I've been riding bikes for just over 7 years. Recently been learning how to drive a car which I already knew how to drive a car from driving in private car parks etc but never driven on the road until now. My dad's been teaching me but I'm struggling with figuring out the width of the car a we live around streets filled with cars parked either side. He keeps telling me I'm too close to the parked cars when on coming traffic approaches and I move over to get past but I'm judging that I'm not far enough over and it's p*ssing me off. Any advice on how to better judge the width of the car or is this just something you get better at the more you practice?
Doesn't help that it's a 1.6 ford focus which is a fairly big car for what it is. Also my dad isn't the best teacher. I obviously know how to use the road and plan ahead etc from riding bikes so this evening I was approaching a left turn slip road type thing and is a give way at the end but a bit up the road is a roundabout (hard to explain through text). But I had already looked to see it was clear for me to go prior to turning left so I carried on and then he tells me not to push my luck so I end up double checking thinking I missed something and then end up going wide which he also nags at me for fgs.
Just starting to think I should stick to bikes but then has only been my 3rd time on the road and in those 3 times I haven't driven far.
Your problem is your positioning the car as if your on the bike .
Give it more practice and try to remember your not on your bike.
I was the same I'd had bikes for years before I learned to drive after my first lesson I said for a small car a Vauxhall nova it was massive .
Stick with it you'll be fine .
:cheers:
yeah probably am subconsciously thinking I'm on a bike and not realizing it. Just seems like I'm too far over to the right but according to my dad I'm too close to parked cars on the left :frustrated:
Also seem to have a problem with steering which seems odd but I either under-steer or over-steer mainly don't turn the wheel fast enough or return it to straight quick enough, guessing this is also something you get better at with practice or am I just being dumb lol?
First problem is a family member teaching you :onya:
My father only gave me one lesson on a car.
Then I went my own way and did biking.
Couple years later missus got pregnant and needed a car licence so practiced on a car we had there.
Easier to learn from an instructor(yes it costs money,but yas won't be heading the head of each other!)
I actually found the biking does help alot with driving a car.
Get proper lessons from a professional driving instructor
Might cost s bit but you'll be a quick learner they say bikers have to best observational skills and are quick learners .
Good luck
:cheers:
Ditch your Dad - I am a Dad and taught my daughter - it's a Dad thing - his car I guess? :)
If you have only been out three times then you are probably doing well, more practice is all that will be needed along with some lessons with a driving instructor. I taught both of my lads to drive and although the basic principle of driving remains the same I taught them as I was taught some 20+ years earlier and there were several things that they like to see done differently now
Oh and don't forget us Dad's are perfect drivers, so no matter how good the learner is WE WILL FIND FAULT :lol: :lol:
Cheers & good luck
Pete
Yeah shall get an instructor at some point lol. My brother would go out with dad and also have an instructor. I really only want him with me because it's the law lol can't drive by yourself. Shame there isn't a CBT for cars I had a load of experience on my little CBF 125 by the time I had come to do my A2 licence and then even more experience on my bandit 600 before doing my A cat licence to ride the GSX. Won't get anywhere near that much experience in driving a car before I do test unless I leave it a few years and just continue to drive with a person over the age of 21 who's owned a licence for at least 3 years lol.
It's my mum's car she only got it Wednesday but she decided to put me and my brother on the insurance though my brother for some reason doesn't like it and prefers to drive his 2004 1.2 liter corsa :whatever:
Hadn't really be interested in driving. When I turned 17 my dad gave me option of car or bike and I had been wanting to drive a car ever since I was young but dad had got a motorcycle again a year prior to me turning 17 and figured as insurance would be cheaper and didn't have any need to carry a lot of stuff etc I'd just get a bike. Been on bikes ever since and car hasn't appealed to me. Even now driving a 1.6 liter car doesn't spark the same thrill as even a 125cc bike let alone a GSX1400 lol. Guess I just gotta remember I was once crap at riding a motorcycle with jerky gear changes etc lol. Actually we have a path in the garden that steps down and dad got me to try ride up the step on my CBF to practice clutch control. Ended up popping clutch with too much throttle and front end went near on vertical lol managed to not drop it though and got up the step non the less :lol: And now here I am riding a GSX1400.
My advice would be to continually check your mirrors to help judge if you're too close to something.
I've seen small aerial type things that get mounted on the front left corner (and rear), they give a new driver an aid as to where the front left corner is & whether you're going to hit something.
Practice is they key to becoming better at anything. Can you recall learning to ride your bike? Think about how much you've progressed since that time & all the things you now do automatically that you didn't even consider back then. Think about how better a rider you are now than you were after 3 goes. Same with driving, keep at it.
To help get used to width & other aspects of a car, see if you can get an old clunker (cheap), take it out to a river bed or open ground somewhere, set up some cones & practice away. No damage if you hit a cone & it's an old clunker, so doesn't matter if you hit a tree or the like.
Going to a driving school is a good idea, but, get the basic handling first, know how to use your mirrors, can reverse properly & can parallel park. Whilst they will tech you these things, it all cost more money, so if you're already familiar with doing these things, it'll cost you less.
The best thing about driving schools is you go for your test in their car, the cop knows you've come through a driving school as opposed to being taught by "dad" who may or may not be a good example.
Good luck! :onya: :cheers:
Sometimes a driving instructor takes the pressure off as there's not the whole dad/son dynamic. Maybe a few of those to build your basic skills and confidence then Dad can kick in again.
Quote from: mikesaa309 on Saturday, 06 April 2019, 05:59 AM
yeah probably am subconsciously thinking I'm on a bike and not realizing it.
Here's a tip. Don't try to lane filter in a car :rofl2:
I am glad that when I learned to drive a car that it was no requirement for "accompanied" driving. It would have driven me nuts to have my dad teach me. He is an excellent professional driver, even taught bus drivers, but him teaching me - no way! Just the dad/son thing :frustrated: With the paid-for instructor it was easy going and relaxed.
Myself, I would never attempt to teach anyone to drive as I am too concerned I would suffer a heart attack or a stroke :facepalm: