Jump to content
NEurope
S.C.G

N-Europe Driving School

Recommended Posts

By the way, why on earth do you guys drive on the left side of the road? oO

 

Broadcast Yourself
Audio

 

Seriously, apart from passing the dutchie 'pon the left hand side, I have no clue.

 

A quick google suggests the British Empire used the left hand side for marching/medievil jousting and Napoleon changed it during the French revolution. And these setiments stuck for when driving took over the roads. I prefer my original idea of passing dutchies.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

By the way, why on earth do you guys drive on the left side of the road? oO

Why is that weirder than the right hand side?

 

Iirc, it goes back to having your sword-arm towards the centre of the path when horse riding.

 

Research suggests Romans rode on the left, so we were doing it on the left before you were doing it on the right.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Why is that weirder than the right hand side?

 

Iirc, it goes back to having your sword-arm towards the centre of the path when horse riding.

 

Research suggests Romans rode on the left, so we were doing it on the left before you were doing it on the right.

 

It's weirder because there's so little of you left-drivers around. Not insinuating it's worse or anything, rest assured. :grin: But the only significant left-drivers out there are you guys, Japan and Australia. Yeah, India and South Africa do it too, but they're not that important globally.

 

Also, the reason I ask is because we (humans) do everything on the right, mostly, that's why it was changed to the right in the rest of the world. So it seems weird to drive left, when your natural inclination would be to drive right.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
That last point is definitely true. Pass plus hasn't been proving an indication to insurers lately that you're any less of a liability, so these days the premium's not improved by it having that at all.

 

Oh btw, while we're on that subject, don't be surprised if your first insurance costs about the same amount again as your first car...

 

My insurance on my 1.4 2006 Astra is 'only' £600 for 10 months, and after those 10 months I get 1 years no claims. I'd been driving 3 1/2 years when I got my car but no no claims as I was a named driver. Initial quotes were about double that but adding my parents to the insurance as named drivers (me being the main) reduced it massively.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Initial quotes were about double that but adding my parents to the insurance as named drivers (me being the main) reduced it massively.

 

Thats what I've done for my insurance, reduces the price and lets you build your own no claims.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Agreed on the parents front, I still have my Dad on my policy (he loves it now he pretty much has sole use of my car), even at 27 with lots of no claims it's still the biggest factor in getting a discount.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Ahhh, driving!

 

Personally, I recommend getting the learning/driving/license out of the way as soon as possible. I learnt, then took test(and passed) in dec 2007. I did not buy a car until dec 2010, and hadn't driven a day since passing my test!!

 

Of course, I was very nervous etc, and people kept saying it all comes back, but it did not...at first. However I have a few good friends who pushed me to go out and now I fuckin' love drivin! I love speeding too, I'm a bit bad really. After going out a few times, taking the jumps, you get all used to it again and it comes like nobody's business. Takes about a month or under to get back into after having not driven for ages, def go out with a driver for a few drives, but try and avoid family!

 

I should point out though, I can't *really* drive for shit. I'm a terrible driver and do some pretty messed up stuff, but I can feel myself getting better with time, and don't/haven't found myself in terrible situations. As long as you're paying attention things should be ok, but I agree with the idea of assuming everyone else on the road is a bad driver(which I do, knowing the stuff I do) as it helps you be more cautious.

 

 

Biggest problem with driving though, is insurance for a start; despite having 'had' my licence for 3 years and being 23, I still paid ~£940 for 10 months of insurance(fully comp) with my mum as a named driver(who's never going to drive it anyway). Insurance seems to have increased a lot in the last few years, which is very annoying as it does feel like daylight robbery. Also the other biggest thing, having a car that is shit does not help much, had a lot of stress with that and still got some going. Make sure you buy a good one, or know a decent mechanic!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Cheapest way to have a car:

 

Buy an old car as cheap as possible with as long an MOT as possible. (say ~£300)

About a month or two before MOT is due take it for an MOT.

If it passes then joy.

If it fails (and the repairs are going to be over £100) then take it to the car auctions.

Somebody (likely a scrap dealer) will buy it for ~£200 after commission.

You've had a car for £100 a year.

Rinse and repeat.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Cheapest way to have a car:

 

Buy an old car as cheap as possible with as long an MOT as possible. (say ~£300)

About a month or two before MOT is due take it for an MOT.

If it passes then joy.

If it fails (and the repairs are going to be over £100) then take it to the car auctions.

Somebody (likely a scrap dealer) will buy it for ~£200 after commission.

You've had a car for £100 a year.

Rinse and repeat.

 

+ car tax (probably £130 on a old car) + insurance

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
+ car tax (probably £130 on a old car) + insurance

 

But you would have to pay them on any car.

 

Obviously I'm not saying owning a car can be as cheap as not owning a car. I'm just saying that if you are going to have one, you can do it more cheaply than spending a few grand on a car or buying a cheap car and spending the value of the car on repairs every year for the MOT.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

*Mega Bump!*

 

Just about to go on my first driving lesson in over 5 years... should be interesting, will report back later all being well. :D

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Good luck!

 

Shame you aren't in my area or we could have had the first N-E instructor-pupil lesson!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I bought a new car last monday. 1.6 Escort, 1 previous owner, 69k miles, excellent bodywork and interior, S reg, £590.

 

It broke down on the way to the orthodontist. That was on tuesday.

 

I had to get the train back to Aber.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

And... I'm back! :) Just had a two hour lesson in a new(ish) Ford Fiesta with a very calm and collected driving instuctor, which I think made all the difference... it didn't take long to remember everything, perhaps 20 mins? which isn't bad considering I haven't driven in at least 5 or 6 years.

 

I think the year and a half experience of riding a bike to work and then my accident nearly half a year ago has changed the way in which I now see the roads... and I think it's for the better too as I remained very cautious throughout, spotting potential hazards before they'd occur while maintaining a decent speed.

 

Yes I did stall the car... :indeed: about two or three times in fact but it was actually good as it helped with the re-learning progress to a degree and I'm learning not to stress when it happens but to take on-board what I've done wrong so that it shouldn't happen again hopefully.

 

I went away from the lesson reasonably happy, I've booked another two hour lesson for two weeks time and it'll be that way until I pass my theory again which I managed to get a copy of the CD-Roms for, so all in all a pretty decent lesson. :D

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Stalling the car with a new clutch while learning is pretty much expected.

 

I can imagine that riding a bike on the roads for a while will be similar to the feeling you get when driving alone in the few months after passing, you get a much better grasp of how the road works than you do under constant instruction.

 

Anyway, keep it up! I expect a new post saying you've passed within twelve weeks.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I stalled the other day, it was the first time in months. Then I did again a few hours later. FML.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I've had driving lessons in September, and I'm allowed to drive alone now for practice, but I'm still too scared to. I barely drive as it is (have nowhere to go to, and gas is too expensive to drive around with no goal), but driving alone just scares the shit out of me. D:

 

I always need someone next to me, just in case something happens. Plus I'm scared that when my car stalls, I won't be able to start it again. This has happened a few times (old car), so now I'm afraid it'll keep happening. >.>;

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I prefer driving alone, but then, the only people I've ever driven around are family members (other than driving instructors, obviously), and they're all terrible backseat drivers. Do this, do that, why did you do that, you're doing that wrong, I always do this... They make me hate driving. :indeed:

 

Yes I did stall the car... :indeed: about two or three times in fact but it was actually good as it helped with the re-learning progress to a degree and I'm learning not to stress when it happens but to take on-board what I've done wrong so that it shouldn't happen again hopefully.

My brother once stalled a car twenty-five times in a row, so you shouldn't feel too bad. ;)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I stalled my car to fuck when I first got it, despite getting to perfection in my learner car. It's not abnormal

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I bought a new car last monday. 1.6 Escort, 1 previous owner, 69k miles, excellent bodywork and interior, S reg, £590.

 

It broke down on the way to the orthodontist. That was on tuesday.

 

I had to get the train back to Aber.

 

What broke down with it?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
What broke down with it?

 

Well it lost all power and had no revs. So I think it's a valve or injector problem. However when jumping it it kept cutting out, and now it won't even start with a jump. So I think that's possibly the spark plugs or distributor cap.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

*bump!*

 

I haven't posted in this thread for a while but my subsequent driving lessons have been going very well :) I have no problems with maneuvers though I've got to ensure that I navigate junctions correctly, I do most of the time, I just don't want to do something stupid on the test.

 

Got my theory test tomorrow so I'm doing some last minute revision, having no real problems with the multiple choice but the Hazard Perception is a massive pain in the arse... >> I 'get' how it works and that you get more points the quicker you click just as or before a potential situation arises but for some reason even though I *think* I'm clicking at the right time it seems I'm not.

 

If anyone has got any tips for this part then it'd be appreciated, though I do feel a little dumb for asking tbh, especially as I passed the damn thing before but then that was five or six years ago :p I just want to get it right first time again so I can then get on with booking the practical for a months time and not have to worry about anything other than working towards the day of the test where I'll hopefully pass.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

You need to click for potential hazards well before they develop, for example in the distance you see someone getting into a car. The potential hazard here is that the car could move off. If you click when the car moves off then you'll get 1 or 2 points. But if you click when the guy walks out of his front garden then you'll get 5. Still click again when the hazard is developing though just to be sure. It says you get 0 for clicking too much but you can click about 8 or 9 times before this happens so don't worry about overclicking.

 

Hope this advice is posted before your test today and good luck.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Got back from taking the Theory Test a couple of hours ago...

 

... I passssed eet! :)

 

Now I can book the Practical for a few weeks time, feels good to have the done the theory again, hopefully that was the last time too as I'm planning to keep taking the practical until I pass it rather than leaving it like I did last time... >>

 

Anyway when I take the Practical it'll be my third attempt and hopefully I'll be lucky and pass if the old saying is anything to go by. :heh:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

*update*

 

I have my Driving Test booked in for July 11th - have done for a few weeks now - so two weeks away and this time I actually feel ready for it :) I got back from having another lesson earlier, my driving standard feels pretty decent - and I should hope so after learning for the past few months :p - so now I just can't wait to take the test and hopefully pass. :D

 

Any advice on the test between now and then would be appreciated, other than the obvious 'don't fuck it up!' of course. :indeed:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

×