Are my driving instructions correct?

2. Unless the rules have changed lately you do not shift down to save the brakes approaching traffic you may want to keep in a low gear descending a steep hill to utilize engine braking to prevent brakes overheating but thats it

Malevolence said:
How do you not change gear when performing a 3-point turn?
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I think he means don't change gear while turning the wheel. At least thats what the instructors course tells you not to do. First one then the other. Not both.
 
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Interesting, the 1st one I can't remember if I was taught that or not but I'm sure I was taught and definitely do 2 and 3 and I only did my car test 5 years ago.

Moving down the gears before coming to a stop just makes more sense, means you're using the engine to help slow you down and generally if the traffic then starts to move again you're in the correct gear to follow it.
 
builder22 said:
100% this

block changing and using brakes was being taught at least 15 years ago
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I learnt to drive in a 1.0 Corsa C. My instructor was adamant on block changing. I can remember coming onto the A47 in King's Lynn which is dual carriageway and went from 3rd to 5th as he told me. I could barely get above 50 on the off ramp because the car basically had no power because it was sitting at very low revs (55BHP peak power). Block changing is fine in something with a bit of power but in some of the learner cars in the day you had to really rev the nuts to get the thing to even move.
 
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adam cool dude said:
I learnt to drive in a 1.0 Corsa C. My instructor was adamant on block changing. I can remember coming onto the A47 in King's Lynn which is dual carriageway and went from 3rd to 5th as he told me. I could barely get above 50 on the off ramp because the car basically had no power because it was sitting at very low revs (55BHP peak power). Block changing is fine in something with a bit of power but in some of the learner cars in the day you had to really rev the nuts to get the thing to even move.
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Block changing was taught for down shifts not up shifts.
 
adam cool dude said:
I learnt to drive in a 1.0 Corsa C. My instructor was adamant on block changing. I can remember coming onto the A47 in King's Lynn which is dual carriageway and went from 3rd to 5th as he told me. I could barely get above 50 on the off ramp because the car basically had no power because it was sitting at very low revs (55BHP peak power). Block changing is fine in something with a bit of power but in some of the learner cars in the day you had to really rev the nuts to get the thing to even move.
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First instructor I had had a 1.0 Polo and that was not fun - didn't get on with him at all though so changed to another instructor who had a 1.5 Clio which was much nicer.

dLockers said:
Block changing was taught for down shifts not up shifts.
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Both of the instructors I had in the 90s made you laboriously change up and down through the gears :( a few times I 4th to 2nd shifted "by accident".
 
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From my experience of my kids learning, and speaking to instructor, my impression is that safety is top priority in terms of teaching, and then basically getting them through the test at a standard where they are least likely to be a risk to themselves or others. Looking after the car itself comes way down the list. I encouraged them to listen to the instructor and gave minimal input when out driving with them.

Once they passed, I began imparting dad wisdom about more advance techniques and prolonging the life of the vehicle and consumables. They of course ignored this along with pretty much any other advice for a couple of years, and now seem to appreciate it after reaching the stage of realising that the generation above them aren't entirely clueless about everything.

I would also say though that driving a car in order to minimise wear, prolong life of parts etc is pretty subjective. Depends on the age and design of the car.
 
adam cool dude said:
Why would you do that? It is far smoother coming down the gears and doing it that way. Obviously you can coast for longer too.
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I was taught to brake to an almost stop then go from 5th to 2nd. The lesser time messing around with gears was prioritised, especially as you were slowing for a manoeuvre or a stop.

Upshifting by a block only works if you nailed the red line lol.
 
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dLockers said:
I was taught to brake to an almost stop then go from 5th to 2nd. The lesser time messing around with gears was prioritised, especially as you were slowing for a manoeuvre or a stop.

Upshifting by a block only works if you nailed the red line lol.
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Both of instructors were the opposite - "when you get to this mark drop to 3rd, then at this point 2nd, etc." I can understand initially doing it until people get to a reasonable level of competency but they insisted on it being the right way to drive. Personally I just changed depending on situation - ultimately there isn't a binary right or wrong with it exactly.

I found it a bit stupid as the references they used for distance on approach only worked for ideal situations anyway.
 
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maybe drive with your daughter and provide commentary on what you are doing and why, and have her do the same
(why you used engine braking more in one situation than another, or held clutch in at some stops - there are few fixed rules)

If the instructors car has stop-start, or behaves differently to yours that's a bit more problematic.
 
dLockers said:
I was taught to brake to an almost stop then go from 5th to 2nd. The lesser time messing around with gears was prioritised, especially as you were slowing for a manoeuvre or a stop.

Upshifting by a block only works if you nailed the red line lol.
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I normally go down through the gears if I am coming up to a stop/roundabout etc. I rarely even brake unless I am caught napping. If you are planning way ahead you shouldn't even really need to use the brake pedal. Likewise when going forward I will get to speed as quickly as possible just using 1st and 2nd then settle for a gear while cruising.

It is pretty much exactly the same when driving a lorry but instead of downshifting we use what is called an exhaust brake which simulates the same thing. It strangles the engine to reduce speed in the same way whilst also downshifting at the same time. You do it right you do not even touch the brakes at all and go through the roundabout smoothly or come up to set of lights at crawl.
 
I was taught the block changing method, that was nearly 20 years ago now.

Basically it’s safer for cars behind, less likely to be rear ended and it’s less operations so you can concentrate on observations not on revs, particularly on quiet cars.

Wear on brakes doesn’t really come into it, they last ages, are cheap to repair and it’s the hard stops that do the real damage.
 
adam cool dude said:
You do it right you do not even touch the brakes at all and go through the roundabout smoothly
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:cry: except when someone moves in to sit alongside you when you obviously need to go wide and already taking up a dominant position to discourage it LOL.

In a previous job I used to get a lift sometimes to remote sites with the lorry drivers at work rather than taking public transport (air-ride seat and legroom for the win) and some of the stuff the drivers had to deal with was mind blowing. Though I don't agree with the attitude some of them developed in response to it - seen a few instances of it being taken out on someone who obviously got in a bad position through no fault of their own.
 
Spannerhead said:
On point 3, I always told not to keep first gear on and clutch engaged when stationary for too long, as supposedly it wears the clutch out

If the instuctor is telling her to keep it in gear at lights when not moving , she will get in the habit of doing this for long periods of time. Replacing a worn out clutch is damn expensive. Sadly I found out with my first car.
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My son has recently passed. I told him to put the car in neutral at lights. The instruction now is to stay in gear with the clutch down. So that's what he did during his lessons and test. Since passing he's back to neutral at lights.
 
Like a few people have said, it's irrelevant really just let her do as she's told by the instructor to pass the test. After that she can decide how she prefers to drive (hopefully not like a blind, no armed donkey).
 
ivrytwr3 said:
Let the driving instructor teach her as they are teaching her to pass the test.
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Agree with this. Your driving with kids is just about time in the seat. Don't try to teach them, let the instructor do it. After maybe 6 lessons speak to the instructor and ask how you can help, what should you watch for and how can you direct the kid. I used the instructor that taught me to teach my lad so we've a good relationship.
 
G-Man said:
How does a stalled engine add any more engine braking than an engine with the gearbox in neutral? Both have exactly the same level of connection to the wheels, i.e. zero.


All the debate of whether to sit with your foot on the clutch just makes me glad I've been pottering around in automatics for years now :)
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Must say, I admire your gusto. To post with such confidence despite being so completely and utterly wrong.


Ah that explains it, you're a steering wheel attendant.

builder22 said:
100% this

block changing and using brakes was being taught at least 15 years ago
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Minimum 25 as it's how I was first taught. Block up and down & leave in the current gear until almost stall and then disengage clutch whilst braking.
 
adam cool dude said:
I learnt to drive in a 1.0 Corsa C. My instructor was adamant on block changing. I can remember coming onto the A47 in King's Lynn which is dual carriageway and went from 3rd to 5th as he told me. I could barely get above 50 on the off ramp because the car basically had no power because it was sitting at very low revs (55BHP peak power). Block changing is fine in something with a bit of power but in some of the learner cars in the day you had to really rev the nuts to get the thing to even move.
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I was taught block up changes as well as down but up was only after attaining the required speed.

For example when reaching 30mph by 3rd gear then block up to 5th for economy
 
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