Online driving tutorial - Advanced moving away and stopping

You will be asked to pull over at the side of the road at least five times during your exam, possibly more.  This is why I teach an advanced moving away and stopping lesson to my students. 

There are three pulling in and moving away exercises. Once on a hill (the hill start), once on what would be considered to be a busy road and once from behind a parked car. The other times you'll be stopped for once the manoeuvre, maybe the emergency stop (if you get it) and then the independent driving section. 

Stopping 

When stopping you'll have to use the MSM routine, however, you'll need to find somewhere to stop that is considered to be safe, legal and convenient. What you need to avoid is stopping near a shape bemd or brow of a hill, on a dropped kerb, opposite a junction, on roads markings like yellow lines/zig-zags etc (a dashed cycle path is ok), opposite a parked car or a bus stop.

When pulling in, never rush. They are testing your ability to find somewhere suitable. When rushed you may land up not being parallel with the kerb in a parked position.

Moving away

You have to POM. Prepare first by setting the gas and finding the bite. Observe using your mirrors and checking your blind spot, then before moving you have to make a decision about using a signal. If you see no people at all, you don't need a signal. If there are human beings in sight, you will have to use one. There is a catch though.

If someone is coming up from behind you, you have to delay your signal until after they have passed you. If you signal too soon, the approaching car may think you're about to pull out suddenly and may slow down for you or stop. Which you want to avoid. So wait until the last car has passed, then the signal goes on and you move away quickly and efficiently. Cancel the signal before going too far down the road as the signal could be considered to be misleading about turning into a new road.

The hill start 

With the hill start I find it's easier to find the bite first, then set the gas. This way your are not being distracted by the hum of the engine. When finding the bite you really want that upward feel from the car. Then set the gas. At least 2.5 to 3 on the rev counter. Don't worry about the car making a lot of noise, this is normal. It has to work harder to shift a ton of metal up the slope.

Once your feet are ready, observe using your interior and right door mirror before checking your blind spot then making a decision about using a signal or not. Once we move off, your feet will move like a set of scales. Your left foot coming off and your right pressing down. We want to keep the revs high and get up to 20mph-ish in 1st gear. DO NOT change gear until then. The speed will drop like a stone and by the time you come back off the clutch in 2nd gear, the speed will be incorrect and we'll struggle to power away.

The busy road 

Here they are checking your ability to move away without slowing down other vehicles. Plenty of gas needed here and be positive. When you want to go, go! Get up to 20 quickly and then into 3rd gear. This will encourage the car to keep making progress.

Behind a parked car 

You are being tested on your ability to move out into your carriageway without going onto the wrong side of the street. Plenty of turn to the right and take it off early to get yourself straightened up early. Control the speed of the car by not fully coming off the clutch until you are in a straight line and the steering has been sorted out.