Welcome to Toms Tips.
This post is the first in the series and will briefly cover how to prepare for and what to try to remember from your first driving lesson. More detailed information can be found on the Information Page.
Your driving instructor will take you through the start of your driving experience at a pace to suit you and will help with absolutely any questions you may have.
OK, let’s dive in…….
Before your lesson, make sure that……
- Your Provisional Driving Licence is available and in order.
- Your eyesight is up to standard.
- You’ve had a good nights sleep.
- You’re wearing comfortable clothes and shoes.
- You have the payment for the lesson.
- The pick up location has been made clear.
During the lesson you will cover controls and pre-start checks and moving off, steering and stopping.
Try to remember the cockpit drill,
- D – Doors.
- S – Seat.
- S – Steering.
- S – Seatbelt etc.
- M – Mirrors. Learn the MSM procedure, mirrors, signal, manouevre.
Remember the foot controls, ABC,
- Accelerator.
- Brake.
- Clutch.
And the hand controls,
- Handbrake.
- Gears.
- Steering wheel.
- Indicators.
Keep in mind the safe way to start the engine.
- Handbrake on, gears in neutral.
Before you move off, concentrate on the importance of:
- Mirrors, vision and use.
- Blind spots.
- Mirror – signal – manoeuvre, (MSM) procedure.
Moving Off. Use the POM routine.
- P – Prepare.
- O – Observe.
- M – Move.
Stopping.
Choose a suitable place and apply the MSM routine.
Your driving instructor will have shown you the correct way to hold and operate the steering wheel and indicator switches,so have the correct methods in mind.
Well, that’s quite a lot to absorb on your first lesson, but remember it’s ongoing and you will use these procedures for as long as you drive a car, so very quickly, they become second nature.
Toms Tips no.2 will be Approaching and Turning Corners.
If you would like to start learning to drive, call us on 01452 313713, or fill in the contact form.