The exhilaration of driving or owning a car for the first is always epic. Driving is an enjoyable experience and euphoric especially for beginners. Your first time of accomplishing a reasonable distance behind the driving wheel alone is a reward of careful learning. If you do not have any idea on how to drive, or what to do when driving, these car driving tips down here will see you through.
Before you get into a car
Before trying to drive or attempting to drive a car, you need to learn some few basic things about the car. The most confusing of these things for many beginners are the pedals. There is the clutch pedal, brake pedal and throttle pedal for manual cars. Automatic cars come only with two pedals, the throttle and the brake pedal. Try to know about how to change gears too. The easiest way to know these things is by observing experienced drivers when they are driving and through asking questions. Do not be shy to ask. There are a lot of nice people out there who will tell just about anything in driving for nothing.
When you get into a car
The first and foremost thing you should do when you get into the car is to stay calm as much as you can. Regulate your breathing to normal and relax your body. Free your mind and try to focus on what is ahead of you, driving. You must trust and believe that you can do this. That confidence is needed. Let me tell you my first experience in driving. I had never driven before but since I had the interest I used to just look at what experience drivers were doing behind the wheel. I gathered enough confidence and told myself I can do this. One day, I got into a car, started it and everything I thought I knew vanished to where I do not know. This was because of the anxiety caused by sitting behind the wheel for the first time. I am sure it must have happened to you too if not expect something similar if you are nervous. You are not to panic in such a situation. Just calm down and take in a deep breath. You can and will do this. Before you start the car, do make sure you have buckled your seatbelt well. That is an easy one to do
Starting the car
Before you turn on the ignition, make sure the car is in neutral gear and the hand brake is up. When you do this, you then switch on the ignition. If you are not sure your car is in neutral gear, step on the clutch pedal which is on the far left completely for manual cars or step on the brake on the left too for automatic cars. This is the defining moment. When you switch on the ignition for the first time, there is always that tendency of getting lost. Do not panic. Take in some deep breaths as mentioned earlier to calm down, then you engage the first gear for manual cars or shift your gear stick to drive for automatic cars. When shifting gear, make sure you maintain your left foot on the left pedal for manual cars or brake for automatic cars. Begin to release slowly and gradually. Now the right foot comes in. you apply a gentle force on the throttle with your right foot while releasing the left foot completely. Maintain a steady and gentle pressure on the throttle until the car is moving smoothly. You can slightly increase the pressure on your right foot to increase the speed o the car. But remember, you are not into any car racing, so easy.
The ride should be very smooth for those who are starting to drive with automatic cars. A lot of beginners especially ladies always find difficulties at this stage when driving a manual car because it has the tendency of just jerking and stopping immediately they start releasing their foot from the clutch pedal or the car seem to go faster than they expected and they just get confuse. Cool down. When the car jerks and stop just after you are releasing your foot from the clutch pedal, it means you released it too fast without applying enough pressure on the throttle pedal to get it going. Just repeat the process calmly. No matter how many times it jerks and stop. Never give up until the starting is smooth.
While driving
If you are at this stage already then CONGRATULATIONS! You are driving already. Do not get excited yet. Remember, this is not a race so you have to go easy and slow. Do not get distracted. Focus on the road and stay as much as possible on your side of the lane. You can accelerate the car or slow down by pressing the throttle or press the clutch to enter the required gear for manual cars or just release or add more pressure on the throttle for automatic cars.
If you are driving a manual car, this is the recommended and standard gear shift change in manual cars. Automatic cars do not need this.
This is the acceleration upshift for manual car
- When you are moving from 0Km/h to 10 km/h, you should be in the first gear.
- Shift into second from 10Km/h to 12km/h.
- 20Km/h to 22Km/h, you should be in third gear
- From 30Km/h to 35Km/h, fourth gear. Do not exceed this level as a beginner to the next gear yet. But if you must do so,
- From 40Km/h to 45Km/h should be the ideal accelerate upshift for you.
Now to bring the car back to the first gear, you just do the reverse,
Keep your eyes to the road and always check on your side mirrors for what is happening behind. Use you indicators properly whenever you want to change direction. Do this a reasonable distance away before you approach the bend or turn. Obey traffic signals and traffic rules to the letter and keep your distance from the cars in front. Do not be distracted by phone calls or whatever, just focus on your driving. And very important is you should not attempt changing gears frequently. Your speed should be maintained depending on the traffic flow.
Stopping the car
To stop the car, you press the clutch and hold it down while releasing the throttle, then place you right foot on the brake pedal for manual cars. For automatic cars, you just need to release you foot from the throttle then apply it on the brake pedal. Park well if you are supposed to park and then shift the gear lever to gear one and switch off the ignition. Apply the hand brakes. Then that is it. You have successfully driven a car and parked your car..