Online driving tutorials
Online driving tutorial - Advanced Emerging
This online driving tutorial is focusing on advanced emerging. That's giving way and turning from the minor road into the major road. You should be well versed with MSM and POM by this stage.
Minor to major
I really believe that emerging is one of the most difficult things whilst learning to drive. Each end of the road situation will be slightly different from the last one you visited, so it's tricky to prescribe one solution to fit all scenarios.
Once you have the hang of basic emerging it's time to start trying to perfect it. Depending on what you see at the end of the road determines what will happen next.
Open junctions
The term 'open junction' means that visibility both to the right and left of the major road your approaching is clear from a distance.
You will still be expected to complete your MSM routine and get your speed down to about 10/15 mph. If you can see both to the left and right, and it's clear, then no need to stop. You can simply make your turn in 2nd gear and make progress. Don't forget to check your mirror in the new road.
These are exceptionally rare and I'd recommend sticking to the basic routine. Assuming your stopping will never be wrong.
Make a mistake with an open junction looking to go first time could be extremely costly.
Closed junctions
This applies to about 99% of the junctions you'll come across. This is when you can see very clearly that you have no idea of what is behind the bushes/wall/fence/trucks etc at the end of the road. Due to this blocked visibility assume you're stopping.
The advanced technique for these junctions is as follows. Below are two contrasting closed junctions. They can be found in both cities and in leafy suburbs.
Let's assume you're turning left first. On approach, you're asked to turn left. Mirrors first, then signal, start reducing your speed. Now you have to assume there is danger around the corner and that we're going to stop.
If you can't see round the corner, dip the clutch, go into 1st gear but stay down on the clutch. Now you may think this is coasting, but it's not. You're preventing the car from stalling here as you've planned in advance that you're going to stop. Still under braking getting the car down to about 5 mph, position the car with enough left turn so to ease you round the corner, hugging the kerb and out of the road. DON'T RELEASE THE CLUTCH.
When you get to where the give way lines vanish under the cars bonnet you will now be able to observe and if clear, simply come slowly off the clutch, the engine will engage the wheels and we'll drive off and away as your right foot swings back to the gas and fuel can be added to get away smoothly and quickly.
If it's not clear, we're already down on the clutch with our right foot near the brake doing 5 mph-ish, simply apply the brake and we'll stop in the perfect position.
The key is to not observe until the end of the road, focus on position and following that kerb until the give way lines vanish, then look to go.
Just apply the same to turning right. Be aware that turning right is more difficult as you have to move across a lane of traffic. Remember to emerge straight first, then make your turn and get into your driving position ASAP.
Emerging up hill
You want to be applying the same method here as usual, however, you'll want to be slightly faster on approach and wait longer before dipping the clutch. The reason for this is gravity. If you slow down too early, or dip the clutch too son, you'll lose too much momentum and not make it to the end of the road. Which will make things far more difficult.
This is worth practising … a lot. This will help with your understanding on how the car travels with the clutch down at speed and how quickly it loses momentum depending on the steepness of the slope. I spend at least an hour with students on this alone.
If you dip the clutch too soon and you realise you're not going to make it, you'll need to be quick of mind and try and find some bit before travelling backwards. This exercise will help build up quick feet skills too, which is invaluable to driving.
