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On Wednesday I passed my practical first time :)
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I'm 22 so I am somewhat mature than the 17 year old killer driver, I don't like driving on ego alone ;) In fact I got three minors for driving too slowly!
I think it helps because I don't really get nervous I just concentrated and followed instructions. It didn't feel perfect, but smooth enough. Hazards I came up against:
Cyclist on crest of hill round blind bend. Brakes on, 5-4-3-2-1, drop back till view good enough and floor it leaving plenty of room for cyclist, 2-3-4-5.
Road cleaner with car behind. Brakes on, 4-3-2, cruise slowly leaving 2 second distance. Even had to follow it left at a crossing. Eventually had the space to floor it and pass it safely.
Car doing random manoeuvres in the road. 3-2-1. Wait till car stops and pass safely.
For my manoeuvres I had to do reversing round a corner (easy!) and bay parking. Both went well.
Not only that, but I went to look at a car today (mint 2000 Nissan Almera 1.5 SE) and bought it for £4250 :) Very good deal.
http://www.zen34268.zen.co.uk/Almera.jpg
It will be mine. Oh, yes. It will be mine.
Fireblade
19-03-2004, 10:05
'Grat's on both ;) That's a pretty decent car considering it's yer first :cool:
Congrats!!
How much is the insurance on that car for you?
Originally posted by JStormont
Cyclist on crest of hill round blind bend. Brakes on, 5-4-3-2-1, drop back till view good enough and floor it leaving plenty of room for cyclist, 2-3-4-5.
What are the numbers supposed to be? If they're gear changes, why are you changing down gear by gear???? :confused:
See hazzard > check mirrors > consider indication > reduce speed > select appropriate gear > navigate hazzard > accelerate away.
When selecting the appropriate gear you should just change directly to it.
Just been chatting to a mate, and he says he was taught not to block change about 2 years ago. So I get why you did it like that!
Beg's the question though why they're teaching people not to block change. All single-changeing does is increase wear on the clutch, and mean you spend more time on the approach to a hazzard with only one hand on the wheel!!! Daft!
Congrats!
First time too....... good going ;)
Originally posted by Forthy
Just been chatting to a mate, and he says he was taught not to block change about 2 years ago. So I get why you did it like that!
Beg's the question though why they're teaching people not to block change. All single-changeing does is increase wear on the clutch, and mean you spend more time on the approach to a hazzard with only one hand on the wheel!!! Daft!
they only teach block changing on hgv's these days... yep daft to do loads of gear changes. Mind you, they allow you to hold hgv's on the clutch for longer than cars...
A quick look at my Driving Licence tells me I passed 9-8-01, so 2.5 years ago. I was taught to block change, and did so during my test, so god knows why it changed. Block changing is much better IMO, for the reasons Forthy stated and also it's just plain easier ! I can see why you'd drop through the gears sometimes when going downhill, I do, but for most hazards I'll go 5 to 3 or even 5 - 2 usually.
Congratulations to JS tho, Well Done !
(BTW I passed first time, and got full marks in my theory :p ;) )
slartiBardfarst
19-03-2004, 16:28
it took me 4 goes, that was with a muppet of a tester. my instructor doesn't take people to him anymore.
i did block changing when going down a hill once while on a lesson and was told i would be failed for it under test conditions. this was 4 years ago.
i can't see why though. i doesn't make any difference to your control over the car.
I was taught to block change and passed a year ago.
Dunno, whatever works for you, clutch wear wont kill someone, crappy driving from a proper bad habit will.
I passed in 2001 and was taught to block change. To be honest I don't think the test centres really mind, and it depends on your instructor more than anything else.
Nick
Originally posted by Proplus
How much is the insurance on that car for you?
I could get my own policy for about £850. So not bad :)
Usually I don't bother flicking down the gears and go to the gear I want. I think I might have done that a couple of times during the test actually without thinking, which would explain my minors on gears :)!
It is pretty good for a first car, but I am not paying :) Had £4k to play with and chucked in upto £1k of my own cash. It is strange to think I am a driver now with a car as I have been catching public transport since I was 16!
Euphoria
25-03-2004, 18:03
I was tought to just select the gear I wanted. Not shift down them!
vampalan
25-03-2004, 19:58
nothing wrong with shifting down a load, can also blip the gas while shifting down too for a smoother change down.
anon1011
21-05-2004, 18:53
congratulations ! :)
thought i'd mention i passed my practical driving test aswell :) , 2 weeks ago though
it took me four tries (yes, four) but i did it in the end ;) and its great!
DaveMark
25-06-2004, 18:53
congrats , how many minors u get :)
davemark
eeek av got my theory on tuesday "gulp" :eek:
slartiBardfarst
26-06-2004, 15:11
theory test is easy as long as you have common sense. my bro has just taken his and been given all this test material to read up on. some of the questions are laughable, for example
a pedestrian is about to walk into the road at a crossing point, should you
a- sound your horn
b- speed up to get past
c- flash you lights to show your annoyance
d- slow down to a stop
i didn't make that up. that is an actual example given.
if you get questions like that wrong, you don't deserve to live let alone drive. :)
i would post the 'alternative' hgv questions but it would get me a touch more than a wrist slap for being offensive, sexist, ageist,.... well it would upset lots of people...
anon1011
27-06-2004, 01:25
a pedestrian is about to walk into the road at a crossing point, should you
a- sound your horn
b- speed up to get past
c- flash you lights to show your annoyance
d- slow down to a stop
i didn't make that up. that is an actual example given.
if you get questions like that wrong, you don't deserve to live let alone drive.
lol , he's not joking! i got asked that in my theory test
you'll do fine though , everyone passes on their first go, except a few people that dont study ;)
lol mm i failed by 1 and i did study omg :(
i just shouldnt be on the road o well
slartiBardfarst
29-06-2004, 17:51
bad luck there dave
DaveMark
29-06-2004, 18:10
theory test is easy as long as you have common sense. my bro has just taken his and been given all this test material to read up on. some of the questions are laughable, for example
a pedestrian is about to walk into the road at a crossing point, should you
a- sound your horn
b- speed up to get past
c- flash you lights to show your annoyance
d- slow down to a stop
i didn't make that up. that is an actual example given.
if you get questions like that wrong, you don't deserve to live let alone drive. :)
at a guess is it d ,, just a wild guess :D
dave
anon1011
29-06-2004, 20:02
unlucky dave :( , keep trying!
bummer dave... next time eh.....
they only teach block changing on hgv's these days... yep daft to do loads of gear changes. Mind you, they allow you to hold hgv's on the clutch for longer than cars...
My instructor told me that unless you could see a gap in the traffic coming up to put the handbrake on, but he did say that he was quite impressed with me holding the flatbed on a 1-in-10 on the clutch. :D
well, each tutor seems to be different, depending on the test centre and the examiners...
we all know that in the real world 90% is bollix though.... If i drove like i was on a test i would never get a days work done...
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