Essential routines & skills before you sit the Practical Test :
To SET UP (HD-SMS) = (1) Handbrake, (2) Doors, (3) Seat, (4) Mirrors, (5) Seatbelt. Do HD-SMS as soon as you get in the car. Remember the seat has 3 parts including the head-restraint. Mirrors and Seatbelt can be in either order but Seat should come before Mirrors. See a short reminder video.
If driving a manual gearbox car, check the gear lever’s in neutral before starting the engine. If you stall, apply the parking brake and restart in first gear (with clutch down, of course). To PULL OFF from the kerb, use Prepare, Observe, Move (POM) = (P) Clutch down, select Gear, set Gas, clutch up to Biting point [CGGB] or select Drive (in an auto); (O) check all-round (including over shoulders) and giving a signal if anyone would benefit; (M) move off into a Normal Driving Position. (NDP is about 1m from the kerb). Pull-Push steering technique = If you want to steer right (clockwise), pull the wheel down with your right hand while sliding your left hand down in a mirror-image of it, so your hands meet at the bottom. To STEER further right, swap your grip so the left hand pushes the wheel another half-circle to the top, while this time the right hand slides. To turn left, do the opposite. In both cases, each hand stays on its own side of the wheel: left on the left half, right on the right half. FULL LOCK is where the wheel is turned as far as it will go, about 1½ turns (= “90 minutes' steering”, or 480 degrees). To PULL UP by the kerb, or change direction, use the "hazard routine": Mirrors, Signal, Move (MSM) = (M) check centre mirror, plus left door mirror if moving left (right if moving right); (S) signal if it's safe; (M) smoothly change direction (or pull up). PARK only in locations which are Safe, Convenient, and Legal (SCL) = (S) you can see other road users, and be seen; (C) not blocking their access to private property, crossing the road, or passing you; (L) not ignoring a road sign or marking which prohibits you. |
As well as for parking, use MSM also for any change of speed (M = centre mirror before slowing, centre and right mirrors before speeding up, to check for anyone overtaking).
Whenever you SLOW DOWN use progressive braking. Brake very gently at first (to show the brake lights as a warning signal to anyone behind), then more firmly (to lose speed), and finally reduce the pressure by half about ½m before you stop. The car will stop smoothly, without a jolt. Keep your foot on the footbrake till you've put on the parkbrake ! When you've pulled up by the kerb, do Handbrake, Neutral, Cancel. (Think of your left hand moving from the floor upwards). Use the parkbrake only when the car has stopped: keep both hands on the steering wheel till then; 'Neutral' means take the car out of gear: now it's secure. 'Signal' means cancel the left signal if you used one. Approaching ANY JUNCTION, again use the "hazard routine": Mirrors, Signal, Position, Speed, Look (MSPSL). ‘Mirrors' and 'Signal' mean the same as in MSM. 'Position' means adjusting your position, if necessary, to be ready to turn. 'Speed' means braking (gently) and perhaps changing to a lower gear (if driving a manual car). 'Look' means checking for other traffic approaching or waiting to turn across you, but looking also into the new road. In a manual car, a "rolling first" means selecting first gear (if your speed needs to drop below walking pace). Choose this about 1-2 car lengths before a junction, if you've decided it's "closed" (= your view left and right is less than 3-4 car lengths). Decide if it's "open" or "closed" when you're still 3-4 lengths away. Keep the clutch down if you need to stop but, if it's safe to keep moving, bring it gently back up and keep going. (So, "Plan to go but be prepared to stop"). To DECIDE whether to stop or go, use Look, Assess, Decide, Act (LADA). Within 'Act' is the "point of commitment", after which it's unsafe to change your mind. |
If you can't see to move forward in a manual car, use "clutch control" to peep-&-creep. (So, set the gas, come to the biting point, and alternately raise-then-dip the clutch half a centimetre emerge then roll to a stop; repeat as often as you need till you can see it's safe to go).
Avoid COASTING (manual car only). This is where the engine is running but disconnected from the wheels, so the car is "freewheeling". You'll have less control of speed and steering. So make sure, as much as possible, that you're in gear, with the clutch up. When stopping, put it down only at jogging speed (for gears 1 and 2) or 20mph (for gears 3 and 4). You'll find it easiest to CHANGE GEAR and not mis-select one, by using the "palming method". Remember to check your MIRRORS before changing Direction, Speed, or Signalling (DSS). Changing direction and signalling is covered above. 'Speed' means speeding up or slowing down significantly. Check centre mirror before slowing down (a car could be following close). Check centre and right mirrors before speeding up (another car may be committed to overtaking). Remember, "Eyes before fingers or feet"! (Or "top down"). All of this follows basic logic. But you may prefer to think 1-2-3. Finally, don't forget the SAFETY QUESTIONS ("Show Me / Tell Me questions”) about the car. Good Luck on your practical test! |