New Learner - My Online Diary

[driving2day]

It's really important to learn at your own pace and get the basics correct, if you rush out onto the road and dont have a firm grasp on basic car control you will find life much more difficult which in the longterm will set you back with the whole learning process, so keep plugging away and it will fall into place, you must build upon solid foundations before you move forward, get the basics correct and the rest will follow! And I would also echo what has already been said, be careful about changing instructors on a regular basis because everyone has their own style and method of teaching.

Thank you for your advice. I feel much more confident about applying the basics but we'll see today in my lesson how it goes. I think I have it all sorted in my head, I need to now get used to applying it.

I don't think I will change instructors, but I will see what happens after these 10 lessons I have pad for. They did seem to be in line with each other, but the second one talks in a different way and explains in a lengthier manner and also makes me do the same with over and over again which I think is my style of learning. But I do not intend to change instructors unless I really feel I am not going anywhere with ths one, which hopefully will not happen as she has been reviewed positively.

[driving2day]

I had my 3rd (or 4th) lesson today and I have to say I felt great.

We started off with revising left turns but then larnt about right turns - the scond highest cause of accident deaths (1st is overtaking).

Felt much better with the clutch. Not perfect but I feel more used to it and felt my foot was touching it automatically. More practise will mean I will be better at it.

I also went onto the main roads which was exciting!

Uphill and downhill starts are normal as the area has a few of them. Next lesson is tomorrow, going to learn reversing.

[driving2day]

Had my 4th lesson today.

I probably didn't drive as well as yesterday in terms of clutch control but I did drive all the way home!

Was at a traffic light and then stalled because I didn't give enough gas, so had to wait for it to go green again lol.

Also did reversing round sharp bends. My instructor said it's good I'm taking loads of lessons together. I actually felt better wuth clutch control when reversing.

[fungus]

In your opinion, how long does it take on average for a student to go on the main roads?

Hi, and may I wish you well in your learning process.
However, if I were you, I'd try not to think about averages, or how you compare with others. It's a very individual thing & what may take you some time to master, someone else may find quite easy, and vice versa.
If you actually knew what the average was, it really wouldn't help you at all, since if knew you were taking longer than "average", it would probably just make you nervous and therefore not in the best frame of mind to learn.

I couldn't agree more. The DSA state that on average a learners who take about forty hours professional tuition, alongside plenty of private practice, stand the best chance of being test ready. I have had pupils who have taken their test after twenty lessons. However, they have always had lots of private practice as well. On the other hand, I had one a few years ago, ( horror of horrors), who was almost four years from starting lessons, to passing her test on her second attempt. She was with another instructor for eighteen months, and two and a half years with me. It took almost two years for her to pass her theory test after starting with me, and I used to set aside time in the lesson to cover theory.

You didn't say whether it's a diesel or petrol car you're driving. I changed my car two months ago from a diesel Seat Ibiza to a petrol Ford Fiesta. The one thing that most learners have had problems with, is not using enough gas when moving off in the Fiesta. It has a soft clutch, and it's more difficult to find the bite. A diesel can make you lazy with the gas pedal, as most will move off without gas, even if the clutch is used a bit clumsily. I have often had to encourage pupils to use more gas in the diesel, especially when they find that they can move it without gas.

Another thing that learners can find odd, is that it is the clutch that drives the car, ie, it is the connection between the engine and the road wheels. If this is not explained, then they will press the gas pedal and rev the engine like mad , but go no where. This is where the exercise of letting the car roll back slightly and stopping the roll on the clutch, without gas is usefull.

[driving2day]

I'm actually not sure if is runs on petrol or diesel! I think I will ask next lesson. It is a Ford Fiesta though, car seems small to me, don't know if that gives a clue, and yes, it does seemvery easy to press on the gas.

The 3rd lesson I had with the other instructor helped me to realise what the clutch does and what the gas is for. There is a lot of control with the clutch, which I am slowly getting used to. I probably did better yesterday than today, as I broke my record and stalled twice (not that it matters) but the second time was on the way home, by a traffic lght, where the road goes uphill and I was at the front. I didn't give enough gas. I think I was excited I was driving home so didn't focus enough. I can't wait till I can drive around normally, however many lessons that takes with the instructor. My primary aim was to pass as soon as possible, hence take more lessons together as I don't have a car to practise on, but now the focus is on being a good driver and passing when I am fit to pass - and my instructor only lets you take your test once she knows you can drive properly (which probably explains the people I know passing first time with her). I actually enjoy driving now.

[Gareth]

The one thing that most learners have had problems with, is not using enough gas when moving off in the Fiesta. It has a soft clutch, and it's more difficult to find the bite. A diesel can make you lazy with the gas pedal, as most will move off without gas, even if the clutch is used a bit clumsily.

With a delicate touch, most cars will start to move on the clutch alone once the engine has warmed up. It's a useful exercise to learn how to use the clutch.

[ROG]

With a delicate touch, most cars will start to move on the clutch alone once the engine has warmed up. It's a useful exercise to learn how to use the clutch.

My 1.4 petrol car will do just that when cold and on a slight uphill gradient

@ driving2day - if you get the opportunity (see your instructor) try setting off without using the gas for the first 10 feet

[TripleS]

With a delicate touch, most cars will start to move on the clutch alone once the engine has warmed up. It's a useful exercise to learn how to use the clutch.

My 1.4 petrol car will do just that when cold and on a slight uphill gradient

I have noticed that some cars have a higher idling speed in the period immediately following a cold start, and this can actually make things easier for a throttle-less start. It is a good thing to practise: far better than lots of revs, and the enormous amount of clutch slip that some people use when starting from rest and doing parking manoeuvres.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[TiJay]

the scond highest cause of accident deaths (1st is overtaking).

Very interesting, and not at all surprising. Both of which could be negated with better road design as opposed to speed cameras, no? /offtopic

Just a random point as nobody else has made it yet, before driving a family member's car, make sure you're insured on it. I'm sure you knew that though!

[fungus]

The one thing that most learners have had problems with, is not using enough gas when moving off in the Fiesta. It has a soft clutch, and it's more difficult to find the bite. A diesel can make you lazy with the gas pedal, as most will move off without gas, even if the clutch is used a bit clumsily.

With a delicate touch, most cars will start to move on the clutch alone once the engine has warmed up. It's a useful exercise to learn how to use the clutch.

Agreed Gareth, however, as you probably appreciate, most learners with the very limited experience of the O/P, will not have aquired that degree of delicacy. Add on the pressure of an impatient driver behind, and even those with considerably more experience will fluff it.

[Gareth]

Agreed Gareth, however, as you probably appreciate, most learners with the very limited experience of the O/P, will not have aquired that degree of delicacy. Add on the pressure of an impatient driver behind, and even those with considerably more experience will fluff it.

My point, which I reiterate, is that it is a useful exercise. As such, I would expect an instructor to arrange such practice on a quiet road or elsewhere where other road users will not be inconvenienced nor will they cause the learner to feel under pressure.

[driving2day]

I don't think I drove so well today.

Clutch control and reversing were fine. I also learnt about crossroads in theory.

I keep tending to stay on the right side of the road rather than the left as the instructor kept saying go to the left.

I also had a scare. On the way home we reach a roundabout which I don't drive round apart from a tiny portion of it whch she keeps her hand on the steering wheel anyway. But before we go onto the normal road again, a police car was approaching from the left. I thought she would make me stop then so the police car would go ahead, but we carried on driving, until the police car was almost right behind us. There was another car close to the right side of me and my heart was racing at that point thinking we would hit but eventually she made me turn to the left (I thought I would do that sooner since there was space which is why I was panicking but I also thought she was). Anyway I turned my head back as she was looking back at the police car the whole time whilst her hand was on the wheel, and when I looked back ahead again, the car had moved to the right onto the roundabout again. Phew!

If you want to see the roundabout on google maps I'll link it in this post.

[TripleS]

Try not to worry about that sort of incident, it is still very early days for you. People who have been driving for a very long time can still have unpleasant surprises occasionally, and wonder if they had dealt with things as well as they might. It's all part of the 'gaining experience' business.

No harm resulted from it, but if you haven't already done so it might be helpful to talk it through with your instructor.

Is it possible that you are being exposed to potentially difficult traffic situations a little too early? We can't tell from here, but while both you and your instructor will want to advance the learning processes as quickly as can be done safely, any scares you may have along the way could set you back a bit in confidence terms, so it's a matter of finding the right balance.

I'm enjoying your posts here as they remind me of my early days, and I'm really wanting things to go well for you. Try to keep calm about things and I'm sure all will be well.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[fungus]

Agreed Gareth, however, as you probably appreciate, most learners with the very limited experience of the O/P, will not have aquired that degree of delicacy. Add on the pressure of an impatient driver behind, and even those with considerably more experience will fluff it.

My point, which I reiterate, is that it is a useful exercise. As such, I would expect an instructor to arrange such practice on a quiet road or elsewhere where other road users will not be inconvenienced nor will they cause the learner to feel under pressure.

You are correct Gareth, it is an extremely usefull exercise, and one I use myself.

Instructors should plan routes to suit the pupils ability. However, it does occasionally go wrong, and the instructor then has to use plenty of talk through and reassurance. One thing that does cause problems is when using the left hand lane at a two lane approach roundabout. Drivers using the right hand lane often go beyond the give way line blocking the veiw to the right for those in the left hand lane. This can result in drivers behind getting impatient. This puts pressure on some learners, even those at test standard.

[crr003]

I also had a scare. On the way home we reach a roundabout which I don't drive round apart from a tiny portion of it whch she keeps her hand on the steering wheel anyway. But before we go onto the normal road again, a police car was approaching from the left. I thought she would make me stop then so the police car would go ahead, but we carried on driving, until the police car was almost right behind us. There was another car close to the right side of me and my heart was racing at that point thinking we would hit but eventually she made me turn to the left (I thought I would do that sooner since there was space which is why I was panicking but I also thought she was). Anyway I turned my head back as she was looking back at the police car the whole time whilst her hand was on the wheel, and when I looked back ahead again, the car had moved to the right onto the roundabout again. Phew!

Sorry you had a scare! Lots of experienced drivers also react to the approach of emergency vehicles.
Did the police car have its blue lights/sirens on?