New driver comments/questions - smooth driving
Discussion
So, I finally made it to being a full UK license holder, <1m ago now ... having never really needed to but always wanted to. I'm late 30s now (embarrassing I know!). I had lessons when younger (18) and then in my late 20s too, never getting around to the test. Anyway, less of that.
I've bought a 2017 plate Golf mk7 (1.4 Tsi SE Nav). Some friends suggested buying a heap and then something better in a year. Well, I don't fancy driving a heap around even for one day! I chose a Golf for various reasons ... safety, reliability, looks etc. I've always liked these cars as a non driver. I couldn't find a single person who had a bad word against the Golf.
I'm really enjoying the car so far; the new-found freedom is awesome too! I've made some shoddy mistakes and have learned some vital things one doesn't learn as a learner. At this point, I'd like to improve my driving skill and understanding of the road system to become a better and more comfortable driver.
Does anyone have any tips for maintaining a more smooth driving experience? London roads are pretty damn bad in places. Speedbumps, potholes, confusing roundabouts where you're not sure the right lane / can't see markings etc. I'm getting fairly confident but I must admit I still have some fears.
The current one I'm really struggling with is pulling out from minor road turning right onto a multi-lane carriageway (without a lighted-junction) ... the other day I took a wrong right turn off the A2 Old Kent Road heading Nbound and had to come back around via industrial estate to such a jct to get back on it. Jesus I sat there for near-on 4 mins looking for a friendly gap and jumped out like a scared rabbit. I didn't even have anyone behind me being impatient either, so I know it could be even worse! I'm avoiding routes now where I can to avoid this, but I know I'll come up against it very soon before too long.
I'm nasty at speedbumps in the Golf. It was easy in the fiesta learner car ... reduce speed/brake on approach, accelerate when front wheels hit ramp. Maybe I'm going over them too fast but I'm mostly sticking to limits ... the 20 zones are hard work! Anybody got tips for driving over these smoothly, and the many potholes? I'm bouncing about too much on some of the shabby roads and speed-ramped areas.
What about engine braking? Is this to be avoided or should I be downshift rev matching to make the process feel smoother and less strain on the car? Or is it Brakes for braking and gears for going? I want to drive smoothly and maintain vehicle as best as possible, but the driving instructors seem big on engine braking. Do they even value their clutches?!
Also speed limits on the motorway. Man alive. I feel like I am constantly having to look at my speedo. Maybe I'm paranoid but I worry if I'm like 5mph over the limit. It's difficult to regulate. I have ACC cruise control and speed limiter and I'm only just getting to trying them. How are others regulating speed without being so distracted by it?
I've bought a 2017 plate Golf mk7 (1.4 Tsi SE Nav). Some friends suggested buying a heap and then something better in a year. Well, I don't fancy driving a heap around even for one day! I chose a Golf for various reasons ... safety, reliability, looks etc. I've always liked these cars as a non driver. I couldn't find a single person who had a bad word against the Golf.
I'm really enjoying the car so far; the new-found freedom is awesome too! I've made some shoddy mistakes and have learned some vital things one doesn't learn as a learner. At this point, I'd like to improve my driving skill and understanding of the road system to become a better and more comfortable driver.
Does anyone have any tips for maintaining a more smooth driving experience? London roads are pretty damn bad in places. Speedbumps, potholes, confusing roundabouts where you're not sure the right lane / can't see markings etc. I'm getting fairly confident but I must admit I still have some fears.
The current one I'm really struggling with is pulling out from minor road turning right onto a multi-lane carriageway (without a lighted-junction) ... the other day I took a wrong right turn off the A2 Old Kent Road heading Nbound and had to come back around via industrial estate to such a jct to get back on it. Jesus I sat there for near-on 4 mins looking for a friendly gap and jumped out like a scared rabbit. I didn't even have anyone behind me being impatient either, so I know it could be even worse! I'm avoiding routes now where I can to avoid this, but I know I'll come up against it very soon before too long.
I'm nasty at speedbumps in the Golf. It was easy in the fiesta learner car ... reduce speed/brake on approach, accelerate when front wheels hit ramp. Maybe I'm going over them too fast but I'm mostly sticking to limits ... the 20 zones are hard work! Anybody got tips for driving over these smoothly, and the many potholes? I'm bouncing about too much on some of the shabby roads and speed-ramped areas.
What about engine braking? Is this to be avoided or should I be downshift rev matching to make the process feel smoother and less strain on the car? Or is it Brakes for braking and gears for going? I want to drive smoothly and maintain vehicle as best as possible, but the driving instructors seem big on engine braking. Do they even value their clutches?!
Also speed limits on the motorway. Man alive. I feel like I am constantly having to look at my speedo. Maybe I'm paranoid but I worry if I'm like 5mph over the limit. It's difficult to regulate. I have ACC cruise control and speed limiter and I'm only just getting to trying them. How are others regulating speed without being so distracted by it?
Edited by markyb_lcy on Monday 11th February 12:59
Thanks to you all for the tips and encouragement! I'll definitely try and look down at the speedo less and use my speed limiter where appropriate. Most drivers I have spoke to seem less worried about it than I as a new driver. So, regarding the speedo "inaccuracies" ... to what level is this a thing? I mean ... should it not be pretty correct to within a very low margin of error? Am I actually doing 2/3/4mph less than it says I am? The golf can display the speed digitally in the dash display but I guess this is identical to what is on the analogue dials?
I've been watching some youtube videos on bad city driving examples so I can try and avoid committing them myself. And on the speed bumps ... I suppose I'll get a lot of practice of that just going to the supermarket (Lewisham!!)
It's good to finally be a member of the club! CHEERS! (bitter shandy)
I've been watching some youtube videos on bad city driving examples so I can try and avoid committing them myself. And on the speed bumps ... I suppose I'll get a lot of practice of that just going to the supermarket (Lewisham!!)
It's good to finally be a member of the club! CHEERS! (bitter shandy)
Gad-Westy said:
One little thing that I do that would help out in one of the scenarios you describe. If I find myself heading in the wrong direction in heavy traffic, I always make sure I turn off to a side street on the right rather than the left. It means that you have to give way to cross the carriage way but you're only waiting for one gap. You perform a U-turn on the quieter side street and then take a left back onto the main road. Again only having to give way to traffic in one direction. It is generally going to work out much quicker in busy flowing traffic.
Yea, I think this is good advice ... even if it seems like a bit of hassle, in the end it might be much quicker and almost certainly less stressful![quote]Another tip I picked up years ago is to talk to yourself while driving. Give a commentary on every potential hazard you see, why its a hazard and what you're doing to mitigate it. Perhaps best done without passengers!
I do sort of do this already. I think it's part of the advanced driving test to do this too, if I'm not mistaken.[quote]While braking, the car's nose is diving slightly and loading up the front suspension so any further input just loads it up even more and makes for a harsher ride. I try to get all my slowing down done well before the speed bump, let the car settle and then apply a tiny bit of gentle acceleration just before speed bump to lift the nose slightly.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
I'm not too clever on mechanics yet, but I work in systems engineering so I've got geek and curiosity credentials! I've already hard-wired a garmin 55 dashcam so I've learnt something about fusetapping and removing trim Although I know how to check the various liquids under the bonnet, I confess to not having done this yet ... so I shall do this before my next big journey. Already have a few 200+ mile trips under my belt. One thing I wasn't prepared for was how exhausted I'd feel afterwards ... I hope that's something that gets better with time when it becomes less intense.TwigtheWonderkid said:
The fact that you realise your limitations probably makes you one of the safest drivers.
Being a safe driver has nothing to do with how good a driver you are, but it's about how good you are compared to how good you think you are.
Loads of people are a 6 or 7 but think they are a 9 or 10. They are the ones who will crash. You are probably a 2 and know you're a 2. On that basis, I'd rather be a passenger with you than with them.
I totally agree .. I already see drivers going for gaps and overtaking manoeuvres aggressively and then having to brake hard. Also, this reply made my day, so thanks for that!Being a safe driver has nothing to do with how good a driver you are, but it's about how good you are compared to how good you think you are.
Loads of people are a 6 or 7 but think they are a 9 or 10. They are the ones who will crash. You are probably a 2 and know you're a 2. On that basis, I'd rather be a passenger with you than with them.
carinaman said:
I'd second that, though I did IAM about 5 years after passing my test. I think the OP would gain quite a bit more from a two hour session of assessment and instruction than hours of online posts though I've learnt something useful from this thread.
I'm definitely considering some advanced lessons. I think the standard test needs to be improved. At the very very least, to include both motorway and night driving. I think they're adding the first of those soon though.
Vanordinaire said:
Same advice as is given to people falling into deep water. Give yourself a second or two to think before doing anything.
Just slow it down and stay calm. Most new/nervous drivers make things worse by trying to react too fast. Chill, and enjoy the driving experience. Don't ever feel pressured into doing something faster than you're comfortable with.
Do it slowly and right at first till it becomes instinctive then you'll start to speed up and flow naturally. One day you'll just suddenly notice you're driving like a god and doing everything perfectly, it's one of the best feelings ever, but don't try to rush it.
Good advice this ... I've tried to mostly ignore (or get out of the way - safely) of aggressive drivers, tailgaters etc. Obviously you can't completely ignore someone that's 2 feet from your back bumper at 70mph, but what I mean is I'm not prepared to compromise my driving and safety of myself and others so one **** can get one car ahead and to work that tiny bit faster.Just slow it down and stay calm. Most new/nervous drivers make things worse by trying to react too fast. Chill, and enjoy the driving experience. Don't ever feel pressured into doing something faster than you're comfortable with.
Do it slowly and right at first till it becomes instinctive then you'll start to speed up and flow naturally. One day you'll just suddenly notice you're driving like a god and doing everything perfectly, it's one of the best feelings ever, but don't try to rush it.
Haltamer said:
For Op, simply as a matter of interest, given your advanced years, have you gone with a regular, or a black box policy?
Insurance policy I guess you mean? I took a regular policy, its a 10month policy to gain 1yr NCB. Elephant are the provider. It was £830 but I was expecting a lot because a) new driver b) live in high crime area c) I have a dvla "notifiable" medical condition.TBH after 37 years of having to listen to people moan about how much their cars cost them (all the while just being jealous that they owned and could drive a car) ... I was pretty well conditioned for being "stung"!
EDIT: I'm actually really quite conscious of my "data" in todays information climate. I'd be quite uneasy with a block box recoding my journeys.
Edited by markyb_lcy on Tuesday 12th February 14:19
Blanchimont said:
Smooth driving, to me, is about maintaining momentum.
If the light ahead has gone green, ease of the throttle so that you slow down as the cars pulling away start speeding up. This will also help save fuel too.
Always be looking further down the road, so be looking at the lights 500yrds down the road. What's the traffic level, are there pedestrians, are they about to press the button etc etc.
The same can be said for motorway driving too. If you see a lorry close behind another, move from L1 to L2 early and be prepared to move into L3 (Monitor L3 during this time) Then move back into L1.
The single biggest thing is practice, and admitting your mistakes. Everyone will get something wrong from time to time, pull out on a car going faster than expected, be in the wrong lane etc.
If you're in the wrong lane, don't stop and indicate and cause absolute chaos, just follow the flow of the lane you're in, turn around at a better point, whether it's a side road, junction or other roundabout and go back to where you started.
If you pull out infront of a car, always try to accelerate up to speed so that the car behind doesn't have to slow or alter course.
These will make you a generally smoother, better driver, on the roads.
I still do this now, recently on the motorway home from S
horpe I took a wrong motorway junction and ended up going 20 miles out of my way. a royal pita, yeah, but safer and less time consuming than being in an accident.
These are great points ... I've already had a few wrong-lane situations where i've slowed down and tried to move over. And then regretted it ... especially after then realising both my "wrong" lane and the one I'm jumping in to can both be used for the exit I want! Seems these things get more 2nd-nature with experience, cos everyone knows where they need to be, and where I do, it seems If the light ahead has gone green, ease of the throttle so that you slow down as the cars pulling away start speeding up. This will also help save fuel too.
Always be looking further down the road, so be looking at the lights 500yrds down the road. What's the traffic level, are there pedestrians, are they about to press the button etc etc.
The same can be said for motorway driving too. If you see a lorry close behind another, move from L1 to L2 early and be prepared to move into L3 (Monitor L3 during this time) Then move back into L1.
The single biggest thing is practice, and admitting your mistakes. Everyone will get something wrong from time to time, pull out on a car going faster than expected, be in the wrong lane etc.
If you're in the wrong lane, don't stop and indicate and cause absolute chaos, just follow the flow of the lane you're in, turn around at a better point, whether it's a side road, junction or other roundabout and go back to where you started.
If you pull out infront of a car, always try to accelerate up to speed so that the car behind doesn't have to slow or alter course.
These will make you a generally smoother, better driver, on the roads.
I still do this now, recently on the motorway home from S
horpe I took a wrong motorway junction and ended up going 20 miles out of my way. a royal pita, yeah, but safer and less time consuming than being in an accident. donkmeister said:
Back in the 90s (might still be the same) there was a statistic that demonstrated people who passed their test first time were more likely to have accidents than those who passed on the second attempt. The quality of driver was essentially the same, but the "first timers" were more cocky, whilst the second timers had already been taken down a peg before being allowed out on their own.
2nd time passer here also! I made a mistake on my first test pulling out into a roundabout. Hesitated too much when an opportunity arose (It was a bus indicating to turn off. I wanted to SEE it turn first! Then I pulled out too quick and apparently made those behind slow down. I'm not so sure, but he's the expert/examiner, and as such in this context he is *always* right!).thiscocks said:
When I'm on my bike, the amount of cars that come barreling past in built up areas then fail to see the car on the brakes or going a lot slower just up the road is incredible. Cue slamming on the brakes as soon as they are in front of me..
These people must literally enjoy burning money.TwigtheWonderkid said:
The medical condition makes absolutely no difference. They stopped all that nonsense back in 1997. But as you clearly know, must be disclosed.
It was always a con. There is absolutely no link between 99% of medical conditions, even serious ones, and claim stats.
Are you saying the insurance can't charge me more because of it? If so, then IMO they should not even be allowed to ask.It was always a con. There is absolutely no link between 99% of medical conditions, even serious ones, and claim stats.
re: insurance, I found I could get different quote numbers based on my job title and employment status used on the application. All of which are true and not fraudulent...
- (employed) IT Consultant
- (self-employed) IT Consultant
- (self-employed) Director
- (employed) Director
- (self-employed) Managing Director
- (employed) Managing Director
The last of these yielded the best quotes
- (employed) IT Consultant
- (self-employed) IT Consultant
- (self-employed) Director
- (employed) Director
- (self-employed) Managing Director
- (employed) Managing Director
The last of these yielded the best quotes
foxbody-87 said:
Everyone I have met who quotes this statistic is someone who failed one or more tests.
My brother failed his first test though and he is very by the book, so maybe it’s true. I still like to gloat though.
Who wouldn't! My brother failed his first test though and he is very by the book, so maybe it’s true. I still like to gloat though.
Very few of my friends/family passed first time. And most have a story of the first fail where they felt a little hard done to. I mean ... of course they do! One has to wonder if firstly the examiner should be able to see/ask if you're a first or second, 55th-timer ... and secondly, whether they're able to be completely impartial with that knowledge, especially if they're learning that before you even drive off.
donkmeister said:
A single missing eye isn't even a notifiable condition (at least for a standard car licence). Driving whilst missing two eyes, however... possibly so.
I recall the advice is that you shouldn't drive until 1) you are acclimatised to monocular vision and 2) you are certain that you meet the visual acuity standards for driving with your remaining eye.
This is quite insane and rather unfair by my reckoning. I won't go into specifics of my personal situation, but I can very safely say that missing an eye is probably 100s times more likely to impede your driving than my (notifiable) condition (which I was born with). It's not a disability I have either, so no blue badge parking for me, just the sickly feeling when I answer the question on insurance quotes that I can't really know if they're ripping me off for it or not.I recall the advice is that you shouldn't drive until 1) you are acclimatised to monocular vision and 2) you are certain that you meet the visual acuity standards for driving with your remaining eye.
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