A Driver's Worst Nightmare

If there is something drivers dislike more than the police, it is parking inspectors. These guys (and girls) give fines, and as you know, people hate paying fines. Here is a short funny video to end August with a smile.



Have a great week!

Nadav

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Red Light Runners

As I wrote three weeks ago, I visited Germany in July and noticed many red light runners. Until now I haven't noticed many of them where I live, since we have a very long notice before the red light. However, when I started looking carefully, I saw many red light runners.

All these light runners make me afraid. I know I should always look to both sides of the intersection before crossing, even on green, but some drivers don't even mind other cars. They just go in, letting others to stop for them.

Scary, really scary.

Have a great weekend,
Nadav

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Make Right Left Turns

Turning left in right-side driving countries is much harder than turning right, because of the need to look for oncoming traffic. Since many driving students have difficulties with this subject, I wrote an article to point the common mistakes. However, only my driving test guide provides enough information for the test and beyond.

Turn Left Well to Pass Your Driver's License Test

Left turns, in right-side driving, are usually more complicated than right turns. They involve going through oncoming traffic and often include estimating the speed and distance of oncoming traffic. This skill is often not developed enough in new drivers, and it becomes a real issue when this happens on the driving test.

The most common mistake is a maneuver that gives the students the most trouble - turning left from a stop sign into a crossing road. In this turn, the student has to look both ways to make sure no one is coming. Many students have a real trouble with this turn, since sometimes they can't estimate distances well.

When turning left, some students don't notice and make it too tight. When this happens, they sometimes enter another lane in their direction, or in the worse case, enter a lane with opposing traffic. This is a very dangerous situation and many accidents happened because of these wrong left turns.

One other mistake driving students make when turning left is wrong estimation of oncoming traffic. They slow down as they approach the intersection, look at the oncoming traffic and stop, even if they should go ahead and make their turn. Some drivers are very anxious about making left turns, so they wait until they can't see any car for a mile ahead and only then make their turn. During the driving test, the students are stressed, thus thinking "better safe than sorry" on these left turns and wait for a completely empty road. This is a wrong practice which could mean a test failure.

Another, very dangerous mistake is related to traffic lights. In some areas, especially in the United States, when turning left, the drivers enter the intersection and wait for oncoming traffic to clear. Some students, eager to turn and end the test quickly, turn just after the light turns green, before opposing traffic starts moving. This is a very fast way to end the test - but on the fail side.

All these problems can be solved easily with proper practice. Take your father, your mother, or a friend and practice with them. Make sure you have the proper guide to read from to make sure your practice is good and helpful for the test.

You can find guides to help you turn left well and also practice all driving maneuvers required for the test at the Pass Your Driver's License Test section of my site.

Don't forget to practice!
Nadav

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First Time Driving: Irene

Parents are sometimes more nervous than their children when it comes to teaching them how to drive. Here is a video of Irene driving for the first time with her mother, which keeps yelling "Slowler" (this is not a typo). Also watch the scary brake at the end.



This video was uploaded on September of 2006, so Irene probably has a license by now. Hopefully her mother doesn't scare her anymore when she drives.

Drive safely!
Nadav

nadavs

Britian Road Rage: Part 5

Parking fines and parking inspectors, the two things driving hate most, come to the Britain Road Rage. Speed cameras are also in focus of today's part.



Don't forget to check where you partk!
Nadav

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Don't Drink and Triple Park

Today's news is not big and fancy, but rather a funny way to end the day. According to LoHud.com, a man was charged for driving while intoxicated. The unfortunate man was charged because he triple parked.

On August 10, the police saw a triple parking car and approached it. The cops asked the man to move his car, but when he spoke back they noticed his speaking is not clear and asked him to do a sobriety test. Needless to say, the man failed it and was charged for driving while intoxicated.

This story can be summarized with the first comment on the story page: Another genius...

Nadav

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Some More Driving Test Tips

Car wrecks are not exactly a cheerful experience, so after last week's feel of gloom and doom, today it's time for an article with passing tips, not causes for accidents. The article was written by Michelle Riley.

Pass Your Road Test and Get Your License on the First Try

Though you may have your temporary license and a couple of driving lessons under your belt, the final obstacle to freedom still looms: the road test. Statistics say that only 1 in 2 drivers pass their first try. Does this mean that you've got a 50% chance of failure? Definitely not! Learn some time-tested secrets and tips that will tip the balance in your favor and put you on the fast track to automotive success.

Being prepared means:

- Practicing
- Knowing your state's traffic laws
- Being confident

Driving experience is essential; that's how you'll get the assurance and know-how that comes only with time. Make sure you feel comfortable just sitting behind the wheel. Once you have got a pretty good idea of how to park, turn, and deal with intersections, you're on the right track.

To avoid any last minute mechanical problems, give your car's signals and lights a quick check-up at least one week before you go to the DMV. If any of these don't work, they won't permit you to even take the examination. And in case you plan to drive a different vehicle for the test than the one you're used to, take it out for a few spins until you feel at ease maneuvering it - each car handles a little differently.

If you have picked up any "special" habits over the course of your driving experience, lose them! Beware of lazy or sharp turns, one-handed driving, not stopping completely for stop signs/red lights, etc. Of course safety comes first on the road, but especially so on exam day. Your examiner will be watching you, so drive carefully and keep these guidelines in mind:

- Drive a bit under the speed limit (to help you be more aware)
- Be gentle on the brake and gas
- Watch for and always obey all signs
- Signal every lane change and turn
- Check your side and rear view mirrors regularly (much more than normal, even if you feel silly)
- Always turn to check your blind spot when changing lanes (this is a big one!)
- Follow at a safe distance
- Ignore your cell phone while driving!

These are the basics you'll be tested on, so practice! Though they may sound simple, they're easy to forget, particularly under pressure. The point is to impress upon your examiner that you are a safe, cautious driver who knows how to handle the roads. And in case you do slip up slightly - which most everyone does - keep going and don't lose your confidence.

If you find yourself feeling a little intimidated by the examiner, try this trick: imagine he or she is just a (strict, overly demanding.. middle-aged? balding?) friend who's giving you directions to a party. Or maybe a pumpkin. Or naked. Whichever works for you! If you find yourself overwhelmed by nerves and doubt by test day, take a breath and trust that your practice and skills will pay off and get you through. Good luck - now hit the road and earn that driver's license!

Michelle got her drivers license after tons of practice, and has helped several others get theirs, too. Learn more tips and tricks and play a virtual drivers ed game online at http://www.driversed-game.com.

Source: EzineArticles.com.

I have just one notice about this article: it may be slightly misleading. Note that driving under the speed limit is not a good idea most of the times. Anyway, don't go beyond 2-3 mph (or 3-4 km/h) under the speed limit, unless necessary. Examiners don't like that, even though some states allow you do be even 10 mph under the speed limite (NEVER do that under good conditions!). Of course, you can find the full speed control list in my driving test guide.

Good luck!
Nadav

nadavs

Traffic Light Rules

Traffic lights, as everyone knows, are a big source of trouble for drivers. Luckily for them, the California DMV created a video that explains everything. Warning: this video only applies to California. For a complete set of intersection rules, get the driving test guide.



Hope you learned something, but remember: this video may not apply to you!

Nadav

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City Driving Madness

I like driving on highways and roads out of the city. They usually have flowing traffic and high speed limits, just what I like about driving. Unfortunately, not all driving takes place on these roads, and I have to go in the city.

City driving is a total disaster in the city near me. Bad roads, bad drivers, and crazy pedestrians govern the streets. Narrow roads and buses also make it hard to drive. For example, people turn left in roundabouts while going against traffic (they turn left the "fast way"). Worse than that, I had people opposing me on one way street. They just don't like to go all the way around.

I hate city driving, and I try to avoid it at all cost, but sometimes it's a must. Some drivers there should not even have a license.

Have a great weekend,
Nadav

nadavs

Parking Mistakes to Avoid

Parking is a painful subject for many drivers and drivers-to-be. Many students fail because of it, but there is a way around it. Here is an article I wrote about it for you to read.

Park Well to Pass Your Driver's License Test

Parking is a major player in the "unfavorite" parts of driving test checklist. It is quite difficult without experience, it means that the practice is over, and it fails many students each year. Some parking errors repeat more often than others, yet driving students keep making them over and over.

One mistake is a critical error in many areas. It is hitting the curb. When you park, it is usually done near a curb, and hitting it is a major problem for examiners. The curb hit can be done when pulling over, parallel parking, or just doing any parking maneuver. This just adds to the feeling that students without proper preparation cannot pass the test.

Another mistake, common on parallel parking, is not looking back when backing up. Some examinees just stare in the rear view mirror, or worse than that, at the road ahead. This is a very dangerous practice since a pedestrian can walk behind the backing car or there may be another car behind it. Still, many students don't do the simple act of looking back.

Distance estimation is also an issue for the parking part of the driving test. There is a certain distance from the curb you must park on, and parking further from the curb is illegal and of course a test failure. However, some students cannot estimate their distance well, especially when pulling over. They are too afraid to hit the curb. The result, too often, is a big X on the score sheet.

Like hitting the curb, hitting another car is a very serious problem during the driving test. It is usually a combination of not looking back and distance underestimation. When it happens, both the examiner and the examinee feel bad and are required to leave their details. This is an instant failure with no exceptions.

Since parking is a major part of driving, you need the proper practice and guidance for it. Practicing it yourself without any help will only get you in trouble, since you can practice wrong maneuvers and hit other cars. You need the best guidance possible.

You can find great guidance at the Pas Your Driver's License Test section of my site. Every guide there will give you the exact way to perform the perfect parking.

Good luck!
Nadav

nadavs

First Time Driving: Chelsea

Today's first time driving video was not recorded from the inside of the car, but rather from the outside. However, you get the commentary of the recorder and hear the surprise that all first time drivers have when the cars start to move.



This video was uploaded to YouTube on July 17, so Chelsea still has a long way to go until she gets her license. By looking how she did in this video, getting the license will not be a problem for her.

Good luck!
Nadav

nadavs

Britian Road Rage: Part 4

In today's part of Britian Road Rage, pedestrians get their share of rage. Crosswalks, naked cyclists, and another death story are shown in this part.



Be safe!
Nadav

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Sydney is Waiting for Disaster

Some people are so ignorant they might just as well kill themselves, according to the Daily Telegraph. Apparently, the North-West T-way in Australia is very attractive, otherwise there is no explanation to why cyclists, pedestrians, and pensioners with electric scooters would ride on it.

Ever since it was built, for the purpose of being a bus-only route, many unauthorized vehicles have used the T-way. Bus drivers complain that someone will get killed soon, and they are afraid they'll be the killers. Totally understandable.

Remember: don't go where you are not allowed. It's not just breaking the law, it can also be deadly.

Be safe!
Nadav

nadavs

Car Wrecks and Their Causes

Accidents are a nasty business, and nothing can change that. Death, injuries, insurance claims, and other wreck related terms makes everyone shake. To know more about the causes of accidents, Joseph Devine wrote a great article.

Causes of Car Wrecks

Car accidents and wrecks are events that negatively affect people's lives. In addition to damaging the vehicle, injuries and financial troubles can result from the collision. Learning about the various causes of automobile accidents can help people to be more aware of their choices behind the wheel, hopefully leading to fewer accidents on the road. Additionally, oftentimes, multiple factors coincide, causing wrecks. By stopping or avoiding preventable causes of collisions, road way safety can be improved for everyone.

Driver distraction is a common cause of problems behind the wheel. Ringing cell phones, talking with passengers, screaming children, drinking and eating, dealing with pets, changing the radio station and fiddling with mp3 players are all driver distractions that can lead to accidents. Other problems that drivers can experience while in control of their vehicle include sleepiness, illness, or alcohol and drug use. If you are tired or sick, it is advisable not to operate a motor vehicle. Additionally, if you have consumed drugs or alcohol immediately prior to driving, you face increased risk for getting into an accident as well as legal repercussions for driving while intoxicated.

Less controllable factors include mechanical car problems. Flat tires, tires blowing out while driving, brake failure, axle problems, and steering mechanism failure can all turn an otherwise safe driving situation into a dangerous one. Other variables that can heighten the danger involved in driving consist of roadway conditions, such as foreign objects in the road, complicating weather conditions such as rain, ice, snow, and fog, and road damage, including pot holes or bad shoulders.

Finally, features such as road design and layout can have a significant impact on the amount of car wrecks in an area. Some places are notorious for their blind spots. Additionally, improperly or poorly marked roadways and the speed of surrounding motorists can have a major effect on the frequency of car collisions.

Basic prevention of car wrecks includes limiting distractions inside the vehicle, driving the speed limit, not operating a vehicle after the consumption of drugs or alcohol, and always observing traffic laws. It is advised to drive only when you are feeling awake, healthy, and well-rested. If the number of car collisions and accidents could be reduced in the United States, millions of dollars in insurance claims, lawsuits, and pain and suffering could be avoided. If you are interested in learning more, this automobile accident website can provide more useful information.

Joseph Devine

Source: EzineArticles.com.

Thank you Joseph for this fantastic and informative article.

Yours,
Nadav

nadavs

Parking Rules

Parking is a difficult skill for most driving students. It gets even more complicated when considering the rules applying to it. Here is a video by the California DMV to clarify the legal side of parking.



Hope you learned something,
Nadav

nadavs

Not Signaling and Insanity

That's it. I am tired of drivers who don't think signaling is a necessity. They risk everyone on the road, including themselves and me. I can't drive when these crazy drivers are on the road.

Every time I drive, I see people changing lanes without signaling even when it's done on heavily congested road. They think other drivers, including me, are mind readers. However, as you know, neither I nor any other driver is a mind reader, and we cannot predict a lane change without signaling.

The worst kind of non-signalers belongs to drivers who pull over without signaling. This can drive me insane. It is not only dangerous because of the sudden deceleration, it also confuses drivers behind and causes traffic jams.

Don't forget to signal. For others, for yourselves.

Nadav

nadavs

City Driving and You

DMV offices are located in cities, so one very crucial driving skill to master is driving in cities. Still, many driving students make terrible mistakes when they drive in city streets. Here is an article I wrote about this subject.

City Driving Errors That Fail Many Drivers on Their Road Test

Driving in a city can be much more complicated than driving on a freeway. There are traffic lights, pedestrians, slowing cars, turning cars, and many other factors to watch out for. But the road test is done in a city and not entirely on a freeway. Many driving students practice some separate driving maneuvers, but they don't know how to combine them into good city driving. That makes some city driving mistakes repeat more often than others.

One big mistake is done with crosswalks. Many driving students cannot handle a crosswalk, especially if it's positioned outside an intersection. They don't know how to recognize a crosswalk when they see it and how to treat the crossing pedestrians. Crosswalk mistakes are very harmful for the test, and usually end up as test failures.

Intersections also cause many problems to student drivers. Sometimes they are so concentrated on their driving that they forget to check side traffic on intersections, or worse, don't notice traffic lights or stop signs. If a serious enough error occurs, the examiner marks a critical error and the test is over.

Heavy traffic is a part of city driving. At some parts of the day traffic is just crawling to its destination. There are some drivers who can't handle that. They become nervous or angry, which affects their driving. If it happens to an examinee during a driving test and he starts driving like a beginner, the examiner might notice that and end the test.

Parked cars are a nightmare of every driver. Sometimes it's an opening door, on other times it's an ignorant driver who doesn't look back when exiting the parking. During the road test the driver has to be extremely cautious, or something could happen, something that could ruin his test and send him home to wait.

City driving is a matter of practice. Every driving student should get some good city driving practice before the test. A good practice does not consist of just going out to the city, but driving with a guide that explains the minor details of city driving, details that can change the test result from fail to pass.

You can find a good guide at the Pass Your Road Test area of my site. There is also a free course offered on that page with more driving test mistakes and tips.

Hope you find it useful.

Yours,
Nadav

nadavs

First Time Driving: Roxanne

Driving is about confidence, something most first time drivers don't share. Roxanne is sure she is going to hit cars, and uses a very well known trick to avoid it: praying. Notice the loud music and the loud arguments in the car (watch out for the language). Those two are a quick way to bad driving, especially for a beginner.



Roxanne still has a long way to go until she gets her license. Hopefully by then she'll control the car better than she controls her mouth.

Nadav

nadavs

Britain Road Rage: Part 3

The road rage continues with bicycles, the bicycle police, red light runners, excuses, and a sad story of death.



Drive safely!
Nadav

nadavs

First Driving Experience: A Ferrari

Driving a Ferrari is a dream of many drivers, and some, like drivers who went to Yazz School of Motoring and passed their test, get to actually see their dream come true, according to this article at the Daily Star.

The reason for this Ferrari drive is once again educational. The school owner wants to give the new drivers a lesson in safety, and there is no better car to do that than a fast Ferrari. A speed of 290 km/h may not be reached by new drivers, but the feeling of speed should give them a good understanding about control.

Let's just hope this Ferrari drive helps the new drivers when they go out to the road. The accident rate of new license owners must go down.

Nadav

nadavs

Pass the Driving Test Before Your Friends

Passing the driving test requires long practice and good skills. To show how important that is, Robin Piggott wrote a (VERY long - over 1000 words) article. It might just help you pass before your friends!

How to Pass the Driving Test in Three Months Without Spending a Fortune and Before Your Friends

The Driving Test need not be the nightmare that it becomes for so many drivers young and not so young.

The ability to pass the Driving Test without it taking years to achieve is within the capability of every Driver providing and this is the key, they take the trouble to find out what is required of them in the first place. They can do this by enlisting the services of a Professional Driving School who will know exactly what is currently required of the candidate and how to achieve the necessary standard.

Forget Mums, Dads, Girlfriends and Boy Friends. They will not know what is currently required to pass the Driving Test nor will they be aware of the things that an Examiner is looking out for.
It needn’t take forever or cost a small fortune but it will take time, application and perseverance.
Most Learner Drivers think they can get by without taking Driving Lessons from a school. They find out to their horror and shock all too soon that this strategy is a complete waste of time

Many Learner Drivers take no Professional Tuition whatsoever and rely on a mixture of hope, optimism and the ownership of a car as their prime mover. This is a method that is bound to result in failure and often several times over. Knowing exactly what is required of you in a Driving Test situation will get you halfway at least to passing the Test. Then the other half of the equation is totally down to your determination to be at least competent in every single Manoeuvre and Technique. Not just most of the manoeuvres but ALL of them.

This is the hard part or is it? Nothing in this life comes without planning, hard work, determination and last of all, persistence. When you are up against a seemingly insurmountable obstacle such as being able to move your car round a corner without ending up in the middle of the road then you must spend whatever time it takes to get it right. We are talking about fifty or a hundred manoeuvres here not just one or two and then off to Starbucks for a coffee and a chat .Does this sound like hard work? You bet it is but this is what separates the successful candidates from those that get the little pink slip or whatever colour it is in your own particular country.

Just by buying a car and driving around in a delusional state for a year or so not only won’t get you through the Driving Test but will be heading you for something much worse than Driving Test failure. What we are talking about here is a litany of bad habits many of which will be leading sooner rather than later to a serious accident or should we say incident.

All so called accidents are the result of sometimes a succession of circumstances, usually precipitated by one serious error by one driver, which then attracts other errors into the mix from another driver.

If, for example, an untrained driver makes a simple error by virtue of his lack of understanding of a basic driving principle, such as not driving too close to another vehicle and the vehicle in front stops suddenly then the result is a forgone conclusion. He or she will run into the back of the car in front, often with serious damage to their vehicle .Remember the most expensive parts of a car are at the front.

You can get away with some damage to the rear of your vehicle but a shunt at the front will often leave you looking for another engine or worse still, another car with all the attendant upset and financial hardship that an accident, sorry incident, brings.

Of course that might not be the only damage. Supposing the driver behind you is of the same low standard of skill and training and is traveling too close to you? Well you will be in the most unfortunate situation of having rear end damage, as well as full frontal and this very often will mean a complete write off if the car is a few years old.

So here we have a very simple and fundamental driving rule, that of keeping your distance, that if ignored can and often does lead to serious damage and the end of your journeys for that week or month.

There are dozens, if not hundreds, of such simple driving techniques and principles to learn and master before you will confidently sit and pass a Driving Test .On their own, most are easy to comprehend but added together form a considerable mountain to climb. Some are less easy to perfect and this is where the Driving Instructor plays an essential role.

Very few Mountain climbers would attempt Everest without oxygen so it is with Learner Drivers wanting to know how to pass a Driving Test .It is a Mountain that requires Respect, Dedication, Training, Planning and Persistence. Any one of these attributes that are absent in the mix will lead to an unfavourable result first of all, and second of all to considerable hardship in the event of an incident, sorry accident.

To summarize, one would need to appreciate the importance of the Role of the Instructor in reaching a Driving Test Pass and to accept that this will involve parting with quite a considerable sum of money but not a King’s Ransom.

Time spent in practicing the various techniques to as near perfection as possible, is the next prerequisite.

This can certainly be done with relatives but their role in the car is not to impart their, usually out of date and mediocre skills, but to enable the Learner to carry out safely the new Techniques imparted by their Instructor. If arguments or disagreements occur then it is time to find another relative to occupy the passenger seat.

Finally, when a suitable standard has been reached some fine tuning with the Instructor in the Driving Test locality will be required, to keep an eye on any temporary road and building activities that can cause serious difficulties to all drivers and not just beginners. The few days leading to the Driving Test appointment and the morning of the Test itself would be the time to complete this reconnaissance.

Once this total plan of action has been carried out, the candidate will be way ahead of any contemporaries who have been teaching themselves and will have the best possible chance of passing the Driving Test first time.

Robin Piggott is a Driving Instructor in Ireland who brings four decades of experience to his Astral Driving School based in Limerick. Here you can find a treasure trove of everything for the Learner Driver. Pick up a free seven part mini course "Passing the Driving Test First Time" and put yourself way ahead of the average Learner.

Source: EzineArticles.com.

Did you survive?

Nadav

nadavs

Signaling and Merging

Signaling can be quite a difficulty for some people, but the real difficulty is merging into traffic, especially freeway traffic. Here is a video by the California DMV about signaling and merging. It's quite superficial, so it's better if you read my driving test guide for better understanding of these topics.



I hope this video helped you.

Yours,
Nadav

nadavs

Notes from Germany

Not long ago I came back from a trip to Germany with friends. It was great. We visited the big cities, the BMW production line, and saw everything we wanted. One thing we saw really scared us about this place. How they drive.

As you know, German highways, called autobahns, have no speed limit. Well, actually there is a minimum speed in some places: 100 km/h (60 mph). Although I didn't drive there, I was able to see how they drive on city streets. They drive like they are on an autobahn.

German drivers are fast and do what Californian drivers do: push the gas pedal to reach a yellow light, sometimes even when it's red. However, the German engineers found a great way to force drivers to stop behind limit lines: traffic lights are only positioned before the intersection. If you go beyond the limit line, you can't see the light. And they don't use their horn, usually.

Crossing the street in Germany's cities is very simple: you look around and go, usually regardless of the traffic light. It gets a little complicated with trams, but after getting used to everything, street crossing becomes simple.

Germany is a great place, definitely worth another visit.

Have a great weekend,
Nadav

nadavs

Pedestrians as Test Killers

Today is the start of the Olympic games, and China will now be flooded with athletes and pedestrians. When taking the driving test, the last thing any driving students wants to encounter is a pedestrian. However, they are hard to avoid, so you must know how to handle them to avoid failing the test. Here is an article I wrote about this subject.

Pedestrians - The Ultimate Driving Test Killers

Drivers have to watch out for many objects and situations on the road: other cars, obstacles, traffic lights, etc. The driving test is no different than that. But when it comes to pedestrians, too many drivers don't watch out. They ignore them, and on rare yet sad cases, harm them. On the driving test, pedestrians are a cause for many test terminations. The reasons of failure vary, but they can be summarized into some, very dangerous, mistakes.

Crosswalks on the middle of the road fail a huge number of driving students on their test. It's not too hard to miss a pedestrian that just started crossing, but usually the examiners don't miss those pedestrians. If the pedestrian put one foot on the road, and the driving student does not stop, the examiner will mark a big critical error.

Crosswalks on intersections also fail a good number of students. It's much easier to notice a pedestrian on a stop sign or traffic light intersection, but some drivers miss them. Those misses are very common on turns. Beginner drivers don't always plan ahead, so they might try to turn when there is a pedestrian starting to cross. If it's a left turn, the student might block an intersection. If that happens, the driver's license is delayed for sure.

Pedestrians that cross the road where there is no crosswalk are another huge threat to driving students during a test. Usually these pedestrians come behind parking cars, so they are very hard to notice. They also cause a problem since other drivers don't expect anyone to stop on the middle of the road without a crosswalk. It can be a serious source of confusion and accidents. It is, of course, a big test killer.

Pedestrians are just an issue that driving students have to face. A good guide can be very handy on these cases, as pedestrians are very tricky to deal with. Practicing driving without giving the proper treatment to pedestrians can be a reason for a driving test failure.

You can find a good guide dealing with pedestrians on the Pass Your Driving Test area of my site. This page also has a free course about driving test mistakes and tips.

Enjoy the games!
Nadav

nadavs

First Time Driving: Lizzi

Not all people start driving on cars. Some, like Lizzi, prefer to start driving trucks. There is nothing more to add about the following video.



According to YouTube, the video was uploaded on July 26, so Lizzi still has quite a way to go until she gets her license. She seems like a good driver now, so she won't have any special trouble with the driving test.

Good luck!
Nadav

nadavs

Britain Road Rage: Part 2

In today's part, the rage continues: school, children, mothers, four by fours, bicycles, and others are being attacked by road rage.



Be careful!
Nadav

nadavs

The British Passing Chance

Do you live in London or Wales? If so, you are amongst an unlucky group of people who has the smallest chance of passing the driving test on the first time. I did not make this up, moneysupermarket.com made that research.

If you want to take only one driving test, you have a better chance if you live in Yorkshire or the north-east of England. It may be other examiners or just less crowded roads. Driving in London is not exactly the most pleasurable experience.

And one last tip for young drivers: don't be too excited to go behind the wheel this summer. As the article says, insurance premiums are going to be very, very high.

Good luck!
Nadav

nadavs

Handling Cyclists on the Road

Cyclists are a big deal when it comes to driving, but fortunately for us, Richard Jenkins wrote a wonderful article about this topic. Here it is.

How Car Drivers Should Deal With Cyclists

As the cost of owning and driving a car increases more and more people are becoming cyclists. On congested roads the cycle is often a quick and effective means of transport. However many drivers seem to have zero respect for cyclists. This is wrong. Yes some cyclists pay little attention to the rules of the road and this certainly causes some drivers to consider cyclists as little more than a nuisance but the truth is those who choose to cycle are making our increasingly overcrowded roads less overcrowd. This means that us drivers should show them not only respect but also treat them with courtesy whenever we encounter them on the roads.

The following details how drivers can make the life of cyclists a little more comfortable.

When overtaking a cyclists always allow them as much room as you can, at least as much as you would when overtaking a car. A cyclist may need to avoid an object that you the driver can't see such as a drain and in doing so veer into the road. If another vehicle is coming towards you as you approach a cyclist and continuing forward would mean having to squeeze past the cyclist then you should slow down, let the vehicle pass and then overtake the cyclist.

When driving in slow moving traffic be mindful that a cyclist may overtake you on your inside. To lessen the changes of hitting such a cyclists always check your left side mirror before pulling into the kerb or turning left.

Many cyclists find roundabouts a daunting experience. To feel safer many stay in the left-hand lane even when intending to turn right. Whenever you see a cyclist on a roundabout give them plenty of room and allow them adequate time to finish their manouvre.

When approaching a left turn if you see a cyclist ahead slow down and hold back until the cyclist has made the turn. Overtaking then before they have made they turn may result in you having to cut in front of them to complete the turn.

When driving on narrow, twisting county roads always be on the look out for cyclists. The bends most country roads have can easily make it difficult to see a cyclists.

In low light conditions and at night all cyclists should have working lights however not all do. This can make it even harder to see them. Cycle lights can also be hard to spot amongst brighter car and other vehicle lights.

When the wind is strong cyclists can be blown off course and find it hard to keep going in a straight line so when overtaking them allow them extra room.

About the Author

Richard Jenkins is owner of the driving test and UK driving schools website. A site for learner drivers providing guides on topics such as the driving theory test and cheap young drivers car insurance .

Thank you Richard for this wonderful article!

Yours,
Nadav

nadavs

Turn your Car Correctly

Turning is a subject discussed over and over, and it is a critical one for passing the driving test. Here is a video by the California DMV about it, which will show you how to make correct turns. To go more in depth and see how to make those turns in a driving test, you need the driving test guide.



Hope you find it useful.

Yours,
Nadav

nadavs

Trucks - Slow, Smooth Failure

Every driver handbook warns about them - trucks. They are slow, they are big, and their drivers don't always obey the laws. This combination ensures that every accident with a truck is likely to end with a fatality, and accidents do happen.

Trucks are portrayed as the queens of the roads, and they really are. As said earlier, an accident with a truck is deadly, and the truck driver is likely to be untouched. When they go in reverse or break the law, stay away from them. Don't die because of a crazy truck driver.

Watch out for trucks!
Nadav

nadavs

Rainy Driving Tests

The major driving test season is the summer, when driving students have their summer vacation. However, some do it while they are in school, so they may drive in the rain. Others, like British people, live in places where it rains all year. Taking a driving test while raining is not a pleasant experience, and driving students make terrible mistakes. Here is an article I wrote about the subject, especially for the rain drivers.

Rain Driving Mistakes During the Road Test

In many countries, when winter comes, rain soon follows. Some driving students have their road test on that day. They should have practiced for hours and know how to deal with rain. However, some students taking their driving test don't know how to handle rain driving and fail their test for it. Examiners have noticed that some rain driving mistakes repeat more often than others.

One common mistake is not using the windshield wipers. Every driver should be familiar with car controls and when to use them. Some driving students, especially during their driving test, forget about the wipers and don't turn them on when it rains. If the situation reaches a point in which there is no visibility through the window, the examiner may fail the student.

Another rain related error examinees make is not turning on their headlights. During rain it's very important to keep the car visible to other drivers. However, some students neglect that and just leave their headlights turned off. This causes a severe danger to the driver and cars around him, and usually leads to a test failure.

Speed is also an issue when driving in the rain. Rain makes the road wet, which causes it to lose traction with the tires. This reduces steering ability and makes braking distance much longer than normal. By going even at the speed limit the driver puts himself in a risk of losing control of the car. This may lead to what the examiners call a "dangerous maneuver", which is a critical error.

Turning during rain can be very dangerous. Many accidents have happened because of someone losing control during a turn. Some driving students come unprepared to their road test, which causes them to make wrong estimations about the proper turning speed on rain. In the best case, it can be marked as a minor error only. In the worst case, it can be deadly.

Rain driving is a subject of many hours of practice. Every driving student should get some driving practice during rain to understand how rain driving is different from ordinary driving. This can save lives of many people. Driving students who practice during the summer should drive very carefully on their first rain driving after they get their license.

There is a guide that shows you how to drive during rain and on wet roads - Pass your Driving Test.

Drive carefully!
Nadav

nadavs