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A few basic questions...
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03-07-2009 10:35pm#1Hi all,
I have a few silly questions about driving.. I hope someone can help me out.
I've been driving for about 3 months now and have had about 10 decent lessons. Things are going well, but I still finding myself doing things that I shouldn't and I feel like I' not making the sort of progression I need to. I'm aiming to have my first test in September.
The main problem I find is when I'm crawling along in traffic. I had a lot of trouble to begin with in my car with jumping the clutch and stalling. My car seems to have a weak clutch (it's an ibiza 1.4) so in order to keep it smooth when I'm at crawling pace I usually have the clutch pedal depressed about half way while feathering the accelerator. I'm sure this is a terrible thing to do but I can't seem to find a better way of doing it.
How do you all proceed when you only have to move a few metres at a time in traffic? Do you just use clutch control or would you use accelerator too?
Will I be marked down in my test, and am I absolutely ruining my clutch by doing this? If I try and use the accelerator while finding the clutch bite I usually end up over revving the engine unnecessarily.
The other question I have is about stopping. How long should you leave it before depressing the clutch to stop the car stalling? I know the gear I'm in and the speed I'm slowing down from will have a large part to do with it, but should I wait until I feel the car struggling or should I try and preempt this? If I depress the clutch early will I be penalised for coasting?
And finally... when I'm stopped at lights for any amount of time I normally keep the car in gear and have the handbrake on. Is this ok or should I go into neutral when at the lights for a while?
I also have a habit of taking off the handbrake and using the footbrake at the last second when i see traffic moving ahead of me so I can go asap. Am I just making work for myself there? Am I better off getting a bite on the clutch and then taking off the handbrake without using the footbrake at all?
I hope someone can help
Thanks,
StephenTagged:0
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First off, three months is not a long time in the scheme of things when it comes to learning to drive properly. It is generally reckoned to take the average person nine to twelve months of daily driving before they become generally calm and confident in most normal driving situations.The main problem I find is when I'm crawling along in traffic. I had a lot of trouble to begin with in my car with jumping the clutch and stalling. My car seems to have a weak clutch (it's an ibiza 1.4) so in order to keep it smooth when I'm at crawling pace I usually have the clutch pedal depressed about half way while feathering the accelerator. I'm sure this is a terrible thing to do but I can't seem to find a better way of doing it.
How do you all proceed when you only have to move a few metres at a time in traffic? Do you just use clutch control or would you use accelerator too?
If you want to move a few metres ease the clutch up to the bite point, when the car starts moving forward come off the clutch slowly and use very light pressure on the accelerator if needed. If you are sure you won't need to go up to second gear, when stopped leave it another second or two after the car in front of you starts moving, then move forward slowly. This gives you a bit more time to do the clutch part properly. If it's heavy traffic no-one else is going anywhere anyway so it doesn't matter if you move instantly after the car in front of you or not.Will I be marked down in my test, and am I absolutely ruining my clutch by doing this? If I try and use the accelerator while finding the clutch bite I usually end up over revving the engine unnecessarily.
You will be marked in the test for keeping the clutch on the bite point, as far as I know. The clutch pedal should be either fully in as you change gears or fully out when you are in gear and moving.The other question I have is about stopping. How long should you leave it before depressing the clutch to stop the car stalling? I know the gear I'm in and the speed I'm slowing down from will have a large part to do with it, but should I wait until I feel the car struggling or should I try and preempt this? If I depress the clutch early will I be penalised for coasting?
Just as you feel the engine about to shudder as the revs drop too low for the gear you're in, press in the clutch and brake to a stop. The lower gear you're in, the slower speed you can do this at, as you know, so try and be in the right gear to come to a smooth stop. If you press the clutch in too early you will be marked for coasting, which is a big no-no as you are not in control of the car while you are coasting.And finally... when I'm stopped at lights for any amount of time I normally keep the car in gear and have the handbrake on. Is this ok or should I go into neutral when at the lights for a while?
If you have the handbrake on and are stopped for some time, put the car in neutral. Mainly to give your left foot a rest and reduce clutch wear. I know when you're learning you may feel like you have to have the car in gear so you can be ready to go as soon as the lights change, and not hold anyone up or risk stalling etc. but as you get more confident in your driving you'll realise that it's better to be in neutral, then just take the extra second to drop the handbrake and engage first gear.
This is a psychological thing really, eventually you'll relax fully while driving
but it is tough at first to get over the fear of making mistakes.I also have a habit of taking off the handbrake and using the footbrake at the last second when i see traffic moving ahead of me so I can go asap. Am I just making work for myself there? Am I better off getting a bite on the clutch and then taking off the handbrake without using the footbrake at all?
Yes this is just making work for yourself. In that moving off situation, get to the bite point, then drop the handbrake and press the accelerator just after you start moving. This becomes second nature in time.
The main impression I got from your post is you're worried about not moving off fast enough, stalling the car and/or holding other people up. I felt the exact same when I was learning but don't worry about it unduly. If you take things slightly slower, take an extra second or two here and there to make sure you do it right first time, you'll relax into it and become a better, smoother driver overall. Good luck 0 -
The main problem I find is when I'm crawling along in traffic. I had a lot of trouble to begin with in my car with jumping the clutch and stalling. My car seems to have a weak clutch (it's an ibiza 1.4) so in order to keep it smooth when I'm at crawling pace I usually have the clutch pedal depressed about half way while feathering the accelerator. I'm sure this is a terrible thing to do but I can't seem to find a better way of doing it.
How do you all proceed when you only have to move a few metres at a time in traffic? Do you just use clutch control or would you use accelerator too?
If by 'crawling pace' you mean less than say 10 km/hr then it is acceptable to be in 1st gear and use clutch control with gentle acceleration to move along in slow moving traffic. You will not be faulted for coasting in this scenario if you do not come fully off the clutch. In both 1st and Reverse gear it is acceptable to control the speed of the car with the clutch and accelerator - you will use this technique a lot during the turnabout maneouver and also the reverse where you want to keep the speed low. In all other gears you should not be coming on and off the clutch without changing gear - if you are going that slow to need to put in the clutch then you should be in 1st gear.
You are not going to ruin your clutch by doing this unless you are really rev'ing the engine like mad and holding it at the biting point for long periods. Remember once you have stopped in traffic again you should put the clutch fully in and likewise if the traffic is moving at a steady (even 5 -10km/hr) you should be able to come off the clutch fully. Only use the technique where you are stop/starting is very slow traffic and moving a few meters at a time.Will I be marked down in my test, and am I absolutely ruining my clutch by doing this? If I try and use the accelerator while finding the clutch bite I usually end up over revving the engine unnecessarily.
To practice the biting point, find gentle slope or hill in a quite road. Stop and apply the handbrake. Now attempt to move off nice and slowly by first finding the biting point, release the handbrake and if done correctly the car should move forward very, very slowly - you dont want to shoot off!! As it moves off, put in the clutch again...the car will slow to stop and then start to gently roll back (do not brake). Try to 'catch' the car again as it rolls backwards by easing up the clutch slowly to biting point - car will again stop and start to creep forward. Repeat until you can control the car using the clutch and accelerator (and the slope). The key to this exercise is slow and steady clutch contol - not heavy acceleration - remember the accelerator will have no effect until you get the clutch to the biting point so focus on the clutch. Obviously if you are doing this exercise ensure there are no cars, children or anything else behind you, take good observation while the leaving the car roll back - Safety first!! Find a very quiet place.The other question I have is about stopping. How long should you leave it before depressing the clutch to stop the car stalling? I know the gear I'm in and the speed I'm slowing down from will have a large part to do with it, but should I wait until I feel the car struggling or should I try and preempt this? If I depress the clutch early will I be penalised for coasting?
You seem to have a good understanding already, it does depend on the gear you are in (and the car itself) but you should have the clutch in just before the car starts to struggle. Its a balance which comes with experience. As you are slowing, start to cover the clutch and then put it in just before the stop.And finally... when I'm stopped at lights for any amount of time I normally keep the car in gear and have the handbrake on. Is this ok or should I go into neutral when at the lights for a while?
Either is acceptable for the test purposes. General advice would be if you are going to be stopped at lights for a while or are more than 2-3 cars back from the front you could leave the car in Neutral. That way you have plenty time to get into first gear and be ready to move off once the lights go green and the traffic in front moves. If you are first or second at the lights its sometimes better to stay in 1st gear and be ready to move off nice and quickly. In either case if stopped for anything more than a few seconds then you should apply the handbrake.I also have a habit of taking off the handbrake and using the footbrake at the last second when i see traffic moving ahead of me so I can go asap. Am I just making work for myself there? Am I better off getting a bite on the clutch and then taking off the handbrake without using the footbrake at all?
Generally do not come back to the footbrake once you have stopped and applied the handbrake. The one exception may be the case where you have stopping on a steep downhill. In that case you could put your foot back on the footbrake, release handbrake and then control the moving off as you ease off the footbrake and onto the accelerator. Its really important here however that you start to leave up the clutch as normal - no not just let the car roll off down the hill with you foot fully in on the clutch.I hope someone can help
Thanks,
Stephen
Hope it helped a bit!0 -
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either a famine or a feast:DDriveSkill wrote: »Looks like there was a rush of replies all at once there
OP what you speak of is called slipping the clutch and is ok, gentle on the accellerator and slip clutch But don't hold it on the biting point or hold car say on a hill with clutch as that will burn out the clutch0 -
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Thanks for the advice everyone. I'm out in the car pretty much everyday now and things are getting much better. My main problem now is consistency. Some drives are great with no problems at all, and some are just awful with lots of stalling and over revving. It's all very hit or miss at the moment.
Hopefully it will all come with practice and I'm not doomed to be a crap driver
One more thing - does anyone know of an RSA dvd that covers what they'll look at in the test? I thought I read something here about it but can't seem to find the thread.
Thanks again - there'll be plenty more questions to come!
Stephen0 -
One more thing - does anyone know of an RSA dvd that covers what they'll look at in the test? I thought I read something here about it but can't seem to find the thread.
Stephen
Even though it's a little vintage now here is a good free video on Youtube
Staring a young Ray Darcy it has 4 parts and basically covers everything you will do in the test
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DLO_920Yb00
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