Learn to Drive a Car
If you wish to learn to drive a car, this article can do a very vital job of pushing you towards your goal. So go ahead, and take the small but decisive step, driving a car.
Driving is an art that most people wish to master. Kids, mostly boys, have always aspired to get behind the wheels and learn to drive a car. It is surely not a theoretical process, but knowing how to perform this art before taking the driving lessons would prepare you for the act. Another advantage of having textbook knowledge is that it helps in saving you from the embarrassing situations one could encounter while learning.
Earlier, learning to drive was considered a difficult job. But today, with cars having more and more driver-friendly features, eagerness to drive is rising. Learning cars equipped with automatic transmission, anti-lock braking system (ABS) and airbags has become a child's play. Before jumping into the driver's seat of a car, you need a learner's license, an open practice area with no vehicular or pedestrian traffic and a professional trainer from a driving school, though not in the same sequence. If you want to know how long does it take to start driving like a pro, then let me tell you there is no specific time frame in which you're guaranteed to acquire this art. There have been less passionate people who have quit learning after rigors of months of practice, and on the other hand, some guys crazy about learning driving have successfully completed a week-long program.
Learning to Drive a Car: Tips
Taking driving lessons is a step-by-step process. Let me tell you, there is a difference of day and night between learning auto transmission and manual transmission. It's always advisable to learn on a transmission type which you are most likely to drive on for long duration. It's pretty hard to adapt to the other type later. Let's go through the steps of learning to drive:
The very first step is sitting in the car! It may sound too obvious but proper and comfortable posture is very important to give you complete control of the car. Make sure that you can completely press the gas, brake and clutch (in case of manual transmission) pedals. If learning on a manual transmission system, you need to know the gear shift pattern which is a standard H-pattern, all over the world. In case of an auto transmission system, the driver doesn't need to worry about the gears and the clutch.
The next step would be starting the car engine, also known as starting the ignition. This is done by decoupling the wheels from the running engine, either by pressing the clutch or by keeping the gear neutral, the latter one being more advisable. Remember, if on a road with a gradient (slope), you'll require to use the hand brake to stop the car from rolling when the wheels are decoupled.
After successfully starting the engine and letting it warm up, comes the toughest step in drive car basics - getting the vehicle into motion from standstill. This is not that unmanageable for those learning on auto transmission, but for those learning on manual gear shift car, it may take days to master this step. Basically, this step requires a lot of coordination between all your senses and your limbs. Let's see what steps you need to do successfully to get the car rolling. First, press the clutch and push the gear lever to the 1st gear position. Now, very slowly start releasing the clutch while simultaneously pressing the gas pedal, so that there is marginal rise in the rpm. At a point, you will feel the engine thrust acting on the wheels (known as the friction point of the clutch), which is characterized by change of engine noise and drop in rpm. Now, release the clutch completely and the engine takes control of the wheel rotation and by pressing the gear pedal further, the car gets into speed. The clutching process gets simpler, as you increase the car speed and advance to higher gears. To start with you'll always experience car lugging and only practice can help you get over the 'first gear blues'.
After this, always remember that your left foot is for the clutch, while the right one can brake or accelerate. To switch from 1st to 2nd and to further higher gears, just press the clutch and smoothly increase the gas while releasing the clutch. Now the clutch can be released very quickly as compared to first gear, as the wheels are already in motion. But, when should you shift gears? Car manuals can come good here, but the best way is to feel the engine noise and understand the max engine rpm. These days, most cars are equipped with tachometers, showing the engines rpm with a 1,000 rpm least count. Shifting at every 3,000 rpm is the most economical way. Best is to consult the trainer helping you.
Next, comes the issue of down shifting. This is required, while slowing down. As every gear is designed for a speed range, you cannot stop or start in the top gear. Down shifting is similar to up shifting. First, release the gas, then press the clutch, shift to a lower gear and get back on the gas, while engaging the clutch. You should get back on the gas fast, as down shifting and not touching the gas will slow the car down very fast. This will cause the engine rpm to rise to its rev limit because the engine compression fights the turning of the wheels. But while going down a hill or a slope, this is desirable. Never slow down without using the brakes, as the driver behind you, may not be able to notice your slowing down without the brake lights on.
Next thing that scares a newbie the most, is climbing from a stop on an incline. To conquer this terrain, it is better to start with minimal slope. Parking brake or the hand brake is the key to learn to climb. It will prevent the car from rolling backwards, while you practice. And quickness is needed to start on a hill, to prevent the rollback. Practice releasing the clutch before the rollback starts, until the friction point is reached and then press the car gas and release the clutch further. The idea is to give the car more power to counter the gravity, and you can start without rolling back. As you get better, you can slowly reduce the use of the parking brake until you won't feel the need to use it.
Next thing, you need to incorporate is anticipation. You need anticipate a corner or a tricky situation or a hill and change to the correct gear, before reducing speed or accelerating.
You must have seen newbie drivers, hitching and stalling while learning. This article would help take some pain and embarrassment out of the learning experience. Obviously, no write-up can help and train as a standard trainer can, who doesn't mind you eroding his car's clutch while you learn to drive it.
If you wish to learn to drive a car, this article can do a very vital job of pushing you towards your goal. So go ahead, and take the small but decisive step, driving a car.
Driving is an art that most people wish to master. Kids, mostly boys, have always aspired to get behind the wheels and learn to drive a car. It is surely not a theoretical process, but knowing how to perform this art before taking the driving lessons would prepare you for the act. Another advantage of having textbook knowledge is that it helps in saving you from the embarrassing situations one could encounter while learning.
Earlier, learning to drive was considered a difficult job. But today, with cars having more and more driver-friendly features, eagerness to drive is rising. Learning cars equipped with automatic transmission, anti-lock braking system (ABS) and airbags has become a child's play. Before jumping into the driver's seat of a car, you need a learner's license, an open practice area with no vehicular or pedestrian traffic and a professional trainer from a driving school, though not in the same sequence. If you want to know how long does it take to start driving like a pro, then let me tell you there is no specific time frame in which you're guaranteed to acquire this art. There have been less passionate people who have quit learning after rigors of months of practice, and on the other hand, some guys crazy about learning driving have successfully completed a week-long program.
Learning to Drive a Car: Tips
Taking driving lessons is a step-by-step process. Let me tell you, there is a difference of day and night between learning auto transmission and manual transmission. It's always advisable to learn on a transmission type which you are most likely to drive on for long duration. It's pretty hard to adapt to the other type later. Let's go through the steps of learning to drive:
The very first step is sitting in the car! It may sound too obvious but proper and comfortable posture is very important to give you complete control of the car. Make sure that you can completely press the gas, brake and clutch (in case of manual transmission) pedals. If learning on a manual transmission system, you need to know the gear shift pattern which is a standard H-pattern, all over the world. In case of an auto transmission system, the driver doesn't need to worry about the gears and the clutch.
The next step would be starting the car engine, also known as starting the ignition. This is done by decoupling the wheels from the running engine, either by pressing the clutch or by keeping the gear neutral, the latter one being more advisable. Remember, if on a road with a gradient (slope), you'll require to use the hand brake to stop the car from rolling when the wheels are decoupled.
After successfully starting the engine and letting it warm up, comes the toughest step in drive car basics - getting the vehicle into motion from standstill. This is not that unmanageable for those learning on auto transmission, but for those learning on manual gear shift car, it may take days to master this step. Basically, this step requires a lot of coordination between all your senses and your limbs. Let's see what steps you need to do successfully to get the car rolling. First, press the clutch and push the gear lever to the 1st gear position. Now, very slowly start releasing the clutch while simultaneously pressing the gas pedal, so that there is marginal rise in the rpm. At a point, you will feel the engine thrust acting on the wheels (known as the friction point of the clutch), which is characterized by change of engine noise and drop in rpm. Now, release the clutch completely and the engine takes control of the wheel rotation and by pressing the gear pedal further, the car gets into speed. The clutching process gets simpler, as you increase the car speed and advance to higher gears. To start with you'll always experience car lugging and only practice can help you get over the 'first gear blues'.
After this, always remember that your left foot is for the clutch, while the right one can brake or accelerate. To switch from 1st to 2nd and to further higher gears, just press the clutch and smoothly increase the gas while releasing the clutch. Now the clutch can be released very quickly as compared to first gear, as the wheels are already in motion. But, when should you shift gears? Car manuals can come good here, but the best way is to feel the engine noise and understand the max engine rpm. These days, most cars are equipped with tachometers, showing the engines rpm with a 1,000 rpm least count. Shifting at every 3,000 rpm is the most economical way. Best is to consult the trainer helping you.
Next, comes the issue of down shifting. This is required, while slowing down. As every gear is designed for a speed range, you cannot stop or start in the top gear. Down shifting is similar to up shifting. First, release the gas, then press the clutch, shift to a lower gear and get back on the gas, while engaging the clutch. You should get back on the gas fast, as down shifting and not touching the gas will slow the car down very fast. This will cause the engine rpm to rise to its rev limit because the engine compression fights the turning of the wheels. But while going down a hill or a slope, this is desirable. Never slow down without using the brakes, as the driver behind you, may not be able to notice your slowing down without the brake lights on.
Next thing that scares a newbie the most, is climbing from a stop on an incline. To conquer this terrain, it is better to start with minimal slope. Parking brake or the hand brake is the key to learn to climb. It will prevent the car from rolling backwards, while you practice. And quickness is needed to start on a hill, to prevent the rollback. Practice releasing the clutch before the rollback starts, until the friction point is reached and then press the car gas and release the clutch further. The idea is to give the car more power to counter the gravity, and you can start without rolling back. As you get better, you can slowly reduce the use of the parking brake until you won't feel the need to use it.
Next thing, you need to incorporate is anticipation. You need anticipate a corner or a tricky situation or a hill and change to the correct gear, before reducing speed or accelerating.
You must have seen newbie drivers, hitching and stalling while learning. This article would help take some pain and embarrassment out of the learning experience. Obviously, no write-up can help and train as a standard trainer can, who doesn't mind you eroding his car's clutch while you learn to drive it.
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