How to Drive a Car
from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit
There are many different types of vehicle you can learn how to drive, but there are specific steps to take when driving a normal car.
Steps
- Prepare your self for the experience! Riding with you is a matter of life or death.
- Keep the car in good working order before you drive it. Checking everything every once in a while is a good idea.
- Have insurance and the paper to prove it.
- Make sure somewhere in your checklist when you exit the vehicle that you turn off the lights.
- Have your license with you.
- Avoid parking illegally, your car may be towed, or you may be cited and have to pay a fine.
- Be courteous to the others on the road.
- Don't run red lights.
- Carry cash for toll booths and tips for parking attendants.
- Be safe and follow all the posted and implied laws while driving.
- Keep the car in good working order before you drive it. Checking everything every once in a while is a good idea.
- Learn to drive. It might be a good idea to take professional lessons from a driving institute. However, if this is not possible, enlist the aid of your staffer who is a careful driver and has been driving for a while.
- Be alert. Check the rear view and side mirrors; make sure you can see all traffic and pedestrians behind you and in front of you. Make it a habit to know that you have mirrors and use them every few seconds while driving.
- Watch out for bigger vehicles like trucks, buses, semis, and SUVs that charge the road. Sometimes people with big cars drive like bullies, and you need to understand that if your car comes head to head with them, your car will lose.
- Please remember where you parked your car. There is more than one green Camry in the world.
Tips
- If your car is equipped with ABS, you must press the brake as hard as you can in emergency stop. This will activate ABS and bring your car to a complete stop in the shortest distance while allowing you to retain control over your car. Do not 'pump' the brake nor loosen the force applied to the pedal no matter what. While ABS is active, you may feel vibration through the brake pedal but this is expected and completely normal. Just continue pressing the brake as hard as possible until your car stops.
- Take it easy. Slow down, put on some relaxing music and just cruise. You may be surprised how much less stress is involved in driving if you eliminate the need to hurry. Give yourself extra time and learn to enjoy driving.
- Wear your seat belt: your face will thank you later.
- Practice makes perfect.
Warnings
- Always follow the rules of the road valid for your state or country. Make sure you know all the rules before starting to drive, or else you or your car might be badly damaged.
- Remember, if your car is equipped with ABS, never pump your brake. Just brake as hard as you can.
- Be aware of any limitations of provisional licenses, for example in the UK you cannot drive on a motorway without a full license.
- Make sure you practice uphill starts when learning to operate a manual transmission. Because starting a manual transmission from a stop requires letting off the brakes and engaging the clutch (essentially placing the car in neutral), the car will roll backwards until first gear is engaged. To stop this from happening, apply the hand/parking brake, then release it as you release the clutch and the car begins to move forward. Otherwise, you risk rolling into the car behind you. Practice this technique on a sloped driveway or parking lot where it's safe to make mistakes.
- In some cities, shifting late (just before red-lining) not only makes you sound like a maniac, it can also be considered "reckless driving", which is illegal and can get you a nasty ticket/fine.
- Never shift into low gears at high speeds (i.e. 1st gear at 50mph). This will greatly damage or destroy your cars engine and transmission.
- This is by no means a replacement to going to drivers ed.!
- Street racing is dangerous, and illegal in most countries, so don't act stupid!
- Always wear a seatbelt!
- This article can only guide you on your way to driving so don't depend on it as your only source.
- Always use your turn signal, and use low beam headlights when there is an approaching vehicle or when there is a vehicle in front of your vehicle.
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Sources and Citations
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