Moving off and Stopping: Step 4

Unit Three Subject 4 - Moving off and Stopping: Step 4 - Prepare

Unit 3 - Basic Skills:
Home page

Show/Tell:
1. Overview

Drivers Eyesight:
1. Introduction
2. Eye checks
3. Eyesight problems
4. Project

Cockpit Drill:
1. Introduction
2. The drill
3. Explanation

Moving off:
1. Introduction
2. The basics
3. POM Introduction
4. Prepare
5. Observe
6. Move
7. Brake tests
8. Stopping
9. Summary
10. Project

Using Gears:
1. Introduction
2. Observation
3. Selective gear changing
4. Smooth changes

Hazard Routine:
1. Introduction
2. Easy starting point
3. Mirrors
4. Signals
5. Manoeuvre
6. Project

Junctions:
1. Introduction
2. Emerging
3. Approaching
4. Approaching right
5. Crossroads
6. Roundabouts

Hills:
1. Introduction
2. Downhill safety
3. Parking
4. Uphill starts
5. Downhill starts

Emergency Stop:
1. Introduction
2. The method
3. Skids
4. The driving test
5. Project

DRIVING HOME PAGE

Part-Two considerations

One of the factors marked during Part-Two of your exam is 'taking safe opportunities to proceed'; this applies to moving off in all situations as well as to some moving traffic situations.

You will sometimes have to wait for a short time between selecting first gear and moving off. By resting your left hand on the handbrake after selecting the gear you will be prepared to release it at the first safe opportunity and thus reduce the risk of hesitancy (i.e., waiting when it is safe and correct to proceed).

Which gear?

Some experienced drivers use second gear to move off when they are in the car alone (i.e., without the weight of passengers). Although virtually all cars will move off in second gear it is not good driving practice.

Moving off in second gear in normal circumstances results in excessive wear to the vehicle, particularly to the clutch. The only exceptions to the '1st gear rule' are downhill starts and starting on very slippery surfaces such as ice or mud.

If you are moving off downhill you can use a higher gear as gravity will help overcome the vehicles inertia and the appropriate speed for the gear is often reached by the time that the clutch is fully engaged. On snow or ice use the highest gear that is practicable to reduce wheel-spin.

Before moving on, study the DriverActive information about preparing the car to move.

Next: Step 5, Observation

POM: Prepare

Part-Two considerations