Best way to start driving.
- Thread starter Mad_Jay
- Start date
Yes 1500 miles a year isn't that much, as the 'average' is 10,000-12,000 ishThe car I'm going to be driving is a 2003 Ford Fiesta 1.4 Zetec 5 door. It's my mums and she hardly drives it, its ex mobility and its only done 7500 miles and according to my mechanic friend thats not a lot for a car that age
So I was wondering what's the best way to learn to drive, do I do one lesson a week until the instructor thinks I'm ready? Or cram many lessons as possible into the week and get it done as fast as possible?
Personally I would find a good instructor, take your time and learn properly. I don't see the point in rushing something so important.
Speak for yourself.
Soldato
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Aye, I'm currently without a car, but will be getting a new, more powerful, less efficient one after a few months of work.
InvG
Surely you mean:
Get in car, adjust seating position, adjust mirrors, check the car is in neutral, start engine, check all your mirrors and signal, depress clutch, select first, apply a little bit of throttle, bring up clutch while increasing the throttle a bit more to stop the car from stalling and your away
and driving instructors are more pedantic than me
I know what you mean, my driving instructor really annoyed me today, think he knew he was annoying me too. Was doing an uphill start (only a mild incline at a junction) and he had his foot down constantly on the clutch causing it to stutter like mad when im trying to let the cluth up and giving it some throttle etc
Really?
Well I never....see, I could have sworn that even taking in to account the recent increases in the cost of petrol AND the cost of road tax AND what it costs me for insurance it's still cheaper and easier than spending half my life waiting for horrendously late trains that are ridiculously expensive and horribly uncomfortable. And then getting buses at the other end that are also ridiculously expensive and also horribly uncomfortable.
Driving might still be expensive for me, despite driving a Seicento. But it's a lot cheaper and orders of magnitude better than the laughable attempt at an alternative that public transport offers.
Soldato
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well im 27 and ive not passed my test, been driving a bike for 4yrs though
Got my bike stolen and 2 weeks later offered a job but 40miles away
I had about 6-7 lessons about 8-9 yrs ago. but quit
well ive started an intensive driving course, done 5 hrs today. i have progressed well, way better than i did with 5x1hrs lessons.
i also did 3 of the 5 manourves for the test
i need to practise to refine those, but ended up pretty much in the right position after 2-4 attempts on each!
i find that blocks are best
i have 6 hrs tomorrow, 4 on monday, 4 on tuesday, 3 on wednesday morning, then my test on weds afternoon!
Got my bike stolen and 2 weeks later offered a job but 40miles away
I had about 6-7 lessons about 8-9 yrs ago. but quit
well ive started an intensive driving course, done 5 hrs today. i have progressed well, way better than i did with 5x1hrs lessons.
i also did 3 of the 5 manourves for the test
i need to practise to refine those, but ended up pretty much in the right position after 2-4 attempts on each!
i find that blocks are best
i have 6 hrs tomorrow, 4 on monday, 4 on tuesday, 3 on wednesday morning, then my test on weds afternoon!
I didnt like it when my instructor fiddled with the pedels either and i told him to stop as it's very off putting, especialy when your just learning. id ask him to stop and only use the pedals when you do something which may be dangerous.
Surely you mean:
Get in car, adjust seating position, adjust mirrors, check hand brake is on , check the car is in neutral, start engine, check all your mirrors and signal, depress clutch, select first, apply a little bit of throttle, bring up clutch while increasing the throttle a bit more to stop the car from stalling and your away
and driving instructors are more pedantic than me
FIXED.
You forgot to mention holding it at 'biting point' for 10 minutes while your instructor explains how to pull out for the 100th time
Soldato
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He isn't nessiceraly, it's a good thing to have, even if you don't bother getting a car, it means if you do ever need one, you don't have to go out and get a licence, as Ace Modder is now having to do.
InvG
Soldato
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A long gap between lessons will improve your learning dramatically.
Found that with flying lessons; spent 3 hours at it making silly mistakes all morning, took a few hours for lunch while some GICs were flying, got back in and I'm doing everything right.
Get in a bad day on an intensive course and that's 1/7th of the time wasted.
Found that with flying lessons; spent 3 hours at it making silly mistakes all morning, took a few hours for lunch while some GICs were flying, got back in and I'm doing everything right.
Get in a bad day on an intensive course and that's 1/7th of the time wasted.
Because like everyone else, he will almost certainly need it latter in life. Unless he wants to be extremely restricted on where he can live and work.
Man of Honour
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I've recently got back from Egypt and according to our guide all you have to do to pass your test is to drive 10 metres forward and 10 metres backwards
Soldato
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lol @ dmpoole....thats crazy, but so are most foreign roads!
Man of Honour
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That wasn't all he told us.
Apparently you have to be 19 to apply for a license and you pass your test by driving 10 metres forward and 10 metres backwards.
The Egyptians have only recently just started to use their headlights so at least 50% of cars don't have their headlights on in the dark.
There is no car insurance and crashes are settled amicably or by fist.
The guide asked us to play a game while driving through Cairo and that was to try and spot a car without a dent - we couldn't.
99% of cars are driven until they absolutely and totally refuse to go anymore.
The majority of Egyptians only look for 2 items on a car - good brakes and a good horn.
Driving through Cairo there are many 3 lane carriageways but the Egyptian drivers have turned them into 5 lanes even though you can't physically get 5 cars next to each other.
Well I've finally started thinking about learning to drive. I'm 19, working full time while at college and I've always got used the bus.
The car I'm going to be driving is a 2003 Ford Fiesta 1.4 Zetec 5 door. It's my mums and she hardly drives it, its ex mobility and its only done 7500 miles and according to my mechanic friend thats not a lot for a car that age
So I was wondering what's the best way to learn to drive, do I do one lesson a week until the instructor thinks I'm ready? Or cram many lessons as possible into the week and get it done as fast as possible?
I feel fairly confident in myself and I catch on to things pretty quickly so perhaps the latter choice? I finish college in 2 weeks time so I'll have more time. I've driven on the road before as I had a moped while I was 16 but it melted in a house fire (Long story) and I had to scrap it. Never got around to getting another one or learning to drive at 17.
Any advice or anything is greatly appreciated.
Like everything, Take it slow, It will build up, Just like when you learn to walk.