The way people are taught to drive today.

[glennda]

i cant see whats behind me anyway so i just tend to ignore it/guess what was there when i looked! as i broke the rear view mirror off!!

[PiqueABoo]

Are you saying that I should do 1 > 2 > 3 > 2 > 1 to overtake the numpty in lane 2 rather than remaining in the lane where I'm established?

 

In that scenario, yes. Forget the law, it's safer for you: A small proportion of numptys actually look in their rear view every hour or two and miraculously decide to move to lane 1 when they see you coming. [but usually it's just afterwards so you get to spend ages out in lane 3 trying to figure out where they went in your rear view before the moving back to 2.. then 1]

[powdarrmonkey]

See Hansard.

 

Passing traffic on the left because it is turning right and you have room to do so, it slows significantly while you maintain your current heading, or it is stationary and you can pass safely, are all acceptable provided you do not put anyone else in danger by doing so.

 

Undertaking because you are stuck behind someone is not acceptable, and will land you a charge of careless or dangerous driving (two years inside, 3-11 points, compulsory disqualification, etc).

[witch]

Changing the subject slightly - what about roundabouts?

Learning to drive umpty million years ago, I was taught, if going straight across, then I had to move into the right hand lane, indicate RIGHT on to the roundabout, wait until I passed the left junction and then indicate left, taking the second, or straight-across exit. They are now taught to stay in the left hand lane.

Thats fine except that if waiting at a roundabout, I expect the guy on my right to be coming off at my junction, not sweeping past me to take the next exit.

How were you taught?

[powdarrmonkey]

Changing the subject slightly - what about roundabouts?

Learning to drive umpty million years ago, I was taught, if going straight across, then I had to move into the right hand lane, indicate RIGHT on to the roundabout, wait until I passed the left junction and then indicate left, taking the second, or straight-across exit. They are now taught to stay in the left hand lane.

Thats fine except that if waiting at a roundabout, I expect the guy on my right to be coming off at my junction, not sweeping past me to take the next exit.

How were you taught?

 

I was taught by route: if diverging from the road you're currently on, or it's marked on the sign as at a significant angle from straight ahead, indicate accordingly. For straight ahead, approach on the left or as directed by road markings, and indicate for the exit.

[tmcd35]

I was taught roundabouts the same as powdermonkey. Pretty much keep left unless you are turning right or road markings tell you otherwhys.

 

The important thing with roundabouts is indication. As you pass the last exist before the one you are taking indicate left to say you are leaving the roundabout - saves me waiting like a lemon as half a dozen car's peal off and exit instead of sweeping past me.

 

If you are going around the roundabout - as in past my exit, you should be indicating right to let me know you are going past. The only exception is if you are part of the main drag going straight ahead on the roundabout and the main exit is not to the right of the 12 O'Clock position (from your POV). Usually this would mean you are indicating left as you pass me. Note that's as you pass and not before - don't make me think you are taking my exist instead of the one after - aagggghhhhhh.

[torledo]

Changing the subject slightly - what about roundabouts?

Learning to drive umpty million years ago, I was taught, if going straight across, then I had to move into the right hand lane, indicate RIGHT on to the roundabout, wait until I passed the left junction and then indicate left, taking the second, or straight-across exit. They are now taught to stay in the left hand lane.

Thats fine except that if waiting at a roundabout, I expect the guy on my right to be coming off at my junction, not sweeping past me to take the next exit.

How were you taught?

 

i don't remember being taught to indicate right when going straight ahead at a roundabout. i think i was told stay in the left lane, pass the first exit then indicate left to go straight on [or second exit].

[sted]

i don't remember being taught to indicate right when going straight ahead at a roundabout. i think i was told stay in the left lane, pass the first exit then indicate left to go straight on [or second exit].

 

same id assume anyone in lane 2 indicating right was going to exit 3 not 2 (assuming 2 lane entry 4 axis roundabout)

[tmcd35]

same id assume anyone in lane 2 indicating right was going to exit 3 not 2 (assuming 2 lane entry 4 axis roundabout)

 

The problem comes when there is more than 4 exits and the main - straight ahead - exit is exit 3 which is at say the 1-o'clock position when you approach. Here you would be indicating right as you pass exit 1 and then change to left as you pass exit 2. There's a roundabout like that just up the road from me.

[sted]

The problem comes when there is more than 4 exits and the main - straight ahead - exit is exit 3 which is at say the 1-o'clock position when you approach. Here you would be indicating right as you pass exit 1 and then change to left as you pass exit 2. There's a roundabout like that just up the road from me.

 

there are always odd roundabouts everywhere and you just have to take each one as they come. i can thing of onw where to turn first exit you need to be in lane 2 of 3 for an immediate right turn

[SteveBentley]

Just don't do what I did on a driving lesson which directly followed a day when I'd been working on some programming which made heavy use of arrays.

 

Instructor: "Take the third exit"

 

I counted them 0,1,2,3 like you do an array and come off on the fourth!

[truslack]

The law is perfectly clear.

Actually it's not all that clear. An overtake on the left is legally permitted. The highway code states it is a DO NOT rather than a MUST NOT, so not actually backed by any law. Used to be specifically illegal but hasn't been for 30~40 years.

 

Covered under driving without due care and attention, but then so is the person wrongly sitting in the overtaking lane.

[glennda]

i just don't use the indicators, much better that way, i know where im going why does everybody else need to!!

[synaesthesia]

Was taught to stick with first gear with foot on clutch for short stops - I do however use the handbrake still. That was 10 years ago!

Besides which, you are putting absolutely no wear on your clutch by having your foot on the pedal - the wear only occurs 1. when you're driving normally and don't have your foot on the pedal (only slight wear) and 2. obviously during the engaging/disengaging process.

 

Overtaking on the left - sometimes there's little to no choice. The A45 from Wellingborough to Northampton is famous for this - the amount of absolute morons that exclusively drive in the right hand (the overtaking) lane regardless of what is (or isn't) in the left lane, or speed really is annoying. You've no choice.

[mac_shinobi]

Just don't do what I did on a driving lesson which directly followed a day when I'd been working on some programming which made heavy use of arrays.

 

Instructor: "Take the third exit"

 

I counted them 0,1,2,3 like you do an array and come off on the fourth!

 

Nothing quite like an array of exits lol

 

That's when you keep going around the round about until you take the correct exit

[powdarrmonkey]

Nothing quite like an array of exits lol

 

*groan*

[Martin]

Besides which, you are putting absolutely no wear on your clutch by having your foot on the pedal

 

..but you are wearing out your thrust release(/race) bearings (as happened in my Hillman Imp nearly 30 years ago), and stressing the cables/hydraulics.

 

mb

[synaesthesia]

These are not Imps (or more infamously for clutches, the old Dolomites!) though - any wear is minimal and expected - you are literally getting more wear out of the clock hour/minute buttons on cars that don't update for summer time automatically.

 

Funnily enough though was sitting in a supermarket car park waiting for my nan, and an old lady in a 1985 Mini was trying to park in a space surrounded by nothing. Not a difficult manouvre, bless her she got it right first time - but she was obviously struggling with clutch control - it was SCREAMING. If engines could talk, that one was leaning over to me screaming EUTHANASE ME! I CANNAE TAKE ANY MORE!

[tech_guy]

Lol, back in the eighties my then neighbours did a holiday swap with an American family. My neighbour's pride and joy was a rather sporty alfa romeo. On their first day the family piled into the car and off they went, the engine screaming as they went down the road.

 

That evening they returned, after taking in a lot of the tourist attractions in the Midlands. I knew they were coming as I could hear the poor old Alfa's engine before I saw them. I was out front, mowing the lawn. He came over, and asked me if it was normal for a car of that size and type to make so much noise, and use up nearly a tank of petrol?

 

No it isn't, I said. And then I realised. It's a geared car, I said. His face was a picture. He'd thought it was an automatic and had driven it everywhere in first gear. Classic.

[BTCC_Fan]

I passed at end of last July but will have been driving for 2 years this April and was always taught (by both of my two instructors) when stopping at lights etc to put it in first just before you stop, then if you are stopped for a while put handbrake on but keep it in first unless you know that you will be there for ages.

 

In terms of gears I was taught to block downshift ie from 3rd to 1st but not really on the upshifting. I've not really had to the chance to do loads of driving on my own but hoping to get a car in April so I guess i'l develop my own driving style, rather than DSA test style, as well as some bad habits no doubt!

[tmcd35]

In terms of gears I was taught to block downshift ie from 3rd to 1st but not really on the upshifting. I've not really had to the chance to do loads of driving on my own but hoping to get a car in April so I guess i'l develop my own driving style, rather than DSA test style, as well as some bad habits no doubt!

 

I have to admit I tend not to block shift much these days. I find there's little need. But then I live in Norfolk with lots of slow roads and I'm in no rush to get anywhere . Correct me if I'm wrong but block shofting up is about acceleration, useful for joining motorways. Hold it in 3rd longer use the acceleration to get to 60/70mph quicker then block shift into 5th. Like I say not meny dual carrageways in these parts to join and I'm not in that much of a rush any more.

[AyatollahPies]

Guilty as charged Clutch down, car in gear, foot on brake waiting for lights to change. Bad habit - not what I was taught. I'm pretty sure I was taught natutal and handbrake at the lights.

 

I'm with Tony, and I'm sure we've both said as much in previous threads, that we should be forced to retake the driving test every 5 years. I also think there should be a maximum number of time your are a) aloud to retake in a given year, and b) alowed to retake full stop. If you can't pass after 5 or 6 attempts (arbatory figures) should you really be on the road? Driving is a qualification and not a right!

 

There are worse things that some drivers do that are far more dangerous and tend to p*** me off on a dailey basis than sit at the lights without the handbrake on. My pet hate is lack of indicating - expecially on roundabouts. Then there are undertakers (not the morbid type).

 

I also agree with FN-GM. I've got a manual license but Auto is soooo much better

 

It's not so much the brake lights that annoy me (though they do, especially at night), but the fact that some idiots roll back and forth. I had a lorry roll back into me last month even though I was a good distance back from it and was pressing the horn down constantly for about 10 seconds.

Edited March 20, 2010 by witch

[powdarrmonkey]

I had a lorry roll back into me last month even though I was a good distance back from it and was pressing the horn down constantly for about 10 seconds.

 

I made some noise at a woman in a car park a couple of years ago. Three times. She looked round twice and then still reversed into me (quite hard, actually) and then tried to tell me I must have not been looking properly!

[tommej]

While we're on the subject of young drivers! Car insurance is flippin ridiculous! I was paying £1200 for a 1.2 engine! Almost as much as I paid for it!

 

Nearly 2 years on and i'm still paying over a grand, what a joke! It'd be cheaper for me to buy cars for a few hundred quid and not bother getting insurance and just replace the car when I inevitably get caught. ~Dont do this~

 

It's a bloody scam

[Jamo]

While we're on the subject of young drivers! Car insurance is flippin ridiculous! I was paying £1200 for a 1.2 engine! Almost as much as I paid for it!

 

Nearly 2 years on and i'm still paying over a grand, what a joke! It'd be cheaper for me to buy cars for a few hundred quid and not bother getting insurance and just replace the car when I inevitably get caught. ~Dont do this~

 

It's a bloody scam

 

Mmm, is your car a .... (how am I gonna put this...) gary mobile, chav racer etc etc? A lot of the time 'popular' (with boy racers) cars have a mark up on insurance which isn't always applicable to performance.

 

I had a micra and my insurance was pretty cheap. Was an awesome car too, until 3rd gear stopped working. Not bad for 1 clutch it did 144000 miles in all . I was a sad day when I took it to the scrap yard

 

Also I was always taught to only use first gear w/ clutch if you were the first in the queue of traffic and never any cars behind. This was due to the fact that if someone crashes into your rear you will almost certainly bash the guy in front and your insurance can be invalid if this is proved.