What a novice driver needs to know about a car

How to learn to drive a car from scratch

In this article we’ll talk about how to learn to drive a car from scratch: what you need to do for this, what you shouldn’t do and what skills you need to have.

Content

How to quickly learn to drive a car

The main thing in the learning process is not to be afraid of the car, to understand the basic principles of driving, to feel the dimensions and power of the driving force.

It's always worth starting small - don't rush to set the bar high. Try the following exercises with the engine off. This will help you perform actions while driving without looking at your feet and without being distracted from the process of driving:

Switch speeds. Understand in what position this or that gear is fixed.
Practice the process of turning on the turn. The right turn is activated by moving up, the left - by moving down. It will be easier to remember if you understand the movement of the steering wheel. When it rotates, the finger of the left hand seems to set the correct direction.
Rotate the steering wheel while gripping the wheel with both hands. Feel the boundaries of the extreme left and extreme right steering positions.

Practice these exercises for a couple of days and you will be ready to drive. Even if you worry, your arms and legs will act automatically. You will feel in control of the situation.

Confidence that you are in control of the car is the most important thing in mastering driving skills.

How to learn to drive a manual car

Most drivers are trained in manual transmission vehicles. This is what is called a classic of the genre, because:

Manual transmission is the most complex. When acquiring the skills to drive a manual vehicle, it is easier for the driver to switch to alternative transmissions.
Driving a car with a manual transmission allows the driver to be more focused behind the wheel, which subsequently makes him more attentive and focused on the roads.
A manual transmission allows you to pick up and decelerate faster, which makes it possible to better feel and control the car.

The best way to learn to drive is to trust an experienced instructor. Listen carefully and try to follow the specialist’s recommendations as accurately as possible.

What is important to understand when you get behind the wheel of a manual car?

on the left - clutch;
in the middle - brake;
on the right is gas.

The most basic pedal is the clutch. Using it, you can set the car in motion. To do this you need:

press the clutch pedal;
remove the car from the handbrake (it is on the right);
engage neutral gear (on a stationary vehicle, the lever is already in the desired position);
slowly release the clutch.

The car will roll. In order to continue moving, you must:

press the clutch all the way;
engage first gear (move the lever to the left and away from you);
smoothly squeezing the gas pedal, slowly release the clutch (the main thing is not to be afraid of the sounds that appear and not to drop the clutch, slowly adding gas).

After a couple of attempts, you will perform these actions automatically. At first it won't turn out perfect. You might go deaf. Don't panic, just try again.

How to change gears on a manual transmission

To go faster, you need to gradually increase the speed by changing gears.

To accelerate the car, you need to press the clutch pedal and smoothly release the gas. At the same moment, engage the next gear and increase the gas.

When it's time to change gears:

1st gear - up to 20 km/h;
2nd gear - 20-40 km/h;
3rd gear - 40-60 km/h;
4th gear - 60-90 km/h;
5th gear - 90 km/h or more.

Nikita Orlov, auto expert:

“It is better to learn driving on an old and, oddly enough, faulty car. When I was learning to drive, the driving schools only had Zhiguli cars of varying degrees of serviceability, without power steering, air conditioning and other joys of modern technology.

Once you learn to drive a bad car, you will feel confident driving almost any car. Learn to drive a manual transmission and, when you switch to a car with an automatic transmission, you will feel both self-confidence and additional comfort.

If you already know what make and model of car you will buy after receiving your driver's license, it makes sense to look for an instructor for just such a car. Then, when you get behind the wheel of your own car, you will hardly feel the difference. In any case, only perseverance and daily practice will make you a real driver.”

How to learn to drive an automatic car

With an automatic transmission, driving becomes automatic. There are many advantages:

You don’t have to be afraid of “kickbacks” when a car rolls backwards on a hill.
You don’t have to use the handbrake on hills or when stopping: the system locks the wheels itself.
There are only two pedals under your feet. Essentially, you control with one leg. You can forget about the process of squeezing the clutch, learning which causes problems and fears for most.
You don't have to listen to the engine to change gears in time.
In winter, there is no need to prepare for the maneuver in advance, as is done in mechanics.

All that is required of a driver driving a car with an automatic transmission is knowledge of traffic rules.

On an automatic, the gear selector looks slightly different than on a manual transmission. There are three programs:

P - parking. The same handbrake. Having pressed the brake pedal, you have stopped completely and realize that you will not move for the next couple of minutes. You can put the shift lever in park mode and release the brake pedal, thereby immobilizing the car.
R - reverse speed. Everything here is simple and clear. Squeeze the brake pedal all the way, move the lever to position R, release the brake pedal, and the car will roll back.
N - neutral speed. This transmission is used quite rarely. It is needed when driving in difficult areas, when you need to get out of a deep hole.

Learning to drive a car with an automatic transmission is much easier than with a manual one. But if you learn to drive a car with an automatic transmission, you won’t be able to drive a manual one.

This is because the car does too much for you. This is especially noticeable in new generation cars with various cruise control systems, when you do not need to press the gas pedal.

Get into the car, press the brake pedal, release it - the engine is started. And now the car begins to move smoothly without unnecessary vibrations and slipping. We sat down and drove off.

The automatic transmission is designed to make life easier for the motorist. For example, it is very convenient in city traffic, when you have to change lanes a lot, also changing gears. Or, on the contrary, stand in a traffic jam, periodically rolling up 3-4 meters.

But if you want to become a universal driver, you should start learning with a manual transmission. And when you drive it like an automatic, then you can switch to an automatic.

How to learn to feel the dimensions of a car

For beginners, unlike experienced drivers, it is always difficult to navigate in space and feel where the car ends. This is why you need training at the race track.

The more experience, the better you will feel the dimensions. But first, let's give some tips to make the process go faster:

On the road you should not look under the wheels of your car. Don't try to see the asphalt in front of them. The gaze is directed only forward.
When driving backwards, it is important to understand how the wheels move and where the bumper ends. To do this, they usually focus on the rear brush, if there is one.
Before changing lanes in traffic, show the turn and look in the mirror. When the neighboring car is completely behind you, feel free to change lanes.

10 bad tips for a novice driver

1. You don’t have to study - you have to buy a driver’s license

In principle, this is not a misconception - not so long ago, corruption flourished in the traffic police at such a level that they would not even bring a driver’s license to your home for money. Although this also happened.

There are still many advertisements on the Internet about services for selling driver's licenses. But these are overwhelmingly low-grade fakes, and any traffic police inspector can spot a fake. And then inevitable punishment will follow, and criminal punishment at that.

2. Choosing a driving school is not important

Experienced drivers very often advise those who are just getting ready to get behind the wheel to choose a driving school based on price and convenient location. They say that any driving school will issue a card with which you can take exams at the traffic police.

Firstly, there are still “driving schools” on the market that have not passed all the necessary checks, and their licenses have expired. The traffic police simply will not allow a person who has been trained in such an institution to take the exams. Secondly, not all driving schools teach the same way. Most only prepare for the traffic police exams, but there are educational institutions where the student actually graduates as a driver, and not as a person trained to pass the exam.

So it’s best to talk to those who have recently graduated from a driving school, read reviews on the Internet and make a smart choice. Which will most likely make you pay a little more.

3. Working out is optional

Another common opinion: the main thing is not to skip lectures, and studying at a driving school is not at all necessary. After all, the money has been paid, which means the educational institution is obliged to ensure that the student passes exams in the traffic police.

But before the exam at the traffic police there is an internal one, at the driving school itself. And if you don’t study properly, it’s easy to fail. This means you will have to pay extra money for a retake. At lectures, in addition to the knowledge without which one cannot pass the exam, students are often told about little tricks, techniques and skills that are not included in the “mandatory program”. And such knowledge is very valuable for a beginner.

4. The first car should be “on the handle”

The first car should be chosen, first of all, based on budget and common sense. If you have money for a new car, then why buy a used one, which may also have a murky history? Why do you need a mechanic if you are going to drive a two-pedal car all your life? And finally, you definitely shouldn’t take an old Lada or a foreign car your grandmother’s age. We would recommend taking a new or used car that is less than three years old, simple and relatively reliable. Fortunately, there are still some of these on the market.

5. Your first trip should be in traffic.

Many drivers with extensive experience advise leaving immediately during the worst traffic jams. Because you can immediately gain a lot of new knowledge and skills. But imagine: you just got behind the wheel of a car and found yourself in dense, illogical and often not following the rules of traffic on the road. Take care of your own and other people’s nerve cells: you should start on open roads, for example on a day off. And only when all actions are postponed in the subcortex, it is worth gradually driving out onto roads congested with transport. This way you will save yourself and create a minimum of interference for others.

6. You need to get serviced when you decide

Many people, especially those who lived in the days when cars were serviced and repaired by the owners themselves, tell newcomers that scheduled car maintenance is a marketing conspiracy. They say that both oil and filters can last much longer than the service intervals declared by the manufacturer. The same Zhiguli or old “Americans” are given as examples.

But in fact, especially in conditions of constant travel around the city and traffic jams, service intervals should even be reduced from those required by the manufacturer. This is due to increased loads on the engine, so the lifespan of consumables only decreases.

7. No need to warm up the car

But here there are just a lot of advisers who have read the instructions for cars and haven’t found the point about the need to warm up the car. They say that you can drive immediately after turning the key in the ignition.

Indeed, traffic regulations prohibit parking cars with the engine running in courtyards. But the very concept of parking implies stopping a vehicle for more than five minutes. In addition, in the cold season, every engine start is a blow to its resource. In addition, you need to defrost the windows and wipers.

8. The parking brake must be set

Experienced people say that the parking brake must be applied every time you park your car. This is easily explained: older cars have low braking system efficiency, so drivers try to play it safe.

If the car is in normal technical condition, then it is necessary to use the parking brake in cases where the car is parked on a slope. In all other cases, it is enough to have the gear engaged or the automatic selector switched to mode P.

9. Traffic rules are for fools

You need to drive, observing all points of the Road Traffic Rules, even if some seem ridiculous. In addition to the banal “traffic regulations are written in blood,” I would like to remind you that there are more and more cameras on the roads. And they record more and more violations.

10. The traffic police deals only with “divorces”

The newcomer hears from all sides that all traffic cops are bribe-takers and a “scam” from them will be waiting for you at every corner. And I’m really mentally prepared for the fact that the traffic police inspector will definitely turn out to be an extortionist.

In fact, the State Traffic Inspectorate has seriously tightened the screws. Grassroots corruption, of course, has not been completely defeated, but it is episodic in nature. Think about it for yourself - if you did not violate anything (see the previous paragraph), then how will the inspector manage to receive a bribe?

"Dummies" zone. Tips for novice drivers

Remember your first day at driving school? Clumsy attempts to start on an overpass and not stall, to drive into a pocket and not knock over cones... While you are studying, it seems that the most difficult thing is to pass the exam at the traffic police. But having received the coveted driver’s license and driving into the city on your own for the first time, you understand: the difficulties are just beginning.

Every year, more than a million novice drivers set out on Russian roads. For those who are taking their first steps into the automotive world, we have collected useful tips from more experienced comrades with steering wheels and pedals.

Do's and Don'ts for novice drivers

Let's start with the legal nuances: for drivers with little experience on the roads there are special requirements and restrictions. And we’re not talking about an increase in the cost of insurance by 70–80% - you will learn about increasing coefficients when you first sign up for an MTPL policy. There are surprises for beginners in the Road Traffic Rules themselves.

Beginner driver sign

“The Teapot should be visible from afar,” the legislators reasoned, obliging all drivers with less than 2 years of experience to place a special sticker on their car. And this is by no means the letter “U” in the triangle, known from the training cars of driving schools and the song “Splina”. Beginners must mark their personal transport with the “Beginner Driver” sign - a yellow square 15x15 cm with a black exclamation point in the middle. The fine for not being in the car is 500 rubles.

Such obligatory “labeling” should not be considered offensive or shameful. The sticker works in the interests of the most novice driver: those around him become more lenient towards his inept actions on the road, which means there will be fewer irritated horn signals in the back.

Towing

A combination of two cars looks impressive (professionalism, mutual assistance on the road and other beautiful associations), but do not rush to get the cable if you see a broken car. According to the traffic rules, those with less than 2 years of driving experience cannot tow a car, since this requires certain skills and experience. So, with little experience, you won’t be able to help out a friend left without gasoline by dragging his car to a gas station. However, there is an easier way: take a canister and bring fuel from a gas station.

But a novice driver can drive a towed car quite legally. Which is a little strange, because it's a lot more difficult than towing someone. But proper towing technique is a topic for another article.

Transportation of people

Many people take the exam in several categories at once: passenger “B” is often combined with truck “C” or motorcycle “A”. The latter, for beginners, has a restriction on transporting people: you cannot put a passenger on a motorcycle without two years of experience driving two-wheeled vehicles. This also applies to mopeds, although 2 years of experience in any driving category is suitable for them.

Safe driving: 5 tips for beginners

Driving schools often teach how to pass a test, not how to drive. Driving in busy traffic has little in common with cutting laps around a race track or a pre-known exam route. Once you find yourself in real traffic after hothouse conditions, it’s easy to get confused. Here are 5 tips to make your life easier:

1. Call a friend for help . Ask an experienced driver you know to travel with you as a passenger, pay attention to mistakes and give advice from the outside. In many countries, this is a mandatory condition for new drivers: in the first months you can only drive with an assistant. In Russia there is no such requirement, but this is a reasonable practice that is worth adopting. The main thing is to take as a travel companion the most phlegmatic friend who will not react emotionally to your mistakes. A good driver and a good teacher are different roles.

2. Avoid traffic jams . Driving in heavy traffic at low speed only seems harmless. In fact, it greatly exhausts drivers and often leads to minor but annoying accidents. While you have little experience, plan your route and departure time so as to move on open roads. Yandex service. Traffic jams will help you.

3. Forget about the smartphone . While driving, a cell phone is no less dangerous than alcohol: if you are distracted for just a couple of seconds, you can completely “fall out” of the traffic situation. By the way, traffic rules prohibit the driver from talking on the phone, but from using it - including writing messages, scrolling through social networks and taking photographs (selfies while driving will have to be taken in the parking lot). You can talk on the phone while driving, but only using the wireless hands free system.

Modern smartphones have a “Do Not Disturb” function that is automatically activated when driving - set it up and use it so that calls and notifications do not distract you from driving.

4. Always obey traffic rules. Classes in every driving school begin with the words that the Rules are written in blood. And this is not just a boring cliche. An average of 45 people die on Russian roads every day; Neglect of traffic rules is one of the reasons for this.

Do not speed, do not try to jump through a yellow traffic light, do not make dangerous overtaking or U-turns in areas with poor visibility. You may end up as a black crow in the stream, but you are a whole white crow, safely reaching your nest.

5. Study theory. Don’t listen to fairy tales that you can only learn to drive through practice—long experience is far from synonymous with good driving skills. The basis of confident control of a machine is an understanding of its operation, the forces acting on it and taking into account external factors. Any extreme driving lesson begins with theory, and only then is it practiced. Be interested in, collect and analyze information - this will significantly speed up your driving progress.

Useful articles:

Materiel. Car device

The times when a car owner was also a mechanic are long gone. Today, many drivers can safely be called operators: they have a vague idea of the operation of the car. But it is necessary to know, at least in general terms, how things work in a car. You can compare this with knowledge about your own body: you don’t have to be a doctor, but knowing basic things about the role of internal organs is very useful.

Get into the habit of briefly inspecting your car before leaving. Moreover, this is directly prescribed by the traffic rules:

2.3. The driver of the vehicle is obliged to:

2.3.1. Before leaving, check and ensure that the vehicle is in good technical condition on the way.

Pay attention to the condition of the wheels and tire pressure - learn how to measure and adjust it correctly. Carefully monitor the engine oil level and the condition of the brake system. All this relates to routine checks of the car, and not to service maintenance, and should be carried out by the driver in order to notice the malfunction in time.

It’s better to be prepared for minor independent repairs, this will make life much easier. We have made useful videos about the most common road problems - a flat tire and a dead battery:

Machine maintenance

It is the driver’s job to monitor the condition of the car, but professionals should maintain and repair it. For each unit, there are scheduled inspection and replacement periods: parts need to be replaced in advance, without waiting for them to fail.

But even with strict adherence to service intervals, be observant while driving. Pay attention to the operation of all systems: any changes in handling, braking efficiency, acceleration dynamics or gear shifts are a reason for an unscheduled service visit. Don't expect mechanical problems to go away on their own like home computer failures; they'll likely only get worse, making repairs more expensive.

Hyperauto car services are one of the friendliest services for novice car owners. We work honestly: we do not impose unnecessary services, we explain in detail what we are doing and why, we fully check the condition of the car and provide free advice on upcoming maintenance.

12 tricks for novice drivers that are not taught in driving school

Even those who have not been driving for the first time do not always know about the subtleties and nuances that make driving life easier.

Bright Side tells you how to feel at ease on the road, learn to avoid dangerous situations and become a confident driver.

12. Check if the mirrors are adjusted correctly

If the mirrors are not adjusted correctly, then there is a blind spot - a part of the road that you cannot see, so you may not notice the car in the next lane. To avoid it, adjust the side mirrors so that your car is not visible in them (or only slightly visible). To check for a blind spot, slowly reverse past another parked car while looking in your side mirror. Once she has disappeared from the mirror, you should be able to see her in your peripheral vision. The rear view mirror is adjusted so that the rear window of the car is fully visible . When adjusting your mirrors, take the position in which you usually drive your car.

11. Learn to feel where the wheels are

To be able to avoid potholes on the road and not scratch your rims when parking at the curb, you need to learn to feel where the car’s wheels are. To do this, take an empty plastic bottle, crush it with your foot and place it on the asphalt. Practice running into it alternately with the right and left front wheels . Open the window to hear the crunch of the bottle.

20 rules for a novice driver

20 rules for a novice driver.

1. The most important rule for a novice driver: if you’re not sure, don’t interfere! Not sure you can turn around? Stop and wait until you are 100% confident in your maneuver. Are complex intersections stressful during rush hour? Choose a different path. Not sure if you can drive? Don't drive! The rest can be decided. Remember, this is one of the most important 20 rules for a novice driver.

2. Don't fuss! Even if they honk from behind, don’t fuss and don’t rush! Perform the maneuver when you are sure of its safe completion, the rest will wait! Remember that everyone was like that, everyone was stupid and messed up, they’ll wait!

3. Think not only for yourself, but also for the drivers around you. Starting from the parking lot - will I interfere with other cars? And ending with my maneuvers - will I create a hindrance for others? If you didn’t park the first time, don’t abandon the car at random - make a second approach, I’m sure there will be a place, maybe a little further away.

4. Brake in advance, and show the drivers behind you that you are braking in advance, even if you are braking with the engine - turn on the brake lights. A light touch of the brake pedal already lights up the brake lights, informing drivers behind you that you are slowing down. Even if the driver behind him has time to react, it is not a fact that the one behind him will have time to do the same, and all three will catch up with you anyway. Is it necessary?

5. Use turn signals not at the moment of the maneuver, but a few seconds in advance - letting others know about your intention.

6. If you need to change lanes, but they still won’t let you in, open the window and with a look/gesture ask the driver to let you in. In 99% of cases you will be allowed into the row. Don't forget to say thank you to the emergency crew.)

7. Try to predict the situation around you. For example, there is a car in front of you in the left lane with the left turn signal on. You are driving in the middle lane, and there is another car next to you in the left lane. Be prepared that he may suddenly change lanes into your lane, or without seeing you in the blind spot.

8. Be mindful of your mirror dead zone! There may be another car driving there, for which your maneuver will be a surprise.

9. Main mirror – central rear view mirror! Through which the driver must control the situation behind his car. A fleeting glance there is much faster than looking at the side mirrors.

10. In bad weather, keep your car windows/mirrors clean - it will be much more comfortable to drive.

11. Make it a rule to inspect your car before driving. Just when approaching the car, take a look at the wheels/lack of fluid leaks. This will eliminate surprises along the way. Especially if the car is not new.

12. In a stream of cars, you need to drive at the speed of the flow. If you drive slower, you force surrounding drivers to make unnecessary lane changes and get ahead of you. And unnecessary maneuvers lead to the risk of creating an emergency.

13. If there are 3 lanes of traffic on the road, it is better to drive in the middle row. In the left lane you won’t have to change lanes from those turning left, and in the right lane you won’t have to change lanes from sudden traffic stops. This way you will reduce the number of rebuilds.

14. At an intersection, when turning in several lanes, it is easier to turn from a lane where you will not be “sandwiched” between other traffic. The main thing is to take your time and remember that the second row is also driving next to you.

15. When stopping at an intersection to turn, keep your wheels straight. If they hit you in the rear, you will avoid a head-on collision with oncoming traffic.

16. Do not rush to start driving on a green light without making sure that the maneuver is safe - remember, we have a very developed national sport “Driving on a yellow light”.

17. Keep your distance from the car in front! I won’t talk deeply about this, just keep your distance and the higher the speed, the longer the distance.

18. The “Beginner Driver” sticker is useful. You are mistaken if you think that you will be deliberately discriminated against on the road, such drivers will still cut you off regardless of whether you have a sticker, but others will be more patient and let you pass more often.

19. If they flash their headlights at your back and honk, it’s not just like that! Afterwards, think about the situation and understand what you did wrong, and now, without fuss(!), evaluate the situation and make a reasonable decision. Remember the 3xD rule - give way to the fool.

20. Always carry an emergency kit with you! Make sure that you have a spare tire and that it is inflated (and that it fits), that you have a wheel wrench and a jack. As well as an emergency sign, a rope, a first aid kit and a fire extinguisher. Once you take care of this and hide everything in the trunk, you will feel much more comfortable, if God forbid it comes in handy. Or someone may need help. Useful things: take a bottle of water, gloves, and a flashlight with you.