People often disregard the importance of parking properly. As long as the car would fit and parking spaces are available, nothing else would matter to them. But the matter of likewise considering how you will leave the parking slot can be a hassle especially if you find yourself parking facing to a wall rather than a reverse position which makes it easier for you to get out.
Parallel parking is also something hard for most drivers to master. Actually, some people find themselves with dents and scratches mainly because they cannot properly fit in to these parallel parking spaces without being guided by another person. But in reality, the key towards being a good parallel parking is through backward approaches to which you can easily use the proper mixture when turning the front wheel.
It is not easy at first but after years of getting used to it, you may be surprised that you can squeeze your car into any slot especially if there is not good parking slot available. Some say that it is easier to park in parallel parking slots using the frontward approach. Depending on the distance and the space allocation, it does not necessarily follow.
Side mirrors are a great help actually. If you think of it, that is perhaps one reason why they are there; to aid you in backward parking in vertical or horizontal places. From the mirrors, you can easily calculate the distance you have from the gutter although it is still wiser to actually see it for yourself.
In a nutshell, shying away from cars would normally mean lesser people interested in driving. One of the main points for consideration here is the fact that why drive if you cannot afford to have a car of your own?
Aside from not being able to afford a car, there are other factors to consider. The instability of the oil prices and fuel shortage have become another notable aspect that has to be included. With all problems facing the world today, a person can commute or perhaps hitch a ride with no worries for car maintenance and money for fuel to get to the destination that they want to be. So where does this leave the driving schools who make a living from enrolled students who hope to drive someday?
For sure, these commissioned driving schools will feel the brunt of the economic meltdown just like any other business branch we know of in the world today. While it seems apparent that it is something that people can learn without paying, their existence may reach becoming pointless.
Driving schools are a big help. Especially for people who want to learn how to drive. But considering the factors hitting our economy today, they may as well be affected as well.
The economic sector is indeed walking on pins and needles these days. On what may happen tomorrow or the day after is anybody’s guess. Hopefully though some bright light comes out of it all before businesses are shot down one by one.
As far as the set age on when to issue a drivers license, there have been qualms on increasing the age to 17 rather than the usual 16. Apparently this is because as far as being responsible drivers is concerned, a lot of debate has been said on the actual responsibility that most new drivers (a lot in their teens) of understanding the dangers of driving on the road at such an immature age.
The convenience of driving your own car is surely there but it is about being a conservative and responsible driver that is really the issue here. Also, the safety precautions as well on the drivers that are released today are showing significant numbers as far as accidents and deaths of younger drivers which have become a prime reason on re-evaluating the set age.
One thing you will not see when studying driving is how that person would really drive in the real world. Once issued a drivers license, they are practically free to drive and do what they want. Apparently, this is something that is lacking but is beyond the control of license issuers. Unless they actually meet an untoward accident that can place them back in their senses, chances are they will not even care on how they drive and where they drive.
Teens are up against a host of distractions, from cell phones to text messages to traffic congestion and aggressive driving. Driving instructor Robert Dicks says raising the driving age might be a good idea.
“Sixteen is very much not experienced,” said Dicks. “They’re very young, they don’t know how to handle one of these things.”
Source
There is a reason why texting has been banned while you are driving. For one, it takes your eyes off the road and will bring you nearer to accidents. When you drive a car, focus on the road and knowing how you handle your car are important. Outside of physical harm to yourself, you are also imperiling the lives of local commuters if you don’t watch where you are going.
Various laws have been passed to discipline drivers. But if you observe, people just cannot avoid texting or entertaining calls while driving. For voice calls, we have seen the offering of hand-free devices to accommodate executives on the go. But as far as texting is concerned, even the people who memorize the text keys are open to potent dangers coming their way.
Alaska, Minnesota, New Jersey and Washington recently enacted laws that ban sending text messages while driving; 13 other states are reportedly considering similar legislation.
“The potential legal implications of texting while driving go far beyond the possibility of a mere traffic violation,” said Stephanie Rahlfs, an attorney at FindLaw.com. “In the case of a traffic accident, proof that the driver was texting while driving may be used to help prove liability for an accident, even in states that do not ban texting while driving.”
(Source) Canadian Driver
The laws are set in almost every country in the world. What needs to be done is to lay them with an iron hand. When that happens, perhaps we can be better drivers and live longer.
One thing about studying driving, it is not only about getting behind the wheel and stepping on the gas pedals and shifting gears. There are basics such as the information you are well-versed on that is important. Though some people may not necessarily look at them as important, driving sensibly and logically still remains these days.
The Q & A of driving exams is quite simple. How can you drive if you don’t know what to do is certain driving situations. Questions such as knowing when to overtake and the distance to which you should be between cars are important. If you are not well-educated in these parts, chances are you will find yourself piling up driving tickets if not eventually land a revoked license problem eventually.
So how does one prepare for these driving exams. For one, you can read on books or ask the veteran drivers. Of the two, it seems the latter is the better option. Learning from the experience that driving road warriors is the best way to understand and digest what it really takes to drive out in the wild world of roads out there.
Rest assured there is no thing as a perfect driver. You may even use plain logic to answer these Q&A exams. But while you are at it, leave some room for errors. If there were perfect drivers these days then perhaps the rate of accidents these days would not be as alarming.
There is more to driving than jumping on your car and cruising along the roads. There are certain rules and regulations you have to follow such as speed limits and road courtesy. For every component of your car lies a reason for being. For example, signal lights and brake lights are present to avoid accidents and to provides advanced warning on where you are headed. If you will notice, there are laws for having busted taillights and it all boils down to safety on the road for you and the car behind you.
When you enroll in a driving school, these are the basics being taught to you. Knowing the enthusiasm that most people have when they are starting to drive their car, it is almost apparent that they would forget about these things. After they have completed their course, it is all about getting the drivers license and forgetting the things that driving schools teach you.
These instances are sad yet true. Driving schools are being used as ways to secure a driver’s license and are yet overlooked as far as to their purpose. Basics are there but the learning experience is not digested fully. That is perhaps one reason why most people get into accidents after a week or two, mainly because they find out that driving out there alone is totally different when you have an instructor guiding you and stepping on the brakes in case you forget to.
Discipline in driving does not only mean obeying rules and regulations. It all starts from day one of your driving lessons. If at this point you fail to pass simple instructions and understanding, you can expect worst things to come as far as violations and accidents when you drive out the road.
Drivers have their own styles for driving. While some may not tell you up straight, it would be wise to avoid being a clutch driver, assuming you are using a stick-shift vehicle. Manual transmission driving is the best way to be able to drive the right way since it trains you to take hold of a car and really know when to shift gears when the need arises.
One thing you will note is that some drivers keep their foot on the clutch even if they are not moving. Do remember that when you do this, pressure is being placed on your clutch and if you do this frequently, you may find yourself burning the clutch lining and may eventually need to replace it. For the record, replacing your clutch is not cheap. Normally, it takes some years before the clutch parts of your vehicle are replaced.
When you are driving take it easy. Do not be in a hurry to gear up. This is one thing that aspiring drivers presume wrong. When you are immobile or are perhaps waiting for the front car to move, rest your foot on the car flooring. Haste makes waste.
If you hear someone honking at your back, let them. Just follow the proper rules that allow you to move forward. If there is a car in front of you or you are waiting for a red light to go green, you don’t have anywhere else to go. Relax and drive normally. Avoid the tense moments that may lead you to wreck your car.
With rising oil prices these days, who would still want to drive a car? Technically, this will affect a lot of aspiring drivers, particularly the teenagers. But the groups which will surely be hit hard would be the companies that provide driving lessons as their main bread and butter.
For the record, there are many people who enroll in driving institutes to know the basics of driving and be able to drive their own car to get to the destinations of their preference. But with gasoline practically becoming impossible to afford, people are being advised to turn to public transportation or even use bicycles if they really want to avoid these fuel burdens. And if this keeps up, who would want to learn to drive?
Just imagine the fees included in studying driving. It does not come cheap. Enrolling in these driving institutes such as A1 Driving Academy in the Philippines really costs a lot. So when you think of it, you have to pay to be taught to drive and the next thing you have to think of is on whether you can afford the fuel prices. Now that is something that will really make you think twice.
In general, you just have to be practical. For the people who used to drive their car to work, many are taking the bus, trains, and subway or better yet, hitch a ride to people who are still driving cars to get places. So with these options available, would you still want to learn to drive?
In the never ending story of how GPS has allowed drivers and travelers alike to get to their destinations faster and easier, another addition to the saga of the errant GPS and their likewise errant drivers. As in previous posts regarding GPS and their ability to go wrong (extremely wrong) and give wrong directions drivers in the UK have had their common sense so to speak driven out of them as they drive into bridge overhangs and other structures which were not taken into consideration by the GPS mapping systems. The article came to my attention from Gadzooki which has a post dated on the 18th of April which shows hilarious yet serious statistics of drivers running into bridges like the ones shown in Mr. Bean cartoons and movies. These drivers trust their high-tech GPS navigation devices so much they forget to keep their eyes on the road and mind structures their vehicles may encounter. GPS has indeed made driving a pleasure by giving the right directions and even telling us when and where to go but it would also be a good idea to consider and include real-time traffic and positional data (not forgetting to take into consideration the location of low lying bridges and structures that may not accommodate the various types of vehicles that are on the road) which is already in some advanced high-price units.
The UK is a growing market for GPS and various gizmos and gadgets are coming to the public being sold as aides to UK drivers. The advantage is that the tons of camera’s in and around major cities allows UK traffic authorities to provide up to date traffic information where the driver can select alternate routes. The growing number of vehicles on the roads of Britain are becoming more and more of a problem which results in gridlock and traffic exclusion schemes to select areas that have provided some relief.
The Uk has also been able to produce one of the most powerful computers on earth named Hector which could be used to process vast amounts of data including traffic management and other tasks for the British Government. As technology progresses and heads into the future, we would be amazed at how far it has gone in the span of our lifetimes. We would also be assured of constant laughter when technology plus humans equals less common sense which makes the drive worth taking. Watch out for that BRIDGE!!!!!!!
Got a request from one of our readers regarding how to drive over steep inclines especially when stuck in traffic. This is kinda’ tricky but with practice you can conquer these inclines with relative ease. First, try to get to know the vehicle you are driving; are the brakes in good condition, does the handbrake function properly? I ask this for they would come in handy with a nice trick that can save you from rolling down as you are stuck in traffic later.
Try to gauge the steepness of the incline that you are going to drive through. Anything more than 10 degrees can send you rolling backwards uncontrollably without fast reflexes. Try to test the effectiveness of the brakes by going up a few meters, stepping on the pedals and see if the car still rolls backwards ( Keep your hand on the handbrake so you can stop if you do end up rolling backwards). If you are climbing without any traffic problem, it would be relatively easy for the car’s momentum will tend to get you over (try shifting to lower gears so you get more traction. If you are stuck in traffic going up, here’s a nifty trick you can try.
As you stop and press the brakes, engage the handbrake (I’ll advise you to keep your foot on the pedal so if the handbrake gives, your foot on the brake pedal prevents you from crashing into the vehicle behind you.). When traffic starts to move, give the vehicle in front of you a few meters clearance, depress the clutch and set the stick into first gear. Try getting the exact instance between the clutch engaging and releasing so you are set to roll as you release the handbrake. As you slowly release the clutch you would hear the engine straining a bit from the clutch engaging. As the engine tries to propel the car forward (which would be quite impossible for the handbrake is still engaged) release the handbrake slowly as you depress the gas pedal to get more power to the wheels(not too fast or you end up rear-ending the car in front). You should then begin to lurch forward allowing you to resume driving up.
The steeper the incline, the harder it would be to do this driving technique. Going down the same incline, use the engine for additional braking power (the process is aptly called engine braking which is quite complicated but necessary for economic engine operation) by selecting lower gears (1st and 2nd ) which has lower gear ratios that stops the vehicle aiding the brakes in the stopping of your vehicle. Others tend to use the clutch as a method of preventing the car from going backwards, which is not only dangerous for you can stall the engine suddenly sending you into trouble (it is also a sure way to burn out your clutch sending you for costly repairs to the clutch system and even the transmission).
Note: If you think the angle of the climb is greater than what your brakes can handle; do not continue driving up for you might not have enough braking power to stop in the hanging position sending you crashing into the vehicle behind you. Stay at the bottom till there is enough distance for the engine to get enough power over the top. Keep your hands on the handbrake so you can get additional braking power in case you do stall. Still not convinced if you can do the routine, try it on a steep driveway or somewhere traffic isn’t so hard like the bridge in the park away from traffic.
