Continuing the learning process

Melia

Hi all,

I passed the test last month and I've been driving away since. I still get a little buzz every time I see the pink licence!

But there are a few things I need to work on. A major one being my parking - reverse is fine, and forward is okay after a bit of manoeuvring, but I cannot parallel park to save my life. I end up halfway out in the road or I end up going forward and back for ten minutes trying to get closer to the kerb.

Another is motorway driving - I grew up pretty far from any motorways, I've never driven on any and I've only rarely been a passenger in a car driving on one. I'm a bit nervous about it. I go to college in Dublin and I'm hoping to get a car this summer, so I'd like to figure it out.

The last is city driving. I'm not actually nervous about it, but my parents are. My mother won't drive on motorways, or in or near big towns or cities - never mind Dublin, she won't go near Galway or Sligo! She has a fear of busy traffic. And she doesn't think I should be going anywhere near it. The only thing that would make me nervous is that I'm unfamiliar with the traffic systems, e.g. around College Green and the rest of the city centre, because I don't know Dublin at all. I recently got lost going from Grafton Street to O'Connell Street

So I was thinking, partly to appease my parents, of getting a couple of lessons down in Dublin, and going on and off the motorway. Is it very unusual getting lessons after passing the test? I do have friends and relatives down here who would sit in with me, but I don't have access to a car unless I'm at home.

If anybody knows of an instructor on the southside who gives motorway lessons, I'd appreciate any suggestions via PM!

ha-ya-said-what

I have pm'ed you fellow country woman lol

DriveSkill

Most instructors will provide lessons on Motorway driving - it would not be the main business but not an altogether unusual request either. Likewise for parallel parking.

BTW nice to see someone who is considering taking the time to learn to drive correctly on a motorway (there are a large portion of pink licence holders who have no idea how to correctly drive on motorways - keep left anyone )

ha-ya-said-what

lol love the common Irish driver saying "I'm in the fast lane, heading to you now"

ohh that always makes me laugh!

daveharnett

Great attitude OP. It's nice to see people who realize that the bit of pink paper doesn't make them perfect.

Melia wrote: »

The only thing that would make me nervous is that I'm unfamiliar with the traffic systems, e.g. around College Green and the rest of the city centre, because I don't know Dublin at all. I recently got lost going from Grafton Street to O'Connell Street

A satnav is a huge help for navigating unfamiliar cities - knowing which direction you're headed before you reach the junction makes life so much easier.

As for parallel parking, there is just no substitute for practice. At home is probably the best place for it - it's rather more difficult with an audience and with cars waiting behind you!

Motorway driving really isn't rocket science. An instructor or competent experienced driver could certainly help with some aspects, but for a start:
- Keep left. Until you get some more experience, don't overtake unless both lanes are free for miles behind.
- Keep up with traffic.
- Keep plenty of space around you: nothing you can do about tailgaters, but keep a healthy distance from the car in front, and try not to drive alongside another car for long. If needs be, drop back a few meters to get out of the other car's blind spot.
- Keep your eyes up - try to be aware of what's going on as far ahead and behind as possible. People staring at the boot of the car in front is how 10 car pileups develop.

Faith+1

Melia wrote: »

Hi all,

I passed the test last month and I've been driving away since. I still get a little buzz but I cannot parallel park to save my life.

The sooner the better the RSA take us in line with Europe and introduce Parallel Parking as part of the driving test. The amount of times I've had to get my car fixed because of idiots who hit my car while trying to park.
It's a skill that you have to use everyday, the same as using the pedals to clutch, move, stop etc....... So why they examine everyone else in Europe except use boggles the mind. Complete and utter joke the RSA.:mad:

daveharnett

Faith+1 wrote: »

The sooner the better the RSA take us in line with Europe and introduce Parallel Parking as part of the driving test. ...It's a skill that you have to use everyday

In fairness, an awful lot of motorists don't need to parallel park every day, or ever. There are lots of people outside (and a few inside) the urban centres who view the practice as a form of witchcraft, and will pay for off-street parking rather than attempt it.

I'm not sure I see the sense in forcing these people to learn a skill they won't use - just like the leaving cert, they will forget as soon as they pass the test.

sunnyside

daveharnett wrote: »

In fairness, an awful lot of motorists don't need to parallel park every day, or ever. There are lots of people outside (and a few inside) the urban centres who view the practice as a form of witchcraft, and will pay for off-street parking rather than attempt it.

I'm not sure I see the sense in forcing these people to learn a skill they won't use - just like the leaving cert, they will forget as soon as they pass the test.

I've been driving for nearly 2 years and I have never attepted parallel parking:o I park in white boxes in city car parks or big open spaces out the country. I'd like to be able to do it but because I don't need to I've never learned.

Rubberlegs

Brilliant, someone with same mindset as me:D. I have the full license 8 months now and really wish parking had been part of the lessons. No way in hell I'd reverse into a space between two cars at supermarket, no bother driving in and reversing out though. I'd be the same with reverse parallel parking, wouldn't even go there!! So afraid I'd misjudge and hit cars. I'm bad at judging the distance, always think I'm on top of car behind me, and when get out and take a look I'm feet away:(. If I have plenty space in front and behind me when pulling into kerb, I use this as an opportunity to practise getting in tight to it, by going back and forth. Took me awhile to realise how much you have to turn the wheel. Driving in town traffic doesn't bother me now, but still get a little panic when have to stop on a hill unexpectedly. As for motorways, never been on one, thoughts of it terrifies me:(. I often wondered can you go back as a full lisensed driver for lessons on parking, or motorway lessons??

**Timbuk2**

I have a full licence as well but I feel nearly less confident now than when I did with my LP. Now I don't have anyone to car to ask "Should I go?" or similar. Although I find most of the driving ok.

I've only ever driven on a motorway twice, and insisted on taking my dad with me as I was unsure. It's much easier than I thought, you just have to make sure to keep checking your mirrors and know what's going on behind you. Having said that, I didn't actually overtake anything, but I don't think that's too hard.

I have one question though. What should you do if you get onto the slip road, but you can't merge on as there is traffic on the motorway? Should you speed up to get ahead of a car, or slow down? Slow down seems like the obvious answer, but it's harder to merge onto a motorway if you are going slower than the traffic on the motorway.

Magenta

Melia wrote: »

But there are a few things I need to work on. A major one being my parking - reverse is fine, and forward is okay after a bit of manoeuvring, but I cannot parallel park to save my life. I end up halfway out in the road or I end up going forward and back for ten minutes trying to get closer to the kerb.

Another is motorway driving - I grew up pretty far from any motorways, I've never driven on any and I've only rarely been a passenger in a car driving on one. I'm a bit nervous about it. I go to college in Dublin and I'm hoping to get a car this summer, so I'd like to figure it out.

The last is city driving.... The only thing that would make me nervous is that I'm unfamiliar with the traffic systems, e.g. around College Green and the rest of the city centre, because I don't know Dublin at all. I recently got lost going from Grafton Street to O'Connell Street

Motorways aren't really all that different to dual carriageways. Statistically, motorways are one of the safest roads. You can see far ahead, you've a hard shoulder, etc. I'd say just go onto one in the evening when it's quiet and practise then.

As for the parking- I avoid parallel parking
I can drive in, reverse in, but I haven't the guts to try parallel- I have a fear that while I'm gone, even if there's plenty of room, someone else will come along and will park behind/in front of me and I won't be able to get out easily.

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

I have one question though. What should you do if you get onto the slip road, but you can't merge on as there is traffic on the motorway? Should you speed up to get ahead of a car, or slow down? Slow down seems like the obvious answer, but it's harder to merge onto a motorway if you are going slower than the traffic on the motorway.

First off, there's often two lanes for merging. The one on the left will bring you quite a distance before you have to merge, the one on the right will be much shorter and you'll have to merge almost straight away when you come off the ramp. So if you're approaching a motorway and see two lanes, always take the left one til you get used to merging, so you have more time to organise yourself.

As for the merging- most people will pull into the next lane when they see people coming down off the ramp to merge.