For driving instructors or those thinking about becoming a driving instructor.
DorWey
Driving School - Lesson 2
The second lesson includes quite a few subtle points such as signalling and when to move off. Please read through the following information but don't be too concerned if you don't entirely understand it. When you get the briefing I am sure that you will find that it becomes clear, if it doesn't please ask the questions. Questions show that the person is interested and are always welcome. Once you have had the practical lesson please come back to this page so that you can read it again. You will discover things that I probably haven't had time to mention during lesson.
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The second lesson will cover the following topics:
- The car's instruments
- The mirrors
- Mirrors – Signal - Position - Speed - Gear
- Preparation - Observation - Manoeuvre
- Observations
- Moving off - when and how to signal
- Moving off - the client (with help from the instructor) taking care of the safety issues
- Driving down the road - position and speed
- Stopping - when and how to signal.
- Turning Left - if time permits
The Instruments
These will be fully explained as we sit in the car.
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Keep clean and properly adjusted.
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Check regularly with a glance and use in pairs, i.e. interior then exterior.
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Mirrors are part of the Mirror - Signal - Position - Speed/Gear - Look routine and therefore MUST be used before:
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Changing speed.
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Changing direction.
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Signalling.
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Overtaking.
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Opening vehicle doors.
1. Blind spots are areas around the vehicle that can't normally be seen without moving the head. See the grey areas in the mirror diagram below.
2. Blind spots should be checked:
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Before moving off.
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Before changing lanes.
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Before joining a road from a slip road.
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Before merging.
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Before leaving roundabouts (if you have to cross other lanes to do so).
3. When on the move blind spots should be checked with a glance.
Have a look at the mirrors diagram below and take particular note of the blind spots shown as grey areas:
With Thanks to Driving School Pro for the use of a Graphic Briefings illustration.
Car & Driving Routines
There are now two more routines that you must know and use.
Routine Before Carrying Out a Manoeuvre
Mirrors - Signal - Position - Speed/Gear - Look or M - S - P - S/G - L
This routine is the bedrock of driving in the UK. Learn it and use it every time you will - or may - have to carry out a manoeuvre*. Whenever you see a hazard* or are about to carry out a manoeuvre you should run through this routine on the approach. You will then end up at the event with everything in place, allowing you time and space to concentrate on the manoeuvre.
On the approach, and in plenty of time:
Mirrors = Check mirrors in pairs
Signal = Signal if necessary
Position = Take up your position (early if appropriate)
Speed/Gear = Adjust the speed with brakes (if necessary). Once speed is suitable, change gear (if necessary)
Look = Assessing / Deciding / Acting. I.e. looking all around, anticipating problems and taking the correct action
* A hazard is anything that will or may require you to carry out a manoeuvre.
* A manoeuvre is defined as any change of speed and/or direction.
Preparation - Observation - Manoeuvre or P - O - M
Preparation = Check for neutral - Clutch down - Engine on - First gear - Set gas - Bite point - Handbrake up with button in.
Observation = Check nearside blind spot and then around to the offside blind spot - looking into mirrors and windows as you rotate your head. A final look into offside door mirror before setting off (when safe to do so - and consider whether a signal is necessary.)
Manoeuvre = Drop the handbrake - apply a little more gas and bring the clutch pedal up gently and slowly (to avoid a stall).
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The Very Important Observation
The Observation before moving off is very important. You should not move off if you are going to adversely affect any other road user. Consider for the moment that you are a 'second class' citizen in the pecking order of drivers. The first class citizens are those moving up and down the road. Don't worry promotion is on its way! You will soon be joining them and becoming first-class yourself but for the moment you must consider when it will be safe to move off and only join the other drivers when you can do it without causing them any problems. Before moving off check your interior mirror and check ahead. If you see anyone that you would affect by moving off, you should stay quietly where you are. Use your mirrors, as you wait, to assess the situation around the car.
Once it is clear start the all-round Observation in the following way. Start off by checking your near side (left) blind spot. Now rotate your head around to the off side (right). As you move your head around check the mirrors and windows and finish your sweep by looking into the offside (right) blind spot. Finally, just before you move off, check the offside door mirror. If, during this operation, you see any problems you should wait quietly whilst the problem passes, checking mirrors and through the windscreen ahead as you wait. When it looks like the problem is about to pass, quickly go through (all!) the observations again and then if it is safe carry out the Manoeuvre - (mentioned above). You will carry out this routine many, many, times so it is important that you know how to do it quickly, safely and efficiently. Consider the following:
Faults: The main faults that I encounter on lessons are:
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Moving off
Moving off - when and how to signal
Now that we have completed that all important Observation we now consider when and how we inform other drivers of our intentions.
Signals are extremely important. We need to let other road users be aware of our intentions but we must be careful HOW and WHEN we signal otherwise we may mislead. You should also be aware that there are other means of signalling than just the indicators. For example, the position and angle of a vehicle can speak volumes to other drivers. We will be discussing this as we come across the various situations.
When moving off and stopping we only signal if there is someone around who can benefit from a signal, otherwise we don't signal.
To repeat a very important point: Consider for the moment, as you wait to move off, that you are a 'second-class' citizen in the pecking-order of drivers. The first class citizens are those moving up and down the road. For the moment you must be extremely thoughtful and safe, and only join them when you can do it without causing them any problems.
Our ability to communicate with other road users is limited. As a result we have to make sure that any signals we do give out are well-timed, accurate and not misleading.
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Consider this: Visualise that you are driving down the road, minding your own business, and you spot a parked car ahead of you on the left. You also observe that there is a lorry approaching from ahead. After assessing the situation you consider that there will be enough room for you to overtake the parked car as the lorry comes through the same space. After checking your mirrors you start moving out to overtake the parked car but as you do so the driver in that vehicle suddenly puts the right-hand indicator on! Your manoeuvre has now become potentially dangerous and you would be wise to slow down and pull back over to the left in case the driver in front does pull out and move off. The other driver, out of ignorance, thoughtlessness or impatience (or all three) has just caused you a big problem. Wouldn't it have been far better if the driver had just sat there quietly for a few seconds, let you pass, assessed the situation and then moved off without bothering anyone? |
We should be careful about signalling so let's see how we do it correctly:
NB In the following scenarios you are parked on the left with the car facing in the same direction as the flow of traffic.
Signalling When Moving Off - with vehicles approaching you from behind. Before moving off check ahead and check your mirrors. If you think that by moving off you are going to cause any other road user a problem, then just sit quietly where you are. If vehicles are coming from behind keep checking your mirrors and also looking ahead. As the last vehicle draws abreast of you, give a final look all around, not forgetting blind spots then, if safe, move off without signalling.
If vehicles are approaching from far behind and by moving off you will not cause them any problems, then signal (right) as a matter of courtesy. Let them know that you are now on the move and no longer a parked car, so that they can adjust their driving plan.
NB In certain circumstances you may need to signal even if vehicles are close to you. A good example would be if you were parked on Dorchester High Street and you wanted to move off. If the traffic on your right was nose to tail and moving slowly a signal would alert the other drivers that you were attempting to move out. Eventually someone would stop to let you exit your parking space. But notice the special circumstances; slow moving traffic moving nose to tail and no other way for you to get out. In these situations you have to be especially alert to the danger of pedestrians and cyclists!
Signalling When Moving Off - with vehicles approaching you from ahead. If you have a vehicle coming towards you and by moving off you are not going to affect them, then you should signal (right) briefly to let them know that you are moving off. For all you know they may have plans to park just in front of you, or turn into a driveway just in front of you. If this is their intention they will now have to wait as you move forwards. On the other hand if they are signalling, as they comes towards you, and you consider that that there is a possibility that they intend parking in front of you or turning across your intended path, then you must wait quietly until the potential problem is over.
The Moving off - the manoeuvre.
One you have established it is safe, by using the Observation described in the box above, it is just a matter of dropping the handbrake. If the car is set up correctly you will have a little gas applied, which will be revving the engine slightly, and the clutch will be at bite point. Once you drop the handbrake the car should start moving forwards slowly. The next thing is to apply a little more gas and then raise the clutch slightly. Then continue by applying a little more gas as the clutch pedal is raised slowly all the way to the top. Allow the car time to get on the move - don't force the issue. Don't be alarmed by the sound of the engine making a bit more noise. As long as the clutch pedal comes up slowly the car will move off slowly. On the other hand if you worry too much and as a result bring the clutch up too quickly you will either stall the engine (if it hasn't got enough gas) or the car will start off abruptly. Just try to remember at these low speeds it is the clutch and not the engine that controls the speed.
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Clutch coming up fast means car takes off fast. Clutch coming up slowly means car takes off slowly. And the clutch pedal should come up slowly all the way to the top -don't just let go of it too early! If you remember and apply all these points you will have no trouble. It is just a matter of taking your time. |
Don't worry about the car getting out of control because, in the early stages, I will be using the dual controls to help until you have mastered it.
Position
Once you have moved off you should take up your 'safety line'. The safety line is, if possible, 1 metre from the kerb and 1 metre from parked cars on a wide road. Being a metre from parked cars will allow you to see if anyone is walking out into the road from between the cars and give you time to react and stop. Also by keeping this distance you will avoid taking a hit if someone throws a door open! If you encounter parked cars on both sides of a narrow street your position should be equal distance between the two. If you are encountering groups of parked cars with fairly short gaps between them, don't weave in and out of these gaps as you drive up the road. This may lead another driver to think that you are moving in to park or giving way to them as they approach. Of course if we need to pull in to allow another vehicle through then we would move into a gap.
Speed
Roads have various speed limits. The maximum speed in the UK is 70 mph and you will find this on unrestricted motorways and dual carriageways. An unrestricted single carriageway (a road without a separating barrier between apposing flows of traffic) has a speed limit of 60 mph.
In towns and areas where people live the speed limit is normally restricted in most cases to 30mph but it can be restricted to 20 mph or 10 mph. These speed limits are the maximum speeds allowed. The driver is meant to assess the situation and adjust speeds accordingly. For example, on a housing estate with closely parked cars and children playing on the footpaths, a speed of 20 mph, 15 mph or even 10 mph may be suitable despite the speed limit being set at 30 mph.
Another example: Dorset has many miles of country roads and the speed limit is very often 60 mph but in many instances the driver would be driving very dangerously if travelling at that speed.
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It is up to the driver to be assessing the situation all the time. To help you do this always think of the worst case scenario:
Always think - WHAT IF? |
Stopping
Stopping - when and how to signal
Because you are now a 'first class' driver on the move, signalling for stopping is less complicated than when moving off. As you approach your stopping position check ahead and behind using your mirrors. If there is anyone who can benefit from a signal, then let them have it. This 'anyone' would obviously include other drivers but look for other road users. For example, look out for pedestrians waiting to cross the road. If you plan to stop before you get to them then give them a (left) signal. On the other hand if you intend stopping once you have passed them, then don't signal too early - they may just step off into the road in front of you! Timing of signals is very important. Also look for drivers who may be waiting for you to pass before they reverse out onto the road, give them a signal if it will be helpful.
Look far down the road. If you are driving towards a group of parked cars and another driver is approaching from the opposite direction, you should signal (left) if you intend stopping before you get to the parked cars. This will help the oncoming driver to understand that they will have a clear passage through
Look for drivers in parked cars, look for exhaust smoke and/or brake lights, these drivers may be waiting to set off. If it makes sense give them a signal to show that you are stopping.
Take note of the phrase 'if it makes sense', in the paragraph above! Remember that timing is extremely important in all signalling. Don't mislead people. In the situation above, if you signal incorrectly (too early) you may well find that the parked vehicle starts to set off just as you are passing it!
At some stage, during this second lesson whilst we are parked up by the kerb, I will point out to you the 'Parked' position of the kerb on the windscreen . We can use this as a visual guide. As we move away, the kerb will move to the left and end up somewhere near the left hand side of the screen. As we move back towards the kerb it will return to its 'Parked' position.
On your test you will most likely be asked to stop and start several times so the examiner can measure you skills. Imagine now that you are on your test and the examiner has asked you to 'Pull up on the left at a convenient place please.' First of all don't think of it just as a Stop - Start Exercise. The examiner is trying to find out where you would leave your car for several hours. As soon as he asks you to carry out this manoeuvre check your mirrors and check ahead. Use the advice given above regarding signalling. Now look for a place where you can leave the car for several hours. Not in front of someone's drive. Not on a bend or near a junction. Not on areas where signs say you shouldn't be parking. If possible not opposite other parked vehicles where you will be causing an unnecessary narrowing of the road. Note the word 'convenient' in the examiner's request. She/he doesn't necessarily mean convenient to you - they mean convenient to others!
Once you have located your stopping position take another mirror check and a look ahead to see if a signal is required. Just before steering in, towards the kerb, check your left (near side) door mirror. This is known as a life-saver check. You are looking for vehicles (e.g. cyclists and moped riders) that may be trying to get through on your left. Using the kerb-on-the-window trick start drifting the car into the left. Watch the kerb move across towards its 'Park' position. When it is getting near start steering right a little to bring the front of the car away from the kerb and then straighten up again once the car is parallel to the kerb. As you slow down, don't forget to press the clutch down at the appropriate moment to prevent a stall. (Timing for this will be demonstrated on the lesson.) Use the brake to gently bring the car to a stop.
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Don't approach the kerb
at too sharp an angle. If you do it will require a lot more judgement and
you run the risk of hitting the kerb with your front wheel and damaging it.
Approaching at a more gentle angle will be a lot easier to judge and if you
do get it wrong the wheel will just brush up against the kerb instead of
thumping into it.Once you have stopped the car keep the footbrake pressed down, pull the handbrake up (to secure the car). Nudge the gear stick into neutral (to make the car safe) and then make sure that you move the gear stick fully left and right to establish that you have definitely engaged neutral. Once that is done you can lift your clutch up, but do it slowly in case you have left the car in gear by mistake. If you have you will be able to detect this quite easily. As you bring the clutch up the engine note will change and the car will lift up because, of course, you are at bite point. If this happens press the clutch down again and this time (i.e. don't be distracted) make sure that you definitely select neutral.
Finally, if you are stopping on a hill, release the footbrake slowly. If the car starts moving reapply the footbrake and then click the parking brake up one or two notches. The handbrake is not as efficient as the footbrake so on steep hills it will most likely have to be applied more firmly than when on the level.
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Copyright Information - January 2002. The copyright of this web site and the downloads found within (apart from third party material) belongs to its author, Paul Pearson ADI - DorWey Driving School. Material may not be reproduced or used in any form or by any means, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from the author. The diagrams and information found on this page are for the exclusive use of DorWey Driving School clients. If any driving instructor or driving school wishes to use any of the material found on this page they must first contact DorWey Driving School.
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