Driving (improving turning)

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Emjay
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Driving (improving turning)

Post by Emjay »

I cannot judge the distance when driving around a tight corner.with a kerb and on every car I scar the front left hand wheel.
Any tips on how to avoid this?
Thanks
Tom fod
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Re: Driving

Post by Tom fod »

Sounds as if you could be anticipating and turning too soon/too sharply?
Could you find an open space on private land and set out cones to practise until you get the skill rooted?

I've parked this is Transport. If it's badly parked(?) my excuse is I'm visually impaired so don't mess around with this driving lark
Tom
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viktorlovisa
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Re: Driving (improving turning)

Post by viktorlovisa »

I had a problem whether to press the gas when turning.I learnt that; You start pressing the gas pedal at the apex and slowly press it further. For regular old street driving, finish braking before you begin turning, and gently get on the power on the way out.
Jan135
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Re: Driving (improving turning)

Post by Jan135 »

Things like this come with experience. After I got my driver license, I couldn't park without help from outside, but with time, I learned it. Just take it slow, and you'll have no problem in time.
Jim
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Re: Driving (improving turning)

Post by Jim »

I think part of this could be down to spatial awareness and us dyspraxics can be a little challenged in this area. Personally, I find the architecture of the car can make a big difference because they all have differing visibility.

For example, when I leant and passed my test a little over 20 years ago now, the popular choice of learner vehicle was a Vauxhall Corsa, the original uk which was a small hot hatch, not like the family sized affair the current generation of corsa seems to be. The first car I bought for myself was the then coras’s predecessor, a Vauxhall Nova (god, i loved that car). It’s small size lent itself to good all round visibility and I genuinely felt that I could sense exactly where each corner and inch of the whole thing was. Apart from occasionally flooding the engine, manual choke!!! (many of you here will be far too young to have a foggiest what that is) It was so easy to drive, manoeuvre and park…. well except for that one time that inexplicably drove the headlight into a pole whilst parking :Eek: but i digress.

The thing is, the newer cars are then the more they’re built to NCAP standards and therefore the larger they seem to get. (I just wish parking spaces would increase proportionally too) You’re more cocooned inside the car and I find that the visibility is significantly reduced. Since that little Nova, I’ve had an 80s Volkwagon Jetta, 80/90s Vauxhall Astra, early 00s Ford Fiesta, early 00s Ford Focus and now an Vauxhall Corsa.. which is approximately 8 years old.

With exception of the Fiesta, none of those have come close to giving me the feeling of having good spatial awareness behind the wheel or the feel of where each corner of the car is. Even the Corsa I drive now is appalling in comparison… especially the rear and blindspot for how it’s shaped. Don’t get me wrong I love he car… but gawd it’s tricky judging where the bodywork is when reversing :rolleyes:

But this is the way cars are going. It’s safer. Well in respect to driver / passenger safety anyway. If I lived on the almafi coast in Italy then I would 100% drive a fiat 500, for they remain reassuringly dinky.

For today’s generation of cars though… theres little you can do except get out there and practice… and basically gain a bit of ‘muscle memory’ for the spatial awareness, depth perception etc. Sometimes it just takes a little more concentration.

Remember, driving is as much about attitude as it is about physical capability. And unfortunately theres plenty of drivers on the road with poor attitude to driving irrespective of their physical capabilities.
“When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie
That's amore” :whistle:
FrankieSoup
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Re: Driving (improving turning)

Post by FrankieSoup »

Jim wrote: Sun Mar 20, 2022 8:21 am I think part of this could be down to spatial awareness and us dyspraxics can be a little challenged in this area. Personally, I find the architecture of the car can make a big difference because they all have differing visibility.

For example, when I leant and passed my test a little over 20 years ago now, the popular choice of learner vehicle was a Vauxhall Corsa, the original uk which was a small hot hatch, not like the family sized affair the current generation of corsa seems to be. The first car I bought for myself was the then coras’s predecessor, a Vauxhall Nova (god, i loved that car). It’s small size lent itself to good all round visibility and I genuinely felt that I could sense exactly where each corner and inch of the whole thing was. Apart from occasionally flooding the engine, manual choke!!! (many of you here will be far too young to have a foggiest what that is) It was so easy to drive, manoeuvre and park…. well except for that one time that inexplicably drove the headlight into a pole whilst parking :Eek: but i digress.

The thing is, the newer cars are then the more they’re built to NCAP standards and therefore the larger they seem to get. (I just wish parking spaces would increase proportionally too) You’re more cocooned inside the car and I find that the visibility is significantly reduced. Since that little Nova, I’ve had an 80s Volkwagon Jetta, 80/90s Vauxhall Astra, early 00s Ford Fiesta, early 00s Ford Focus and now an Vauxhall Corsa.. which is approximately 8 years old.

With exception of the Fiesta, none of those have come close to giving me the feeling of having good spatial awareness behind the wheel or the feel of where each corner of the car is. Even the Corsa I drive now is appalling in comparison… especially the rear and blindspot for how it’s shaped. Don’t get me wrong I love he car… but gawd it’s tricky judging where the bodywork is when reversing :rolleyes:

But this is the way cars are going. It’s safer. Well in respect to driver / passenger safety anyway. If I lived on the almafi coast in Italy then I would 100% drive a fiat 500, for they remain reassuringly dinky.

For today’s generation of cars though… theres little you can do except get out there and practice… and basically gain a bit of ‘muscle memory’ for the spatial awareness, depth perception etc. Sometimes it just takes a little more concentration.

Remember, driving is as much about attitude as it is about physical capability. And unfortunately theres plenty of drivers on the road with poor attitude to driving irrespective of their physical capabilities.
I agree with literally everything here.

One thing I have found helpful that I can add though, is :
I learned to drive in a mark 2 polo. Getting a newer polo wasn’t the same but it was more similar than other cars I test drove and that helped. I’m currently driving a Seat Ibiza, which is - for all the different badges - just a polo underneath. It even feels right. So, once you find something that works, it’s worth looking to see if that manufacture makes a few different models based on your car of choice.
Also, on days when I feel really slow at thinking, I put the satnav on, even if it’s a journey I’ve done a million times- outsource any executive functioning you can 😂 and don’t be ashamed to drive an automatic if you want one less thing to think about.
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