You need to know the types to identify the hazards. When driving it will be a light controlled crossing or a zebra crossing?    As you get closer, you will be able to see which type of crossing it is.  How many pedestrians are close to the crossing?  What can you see?

Zebra or uncontrolled crossing

These are identified by the black and white markings on the road and the Belisha beacons.  The beacons are orange balls on a black and white pole.

See the hazard.  It is a zebra so no lights to tell you what to do. 

Assess the hazard.  Any pedestrians at or near the crossing.

Mirrors

Speed.  Stop for any pedestrians using, or about to use, the crossing.  Be cautious if there is no one about.  They just might appear.

Carry on when the last person has one foot on their new footpath.

Light Controlled Crossings

Pelican Crossings. 

Look at the yellow box.  Any lights showing.  If there are then the button has been pressed.   You might see a yellow light.  The newer crossings will have two read lights showing on the yellow box.  These lights tell you that someone has pressed the button to cross.  Any one near the crossing, then expect to stop. 

Puffin. 

These have a sensor on the crossing.  They will keep the lights on read until the pedestrian is clear of the crossing.  Look for two red lights on the control box.  That is a sign that the button has been pressed.

Toucan crossings. 

A Toucan crossing lets cyclists and pedestrians cross at the same place.  Expect cyclists to zoom across.  That is what a Toucan is for.  Some Toucan crossings may have two sets of control boxes.  The rear one is for cyclists.

Pegasus crossings. 

These have a second control box set back from the road and several feet from the floor.  The box is set for horse and riders

Routine

See the crossing.  What warnings am I going to get?   Look for people near or walking towards the crossing. 

Assess the crossing.  Any body near it?  Am I likely to need to stop?  Can I see both sides of the crossing?  Can I see my clues?

Mirrors

Speed.  Ready to stop but prepared to go

Look.  Have the lights moved to amber from green?  Anybody towards the zebra crossing?  If so, get ready to stop.

Action.  Drive on if it is safe to do so.  Stop if someone is using the crossing and wait for them to get clear.

When the light moves from red to amber, or flashing amber, you may drive on if nobody is using the crossing.

Courtesy Crossing

A lot of councils have introduced courtesy crossings.  You will find them on busy roads with a lot of pedestrians.  Places where pedestrians tend to step out without looking.  The idea was to encourage pedestrians to cross at safer places. 

Courtesy Crossings are marked by different coloured stones across the road or some white lines.  They have no legal position.  This does not mean that you can ignore pedestrians crossing the road.  Once the pedestrian starts to cross you must stop.  If a pedestrian is waiting to cross and it is safe to stop then stop.

Pedestrians

A word of warning. 

Pedestrians cross the road where ever they like.  They will run out without warning.  They will cross the road feet from a crossing. 

Once a pedestrian is on the road they have right of way.  You must stop.

The Turn in the Road

The turn in the road is the original driving test manoeuvre.  It was introduced when the driving test was created.  Most driving schools teach this early on in your driver training. 

Your driving instructor will choose a nice quiet and wide road for your first go.  They will talk to you about the manoeuvre and talk to you as you try it out for the first few times. 

After a couple of driving lesson you will find that you can do the turn in the road quiet easily. Your driving instructor will take you to narrower roads, roads with cars about.  They will ask you to turn the car around on roads with a steep camber.  The camber is the way the road slopes to the kern.

The secrets to the Turn in the Road

Look where you are going.  As you reverse the car look over your left shoulder until the car starts to point the other way.  Then look over your right shoulder and look for the kern.

 Do not use the mirrors – they will not give the true picture. 

Use your clutch and brake for this exercise.  Small foot movements will give the best control.

Start the manoeuvre from a parked position and make full use of the kern

Why do I need to know this?

Imagine that you have taken the wrong turning.  You need to go back the way you came.  There are no roundabouts, and you cannot drive round the block. 

The turn in the road is usually the safest way of turning the car round.

It used to be called the three point turn.  The examiners are not worried about the number of points in the turn, as long as it right for the road.

How do I do this?

Before you start

• Is it safe to do the manoeuvre here?
• Is it legal to do the manoeuvre here?
• Is it going to affect other road users if you do the manoeuvre here?
• Is it possible to do the manoeuvre here?

Step 1

• Start with the car in the normal parking position.
• Prepare the car to move off as you normally would.
• Check all around you.  Left shoulder – each mirror – right shoulder.
• Move off very slowly.  Steer right fast.
• Stop just before you hit the kern.  Just before you stop flick the wheel to the left.
• Handbrake

Step 2

• Prepare the car into reverse.
• Look left and right
• Look over your left shoulder – out of the back window.
• Move off very slowly.  Steer left fast.
• As the car starts to point to the right look over your right shoulder and look for the kern.
• Stop before you hit the kern.  Before you stop flick the wheel to the right.
• Handbrake

 Step 3

• Prepare the car into first gear.
• Look left and right
• Drive off slowly steering rapidly to the right
• When you are in your normal road position check your mirrors and build up speed.

Points to note

1. It is not a three point turn.  Three is the minimum number of points that this manoeuvre takes.
2. If another road user appears complete the step that you are on and then wait for them to decide what to do.

What are the examiners looking for?

The examiner will tell you what they are looking for.  The list includes

Make full use of the road

Keep the car under control

Not hit the kern

Take account of other road users

Not take too long over the turn in the road

Turn in the Road The turn in the road is the original driving test manoeuvre. It was introduced when the driving test was created. Most driving schools teach this early on in your driver training. Your driving instructor will choose a nice quiet and wide road for your first go. They will talk to you about the manoeuvre and talk to you as you try it out for the first few times. After a couple of driving lesson you will find that you can do the turn in the road quiet easily. Your driving instructor will take you to narrower roads, roads with cars about. They will ask you to turn the car around on roads with a steep camber. The camber is the way the road slopes to the kern. The secrets to the Turn in the Road Look where you are going. As you reverse the car look over your left shoulder until the car starts to point the other way. Then look over your right shoulder and look for the kern. Do not use the mirrors – they will not give the true picture. Use your clutch and brake for this exercise. Small foot movements will give the best control. Start the manoeuvre from a parked position and make full use of the kern Why do I need to know this? Imagine that you have taken the wrong turning. You need to go back the way you came. There are no roundabouts, and you cannot drive round the block. The turn in the road is usually the safest way of turning the car round. It used to be called the three point turn. The examiners are not worried about the number of points in the turn, as long as it right for the road. How do I do this? Before you start • Is it safe to do the manoeuvre here? • Is it legal to do the manoeuvre here? • Is it going to affect other road users if you do the manoeuvre here? • Is it possible to do the manoeuvre here? Step 1 • Start with the car in the normal parking position. • Prepare the car to move off as you normally would. • Check all around you. Left shoulder – each mirror – right shoulder. • Move off very slowly. Steer right fast. • Stop just before you hit the kern. Just before you stop flick the wheel to the left. • Handbrake Step 2 • Prepare the car into reverse. • Look left and right • Look over your left shoulder – out of the back window. • Move off very slowly. Steer left fast. • As the car starts to point to the right look over your right shoulder and look for the kern. • Stop before you hit the kern. Before you stop flick the wheel to the right. • Handbrake Step 3 • Prepare the car into first gear. • Look left and right • Drive off slowly steering rapidly to the right • When you are in your normal road position check your mirrors and build up speed. Points to note 1. It is not a three point turn. Three is the minimum number of points that this manoeuvre takes. 2. If another road user appears complete the step that you are on and then wait for them to decide what to do. What are the examiners looking for? The examiner will tell you what they are looking for. The list includes Make full use of the road Keep the car under control Not hit the kern Take account of other road users Not take too long over the turn in the road

If you look at the top of the gear stick, you will see a small ball.  This ball is designed so that you only need to guide the stick into position.  If you have the palm of your hand facing, where you want the gear stick to go – it will go there. 

On the ball you will see the numbers 1 to 5 and the letter R.  These are the gears.  First gear gives a lot of power and little speed.  Fifth gear gives a lot of speed and little power.  The numbers are set out on an extended H.  This H tells you where to aim the gear stick to choose that gear.

How to Change Gears

Clutch down and off gas at the same time

Hand on gear stick

Move the stick into the new gear

Hand on steering wheel

More gas less clutch

When to change gear

Set off in first gear.  Into second as soon as you can.  If the car sounds fast and high-pitched, use a higher gear.  If the car is struggling, use a lower gear.  Ask your instructor for the speed ranges for each gear.

You may need a lower gear going up or down hill

Try block gear changing.  This is missing out gears to make the car work more efficiently.  You know you will have to stop at the lights – so slow down into gear and change straight to first just before you stop.

Using the Clutch

The clutch is the pedal on the left.  You operate it with your left foot.  It operates two plates in the gearbox.  These plates join the power and drive parts of the engine together.  When you press the pedal down, the clutch plates move apart allowing you to change gear.

1.    The Clutch allows you to change gear – look again at Changing Gears

2.    It allows you to control the speed of the car.  This is useful when travelling in slow moving traffic or in manoeuvres.  Ask your instructor to let you try moving and stopping the car using the clutch.

3.    It allows you to move the car when you are on a steep hill.  Have a look at the section on Hill Starts

Which gear do I use?

There is no right or wrong answer to this question.  Each gear covers a range of speeds. 

Older cars have a narrower range.  That is why older drivers will tell you that third covers twenty to thirty.  In older cars you may have to change gear to assist with braking.   The gearing in modern cars covers a wider range of speeds.  Third might cover from 15 to 40.

There are two things to think about when changing gear. 

Listen and feel the engine.  If the car sounds and feels as though it is straining change up a gear.  The engine will have a higher tone.  If the car is sluggish, change down a gear.

You must balance the engines needs with the road ahead.    Try to select the right gear for the road conditions.   There is little point changing up a gear as you approach traffic lights that have been green for some time.

It is a balancing act.  The more time you spend learning the contorls the more likely you are to learn to use them.  The less time you spend learning what each control does the quicker you can get onto driving the car.

 This article tells you all you need to know about the car controls.

The Instructors Controls

Your instructor has dual control pedals.  They are the dual clutch and dual brake.   He will use these to take control of the car and support your learning.  Do not worry if your clutch suddenly goes to the floor – its the instructor.

Your controls

Hand Operated Controls

1.    Parking Brake – This is also known as the handbrake.  Press the button and move the lever up or down.  It will secure the car when it is stopped.  Use it when the car has come to halt for more than a few seconds.  Do not use the parking brake when the car is moving.

2.    Gear Stick – This allows you to match the speed of the engine to the speed of the car.  Its use is explained in the section on changing gears.

3.    Indicator Stalk – You will find this next to the steering wheel.  This switches the indicators on or off.  Flick it up with your fingers to signal right and down for left. You do not need to let go of the steering wheel to operate the indicators.  This control will also operate the main beam.  Ask your instructor how to do this.

4.    Wipers – This is on the other side of the steering wheel.  You can switch the wipers to  single, pulse(every now and then) , continuous or rapid.  This control will also operate the windscreen washers.  Ask your instructor how to do this.

5.    Steering Wheel – The big wheel in front of you.  Place your hands at a comfortable position between ten to two and quarter to three. This provides more control over sudden car movements. To turn the wheel one hand slides to the top of the wheel and pulls it down.  At the same time the other hand slides down and pushes the wheel up.  This is known as pull push steering.  DO NOT CROSS YOUR HANDS WHEN STEERING.

Foot Controls

1.    Accelerator – This is the pedal on the right.  You use your right foot to operate the accelerator.  Apply a gentle pressure to make the car go faster.  Release the pressure to slow it down.  Your instructor will call this the gas pedal because gas is quicker to say.

2.    Brake  – This is the middle pedal.  You use your right foot to operate this pedal.  Start with a gentle pressure, gradually increase it.  Release the pressure just before the car comes to a halt.

3.    Clutch – The pedal on the left.  This is the only pedal that the left foot operates.  The clutch is two plates that connects the power part of the engine to the drive part of the engine.  Press it down to separate the clutch to change gear.  Let the pedal up to engage the clutch.  The clutch makes the car go.  If it is not in the right place the car will not go.

4.    Instructor Commands.  Your instructor will use a series of standard commands.  These will tell you what to do with your feet.  The commands are:

1. Cover – place your foot over that pedal
2. More – Push your foot down
3. Less – Lift your foot up
4. Set the gas – Enough pressure on the gas pedal to let you hear the engine.

Instruments

These are located on the dashboard behind the steering wheel.  The Speedo runs 10, 20 … up to 140 on some cars.  It tells you how fast the car is going.  The other dial is the rev counter it tells you how hard the engine is working.  Never let the rev needle hit the red part of the dial.  You will also find the fuel gage – a needle above a picture of a petrol pump.  The dashboard also has a number of warning lights.  If a warning light comes on whilst you are on the move – check it out.

Mirrors

1.    These are very important.  Your mirrors tell you what is happening to the side and behind you. 

2.    Centre Mirror – The flat mirror hanging on the windscreen.  You should be able to see most of the back windscreen whilst you are looking ahead of you.  If not move it – but do not touch the glass.

3.    Door mirrors – These are convex to allow you see a little further out.  You should be able to see a little of the back of the car with just a slight turn of the head.  If not change them – Ask your instructor how to do this.

4.    Using them – Every time you are going to signal, change speed or direction you should check your mirrors.  Check the centre mirror first and then the relevant door mirror.  Your instructor might say centre and left or centre and right.

5.    What do I look for?  Any object.  You need to know is it near or far.  You need to know is it fast or slow. 

6.    Why check the mirrors?  You need to know what is there before you make a manoeuvre.

Priority

Give way to traffic coming from the right.

Types of Roundabouts

1. Major.  These are large roundabouts, which join major or busy roads together.  You might see these at the end of a fast road.
2. Minor. These join a series of minor roads together.  They tend to be smaller than major roundabouts.
3. Mini.  These are designed to reduce your speed at very nasty junctions.

Seeing the Roundabout

You might see various signs telling you that there is a roundabout.  You might see grass or trees in the middle of the road.  More often than not, you will only see traffic driving round the roundabout.

Going Left

1. See the roundabout
2. Assess it.  Is it big or small? Is it open or closed?  Can you see a lot?  Is it busy?  If it is open, large and quiet, you can approach in a higher gear.
3. Mirrors .  Centre and left mirror
4. Signal.  Left if you are taking the first exit.  Otherwise, do not signal.
5. Position.  Take the left lane
6. Speed and gear.  Try to adjust your speed so that you arrive at a safe gap.
7. Look.  Do you have enough time to enter the roundabout and get to a safe position?  Can you leave the roundabout?  If not wait.
8. Travel.  Stay in the left lane as you go round the roundabout. 

Going Straight On

1. See the roundabout
2. Assess it.  Is it big or small? Is it open or closed?  Can you see a lot?  Is it busy?  If it is open, large and quiet, you can approach in a higher gear.
3. Mirrors .  All  mirrors
4. Signal.  Do not signal.
5. Position.  Take the left lane unless the road marking say otherwise
6. Speed and gear.  Try to adjust your speed so that you arrive at a safe gap.
7. Look.  Do you have enough time to enter the roundabout and get to a safe position?  Can you leave the roundabout?  If not wait.
8. Travel.  Stay in your lane as you go round the roundabout. 
9. Exiting.  Centre and left mirrors and signal as you draw level with the exit before the one you want.  Normally leave into the left lane.

Right Turn

1. See the roundabout
2. Assess it.  Is it big or small? Is it open or closed?  Can you see a lot?  Is it busy?  If it is open, large and quiet, you can approach in a higher gear.
3. Mirrors .  Centre and right mirrors
4. Signal.  Signal Right.
5. Position.  Take the right lane
6. Speed and gear.  Try to adjust your speed so that you arrive at a safe gap.
7. Look.  Do you have enough time to enter the roundabout and get to a safe position?  Can you leave the roundabout?  If not wait.
8. Travel.  Stay in your lane as you go round the roundabout. 
9. Exiting.  Centre and left mirrors and signal as you draw level with the exit before the one you want.  Normally leave into the left lane.

Mini Roundabouts

1. See the roundabout
2. Assess it.  Is it busy?  If so, get ready to stop.  Can you see enough?  If not prepare to stop.
3. Mirrors .  Appropriate mirrors
4. Signal.  As appropriate
5. Position.  Stay in your normal driving position
6. Speed and gear.  Try to adjust your speed so that you arrive ready to stop but prepared to go.
7. Look.  Is any one entering the roundabout from the right?
8. Exiting.  Check your left mirror.  Try to signal if you can.

The parallel and bay parks were introduced to the driving test at the time of the last test reform.  They were introduced to tackle the rising number of car park bumps.  They also increase the number of parking spaces in which you can park.

Learner drivers practice thesemanoeuvres in their driving lessons.  The driving instructor will teach them the best techniques for them.  The techniques in this article will suit most readers.

Remember – if you struggle with any aspect of driving contact a local driving school.  They will be happy to help for the price of a driving lesson. 

Parallel Park

Why do I need to know this?

This is possibly the most useful of the set manoeuvres. 

In many towns, most of the parking spaces are on the road, alongside the kerb. 

The chances are that you will need to fit in between two cars.  If you drive into the gap, you will need at least four car lengths.  If you reverse in to the gap, you will need about two car lengths.  Reversing in increases the chance of being able to park.

How do I do this?

Before you start

1.     Check that the gap is big enough

2.     Check that you are not going to hold up traffic

3.     Check that the car behind you knows what you are doing

The manoeuvre

1. Draw alongside the car around which you are going to reverse.  Position yourself as though you were going to pass it in a narrow road.
2. Stop with your shoulders level with the other cars door mirrors.  Make sure that your car is straight and the steering wheel is straight.
3. Quickly take your seat belt off and put the car into reverse.
4. Look out of the left rear window.  When you see the corner of the other car steer to the left until your car is at an angle of about 45 degrees to the kerb.  It should be about half a right angle.
5. Look at the front of your car.  Steer gently to the right.
6. When your tax disc is pointing at the kerbside corner of the other car steer hard to the right until the car is parallel with the kerb
7. Stop the car when it is close to and parallel with the kerb,

Points to note

Make sure that you finish with the car within two car lengths of the car in front. 

You should not block any driveways to your left.  If, in your test, you are going to block a drive tell the examiner “I am going to reverse clear of the drive, but it will take me more than two car lengths from the car in front”.  Then reverse clear of the drive, unless the examiner stops you.

The Bay Park

Why do I need to know this?

It is normally safer to reverse into a parking bay. 

Imagine that you are at Tesco’s on a busy Saturday. 

You have driven straight into a parking bay.  You are reversing out after shopping.  How far do you have to reverse before you see the child that has run off from its mum?  Same situation, but you reversed into the bay.  How far forward do you have to go before you see that child?

It is safer to reverse into a parking bay.  You can see more when you pull out again.

Unless the parking bays are at an angle or other drivers have parked badly you should reverse into the parking bay.

This is the same skill as reversing around a sharp corner or onto a drive.

How do I do this?

There are two methods.  The straight bay park, and the angled bay park.  We will look at the straight bay park.  Ask your instructor to take you through both methods.

Before you start

1.     Chose your bay.  Ones to your right are normally easiest.

2.     Make sure that it is big enough.  Can you get out of the car when you are parked?  Don’t laugh – it does happen.

Doing the bay park

1.     Position your self three to four bays beyond the bay you want. 

2.     Position the car towards the centre of the lane.  Make sure that you let people know what you are doing.  Put the car into reverse as soon as you can.

3.     Look over your right shoulder, reverse back very slowly, steer the car into your target bay.

4.     As the car straightens up check your door mirrors.  Make sure that the car is in the centre of the bay.  Straighten the car and the steering wheel. 

5.     Look over your left shoulder and reverse back until you are inside the parking bay.

Points to note

It is vital that you keep checking all around you as you reverse into the parking bay.

Rule number one sates “Everybody else on the road is a complete and utter fool.  Treat them as such.  Stay well away and tell them what you are going to do”.   Staying away from foolish drivers is easy.  You need to develop the habit of good hazard awareness.  Try to see what the other driver is about to do well before they become a problem.

Even the best drivers are caught out occasionally.  They will have to react quickly to prevent an accident.  This article explains how to stop in an emergency.

Ask your driving instructor if you can practice the emergency stop.  You should practice it with in a driving school car.  Other drivers expect you to stop suddenly.  The driving instructor knows when it is safe to stop suddenly.

You should only use this technique to prevent injury to yourself or another road user. 

You are driving along a country road and a small bird flies out of a hedge six feet from you.  You would not carry out an emergency stop, it is not going to hurt you or damage the car.  If a sheep ran out six feet from you then you would need the emergency stop.  The impact will hurt you and the car. 

You are driving in town and a little Scottie dog runs into the road a few feet ahead.  You would not do the emergency stop.  It is not likely to hurt you or the car.  A German Shepherd Dog would need an emergency stop because that impact will hurt you and the car.

This does not mean that you should run over dogs or birds.  If you can stop in time then stop. 

What if a child runs out in front of you?  What if a car pulls out in front of you? 

You will need to practice the manoeuvre.  Only your driving instructor or driving examiner can insist on you doing this exercise.  We are trained to decide if it safe.  If you are practising with a relative, you both must decide if it is safe.

The Controlled Stop

The emergency stop is best described as the controlled stop.  You want to stop quickly and under control.

Do not check your mirrors.  There is no time.

Hold the steering wheel firmly.

Brake followed straight away by the clutch

Firm fast breaking to a halt

Secure the car and check no one is hurt. 

Move off as you normally would.

Skids

Skids are caused by driver error.  The driver was not driving to the road and traffic conditions.

If you are skidding, lift your feet off the pedals

If you are skidding in a straight line just keep the steering wheel straight.

If you are skidding to the right steer to the left until the car is straight.

If you are skidding to the left, steer to the right.

ABS

Most modern cars are equipped with ABS.  This is a system of sensors.  If the wheels are locking under hard braking, the sensors make the car take over braking.  The car will pump the breaks faster than any human can.

ABS allows you to steer in an emergency.  IT DOES NOT PREVENT SKIDDING.

If, when braking in an emergency, you feel a ‘thump thump’ under the pedals it is the ABS.  Just keep braking.

Posttest training does two things.  It fills in the blanks in your learner driver training. The focus of the driving lessons changes.  The focus is on the skills a qualified driver needs.   This takes you from learner driver to real driver.

One of the most important skills a real driver can develop is defensive driving.

A defensive driver is not a scared driver.  A driver seems to be in the right place at the right time at the right speed.  A defensive driver sees the problems early and reacts to avoid any difficulties.

We will be learning about the five skills of a good driver. Spend a day practicing each skill on your own before you do your in car training.

Skill 1 – Look well ahead

Think back to when you were learning to drive.  Did things seem to happen all of a sudden?  When you are learning to drive your attention is focused in the car.  As you developed as a driver, you became more aware of what was going on around you.   The hazard perception test helped develop your awareness of the road ahead.  Skill 1 takes hazard perception to the next level. 

The human eye has evolved to see into the distance and pick up movement close by.  So, by making an effort to look as far down the road as you can you are making the best use of your eyes.

Try this exercise next time you drive into work or college.  Look as far down the road as you can.  Say what you see out loud. 

Skill 2 – Keep your eyes moving

The human eye is never still.  It is constantly moving about.  Try staring at the end of a pencil for two minutes.  What happens to the end of the pencil?

In driving, we use the natural movements of our eyes

Try this exercise next time you drive into work or college.

Start by looking as far down the road as you can.  Now look from building to building – scan the pavements as well as the road.  Now check to each side of the car.  Now look in the rear mirror.  Keep repeating this cycle.  How much more did you see compared to the last exercise.

Skill 3 – Spot the problems

Try this exercise next time you drive into work or college.  Give a running commentary on what is happening around you.  Every time you spot a hazard or problem, say it aloud.

Skill 4 – Keep space

Now that you have practiced spotting the problems, you need to practice keeping space around you.  You know that you need to stay back from the car in front.  What about the sides?  Adjust your position in the road to keep the greatest space from the greatest danger.  A bike to the right and parked car to the left – move to the left.

Remember never hurry to slow down.  As soon as you see a problem, react to it.  React early and adjust your speed – chances are the problem will have cleared before you get there.

Skill 5 – Be seen

Make sure that you signal your intentions to other drivers as early as is safe.

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