New driver… what would you tell them?
Discussion
Ignore experts.. Yes!
when halted at lights do not sit so far from the car in front that another car would fit. That’s just one more car that won’t get through the lights.
The speed limit is both limit and target. Don't dawdle unless conditions require it. It’s annoying, ignorant, frustrating to others and hence it’s unsafe.
Do not spend 10 to 30 seconds extra at each junction looking for motorcycles! 2-3 seconds of real looking is far more useful than holding up traffic like some kind off mobile chicane in order to virtue signal.
If you’re having to stop at every roundabout then you’re not paying attention to the road and what’s happening around you.
Everyone else in the world on foot or in a vehicle is a suicidal and/or homicidal nutter.
when halted at lights do not sit so far from the car in front that another car would fit. That’s just one more car that won’t get through the lights.
The speed limit is both limit and target. Don't dawdle unless conditions require it. It’s annoying, ignorant, frustrating to others and hence it’s unsafe.
Do not spend 10 to 30 seconds extra at each junction looking for motorcycles! 2-3 seconds of real looking is far more useful than holding up traffic like some kind off mobile chicane in order to virtue signal.
If you’re having to stop at every roundabout then you’re not paying attention to the road and what’s happening around you.
Everyone else in the world on foot or in a vehicle is a suicidal and/or homicidal nutter.
VeeReihenmotor6 said:
Keep left unless overtaking.
This, again and again and again. Can't count the number of young women drivers doing 60mph in the middle lane with their eyes absolutely fixed ahead. The worst thing is that they have absolutely no idea they are doing anything wrong. Boobonman said:
VeeReihenmotor6 said:
Keep left unless overtaking.
This, again and again and again. Can't count the number of young women drivers doing 60mph in the middle lane with their eyes absolutely fixed ahead. The worst thing is that they have absolutely no idea they are doing anything wrong. Not read the entire thread, so these may have been said already, but here’s my advice:
- Always assume you’ll meet yourself coming the other way (ie another driver may be “making progress”/cutting their corner coming towards you etc
- Assume nobody has seen you. Position and present your car to help others see you, but never assume they have.
- Never “half wheel” another car in an adjacent lane. Especially on roundabouts. Go behind, or in front, never alongside. Be aware of their blind spots.
- Learn to read the body language of other vehicles. You’ll soon spot the dodderer who’ll definitely cut you up at the next roundabout.
- You’re safer behind the idiot than overtaking to get in front. Because then they’ll rear end you.
- If you’re being tailgated, leave enough space in front of you to allow for gentler braking in an emergency. Learn to show your brake lights for a second or two by pressing the pedal enough to activate the brake light switch without actually putting in any braking effort.
I’m sure there’s more but that’ll do for now!
- Always assume you’ll meet yourself coming the other way (ie another driver may be “making progress”/cutting their corner coming towards you etc
- Assume nobody has seen you. Position and present your car to help others see you, but never assume they have.
- Never “half wheel” another car in an adjacent lane. Especially on roundabouts. Go behind, or in front, never alongside. Be aware of their blind spots.
- Learn to read the body language of other vehicles. You’ll soon spot the dodderer who’ll definitely cut you up at the next roundabout.
- You’re safer behind the idiot than overtaking to get in front. Because then they’ll rear end you.
- If you’re being tailgated, leave enough space in front of you to allow for gentler braking in an emergency. Learn to show your brake lights for a second or two by pressing the pedal enough to activate the brake light switch without actually putting in any braking effort.
I’m sure there’s more but that’ll do for now!
Your peripheral vision isn't as good as you think it is.
Other drivers will not always choose to behave as you would.
When coming up to a roundabout, the two things above can combine surprisingly badly. The driver in front will sometimes stop in front of you for no good reason, and if you are looking to the right to see if it is still going to be safe to go after they have, it is very easy to drive right into the back of them. Only look once you are absolutely certain they have committed to going themselves, and/or leave a bigger gap to them than you might have thought necessary.
Look both in your mirror AND shoulder check your blindspot before overtaking so you don't kill motorcyclists.
Indicate early, especially if you are overtaking or are on a fast road. No one ever says "I wish that other driver had given me less notice of their intent."
Look further down the road.
Be assertive, but not aggressive.
Be kind.
Other drivers will not always choose to behave as you would.
When coming up to a roundabout, the two things above can combine surprisingly badly. The driver in front will sometimes stop in front of you for no good reason, and if you are looking to the right to see if it is still going to be safe to go after they have, it is very easy to drive right into the back of them. Only look once you are absolutely certain they have committed to going themselves, and/or leave a bigger gap to them than you might have thought necessary.
Look both in your mirror AND shoulder check your blindspot before overtaking so you don't kill motorcyclists.
Indicate early, especially if you are overtaking or are on a fast road. No one ever says "I wish that other driver had given me less notice of their intent."
Look further down the road.
Be assertive, but not aggressive.
Be kind.
Edited by herebebeasties on Friday 19th April 23:48
After spotting the topic title, it reminded me of the very first driving lesson that I gave to my children.
The very first instruction of lesson 1 (even before, How to make the car move).
With the car stationary - Practice how to stop the car.
Seemed logical and it was my car.
Edited by Jon39 on Saturday 8th June 17:24
RSTurboPaul said:
Get her booked onto IAM / RoSPA / HPC / A.N.Other advanced driving course before bad habits set in.
This is what I did (after they did Pass Plus).The problem is that people think once they've passed their test they know everything. For a new river the key thing is for them to understand that they actually know very little and to encourage them to continue learning.
- Assume everyone other driver is stupid and/or incompetent, you won’t often be surprised
- Always drive at a speed where you can stop in the distance you can see
- Situational awareness is vital, mirrors, shoulder checks, move your head to check around a-pillars, check twice or three times when carrying out a manoeuvre like a lane change or pulling out of a junction, a glance is only good enough if your situation is static
- As per the last, look well ahead and plan even further, even when it’s about other drivers movements, not just your own.
- Always check where you’re going and not just that the road/roundabout you’re pulling onto is clear, you don’t want a claim on your record for the old ‘looked right and saw it was clear but didn’t realise the car in front was still there’ shunt
- Always drive at a speed where you can stop in the distance you can see
- Situational awareness is vital, mirrors, shoulder checks, move your head to check around a-pillars, check twice or three times when carrying out a manoeuvre like a lane change or pulling out of a junction, a glance is only good enough if your situation is static
- As per the last, look well ahead and plan even further, even when it’s about other drivers movements, not just your own.
- Always check where you’re going and not just that the road/roundabout you’re pulling onto is clear, you don’t want a claim on your record for the old ‘looked right and saw it was clear but didn’t realise the car in front was still there’ shunt
Countdown said:
The problem is that people think once they've passed their test they know everything. For a new river the key thing is for them to understand that they actually know very little and to encourage them to continue learning.
The auto spell checker can sometimes make up its own jokes.
You are correct Countdown.
A new river would only be a young tributary, so the key thing is for them to understand that they actually know very little and to encourage them to continue learning, until they become a grown up river and eventually know enough to be an estuary.
The Wookie said:
...
- Always check where you’re going and not just that the road/roundabout you’re pulling onto is clear, you don’t want a claim on your record for the old ‘looked right and saw it was clear but didn’t realise the car in front was still there’ shunt
I fell foul of this one when I was much younger.- Always check where you’re going and not just that the road/roundabout you’re pulling onto is clear, you don’t want a claim on your record for the old ‘looked right and saw it was clear but didn’t realise the car in front was still there’ shunt
2nd in queue at a fairly busy roundabout, car in front starts to pull away, I look to my right (the angle of the road with the roundabout meant I was almost looking over my shoulder) and saw there was enough of a gap for multiple cars to join, so pulled away to find that the driver in front had aborted.
Fortunately no injuries - just some bent metal and sorely bruised pride. It taught me not to do it again ... but if other people could learn from my mistakes, it'd save them from being in the same situation - so definitely one I'd pass on to a new driver.
The Wookie said:
...
- Always check where you’re going and not just that the road/roundabout you’re pulling onto is clear, you don’t want a claim on your record for the old ‘looked right and saw it was clear but didn’t realise the car in front was still there’ shunt
I fell foul of this one when I was much younger.
2nd in queue at a fairly busy roundabout, car in front starts to pull away, I look to my right (the angle of the road with the roundabout meant I was almost looking over my shoulder) and saw there was enough of a gap for multiple cars to join, so pulled away to find that the driver in front had aborted.
Fortunately no injuries - just some bent metal and sorely bruised pride. It taught me not to do it again ... but if other people could learn from my mistakes, it'd save them from being in the same situation - so definitely one I'd pass on to a new driver.
Done that in a company car some years ago, it was pouring as well just broke the other cars rear light, he said no worries mate its a company car, got in a drove off. I proceeded up the road and came to a stop at the lights, they were red, now its bucketing down, I see a van approaching behing and thouht Jesus Christ he aint goint to stop, BANG, I got out in my shirt sleevses now totally drenched, the driver said "It never stops in the rain", I said "Mate mine is a company car, if you arnt bothered neither am I", he went his way and I went my way.- Always check where you’re going and not just that the road/roundabout you’re pulling onto is clear, you don’t want a claim on your record for the old ‘looked right and saw it was clear but didn’t realise the car in front was still there’ shunt
I fell foul of this one when I was much younger.
2nd in queue at a fairly busy roundabout, car in front starts to pull away, I look to my right (the angle of the road with the roundabout meant I was almost looking over my shoulder) and saw there was enough of a gap for multiple cars to join, so pulled away to find that the driver in front had aborted.
Fortunately no injuries - just some bent metal and sorely bruised pride. It taught me not to do it again ... but if other people could learn from my mistakes, it'd save them from being in the same situation - so definitely one I'd pass on to a new driver.
When I got back to work I told my boss I came back to my car in a car park and some bugger had reversed into me
well what could I say, so yes it happens, and good advice, keep an eye on the car in front.Gassing Station | Advanced Driving | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff