I was taught to wait in nuetral at red lights.
It seems that present day learners are taught to wait in 1st gear at red lights.
See uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091021144419AAAtMlu
Do examiners expect consider waiting in 1st gear to be correct and do they mark a "minor fault" against you if you wait in nuetral?
|
I was always taught you stopped, handbrake on and into neutral at all places where you were likely to be stopped for more than a few seconds. Sitting in first with the clutch depressed is bad for the car and could easily lead to an accident if your foot slipped. You should certainly be in neutral with the handbrake on at pedestrian crossings or zebras where you have to stop. If driving instructors are now teaching you should stay in first and keep the clutch depressed then I am appalled. It's one step away from holding the car on the clutch at roundabouts while waiting for a gap.
To avoid unnecessary delay, then when the light goes amber you should then put it into first and be prepared to move off to cross the white line on the green if it is clear.
Maybe modern cars with the electronic handbrakes are designed to be driven in such a sloppy and unsystematic manner.
|
Watching with interest but the netnanny here is blocking yahoo answers.
I'm having the same debate with my daughter whose instructor says handbrake on but stay in gear.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Wed 7 Apr 10 at 11:02
|
>> Watching with interest but the netnanny here is blocking yahoo answers.
>>
>> I'm having the same debate with my daughter whose instructor says handbrake on but stay
>> in gear.
>>
Bromptonaut. Here is the google cache of yahoo naswers page tinyurl.com/y9es73p if that helps to bypass the netnanny.
I agree with teabelly and your reply. It will be interesting to hear from Robin Reliant if he is around. I think he is or was an ADI.
Last edited by: John H on Wed 7 Apr 10 at 11:13
|
My view is driving schools don't teach you to drive, they teach you to pass the test.
IMHO driving to the 'book' isn't always the best way, being comfortable, relaxed (as in not tense) and fully aware of your surroundings is the correct way.
sitting bolt upright, hands at ten to two, knuckles white though nervous tension, eyes straight forward stuck to the road directly ahead, is not the way, but I see that every day!
Oh, and handbrake on, in neutral, when stopped!
Last edited by: swiss tony on Wed 7 Apr 10 at 11:14
|
>> My view is driving schools don't teach you to drive they teach you to pass
>> the test.
Yes, but what I am saying is that to pass the test without a "minor" fault, learners are now taught to wait in 1st wheras when I passed my test I was taught to wait in nuetral.
In fact, I was taught that if I waited in 1st, that would be classed a fault.
So to rephrase the question, what is the correct method to use nowadays at a red light in order to pass the test without getting a "minor" fault marked against you.
Last edited by: John H on Wed 7 Apr 10 at 11:18
|
>>Maybe modern cars with the electronic handbrakes are designed to be driven in such a sloppy and unsystematic manner.
Why? Same as a normal handbrake, but easier - engage first, drive away, handbrake releases automatically. I'll only start cursing the electronic handbrake the day it goes wrong and costs me money.
|
>> >>Maybe modern cars with the electronic handbrakes are designed to be driven in such a
>> sloppy and unsystematic manner.
My new motor has a "Hill start" function. If you are stopped on a slope with your foot on the brake and clutch with the handbrake off, the brakes will hold for two seconds while you transfer your foot to the accelerator to move off. I don't like or use it.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Wed 7 Apr 10 at 11:53
|
>>My new motor has a "Hill start" function.
Mine doesn't, but I doubt I would like or trust it either. Is this the Mercedes invention to get around the comedy foot-operated parking brake if you have a manual?
All things considered, the VAG electronic handbrake doesn't seem too bad, though I'd still sooner have a normal handbrake most of the time.
|
|
I suppose if waiting in 1st gear is what they have to do to pass the test then that's what they have to do. If I ever have to take another test then that's what I'll have to do for the test. After the test I'll revert to waiting in neutral, with the handbrake on, which I think is safer and which minimises wear on the clutch withdrawal mechanism.
Last edited by: L'escargot on Wed 7 Apr 10 at 11:17
|
>> I suppose if waiting in 1st gear is what they have to do to pass
>> the test then that's what they have to do.
Agreed. That is the confirmation I am looking for from a current examiner or instructor.
|
Virtually all ADIs teach to stay in gear with the clutch depressed. The reason is quite a practical one, it simply takes a learner driver too long to get into gear on the amber and get the car away smoothly as the green light comes on without panicing and stalling. You get more than enough abuse from other drivers without adding to it. The important word here is practical, you cannot learn to drive on a simulator like a pilot does, from day one you have to get your Maureen's out among the Waynes and Darrens and you have to adapt accordingly.
I used to get pupils to select neutral when more than three cars back from the front, this gave them plenty of time to get ready to move away when the time came. Re the clutch, I generally kept cars for 100,000 miles and the last car I owned that needed a new clutch was a 1990 Fiesta at 48,000 miles. Improved engineering meant newer cars could easily cope.
|
>> Virtually all ADIs teach to stay in gear with the clutch depressed. The reason is
>> quite a practical one it simply takes a learner driver too long to get into
>> gear on the amber and get the car away smoothly
>>
I can see the sense in teaching that while a driver is learning, but that doesn't answer the question as to what is expected in the driving test itself after, presumably, the pupil has learned to drive.
Lots of learning processes start with simple operations and then progress to more complicated ones. You don't necessarily have to learn the difficult stuff right at the start.
|
>> I can see the sense in teaching that while a driver is learning but that
>> doesn't answer the question as to what is expected in the driving test itself after
>> presumably the pupil has learned to drive.
>>
Examiners accept clutch down in first gear as long as the handbrake is on.
|
Actually, to add a rider to the above most of my instructing was done in London where the clutch down - in gear method was universal, but in the couple of years I taught down here in traffic free rural Pembs handbrake and neutral seemed to be the norm.
So I guess it's horses for courses.
|
I do not see the point. Why stress the clutch unnecessarily?
Neutral + handbrake (if on slope) is perfect.
Or drive an auto and avoid clutch altogether.
|
|
One other point re driving instructors and passing the driving test - is the correct use of indicators no longer taught/required. A few years ago (well, say 15) it was rare to see a vehicle change direction acutely without indicating. These days I would say that the majority of young drivers never bother to indicate.
|
|
Don't confuse what people do or don't do after their test with what they were taught. The standard of training and testing has never been higher, unfortunately the standard of considerate behaviour to one's fellow road users has never been lower.
|
RR
I couldn't agree more with your sentiments but I repeat my question - 'is the use of indicators still a part of the driving test?' If so I wonder why there is so little use made of indicators in everyday motoring, at least here on the Wirral.
|
|
Indicators are still very much part of the driving teast. However, I suspect that like the constant use of foglights at night, it is becomming "kewel" to not bother with them.
|
Depends how long I think the lights are going to last.
Less than 20 seconds - first gear and footbrake
30 seconds - approx 1 min - Neutral with foot on brake.
Longer than 1 min - handbrake on, engine off.
|
Learner Driver - procedure at traffic lights - teabelly
