7 Things to Ask During Your Driving Refresher Course

1. How do I keep in my lane?

Maintaining lane discipline is crucial for safe driving.

As easy as it sounds, it’s actually a real concern. As a new driver, you may have difficulty judging whether you’re driving within your lane. You may even unconsciously veer off your lane when you’re not mindful.

This is particularly dangerous, especially when you don’t realise you’re silently creeping near the other lanes and risk colliding with them. Oof.

Likewise, it becomes even more dangerous on expressways when cars are going past you at high speeds. In that case, you might want to take a quick look at your hands. Take note if you’re gripping the steering wheel too tightly. Try to look far ahead, and avoid being overly focused on the road in front of you.

It would be advisable to ask your instructor for a few tips to stay within your lane. Ask about possible reference points on the road, or how much you should steer while negotiating a bend (especially at high speeds). Try to relax as much as possible, and keep a comfortable grip on the wheel.

2.  How can I park without holding up traffic?

You get what we mean.

As a newbie, it’s nerve-wracking to park in front of an audience. Like, a car. Or possibly, a long row of cars with impatient drivers waiting for you to park.

From what we know, driving schools and private instructors don’t really teach you how to park in public spaces.

If you would like to park like a seasoned driver, ask for tips on how you should position your vehicle, and sighting points you may want to look out for so that you can park quickly without obstructing traffic.

But of course, it takes consistent practice.

noto Street Smart Programme’s driving refresher sessions normally simulates real-life parking scenarios, from beginners to advanced, so that learners can learn how to park in actual parking lots in public spaces.

If you’d like to give it a go for some practice, sign up here for a session. There’s no enrollment fee. You may indicate the carpark you would like to practise at, that is near your neighbourhood or work office.

3. I want to reverse my car. Steer left or right?

Confused on whether you should be reversing towards the left? Or was it to the right?

Although steering in the wrong direction while reversing can be easily corrected, it’s always nice to get it right the first time, and every subsequent time.

There’s a misconception that since the steering wheel steers the front wheels, it should behave like your rear wheels. In other words, if I steer to the left, my front tyres will go left, so my car will reverse to the…right? Wrong.

The fact of the matter is, when you steer to the left, yes, your front tyres will go left. But because cars travel in an arc, your car will reverse in the same direction, towards the left.

So, if your car is slanted where the front of the car is pointing towards the left, you will have to steer left while you reverse and quickly return the steering to its original position to straighten your car. 

If you’re still confused, do raise it to your driving instructor. But an easy way to remember is to steer in the same direction you want to reverse to.

4. How do I judge the distance of all sides of my car?

It can be challenging to judge the distance of the bonnet and boot, as well as the distance on your left and right you’re driving a different car.

Having spatial awareness about the size of your car is important, especially when it comes to parking your car and going upslope/downslope at multi-storey car parks where the spaces are tight and narrow.

Every car is different. Ask your instructor for some practice exercises to get a better sense of how big your car is. For example, your instructor can simulate how near you can go towards an obstacle without hitting it. Do it for all sides of the car.

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5. How do I know if my car is centred and straight?

After you’ve parked your car, how do you know if your car is centred and straight? Great if there are parking lot markings, but what if there isn’t?

Is there a way to use the side mirrors to your advantage? How do you tell which side your car is slanted towards?

It’s straightforward for most people, but there are still few of us who can’t really tell. And don’t worry, it’s nothing to be embarrassed about.

6. How to navigate tight turns and narrow spaces?

Tight turns and narrow spaces spell kerb rash.

How do you navigate around tight turns and narrow spaces without making a wide turn, mounting kerbs or making multiple corrections?

Turning a car in a small space can be a challenging task, but with the right techniques, it can be done smoothly and safely.

7. How do I deal with traffic around me?

To this, there’s an endless number of questions you can ask. We’ve compiled a list (which is beyond 7 questions, but just in case you like to know!)

General

• What happens if I’m following the speed limit but someone is tailgating me?
• How do I deal with reckless drivers?
• What happens if I’m approaching an amber light at the speed limit?
• I’m scared of driving around large vehicles, is there anything I can do?
• What are the accident prone areas in Singapore?
• How much can I creep forward when I’m turning from a minor to major road?
• What do I look out for at a left bend filter lane aside from oncoming traffic?

Navigating Discretionary Right Turns

• When do I go into the right turn pocket at a discretionary right turn? 
• If the markings on the roads are barely visible or there are no markings at all, how do I go about navigating the turn?

Lane Changing

• ‍‍When it comes to lane changing, how do I tell if the driver is giving way? 
• How do I look for merging traffic?

Expressway

• How do I behave myself on the expressway?
• Is there a minimum speed limit at the expressway?

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And that’s it! 

Have more questions? Pick your problem topics and get started with some driving refresher lessons with noto Street Smart Programme today.

If you'd like to find out more details about noto Street Smart, you can read our article on the course, prices and reviews here!