Hi i will be taking my first practical driving test soon any tips?

Question

i really need tips especially on parking and parallel parking...hope you can help..thanks

Answer 1

PRACTICE ect.ect.ect. keep bothe hands on the wheel[steering wheel] use your mirrors and  FLIRT.

Answer 2

Get lots of practice and practice the way your Instructor advised you.....in a safe manner...

Listen to your Examiner and do the best you can. Don't wave at anyone. That will distract you (and them too maybe). Keep your hands on the wheel, focus on what the Examiner is asking you to do. They are observing you and reporting on that test sheet. Don't try to look at the test sheet. It will cause you to become distracted and you might make a mistake.

Know your rules of the road, always shoulder check, check your rear view mirror often and whenever you brake, scan well ahead of you. Stop behind the line/crosswalk, not ON it. Watch that traffic light, and if you are behind that white line when the light turns yellow,and you are intending to turn left or right, you must stop. It's better to stop even if you are just over the crosswalk because you will only get demerits for that. You will fail if you continue making your turn on a yellow light.

Remember always STOP fully and completely.

Get out and drive and become comfortable making lane changes, left turns at lights and develop your observation skills.

If you don't pass the first time, it's only a deferred success because you will eventually pass...........Luck is when preparation meets opportunity, and so I wish you GOOD LUCK!!

This may sound overwhelming at first, but if you print if off you'll have it for future reference and it will eventually make sense [grin]

Parallel parking 101:

1. Check your rear view mirror, lightly tap your brake lights a few times and signal right to let the vehicle behind you know you are  going to parallel park. Do this before you reach your starting position.

2. Line your vehicle up about 3 ft away from the other vehicle you wish to park behind, lining up your rear bumpers.

3. Find a 45 degree reference point across the street. Find this by pointing out across the street from the mid section of your driver's side mirror on a 45 degree angle.

4.Do a 360 degree check around your vehicle as you shift to Reverse gear.

5.Begin to move back about 1/2 second, WHILE COVERING YOUR BRAKE, and then steer fully and quickly to the right (about 1-1/2 turns) AS YOU MOVE, looking mostly to the rear, and checking occasionally that the front of your vehicle is pointing at that 45 degree angle.

6.Once you are at that 45 degree angle, continue moving back slowly, covering your brake, as you straighten your steering.(about 1-1/2 turns of the wheel to the left).

7.Back in straight until the passenger side of your front bumper is in line with the driver's side of the rear bumper of the vehicle ahead of you.

(check to see how far the other vehicle is from the curb, and also how wide it is compared to your vehicle, in order to adjust how much you back in straight)

Also, if you adjust your pass. side mirror so that you can just see the rear corner of your vehicle in the bottom left side of that mirror, you can then use this position of your mirror to assist you when parallel parking. When you can just see the curb edge in that right mirror, is when you can turn left again. Only use quick glances in that mirror, looking mostly to the rear and glancing to the front from time to time also.

8. Continue to back in slowly, covering your brake, looking to the rear,as you move and steer all the way left (1-1/2 turns of the wheel) until you see in that pass. side mirror that you are parallel to the curb. If you back in too far, your front wheels could hit the curb. If they just touch the curb gently (moving very slowly at this point), you can then fix it by continuing to  move back slowly  and steering about 1-1/2 turns right again to straighten the wheels.

Your vehicle will then continue to move back due to your wheels now being straightened.

9.Make sure that you can see the bottom of the rear tires of the vehicle ahead of you so that you and they are able to exit their parking space.

10. Practice until you are comfortable and feel confident.

If your rear wheels hit the curb as you back in, take note of how far you backed in before turning left, and back in less the next time you try.

I know there is a lot of information here, but it's a complicated technique to explain. You can print it to use it for future reference. It's the method I use to teach, and uses points of reference on vehicles as well as that 45 degree reference point.

If you have a few empty milk jugs around, you can fill them with water so they won't tip over, and insert sticks where a car would be. Use the curb in an empty parking lot.

You'll need 5 jugs for this.

First park your vehicle along the curb.

Place one jug at both ends of your rear bumper.

Pace off the length of your vehicle and then pace off another half that distance.

Mark this spot with another jug and place another jug there to represent both sides of that spot. Now you should have a rectangular shape with the jugs. This is your parking space.(you need approimately 1-1/2 carlengths to park)

From the front jug, pace off another carlength (the length of your own vehicle for example ), and place the 5th jug in that spot.

Now you have a phantom vehicle ahead of your "space"

the first jug represents the front of the phantom vehicle which would be parked ahead of your space.

This method, along with your Instructor's method may give you a couple of different ideas.

The Driving Examiner will be looking for smooth control and backing skills, so practice this manoeuver to perfect it.

Luck is when preparation meets opportunity, so I wish you GOOD LUCK !!!