Oct 21, 2005 04:26 PM
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(Updated Oct 21, 2005 06:22 PM)
I wrote part I earlier. Here is part II
[E] Turning and reversing
(a) When you take a turn in the forward direction( e.g. to go back to the direction you came from), you need to take your vehicle to the edge of the road. Bring the car to a stop with the engine running and shift to first gear. Your right foot should be on the brake all this while.Rotate the steering wheel to the maximum extent possible in the direction you want to turn. Look back to see that no vehicles are coming from behind. Also see that no vehicles are coming from the front. Now leave the brake while keeping the clutch partially pressed. Your car will start to turn. For slowly taking a turn you need not press the accelerator. If you are more comfortable to take turn at a faster speed, press the accelerator gently and make half a circle. As you are completing half a circle and coming towards the desired direction, start rotating the steering in the reverse direction so that the car stays on road and does not rotate more than is required. You can then proceed ahead putting the car into the higher gears as required.
(b) Reversing is easily the most difficult manoeuver for most novices. There is no substitute for practice in this matter. You need to learn how to look back through the mirrors as well as by turning your neck behind. Keep in mind the fact that you cannot see children, small animals and short objects positioned behind the car even if you look keenly. So you need to be extra careful while backing. You need to practice reversing in a straight line, first in slow speed and later at a higher speed. Slow speed reversing can be performed by keeping your left leg on the partially pressed clutch and your right leg on the partially pressed brake( accelerator is not needed). For higher speed, leave the brake and press the accelerator gently. While backing, keep an eye on the sides as well, especially the side farther from you. You do not want a side on collision while seeking to avoid rear collision.
(c) You thought that reversing was difficult! Wait till you are asked to turn while reversing. This is the ultimate test for a novice. One knows which way the front portion of the car turns during forward motion( it follows the rotation of the steering wheel e.g. if the steering wheel is rotated clockwise from left to right, the car turns from left to right.) During reversing if you move the steering wheel in one direction, the rear of the car moves the other way(if the steering wheel is rotated clockwise, the rear of the car moves anticlockwise when seen from the driver's position). Commit this information to memory and make it second nature to you. Practice this exercise many a times for several days.Do not forget to straighten the wheels by rotating the steering wheel the other way once the desired turning has been achieved.
(d)Most cars, except the lowest end cars, have power steering these days. A car with power steering will enable much better turning performance than a car without power steering.
[F] Stopping and Starting on incline and decline
(a)When an object is on incline( surface going uphill) or on decline( surface going downhill), earth's gravity is getting applied on the object which would take the object downhill if proper care is not taken in keeping the object stationary. In case of nearly one ton of metal that a car represents, if a car is not stopped properly on an incline or decline, it will roll down, pick speed and hit things in the rear and sideways.The consequences would be too ghastly to imagine.Hence be very very careful when you have to stop on a road which is on a gradient.
(b) Stop the car on the gradient with the help of brake pedal and keep the brake pedal pressed. If you have to stop there for some time( say you have to park there) then apply the hand brake( i.e. pull the hand brake up). Stop the engine. If the car is on incline( up gradient), move the gear to first . If it is on decline( falling gradient), move the gear to the reverse position.
(c) Starting when the car is on a decline . Start the car. Keep your left foot on the clutch and the right foot on the brake- both fully pressed.Shift the gear to first and release the clutch gradually. Release the brake pedal gradually. As the car moves, release the hand brake.
(d) Starting when the car is on an incline. Be very very careful here. Any mistake and the car will move in the reverse direction( due to gradient)even when your gear is set for forward movement. Your left foot should press the clutch fully and your right foot should press the brake fully. Start the car, move the gear to first and release the clutch gradually to a stage where you could hear the engine vibrating. This position, called half clutch position by driving schools will ensure that the car does not roll back when the brake is released.Now release the brake pedal and press the accelerator. After your car starts moving up, release the hand brake.
[G] Night driving
(a) Familiarise yourself with the controls for illumination. There is one position that gives you low beam of illumination, another gives you high beam of illumination. Most drivers in India seem to be aware only of high beam. High beam gives illumination to a longer range but the driver coming from the other direction cannot see anything because of it. So it is good etiquette to switch on to low beam when vehicles are coming from the other direction.If you want to signal to the other driver coming from the opposite direction to show low beam- you give the signal by changing your own beam from one position to the other and finally to the low beam. The other driver, if he has the etiquette( and also if he is properly trained in driving) will acknowledge your request and bring his headlamp illumination to low beam position. You can switch on to the high beam again if there is empty road ahead of you.In city driving, it is a good practice to use low beam only.
(b) If your car has fog lamp at the front( those small lamps below the headlamps) then switch them on. The illumination ahead improves dramatically. Now you can clearly see all the potholes, speed breakers and other defects in the road which were earlier not clearly visible. If you are required to do a lot of night driving, then your car must have fog lamps fitted in front. It is well worth the investment.
[H] Overtaking
(a) This is an advanced technique which should be tried only after you have gained proficiency in the above mentioned skills. It is mostly useful for highway driving. Inform the driver ahead of you through horn or dipper( at night) that you wish to overtake him. The driver ahead will give you the signal to overtake him.
(b)While overtaking, make sure that you do not come too close to the other vehicle. Also make sure that your vehicle passes at a sufficiently high speed to overtake the other vehicle. Keep an eye on the road ahead to make sure that no vehicle is advancing towards you from the other direction and that the road condition is suitable for overtaking. In your anxiety to overtake, do not take undue risks on sharp curves or steep gradients. Wait till the coast is clear and then make your move.
[I] Rainy season driving
(a)With water on the road, the braking distances increase considerably. What is worse, the tyres may skid on braking when you apply brakes at high speed and even at moderate speed on wet roads. Skidding means you lose control on your car which is a sure shot recipe to disaster. So the moral is, drive slower and more cautiously in rainy season than you would in dry season.
