Driving on the Road - Part 7

If you have any worries about actually getting behind the wheel on your first driving lesson - forget them. Your instructor won't expect you to just get in and drive off!

Everything will be done in easy stages. This section tells you just what to expect during your lessons.

Getting on the Road

  Your First Lesson ....

Ready! The thought of your first driving lesson may be quite a frightening prospect - or you may just be "raring to go".
There really is no need for you to have any worries. If you have never sat behind the wheel of a car your instructor certainly won't expect you to get in and drive at the start of the first lesson.

He or she will drive you out to a nice quiet stretch of road, talk to you to put you at ease, and explain in easy stages what the various controls of the car do and how you use them.

You will then make a start yourself. Your first practical task will very likely be to make the car move off and stop again a little way down the road. There are techniques to learn about all of the car's controls: the clutch, gears, brakes - and very importantly - the steering wheel. You will learn the techniques in easy stages and will not be expected to take in everything at once.
Take your time and don't worry!

Your instructor's car will have what's known as dual-controls, which means that the most important foot-pedals (the clutch and the brake) are repeated on the passenger side of the car so that your instructor can take over or just help you out when necessary.
Once you have mastered the basics of starting and stopping, you will need to learn about using the gears. Don't worry if you don't understand what gears are, your instructor will explain everything in simple, non-technical language and soon it will all make sense. Before you know it, you will be driving around town with ever growing confidence.

  Learning the Skills ....

What you will actually cover in each of your driving lessons depends on your progress, situation and your instructor. We cannot say exactly what you will do and when you will do it!

There are a great many skills that you must learn but the hard work is well worth it. Just keep reminding yourself of the most important objective in learning to drive:

safe, enjoyable and efficient driving, for life
 Controlling the car

Your early lessons will concentrate on the skills of car control - use of the clutch, brakes, accelerator (gas), gears, and steering. You need to be able to control the car, not let it control you. Otherwise the car becomes a lethal weapon.
As soon as you and your instructor feel happy with your progress, it makes sense to try an Emergency Stop, so that you know how to stop the car quickly if you have to.
As well as the main mechanical controls, there are many other switches, lamps and gauges which you must know about. If your instructor doesn't tell you about them - make sure you ASK.

Do you know what the blue lamp on the dashboard means when driving at night?

Do you know how to switch on the hazard warning lights?
 Dealing with different road, traffic and weather conditions

Learning about the different conditions is vital. You will need to know how to recognise and deal with the different hazards both in daylight and at night.
Night Driving During your lessons, you will experience different road, traffic and weather conditions. You should be driving on easy roads at first to allow your confidence to grow.
You will also need to experience different types of roads:
  • single carriageway roads
  • country lanes
  • 3-lane roads
  • dual carriageways
Although you can't drive on motorways yourself whilst you are a learner, you need to know all about them: the rules, hazards and dangers.
During your lessons you may experience different weather conditions: rain, wind, snow, fog or ice. But if you don't experience them, you still need to know about them. For example, in icy conditions your stopping distance can be TEN TIMES greater than on dry roads. Make sure that you talk to your instructor about all types of weather conditions. ice
 The Slow Manoeuvres

In preparing you for your driving test, your instructor will teach you how to carry out the slow manoeuvres. They do require a good standard of car control so don't expect to be trying them out too soon. Your instructor will tell you when you are ready to start them.
Turn in the road
  • The Emergency Stop
  • The Turn in the Road
    (often known, misleadingly, as the "3-point turn")
  • The Reverse into a Turning
  • The Reverse Park
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