Driving Tips From Gurus To Beginners Like Me

[sethumurugan]

If your uncle sits beside you for teaching,tell him to beat you if you do a mistake;you will learn real fast.

HaHa.. That should be a nice move. When I was reading this, I remember one thing which i do in child hood days when helping other kids/younger kids to learning cycle. I used to hit on hip telling them not to bend hip [which normally every cycle learner do]. Great.

10) Finally, while driving, think that everyone on the road except you is an IDIOT & drive accordingly. Trust me, it works! Also remember that the road is not just our property, we are sharing it with many others. Be considerate.

This is true. Being my dad is driver in Madurai Corporation, [40 Years of Exp] he can judge the on going vehicle/two wheeler mostly. He used to tell me the same dialog that think every one is fool. So you drive carefully, concentrated.

Do put a L board at the back (Right side) & front (Left side).

What i said the other day, your left base of foot should be on floor, and try to press the clutch with toes.
In an inclined position.

What i feel you are doing is, as soon as you release some clutch , you will accelerate and try to move the car.

Try this thing, when you release clutch i.e half clutch.

The car will neither move forward nor back in an gradient, at that point you should think of accelerating.

Try this in the night, when the vehicles are less and in less congested roads.
When you drive in congested areas, make sure some one is there at the left seat for navigation, moral support, or for waiving hand.

Again, I learned this from dad. He used to tell me that both clutch and acceleration should be on balancing position in which the car will be stand still without applying break. once the vehicle starts moving slowly reduce clutch and apply acceleration gradually and the vehicle will start moving forward. After start driving my car, I have learned this in a bridge [normally no traffic] in the nights.

First gear is like first night, no matter how much you try, it doesnt workout for a newbe :)
I learned driving for 21 days and still first gear is a pain, I just dont get confidence to take my swift on road.

Nice.

Dear Masters of Driving,
I seek your advice on slow start of vehicle i.e almost walking speed. This is because I am owner of Ritz, which I intend to start slowly because front space was short. But on starting it moved almost 5ft even on gentle press on accelerator. I released clutch very slowly. I learn driving in a school and use Santro that do not start so fast.
Your advice is solicited.

You can start the engine and dont accelerate. just keep right leg on break and left leg on clutch. when you release the clutch slowly without acceleration the car will start moving which is more than enough for you. I do this daily to park my car without hitting the car parked before me.

 

[sandip24]

A lot has been said by TSIVipul, Raj_5004 and many others but I have a question about application of clutch.
Its been already discussed that clutch should not be used frequently. In my car (Micra diesel) the torque is already set on all gears & cars moves at predefined speeds at a constant speed without pressing accelerator. I am sure many other diesel cars must be having this feature. ( I believe Punto has it, as confirmed by Jayadev, I guess). This is really helping me in getting good FE but the problem is I have to apply clutch frequently (specially in traffic) otherwise the car won't stop & it has a good pick up when the clutch is just released. So to control the car I will have to press clutch & break both, & in traffic usage of clutch increases.
So what are the consequences of using the clutch frequently, will it affect clutch life or any other engine part. On an average how much is the clutch life.
I wanted to know why do we say that clutch should not be used frequently?

 

[girdharecb]

Thank you for your advice,I will follow it. But the good news is I am now able to move car slowly. Thanks to the Tachometer that tells me the accelaration( so I can control). On the 1st day I didn't watch it. Further suggestios are wellcome!

One quick funda which never fails:
1. Apply break using right foot.
2. Depress clutch fully.
3. Put into first gear.
4. Release the clutch till u feel the car is trying to move(biting point). Since you have break applied till now, car will not move forward.
5. Now release break force little bit and car will try to move. Again apply break if you want to stop. This is how you will move in start stop traffic.
6. In whole scene your clutch foot is stand still (at biting point).

 

[Sidd7hartha]

Thanks for the advice. But will the car move at all if I do not accelarate a bit. My car is petrol car.

 

[girdharecb]

Thanks for the advice. But will the car move at all if I do not accelarate a bit. My car is petrol car.

Yes it will move. Now a days most of the car comes with 1200 cc engines in petrol varient. The power is enough to move the car without accelarater.

 

[Iron Rock]

A few basic things about the clutch(for normal driving purposes) :-

The clutch pedal is your link between the engine and your drive shaft. It is designed to operate to equalize the engine speed with the drive shaft speed and vice versa. Every clutch system hence has a life as there is friction associated in this process.

As a good driver your job is to also understand and minimize this friction as much as possible. Faster damage occurs over a period of time if you keep this friction higher than normal.

Use the clutch for gear changes and off course for starting from standstill wisely.

A few donts :
1) Dont ride the clutch(keeping a part of your feet on the clutch), most taxi drivers do this out of habit as they travel long distances. Typically leading to bearing failures and eventually full clutch overhaul is needed.
2) In the name of Engine braking dont excessive shift downwards it will cause premature wear, a gradual balanced way is advised combined with normal braking.
3) Slipping the clutch to remain standstill while on a slope could be avoided by using hand brakes instead, modern cars have better hand brakes as opposed to the padminis/ambassadors/jeeps(from where some of these habits have come).
4)In traffic conditions partial clutch usage is inevitable so wear is inevitable, but minimize excessive accelerator usage with partial clutch application. Modern diesels are tuned in such a way that you hardly need accelerator usage.
5) Dont partially press the clutch for gear shifts

Always synchronise your left feet movement on the clutch pedal and left hand moment on the gear shift properly, infact i have seen many experienced drivers pressing the clutch fully and using the gear shift but still not in sync causing clutch damage. They do insist the clutch pedal was fully pressed but was the gear shift done at the very same moment ? All the drivers should keep a self check on this aspect from time to time - bad habits do grow unknowingly. A good driver will hardly ever make the passengers feel of a gear shift - it should be so silky smooth. Its the small daily things that need to be curbed to get prolonged life

Lastly from the time you buy the car, the clutch is constantly wearing, better techniques prolong life while abusing it will decrease the life! Most important driving attribute is anticipation so anticipate and concentrate on your next 200m harder(use brakes/accelerator/gears wisely) - everything improves then including your FE.

 

[Prads]

Am guessing this counts as driving tips :P

How To Drive In Delhi - YouTube

 

[swiftkolkata]

Re: Driving Tips from Gurus to Beginners Like Me .

A thought - do not practice driving bare foot. Sounds odd, but most of my friends refuse to wear their footwear when driving as they are used to it and complain they dont feel the pedal if they wear one!

All the best with your driving sessions

I am totally agree with you because i have faced the same problem but then after i have realized it was bad practice.I am driving from the last 9 year and i have this habit till 2-3years.

Sidd7hartha,at the time starting dot rev at all ,u just release your clutch slowly and the car will start moving specially if it is VDI model.Happy and safe driving.

 

[sethumurugan]

Re: Driving Tips from Gurus to Beginners Like Me .

I am totally agree with you because i have faced the same problem but then after i have realized it was bad practice.I am driving from the last 9 year and i have this habit till 2-3years.

Sidd7hartha,at the time starting dot rev at all ,u just release your clutch slowly and the car will start moving specially if it is VDI model.Happy and safe driving.

From the day one of my driving class I drive wearing chappals or shoes. Some time in highway for a change I do it bare foot and that is too when we go for long drives. Some How I dont like wearing/removing every time you get in and get out.

 

[Sidd7hartha]

Yes it will move. Now a days most of the car comes with 1200 cc engines in petrol varient. The power is enough to move the car without accelarater.

Thanks! I will try it! What I feel driving a car fast is easier task than to move slowly.

 

[manjoo]

Thanks! I will try it! What I feel driving a car fast is easier task than to move slowly.

Your assumption is wrong Sid, you have to drive fast only on depending the road conditions, Eventhough driving fast is easier but one small mistake costs you more but when you are in slow that mistakes can be recoverable,
More importantly confident is a major factor once you step inside the car.

Have you not heard "Speed thrills but kills"

 

[swiftkolkata]

Thanks! I will try it! What I feel driving a car fast is easier task than to move slowly.

Driving fast is not the matter of glory as this realy not required any muscle power just you need to push the pedal but how do you control & driving is the last thing that matter.Drive safe

 

[Sidd7hartha]

You are absolutely right! I am trying slow speed now because I can control. But I am thrilled to know that my car may move without application of accelerator. I will try it tomorrow.

 

[Sidd7hartha]

Yes it will move. Now a days most of the car comes with 1200 cc engines in petrol varient. The power is enough to move the car without accelarater.

Thanks for your advice. I followed it became successful.However my driver cum instructor told me since car is new it is moving. After getting old, the car will not move except some accelaration

 

[sethumurugan]

Thanks for your advice. I followed it became successful.However my driver cum instructor told me since car is new it is moving. After getting old, the car will not move except some accelaration

I do not know. I had my old M800 for 3 years and all the three years it was like that only. And one more thing, by that time you will become an expert and this Technic might not need for you.