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Turning Left
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Problems and solutions for turning left:
Problems Drivers Have With Turning Left
Listed below you will find the problems that very commonly arise during lessons when turning left - and the solutions to these problems.
Turning Left
Mirrors. The Problem: Driver carrying out incorrect mirror checks.
Solution: For turning left the interior then the left door mirror should be checked on the approach. Just before the turn another left door mirror check should be carried out - looking especially for cyclists. This final mirror check is called the Lifesaver Check.
Signal. The Problems: Signalling too early, too late or misleadingly.
Solution: The whole idea of signalling is to warn other road users of your intentions. This is in their interest - and in yours. If your intentions are clear other drivers will be able to anticipate your manoeuvre and give you space to carry it out.
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Signalling on the approach will depend partly on your speed. For example, on a 60 mph approach you would signal sooner than at 30 mph. Estimating this timing is difficult at first but will become easier as you practice.
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Don't mislead others with your signalling. Make sure that if there is another road on the left (before the one you are turning into) that you only signal halfway across that first road.
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Applying the brakes (and illuminating the red brake-light signal) before indicating for the turn. The following driver will have no idea what is happening. All they will see are the brake lights switching on for no apparent reason! This can be very disconcerting - and very annoying when a moment later the indicator goes on and the situation is clarified. When turning use the MSPSGL routine and indicate before braking!
Position. The Problems: Too far away or too close to the kerbs, or parked vehicles on the approach.
Solution: You should consider keeping 1 metre from kerbs or 1 metre from parked cars (your Safety Line) on the approach. But this may have to be adjusted due (for example) to oncoming traffic.
Look at the shape of the corner as you approach the junction. If it is sharp you should try to keep away from the kerb because the back wheel will always take a shortcut and may hit the kerb as you make the turn. At a sharp corner don't steer too soon or (again) you may hit the kerb with the back wheel. If it is a sweeping corner you shouldn't have a problem with the back wheel unless you get very close!
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If,
on the approach, you are overtaking cars parked near too the (sharp)
junction, consider holding your overtaking line rather than moving back over
to the left before the turn. This wider approach will make the manoeuvre
easier with more relaxed steering and slightly faster speed. NB. If
you do this you must make sure that you are not going to affect any other
driver in the major road or emerging from the minor road. Check and check
your mirrors! See fig.3
Speed and gear. The Problems: (1) Too fast or slow. (2) Wrong gear or gear selected too early, or too late.
Solutions:
1) Speed. The speed is difficult to get right at first. Most drivers will, quite understandably, approach too slowly in the early days. But as confidence increases the speeds can then shift the other way - and we then approach too quickly.
Drivers must remember that they are about to turn into a road that they most likely can't see into on the approach. The shape of the corner will play a big part in this, with views around most sharp corners being almost non-existent. There may be cars parked around the corner, there may be pedestrians crossing the road, there may be children playing in the road! You have to bring the speed down to a level where you can deal with any problems. The driver should also remember that seeing the problem is only a small part of the solution They then have to react correctly by using clutch, brakes and steering wheel!
The other problem that can arise from a fast approach is that there isn't time to get everything set up. As a result the driver ends up frantically trying to stick it into 1st gear as they are trying to steer around the corner at the same time. This means that the car will be coasting (i.e. freewheeling) around the bend, with the clutch down and partly out of control!
2) Gear. The gear change should be carried out shortly before the turn.
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Sweeping corner. Slow the car down - with the brakes if necessary - pressing the clutch down before the engine starts complaining. Leave the hands on the steering wheel until the speed drops below 15 mph then select 2nd gear. This should be done about 2-3 car-lengths before the turn. Once that is done, both hands back on the steering wheel with the clutch coming gently up through the bite point before you start the turn.
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Sharp corners. Sharp corners may require 1st gear. If local knowledge forewarns you of problems then do use 1st gear. Otherwise, on the approach slow the car down (as above) and when you get closer to the turn assess the situation. If it is a sharp corner that doesn't go back on itself, with no problems such as parked cars, cars emerging, pedestrians, narrow minor road etc, then consider doing it in 2nd gear but keep your foot poised over the clutch. If, as you go around, you see anything that may require a reduction in your speed press the clutch down and reassess. If it turns out not to be a problem then just bring the clutch slowly back up again. If you do have to use the brake then, at these very low speeds where you are just on the bottom edge of the 2nd gear range, you will need to go into 1st gear. If you observe any problems when approaching a sharp corner (see 'Looking' below) then 1st gear is probably going to be the answer.
Looking. The Problems: Not observing and not anticipating problems.
Solution: As you approach look into: the far distance, the middle distance and the near distance. Look to the right and left for the behaviour of pedestrians and other drivers. Keep switching your point of focus and prioritise where you are looking. As you approach the minor road try to look over hedges, fences, etc. You may see the tops of parked or moving vehicles. If there are shops or parked cars try to use their windows as mirrors.
The Manoeuvre. The Problems: Hitting kerb with the back or the front wheel. Crossing arms on steering wheel. Going towards or over the centre line in the minor road. Driver getting into conflict with other road users
Solutions:
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Hitting kerb with back wheel. This will mainly occur on a sharp corners and happens because: (1) The car was too close to the kerb on the approach. Try to keep at least 1 metre away from the kerb on the approach but DON'T loop out to the right just before the turn - you may hit someone who is overtaking you! (2) The turn was started too early. To avoid this you should make sure that the front of the car is in line with the kerb in the minor road before turning. (See picture below.)
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Hitting the kerb in the minor road with the front wheel. This usually happens due to the car travelling too fast and/or not straightening up at the right moment. When applying a lot of steering keep the speed down and start straightening out before you have completed the turn or you won't have time, and you may run onto the kerb.
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Crossing arms on steering wheel. Again this is quite often due to the car moving too fast. The driver doesn't have time to steer correctly and ends up thrashing around on the steering wheel. Another cause is ineffective steering applied at the beginning of the turn caused by short pull-push movements on the steering wheel.
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Going towards or over the centre line of the minor road. This again is caused by ineffective steering, commencing the steering late, straightening up too early and/or travelling too fast.
NB When going around sharp corners keep the speed down, start steering at the correct point, use BIG sweeping movements on the wheel and don't leave the straightening out too late!
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Conflict with others! The Problem: Driver takes the car around the corner and ends up having to reverse back out again. Solution: Let's try the 1st class / 2nd class citizen idea again. As you make the turn, you are turning into someone else's road. Before you are established in that road you are, for a moment, a 2nd class citizen. If drivers are coming down the road towards you and there isn't enough room for both of you, then it is for you to hold back and give them plenty of space to come through and exit the problem. If you just quickly and thoughtlessly turn into the road you may just have to reverse back out again. If other drivers followed you they too will have to reverse. At busy junctions this can get quite messy and potentially dangerous ! The solution is to take your time and go round at a speed that will allow you, if necessary, to stop and in a position that will allow you to stop out of the way.
Quite often, if it is a particularly difficult junction, you will be in 1st gear, with the clutch just at bite point and moving forwards very slowly until you can get a good view. Remember - Always think, 'What If?'
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When learning to drive one of the major problems for everyone is a lack of road-experience. Most drivers who have been driving for some time will have built up an internal data base of 'Where things went wrong'. They will have met problems that will have ranged from a mild 'Mmm, I didn't expect that to happen' to possibly the very more serious and potentially lethal incidents that will have been a huge shock to them. All these events will have been automatically catalogued and stored in the subconscious part of the brain. As these memories are reinforced by further incidents the sub conscious brain, along with the conscious part of the brain, will be warning the driver about problems that may arise as they navigate their way down the road. Unfortunately the new driver doesn't have this data to rely on (yet). This means that the new driver will have to make a deliberate effort to consciously think about all the possible problems that may lay ahead. Think' What if?' Imagine that you are driving down a road and you intend turning left around a sharp, blind junction*
This What if.......? should be applied to all driving, especially when you are approaching situations where there is not enough information! When thinking 'What if?', think about the situations that will really cause you problems. For example, if you are thinking that there may be a vehicle approaching, don't just think of an average car - think about the so called boy-racers. (You know the ones I mean? The ones who are causing your car insurance to be in excess of one thousand pounds because they are making a habit of writing off cars and in the process injuring and killing themselves, and others!!) These drivers can go fast but the problem is that they don't have the skill, the experience and probably the wit to take care of things when things go wrong. They may be coming towards you on the wrong side of the road, as you go around that blind corner! You should not only be going at a speed that allows you stop in time but be going slow enough to allow the other driver (who is approaching you far too quickly) not only to see you but also allow them their panicky 'freeze-on-the-controls' moment before they actually start using the brakes. * Blind Junction - A junction where the driver cannot gain much information on the approach due to sharp corners, houses, parked vehicles, hedges etc. Thinking ' What if.......?' will help you keep out of trouble!
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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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