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Tips and advice for a learner driver

If any experienced drivers could help me would be appreciated. I am a new learner driver. I have just had my fourth lesson and I been taught a habit to get the car moving slowly. Clutch down, gear 1, find the biting point and release the handbrake to slowly pull off (without adding any gas). I think my instructors car is a diesel Corsa relatively new. My question is does this method only work in diesel cars? Is this a bad habit/method to use to get moving? Could I fail my real test for not applying gas before?
Reply 1
Original post by ItsJules
If any experienced drivers could help me would be appreciated. I am a new learner driver. I have just had my fourth lesson and I been taught a habit to get the car moving slowly. Clutch down, gear 1, find the biting point and release the handbrake to slowly pull off (without adding any gas). I think my instructors car is a diesel Corsa relatively new. My question is does this method only work in diesel cars? Is this a bad habit/method to use to get moving? Could I fail my real test for not applying gas before?

Your instructor is lazy and therefore a bad teacher. Find one who doesn't teach you *****y practices.
It is a lazy habit to get into as some cars will struggle to pull away without stalling if you are not giving it any gas.

My instructor did show me that this could be done, but it was more for slow manoeuvres rather than pulling away.
I'm by no means experienced but you might struggle using that technique if you end up buying a petrol car. My instructor has a disel, I have a petrol, I have to give a lot more gas to move off without stalling in mine.
(edited 3 years ago)
Reply 4
It is a lazy technique, it won’t work on hills for a start, and cars with an electronic handbrake often need some throttle to be applied to release the handbrake or they will simply stall.
It's really bad, as it also puts strain on the clutch and dual mass flywheel.

If you did that in a petrol you'd just stall the car.
Top tips

Find a another good driving instructor in your area. Check out some online reviews etc and also try to find out as much as possible in advance. Do your overall preparation and homework first. Make notes as well. Get some contact details. Interview the instructor carefully about their teaching style in the lessons, level of roadworthy experience and also then evaluate their driving skills.
Trust your gut impression. Ask a few good questions to confirm things as appropriate. This is not a sign of a experienced qualified instructor at all. Switch asap. Trust me. Good luck to you. Look at your local community newspaper or ask around on Facebook for recommendations and suggestions. You deserve better.
Yeah that sounds like iffy teaching. Like a few others I was shown it could be done in my instructors diesel but it wasn't encouraged, I was expected to 'set the gas' whenever moving off whether that particular car needed it or not.

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