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Sticking to the left

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  • 05-07-2005 8:03pm
    #1
    Running Bing
    Registered Users Posts: 3,841 ✭✭✭


    Im currently learning to drive and I have most things down at this stage. The one mistake my instructor is always grilling me about though is keeping to the left. I tend to drive in the middle of the lane not the left hand side.Does anyone else have this problem? Is it something the examiner would mark you down on? My right eye is my dominant eye(I have very little sight in my left) could this be whats causing it? Thanks.


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    #2
    DubTony
    Registered Users Posts: 3,269 ✭✭✭DubTony


    Babybing wrote:
    Im currently learning to drive and I have most things down at this stage. The one mistake my instructor is always grilling me about though is keeping to the left. I tend to drive in the middle of the lane not the left hand side.Does anyone else have this problem? Is it something the examiner would mark you down on? My right eye is my dominant eye(I have very little sight in my left) could this be whats causing it? Thanks.

    I'd say that your weaker left eye is the complete cause. A guy I used to work with had the very same problem and used to leave about 6 feet on the left as he passed parked cars. Personally I don't know how an examiner would mark for not keeping left, but looking at the way a huge number of people in this country drive in the middle of the road, it seems it makes little difference.


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    #3
    AMurphy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,237 ✭✭✭AMurphy


    Babybing wrote:
    ....The one mistake my instructor is always grilling me about though is keeping to the left. I tend to drive in the middle of the lane not the left hand side.Does anyone else have this problem? ......

    Do you mean the center of the LANE or the center of the ROAD (on a 2 lane street).
    I fail to see what's wrong with driving in the center of the lane, particularly when you consider the left edge of many roads are a minefield of potholes, debris and things exiting without looking.

    I tend to stick to the center of the road myself, kinda keeps the steering centered with less effort.


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    #4
    Seth Brundle
    Moderators, Politics Moderators Posts: 39,366 Mod ✭✭✭✭Seth Brundle


    left hand side of the road (esp. on rural roads) tends to contain cyclists, pedestrians, potholes, glass, nails, etc. so I would tend to steer as safely as possible towards the white line.
    However, it is important not to go too far to the line as it can be common enough to meet someone who is on your side of the road!


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    #5
    Running Bing
    Registered Users Posts: 3,841 ✭✭✭Running Bing


    No i definately dont drive in the centre of the road just the centre of the lane. My instructor always says stay as far left as is safely possible which I suppose makes sense. I must say I never do go to close to the line in the centre. Its usually just on wider roads I stay in the centre. To be honest I dont see much wrong with it myself and it kinda irritates me when he keeps saying it :)


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    #6
    mike65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 88,978 ✭✭✭✭mike65


    Well do as he says for the sake of a quiet life (I find that works!) Then after the test drive as you please.

    Mike.


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    #7
    Hagar
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,793 ✭✭✭✭Hagar


    As a aside has anyone else noticed women drivers who place themselves, not their cars, in the middle of the lane in which they are driving? With the result the car is all to one side in the lane.


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    #8
    leeroybrown
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,563 ✭✭✭leeroybrown


    As a rule driving instructors tell their trainees to position the car three/four feet from the left hand side of the road and t maintain that road position. I presume this makes it easier to enforce consistent road positioning and generally forces the driver to properly indicate/manouver around parked obstacles. I would also presume that driving testers have come to expect such behaviour.

    Personally speaking, I did this for the driving test but I would take a more central lane position and change my position when I need to manouvre. My driving is a combination of rural, where keeping away from obscured exits is always an advantage, and urban, where you have to be mindful of cyclists.


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    #9
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 91,058 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    Keep LEFT !

    On many parts of our N roads the lanes on each side are very wide. If drivers on each side kept to the left then there would be plenty of overtaking space in the middle. But no.. IMO far too many Irish drivers hog the centre of the road, which makes it far more dangerous to over take them.

    If there are cyclists you have to stay 3 ft from the edge of the road, if there are potholes etc, but otherwise - there is no need to be 2m out from the hard shoulder, especially if you've just driven 50cm from it on the narrow section before.


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    #10
    DubTony
    Registered Users Posts: 3,269 ✭✭✭DubTony


    Capt'n Midnight wrote:
    Keep LEFT !

    On many parts of our N roads the lanes on each side are very wide. If drivers on each side kept to the left then there would be plenty of overtaking space in the middle. But no.. IMO far too many Irish drivers hog the centre of the road, which makes it far more dangerous to over take them.

    Agreed. The reason for keeping left is simply to ensure a safe distance (seperation) from oncoming traffic and to allow other cars or motorcycles to pass. The instructor is right. If everyone drove "on the white lines" there'd be no drivers door mirrors left.

    As for women placing themselves in the centre of the lane so the car is over to the left, it sounds like a clever driving instructors way to teach them to keep left. Good tip.

    Getting back to the OP; depending on your car you could try positioning yourself so that the white lines are visible at the bottom of the drivers window (as long as the road is wide enough). That should leave ample space on the outside. That might help.


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