From: Adrian on
Jo <joanna.hamilton90(a)gmail.com> gurgled happily, sounding much like they
were saying:

> In general some comments:
> * I'm not sure how useful additional driving lessons will be. When I
> took my driving lessons we rarely did overtaking into a lane with
> oncoming traffic - maybe 2-3 times cumulatively in all my lessons.

It'd be VERY useful. You've been taught how to pass your test, not to
drive properly.

Most instructors will do a "Pass-Plus" type series of lessons.

> * What is the legal position on exceeding the speed limit while
> overtaking? I remember my instructor saying it was still not allowed,
> but how does the law view it practically?

There are no situations where it is legal to exceed the speed limit.

> * My fumbling with the 2-3rd gear change was because I was rushing it.
> The gear stick entering the 3rd gear position felt stiffer than usual,
> and on my car it is usually the 1st gear that feels stiff. So for a
> moment I panicked thinking I had engaged 1st gear instead of 3rd gear
> (disastrous when trying to overtake!), so I had to disengage the stick
> back to middle-neutral, depress the clutch, look at the gear stick to
> make sure I got it right and then re-engage the clutch. All taking
> precious seconds.

It sounds like you need a LOT more practice at just plain driving, tbh.
The movements and motions of controlling the car should be totally
unconscious.

> * My car has a 1.2 litre engine so I understand it has very little
> power. I drove for a bit some years ago on an Aussie L licence before I
> came to England. I drove my parent's car which had much better
> acceleration and an auto gearbox!

Pfft. Shouldn't be a problem at all. I've got several cars which are
considerably slower than that. All it means is you need to think a bit
further ahead.

> At some point on a quiet road I will have to test the maximum speeds of
> my different gears with a floored accelerator.

Just drive it. More. A lot more. Get familiar with it.
From: aaa on
Fat richard wrote:

> On 18 July, 15:54, %ste...(a)malloc.co.uk (Steve Firth) wrote:
> > Ian <i...(a)henden.co.uk> wrote:
> > > Why twice? �because anything coming intop sight from
> > > the opposite direction, is likely to be travelling at much the
> > > same speed as you are, so the gap is getting smaller twice as
> > > quickly as you thought.
> >
> > On an "A" road (presumably NSL) oncoming traffic in this case would
> > be going three times faster than the overtaking vehicle leading to
> > a very narrow overtaking opportunity. Even more care needed than
> > usual.
>
> I have lived in London now for about 8 years and am very comfortable
> with driving in the suburbs and central London at all times of day.
> Before this I lived in deepest Bedfordshire and drove for about 20 of
> these years in a car and prior to that a motorbike.
>
> Aside from a few visits down the A1 / M11 back home or the A12 to the
> in laws andr indeed a fairly frequent traveller abroad, I don't do
> that much driving on "normal" roads in this country anymore. Last
> Easter we drove down to the bracing delights of Skegness - Dont ask
> why please - and I was suddenly smacked in the face when I realised
> that I was back in the world of overtaking on A / B / minor roads
> again. It really was that long since I had been on roads where
> overtaking was pretty much required in order to actually get where we
> were going in any reasonable amount of time.
>
> I know it sounds stupid, but the first time that I had to get going
> past some lorries etc it really sort of whacked me in the face. I was
> not especially "worried" it was more like a Tango advert..... I
> believe I actually remarked "Oooh I am overtaking" which probably
> seemed obvious to the wife and kids........
>
>
> Richard

Over-taking is not a skill used by as many drivers as in the past.
Most of my driving is on dual carridgeways (or better) or in more
congested single carridgeway traffic, where over-taking is pointless,
because you would progress 40 yards and hit the next group of cars etc.

You have to seek out specific B roads to do any over-taking, and now
most of these roads have much lower limits (than in the past), so it is
no longer really lawfull to do this.

The standard of driving today is different (perhaps not worse but
different).

I went on holiday to Ireland and hired a car. You needed to over-take
there, and also judge narrow lanes / stopping distances.
But on the few stretches of dual-carridgeway, the local's lane
discipline was terrible.
From: Mark Myers on
On 19 Jul 2010 08:47:58 GMT, Adrian said...
> Jo <joanna.hamilton90(a)gmail.com> gurgled happily, sounding much like they
> were saying:
>
> > In general some comments:
> > * I'm not sure how useful additional driving lessons will be. When I
> > took my driving lessons we rarely did overtaking into a lane with
> > oncoming traffic - maybe 2-3 times cumulatively in all my lessons.
>
> It'd be VERY useful. You've been taught how to pass your test, not to
> drive properly.
>
> Most instructors will do a "Pass-Plus" type series of lessons.

You should also be able to ask them to tailor the lesson to help you
with your weaknesses.

> > * What is the legal position on exceeding the speed limit while
> > overtaking? I remember my instructor saying it was still not allowed,
> > but how does the law view it practically?
>
> There are no situations where it is legal to exceed the speed limit.
>
> > * My fumbling with the 2-3rd gear change was because I was rushing it.
> > The gear stick entering the 3rd gear position felt stiffer than usual,
> > and on my car it is usually the 1st gear that feels stiff. So for a
> > moment I panicked thinking I had engaged 1st gear instead of 3rd gear
> > (disastrous when trying to overtake!), so I had to disengage the stick
> > back to middle-neutral, depress the clutch, look at the gear stick to
> > make sure I got it right and then re-engage the clutch. All taking
> > precious seconds.
>
> It sounds like you need a LOT more practice at just plain driving, tbh.
> The movements and motions of controlling the car should be totally
> unconscious.

Yes, and looking at the controls is a big no no, especially in the
middle of a potentially dangerous maneuver. You should be able to check
that you have third by moving the lever about, not by looking at it.

--
Mark Myers
usenet at mcm2007 dot plus dot com
From: Adrian on
Mark Myers <nospam(a)see.sig> gurgled happily, sounding much like they were
saying:

>> > In general some comments:
>> > * I'm not sure how useful additional driving lessons will be. When I
>> > took my driving lessons we rarely did overtaking into a lane with
>> > oncoming traffic - maybe 2-3 times cumulatively in all my lessons.

>> It'd be VERY useful. You've been taught how to pass your test, not to
>> drive properly.
>>
>> Most instructors will do a "Pass-Plus" type series of lessons.

> You should also be able to ask them to tailor the lesson to help you
> with your weaknesses.

A half-decent instructor shouldn't need asking - they should identify
them fairly quickly.
From: Cynic on
On Sun, 18 Jul 2010 15:32:14 +0100, "Phil L"
<neverchecked(a)hotmail.com> wrote:

>Coupled with your non existant grasp of basic car maintenance, don't you
>think it's time you got rid of the car until you've managed to grow a
>brain? - I'm being serious, you ae either going to kill yourself or someone
>else in the not-too-distant future unless you start using public transport.

I suggest you refrain from posting to Usenet until you feel less
inadequate and can avoid the temptation to compensate for your low
self-esteem by posting mindless insults to people who *do* realise
their imperfections and are attempting to get advice to better
themselves.

To the OP - what doesn't kill you will make you stronger. The lessons
you learned from your experience have quite likely increased your
ability to drive safely in future by what would otherwise have taken
years of incident-free driving. Now work on getting your
self-confidence back again. Remember that overtaking is never a
mandatory manoevour (well, *almost* never).

Do *not* worry about what other drivers (or newsgroup idiots) may
think of the way you are driving, worry only about the way *they*
might be driving.

--
Cynic