(no subject)

[theducks]

Work was work. Driving lesson was ok, except I should apparently check over my shoulder and check my mirror before indicating, not after :P (in either case, it was before I actually changed lanes :P) Parallel parking sucks. Instructor went "ok, let me show you first" .. and ended up on the kerb. curb? which one is it? hmm.

Riding home was less good. Hit one of the barriers going out of the tunnel under stirling hwy. Ended up with my bike on top of me. Mmm fun. Straightened up handlebars, fixed brakes and front light, and it was ridable home. The front brake is still a little bent, as are the handlebars, but we'll see what I can do about that tomorrow. Got a slightly grazed knee, but nothing permanent :)

Angst Update: Changing the order to check before indicating is going to suck. I'm also worried because I will have only driven the car for 90 minutes total before the test. I'm also worried I'll make the wrong decisions about how to turn around, where to park, etc. Arg angst!

Comments

[tevriel.livejournal.com]

For test, do as they say; after that, indicate before or after you check your blind spot, as suits you (you never know, people might actually let you in) but always before actually moving. Please keep an eye out for motorcycles, you know Liz will be sad if by some fluke you kill me.

Good luck.

[dannipenguin.livejournal.com]

You are meant to check your mirrors and blind spot before you indicate your intention (because your intention to change lanes should be based on the information gathered). You should then change lanes only after checking again that your path is clear.

This means that you should actually check twice. You should at least check your mirrors twice.

You should also check your mirrors before applying the brakes, approaching stop signs, red lights, and any of that (failure to check will incur a penalty, you don't know that the person behind you is about to run up your backside). You should also check both ways across a train line before crossing (failure to do so is a penalty, the gates may not work, a train may be about to hit you).

In the old days, they used to be able to cover up your rear vision mirror and ask you what kind of car is behind you and how far back it is. That is the level of awareness they would like you to have on the road.

Also, you should be able to drive any car you get into almost perfectly within 5 minutes of being behind the wheel. That is what having a licence for all cars of class X means. It's not a licence for Liz's car, or a licence for the instructor's car, it's a license for all cars within those limitations.

Finally, in the end, you're either ready or you're not. Part of driving is making good decisions in split seconds, then there is executing that manuveur. Finally, you require the confidence to complete your action without freezing up in the middle of the street. Amazingly, most P-platers have their cars written off due to the third one. While competent drivers (perhaps not fantastic) and able to choose the correct reaction to a situation (although perhaps not as fast as they would like), hesitation causes them to get cleaned up.

Also, watch out for motorcycles, they really do vanish on the road.

[theducks.livejournal.com]

You are meant to check your mirrors and blind spot before you indicate your intention (because your intention to change lanes should be based on the information gathered). You should then change lanes only after checking again that your path is clear. This means that you should actually check twice. You should at least check your mirrors twice.

See, I would have assumed that the decision to change lanes is based on where you want to go :P I suppose I get it a bit, but it still doesn't seem like it would matter.

You should also check your mirrors before applying the brakes, approaching stop signs, red lights, and any of that (failure to check will incur a penalty, you don't know that the person behind you is about to run up your backside). You should also check both ways across a train line before crossing (failure to do so is a penalty, the gates may not work, a train may be about to hit you).

I've got that bit fine :)

Also, you should be able to drive any car you get into almost perfectly within 5 minutes of being behind the wheel. That is what having a licence for all cars of class X means. It's not a licence for Liz's car, or a licence for the instructor's car, it's a license for all cars within those limitations.

Ok, yes, but keep in mind I just have a learner's permit :P I've done the majority of driving in one car. Being in another car just one other thing to worry about. The instructor's car is good.. it has the same layout of stuff as Liz's does. I'm sure I'll be ok.

Finally, in the end, you're either ready or you're not. Part of driving is making good decisions in split seconds, then there is executing that manuveur. Finally, you require the confidence to complete your action without freezing up in the middle of the street. Amazingly, most P-platers have their cars written off due to the third one. While competent drivers (perhaps not fantastic) and able to choose the correct reaction to a situation (although perhaps not as fast as they would like), hesitation causes them to get cleaned up.

My concerns with the test situation is that I don't know what I'm going to be asked to do until just before I'm asked to do so. They're concerns. I think I'm ready, but I again reserve the right to fret about things in advance, providing it's not too much :)

Also, watch out for motorcycles, they really do vanish on the road.

[tevriel.livejournal.com]

I panicked extensively around the time of my driving tests, and failed the car one twice through sheer nerves.

I also panicked for my motorcycle licence, but passed anyway because the examiner was impressed with how flawlessly I handled the problems caused by my nervous mistakes. *grin*

[tevriel.livejournal.com]

Er, no, the intention to change lanes is based on whether you want to be in a different lane. The indicator tells all the other cars you want to do this, you're not just being all weird and hesitant because you're insane, you're wanting a gap; if you're indicating, people will often make a gap for you, if you're not, they won't becaues they don't know you want one. Accordingly, it can be entirely reasonable to indicate when there's no gap to change into.

The fundamental rule for being a motorcyclist and not dying also applies to cars: it's best to make sure it's clear to everyone else on the road what you're intending to do. If that's "change lanes", don't slow down and sandbag one lane waiting for a gap without indicating; flick on the indicators, see if there's a gap, if there isn't, keep checking until there's a gap to move into; people won't let you in if they don't know you want in, and people *might* tailgate you in irritation if you're being all hesitant and slow in the lane you *are* in.

Indicators are there to signal intention, not that oh, yes, you do actually know you just started drifting across the lanes.

Sensible motorcyclists will strive to remain easily visible to cars, but it's not always possible to be easily visible to all cars and not all motorcyclists are sensible. The knowledge that the rider who is now decorating your bumper in shades of red and torn metal was a total moron who's a deserving contender for a Darwin award will probably not make you feel any better about having played a part in someone's messy death.

By the way, Alex, have fun driving!

[velithya]

hahaha I love how your last two sentences completely contradict each other :3

Hope you're not too traumatized, duck XD

[dannipenguin.livejournal.com]

You are correct in saying that the indicators are to indicate what you intend to do, however, you should not indicate that you are about to drive into someone. This is why you are meant to check first, you are meant to be aware of your surroundings and the road state before you make any decisions. After you make the decision to changes lanes, and thus indicating your intention, you should check again to make sure that the road state has not changed.

Occasionally, when someone isn't giving way to you, indicating may make them give you some room, however I believe it's considered bad mojo in the context of a driving test. I personally try to avoid doing it, because I think it's a little rude, kind of like pushing in.

The best driving advice I was ever given is that everyone else on the road is an incompetent arsehole. While not true (although there certainly are a number of them), assuming everyone around you is a member of that set puts you in a frame of mind suitable for defensive driving. You never assume that they will make the same decision as you; instead, assume they are going to make the worst decision possible at the time.

[velithya]

I always thought you were meant to indicate and then look, even though I look and then indicate. As long as you indicate /before/ you start changing lanes, not during your lane change like most Perth drivers, you'll be fine. But as Davyd says: checking your mirrors lots is never a bad thing - check before and after if you are not sure, they can't penalise you for looking in your mirrors lots. :)

I'm pretty reverse parallel parking isn't in the actual test anymore - at least I didn't have to do it. I did the standard "stopping for shopping" and "forgotten something", and I also had to do a handbrake start on a hill. Just watch out for things that will get you DQd straight away like speeding. Don't worry about accidentally stalling either - I stalled in my test because the driveway I was trying to back out of had really high grass edges and the wheels couldn't go over them properly with the power I was giving the engine. Just stay calm and relaxed and you'll be fine. :up:

[theducks.livejournal.com]

I'mgoingforanautomaticlicensebecauseI'mlazy

[velithya]

OMGYOUHACK

[dannipenguin.livejournal.com]

Lazy is a really crap excuse.

[theducks.livejournal.com]

After 5 years, and at age 26, I really can't be bothered spending any more time to get a manual license. I don't have access to a manual car (no-one in my family has one), and quite frankly, I don't care that I am not getting one. None of my cousins have a manual license, in fact several of my aunts and uncles only have auto licenses too. It is not at all important to me to have a manual license. I have more important things to do with my time and money than learn to drive a manual car.

You are not right 100% of the time. You are wrong sometimes. Just because someone does something different to you does not mean they are crap, or the idea is crap. It's just different. The fact that you have a manual license does not make you better than me, or give you the right to give me a hard time about it. Please consider giving your holier-than-thou attitude a break.

[dannipenguin.livejournal.com]

Dude... I even offered to teach you to drive a manual car. However, I find your defeatist attitude typical. Being a natural defeatist is a much bigger problem than not being able to drive a manual car.

Evidently you do care, because otherwise you otherwise you wouldn't get so defensive about it.

Finally, "I'm lazy" is a really crap excuse, especially when you haven't seem to have given it a serious effort, and have had offers of help. Had you said "I don't want one" that would have been a different matter.

[theducks.livejournal.com]

Your offer was kind, but given when it was made, and when my learner's expires, I wouldn't have been able to make it useful.

Lazy is a fine excuse in my opinion - I get to decide how I spend my time, and in this, I'm not spending it to get a manual license.

[(Anonymous)]

I passed with "mirrors, signal, blind-spot check". I failed the first time - most people seem to.

- David 'Zanchey' Adam

[dannipenguin.livejournal.com]

I didn't ;)