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Things you struggle with mostly while learning to drive

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Reply 300
Avatar for Rum Ham
Rum Ham
OP
20
Part of me is thinking of putting my driving lesson back a month or so for more practice as I am still making silly mistakes and I want to pass first or second time at most so want to be as confident in my abilities as possible and they say practice makes perfect :tongue:
Reply 301
Avatar for fkx
fkx
6
Original post by GeorgeAndLennie
I use the £18 pound thing its so good, you have to reply within 12 mins of the text tho if you want the slot... so if you don't see it within 12 mins and you get a good date way before Sept it gets reserved to somebody else which sucks lol so gotta always be on the lookout.


Thanks for replying, do you think i can get a test date in the next month? I havent decided if im going to do it though.


I think ill just need maybe 2 lessons perfecting the manoeuvres and then ill be ready for the test, tbh i just want another one especially now that i know what the test is like
Reply 302
Avatar for fkx
fkx
6
Original post by Spock's Socks
Part of me is thinking of putting my driving lesson back a month or so for more practice as I am still making silly mistakes and I want to pass first or second time at most so want to be as confident in my abilities as possible and they say practice makes perfect :tongue:


You may be making the silly mistakes due to pressure. I think you said your test is in August, thats enough time. At lease you will have expereince, which is how I'm thinking, because now I know what the test is like, and what I need to improve in and it has also given me confidence for when I take the test again.

How's your manoeuvres? What does your instructor think?
Original post by Spock's Socks
Part of me is thinking of putting my driving lesson back a month or so for more practice as I am still making silly mistakes and I want to pass first or second time at most so want to be as confident in my abilities as possible and they say practice makes perfect :tongue:


Don't do it until 5 working days before. You will know if you're ready or not then.
Reply 304
Avatar for bj27
bj27
21
Original post by Keyhofi
Changing into fifth gear.
Hill starts and stops.
Roundabouts.

I think those were my three biggest challenges when I was learning. Fifth gear was horrible because you needed to take your hand off the wheel and mind partially off the road to change gear while going at a ridiculous speed. Hills were nasty for trying to find the right amount of gas. Roundabouts were difficult because no one ever indicated so I have no idea what anyone was doing.


Yeah agree with all three of this.

with changing into 5th gear, just up right up while holding the clutch. Basically don't mess about and do it. That's what my instructor said.

Hill starts use handbrake and biting point. Hill stops clutch in gear one, use foot brake and handbrake once you've stopped.

Roundabouts stay in 2nd gear, look right if nobody there or cars have indicated left go if not clutch in gear one.

Make sure you are in the correct lane on a roundabout otherwise just follow the road ahead.
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 305
Avatar for Rum Ham
Rum Ham
OP
20
Original post by fkx
You may be making the silly mistakes due to pressure. I think you said your test is in August, thats enough time. At lease you will have expereince, which is how I'm thinking, because now I know what the test is like, and what I need to improve in and it has also given me confidence for when I take the test again.

How's your manoeuvres? What does your instructor think?


Tbh I make less mistakes with my maneuvers than with my actual driving :colondollar: even after all these lessons, I am finding clutch control to be such a struggle and I am still stalling and making silly mistakes like I did right at the start. My instructor thinks I will be fine by August but reminds me not to beat myself if I don't pass first time around.
Reply 306
Avatar for bj27
bj27
21
Original post by Spock's Socks
Tbh I make less mistakes with my maneuvers than with my actual driving :colondollar: even after all these lessons, I am finding clutch control to be such a struggle and I am still stalling and making silly mistakes like I did right at the start. My instructor thinks I will be fine by August but reminds me not to beat myself if I don't pass first time around.


Clutch control just release the clutch slowly and press the clutch quickly when changing gear/rolling to a stop
Queuing up behind traffic on a hill, just about to stop completely when traffic started moving...let go of brake and went to accelerate and started rolling backwards, the lorry behind was so close too...thankfully managed to get moving before I got too close to it :/
Anyway, my instructor said you have to put your handbrake on if stopping on a hill even for a second to get biting point again and therefore prevent rolling backwards...is that true? Isn't there a way to stop and go without handbrake?
Original post by Biryani007
Queuing up behind traffic on a hill, just about to stop completely when traffic started moving...let go of brake and went to accelerate and started rolling backwards, the lorry behind was so close too...thankfully managed to get moving before I got too close to it :/
Anyway, my instructor said you have to put your handbrake on if stopping on a hill even for a second to get biting point again and therefore prevent rolling backwards...is that true? Isn't there a way to stop and go without handbrake?


It certainly helps to have your handbrake on if you need to stop and go on a slope- I usually put the handbrake on even if I'm only stopping briefly on a slight incline, as I find it a lot easier to not have to worry about rolling backwards. If not, you would have to switch from the brake to the accelerator really quickly with your foot, and that can be tricky, so it isn't really recommended. Certainly not on test :tongue:
Reply 309
Avatar for bj27
bj27
21
Original post by Biryani007
Queuing up behind traffic on a hill, just about to stop completely when traffic started moving...let go of brake and went to accelerate and started rolling backwards, the lorry behind was so close too...thankfully managed to get moving before I got too close to it :/
Anyway, my instructor said you have to put your handbrake on if stopping on a hill even for a second to get biting point again and therefore prevent rolling backwards...is that true? Isn't there a way to stop and go without handbrake?

Just use the handbrake. You can do it without but you will have to be quick switching from brake to accelerator.

Most people i know who dont use the handbrake you can tell quite easily as they roll back and move forward quickly. It doesnt really do much for you either because if you're stopping on a hill you wont save any time using a normal brake instead of the footbrake.
Thank God I've found this thread, I have my practical on the 1st of June and I'm so scared that I'm going to fail it :frown:

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Original post by EmyJ14
It certainly helps to have your handbrake on if you need to stop and go on a slope- I usually put the handbrake on even if I'm only stopping briefly on a slight incline, as I find it a lot easier to not have to worry about rolling backwards. If not, you would have to switch from the brake to the accelerator really quickly with your foot, and that can be tricky, so it isn't really recommended. Certainly not on test :tongue:


Original post by bammy jastard 27
Just use the handbrake. You can do it without but you will have to be quick switching from brake to accelerator.

Most people i know who dont use the handbrake you can tell quite easily as they roll back and move forward quickly. It doesnt really do much for you either because if you're stopping on a hill you wont save any time using a normal brake instead of the footbrake.


Thanks guys!
Reply 312
Avatar for Rum Ham
Rum Ham
OP
20
My mum and stepdad got a new mobility car and me, my bf and mum are all put down as drivers as well so I'll be getting a shot at it eventually :h:

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1466181919143.jpg84.2KB
Original post by Spock's Socks
My mum and stepdad got a new mobility car and me, my bf and mum are all put down as drivers as well so I'll be getting a shot at it eventually :h:

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Nice :smile:


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I agree with you both. The thing about using a handbrake though is that you've got to be careful not to use it when the car is still moving, which can lock the wheels and cause the car to skid which might happen more easily if you're stopping momentarily. Just something to beware of, and it's just made me paranoid when using the handbrake.

Original post by EmyJ14
x


Original post by bammy jastard 27
x
Reply 315
Avatar for bj27
bj27
21
Original post by cosmic angel
I agree with you both. The thing about using a handbrake though is that you've got to be careful not to use it when the car is still moving, which can lock the wheels and cause the car to skid which might happen more easily if you're stopping momentarily. Just something to beware of, and it's just made me paranoid when using the handbrake.


Well make sure it's stopped before hand.
Original post by bammy jastard 27
Well make sure it's stopped before hand.


Yeah. But if somebody's only stopping momentarily, and anticipating that the traffic could start moving, they might pull up the handbrake too early so that they could brake faster and the move ahead faster. A mistake to beware of, that's all.
Reply 317
Avatar for bj27
bj27
21
Original post by cosmic angel
Yeah. But if somebody's only stopping momentarily, and anticipating that the traffic could start moving, they might pull up the handbrake too early so that they could brake faster and the move ahead faster. A mistake to beware of, that's all.


Then spend more time braking so you are still moving forward if the traffic is going.
Reply 318
Avatar for Rum Ham
Rum Ham
OP
20
How's everyone's lessons been going? Does anyone have their test coming up soon? :smile:

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Original post by Spock's Socks
How's everyone's lessons been going? Does anyone have their test coming up soon? :smile:

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I had a lesson today, pretty good considering I had two lessons on the trot where I was messing up :redface:
And I've got my test in August :biggrin:

How about you?


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