Online driving tutorials

Online driving tutorial - Advanced Approaching 

Online driving tutorial - Advanced Approaching

This tutorial covers advanced approaching both ways. That's turning from the major road into the minor, left and right. You should by now be well versed with the MSM routine.

Major to Minor

Approaching can sometimes be considered one of the easier junctions when it comes to driving. However, it should not be taken for granted. Once your confidence is high enough, try spacing your MSM routine out a little further.


There should be a little gap between checking the interior mirror, the door mirror and then getting your signal on. Work on early braking. It should light and measured for a gradual reduction in speed. See if you can keep your foot on the brake right up until you make your turn.


Early braking is a great way of letting the cars behind you know that you are reducing your speed. The early lower speed reduction will help with more accurate positioning. Plus. you'll have more time to observe, which is often overlooked.


Approaching on a hill

Uphill - If you can find somewhere to practise approaching uphill and to the right, try it.  The hill can really throw a learners timing off when it comes to slowing and how much braking to use. Try changing from 3 to 2 earlier and coming off the clutch for a reduced speed with more time to observe. 


If you have to give way to oncoming traffic, be careful of when you dip the clutch. At your regular time, on a flat road, will see the car lose too much speed too early and you not making it to your point of turn. Leave it late, trust gravity to do the slowing down for you.


Once you have stopped (hopefully at the correct place), POM correctly. Do not rush this. Even if it means missing an opportunity to go. You'll need a high handbrake, lots of gas and a high biting point so you don't roll backwards. This would be a lose of control come test day and is dangerous. Take your time!


Blind turns

Right hand turns on a left hand bend is potentially dangerous. You could even use an emerging routine for an approaching situation. You wont know what you have to give way to until you reach your point of turn. So consider arriving ready to stop, just like emerging. 


Narrow

Turning into streets that are only wide enough for one car can be tough. Always assume the worse. Hopefully you're already practising entering new roads at 10 mph. Occasionally you may have to, again, deploy an emerging type routine for an approach if you really fear you'll have to stop. 

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