Advanced Driving?

[Gray]

My dad told me earlier that he has signed me up for some Advanced Driving Lessons, which are more than likely starting next week, Monday to Wednesday for 2 hours a go.

I read about something ages ago, but i never went ahead with it or i didnt follow it up, i have been driving since 2001 and obviously in that time ive picked up a "few" bad habits while driving, will they crusify me?

What happens in it? Are we actually on the road, or is it some private area were they do training and shit? This weather we're having isnt gonna help the roads either, im gonna be skidding like fuck if its at high speeds... ooooh like it!

 

[Calaen]

Yes I am a noob

 

[bob269]

Don't you have to point out all potential problems/accidents as you are driving as part of the awareness of danger.

 

[Gray]

I think that stuff on the motorways etc is part of Pass Plus, which is what you take after you have freshly passed your driving test.

i think the Advanced Driving is similar to what the police have in their training regime.

Although i think its just been temporarily cancelled off, they didnt have afternoon or morning training as theyre booked up, and i cant do nighttime on the specific days.

Doh

 

[dysfunction]

Yes I am a noob

We all know that! Tell us something we didnt know already....

 

[Tom]

With which organisation are these advanced sessions?

I passed with the IAM, that was 6 sessions each about 90 minutes long, followed by a test with a police driving instructor.

They're not there to give you a hard time, they'll point out the mistakes you make and help you eliminate them.

 

[Tom]

Don't you have to point out all potential problems/accidents as you are driving as part of the awareness of danger.

Thats called a guided commentary, some do, some don't. The theory is that as you're commentating on your driving, you're actually thinking about things logically. As opposed to driving around while thinking about where to buy a Mars bar and a coke.

 

[GDW]

You will learn loads of great skills well worth it and could save your life and/or someone elses if you practice what you are taught

 

[dysfunction]

You will learn loads of great skills well worth it and could save your life and/or someone elses if you practice what you are taught

In other words....

When its raining and there is a lot of traffic around....drive really fast.....break hard and try and get out of the spin without hitting anyone....

Good Luck!!

 

[TdC]

good luck Grey. never pass up a chance to learn some skills the fun way. gwaan then, and I expect a full report!

 

[Tom]

It'll more than likely be on public roads, and isn't about learning hot to do J-turns Its all about control, observation, anticipation, etc.

A typical example is indication - learners are taught to indicate whenever they're changing lane or turning in the road. Advanced drivers only indicate when the signal is of benefit to another road user. The idea being that to know if theres somebody who can benefit from the signal, the driver must first be aware of their presence - which means they have to be more observant - which makes them a much more aware driver.

Another example is changing gear while braking - a bad habit many people slip into, along with not feeding the wheel through the hands, not making progress on NSL roads, not understanding how to overtake safely, not being aware of stopping distances, the list goes on and on.

At the end of the day, the fact that you're open to the idea of advanced lessons demonstrates that you're a conciencious driver, and thats a very good thing. Most people on the roads have no real idea of what it takes to be a good driver.

Good on ya Gray.

 

[00dave]

I wouldn't worry too much about bad habits, you can soon temporarily forget them. I passed my cat B (normal car) test in 1998, 6 years of bad habit gathering later I passed my cat D1 (mini bus) C (HGV) and C+E (HGV articulated) in 2004 with only a few minors, and in may of this year I passed my cat D (coach) again with only a few minors so now when I yell "you can get a bus through that gap" I can actually mean it.

As for the advanced driving, it should be fun. If it's anything like the advanced driving courses I've been on it should involve off road driving, and skid car driving (very fun) however mine was with the military, so we did pitch black night time driving and ambush scenarios as well.

 

[Munkey]

My brother had to do that when he was in training Driving a jeep in the middle of the night through a forest.

Poor sod.

 

[old.user4556]

not making progress on NSL roads

That's one my biggest gripes on our roads.

Between my parent's place and mine is a long, straight, no junction section of NSL road and i'm sick of people plodding up it at 40/45 mph. It's dangerous and it holds the traffic up for that that do want to drive at the speed limit. It's usually women chatting to their pals in the front seat or old people. Recently, the only person i've been behind on the road that was doing 60 mph was a learner driver.

I don't understand why people do it.

 

[SheepCow]

not feeding the wheel through the hands

But it's so slow and boring doing that? Oh, and does anyone else making racing car noises when they drive? No? Just me then ...

 

[Choc]

i should do advance driving lessons really

 

[Sockstuff]

Another example is changing gear while braking - a bad habit many people slip into

Whats wrong with changing down while braking?

 

[rynnor]

Whats wrong with changing down while braking?

Aye - particularly if you turn a sharp bend into a serious hill - You brake for the corner whilst simultaneously changing down to a lower gear to get you up the hill - it beats getting stuck

 

[rynnor]

That's one my biggest gripes on our roads.

Between my parent's place and mine is a long, straight, no junction section of NSL road and i'm sick of people plodding up it at 40/45 mph. It's dangerous and it holds the traffic up for that that do want to drive at the speed limit. It's usually women chatting to their pals in the front seat or old people. Recently, the only person i've been behind on the road that was doing 60 mph was a learner driver.

I don't understand why people do it.

Thats just silly - people doing 40/45 arent such a pain its the 20-30mph like a tractor etc. that hurt

I'd still rather see someone doing 40/45 than 90 on in-appropriate roads.

I'm pretty laid back about lower speeders although I did find one that irritated me the other day - some old guy doing 40-45ish on some reasonably straight NSL roads but I think - fine he's being carefull - but then we get to a large village with a 30 zone and he's still going 40/45 and starts going up close behind cars doing the limit

 

[SheepCow]

Old people do 40mph, it's all they can do

 

[00dave]

Feeding the steering wheel through your hands is an outdated method that was put in place when vehicles did not have power steering, I'm guessing a lot of you have never driven a car without power steering but you often needed to threat the steering wheel at low speeds.
There's nothing wrong which changing gear while braking, in fact that is the best time to change down through the gears, shift from 4th to 3rd while braking for a round about and when you lift the clutch up all you have to do is check the way is clear, let the engine slow you down and if need be prepare to stop.
A common bad habit most people have is forgetting to check their mirrors.

 

[bob269]

At the end of the day, the fact that you're open to the idea of advanced lessons demonstrates that you're a conciencious driver, and thats a very good thing. Most people on the roads have no real idea of what it takes to be a good driver.

Good on ya Gray.

It sounds more like he wants to learn handbrake turns and powerslides

 

[Tom]

Whats wrong with changing down while braking?

Unbalances the car, and reduces the amount of control you have, also removes one hand from the wheel at a fairly important juncture.

Feeding the steering wheel through your hands is an outdated method that was put in place when vehicles did not have power steering, I'm guessing a lot of you have never driven a car without power steering but you often needed to threat the steering wheel at low speeds.

My last car was a TVR with no power steering, and I can assure you that feeding the wheel at low speeds was most definitely not how you drove. I think you're getting a bit confused tbh.

As for feeding the wheel being an outdated method, I disagree. I pull the wheel with both hands while moving around in car parks etc as it is faster - but out on the road, the best method of controlling the wheel is by feeding it through the hands.

If you don't believe me, watch an advanced police driver at high speed, watch how he/she holds the wheel at speed.

 

[Bodhi]

Unbalances the car, and reduces the amount of control you have, also removes one hand from the wheel at a fairly important juncture.

Wrong. That's what heeling and toeing is for.


As for wheel shuffling, don't bother with it meself, I feel far more in control with me hands at ten to two, and there are very few corners where you need to take your hands off the steering wheel using this method to get round. Admittedly at most road speeds I only have one hand on the steering wheel (gotta love power steering), but that's by the by.

 

[Tom]

You'll struggle to find any cars sold on the market with pedals that can be heel-toed without prior adjustment.

Were you heel-toeing as you went into that hedge?

 

[Gumbo]

I understand that the IAM is now accepting proper rotational steering as a good method too. This is what I use now having been trained to by a IAM instructor, who incidentally is also an accomplished Racing Driver. It has the advantages of requiring only 2 releases of the wheel to go from lock to lock, and you always know where the wheel centre is.

It's really hard to explain how to do it properly, but it does involve crossing the arms, then taking your bottom hand off the wheel and grabbing the opposite side over the top. Your hands are always at quarter to three, and you know from the position of your hands exactly where the wheels are pointing. Very important for finding centre again at just the right time to catch a slide.

Oh, and mine heels and toes just fine straight from the factory

 

[Bodhi]

You'll struggle to find any cars sold on the market with pedals that can be heel-toed without prior adjustment.

Were you heel-toeing as you went into that hedge?

Nah I was on full power trying to get past the crazy lady in the Ferrari who couldn't get her hand signals right.

And no, you won't struggle to find cars you can heel and toe in, it's easy enough in mine, in fact it is in most cars given 4+ stars in evo.

 

[00dave]

My last car was a TVR with no power steering, and I can assure you that feeding the wheel at low speeds was most definitely not how you drove. I think you're getting a bit confused tbh.

How much did that TVR weigh? I'm guessing less than your average Cortina or Capri which is the sort of car I'm on about richboy. Ever driven a truck with no power steering, at low speeds you have to thread the steering wheel at low speeds otherwise it snatches back out of your weakened single hand, it's also impossible to dry steer no matter how strong you are.

 

[Tom]

With an RV8 up front I'd guess it still had a stiffer steering rack than your average Cortina or Capri.

Richboy? Where did that come from?

 

[leggy]

With an RV8 up front I'd guess it still had a stiffer steering rack than your average Cortina or Capri.

Richboy? Where did that come from?

I suppose it came from the very little brag about having a tvr (then he made an inaccurate assumption)

If I told anyone what I drove everyone would laugh.