New driver comments/questions - smooth driving
Discussion
lufbramatt said:
Driving London roads is hard even for experience drivers- I've had a licence since 2003 and hate having to visit family in London. So many other cars, drivers are less courteous, endless traffic lights, bus lanes, one way streets, scooter riders that want to tailgate you etc. Fair play for finding it difficult as a new driver!
The bus lanes can actually be a god-send at times (just make sure you've read the operational hours first as some are 24/7!). I notice a lot of drivers (possibly out of towners) appear really, really unsure as to if they can use a bus lane or miss the sign at the start or such ... so many will just not bother (unless they're undertaking you for being too slow doing 25 in a 20 when there's cameras on almost every set of lights - then they don't care about the operating times 
and I'm happy enough to let them get flashed further down the road / tomorrow / next week!)markyb_lcy said:
TwigtheWonderkid said:
The insurance data on thousands of one eyed drivers compared to their 2 eyed contemporaries shows no link to increased claims frequency or cost. That fact is more relevant than numerous opinions.
I didn't look at the data but I'll take your word for it and on that basis you are completely right. To be honest I was more considering what is and is not notifiable to DVLA and my own perceived level of "fairness".We know the insurance companies are money-grabbers, and they'll use anything they practicably and legally can do, in order to extract more money from you ... whether the numbers back them up or not.
The insurance companies are not allowed to ask you to specify what the condition is ... only if it's "notifiable". I'm sure you'll appreciate a large number of minor conditions will be in the same list as more major ones. The insurance company, on this basis, has no idea which specific condition you have.
Secondly, insurers can ask for the precise illness/disability, whether it's notifiable or not. Just because it's not notifiable to DVLA, doesn't mean it's not notifiable to insurers. What they cannot do is charge you for it, unless they have statistical evidence that you are an increased risk, backed up by the W.H.O. And for 99.9% of disabilities, there is no evidence.
TwigtheWonderkid said:
Firstly, you cannot admit I am right. This is PH, you have to keep arguing your corner, even when evidence to the contrary is provided.
Secondly, insurers can ask for the precise illness/disability, whether it's notifiable or not. Just because it's not notifiable to DVLA, doesn't mean it's not notifiable to insurers. What they cannot do is charge you for it, unless they have statistical evidence that you are an increased risk, backed up by the W.H.O. And for 99.9% of disabilities, there is no evidence.
Secondly, insurers can ask for the precise illness/disability, whether it's notifiable or not. Just because it's not notifiable to DVLA, doesn't mean it's not notifiable to insurers. What they cannot do is charge you for it, unless they have statistical evidence that you are an increased risk, backed up by the W.H.O. And for 99.9% of disabilities, there is no evidence.
I'll concede on the first and argue on another! based on my own experience <6wks ago doing quotes with various insurance companies, not one asked me to specifically identify my "notifiable" condition, yet all of them want you to state whether you have one or not. My understanding was, after doing some research at the time (although I can't right now find a good link to back it up) ... is that they are allowed to ask if you have a notifiable condition and they are allowed to give you the option of specifying it (with the dangled-carrot of "we might reduce it"), but they're not allowed to mandate it.
It could be that I just dreamed all of this up!
Edit: one other thing ... I wonder if there is a difference between what's expected/legal etc for a "quote" vs a driver having to notify an insurance company due to a change of circumstances in their health? as in ... you didn't have a notifiable condition when you took the policy out, but then you acquire a notifiable condition? Who knows. Black arts if you ask me!
Edited by markyb_lcy on Wednesday 13th February 12:38
Edited by markyb_lcy on Wednesday 13th February 12:39
OP, I am not a driving god but my missus passed her test a few months ago and these are some things I told her that she found helpful. Maybe you will too? Tske what you will!
1) Absolutely learn to engine brake, and practice going down the gears at lights. Example, you’re in 40th going 30 and approaching a red light. Drop to 3rd first, then 2nd, then stop and prepare your car to go. You will be in the correct gear to accelerate away rather than desperately trying to find the right one. Always better to anticipate. The car will ‘jump’ at first until you practice but that is normal and it will smoothen over time.
2) Don’t be afraid to open up the engine now and again. My personal opinion is that most people seem to accelerate very slowly. Sometimes, it’s helpful to practice moving quickly for when you may need it, at any time!
3) Anticipate gear changes in advance. You’re approaching a steep hill in a high gear - drop it first, don’t labour the car unnecessarily. Better to be in too low a gear, than too high, imo.
One thing I personally struggled with when I passed was how to control my manual at a crawling speed. It’s so tempting to dip the clutch. Keep off it, the car will move and if it’s going to stall, you will know.
Most importantly, have fun and be safe. Driving is fantastic and it’s a great privilege to have. Remember that it is a privilege and not a right to drive and that when you’re out on the road you are not only responsible for your safety but also everyone else around you. Rag the b
ks off it if you like, but only when safe to do so
1) Absolutely learn to engine brake, and practice going down the gears at lights. Example, you’re in 40th going 30 and approaching a red light. Drop to 3rd first, then 2nd, then stop and prepare your car to go. You will be in the correct gear to accelerate away rather than desperately trying to find the right one. Always better to anticipate. The car will ‘jump’ at first until you practice but that is normal and it will smoothen over time.
2) Don’t be afraid to open up the engine now and again. My personal opinion is that most people seem to accelerate very slowly. Sometimes, it’s helpful to practice moving quickly for when you may need it, at any time!
3) Anticipate gear changes in advance. You’re approaching a steep hill in a high gear - drop it first, don’t labour the car unnecessarily. Better to be in too low a gear, than too high, imo.
One thing I personally struggled with when I passed was how to control my manual at a crawling speed. It’s so tempting to dip the clutch. Keep off it, the car will move and if it’s going to stall, you will know.
Most importantly, have fun and be safe. Driving is fantastic and it’s a great privilege to have. Remember that it is a privilege and not a right to drive and that when you’re out on the road you are not only responsible for your safety but also everyone else around you. Rag the b
ks off it if you like, but only when safe to do soWhitester said:
OP, I am not a driving god but my missus passed her test a few months ago and these are some things I told her that she found helpful. Maybe you will too? Tske what you will!
1) Absolutely learn to engine brake, and practice going down the gears at lights. Example, you’re in 40th going 30 and approaching a red light. Drop to 3rd first, then 2nd, then stop and prepare your car to go. You will be in the correct gear to accelerate away rather than desperately trying to find the right one. Always better to anticipate. The car will ‘jump’ at first until you practice but that is normal and it will smoothen over time.
My sons have learned to drive over the last few years and this advice is old hat now. Modern teaching is no engine braking, "engine and gears to go, brakes to stop." Which makes sense, new brake pads are cheaper than a new clutch. Gear changing is kept to a minimum. So no downchanging when approaching lights etc. Stay in a high gear for as long as poss and then clutch down and coast /brake to standstill. Also block changes, missing out gears when going up or down. 1) Absolutely learn to engine brake, and practice going down the gears at lights. Example, you’re in 40th going 30 and approaching a red light. Drop to 3rd first, then 2nd, then stop and prepare your car to go. You will be in the correct gear to accelerate away rather than desperately trying to find the right one. Always better to anticipate. The car will ‘jump’ at first until you practice but that is normal and it will smoothen over time.
It all sounds a bit weird to me but I gave it a try and it's fine.
I'm definitely a block-changer (down) when I'm >80% that I'm definitely gonna need to stop. If I feel the lights are quite likely to change back to green before I become stationary, I'll slow down a little earlier and start to shift down the gears so I'm in the right one to start accelerating again. My driving instructor actually suggested the slowing down too far in advance for red lights to anticipate and capitalise on the change back to green might annoy people behind. Honestly, I don't give a **** ... the lights are on red, all they can do is get nowhere faster!
I think this partly comes from being a seasoned cyclist, where you really do conserve significant energy from doing it. And it's not too indifferent, putting yourself into the gear that you feel you'll most likely need to set off in, well in advance. Of course on the bike, the only block-changing available is the front cog.
I think this partly comes from being a seasoned cyclist, where you really do conserve significant energy from doing it. And it's not too indifferent, putting yourself into the gear that you feel you'll most likely need to set off in, well in advance. Of course on the bike, the only block-changing available is the front cog.
TwigtheWonderkid said:
Which makes sense, new brake pads are cheaper than a new clutch.
This certainly does make some sense.On the point of 1st gear driving and clutchslipping ... if I didn't slip the clutch in london traffic, I'd be stopping, starting and stalling a *lot* more. Is clutch-slipping in first gear really *that* bad? I mean ... most of us are doing that every time we set off from a standing start, right? (those of us not launching it, I mean!)
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