I was never told this when learning

[DerekS]

Originally Posted by James.uk

Now to throw a stone into our lil mill pond..

I am told that driving instructors teach auto drivers to use one foot only... Now how daft is that? You have two pedals, and two feet.. perfik innit...
...

Possibly so that if they ever have to use a manual box , the system is the same .
Right foot for stop and go , left for clutch .
Driving a mixture of autos or manuals, we always used the right foot for the stop and go. Then its not as easy get mixed up in an emergency .

[James.uk]

Having spent several years driving a mixture of manuals and autos daily I didn't find driving autos with both feet a problem, why would anyone else?
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[planenut]

I've seen the damaged noses as a result of people getting it wrong, so I would advise anybody who is likely to drive a manual after auto, in their life, always use the same foot, i.e. the right, for throttle and brake.

[peter lee]

I was taught to stop in high gear, and dip your clutch as you stop, and change to 1st. If your approaching a roundabout, cut from 4th to 2nd, in the hope of joining traffic. that was in 1985.
The instructor told me, it is cheaper to change brake pads, than a clutch.

1st time I did it in my dad's car, he had an absolute blue fit!!!
Now he does the same, times change.

[wraymond]

Originally Posted by James.uk

Having spent several years driving a mixture of manuals and autos daily I didn't find driving autos with both feet a problem, why would anyone else?
...

Hi Bob. It has a lot to do with the removal of doubt and confusion when teaching a learner and is echoed in the insurance and licencing.

Theory is: if you need to brake you don't need the accelerator and vice versa so left foot on rhd cars is redundant. All teaching methods recommend moderate driving so using the car's full performance is left to those who have the skill to use it. Usually when experienced is gained most tend to develop their preferred way to drive, good and less good habits included.

[wraymond]

Originally Posted by milleplod

A friend who retired at the same time as I did had planned on becoming an ADI. He couldn't cope with the stress, not of the actual teaching of learners, but of the totally counter-intuitive type of driving he was expected to teach them....way, way different to Roadcraft!

Pete

It's always puzzled me. Such drivers are acknowledged to be experts trained to a high degree to handle all aspects of everyday driving including high performance. Yet if you took the test and demonstrated those skills, the likelihood is you would fail. I wonder if people are being trained to pass a test rather than to be good drivers. It all seems a bit arbitrary. Roadcraft was probably the best book I've ever read, certainly it saved my life!

[planenut]

I can remember driving with one passenger, who had recently passed her test. When I did a block change, she stated "you can't do that", I answered that I had just done so!

[milleplod]

Originally Posted by wraymond

...... I wonder if people are being trained to pass a test rather than to be good drivers.....

Yup, they are. But it makes sense in some respects, because at least then everyone is up to the same minimum standard, nothing more.

My Advanced was done when failure meant forever....ie you'd never get another stab at being an Advanced driver, and never get on Traffic, should you fail on test day. Back then, you could get a Class 1 or a Class 2 'pass', after a 4-week course, the latter meaning you could go on to Traffic, but only drive under the supervision of a Class 1 driver who would, over 3 months, bring you up to the higher grading by way of a second test (done by Driving School's Inspector/Chief Inspector). Should you not pass that with a Class 1, that was it - no more training, hoofed off Traffic....for good. As well as the actual driving test, you also had to know Roadcraft inside out, and there was a written exam on that....from memory, the pass mark was 85%.

There weren't that many complete fails tbh, as Section Inspectors would tend to only put forward 'rated' standard drivers for Advanced training.

(My Advanced Motorcyclist course was even more intense.....and faster too! )



Pete

[barney bear]

Originally Posted by planenut

I can remember driving with one passenger, who had recently passed her test. When I did a block change, she stated "you can't do that", I answered that I had just done so!

Oh my god, my wife was forever pulling me down when she first passed her test. Even though she was only 3 yrs old when i passed my test.

[HarryM1BYT]

Originally Posted by milleplod

Yup, they are. But it makes sense in some respects, because at least then everyone is up to the same minimum standard, nothing more.

It has to be a low standard, using not the best techniques so most can get through. It falls down on the fact that those who pass, see that as the end of the learning. Which is why we see such a very poor standard on the roads.

I saw it as an opportunity to then learn to become much better, much more knowledgeable, much more skilled.

I have several times helped get individuals through the test, but then talk about improving on that standard, they just don't want to know.