Tips for a first time L driver (1 Viewer)

Inscrutable

The Specialist
Joined
Feb 19, 2004
Messages
171
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2004
stick to the left side of the road,
learn the signs,
stick to the speed limit,
and move outa my way when you hear me beeping behind you
 

em_516

bludging..
Joined
Feb 16, 2004
Messages
3,487
Location
Newcastle
Gender
Female
HSC
2004
if you're in an auto, don't stress..it is NOT hard..

if you're in a manual..then i have no idea..

don't think it will be like a video game..it's not..(haha)

and you might find the wheel is a lot more sensitive than you expected..

and for at least your first drive, don't go on a normal road..start in a car park or something (i learnt by driving around the uni during the holidays)..but then that's kinda common sense not to go straight out into traffic..although i guess in an auto i guess you could..eh i dunno

that's all i can think of..
 

Generator

Active Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2002
Messages
5,244
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
Don't let your eyes wander... No matter how attractive that person (covering all bases) may seem, no short glance is worth a scare (or an accident).

Make sure that your instructor is not a goose. Of course, at the same time you cannot just expect that you know best given that you are on your Ls, too.

As scary as it may seem at first, just remain calm. Also, be cautious and try not to be too over confident, too.

Try and realise that a car is just a tool to get you from a to b... It isn't your life. If that's not something that you agree with, then oh well.
 
Last edited:

HellVeN

Banned
Joined
Jun 26, 2004
Messages
532
Gender
Male
HSC
2005
Generator said:
Don't let your eyes wander... No matter how attractive that person (covering all bases) may seem, no short glance is worth a scare (or an accident).
Yeah, that's something I found very hard to do: Stop glancing at all the sexy ladies after xx years of being a passenger :/
 

malkin86

Active Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2004
Messages
1,266
Gender
Female
HSC
2004
Next time you're a passenger in a car, pay attention to everything - cars in all directions (and cars that are 4 cars in front), pedestrians (don't get distracted by their hotness), traffic lights, what types of drivers there are (and what kind of cars they drive). Get used to noticing everything, and also notice your driver's reactions.

Are you getting a driving instructor, or are your parents going to teach you? Ask your parents to talk to you about how to drive - things like in wet conditions, pedestrians tend to take more risks, and how to hear when to change gears in your (manual) car, and what you're supposed to do at roundabouts when others don't give way like they should, and other things. You could ask for a running commentary on driving whenever you're in the car, if you're nervous. I feel better for getting all the theory I can before I try something new.

Then again, you could go out to a farm (or deserted stretch of road), find an empty paddock, and use that time to get used to the controls of a car, without having to worry about others on the road. (just watch out for those fences!)
 

_muse_

Come on join the joyride
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
2,019
Location
hunter valley
Gender
Female
HSC
2005
go VERY slowly...dont be like me and think you can drive as soon as u start the car for the first time. only increase ur speed when your ready. When i first got in the car i was only allowed to drive rom the gate to out the front of my house (i lived a little way out of town). The first time i went into traffic was on a country road and let me tell you i did NOT go above 60 the entire way, i was so scared lol.

anyway take things slowly, it may seem like u cant do anything, but one day u will just get in the car and ull jus do it without even realising :)
 

littleman

New Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2005
Messages
29
Gender
Male
HSC
2005
drive a manual is fun, i cant concentrate when driving an aouto for a trip over 30mins as my mind wanders. from my experiences and general feeling from my mates learn with your mum, dads go crazy very easily

i suggest you have a look at the stupid things tou have don on your L's thread and make sure you dont do anything posted in there.
 

v sia

Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2004
Messages
480
Location
australia sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2005
Im goin with the instructor for the first 10 lessons then parents . How much does it cost btw?

oh and im gonna drive auto
 

Generator

Active Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2002
Messages
5,244
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
glycerine said:
I'm with L trent and it's $61/hr.
Even with the student discount they were bloody expensive... I think that I spent close to $600 learning to drive with that mob. At least I passed first go (just :)), though.
 

Jago

el oh el donkaments
Joined
Feb 21, 2004
Messages
3,691
Gender
Male
HSC
2005
ouch, i just learnt auto with my dad. It's really not that hard after the 3rd hour driving...
 

loquasagacious

NCAP Mooderator
Joined
Aug 3, 2004
Messages
3,636
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
2004
You should have learnt the mechanics of driving within the first ten hours (give or take a little). The mechanics are easy, just remember to do them smoothly speed will come with time (of course if you drive an auto it should take less than 3 hours to master mechanics and the car is smooth and fast for you).

The thing that will take time, lots of time, is hazard perception. You must be taught/train yourself how to recognise a hazard, avoid a hazard, and recover from failing the first two.
 

littleman

New Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2005
Messages
29
Gender
Male
HSC
2005
i did a pilot course run by the local council so i got 3hrs of lessons for $25 as it was subsidised by the council, good old drive-alive-past-25. with the same guy i get lessons for $35/hour which i think is pretty fair (think rego, fuel, insurance, maintanence + his wage etc etc)

total lessons 4 hrs. you dont need 10hrs, get one or two lessons then see how you are, even with a manual i think 10hrs would be overkill
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top