Quiet spots for learner drivers?

cornbb

Anyone recommend such a spot for learning to drive of an evening/Sunday? Car parks, industrial estates and such. My gf can drive but needs to learn how to use a manual gearbox as she be-eth of the ilk of the American. Thanky!

po0k

Bóthar Mór roundabout at 5:30 on a rainy evening.

Consider it your trial by fire.

{edit}
Any of the estates around Dangan/Greenfields/Moyola, in and around NUIG (plenty of big open carpark spaces in the evenings, lights, and a few hills to practice clutch-control on.

Make sure you explain that accelerator = power put into the engine and clutch = governs the power going from engine to the gearbox.
Gears are used to keep the engine within a regular rev range as the wheels spin faster, and allow the engine to have a load.
After that, it's just driving.

A question from myself to those knowledgable: is it a good or bad idea to use the engine for braking?
ie. going down a hill or just need to slow down a bit gradually, take your feet off the pedals and let the engine slow the car?
Probably better for the life of the brakepads, but does it increase wear on the gearbox or engine?
{/edit}

jester77

IDA Business park in Dangan would be ideal on a weekend.

cornbb

jester77 wrote:

IDA Business park in Dangan would be ideal on a weekend.

Cool thanks

Bóthar Mór roundabout at 5:30 on a rainy evening.

Consider it your trial by fire.

If my gf gets squished I'm coming after you

Zzippy

SyxPak wrote:

Bóthar Mór roundabout at 5:30 on a rainy evening.

Consider it your trial by fire.

Try the Dublin Airport roundabout - my instructor took me through there on my first ever driving lesson. After that I was never afraid of anything!!

OP the IDA estates up around Ballybrit racecourse/Parkmore have good size carparks and would be v quiet of a Sunday - although maybe not Sunday week!

jester77

SyxPak wrote:

Bóthar Mór roundabout at 5:30 on a rainy evening.

Is that the magic roundabout at Terryland?? I've been gone too long, lol

scitpo

The university on a Sunday.

po0k

jester77 wrote:

Is that the magic roundabout at Terryland?? I've been gone too long, lol

No, the one at the top of the hill between the majic roundabout and the huntsman roundabout/// the one with the statoil, graveyard and gaelscoil around it // the one that requires blind faith and an articulated chassis to navigate in compliance with the law.

jester77

SyxPak wrote:

No, the one at the top of the hill between the majic roundabout and the huntsman roundabout/// the one with the statoil, graveyard and gaelscoil around it // the one that requires blind faith and an articulated chassis to navigate in compliance with the law.

hehe, yeah, I know the one. Would make for a great learning experience to put a learner driver on that stretch of road at 5:00 of a wet Friday evening!

cornbb

SyxPak wrote:

No, the one at the top of the hill between the majic roundabout and the huntsman roundabout/// the one with the statoil, graveyard and gaelscoil around it // the one that requires blind faith and an articulated chassis to navigate in compliance with the law.

Christ, I know the one! :eek: its a bit like demolition derby only not funny...

galah

ah, it's fun ;-) I still think the worst one is the Tesco roundabout from hell...

(almost got killed yesterday when a stupid idiot decided to pull out right in front of me, even though it was clear I wasn't going to turn before her exit. Could have been a very nasty affair. Thank God for good brakes and fast reaction times.)

About the carparks in Parkmore - they're all gated, unless you know the code, you probably won't be let in...

Maybe try Dunnes in Terryland on a quiet day (Sunday evening), or Ballybrit Industrial Estate past the Supermacs depot.

biko

Up and down Shop street on a Saturday night. Aim for the ppl selling cowboy hats and roses.

insafehands

woops

Mr. Incognito

Silver Strand is a brilliant place to learn.

Irish hands- I'll pm you.

insafehands

SetantaL wrote:

Silver Strand is a brilliant place to learn.

Irish hands- I'll pm you.

Me? Cheers!

sgthighway

Up by the top of Merlin Pk. Hospital use to be a nice quiet spot.

gaeilgegrinds

University not a good place with all the building going on. I'd say I.D.A. or Merlin Park. Make sure she's insured, know someone who got stung on that. Best of luck!

cornbb

Cheerses for all the infoses. I like biko's Shop St suggestion. Would be an excellent way of developing a sharp eye and precision clutch control. I'm also considering taking her driving in some of Galways other popular spots, eg down Claddagh pier, along the prom, the smoking area in the Roisin, through the Spanish Arch etc. Ye'll read all about it in the news.

I can't wait til she gets on the road! Now I can get hammered and snooze in the passenger seat! Woo!

ZorbaTehZ

Trá Mhór car park in Inverin. Really great place, except for when the rednecks turn up with their Bulmers and Wolfe Tone musik.

Robbo

SyxPak wrote:

A question from myself to those knowledgable: is it a good or bad idea to use the engine for braking?
ie. going down a hill or just need to slow down a bit gradually, take your feet off the pedals and let the engine slow the car?
Probably better for the life of the brakepads, but does it increase wear on the gearbox or engine?
{/edit}

You'll only kill the engine or gearbox if you're dumping it down too many gears using the clutch as an on/off switch. Besides, nothing worse than being behind a driver who touches the brakes unneccessarily so often that you have an eppo.