Hawkwell driving schools: Rayleigh and the surrounding areas
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The following sections are all
written by Alan:
essentials
new pupil's page
best driving tips
driving test secrets
independent driving
driving on snow and ice
show me tell me
technique
general
control basics
safety drills
using the mirrors
left & right turns
one way streets
junctions
give way priority
giving warnings
zebra crossings
dual carriageways
roundabouts
mini-roundabouts
country lanes
overtaking parked cars
manoeuvres
general
reversing
parallel parking
bay parking
turn in the road
emergency stop
Hawkwell Driving School
www.drivingschoolrayleigh.co.uk
Rayleigh
Thundersley
Hullbridge
© 2011
Left and right turns:
Always make sure that you look into the side road before committing yourself to turn in. For right turns correct road position is essential. Wide turns generally don't cause many problems, but tight turns do, especially tight left turns:
The most important thing is to manage is your speed. Remember that you should be in control of the car, not the car in control of you! The best method for very tight turns is to nearly stop just before you get to the turn, making sure that you lose all your momentum. Dip the clutch and change gear. Then use the gas and biting point as you turn. Go onto the gas before lifting the clutch for best control.
Using this method the gear isn't critical, you could go around a very tight corner in 2nd gear quite easily. Make sure that you turn the steering wheel enough to get around: If you want the car to steer more tightly, turn it more! Straighten the steering before increasing the speed of the car.
Although you shouldn't have the clutch fully down when you go around a corner you can control the car on the clutch at the biting point.
Tight left turns:
Try to keep tight to the kerb as you turn, and not let the front of the car swing out over the centre line of the road you are turning into. However if the corner is tighter than the car is able to turn, this may be necessary. Just ensure that your speed is under control, slowest point just before you turn (photo above), and that it is a positive decision to do it. Check before you do that there is no oncoming traffic from the side road.
If you run the back wheel over the kerb, it is usually just a minor fault. It is better to do this than to swing wide into an oncoming car. If the side road is particularly narrow, and there is not enough room to turn in, you may have to stop before you turn to let other traffic emerge (photo above):
Right turns (wide or tight):
You should be next to the centre line of the road you are in, and parallel to it. The same applies even when turning right from a left-hand bend – stay next to, and parallel to the line. This is to put people off from overtaking you on the right, which they will do if you keep left before you turn.
However, if there are parked cars on the right-hand side of the road, you may need to be past them before you pull over to the centre line. If you move to the correct position too early you may be in conflict with oncoming traffic that is overtaking the parked cars.
Your stop-and-wait, or begin-to-turn, point is when the front of your car is level with the centre line of the road you are turning into (photo above). If you are waiting to turn, keep the steering pointing along the main road: This means that if you are hit in the rear, you will not be pushed into oncoming traffic.
Make sure that you don't cut the corner off of the side road – turn in as if a car was emerging to turn right. Take it as much as a right-angle as you can. If you have to cut the corner because the road is either too narrow not to, or there is something parked awkwardly, then that is perfectly acceptable.
Protected right turn lanes:
If there is a right turn lane marked on the road, try to get into it if you can (photos above). If necessary you can drive over any hatched road markings to enable you to get into the lane. But only if they are bordered by a broken white line, and only as much as you have to. You must not cross a solid line.
If you move out to the right, and then find that road markings are in the way, generally don't move back to the left, but drive over them. This is because as soon as you move out to the right, following traffic will overtake on the left.