
Probably the road rage and controlling the potty mouth it induced 
Original post by Norton1
I still can't reverse park into a bay or reverse into a space between two cars. Take that so called rigorous driving test!
Nowadays I always reverse park into a bay (I don't always get it right the first time, usually have to do a bit of manoeuvring) as it's so much easier getting out when you have a bigger field of vision.
During driving lessons, I used to find keeping my hands in the 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock positions very difficult (and still do!) - I used to keep them in the 4 o'clock and 8 o'clock positions and did so during my test and passed first time around
In my lessons, I struggled most with reverse around a corner. I would either be too far out or hit the kerb! Thankfully I didn't have to do it in my test
Now driving on my own, the most difficult thing I find is roundabouts with more than 1 lane. I was fine with them when I was learning with my instructor because he told me everything I had to do, but since my test in December, I've only done 2 or 3 multiple roundabouts on my own, and I find them slightly intimidating!
Now driving on my own, the most difficult thing I find is roundabouts with more than 1 lane. I was fine with them when I was learning with my instructor because he told me everything I had to do, but since my test in December, I've only done 2 or 3 multiple roundabouts on my own, and I find them slightly intimidating!
Original post by Jack93o
I get what you mean, but every car would be different though won't it? (i.e. your memory of how to park, including the reference points, is only specific to that particular car you're learning in) cars come in all different shape and sizes, so if you get a new car, you'd have to kinda start all over again with learning to park by 'experimenting' with new reference points and knowing how they correspond to how far away the car really is from the objects around it, yes?
what I don't get is how people can just jump into a different car and park/drive it with no problem, or does this only happen on TV and not in real life?
what I don't get is how people can just jump into a different car and park/drive it with no problem, or does this only happen on TV and not in real life?
It comes when you actually learn to drive, and not to learn a stupid series of steps about ****ing pizza slices. People who learn like that have an awful instructor - and that just shows that the requirements to become an instructor should be a lot harder.
Original post by Juno
It comes when you actually learn to drive, and not to learn a stupid series of steps about ****ing pizza slices. People who learn like that have an awful instructor - and that just shows that the requirements to become an instructor should be a lot harder.
so how do you judge exactly where your car bumper and wheels are in relation to the curb (and/or other objects around) when you're parking without using self-made reference points on the back window?
Original post by Jack93o
so how do you judge exactly where your car bumper and wheels are in relation to the curb (and/or other objects around) when you're parking without using self-made reference points on the back window?
That's the skill of driving that you need to be learning. It's not just going through the motions and fulfilling a series of steps. Teaching people about ****ing pizza slices is a lot easier but it doesn't actually teach you how to drive.
Original post by Norton1
I still can't reverse park into a bay or reverse into a space between two cars. Take that so called rigorous driving test!
I had a similar thing when I passed my test - for some reason I completely forgot how to park a car!
I went down to Tescos car park at around 11pm and just practiced and practiced. I also made a point of always reversing into spaces. It is second nature now
Hill starts & roundabouts for sure! It's all good now 
.. I hate absolutely massive roundabouts though
.. I hate absolutely massive roundabouts though
Confidence...
When I first started learning my confidence wasn't very high, especially during hill starts and judging when I can pull out at Junctions and Roundabouts. Now I'm at the stage when I can book my practical I feel like my confidence is becoming a bit of an issue, I'm over confident. I can judge things very well, I can do my maneuvers well, my driving is fine... but this potentially makes me a slightly more "aggressive" driver, which might not go down so well during my test.
What I'm trying to say is that I'm not as cautious and timid as I once was, which could be an issue during my test. Hopefully the nerves of taking my test will bring me back down to Earth and stop my over-zealousness, hopefully.
When I first started learning my confidence wasn't very high, especially during hill starts and judging when I can pull out at Junctions and Roundabouts. Now I'm at the stage when I can book my practical I feel like my confidence is becoming a bit of an issue, I'm over confident. I can judge things very well, I can do my maneuvers well, my driving is fine... but this potentially makes me a slightly more "aggressive" driver, which might not go down so well during my test.
What I'm trying to say is that I'm not as cautious and timid as I once was, which could be an issue during my test. Hopefully the nerves of taking my test will bring me back down to Earth and stop my over-zealousness, hopefully.
The hard thing is being able to keep your cool when you make a mistake. The hardest part for me is downshifting gears from 5th gear (on a dual carriageway approaching a roundabout with no traffic lights) to 3rd, then deciding whether to put it into 2nd or 1st
I've got my test on Tuesday and the thing I'm most worried about is meeting situations. I tend to not slow down enough in time to tell what other people are doing or just generally do the wrong thing. I sometimes also approach junctions too quickly. On the positive side though, I'm fairly confident with the manouevres.
Edit: I'm also bad at judging whether I can drive past another car next to a line of parked cars, or if there isn't enough room.
Edit: I'm also bad at judging whether I can drive past another car next to a line of parked cars, or if there isn't enough room.
(edited 11 years ago)
I really hate three-point turn. I know it's stupid because most people have issues with parking bay or parrarell parking but I'm fine with those. I just have three-point turn because it's complicated and it takes long to do it. Plus you have to use the handbrake and do all the observations
I don't like parallel parking, tend to go too close to kerb.
I find it hard to judge the width of the car sometimes so can get a bit too close to parked cars.
I find it hard to judge the width of the car sometimes so can get a bit too close to parked cars.
I absolutely sucked at reversing around a corner 
and then ended up having it in my test. I just sucked at it so badly.
and then ended up having it in my test. I just sucked at it so badly.Original post by Emedie
I really hate three-point turn. I know it's stupid because most people have issues with parking bay or parrarell parking but I'm fine with those. I just have three-point turn because it's complicated and it takes long to do it. Plus you have to use the handbrake and do all the observations
Doing the handbrake, gas and bite business is annoying when doing the three point turn. When I first learnt it, I remember doing the turn, but I was just using the clutch to balance the car when my wheels were close to the pavement before gearing from 1st to reverse when in the middle of the road. Nevertheless, it's an easy manoeuvre.
Adjusting the Seat of my instructors Polo, I can never get comfortable in it, he had a fiat 500 temporarily which was really comfortable, ive driven some family friends' cars, a Jaguar x type, passat, a3, Vauxhall Zafira and they are all very comfortable. But when it comes to my instructors polo -.- Oh and staying under 30 mph on this road : https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=51.573484,-0.235364&daddr=&hl=en&geocode=&sll=51.573682,-0.235305&sspn=0.001465,0.004128&vpsrc=0&t=h&mra=mift&mrsp=0&sz=19&ie=UTF8&z=19&iwloc=ddw0
Its a good source of income for the government as everyone does like 50 on that road, and the police often set up speed traps
Its a good source of income for the government as everyone does like 50 on that road, and the police often set up speed traps
Quick Reply
Related discussions
- I.. don't know what to do at this point.
- Driving test fail
- What's something that you used to be able to do but can no longer do?
- How do i get more confident driving?
- 1000+ A2-Level Biology Exam Questions
- Computer science Alevel
- What are manual driver's problems with Automatic car drivers. Are they jealous?
- Hardest And Easiest Highers
- Unis similar to Glasgow and St andrews
- Biomedical sciences at university?
- Why do I keep getting 2.1?
- which science is the hardest? (chemistry, physics or biology)
- gcse computer science paper 2
- revision tips?
- Automatic or manual driving lessons
- Edexcel A-level Spanish (9SP0 01) - 7th June 2023 [Exam Chat]
- Dad expects me to drive perfectly after having not driven for 6 months
- DVSA App or Theory Test 4 in 1 App
- Wanting to study astronomy, but suffering with dyscalculia.
- I’m too emotive, what do I say to her, to not make her worry or upset her???
Latest
Trending
Last reply 3 months ago
How did you revise the show me/tell me driving test questionsTrending
Last reply 3 months ago
How did you revise the show me/tell me driving test questions
