Best Advice you got from a Driving Instructor

Cicero

Thought this might be a good thread to summarise key points- please keep it short and to the point.

Best advice I got and remember X years on:

1. Accidents don't happen, they're caused
2. (when in a situation where you may or may not need the brake) Cover the brake i.e. hover your foot over it but don't press it unless necessary
3. (when slowing down to stop and where conditions permit) Clutch -in- footbrake gently (while reducing down in gear also)

Wishbone Ash

Cicero wrote: »

3. (when slowing down to stop and where conditions permit) Clutch -in- footbrake gently (while reducing down in gear also)

Brake gently - then clutch!

Cicero

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Brake gently - then clutch!

Yea- you've kind'uv spotted the flaw in this thread that I was thinking of myself- saying that...clutch-in (and then out while reducing down gears), foot brake gently is a best practice if traffic permits ..maybe to avoid this thread becoming a worse practice as opposed to best practice, I'm happy to admit defeat and have it closed.

///accidents don't happen..the're caused!!! let's leave it at that!
thanks Wishbone Ash

samhail

best advise i got, wasnt actually from a driving instructor but i use it every time i drive.

Dont only look at the car in front of you, look at the car 3 or 4 cars in front of them.

Overature

observation and commnication, all ways look around you and signal your intentions well in advance

drive as if everybody else is a lunitic

Alanstrainor

Cicero wrote: »

clutch-in (and then out while reducing down gears), foot brake gently is a best practice if traffic permits

Just to clarify. Break before doing anything with the clutch. For example: Traveling on an empty road at 50km/h coming to a stop sign. Gently Brake, (clutch in, change to third, clutch out), still gently breaking, (clutch in, change to second, clutch out), still gently breaking, Clutch in, Stop.
Obviously observation etc are required during this...

rain on

For passing another car in a tight space, my instructor always used to say "Look at the space, not at the face" .. I'm constantly blanking my neighbours as a result but it's better than driving into them!

Always throw a quick look in your left wing mirror before you come off a roundabout.

samhail

rain on wrote: »

For passing another car in a tight space, my instructor always used to say "Look at the space, not at the face" .. I'm constantly blanking my neighbours as a result but it's better than driving into them!...

id only half agree with this one, if i may reply , When i am driving i dont stare down opponents in a match half as much as i stare down other drivers.
If someone is thinking of parking right beside me i will not blink until they have parked and walked away one scratch on my baby and ill be out.

If they see you looking at them they will be that bit more careful
i think.

Cicero

It's amazing AlanTrainor what 'goes-in' and what doesn't when been taught how to drive...I'm not an instructor so very willing to leave the expertise to yourself and W.Bone Ash and such Moderators. What I outlined above was how I was taught...it kinda-of opens up the scope of the thread a bit in terms of what IS being taught (or at the very least, what/how people 'remember' from their training days what was taught. .. I was always unconfortable with 'clutch-in, foot brake gently 'command' from my driving instructor..now that I have a different perspective, will be looking at this thread closely to see how it progresses

Thanks - all feedback is good.

antomorro-sei

Ehhm

Read the road like a book with mirrors and being aware of signs and obstructions ahead etc...

and ehh, change gears when at 2000 Rev's

samhail

antomorro-sei wrote: »

...and ehh, change gears when at 2000 Rev's

keep revs between 2000 and 3000, you mean ?

kwalshe

Mine had a quirky thing wheras he gave a running commentary as you you were driving... "And now we're moving , now were changing gear and watching the cyclist up the road, now we're coming to a roundabout and changing into the correct lane" It really drilled into me as it made me observe more when he was'nt there,
Anyway thats off the point. He told me to alway ensure you can see the rear tyres on the car in front while in city traffic. It will stop you getting too close to them.

antomorro-sei

samhail wrote: »

keep revs between 2000 and 3000, you mean ?

Oh, well I didn't mean that lol sorry, just meant that to change from 1st to 2nd when I get to 2000 Revs, and so on up through the gears

Alanstrainor

samhail wrote: »

keep revs between 2000 and 3000, you mean ?

antomorro-sei wrote: »

Ehhm

Read the road like a book with mirrors and being aware of signs and obstructions ahead etc...

and ehh, change gears when at 2000 Rev's

The thing is, that there is no hard and fast rule for what revs to keep the engine between. It will depend on a lot of factors, from the car/engine size, to fuel type petrol/diesel, to the road conditions. For example, going up a steep hill may require you to keep the car in say second with high revs ~2500rpm as any higher a gear would cause the car to struggle.
It understandable for instructors to use a "change at 2000rpm" rule, but it's not something that will work in all situations.

samhail

true and if you want to sound "cool" doing 60mph in 3rd gear
--> Thats a no-no !

peanuthead

When I was learning my boyfriend gave me the best piece of advice ever.

I was exiting the motorway onto a junction, so I stopped, had a look to my right. There was nothing coming so I started on again. Although I had stopped I had started off again so quick it didnt feel like I had stopped at all.

My boyfriend asked me

"And what were you looking out for there?"
"Cars coming" I said
"And how can you see the cars coming"
"The lights"
Then he said to me, "yeah but more importantly, you need to be looking out for cars without lights on"

I had never thought about this before. I would normally just look out for the lights. The best piece of advice Ive ever been given and I say that because a while back I was on motorway, it was lashing rain, I went to move lanes, but said I would roll window down just to make sure, sure enough there was a car in the fast lane with no lights on.

sonicthebadger*

My bike instructor had two that have saved me on a few occasions. The first works for both but the difference it makes when riding is unbelievable!

"Look where you want to go".

I have had the front and back end of the bike give a little slide or twitch from time to time particularly in the early days and this advice kept me on the tarmac.

The second works for both car and bike,

"Look for piedestrians and cyclists. If you're looking in your mirrors and to the limit point for small hazards you won't miss the big ones like cars and trucks".

A particularly useful piece of advice in busy city traffic where cyclists can sometimes get about as quick as a biker and people walking can decide to cross, without looking, between stationary cars forgetting that two wheeled road users can still be making progress through it.

hi_im_fil

Mirror, signal, then manoeuvre

S.I.R

best advice i ever got: never force the car to do anything, or it will bite back: be fluent in the way you drive and you'll stay alive."

Tony Broke

Come back to me when you can drive

Nah he told to always anticipate danger, like an F1 driver does and to leave the radio alone.Set it before you take off and keep your eyes on the road he said.Nearly all the people involved in accidents, say they never say saw this or that. If you're not looking you get killed, eyes on the road and dont ever let the car get away from you.

dudara

Best thing anyone said to me was "Drive smoothly".

Concentrate on driving to the circumstances around you (observation) and adjust accordingly. Brake and accelerate smoothly.

Another great piece of advice was "Put yourself in the passenger seat". In other words, if you're doing something that would make your passenger curl up in the seat, then you're doing something wrong.

ntlbell

stop drinking

SoupyNorman

Exaggerate your head movements when looking at your mirrors. The clearer you make it to the examiner that you are using your mirrors the better.

Wishbone Ash

bravestarr082 wrote: »

Exaggerate your head movements when looking at your mirrors. The clearer you make it to the examiner that you are using your mirrors the better.

Probably the worst advice any instructor could give. Many examiners will fault a pupil for exaggerating head movements.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

Alanstrainor

bravestarr082 wrote: »

Exaggerate your head movements when looking at your mirrors. The clearer you make it to the examiner that you are using your mirrors the better.

Was told this myself, not by my instructors, but by family and friends, and as said, it is awful advise, exaggerating your movements only stands to take your attention off whats important, ie the road! You shouldn't have to be making big movements just to make sure the examiner sees you looking at your mirrors, it's their job to spot this.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

goodladdy

bravestarr082 wrote: »

Exaggerate your head movements when looking at your mirrors. The clearer you make it to the examiner that you are using your mirrors the better.

a different version of this is what i was taught was to move my mirriors slightly so as i needed to shift myself a little to look in the mirror i taught it was rubbish till i tried it for a while then i found that by doing it i acutlly looked at what was in the mirror cos i'd had to move to look in it instead of just looking at it like i'd done previously!

suppose it's what works for the individual really tho isn't it!

SoupyNorman

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Probably the worst advice any instructor could give. Many examiners will fault a pupil for exaggerating head movements.

Well I passed 1st time so it served me well... Leave it or take it.


To expand a little more,

When I say exaggerate head movements, it only refers to when you should be checking your mirrors I didnt sit in the car Doing an Exorcist job on it!! I was mainly aiming the advice at drivers who sit rigid in the seat only moving their eyeballs.

Wishbone Ash

bravestarr082 wrote: »

I was mainly aiming the advice at drivers who sit rigid in the seat only moving their eyeballs.

That's perfectly acceptable when checking mirrors in normal driving situations.

kazul

As a learner, "Brakes are for slowing, gears are for going".

Although "heel and toe" is brilliant once you get proficient, i'm now pretty much an auto covert, nothing left to prove

sunnyside

When I was learning (still am but I'm a small bit better now) the car used to stall when I had to stop and start in built up traffic. I used to be in a big panic about delaying other people but the instructor pointed out that the traffic really isn't moving very much in this situation so I wouldn't be causing the delay I thought I was. So if I was a bit too far behind the car in front it didn't make much difference to the overall traffic flow. Calmed me down so very helpful indeed although not exactly skill based.

genec

I am a former driving tester and here is the best advice I could possibly give anyone doing their driving test.

Remember something, when you are driving a car there is the possibility you could kill someone at any time. Not intentionally, but if you are not paying attention it could happen. It happens everyday.

You do NOT want to be one of those drivers who has caused an accident, or killed or injured anyone on the road. Dont let it be you!

So....

When you are doing your driving test...

SHOW YOU CARE!

Small things..

If you dont look in your mirrors it means you dont care!
If you dont keep you hand on the steering wheel it means you dont care!

If you show you care you will do fine.

I promise!

Good Luck!

Tony Broke

Dont drive into parking spaces, always reverse in!!!

Some little <SNIP> will always walk/drive behind you and bang.It only takes 5 secs more to reverse in and you can see everything in front of you.On a busy day in a shopping centre around christmas, you will be thankful you do this.

Dexter2008

Tony Broke wrote: »

Dont drive into parking spaces, always reverse in!!!

Some little <SNIP> will always walk/drive behind you and bang.It only takes 5 secs more to reverse in and you can see everything in front of you.On a busy day in a shopping centre around christmas, you will be thankful you do this.

Good advice.I have learnt this fact the hard way!--no one ever told me this.... but realised it after many attempts to squeeze my car into parking slots.