nervous joining cars in traffic or stopped on a hill.
Discussion
Hi guy's. I'm not a very confident driver. A situation like today really damaged my confidence. It wasn't that anything bad happened. just in my mind, am I operating this car properly.
so I'm driving up this hill and 100 metres in corny of me is cars stopped or slowly moving. This is when I seem to lose all knowledge of how to operate the vehicle.
To join them on the hill do I slow down to second gear then engage clutch, not touching my brake just waiting till its about to roll down then keep it balanced with the biting point and gas.. not using the brake at all.
or do I just slow down then brake to a stop and handbrake it. I guess I'm worried the car will roll back on me.. I'm so useless. any tips?
so I'm driving up this hill and 100 metres in corny of me is cars stopped or slowly moving. This is when I seem to lose all knowledge of how to operate the vehicle.
To join them on the hill do I slow down to second gear then engage clutch, not touching my brake just waiting till its about to roll down then keep it balanced with the biting point and gas.. not using the brake at all.
or do I just slow down then brake to a stop and handbrake it. I guess I'm worried the car will roll back on me.. I'm so useless. any tips?
If you are really that worried about something like this then I would strongly advise booking a few driving lessons and explaining to the instructor which areas you need to brush up on. They won't be strangers to this sort of thing.
Whatever you do, even though you've obviously passed your test, I wouldn't go near any so-called "advanced" people, they'll roast you alive with their smugness and superiority. An ordinary driving instructor has the correct skills and knowledge to help you boost your confidence.
Whatever you do, even though you've obviously passed your test, I wouldn't go near any so-called "advanced" people, they'll roast you alive with their smugness and superiority. An ordinary driving instructor has the correct skills and knowledge to help you boost your confidence.
Its good you're asking about it imo.
Didnt read the lane changing thread but i can guess.
Generally speaking you need to make your intentions clear and then act decisively when you make a maneuver - that way you dont confuse anyone and get driven into.
Hills in traffic - if its a proper stop use the handbrake and treat it like a hill start, its safer and the extra couple of seconds you spend pulling off again far less arseache to the driver behind than you rolling back into them.
Driving is really hard work until actually operating the vehicle has become second nature and that takes a fair bit of practice
Didnt read the lane changing thread but i can guess.
Generally speaking you need to make your intentions clear and then act decisively when you make a maneuver - that way you dont confuse anyone and get driven into.
Hills in traffic - if its a proper stop use the handbrake and treat it like a hill start, its safer and the extra couple of seconds you spend pulling off again far less arseache to the driver behind than you rolling back into them.
Driving is really hard work until actually operating the vehicle has become second nature and that takes a fair bit of practice
Its good you're asking about it imo.
Didnt read the lane changing thread but i can guess.
Generally speaking you need to make your intentions clear and then act decisively when you make a maneuver - that way you dont confuse anyone and get driven into.
Hills in traffic - if its a proper stop use the handbrake and treat it like a hill start, its safer and the extra couple of seconds you spend pulling off again far less arseache to the driver behind than you rolling back into them.
Driving is really hard work until actually operating the vehicle has become second nature and that takes a fair bit of practice
Didnt read the lane changing thread but i can guess.
Generally speaking you need to make your intentions clear and then act decisively when you make a maneuver - that way you dont confuse anyone and get driven into.
Hills in traffic - if its a proper stop use the handbrake and treat it like a hill start, its safer and the extra couple of seconds you spend pulling off again far less arseache to the driver behind than you rolling back into them.
Driving is really hard work until actually operating the vehicle has become second nature and that takes a fair bit of practice
Geez all very helpful people! (Not referring to you poo pipe)
In a manual car this can be a pain if the queue up the hill is slow but constantly moving. You sound as if you are caught between stopping applying the handbrake and pulling away catch up and repeat, or trundling along with some clutch slipping and trying to keep an even pace.
try slowing down early and leaving a good gap from the car in front, drop to first and let the car run on no throttle, it won't stall unless you get to seriously low speed (you could practice this somewhere quiet as it'll vary from car to car a low torque petrol being the worst) or the gradient is quite steep. If you do practice you should feel the car struggling before it stalls, so you can learn to add just a little throttle to avoid this, you should still be going slowly and so only slightly catching up the queue.
If you start to get close to the car in front then you will either have to stop and go through the handbrake and hill start procedure or if you can see they are just about to move forward you could slip the clutch a little to slow enough that you don't have to come to a complete standstill.
.
Don't panic don't rush and be confident, if you can't don't be afraid to get some refresher lessons.
In a manual car this can be a pain if the queue up the hill is slow but constantly moving. You sound as if you are caught between stopping applying the handbrake and pulling away catch up and repeat, or trundling along with some clutch slipping and trying to keep an even pace.
try slowing down early and leaving a good gap from the car in front, drop to first and let the car run on no throttle, it won't stall unless you get to seriously low speed (you could practice this somewhere quiet as it'll vary from car to car a low torque petrol being the worst) or the gradient is quite steep. If you do practice you should feel the car struggling before it stalls, so you can learn to add just a little throttle to avoid this, you should still be going slowly and so only slightly catching up the queue.
If you start to get close to the car in front then you will either have to stop and go through the handbrake and hill start procedure or if you can see they are just about to move forward you could slip the clutch a little to slow enough that you don't have to come to a complete standstill.
.
Don't panic don't rush and be confident, if you can't don't be afraid to get some refresher lessons.
Edited by Scootersp on Thursday 11th December 21:05
Edited by Scootersp on Thursday 11th December 21:06
I was always taught never to go down the gears as I was slowing. Stop in whatever gear you happen to be in and then select first to set off again. If it's a steep upwards hill use the handbrake and treat it as the hill start you were taught on your lessons. If you don't stop just select the best gear as you're about to accelerate again.
The best thing you can do is stay calm about it and practice somewhere quiet. Try getting practice with everything you're nervous about with a driving instructor and consider doing something like a Pass Plus course. Don't believe advanced driving instructors are all pompous old farts, they're not, and many will be quite happy to take you out on confidence building runs without charging you a fortune. They might be more likely than an ordinary driving instructor to teach you practical and realistic techniques rather than the basic stuff taught to new drivers.
It's good that you're always aware of how things can go wrong, many people aren't so create dangerous situations without realising it. The situation you refer to in the lane changing thread of two cars moving into the same gap and side swiping each other is a common accident on motorways. You just need to strike a balance where you remain aware of the dangers but calm and capable enough to avoid them.
The best thing you can do is stay calm about it and practice somewhere quiet. Try getting practice with everything you're nervous about with a driving instructor and consider doing something like a Pass Plus course. Don't believe advanced driving instructors are all pompous old farts, they're not, and many will be quite happy to take you out on confidence building runs without charging you a fortune. They might be more likely than an ordinary driving instructor to teach you practical and realistic techniques rather than the basic stuff taught to new drivers.
It's good that you're always aware of how things can go wrong, many people aren't so create dangerous situations without realising it. The situation you refer to in the lane changing thread of two cars moving into the same gap and side swiping each other is a common accident on motorways. You just need to strike a balance where you remain aware of the dangers but calm and capable enough to avoid them.
Nice one guys, telling someone who's a bit nervous "give up" is pretty poor form. They're asking for help.
OP - DON'T do this:
DO do this:
OP - DON'T do this:
driveclub said:
To join them on the hill do I slow down to second gear then engage clutch, not touching my brake just waiting till its about to roll down then keep it balanced with the biting point and gas.. not using the brake at all.
It wears the clutch out, is more tiring for you, and if your foot slips you'll roll back into the car behind.DO do this:
driveclub said:
or do I just slow down then brake to a stop and handbrake it. I guess I'm worried the car will roll back on me.. I'm so useless. any tips?
It won't roll back if your handbrake is working properly. If you find your handbrake can't hold the car on a hill, get it into a garage and get it fixed. So use the handbrake; if you are worried, keep your foot over (not pressing) the brake pedal as well. Then if it did roll back, you could catch it in an instant. driveclub said:
To join them on the hill do I slow down to second gear then engage clutch, not touching my brake just waiting till its about to roll down then keep it balanced with the biting point and gas.. not using the brake at all.
or do I just slow down then brake to a stop and handbrake it. I guess I'm worried the car will roll back on me.. I'm so useless. any tips?
Well you don't want to ride the clutch all the way up the hill! I don't know why you refer specifically to second gear. To keep the car under proper control, you shouldn't be "coasting" excessively (i.e. rolling with the clutch down) - you should be using all the gears and have the car in the right gear for the speed and gradient.or do I just slow down then brake to a stop and handbrake it. I guess I'm worried the car will roll back on me.. I'm so useless. any tips?
You will be able to slow to a crawl with first gear fully engaged.
Personally, I don't use the hand brake often in such a situation; I just sit on the footbrake (mainly to annoy pistonheaders who claim to be blinded by brake lights) then move my foot quickly from the brake to gas and let in the clutch. I don't roll back because I do it quickly; I think this is what most people do.
If this isn't second nature, then by all means go the handbrake/hill-start rigmarole. That will feel awkward, because it is, I doubt many bother unless they're stopped for a long time.
It sounds like you need practice (not lessons, as others have suggested). I think part of your problem is stress from your conscious brain so I suggest you try to relax (maybe listen to Classic FM or something?!) and you should find yourself instinctively doing the right thing without getting in a flap.
Go out somewhere quiet and practise, get some lessons if you feel the need first.
Sadly piston heads is not what it was years ago and you'll have to just filter the comments that aren't as helpful.
Everyone has areas to brush up on, you've done something a lot of people don't do and identified them yourself.
Sadly piston heads is not what it was years ago and you'll have to just filter the comments that aren't as helpful.
Everyone has areas to brush up on, you've done something a lot of people don't do and identified them yourself.
Book some more lessons asking the instructor to cover what your unsure of. Maybe even a pass plus course if your young. But a nervous driver is not only unsafe to other road users but a danger to yourself.
This all disappears with experience and the fact that you are noticing you have a problem in these areas is the first step to conquering the problem.
This all disappears with experience and the fact that you are noticing you have a problem in these areas is the first step to conquering the problem.
Without knowing you, meeting you or ever being driven by you, it might be that you do know what to do and this is an anxiety problem more than a driving issue. I would certainly look into getting that sorted as well as an extra lesson or two in the car. The anxiety is probably manifesting itself elsewhere in your life too.
Obviously the powerfully built directors of PH have no such issues and drive around with confidence in their German uber saloons.
Obviously the powerfully built directors of PH have no such issues and drive around with confidence in their German uber saloons.
If you can, get a mate or relative with more experience to accompany you on a drive, and have them show you how they would do it before having a few goes yourself.
Just a matter of refining your technique and getting a bit of practice in to boost your confidence. Don't sweat it, we've all been there whether or not we'll admit it!
Just a matter of refining your technique and getting a bit of practice in to boost your confidence. Don't sweat it, we've all been there whether or not we'll admit it!
Jonny_ said:
If you can, get a mate or relative with more experience to accompany you on a drive, and have them show you how they would do it before having a few goes yourself.
Just a matter of refining your technique and getting a bit of practice in to boost your confidence. Don't sweat it, we've all been there whether or not we'll admit it!
^this^ Practice practice practice. You'll come good sooner then you think. Just a matter of refining your technique and getting a bit of practice in to boost your confidence. Don't sweat it, we've all been there whether or not we'll admit it!
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