While you are driving you should at all times maintain safe separation distances between yourself, hazards and any other road users. Below are a few rules that will help you to know what distance you should be looking for in each circumstance.
Tyres and tarmac.
When it is necessary to pull up behind a stationary vehicle in traffic, for example at traffic lights, you should make sure that when you stop you can see where the tyres of the vehicle in front touch the road and a little tarmac behind them.
There are at least two good reasons for this.
1. If you stop behind another vehicle on a hill and the driver of the vehicle ahead does not take a suitable biting point then they could easily role back into you.
2. If the car ahead of you does not move off for any reason and the vehicle behind is really close, as they usually are, it is comforting to know that you can move off without having to wait for others to reverse foryou.
You need to remember that the tyres and tarmac gap is an absolute minimum and therefore not something to be aimed at. You should aim to pull up before the point of tyres and tarmac.
Door width.
When passing a stationary vehicle you need to maintain a safe distance from that vehicle. An accident that may occur is that the driver/passenger opens a door right there in front of you without looking and gets it ripped off, Ouch. Make sure that as you pass stationary vehicles that this will not happen.
Middle of the available gap.
If you are on a road that has stationary vehicles on both sides then you may be thinking that leaving a door opening width from the vehicle on the left is a good idea. It is as long as this gap does not leave you any closer to the vehicles on the right than those on the left. If this would be the case then go through the middle of the available gap. Remember to slow down. With that many vehicles parked there are innumerable places that unseen pedestrians may come from.
Showing posts with label Driving Lesson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Driving Lesson. Show all posts
Friday, 25 November 2011
Friday, 28 October 2011
Adequate Clearance
While you are driving you should at all times maintain safe separation distances between yourself, hazards and any other road users. Below are a few rules that will help you to know what distance you should be looking for in each circumstance.
Tyres and tarmac.
When it is necessary to pull up behind a stationary vehicle in traffic, for example at traffic lights, you should make sure that when you stop you can see where the tyres of the vehicle in front touch the road and a little tarmac behind them.
There are at least two good reasons for this.
1. If you stop behind another vehicle on a hill and the driver of the vehicle ahead does not take a suitable biting point then they could easily role back into you.
2. If the car ahead of you does not move off for any reason and the vehicle behind is really close, as they usually are, it is comforting to know that you can move off without having to wait for others to reverse foryou.
You need to remember that the tyres and tarmac gap is an absolute minimum and therefore not something to be aimed at. You should aim to pull up before the point of tyres and tarmac.
Door width.
When passing a stationary vehicle you need to maintain a safe distance from that vehicle. An accident that may occur is that the driver/passenger opens a door right there in front of you without looking and gets it ripped off, Ouch. Make sure that as you pass stationary vehicles that this will not happen.
Middle of the available gap.
If you are on a road that has stationary vehicles on both sides then you may be thinking that leaving a door opening width from the vehicle on the left is a good idea. It is as long as this gap does not leave you any closer to the vehicles on the right than those on the left. If this would be the case then go through the middle of the available gap. Remember to slow down. With that many vehicles parked there are innumerable places that unseen pedestrians may come from.
Tyres and tarmac.
When it is necessary to pull up behind a stationary vehicle in traffic, for example at traffic lights, you should make sure that when you stop you can see where the tyres of the vehicle in front touch the road and a little tarmac behind them.
There are at least two good reasons for this.
1. If you stop behind another vehicle on a hill and the driver of the vehicle ahead does not take a suitable biting point then they could easily role back into you.
2. If the car ahead of you does not move off for any reason and the vehicle behind is really close, as they usually are, it is comforting to know that you can move off without having to wait for others to reverse foryou.
You need to remember that the tyres and tarmac gap is an absolute minimum and therefore not something to be aimed at. You should aim to pull up before the point of tyres and tarmac.
Door width.
When passing a stationary vehicle you need to maintain a safe distance from that vehicle. An accident that may occur is that the driver/passenger opens a door right there in front of you without looking and gets it ripped off, Ouch. Make sure that as you pass stationary vehicles that this will not happen.
Middle of the available gap.
If you are on a road that has stationary vehicles on both sides then you may be thinking that leaving a door opening width from the vehicle on the left is a good idea. It is as long as this gap does not leave you any closer to the vehicles on the right than those on the left. If this would be the case then go through the middle of the available gap. Remember to slow down. With that many vehicles parked there are innumerable places that unseen pedestrians may come from.
Wednesday, 26 October 2011
Steering
The steering wheel is used to control the direction of the car by turning the front wheels. Imagine the wheel as a clock face. You should hold the steering wheel lightly but firmly with your hands in the "ten-to-two" or "quarter-to-three" position.
NEVER take both hands from the wheel whilst the vehicle is moving. It is important when driving that you have both hands on the steering wheel, you will have to take one hand off on occasions, for example when changing gear, operating the lights, wipers and other controls, but as soon as you have done that your hand should return to the wheel. When practising, find a straight, quiet road where you can steer with one hand while you practise using the controls.
To steer a straight course, look well ahead. To turn the car you should use the "Pull - Push" technique. This means feeding the rim of the steering wheel through your hands, so that one hand is always gripping the wheel. For example, to turn right, move your right hand to the top of the wheel but not beyond the 12 o'clock position. Pull the wheel downwards with your right hand and at the same time slide your left hand down the rim so that both hands end up at the same height. Then, change the grip to your left hand and push the wheel further round, at the same time allowing your right hand to slide up the rim of the wheel.
You may need to repeat these steps, according to the angle through which the front wheels need to turn. This angle is known as the steering lock. To turn the wheel back again, or to turn left, use the same procedure, but the left hand goes to the top of the wheel first. You should not let the wheel slip back through your hands after a turn as this lessens your control of the car.
NEVER take both hands from the wheel whilst the vehicle is moving. It is important when driving that you have both hands on the steering wheel, you will have to take one hand off on occasions, for example when changing gear, operating the lights, wipers and other controls, but as soon as you have done that your hand should return to the wheel. When practising, find a straight, quiet road where you can steer with one hand while you practise using the controls.
To steer a straight course, look well ahead. To turn the car you should use the "Pull - Push" technique. This means feeding the rim of the steering wheel through your hands, so that one hand is always gripping the wheel. For example, to turn right, move your right hand to the top of the wheel but not beyond the 12 o'clock position. Pull the wheel downwards with your right hand and at the same time slide your left hand down the rim so that both hands end up at the same height. Then, change the grip to your left hand and push the wheel further round, at the same time allowing your right hand to slide up the rim of the wheel.
You may need to repeat these steps, according to the angle through which the front wheels need to turn. This angle is known as the steering lock. To turn the wheel back again, or to turn left, use the same procedure, but the left hand goes to the top of the wheel first. You should not let the wheel slip back through your hands after a turn as this lessens your control of the car.
You can vary your hand movements according to the amount of lock you need. You should avoid crossing your hands on the wheel and steering when the car is stationary.
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