How To Get The Car Moving

To get the car moving off from a stationary position at the side of a road, remember this phrase: POM - Prepare - Observe - Move

Prepare - Press the clutch pedal down with your left foot and select 1st gear by moving the gear stick across to the left and up. The car is now in 1st gear which is the gear required to get the car moving. Now place your right foot on the accelerator pedal and keep your heel on the floor. You should be able to pivot your right foot from the accelerator pedal to the footbrake with ease.

You now need to set the gas. To do this, squeeze the accelerator pedal down a 'touch', about the width of a pound coin and keep your foot still. You will hear a light hum. If your car is fitted with a rev counter the needle should be between 1000 and 2000 revs.

Next, keeping your heel on the floor, start bringing your left foot up a 'touch' at a time, about the width the width of a pound coin each time, until you reach the 'biting point'. The biting point is where the two clutch plates come together and engine is ready to drive the road wheels. You will know when you are at the 'biting point' and the car is prepared to move because there will be a change in the engine tone and the revs on the rev counter will drop slightly.

You are now prepared to move - keep your feet still!

Observe - Next, carry out all-round observations to ensure it is safe to move the car off from the side of the road. Start by twisting around and checking over your left shoulder. As you look forward check your left door mirror, followed by the centre mirror. Then check the road ahead followed by the right door mirror and then twisting around and checking over your right shoulder. This right shoulder check should be your final check before moving off. This area is known as a 'blind spot'. It is an area which you cannot see by using your mirrors. Should you move off without checking thoroughly, you may force another vehicle to take avoiding action. This could be very serious and may result in an accident. If there is any delay before moving off you should repeat this process.

You have now carried out your observations - it is safe to move off.

Move - Next, consider giving a right signal to inform other 'road users' you intend to move off. A 'road user' is anyone who uses the road for example, pedestrians, cyclists or car drivers. If there is not a road user who could benefit from a signal do not give one.

Next, release the handbrake and gently start to lift the clutch pedal, keeping your left heel on the floor. You should move your left foot about the width of a pound coin. As you do this, the car will start to move. Continue to lift your left foot off the clutch pedal, each time about the width of a pound coin, until the clutch pedal is fully released. Then place your left foot on the floor to the left side of the clutch pedal. At the same time as the car starts to move, begin steering away from the kerb to take up your normal driving position. You will only need to make a tiny movement of the steering wheel to the right to get into the correct position. When in position, move the steering wheel back to the left. This will prevent you from going too far to the right. When the car is in a straight position, move the steering wheel back in to a straight position.

You have now moved off safely.

To Recap

1.P - PREPARE: clutch down, select 1st gear, set the gas pedal to a light hum,bring clutch pedal up slowly to 'biting point' keeping left heel on floor - you will hear a change in the engine tone at this point, keep both feet still.

2.O - OBSERVE: Check all around with your final check being over your right shoulder

3.M - MOVE: Release the handbrake, keep your right foot still, keeping your heel on the floor release your clutch pedal a 'touch' about the width of a pound coin, the car will start to move, keep doing this until your foot is fully off the clutch pedal, at the same time steer gradually into your normal driving position

How To Stop The Car Smoothly, Safely And Under Full Control

To stop the car at the side of a road smoothly, safely and under full control, remember this phrase: MSM - Mirrors - Signal - Manoeuvre

Mirrors - Step 1 - Check your centre and left mirrors. Remember, your centre mirror will give you a good understanding of the distance and speed of vehicles behind you. Your left mirror will give extra information of what is to the side of the vehicle. The information from your mirrors will allow you to decide if it is appropriate to stop where you want to stop and when to time a signal if one is required.

Signal - Step 2 - Having checked your centre and left mirrors, you should now consider giving a left signal to inform other road users you intend to pull in. This signal should be properly timed so as not to cause confusion or be misleading. Signal in good time to allow other road users to respond to what you intend to do. It is not necessary give a signal if no one would benefit from it.

Manoeuvre - Step 3 - You will now have to co-ordinate using the steering, footbrake and clutch at the same time to bring the car to a smooth stop under full control. Start steering towards the place you have identified where you will stop. The movement of the steering wheel should only be a slight movement to the left. At the same time gently start applying the foot brake. You should start to increase the pressure on the footbrake gradually until the car has come to a stop at the place you want to stop.

As you near the kerb, press the clutch pedal fully to the floor and start steering away from the kerb. Only small movements of the steering wheel will be needed. You will know when to start steering away from the kerb if you are looking at a reference point. You should see the kerb in the front window near to where the tax disc is normally displayed. When the car straightens you should steer back to the left to straighten the steering wheel. The reference point of the kerb in the front window will be the kerb in the middle of the front dashboard. This will confirm the car is close enough to the kerb. Instructor guides pupil.

Just before the car comes to stop ease your foot off the footbrake a touch, the width of a 'pound coin'. This will allow the car to stop smoothly. Avoid stamping on the footbrake, which would cause a sudden jolt.

Once the car has stopped, apply the handbrake, move the gear stick back into neutral and remove your feet from the pedals.

Note: You should park somewhere Safe Legal and Convenient (SLC). An example of somewhere unsafe would be on a bend as you are not easily seen by other car drivers. Somewhere illegal would be on zig-zag lines or double yellow lines. Somewhere inconvenient would be stopping across a driveway.

To Recap

1.M - MIRRORS: Check your centre and left mirrors.

2.S - SIGNAL: Consider giving a left signal.

3.M - MANOEUVRE: Start steering towards your stop position, gently apply the footbrake applying firmer pressure as get near your stop position, push clutch in just before you stop, steer away from the kerb as you get near it to avoid hitting it, turn the steering wheel back into a straight position just before you stop.

4.SLC - SAFE, LEGAL, CONVENIENT: ensure you stop in a position which is safe, legal and convenient.

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