Things you struggle with mostly while learning to drive

Original post by shanj0nes

Ah good luck, let me know how it goes because I think I want to do one too.
Do you have a car? If so, which one? :tongue:

Reply 1205

shanj0nes

Original post by cherryred90s

Ah good luck, let me know how it goes because I think I want to do one too.
Do you have a car? If so, which one? :tongue:

Thank you! I will do! I'm doing about 4 hours tomorrow! Then I'll only have 2 hours remaining!

I don't have a car at the moment, but I know someone who's selling a 2002 plate Ford Fiesta, and he wants £275 for it. So it's a start I guess haha!

Reply 1206

Original post by shanj0nes

£275 wow, that's really cheap! Yeah definitely a start. Hopefully I'll get one soon :redface:

Oh, I knew it was 6 hours but I didn't know you'd do so much in one day. So you'll be driving nonstop for 4hours?! That sounds so crazy to me but then again, I'm sure a lot of people do it regularly lol

Reply 1207

Original post by shanj0nes

£275 seems like a good price. I paid £800 for mine 🙈! I was gonna do the pass plus but now I don't really think there's much point for me as I've driven at night, when the weather's been bad and done a bit of motorway driving (if I remember correctly I think that what pass plus includes, might be wrong though :dontknow:

:/)!

Let us know how you get on :biggrin:

! I'm assuming you're driving the learner car for the pass plus if you haven't got your own car? Or am I wrong there lol?

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(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 1208

Original post by cherryred90s

£275 wow, that's really cheap! Yeah definitely a start. Hopefully I'll get one soon :redface:

Lol when I was doing a 45 minuteish journey last week to and from work (worked in a different town for the day), I was keen on getting fresh air even though it was 45 minutes of me driving :lol:

I didn't mind the journey but I was just keen on stretching my legs, etc :lol:

Reply 1209

macpatgh-Sheldon

Hi, anyone with single specific difficulties, please reply to my post and ask a precise and detailed Q, and I promise I will answer it in such a way that you will master your difficulty (Why ask me?) see points below:

1. I started driving in Kenya age 13 when there were hardly any rules that anyone followed - that makes you learn to predict other people's mistakes, and take that extra care as well as develop super skills BECAUSE ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN, including a bicycle rider in my town who used to deliberately make cars crash into him to claim money from police (my mother actually hit him once in her car givng me a lift to the cinema where I wa headed to meet my schoolmates, and both of us had to flee urgently before being beaten up by the onlookers!)(he eventually got killed in his "profession"!) as well as massive potholes on the Eldoret-Mombasa dirt track that could give you 4 punctures simultaneously (!) OR being forced to stop by "highwaymen" with "pangas" [African machettis] OR being attacked by cannibals (Mau Mau savoured human flesh!).

2. In my driving test in UK (just a few years ago - don't ask how many :smile:

), I had a guy sitting in the back seat who was the examiner's examiner, and it was raining/snowing (December), but I got through [first time]!

3. I did my advanced driving test a couple of years ago [examined by a police Class I driver and lasting 21/2 hours through motorways, country roads, skid pans, etc], which was also in sleet and snow, I passed with flying colours (now a Member of the Institute of Advanced Motorists).

TBH, I am not a driving instructor, but I can probs give you better tips, simply because I love cars and driving, whereas instructors do it just for the money, AND I taught my big sis and her daughter, both of whom passed first time!

(btw, this post is not aimed at feminists to make snide remarks about their "driving knowledge".)

Thank you and my pleasure in advance!

M (MIAM)

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 1210

macpatgh-Sheldon

Original post by brunegtebabe111

It took me about 4 lessons just to understand how to stop at a junction (left emerge) and then carry on without stalling, I didn't understand when to let go off the clutch, Iet it go fully before I was even turning stalling all the time. I have grasped it now and it's easy now, the thing I'm worried about now is roundabouts, I started them today And I was meant to go left on the roundabout and I nearly went straight on oops. I'm also worried about maneovers 3 point turn is horrible

Hi,
1. ROUNDABOUTS: Approach the roundabout slowing down gradually as you approach, changing to second or third gear (second if cars are coming from the right which will obstruct your path, third if the road is clear on both sides - KEY IS TO LOOK ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ROUNDABOUT VERY EARLY NOT WHEN YOU ARE ALMOST into the roundabout) so that you can adjust your speed and therefore your correct gear (also depending on the gradient [up or down]) by the time you reach the roundabout. When you are nearly perfect at this, you should not usually need to stop at all because you would have adjusted your approach speed to merge safely and smoothly between cars approaching from the right (AND from the left with any bad drivers who think they own the road!).

2. THREE POINT TURN:
PREPARATION IS CRUCIAL:
TIPS:
1. stop at a place away from a corner or hill; stop where you can see clearly far enough front and behind. [you don't have to stop IMMEDIATELY where and when instructor/examiner asks to to].
2. when you have decided on a location to stop, ,make sure you are stopped well to the left of the road, partly down the slope towards the kerb (camber) - that way you have maximum room [width of road] to work with.
3. use your handbrakes as needed, and make it obvious by turning your head back and front to display to the examiner that you are observing thotoughly before and during your manouvres.
4. when reaching near the kerb [you will feel the car rolling down the camber a bit faster than before due to the slope {forward or backward depending which way you are going that time], turn your steering wheel a half turn or so left (when going forward) or right (when reversing) = opposite direction to your preceding motion to make it easier to do the next manouvere, which will need you to turn your steering wheel the other way.

CRUCIAL: KEEP CALM AND RELAXED: if any car approaches during the process, just coolly let it pass or wait [don't panic!] and continue in a calm and collected way. (Of course, easier said than done for a beginner, but YOU WILL GET THERE, BELIEVE ME!).

LASTLY LOTS OF GOOD LUCK! Go on you can do it!

M (Advanced Driver)

Reply 1211

MissDetermined

Had another lesson today before my second test tomorrow. I'm not sure if it's the kalms or because I've done a bit more driving but I don't feel as anxious at the moment. It might creep up on me tomorrow though. I still can't believe I've managed to keep my mouth shut and not telling anyone when it is! It's a good feeling though to not have the pressure or expectation.

Reply 1212

Original post by MissDetermined

Aw that's good :biggrin:

!
Good luck! :smile:

Reply 1213

MissDetermined

Original post by ohhello92x

Aw that's good :biggrin:

!
Good luck! :smile:

Thanks

trying not to think about it!

Reply 1214

Original post by MissDetermined

Thanks

trying not to think about it!

You're welcome :smile:

Fair enough :tongue:

Reply 1215

RoyalSheepy

Original post by shanj0nes

Well near me, there's about 8/9 different schools!!

Lol, must be mayhem with buses in the mornings lol

Reply 1216

Original post by MissDetermined

I did the same, didn't tell anyone about my test. I feel it helps too.
Good luck!

Reply 1217

Original post by cherryred90s

I did the same, didn't tell anyone about my test. I feel it helps too.
Good luck!

When I had my first test, I told my parents, siblings and my supervisor walked in on me when I booked the 1st test one day so he knew. One of my parents blabbed to my nan and grandad on my dads side (and I'm pretty sure they blabbed to my cousins/aunties/uncles) which I wasn't happy about as I didn't want many people finding out, and one of my cousins was rubbing it in my face as he passed 1st time -.-!

2nd attempt, again my parents, siblings and supervisor knew, again failed. Not many people knew about this attempt (thank God)!

3rd attempt, passed obviously so I told everyone, think my dads side thought this was my 2nd attempt when I passed. My aunty on my mums side seemed surprised when I told her I passed on my 3rd attempt :colondollar:

! Think near enough everyone assumed it was a 1st time attempt to pass from me :dontknow:

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 1218

MissDetermined

Original post by cherryred90s

I did the same, didn't tell anyone about my test. I feel it helps too.
Good luck!

Thanks

went on a mahoosive roundabout, the kind that is as big as a small island and has a 40mph speed limit :/ It felt a bit scary going 30 something on a roundabout especially since I had to change lanes and some guy who was speeding nearly cut me up! I usually go first exit on this particular roundabout but went 4th this time. Knowing my luck I'll get it tomorrow XD

Reply 1219

Original post by ohhello92x

! Think near enough everyone assumed it was a 1st time attempt to pass from me :dontknow: