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Preparing for your driving lessons in Stourbridge: the Cockpit drill

Driving for the first time can be a daunting experience, but don’t worry, you’ve come to the right place.

At Homers Driving School we have an excellent first-time pass rate. Our success is down to the best driving instructors in the business, coupled with our unique training methods. These methods include our online learning to drive syllabus which you can use to get ahead of the game and speed up the training process.

You can start preparing for your driving lessons in Stourbridge before your first lesson by familiarising yourself with the driving seat, or ‘cockpit’, of the car. As well as giving you a head start on your tuition, arming yourself with the basics will also give you some idea of what to expect from your first driving lesson, which in turn should help calm those nerves!

Vehicle basics for first time drivers

It can help to get into the front seat of a car before your first driving lesson. Don’t be tempted to start the engine; your driving instructor will do that with you on your first lesson. However, it can be beneficial to familiarise yourself with the feeling of being behind the wheel.

There are some vehicle basics that all drivers need to be aware of before they even think about starting the engine. We call it the ‘Cockpit Drill’.

• Doors – The driver’s door should be shut with the left hand to prevent wind or turbulence from blowing it open. Check all doors are shut by looking in the side mirrors. Some cars have a dashboard light which will indicate if the doors or boot are not shut properly. The interior light should go off after a short time.
• Safety checks (a tug and a wiggle) – Check the handbrake is firmly on to prevent the car from rolling as you and your passengers enter, by giving it a ‘tug’. Check the gear stick is in the neutral position to prevent the car from jumping when the engine is started by giving it a ‘wiggle’.
• Seatbelt – Most learner drivers will have used a seatbelt before. You’ll just need to remember to make sure it has clicked firmly into the lock position and that there are no twists in it as this could cause further injury in the event of a collision. Check the seatbelt for comfort; the shoulder fixing point can usually be adjusted if it is cutting into you.
• Seat – Your seat should be set so that you can fully depress the clutch pedal and have a slight bend in your knee. The back rest needs to be positioned to allow you to easily access the steering wheel without stretching or feeling too close. The head rest needs to be set correctly in order to reduce whiplash injuries in the event of a rear-end collision. Your driving instructor will help adjust the seat for you on first lesson.
• Mirrors – You have three mirrors to set and use in the car. The interior rear-view mirror gives you a true vision of the distance, position and speed of following traffic. This will be set as a picture frame of the back window for maximum vision.

The two external door mirrors give a distorted view as the glass is convex and makes the image appear further away than it is. They should be set so the external door handle of the car is at the bottom of the inner corner of the mirror and the horizon appears central.

There are also many blind spots around the vehicle (well over 30 on most cars). These are areas not covered by checking the mirrors or by normal eye movement; you will have to physically move your head to see in them.

You can find useful information about all aspects of learning to drive in our online syllabus.

Homers offers some great deals for new drivers. Feel free to get in touch for more information on driving lessons Stourbridge and to get started on your journey to becoming a safe, confident and qualified driver.

 

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Preparing for your driving lessons in Wolverhampton: Vehicle controls

If you’re learning to drive in Wolverhampton and are nervous about your first driving lesson, it can help to know what to expect.

A good way to begin is to familiarise yourself with the driving seat of a car and the basics you need to be aware of before even starting the engine.

We covered some of the initial safety checks in our previous blog on the ‘Cockpit Drill’, and here we will go over some of the main vehicle controls.

Taking time to sit behind the wheel and locate and learn about the main vehicle controls in advance of your driving lessons in Wolverhampton (don’t be tempted to start the engine!) will help you to feel less overwhelmed on the day. Don’t worry though because either way our highly qualified driving instructors are experts when it comes to putting you at ease and helping you to feel comfortable and relaxed at the wheel.

Vehicle basics for first time drivers

There are many levers, buttons and switches inside even the most basic car and they can look very daunting at first. You will be introduced to all the main vehicle controls – those you will need to actually drive the car – during your first driving lesson.

There are various ancillary controls that will also be pointed out to you, although you won’t need to use them all on your first lesson. However, as your driving lessons progress, you will need to gain a good understanding of all the vehicle controls and what they do, as you may need them in your practical driving test – and, more importantly, in real life.

By using the information in this blog, and on our online learning to drive syllabus, you can swot up on the vehicle controls, speed up the learning process and, in theory, pass your test faster and cheaper.

Main vehicle controls

Foot controls

• Gas pedal – This controls the flow of fuel to the engine and sets the engine speed, which can be checked on the rev counter. It is used with your right foot; your heal should be on the carpet as a pivot point in between the brake and the gas as the same foot controls both pedals. This is the same for automatic cars. Use the pedal in a smooth and progressive manner, adjusting it the thickness of a one pound coin at a time.

 

• Brake pedal – Using your right foot, this pedal controls the brakes on all four wheels. It controls how fast you can slow the car to a stop and should also be used both in a smooth and progressive manner, adjusting it the thickness of a one pound coin at a time.
• Clutch pedal – The clutch is not a brake. It is used with your left foot and is all the left foot operates. The clutch is used to connect or disconnect the engine power from the wheel via the gearbox. It has the three positions of clutch down, biting point and clutch up.

Hand controls

• Parking brake (handbrake) – Unlike the foot brake on most cars, this only works on the rear wheels. It has two positions; on and off. It is for stationary use only to secure the vehicle. If it is applied when the car is moving, it can lock the back wheels and cause the car to skid out of control. To release the handbrake, lift slightly, press the button and place down. To apply the handbrake, press the button, lift until firm and then release the button.
• Gear stick – Most cars have five or six forward gears and a reverse gear. Forward gears should be changed up at between 2 & 3 thousand revs on the rev counter to gain minimum fuel use and maximum vehicle control.
• Steering wheel – Despite commonly held beliefs, you can hold the steering wheel wherever you want provided your arms are not resting on your legs, armrest or door. The optimal position though is either at a 10 to 2 or quarter to three position on a clock face.
• Indicator signal – There are six external indicators on modern cars; two on the front, two on the side and two on the rear. They are controlled by the indicator stick on the steering column. To apply the indicator, you simply move it in the direction you intend to turn the wheel. It will almost always cancel itself after the manoeuvre, otherwise you need to cancel it manually by gently pushing it back in the opposite direction.
• Window wipers – These are operated the same way as the indicators using a stick on the steering column. It’s very important to locate and learn how to use these before you drive for the first time in case you find yourself in a sudden downpour. Your driving instructor will teach you how to use these as part of your first driving lesson.

More information about vehicle controls is available on our online syllabus, together with useful training sheets on all aspects of learning to drive.

If you’re learning to drive in Wolverhampton, Homers Driving School has a proven track record of helping students pass faster and pass cheaper.

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Practice Your Driving Theory by Learning to Drive in Stourbridge

It can be daunting to consider how much you need to learn to pass your practical driving test and your theory test in order to become a fully licensed driver, however when you have the right support, you too can join the thousands of people that pass these tests each year.

One way that you can gain extra confidence to pass your theory test is by choosing a local Stourbridge driving instructor, through Homers Driving School, who will help you put into practice your knowledge as you learn to drive in Stourbridge.

Theory Test Support from Expert Instructors

Before the separate theory test was introduced in the UK, driving test examiners would ask a series of questions based on the highway code during a practical driving test, however since 1996, a separately taken driving theory test was introduced to reaffirm a person’s knowledge of driving law, rules and traffic signs.

The theory test, which is an on-screen multiple choice and a hazard perception test must be passed before you can book your practical driving test – so there’s even more reason to use your time learning to drive in Stourbridge by going over driving theory and the highway code.

Homers Driving School Instructors can support you to ace your theory test by helping you learn and apply driving theory knowledge as you learn to drive in Stourbridge.

So, as you drive down the Hagley Road, you could be asked how you would deal with the yellow criss-cross box junctions. Your theory knowledge would then help you to demonstrate this by only entering the box junction if your exit road is clear.

You can also learn to identify a variety of road signs, from give way signs to national speed limit signs, and explain what these mean as you learn to drive in Stourbridge and around the local roads.

Confidence in Passing your Driving Tests

The theory test pass rate at local test centres near Stourbridge, in Dudley and Wolverhampton is around 47%, but with Homers Driving School you can gain the confidence to be part of that pass percentage and save yourself time, hassle and money in needing to retake the test.

With the fantastic support you’ll receive during your time learning to drive in Stourbridge, you can gain and apply driving theory knowledge, not only to support you in passing your theory test, but also preparing you to become a safe driver for life.

With the useful theory practice tests that are available, together with support from Homers Driving School in Stourbridge – you can be sure to gain a great result from your driving theory test.

To learn more about the fantastic offers for learning to drive in Stourbridge – visit our driving lesson prices page or contact us free on 0800 612 4897.

 

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Show Me, Tell Me Answers for your Wolverhampton Driving Lessons

When you first start to learn to drive in Wolverhampton, your main focus is on how to operate the vehicle properly and safely manoeuvre through your local towns, perhaps through Willenhall, Codsall or Bilston.

However, in the back of your mind, you know that to become an independent driver it’s not just learning to drive in Wolverhampton safely that’s important, but also learning and understanding driving theory and the highway code.

That’s why our students are delighted to discover that Homers Driving School provides additional support and advice to passing your theory test when you learn to drive in Wolverhampton with them.

Theory Support and Learning to Drive in Wolverhampton

Our experienced and friendly advanced driving instructors are all trained to support you to learn the driving knowledge which will prepare you for both your theory and practical tests.

For example, when you start to learn to drive in Wolverhampton with Homers, our instructors will teach you how to answer the Show me / Tell me questions which will be asked at the start of your driving test.

So when the driving test examiner asks you to open the bonnet of the car and tell them how you would check if the engine has sufficient oil, you won’t have to panic.

Homers Driving School Instructors will have prepared you to expertly open the car bonnet, identify the oil level indicator (dipstick) and then explain how you would;

• remove the dipstick
• wipe it with a cloth
• replace the dipstick fully
• remove again to check the oil level against the markers
• decide if the car requires a top up and where this would be added

You would also know that this process is best carried out when the vehicle has stood on level ground for more than 30 minutes.

This ‘tell me’ type question will likely be followed by a ‘show me’ question such as ‘how would you check the brake lights are working on the car’.

For these types of questions, each time you learn to drive in Wolverhampton, your instructor will set aside time to demonstrate how this could be done to prepare you. In this case, you could show how you would check the brake with the engine off, by operating the brake pedal, but making use of any reflective areas such as windows, garage doors or other cars to see if both lights are operating correctly.

If there are no objects for the brake lights to shine on, you can also ask someone to look whilst you press the brake pedal.

Choosing Homers for a Confident Pass   

When you learn to drive in Wolverhampton with Homers Driving School, you can be confident that not only will you receive clear and helpful driving lessons around Wolverhampton, Willenhall and local areas, but you will also receive expert guidance for your theory tests and your show me / tell me questions within your practical test.

So for the best opportunities to pass your driving tests, you know you’ve made a great decision when you choose Homers Driving School to learn to drive in Wolverhampton.

To learn more about show me / tell me driving test questions you can visit this link or to start learning to drive in Wolverhampton, book your affordable lessons here