Do cockpit drill, D.S.S.S.M. Take proper precautions before starting engine: H.B.- N.
Right foot. Heel below footbrake and swivel right to accelerator. Depress clutch pedal and engage 1st Gear. Give a little gas (be sure to hold it) and bring clutch to biting point. Keep feet still. Before moving away, check mirrors and all windows, signal. Release Hand brake.
When changing up there are five movements to a gear change, clutch down, off gas, move gear lever, ease up clutch, squeeze gas pedal. Speeds to change. As a rough rule of thumb you can add a zero to each of the gear numbers and that's the most you need to do in any low gear. When climbing a hill, add 5mph and when descending, subtract 5mph. Climbing or descending any hill generally requires the same gear. When changing down, the accelerator and brake pedal have nothing to do with the clutch and which of those is used depends on gradients and speed.
Slow moving. The car will not stop unless you stop it! It will go along at walking pace in first gear, with your feet off all the Pedals. If you need to go slower than walking pace you must use the clutch to control the speed. This is how we will use the clutch when doing manoeuvres.
The clutch should only be down when going slower than walking pace or changing gear.
Position the vehicle correctly during normal driving approx 1 meter from the kerb.
Allow adequate clearance. Stationary vehicles (1 meter) a doors width. Cyclists and pedestrians
(2 meters). When following traffic on the open road (a meter for every mph of your speed)
In traffic queues, you should be able to see the road between you and the vehicle you are behind.
Emerging from a junction, minor to major. Almost stop a few meters before the give way line and slowly bring the car up to it using the clutch. Say to yourself, If it's clear I will go, but if not I will stop! Always look in both directions, even when turning left. At stop signs you must STOP!
Turning right major to minor. Never cross the centre line of the road you are leaving until the front of the car is level to the centre line of the road you are turning into. At junctions, give way to pedestrians who are crossing. Look in your mirror and into the road before you turn into it!
Roundabouts: Stay in the lane in which you entered, until you reach the exit before the one you wish to take, then signal and move over to the left. Checking you mirrors before you do so!
It's no use just looking in your mirrors. Proper use of mirror means looking in good time and acting sensibly on what you see. You must look before moving off, signalling, changing direction, overtaking, slowing down, stopping normally or opening a door. M.S.M.M. Before the car moves to the left or right, however small the movement, or increases or decreases in speed, the mirrors must be used, on the approach to any hazard the mirrors must be used. There are blind spots despite door mirrors. Before moving always look for Cyclists. Think check mirror.
Manoeuvres: There are 4 that you must train for. Turn in road, Reverse into a side road to the left, Parallel parking and Car parks. We are looking for Control, Observation and Accuracy!
Emergency stop: You can't stop a motor car dead. It takes time. Don't try to or you will skid.
On the signal, get onto the brake quickly, but don't push the clutch too early or you will lose valuable engine braking. This is the one time we do not check our mirrors before stopping.
Observation, Anticipation, Co-ordination! Are the basic rules of driving.
You look, you decide what is likely to happen and you act on it!
These notes are only a short and very basic guide to driving.
There is far more to learn! Keep safe!
