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someone please adivse me!! (driving instructor teaching me wrong?!)

9 replies

Kristal123 · 04/09/2013 16:25

Hello I need some advice, I have recently started up my driving lessons again having perviously taken some, I've had about 10 so far, but literally every time I stop my instrcutor is telling me I need to apply the handbrake, I mean everytime!! If I give you an example, you are driving down a narrow street and a car is coming towards you, there are parked cars on either side so you can't both fit, you need to pull in for a few seconds for the other driver to pass, the handbrake surely is not needed?! Yet he's teaching me to do this! And after searching on google if it was nessacery as I don't feel it is, it takes me a good few seconds to start up again this way and most times I get beeped at a lot! "If you apply the handbrake every time you stop you stand a good chance of failing your test for "undue hesitancy". This applies to automatic or manual cars equally". I was also watching a driving practical test on the computer, and the man was not using he's handbrake every single stop, is my instructor teaching me wrong! I find myself stopping at lights as quickly as possible so I can start up again, because I'm sick of getting beeped at for taking 100 years!

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Imnotaslimjim · 04/09/2013 16:29

I'm currently learning, and have been told I only need to use the parking brake (they don't call it a handbrake now) if I'm more than 3 cars back in a queue at traffic lights, waiting in traffic for more than a couple of minutes, and when parking up

As you've rightly pointed out, putting it on all the time slows you down when it comes to moving off again, and you could well fail for hesitating

Bring it up with him again, and if he still insists, I would consider getting a different instructor (if you're near Ormskirk/Southport area, I could recommend a great one!)

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Stropzilla · 04/09/2013 16:34

Is not with the aa is it? I had some horrible lessons and that was one of them! My new lovely instructor is trying to undo some very bad advise!

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ginmakesitallok · 04/09/2013 17:03

But it takes no time at all to put on and then take off your handbrake? I think it's good practice to put it on when you come to a full stop. Blush I rarely use mine, apart from when parked.

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CooEeeEldridge · 04/09/2013 17:11

I was taught to always put mine on in case someone bumped into the back of me - stops you going into back of someone else. Passed first time, I still always do it and it annoys me when people don't! I think it's much easier personally. Why don't you try a lesson with another instructor and see if they have a different style you prefer?

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Kristal123 · 04/09/2013 17:48

Hi thanks for the replies! I'm in london and I did try the aa at first when I first did lessons but I found a cheaper place this time around called first time, and I must say when I first did lessons 3 years ago I wasn't taugh this way I was taugh to do it if stopped for more than a few seconds, but another example is if someone is crossing a zebra crossing and they are half way across so I still have to stop but within a few seconds they have crossed, now it may be because I'm still a learner but to put the hand brake on go back to neutral, then back to first gear then find the bite again and release the hand brake is taking me longer than I should had I not used the handbrake iyswim? I'm thinking of going with someone else, I have a lesson on friday I will discuss it (again) with him but its just getting frustrating because I get in a panic everytime I have to stop that I'm going to take too long to start again and everyone beeps or over takes me and I believe that's just down to the hand brake as I'm confident with everything else.

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Kristal123 · 04/09/2013 17:52

Just want to add the practical test I watched yesterday the man passed, but received a minor for undue hesitation at a traffic light where he took long to pull away despite the road ahead being clear, so surely I'm going to fail if I'm taking long to start again every time I stop.

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ChunkyPickle · 04/09/2013 18:19

Really? People don't put their handbrake on at traffic lights?! You are taking it out of gear at least then?

As a pedestrian I'm more than a little concerned by that - what if your foot slips, or the person behind's foot slips, or you turn around to say something to the kids and your foot moves up a bit?

I was taught (and feel it's just right and safe) as CooEee - that you put it on if you're stopped so that you don't mistakenly roll forward into other people or cars or power forward if you're still in gear.

I really can't think that it even takes me any longer to pull away when I've got my handbrake on either - I think with practise you just get the co-ordination to pull away smoothly no matter how you've stopped.

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Kristal123 · 04/09/2013 19:01

I'm just going by watching that practical lesson last night, he definitely wasn't using the hand brake and passed, also speaking to a friend he said he only uses the hand brake if on a hill, I'm just worried I'll fail for taking too long to start up, I remember previously I was taugh it only needed to be used if stopped for more than a few seconds

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LIZS · 04/09/2013 19:10

I apply it whenever I'm going to be sat there for more than a few moments, ie probably not just to give way to oncoming traffic or at a roundabout but yes at crossings and lights. dh's car has an auto "parking brake" and I am really not sure about how best to use it, especially for hill starts.

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