Handrake approaching roundabouts?

j@utis

Hi all,

I have my driving test on Wednesday with SGS on Pottery road.

I took a driving lesson today to see what they expect from you during the test.

Now I have this question: say I'm approaching roundabout and going very slow already in 2nd gear. I see that single car on the right that I need to give way to and that means that I have to brake to stop for 1-2 secs max to let it pass. ok, now is the question:
a) can I just put my car into the 1st while braking and proceed straight away when way is clear...?
b) or do I have to stop in 2nd gear apply the handbrake, select the 1st gear and move off when the road is clear? this will take me at least 5 secs to do

I was told by instructor today that I have to stop in 2nd or 3rd gear and apply the handbrake at all times I find myself then stuck messing for ages with the handbrake at almost empty junctions and roundabouts where you need only two secs to check left/right and go.

Alanstrainor

Stop in second gear, using the foot brake only and go into first and get ready to move off, no need for the handbrake for such a short stop. Unless of course you're on a hill etc.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

WUSBDesign

If you can move your right foot from the foot brake to the accelerator *and* de-clutch gently without the engine shuddering and/or stalling or letting the car move backwards or over-revving the engine, then by all means do what the other posters say.

If you are still learning these moves, or have problems identifying the inclination of the road which *will* cause the car to roll back, then use the handbrake when stopping. As what your instructors says.

Of course, the best way is not the car stop at all - so time your approach to the roundabout in second gear, but I suspect you'll never know if another car is coming in from the right too quickly for you to notice when you're busy with the car controls.

j@utis

thanks for answers. I'll try to get away with inching towards the roundabouts in 2nd gear tomorrow.

And also I have one more question about moving off at the junctions.
Say I'm stopped at the red traffic lights to turn left onto dual carrageway (N11 in my case). I'm the first in the queue, so I'm in the 1st gear with handbrake on. Now lights turn green and I may proceed.
I was told by instructor yesterday that I had to make all the turn in the first gear. You get a quite 'wide' left turn because there's a bus lane on the left on N11. I was frustrated to complete the turn in the 1st gear at the speed next to nothing (and also over-reving the engine) and then desperately trying to make up some speed quick in order not to hold up the traffic behind.
What I usually do is I get car moving in 1st and then quickly select 2nd just before starting steering left. I have to go straight to pass the bus lane anyway, so there's no steering involved for a second or two, so I have time to mess with the gears

So finally, the question is: should I use 1st gear or can I put it into 2nd quick?

Holsten

I'd go into 2nd.

Depends on the car though.

j@utis

nissan micra. very very short gears.

WUSBDesign

I think the basic idea your instructor has is that when one turns the car, *both* hands must on the steering wheels - at least for a learner driver. Could it be that the required turn after the traffic lights is very soon?

At some stage your instructor must realise that the engine is going to be over-revved too often like that, and it is better to allow you to practise shifting quickly into 2nd gear before turning. For the moment, I suspect, he just wants to stay alive. Discuss with him as learning to drive is supposed to be progressive.

Alanstrainor

In relation to your question about whether to complete the turn in first or change to second, my instructor always got me to quickly change to 2nd, revving the sheeite out of the engine would seem very odd to both you and your examiner during a test, just change to second and complete the turn.

Stark

I was told to leave it in first during the turn as it meant more control over the steering that way. However that was when the traffic light was right at the turn. If I had time before the turn to go into second, I would.

j@utis

thanks all once again. I think I just stick to another rule here "always keep car in the proper gear"...

and one more thing I have to say: the more I drive the car the more I prefer to drive a motorbike. I've been on the bike for over two years; I took me only two weeks to feel confident driving it and I passed bike driving test the first go no problem. Car is just soooo much more complicated to drive, you're trapped in the box, you can't see/hear anything, controls are all over the place etc. etc... I just need full car licence to be able to rent the car out when traveling abroad... *end of the rant (very angry with cars now, they can all go to hell!)

saoranach

Alanstrainor wrote: »

In relation to your question about whether to complete the turn in first or change to second, my instructor always got me to quickly change to 2nd, revving the sheeite out of the engine would seem very odd to both you and your examiner during a test, just change to second and complete the turn.

When entering a roundabout in first gear, Im finding that halfway through I need to change gear to second as the engine is straining. To do so I end up having to control the wheel for a second or so with only one hand during the turn..... im presuming that is ok, although my hand position does move from the 3 oclock position downwards

WUSBDesign

saoranach wrote: »

To do so I end up having to control the wheel for a second or so with only one hand during the turn downwards

For a learner driver, that is dangerous since you either cannot steer well at all when it is needed, or you may move your left hand back to the steering wheel instinctively while leaving the clutch/gear in a bad combination.

You should re-think about this "strategy".

saoranach

Do you reckon I should just leave it in first until im off the roundabout then?

bluefirefly

saoranach wrote: »

To do so I end up having to control the wheel for a second or so with only one hand during the turn.....

try to change to second gear BEFORE you start turning. Changing gear while you're turning isn't very safe(well for me anyway)

bluefirefly

saoranach wrote: »

Do you reckon I should just leave it in first until im off the roundabout then?

no. First gear is only to start off the car. you shouldn't "drive" in first gear.Espcially roundabout

WUSBDesign

saoranach wrote: »

Do you reckon I should just leave it in first until im off the roundabout then?

The OP was asking nearly the same question - negotiate a turn in 1st gear as instructed by the instructor. Re-read the thread for some really interesting responses.

WUSBDesign

bluefirefly wrote: »

no. First gear is only to start off the car. you shouldn't "drive" in first gear.Espcially roundabout

And what if the round-about, or any turn for that matter, forces you to slow down to less than 5kph? Some round-abouts, in housing estates, are notorious for that sort of situations.

j@utis

yeah, but there's no much steering involved when you're moving at the speed. Surely you'll find a moment to change to 1st.
I was more confused about big roundabouts with 3+ exits on them. Driving in 2nd gear on such one feels a bit odd... Maybe it's because my micra strongly dislikes 2nd gear even @30km/h.

Ok, anyways, I'm just back from my driving test which I passed with 5marks against me. I still can't believe because:
*I hit the kerb when pulling in (just at very beggining of the test - thought I was failed for it automatically, so drove like I didn't care after);
*selected 3rd to move off by mistake (nerves!) and stalled the engine;
*got 'lost' which exit to take on roundabout, my indicating was all over the place right/left/oops still right/then ok maybe left now lol;
*overtook the street sweeper on the top of the hill (couldn't see anything behind ooops);
*let the car roll back when starting uphill on the traffic lights;
*60km/h in 50km/h (sh1te, brake brake untill he hasn't seen it);
and many more very minor ones.

And after all this the tester comes back with the results and says 'congratulations', and I say 'hah it can't be true, you must be joking!' he says 'well, we can always take it back' I say 'no no, I believe it now!' *end of the story.

btw, saw two girls who finished theirs tests before me and both failed it gave me that bad feeling just before my test. but it's all over now and I can drive like all normal people do.

Holsten

Wow, if what you say is true then you probably should have failed.

Maybe the testers are actually going easy.

WUSBDesign

j@utis wrote: »

yeah, but there's no much steering involved when you're moving at the speed.

How fast do you want to move the car at for a turn-in-the-road maneuver?

Congrats BTW, you must have been a lucky fellow to get by with those sort of faults!

bluefirefly

WUSBDesign wrote: »

And what if the round-about, or any turn for that matter, forces you to slow down to less than 5kph? Some round-abouts, in housing estates, are notorious for that sort of situations.

while i mean "drive" i mean driving more than 50metres with first gear. I know there are exceptions. Like i was in a car park with so little space and have to slow down at a turn,i changed to 1st gear. But once im over that turn i go back to 2nd...you know what i mean? im not very good with explaining things

bluefirefly

j@utis wrote: »

I'm just back from my driving test which I passed with 5marks against me. .

Wow. Congrats!...Hitting a kerb is a fail..maybe you just brushed off it? The tester sounds very nice.

j@utis

the was a very bad scrapping noise comming from the front wheel (the car was just about to jump on it). I slammed on the brakes and just sat there frozen untill the tester suggested 'err... handbrake?'... Now I have to replace the wheel cover that was in absolutely perfect condition just 3 days ago when I started practising for the test.

Regarding this topic: I haven't used a handbrake a single time when entering roundabouts and always selected the 2nd gear just after moving off at the roundabouts and junctions, even uphill one.

I don't know why he passed me, maybe he is in the good mood today or he doesn't like failing girls or he found my cursing (mild) hilariuos or it's just my lucky day today