News0 min ago
Advice Needed From Driving Instructors Please
My Grandson has been taking driving lessons with an instructor.
Car with manual.
He just failed his test last week. I took him out today for a lesson and was amazed by some of the things he told me.
The most surprising was when he was coming up to a T junction.
He stayed in top gear, slowed down and then when still moving put the car into first gear then stopped. I queried this and he said the instructor told him to do this.
Also he was told not to put the handbreak on and out of gear when sitting at lights or waiting to emerge on to the main road.
I have over 60 years driving experience with a clean licence and hold a Class 1 HGV licence and am amazed at this.
Is this the norm now?
Car with manual.
He just failed his test last week. I took him out today for a lesson and was amazed by some of the things he told me.
The most surprising was when he was coming up to a T junction.
He stayed in top gear, slowed down and then when still moving put the car into first gear then stopped. I queried this and he said the instructor told him to do this.
Also he was told not to put the handbreak on and out of gear when sitting at lights or waiting to emerge on to the main road.
I have over 60 years driving experience with a clean licence and hold a Class 1 HGV licence and am amazed at this.
Is this the norm now?
Answers
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No best answer has yet been selected by needawin. Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.
For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.I ws trained as an Advanced Class1 Police driver and also motorcyclist.
I also have the 'Great I A M advanced certificate. I held a class1 PSV and Class 2 HGV licence as they were once known.
We were taught,as Hopkirk quite correctly states, approach a junction using brakes. Come to a halt.Engage handbrake and then select neutral gear.
When waiting at ATS (traffic lights). The car should be as described previously. The Car should have handbrake on and in neutral. The driver should be aware of ATS changes and then prepare to change into 1st or 2nd gear (as appropriate) and disengage handbrake before first checking quickly left and right plus rear view mirror.
Waiting at a ATS junction whilst in gear and riding the clutch with handbrake off is potentially very dangerous. Should an inattentive driver behind give you a rear shunt whilst in that condition the driver is likely to let out the clutch and the car to enter the junction due to momentum of impact. My son was told by some underqualified instructor not to bother with the Highway code and he was never taught a 3 point turn,hill start or reversing around a corner keeping close and parallel to the kerb. The standard of tuition and examination today is appaling
I also have the 'Great I A M advanced certificate. I held a class1 PSV and Class 2 HGV licence as they were once known.
We were taught,as Hopkirk quite correctly states, approach a junction using brakes. Come to a halt.Engage handbrake and then select neutral gear.
When waiting at ATS (traffic lights). The car should be as described previously. The Car should have handbrake on and in neutral. The driver should be aware of ATS changes and then prepare to change into 1st or 2nd gear (as appropriate) and disengage handbrake before first checking quickly left and right plus rear view mirror.
Waiting at a ATS junction whilst in gear and riding the clutch with handbrake off is potentially very dangerous. Should an inattentive driver behind give you a rear shunt whilst in that condition the driver is likely to let out the clutch and the car to enter the junction due to momentum of impact. My son was told by some underqualified instructor not to bother with the Highway code and he was never taught a 3 point turn,hill start or reversing around a corner keeping close and parallel to the kerb. The standard of tuition and examination today is appaling
As stated earlier. It is bad practice to engage gears to slow down.It wears out the clutch which is more expensive to replace than brake pads/shoes. Gears to Go and Brakes to slow.
Lower gears should be engaged when about to descend a long and steep incline.
The younger members of your family are taking the correct approach.
Lower gears should be engaged when about to descend a long and steep incline.
The younger members of your family are taking the correct approach.
I passed my test in 1980 and was taught to slow down using the brakes in whatever gear had already selected. I was also told only to use necessary gears when pulling away again, rather than use every gear sequentially.
What seems to have changed is that I was told to press the button while engaging the handbrake to avoid wear on the ratchet teeth. My children don't seem to have been told this, but the noise still grates with me.
What seems to have changed is that I was told to press the button while engaging the handbrake to avoid wear on the ratchet teeth. My children don't seem to have been told this, but the noise still grates with me.
JF85
Failure to use the handbrake pawl when engaging/disengaging the handbrake was one of many crimes at Hendon Police Driving School.
The defaulter paid for tea and wads for the whole car (instructor plus 3 pupils) at the next scheduled greasy spoons stop. Slamming the car door/bonnet was another no no. It came under the category of vehicle sympathy.
Failure to use the handbrake pawl when engaging/disengaging the handbrake was one of many crimes at Hendon Police Driving School.
The defaulter paid for tea and wads for the whole car (instructor plus 3 pupils) at the next scheduled greasy spoons stop. Slamming the car door/bonnet was another no no. It came under the category of vehicle sympathy.
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