New driver in India? Here are five hacks to conquer the roads
- Learning to drive can be intimidating, especially on Indian roads. While there are a lot of skills to learn as you progress, these five can help you get started on your way to master driving as a learner.
Driving a car is a fundamental skill and can be quite exciting for the sense of independence that it can bring. At the same time, the experience of driving a car as a learner in the middle of heavy traffic can seem to be quite intimidating. You are trying to learn new skills and gain experience behind the wheel, but it can get dangerous if you do not know where to start and which aces to keep up your sleeve. To this end, we have come up with a comprehensive guide to equip you with the knowledge and techniques necessary to navigate the roads confidently:
Parallel parking is not a skill but rather a formula and it is always easier when done in reverse. You should first move forwards and then reverse into the spot. Set up visual cues for yourself when executing the manoeuvre. Pull up alongside the car behind which you wish to park, and align your car’s rear tyres with the other car’s rear bumper. Turn your steering wheel towards the spot and start reversing until your car’s front bumper is in line with the other’s rear one. Now turn your wheel in the opposite direction and continue until your car’s front end essentially slots into the space.
This is the most abstract skill on the list and it depends completely on paying active attention to what’s happening around you instead of merely sitting ducks and waiting for something to happen. Constantly scan the road ahead and maintain a safe following distance instead of tailgating. Constantly check your blind spots and use indicators whenever you conduct a lane change or an overtaking manoeuvre. Observe other drivers on the road and anticipate their behaviour. Adjust your speed and position accordingly to remove yourself from the vicinity of potential hazards.
Defensive driving is the best way to fast track driving experience as you increasingly start paying more attention to whatever is going on around you. Eventually, you can start relying more on your instincts and find yourself to be a better than those who have been driving for longer.
Making an 8 with your automobile may sound intimidating, but it is actually rather simple. Imagine making two U-turns in a succession. The only thing you need to be cautious of when doing this is that you do not touch the curb. Most people focus on the front of the car and fail to see the rear wheels, which may come into contact with the curb when doing this manoeuvre.
This manoeuvre involves matching the engine’s RPM to the speed of the transmission to ensure smooth and comfortable shifts. Rev matching helps prevent sudden jolts and jerks that can occur when shifting gears and this helps in reducing stress on the transmission components. This can also aid in maintaining fuel efficiency levels by reducing the engine’s workload. There are two ways of going about this but the basics are: clutch in, engage the lower gear, and quickly press the accelerator as you let go of the clutch pedal to match the RPM.
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So your driving instructor has taught you how to start your car on an incline using the handbrake, but you want to learn to not rely on it at all. Start practising on a gentle slope before you go on to steeper inclines. You want to keep your car in neutral and keep your right foot pressed on the brake pedal. Then you clutch in and engage the appropriate gear while keeping the brakes engaged. Slowly let off the clutch and ease into the biting point. As you hit the bite point, you’ll want to release the brake pedal and get onto the accelerator all at the same time. Your car will want to move backwards a little, so you’ll want to get this done as smoothly and swiftly as possible.
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