Last fixes.

arleitiss

Hey, so after I was read lecture about driving as learner without fully licensed driver by a Garda officer yet given another chance, I decided not to delay any longer, I applied for pre-test on wednesday with instructor.

For past few days while driving, I been getting rid of bad habits such as: (Steering with one hand or doing one hand turns, coasting, doing smooth accelerations and gear changes, dropping gear on turns to proper ones etc..)

But couple of questions still left, not quite questions but possible scenarios in test:

1) To avoid coasting, is it okay to when you come up to full stop and car starts to shake and engine starts to make like a choking sound = then fully press clutch and come to full stop. Is that ok? (That way I avoid coasting at all, maybe few metres) or is there other way?

2) Instructors say you should change to first gear only when coming to full stop on traffic lights, I had a habit of:
Brake coming to traffic -> Clutch in -> Drop into first -> keep holding clutch -> Fully stop. so I was coasting for a good bit, now I:
Brake coming to traffic -> when car starts shaking I press clutch fully in -> brake and completely stop -> change to first.
Is that okay? or was my previous method better?
Note: But what if I see that traffic is starting to move, is first method ok to do? (not fast enough for 2nd gear, yet too fast to fully stop and change to first) .

3) Ambers, ambers again... I still don't get it, in what cases should I stop on amber lights? I know it says stop unless safe to do so but I see a dilemma here:
-Skip through amber and drive though.
-Or stop at amber but everyone in car will be thrown forward from braking force.
Which should I go for?

4) Will I be marked if: On flat surface I stay in first gear and no handbrake? I know I will be marked if staying with no handbrake on hill, but what about flat surface?

5) When pointing uphill or down hill, when having handbrake on, is it ok to take handbrake off and fully hold brake pedal when you are about to move off? - I find it much much easier and I stall less when I take handbrake off and hold brake pedal when Iam about to move off.

6) Heard a rumor that if you hit kerb at least once, that's it? test can be considered failed?


Thanks.


P.S - After pre-test, what should I be hearing to know I should apply for test?

arleitiss

ah come on, anyone?

Alanstrainor

1. The car should not judder at all when coming to a stop. Clutch in before this happens.

2. Brake, clutch in before the car starts to judder, stop, put the car in first.

3. I think you've answered your own question here. If you have to brake so hard you're going to throw yourself into the windshield, proceed through.

4. You do not have to have the handbrake applied while stopped, you can use the foot brake.

5. This method will surely result in the car moving backwards if the hill is in any way sevre.

6. Hitting the curb is not a fail. It might not even result in a mark against you. Mounting the curb however would be a fail.

gavmcg92

arleitiss wrote: »

2) Instructors say you should change to first gear only when coming to full stop on traffic lights, I had a habit of:
Brake coming to traffic -> Clutch in -> Drop into first -> keep holding clutch -> Fully stop. so I was coasting for a good bit, now I:
Brake coming to traffic -> when car starts shaking I press clutch fully in -> brake and completely stop -> change to first.

You don't need to stop in first. The way I see it, first gear is for moving off. What I do is... see light going red ahead, look in your mirrors, clutch in, drop a gear, clutch out, slow right down (go down another gear if needs be ie 3->2) then when you're coming to a rolling stop clutch in again "before" the chugging noise starts. I'm not sure if I'm reading what you're doing correctly but I don't think it's possible to stop the car without having your foot on the clutch for the last couple of meters.

Alanstrainor

gavmcg92 wrote: »

I don't think it's possible to stop the car without having your foot on the clutch for the last couple of meters.

This is exactly it.

Typically people don't pick up marks for costing when coming to a stop. Where they will pick it up is clutching in completely going around corners.

J_R

Alanstrainor wrote: »

This is exactly it.

Typically people don't pick up marks for costing when coming to a stop. Where they will pick it up is clutching in completely going around corners.

Hi,

Slight correction, re corner. They will be marked in the test for not letting up the clutch completely and may be marked for leaving their foot on the clutch or even "hoovering" over the clutch pedal.

An examiner told me once "I like to see the clutch pedal going into the corner". So, that there can be no ambiguity whatsoever, for him (and every other examiner) have finished gear changing, clutch up, foot off and on the foot rest just before the corner.

starlit

You could be marked down for coasting but more likely if you stall too often or more than once, you might not get marked down if done once but depends on the tester. Its really on vehicle and clutch control that will matter here. Be careful about not clutching in to soon or too late. Make sure to be at biting point when moving off/changing gears but take foot off straight away off clutch while driving, when coming to a complete stop, brake gradually, downshift gears, brake then clutch in to come to complete stop.

You can get a grade 2 fault for hitting a kerb but you would get an instant fail - grade 3 fault for mounting a kerb as its seen as dangerous and hazardous!

Suit the gears to suit the situations. Generally pull out in 1st gear, if approaching a light/crossing/stop/roundabout/hazard/turn you be either in 2nd or 1st depending on your speed will determine what gear to be in, don't forget about progressive braking. You can stop in any gear but be sure to be at a low gear when turning left/right. You'd overtake in 3rd gear at least and going uphill.

Mirrors, observation and looking all round glance and at blindspots are very important though.

If you braking so hard you need to brake progressively and gradually.

Not sure about hoovering over the clutch though if that be a mark or clutch not fully down? Creeping is ok if edging forward at a junction to see better both sides and when in traffic but don't know if you be marked down for creeping?? You be marked down for having clutch fully down for too long though which is coasting. Clutching when rounding a corner/turning and general driving and too long after gear changes and in traffic as the car might be either creeping in traffic or moving too quickly without the accelerator. Though if the clutch isn't fully down its at biting point but not sure if that be considered a fault if held on to too long depending on circumstances say in traffic/at a hill.

You need to give good bit of acceleration, be at biting point, not let clutch up too soon or too quick and release your handbrake at the right time so as not to roll.

You can use the clutch when reversing though!

If you hear a chug you either clutched too quick/took soon or not soon enough or not released handbrake on time or too soon or too late with handbrake/brakes, not at biting point at the right time or just not in the right gear. Often enough its being in too high a gear your car start to chug/shudder, it stall if clutched in too late/brake too late/or too soon or too quick off the clutch or at too low a gear. You jerk if you stall or not enough acceleration.

You don't have to use the handbrake all the time except when parking, at a hill, stopping at a hill maybe or on a hill in traffic, and maybe at lights if you waiting a while or if you a good bit back in traffic or if on a give/fall of ground/hill in traffic at traffic lights or if you concerned you might roll or be too close to a car ahead/behind you.

Gradually slow down on approach to traffic lights whether it green or not as you have to slow down before stopping depends on how quick traffic is moving you could be moving but not get passed lights as soon as possible. It could go amber/red before you get a chance to pass it. Once red you must stop so you need to move off slowly and gradually in case lights change from green to amber-red suddenly. There is flashing amber after red and before green then you can move off if safe to go. Must give way to pedestrians otherwise if at a crossing.

For solid amber you must stop like you would for a red light as red comes on straight after solid amber. If it green and about to be amber as you so close to line/as you are passing as it changes then you can move on as it be too dangerous to stop but if you approach the lights when it just turned amber you must stop, if you passed or passing line as it goes amber you may go.

The direction sign you may go on if you see it as long it safe to go.

I know the amber light is a bit confusing at first but the more you practise travelling with these lights you get to know them and the sequence - Green Amber Red (may have flashing amber after).

It depends how close to the amber light/line you are go slow though in case you do need to stop suddenly but be gradually braking before hand on approach to the lights in case they do change! I know the temptation is there to beat it by going faster than you should! The amber light for motorists are there to give way to pedestrians if necessary if at a crossing that if there is one.

Slow on approach, Be in a lower gear, brake gradually, and be ready to clutch in as soon as you at the line/lights if necessary depending on the lights but I still think be at 2nd gear at least, maybe 3rd if flashing amber is there, you can stop in any gear but no need to get to 1st gear unless you at a very low speed otherwise you might stall so be ready to clutch in but not too soon or too late. Usually stop in 2nd gear anyway, and then get ready to pull out in 1st, you can be in neutral gear if waiting a while then get ready to be in 1st gear and almost ready to move off when lights turn green, not always necessary to use handbrake depends on situation - how long you be waiting at lights and pedestrians and traffic.

Come to a complete stop at a stop sign, may stop/not necessary completely if clear at a yield sign but only go if safe to go but must give those right of way. Yellow box junction you must not enter unless you can pass it safely without stopping on it with the exception of turning right you may stop on it as long as you not blocking traffic.

Flat surface depends on the situation - traffic/lights. On a hill it be a must to use the handbrake without stalling/rolling back especially on a hill, on a hill with lights/traffic or even if at a roundabout, turnabout/reverse. Only time to use it at a flat surface is when parking or waiting ages at lights/in traffic.

You can do that but you have to have excellent clutch control - biting point is imperative here in order to control the car without it going uphill/downhill - stalling/rolling. Its possible not have to use the handbrake here but it is advisable to use it if at a stop at a hill as you have to come to a complete stop.