Insights
To someone either new to the driving scene or someone who hasn’t been driving for a long while, yes it’s true.
“You don’t know what you don’t know”.
Whether it’s implicit traffic rules, or traffic rules stored somewhere in your memory just to tackle your BTT and FTT tests that happened eons ago, asking the right questions is a life saver that will help you remaster driving and speed up the process of getting yourself ready for the actual roads.
Of course, the private instructors in your driving refresher course have a duty to cover what you need to know to build your driving confidence. But, there’s no harm asking a few important questions to help you become a better driver, right?
We’ve compiled a list of questions, and hopefully, you’ll be on your way to becoming a better driver soon!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Navigating Discretionary Right Turns
Lane Changing
Expressway
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!
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