Driving Question

[S6TAV]

funny thing is about 3 weeks ago I was picked to test a new course they was thinking of rolling out at work. The name sounds a bit extreme to what it actually was "Drive & Survive Fuel Efficiency"

Basically you go out in one of these new mondeo eco things and it records your average mpg, speed etc. The instructor then gives you some tips to save fuel and you go out again to see if there is improvment. One of the things he said to save fuel was pretty much coasting which I thought was a bit dodgy?

I think controlled coasting would be when you are not accelerating, just using the inertia (Dont think thats how you spell that but oh well) of the car while having the brake covered maybe? and obviously not having the clutch down

[DannyC]

JP, I once learnt on the scooby forums that coasting for example, doing a 2 mile coast down a motorway before the exit ramp could save up to 70% of the fuel you would've used in that distance, with other obvious factors including road conditions, inclines, combined weight of vehicle with pass etc.

If I am going downhill and not in a rush then I will coast as far as possible sometimes just to save the extra pennies, whether it works or its just psychological I couldn't really tell ya to be fair...

[DannyC]

Not a good driving technique (but that's just my opinion I suppose) I would never coast for the reason of a roundabout, I like to get my foot down, brake and use clutch only for changing gears. Clutch control at lights and junctions.

Btw, I also believe in common sense, if your waiting to get out of a junction turning right and there's nothing coming on your right hand side, then wait in the middle of the road instead of the junction, someone is BOUND to let you in... I wish they taught this in driving lessons lol

[S6TAV]

OMG DannyC I am completely the opposite lol
I hate it when people pull out in to the middle of the road as most drivers in Essex are a bunch of C*nts (Myself included) and they dont let anybody in which result in me speeding towards said car and scaring the sh*t out of passangers followed by me waving my hands in disgust of them not waiting for an appropriate time to pull out

I am a white van man though

[DannyC]

Ah, think I'm getting lifting the clutch mixed up with flooring the accelerator (again. doh!!).

Surely not a good thing if your insurance man is a member of the forums? haha

[rfph1]

JP, I once learnt on the scooby forums that coasting for example, doing a 2 mile coast down a motorway before the exit ramp could save up to 70% of the fuel you would've used in that distance, with other obvious factors including road conditions, inclines, combined weight of vehicle with pass etc.

If I am going downhill and not in a rush then I will coast as far as possible sometimes just to save the extra pennies, whether it works or its just psychological I couldn't really tell ya to be fair...

..but in most new cars the opposite is true - when you put the clutch in the engine uses fuel to keep turning but if you leave in gear the inertia of the car keeps the engine turning over (I believe I got this from Top Gear - where they try to go from London to Scotland on 1 tank of petrol)

[aaamusements]

..but in most new cars the opposite is true - when you put the clutch in the engine uses fuel to keep turning but if you leave in gear the inertia of the car keeps the engine turning over (I believe I got this from Top Gear - where they try to go from London to Scotland on 1 tank of petrol)

Correct. Coasting in a modern car DOES NOT save fuel, and can be dangerous.

To answer the earlier question of traffic lights; there is very good reason why you should apply the handbrake when stopped at them.

1. Your brake lights (particularly high level ones, at night) will dazzle the driver behind you.
2. Having your brake pads clamped down on one section of the disc will lead to inconsistent cooling, and will warp them.
At 60 odd quid a pair this can be expensive...

[Dice Man]

Bump.

Took and passed my theory test today. However it was a close-run thing. I got 49/50 (Pass=43) for the multiple-choice part but only 50/75 (Pass=44) for the hazard perception.

What's the consensus on how long before I should book a practical test, i.e. how long after would you book it? I've talked to people who said that their instructors kept on giving them lessons for ages even after they were good enough to pass the practical.

[CitrusSR]

Bump.

Took and passed my theory test today. However it was a close-run thing. I got 49/50 (Pass=43) for the multiple-choice part but only 50/75 (Pass=44) for the hazard perception.

What's the consensus on how long before I should book a practical test, i.e. how long after would you book it? I've talked to people who said that their instructors kept on giving them lessons for ages even after they were good enough to pass the practical.

Congrats!

I took mine at the next available date I could book the practical, (that was in 1998 though) but really only you know if you are ready for it. In my experience the driving part was easy, the 3 point turn, reverse round corner, etc were what I was worried about (at the time). If you are confident that you can do them all correctly then go ahead and book!

I was confident, cocky even, so I wanted to get it done asap.

Passed first time btw, so rightly so

[Raiser]

There is no right or wrong time when to take the pratical after you have passed the theory.

Anyone can take the theory even without doing a pratical lesson - so i cant really answer when the best time to apply once you passed the theory is!

I just asked my instructor how many lessons more he thought i needed before i should apply... he told me 6 so i booked it after 2 - at the end of the day they need to earn money and will try to drag out the lessons.

As for the test its self.... the examiners are ****s!

Now for a long-ish story....

I technically failed my first test but technically didnt! lol.... i was doing a turn in the road and done it to test standard. When i got back to the test centre the examiner said i failed because i done the turn in the road whilst a man was walking on the pavement (and this was quite a wide road)... i then intrupted him and said yes the man with the walking stick!... he seemed suprised that i said that... he then said it was too dangerous to do the turn in the road whilst the man was on the pavement!!! I then ****ishly said "but i was doing the turn in the road in the fuckin road! not on the fucking pavement" (i was majorly tilting at this point)....

Anyway to cut a longer story a little bit shorter.... i complained to the chief examiner that i got failed when i should have passed. I got a lovely letter back (which i have framed!) saying that a mistake was made and i should have passed - ****S!! lol.... they couldnt reverse the decision so i had to have a retest and they paid for my expenses; use of the car, the lesson before, my 'lost' wages on the day and everything else i could get away with....

The funniest part (in my mind) was i kept refusing to do the test with the examiners at the St George test centre and it went back and forth for weeks with the chief examiner.... eventually he got so pissed off with me he came down and took the test himself and was asking me for directions during the test! lol.

So, i 'passed first time' technially lol...

Anyway moral of the story.... examiners are ****s, they have target to fail a certian number of people, complain, complain, complain if you feel you get screwed over.... did i mention they are all ****s?