This manoeuvre is often called the three-point-turn but in fact it doesn’t have to be completed in three movements. The number of moves required will depend upon how wide the road is, how big your car is and the turning circle of your car. And of course, your skill at the manoeuvre! The turn in …
Fog Lights – when to use them and when not to!
There’s a lot of confusion of the use of fog lights. If you get it wrong you could be risking your life and the life of others. And you could be breaking the law! Key points You must use dipped headlights lights if visibility is reduced. While dipped headlights won’t help you to see in foggy …
Roundabouts – how to approach and spot gaps in traffic
Roundabouts come in many sizes. They are circular junctions that are designed to allow traffic to keep moving, where possible, without necessarily having to stop, with all traffic travelling from right to left, clockwise. Basically, you should give way to traffic on the roundabout coming from your immediate right. They’re not easy to deal with …
How to emerge safely at closed junctions
This is a summary of what you have to do on the approach to a closed give way junction like the one shown in the photo below. Hopefully, it will help you understand what to do with your feet and where to look 🙂 But don’t worry if it doesn’t make a lot of sense …
Clutch control at roundabouts
Not sure how to approach roundabouts? How to spot gaps? Worried that you might stall? This driving lesson video will help make roundabouts easy!!
Be ready to stop!
Children on their way home from school are often rushing and often don’t look both ways before they cross the road…as this video shows! Be ready to stop!!!
How to tell if a driving instructor is fully qualified
Check the badge in the driving instructor’s windscreen – if there isn’t one you should not take lessons in that car! The person sitting next to you might be pretending to be an instructor. They could be anyone. A green octagonal badge shows the instructor is fully qualified and an ‘approved driving instructor’. A pink …
Meeting vehicles and other road users – video
Meeting other vehicles (and knowing what to do when you meet them!) is often a bit of a worry for learner drivers. This video explains how to recognise who has priority when road users meet each other in narrow roads, when there are parked cars in the road and in other places, too. There are …
Common steering faults
Learning to drive? Steering not quite right? Here’s how to fix the most common steering faults. The shuffle Some new drivers have a habit of shuffling the wheel – only moving the hands a few centimeters rather than taking large sweeps when turning the steering wheel. This becomes a major problem during manoeuvres that need …
Joining and crossing dual carriageways
Although there are many conventional T-junctions and crossroads on dual-carriageways, motorway-type slip roads are becoming more common. When entering a dual-carriageway from a slip road you will use the ‘acceleration lane’. The acceleration lane is an extra lane on the left for use when building up your speed before merging with traffic on a dual-carriageway …
Protected: Lesson 1: The cockpit drill
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Cross hatch lines (chevrons) – can you drive on them?
White chevrons (commonly known as cross hatched lines) are often used to separate traffic lanes or to protect traffic turning right. There are 2 types: If the area is bordered by a solid white line, you should not enter it except in an emergency. If the area is bordered by a broken white line, you …
Judging gaps at roundabouts
Judging a safe moment to emerge onto a busy roundabout can be very difficult for someone who is learning to drive. It takes experience and a degree of confidence to spot a gap and take your opportunity. Over-thinking is common – ‘is that a gap?’…’I think it is’…’I should go’…too late! The gap has gone. …
Don’t know? Don’t go!
When you are learning to drive there will be times when you have to start making decisions but don’t know what to do. “Do I go or stop?” It looks like the driver in the picture on the left has made a late decision to stop for the cyclist – this is possible because he …
The left hand reverse
The driving test examiner will be looking for these key skills: Accuracy – The test examiner will be assessing your ability to reverse round the corner, not touching the curb or straying too far onto the other side of the road. Control – The examiner will be judging your ability to use the clutch to …
It’s 30 for a reason!
The difference of a few miles per hour can mean the difference between life and death. The faster someone is driving, the less time they have to stop if something unexpected happens. If you kill someone while speeding, you will have to live with the long-term emotional consequences. Speed limits are there for a reason! …
How to change gear – smoooothly
When you first start learning to drive, changing gear can seem very difficult! Getting into the wrong gear, stalling, kangarooing, hearing loud revving or grating noises that don’t sound very nice….it’s hard, isn’t it? Step by step guide 1. Most gear positions are shaped like a letter H. Some have more gears, and of course, …
Get the most from your driving lessons
1. Wear the right footwear It’s easier to control the pedals wearing comfortable shoes. Heavy boots can make it hard to perfect driving techniques and heels will get scuffed and give you less control. Choose thin, narrow shoes to give you the necessary ‘feel’ on the pedals. 2. Get a good night’s sleep Make sure …