Learning to DriveBy

Dr SA Balogun

Introduction:

Driving is an art which requires not only learning but courageand practice. There are many parts in a vehicle that makes it tofunction, it is therefore important to know how these variousparts are coordinated towards movement.

A little child trying to walk will first conceptualise the idea,then with courage puts it into practice. Mistakes can be made,but these add up to the experience of the learner. Similarly,learning how to drive comes with more costly mistakes. Therefore,learning to drive requires greater care and the guidance ofexperts.

Aim:

To teach participants the steps to be followed to move a car fromstationary position

Objectives:

At the end of the lecture, participants should be able to:

- Practice the driver’s seat drills- Kick start a vehicle- Follow the steps needed to move a vehicle - Maneuver the vehicle on the highway

Obtaining a Learner’s Permit:

- Apply for and obtain a Learners permit ‘L’ from the MLA- Driving age in Nigeria is 18years.- Picture o ‘ L’

Drivers seat Drill:

- Familiarize yourself with the car controls and basicfunctions (drivers seat drills)

- The driving instructors shall tell you more of these - The drills include;

a. Seat adjustment and seat belt

b. Use of foot pedals: clutch, brake, accelerator

c. Hand control (i.e steering techniques 10 to 2); lefthand steering and right hand drive in Nigeria since1972

d. Mirror adjustment- inner should see rear windscreen,the side mirror to see the two sides of the vehicle

e. Practice use of gear; put it in park (stationary),

Neutral (not accelerating), Reverse (move back),Drive (accelerate) respectively.

f. Understand dashboard controls; Speedometer determine how fast (kmph/mph), Revolutions Per Minute (RPM) tells how hard the

engine is working - when it is in red reduceacceleration,

Odometer indicates the total distance covered, Fuel guage in ‘F’ or ‘E’ indicates when the fuel

tank is full or empty respectively, Temperature guage indicates the temperature of the

engine, an indicator showing ‘H’ or ‘C’ for hot orcold respectively but the middle temperature isperfect.

Learning driving on public roads

- Choose a low traffic density straight road - Practice the drivers seat drills- Put on the seat belt

- Secure the vehicle with hand brake- Ensure the gear is either in neutral (manual) or park (Auto)

respectively.- Start the car by turning the key clockwise. Listen carefully

and remove your hand from the ignition key immediately theengine starts.

- Cultivate the habit of starting the car with your foot onbrake

Moving the car and parking it a distance away

- Observe the drivers seat drill- Press the clutch fully to the floor with the left foot

(manual)

- Release the hand brake

- Put the gear into 1st (manual) or drive (Auto)

- For a manual vehicle, gently press the accelerator with theright leg to increase the engine revs while gently releasingthe left leg from the clutch.

Manual vehicle

Automatic vehicle

- Ensure that your eye looks straight through the windscreenas you rev to approximately 1500 rpm needed to move the carfrom its stationary position.

- Continue to raise the clutch until the engine change itssound meaning that both the engine and the wheel have closedup with the clutch plate – biting point

- The car begins to move- You may have to release the left leg totally from the clutch

at this point- The sound of the engine shall change again after driving a

while on a straight road and this signals the need to changethe gear to a lower gear 2.

Changing to lower gear (Manual)

- This is applicable to vehicles already in motion - As soon as the sound of the engine changes (without the

driver matching brake), the driver presses the clutch withthe left leg again.

- This neutralizes the gear, hence the driver will quicklyengage gear 2

- The driver gently releases the clutch while pressing theaccelerator as done before moving the vehicle again.

Changing to higher gear (Manual)

- This is equally applicable to vehicles in motion.- The vehicle must have been in gear 2, 3, 4 and above- The highest gear is gear one (1)- Before changing to higher gear, the vehicle must have either

reduced its speed by pressing the brake with the right legor the vehicle was slowed down as a result of hill climbing

- Then press the clutch with left foot and quickly change thegear to higher gear.

- Gently release the left leg from the clutch while pressingthe accelerator with the right leg so that the vehicle cancontinue the movement.

- Lower gear gives the vehicle more power to push the vehicleup hill

- Drivers of automatic vehicles do not have to change the gearthemselves.

Stopping a vehicle

- Practice the drill - Look (spy) through both the inner mirror and the side mirror- Ensure there is a safe distance between your car and

adjacent cars or kerb with the help of side mirrors- Ensure there is a safe distance between your car and

following vehicles with the help of inner mirrors

- Remove the right leg from the accelerator and press thebrake gently with it

- Change the gear to the higher one as the slowing downprogresses

- Observe the reaction of the adjacent as well as followingvehicles too through the side mirror and

- Keep your eye ahead through the windscreen

Parking

- Observe the position and reaction of adjacent and followingvehicles

- Observe the kerb- Slow down the vehicle to a stop as described above- Pull over parallel to the kerb as the vehicle stops- Press the clutch and put the gear in a neutral (Manual) but

simply press the brake and change the gear to parking ifautomatic vehicle.

- Engage the hand brake- If the vehicle is facing or backing hilltop without a kerb,

turn the steering to the right or left respectively- The reverse is the case if the hill top has a kerb- To park in between vehicles, turn in as much as possible

close to the vehicle behind then drive forward close to thevehicle in front after turning the steering sufficientlyback. It may be necessary to reverse back to attain properposition

Emergency stopping

- Put on the signal indicator- Step on the brake gently- Check the mirror for other vehicles and the kerb space- Pull over

Changing lanes

- Put on appropriate signal indicator and ensure that thevehicle behind is aware of your intention before changinglane

- Quickly spy the surrounding with both inner and side mirrors- Note the speed of following vehicle to ensure you would have

completed the lane change before the vehicle approaches- Change lane carefully but put off the signal indicator when

the change is completed.- Do not constitute hazard to other vehicles

Reversing

- From a stationary position, put the gear in reverse positionand double check

- Use the mirrors to have a good view of where you are going.- Gently remove foot from the brake pedal and do not put your

foot on the accelerator (at least for a fresh timer usingautomatic vehicle)

- A car can move by simply removing the foot from the brake,though slower but one do not risk any crash.

- Remember to use the brake whenever the need arises. Pressthe foot gently but firmly on the brake pedal to slow thecar down.

- A school of thought does not see any reason using seat beltwhile reversing at low speed.

Moving on highway

- The leftmost and rightmost lanes are for fastest andslowest moving vehicles respectively

- it is rude to tail-gate someone slower than you on rightlane just as it is selfish to hog the left lane if you aremoving slower than other traffic.

- Get into a lane that is going approximately at your speedand maintain the lane until you need to turn off.

- Overtake only by the left (except if the vehicle in front isslower and on express way or the vehicle in front gives anindication of turning left or there is an indication thatyou should overtake by the right, etc)

Turning left at ‘T’ junction

- Approach ‘T’ junction with the knowledge of MSPSL- While driving, look as far as possible for junctions- Junction can also be identified with the help of road

furniture e.g. give way sign, nonstop sign, traffic light orwhen you see crossing traffic

- Common mistakes include; not checking mirrors, latesignaling, coming to a stop over junction line or before it,not noticing pedestrians and cyclist

-Driving acronyms

1.0 DSSM ……..

Door – before you start engine, check that all doorsare closed and locked as appropriate

Seat and steering- adjust your seat to ensure good viewof the road and that all the controls are within acomfortable reach and use. Adjust headrest to preventwhiplash in event of a crash or sudden brake.

Seat belt – ensure all occupants in the car fastenseatbelt. Driver is legally responsible for passengersin his vehicle.

Mirrors- adjust inner and side mirrors for maximum rearview

2.0 POM……Prepare Observe Move, is used when one intends to movethe car from a stationary position

- Prepare- means getting the vehicle ready and preparing topull away when the road is clear. Do this by;

- Press the clutch down and hold it there

- select 1st gear, move the hand back to steering wheel

- press the accelerator pedal down until you attain1500- 2000 rpm

- release the clutch up slowly until you find thebiting point (sound of vehicle changes)

- put the left hand on the hand brake and be ready torelease it.

- Observe- look around the vehicle. check center mirror andthe appropriate exterior mirrors to ensure you see bothshoulders and other blind spots, signal your intention tomove if necessary.

- Move- if the road is safe, release the handbrake and placeyour hand on the steering wheel, release clutch slowly atthe same time accelerating gently. As the movementprogresses, continue to use the mirrors to monitor the blindspots for unforeseen and intended circumstances (i.e.changing lane, stopping, turning, sudden sounds/horn fromthe rear, flashing lights from the rear etc)

3.0 SCALP……

- Safe condition and legal routine. It is used when oneintends to stop at the side of the road, by this one showsconsideration to other road users.

- Safe – avoid stopping too close to a junction or stop atminimum of 10m away by this you are neither blocking thejunction nor being a potential hazard

- Convenient- consider how you and your passenger exit fromthe car, hence do not park too close to water puddles,lamppost or open the door suddenly.

- Legal- stop 10m away from junction, do not stay next to busstop, on yellow lines, zig zag lines, loading areas etc.

- Position- park the vehicle close and parallel to kerb.Ensure the wheels are straight unless on a hill

4.0 MSPSL………Mirror signal move- used at junction, roundabout, Tjunction

- Mirror- to move left, check center and left mirror, to moveright, check center and right mirror.

- Signal- communicate your plans to other road users earlyenough, signal left if you intend to move left and right ifyou intend to move right.

- Position- position the car for maneuvering, move the car tothe left lane gradually. Stop at the give way sign ormarking to ensure the road is free before turning

- Speed- reduce speed if maneuvering, reduce speed and stop,engage gear after stopping. Apply the rule of ‘look right,left and right again’

- Look- constantly observe everything around you and assessany hazards that present themselves, though your main focusshould be where you are going

5.0 MSM or Mirror signal maneuver- this is being replaced withMSPSL in recent years. It is used before moving off, justbefore signaling, before any change in direction or speed

- Mirror : check both inner and outer mirror for potentialhazards i.e vehicle or cyclist driving too closely behind,

- Signal: signal to desired direction. What was observed inthe mirror earlier may influence your decision and time touse signal

- Maneuver: this is done at roundabout, changing lanes,parking etc

Use of vehicle Parts

Abuses to other road users: Drivers are in the habit of committingcertain abuses during driving. These includes; tailgating,abusing other drivers, vengeful behavior, retaliatory,territoriality, dominance, competition, risk taking and soon

Abuses of vehicle: Horn- using it to greet each other, incessant horning tocreate noise common with taxi drivers calling passengersBrake- sudden matching, leaking oilHead light- non functional, not dipping it when othervehicles approach, having one head light etcHazard light (double trafficator): using it for fun or togain undue advantage in hold upsHead rest: raised higher or lower than the headSeat belt: non use, cut, replaced with rope, used for towingvehicles etcAirbag: not replaced after crashMirrors: damaged, replaced with ordinary glass, non use etcBrake light: non functional, malfunctioning etc

Conclusion

The lives of passengers and other road users are in the hand of adriver. Therefore it is important that drivers obey all rulesguiding the highway. Only a good driver brings the vehicle to thedesired destination.

Thank you.