Driving Skills( Technical ) for learners

[creativebala]

There are some technical skills one needs to learn while driving, which needs to be learnt over a period of time thrugh experience or from seniors. These are some minute technical skills which one cant find in a general google "Driving skills"

 

1. How to use High Beam

When you are driving slow on a Highway or in a somewhat traffic highway, keep your beam level at low.

 

When driving faster, use your Highbeam level higher. In addition to this, do switch on your fog lamps too, this helps to view the smaller undulation in road.

 

ps- The head light leveler works only in low beam mode.

 

2. How to Engage Reverse gear smoothly

Do not slot into reverse gear immediately after driving forward. Many car makers insists on halting 3-5 seconds before moving in reverse gear.

 

3. How to engage Hand brakes effectively

Some car makers insist on engaging Hand Brake without pressing the button on it to have effective braking.

 

4. While Reversing

adjust your left mirror to see the rear left wheel, this helps in tight parking.

If still finding difficult, just open the door and watch the rear.

 

5. For Turbo Diesel car owners

Every car co, advises to idle for a minute while starting ot switching off your Diesel Turbo car. I know many eople wont do this, but atleast Do not overspeed or open full throttle for first few mins of your drive.

 

6. On Foggy Days

Put AC in hot mode, recirculation mode & air through wind screen to take the fog off wind screen.

If your fog lamp is not a yellow covered ones, Its best to paste yellow stickers(atleast yellow insulation taped) on high foggy day/night as the yellow for lamps are far powerful ones.

 

7. Clutch Usage

Your car moves slowly if you release the clutch slowly. If you master this, you can save some Fuel on B2B traffic.

 

Do not press clutch on your every slowdown. Only brakes should be used while casual braking. Only while halting, clutch comes into play.

 

8. Do learn your Torque Curve

Do learn your Car's Torque curve before you take your car for a long tour. This will help you in overtaking especially in dividerless roads, where you need to go to opposite track for your overtake.

 

9. To save your car bottom

Brake before any large hump & accelerate while on hump. If you press brake on a hump, it lowers your car & it will hit the bottom.

 

Do drive by angling your tyre at the highest point of the hump.

 

10. Practice Hard Braking

Practice makes man perfect, so is driving, so is hard braking. You can't learn from your mistake in hard braking as its just one life, so its best to practice & master hard braking when the road is absolutely free.

 

11. Do not sun-film till you master driving

Its best to drive without sunfilms, as it is a real pain on rainy nights for a beginner to drive on a sun filmed car. If your place is too hot, buy 2 sets of stickable sun shades that costs just 100 for a set.

 

12. Do engage Handbrakes while start moving on slopes. release it the moment car moves forward.

 

13. Don't only use Hand signal/ Indicators

Do look around and turn only when there is no vehicle is behind. Do not turn because you showed hand signal or you used Indicator.

 

14. Do not fly off signal when green is on

Because we have many people who cross for few secs after red is on. These morons try to cross at greater speed so as to cross the signal within secs after Red turns on.

 

Disclaimer: These alone wouldn't make you the best driver, but will be of great use in many situation.

 

Other senior drivers, do give your tips on safer driving  too.

creativebala2011-05-17 20:49:31

[Sandy]

Post deleted: Kindly keep personal messages to PM route.

BornFree2011-08-05 06:35:35

[rameshbabu.n]

Good work Bala.  You have covered a lot ...

 

I wish to add only one more thing. 

Let every user (right from a novice to a new learner to an experienced driver to an expert) of a car first read the manual of the car.

Of late, I find a majority of the new users never even have a cursory glance into the manual, let alone reading it thoroughly. 

This results in unhappy situations to them as well as to others.

 

In addition to the car's manual, let each user also read the insurance policy (and the covernote given before the policy).  This will avoid a lot of headache later in difficult times.

 

[vignesh]

Post deleted: OT messages on PM.

BornFree2011-08-05 06:53:59

[live2drive]

Really nice topic Bala.<?:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

In my view one more point, regular vehicle servicing and check up before starting for a long drive would help avoiding break-down in the middle of nowhere.

Also while driving; everyone should respect other vehicles/drivers on road.  Sometimes it may cause traffic jams specifically on single lane roads just because one is trying to overtake from wrong side or opposite lane although other vehicles moving slowly in queue.

[creativebala]

@sandy, ramesh, live2drive, vignesh

Thanks for your comments and valuable inputs

@friends, I wish to see more tips from others. This 14 points is like a drop in an ocean. While giving tips, try to number them and highlight important points

15.To minimize under body scraping, take your car at 45 degree to the speed braker.

16. while reversing, is best to drive very slowly and switch off your music

17.To take very tight turning,

Step 1: turn your steering to the max in the direction you wish to turn for few inches forward,

Step 2: stop,

Step 3: turn your steering to the max in the opposite direction in reverse gear for few inches,

Step 4: return to step 1

[creativebala]

Today I am in the knowledge gaining side,

 

1. How do you guys see the left bottom corners of the street while taking a left turn that too especially in narrow lanes?

In my swift, nothing is visible in that area. I literally stop, bend and try to see, then crawl.

 

2. I have heard of people parking so tightly using the fog lamp reflection, how it is done?

This could be useful for cars with high dash. This has been a pain with our spark.

[TSiVipul]

@Creativebala:

For your first query,I simply follow the rule of better check before turning or get out of the car and see what's there.

Still if you have a companion then its good.

In the narrow lanes I simply try to keep my car in the right-most position before turning and after I find that now there is no more possible room then I turn the car..ITS JUST A HIT-AND-TRAIL method.

While reversing,the ORVMs do the complete job.

For your second query I'd tell you that using fog lamp reflection is easy,when you park just have a look at the reflection of your fog lamps on the front wall,when you find that now the reflection has nearly completely vanished,then stop.You will find that your car is just a centimeter or two away from the wall in front of you.

I think some more points must be added in the above list:

1):While driving,its better slow down your car before entering the rough sections instead of doing the same after entering.

2):Learn to use ORVMs as well as inner RVM for reversing because you can see just 50% from your eyes.

3):Whatever seat you are seated,seat belts must be tied.This does not only gives safety but also there are some other advantages too like:

You can play game on your laptop or phone without the risk of getting disturbed from sudden braking.

You can have a good sleep because however way the driver drives,you will be there on your seat.

It will keep away the COPS..even in the cities where seat-belts are not strictly followed.Why?Because cops automatically understand that you are a decent driver.

[anandblitz]

That's a really great post. A lot of topics covered. A good guide for a learner.