However, spring comes, which is associated with snowdrops, and not only in the form of delicate spring flowers. Advanced drivers apply the same term to vehicles that emerge from under the snow with the first rays of the spring sun, and to motorists who get behind the wheel of this, in the literal sense of the word, source increased danger.
About preparing the car for summer operation we will talk in a separate article. And today we will dwell on some issues related to the decline in previously acquired driving skills, aggravated by the so-called “spring euphoria.”
We decided to address our questions to the instructor-teacher training center emergency training "Drive Club Alpha Shield" to Alexey Pilipenko:
Alexey, how do you assess the condition? road surface this spring, and what would you like to recommend to motorists who are starting to use their cars on the first warm days?
There is no assessment that can be given to the condition of our roads. There are no roads, only directions. Pit on pit. In addition, if in winter it was possible to drive through individual uneven areas due to the fact that the snow reduced the depth of the hole or the height of the edge, then with the arrival of spring all the holes became more pronounced. Therefore, you need to be extremely careful.
It must be taken into account that any body forgets certain skills if regular training is not carried out. After long break there is a need to remember training training, the dimensions of the car, and everything connected with it.
As for the car itself, after a long period of inactivity, you need to check the presence of wheels, glass, headlights and other components (if the car was not wintered in a guarded parking lot), and bring the tire pressure, quality and level of technological fluids back to normal. A car, just like a living organism, has been “sleeping” all winter, so it is necessary to give both yourself and the car the opportunity to gradually adapt to traffic on the road.
This year the winter has dragged on, and for now winter tires are mandatory, since summer tires “work normally” at temperatures above +7. If winter tires no, then perhaps it’s worth holding off on leaving and, if necessary, driving, taking into account that summer tires do not provide reliable grip on the road.
The liquid in the windshield washer reservoir must be non-freezing (it’s warm during the day, but at night it stays subzero temperature). The surface on which we drive in such weather conditions, heterogeneous (somewhere asphalt, somewhere ice, snow), plus the notorious potholes. We maintain an increased distance and safety interval, again due to the changeable surface and possible emergency maneuvers of drivers driving nearby (avoiding potholes and bumps).
Pedestrians, just like drivers, do not want to get into a puddle. In such weather, they look more at their feet than around them - you need to be attentive and more correct towards them.
It still gets dark early and very quickly, so don't forget to use lights. IN bad weather It’s better to drive with your headlights on low beam all the time to identify yourself on the road.
After long break It would be wise not to rush straight into the thick of things, but to get used to the car and road conditions. It's best to practice driving on the weekends, choosing well-known secondary streets for this. To quickly restore your sense of size and steering skills, it is optimal to go to a race track or something similar in the form of a suitable flat area.
To perform on the race track, I recommend the following exercises: high-speed maneuvering - remember taxiing techniques; dimensional maneuvering - remember the dimensions of the car, methods of parking and maneuvering in confined spaces; remember braking methods taking into account the movement of a car on a road with different (reduced, changing) coefficient of adhesion of wheels to the surface.
Of course, the more driving practice you have, the less time it will take to adapt, but for beginners this issue is most relevant.
With the onset of truly hot days, the inexorable curve of road accident statistics shoots up sharply, and there are objective reasons for this. What do you think about the so-called “traffic light” races and rallies through the city at night?
If at the beginning of spring a “snowdrop” leaving the road faces danger in the form of ice remaining here and there and morning frosts (and in summer tires yes for inexperienced driver- this is a real emergency), then with the onset of almost summer heat, many still insufficiently experienced motorists experience a feeling of euphoria and, as a result, an overestimation of their strengths and the capabilities of the car.
It is during this period that you can witness the so-called “traffic light races” or high-speed races through the city at night by home-grown “Schumachers”. Moreover, this category of adrenaline junkies doesn’t care which car they use in street competitions. The main thing is to find a fellow extreme sports enthusiast.
There is only one piece of advice here: keep a sober view of the situation and simply ignore such provocations. After all, you won’t get into the ring of a professional boxer, and he, in turn, is also not interested in an amateur fight. The same goes for night racing. A trained driver does not need such bravado, and it is better to realize all his ambitions and get-togethers on specially prepared sites, tracks or training grounds (Chaika, Boyarka, karting tracks, etc.).
What can your driving school offer in terms of improving driving skills and teaching the basics of rally driving?
Our center's programs are designed for drivers with varying driving experience. We train everyone from “zero” to masters of sports. Learn to drive a car competently, expand your technical arsenal of driving techniques, learn special techniques for driving in non-standard (critical) situations. Learn to predict their onset and development, the behavior of the car caught in them. All courses, and we have 7 of them, are logically interconnected, training is based on the principle: “From simple to complex, from incomprehensible to understandable.”
In conclusion, we would like to remind you of some practical advice that have stood the test of time:
- Brake until you reach an obstacle, and immediately before the bump, quickly release the brake. Then the springs will relax and unload the front axle, which will make it easier to jump over the obstacle and extend the life of the car’s suspension. You should not do this if there is a bump under one of the front wheels - the car may overturn. Sometimes in similar situation It is advisable to depress the clutch.
- Break the habit of dropping the lever manual transmission to neutral. Fuel savings on modern cars none, and you can easily lose control of the car. Especially if you use this technique on descents and on slippery road. When approaching a traffic light, brake the engine and change to downshift, and at a traffic light, do not keep the clutch depressed, turn on neutral.
- On the front and four-wheel drive vehicle try not to accelerate with the wheels fully turned, otherwise the joints of equal parts will quickly wear out angular velocities, the side edge of the rubber and the car’s suspension, the car can break away from the chosen trajectory.
- Slow down before turning. Choose the gear and speed of the car when turning such that the car moves steadily: if the car is rear-wheel drive, let off the gas, if the car is front-wheel drive, with slight acceleration, four-wheel drive- at constant speed.
- Park in reverse, it’s easier to maneuver and easier to leave the parking lot.
- If possible, do not leave your car long-term parking on parking brake. The drive cable is pulled out, and with changes in temperature and humidity they can freeze brake pads, when the pads and discs are hot, the pads may stick.
- Turn on the air conditioner periodically (when the air temperature is at least +5). Then it will be regularly lubricated, and the rubber parts will last longer.
- On a slippery road, slow down intermittently, shift to a lower gear with obligatory throttle, and keep an increased distance.
- In fog, fog lights are better than low beams, don't forget to turn them on and your headlights. If you are caught in moderate fog or heavy rain, then turn on the fog lights together with the low beam headlights. If the fog is very thick, or you are caught in heavy snowfall, then turn on only fog lights, and even better - stay at safe place and wait out the bad weather.
- Get on the road with positive attitude and remember: by giving way to the “fool”, you will save yourself time, money, health, and sometimes life.
Many drivers on time winter period refuse cars various reasons- ranging from considerations of increased safety to reluctance to stand in snow jams. But when you hit the road in the spring after a long break, you can become unaccustomed to a number of dangers and succumb to euphoria when you see dry asphalt. Gazeta.Ru spoke with automotive experts and psychologists and collected several useful tips for those who haven't driven for a long time. It turned out that in addition to such surprises as ruts on highways, unexpected frosts and mud in which a car can get stuck, drivers also face psychological difficulties.
The choleric person needs to practice, the melancholic person needs to think over the route.
Psychology professor for driver training Vladimir Sopov told Gazeta.Ru that most often people of two types of temperaments forget their driving skills after a break: choleric and melancholic.
“Choleric people, due to their activity and self-confidence, if they do not reinforce their driving skills with good practice, lose them very quickly,” says Sopov.
“At the same time, they are confident that everything is fine with them and react aggressively to all comments.
Therefore, road conflicts are possible and a choleric driver may suffer in them. Therefore, everyone who recognizes themselves in this description must admit that they are not restrained and emotional. I advise such people to practice well on a large empty area before heading out on the road - steer, feel the turns, calm down and start working.
Sensitive and vulnerable melancholic people, feeling insecure, will experience increased anxiety and fear of making mistakes while driving. The result is excessive reinsurance and irritation on the part of surrounding drivers.
Psychologists recommend ideomotor training for such people. That is, a person must imagine in every detail the route he will take, down to all important turns, without relying on the navigator. Because, having missed the desired turn, the driver begins to frantically return, and this can lead to emergency situation. Motorsports athletes resort to the same method when they go out on the track.”
Motorcyclists and brake discs
Master of sports racer Boris Shulmeister points out that during the winter you can easily get used to motorcyclists on the road, who can sometimes unexpectedly jump into the lane.
“But you quickly get used to them and begin to react,” Shulmeister tells Gazeta.Ru. — People need to realize that any skill, including driving, remains with a person forever, but can weaken. Sometimes what you did easily and on a subconscious level may require reflection after a break. Therefore, I, of course, advise you not to take long breaks in driving, but if you had to take such a step, it is important to drive carefully and adapt to the car.
If the car has been sitting in the yard on summer tires, then it is necessary to break in the brake discs, about 50-60 km, so that they begin to brake again at full strength.
Of course, check the tire pressure and levels of all technical fluids. And if you want to improve your skills, it is better to enroll in driving courses and choose the necessary set of exercises for yourself.”
Traffic violations and sense of size
To restore driving skills, the head of the Center for Advanced Driving Excellence, Professor Ernest Tsygankov, advises you to get to know your car again and get used to it. Special attention it is necessary to pay attention to the parking process, since after a long break, drivers may lose the feeling of their car, its size and the sensitivity of the pedals.
“On the road, up to 50% of drivers and up to 80% of pedestrians deliberately violate traffic rules,” Tsygankov tells Gazeta.Ru. “We get unaccustomed to this, so after a break in driving it’s worth cultivating a mentality of mistrust. Monitor your actions more carefully:
Until you regain the ability to feel the distance well, keep the interval and have a good sense of the dimensions of the car, there is a chance of getting into an accident or damaging the car when parking.”
Vladimir Galitsky, an expert in the field of road accidents, also agrees with the driver, who is confident that after a long break in driving, the sense of size is lost.
“In case of an accident, the human factor is always important; people forget that it is necessary to evaluate traffic situation, look not only forward, but also to the sides, it is important to feel the dimensions of the car - this is what people who get behind the wheel after winter forget about. In turn, the President of the Federation of Associations of Driving Schools of Russia Vladimir Chukov is confident that driving skills can be quickly restored, the main thing is not to drive at first, not to interfere left lane and be more careful.
If you, like me, received driver's license and put it on the shelf until “better times”, and now that these times have come, you are terrified of getting behind the wheel, this material is for you.
Almost 10 years ago I got my license and happily forgot about it. I went to learn to drive with the future in mind: someday I’ll buy a Mercedes, but for now, let the experience work. Moreover, back then training was cheap, and everyone around had been driving for a long time!
Now I work in car magazine: cut into cool cars I don’t want to and do test drives for your own pleasure, but it’s scary!
So, how do you get behind the wheel after a long break? How to approach the car? Is the gas pedal big or small? You no longer need to insert the key to start the car? I forgot everything: it’s impossible to do without additional classes.
My choice fell on the “Online” driving school - one of the largest schools in Moscow and the Moscow region with an extensive network of branches, a modern Volkswagen fleet, the ability to pay for training in installments or on credit and big amount promotions and special offers. This driving school has the opportunity for distance learning (you sit at home or at work, watch lessons via the Internet, communicate with the teacher, learn theory), as well as its own medical examination - you don’t need to wander around the entire capital collecting certificates.
I was assigned an instructor (Ruslan Vladimirovich, low bow to you for your patience!) and classes on the site and in the city. When I got into the car, it seemed that even the seat was shaking with fear, but the instructor immediately put me at ease, identified my mistakes and analyzed them in detail. It’s nice that he always praised me for my successes, increasing my self-confidence. The classes were held in a friendly atmosphere, and time flew by. In general, I must say that the online driving school has a very friendly team - everyone will help, advise, and point you in the right direction.
We have identified the most important mistakes a novice driver makes when driving.
- Working with the clutch pedal (on manuals) and the brake pedal. It is important to do everything smoothly, without jerks.
- Working with the steering wheel: the car wiggles from side to side, right up to the transition from one lane to another. In a word, you should not make sudden movements.
- A sense of the car's dimensions. Most often it turns out like this: we don’t go where a car can pass, but we try to fit in where there’s not enough space.
- Incorrect assessment of the road situation. We drive where our eyes look, not understanding at what moment we should slow down or turn.
- Distraction from control and insufficient control of the environment. There should be no talking on the phone while driving, no gadgets. Every second can become irreversible.
- An automatic car allows you to drive with less control. This dulls attention and leads to violation of the speed limit.
- Incorrect. In our city, parking is turning into a special art. It is very important to know in advance how to “get out” without any accidents when parking your “horse” in Moscow.
How to deal with these errors? Only with the help practical classes: ride, ride and ride again.
Of course, driving is partly like a natural talent: someone can understand in a second how to turn the steering wheel and press the clutch correctly, while another will study for several months and still do everything wrong.
The key point for me was that during the training, my uncertainty on the road went away (please note that my arrogance did not increase). I began to have more time to correctly assess the road situation: increase or decrease speed, keep the car in the lane or change lanes. Moreover, it turned out that my theoretical knowledge enough not only to drive yourself, but also to notice mistakes made by other road users.
As for choosing a car for a novice driver, of course, it all depends on financial capabilities. As a rule, reliable mass market machines are chosen, such as
Olga Kartoshechkina |03/12/2015 | 2509
Olga Kartoshechkina 03/12/2015 2509
After a long break from driving, you feel like a newbie on the road again. How to deal with emotions?
A year ago I sold my car and forgot about the steering wheel. But recently I got behind the wheel again. And, you know, the sensations, of course, were not pleasant: I was gripped by fear, horror, and panic.
Such feelings are not uncommon for people who, for one reason or another, give up their car for a while, and then decide to get back behind the wheel. You feel like a loser who cannot answer a question, although it seems like you read something...
I offer you advice from life on how I managed to become an avid car enthusiast again after a break and overcome jitters on the road.
Refresh your knowledge
No matter how well you know the subject, if you do not repeat it periodically, everything will be forgotten. I admit honestly, I didn’t sleep all year hugging a traffic rules book. But when I had to get behind the wheel again and, moreover, take the children to school, I had to again experience the taste of the granite of science.
Ride with an experienced guide
I felt that for practical purposes I also needed an assistant. Several private lessons from a driving instructor gave me self-confidence, and I was no longer so scared to drive. If the break from driving was too long, you can not limit yourself to a couple of lessons, but go through training again at a driving school. In addition to a professional instructor, good help may simply experienced driver
– husband, relative or friend. The presence of a loved one nearby is very calming and gives self-confidence. Of course, provided that he does not comment on your every maneuver too emotionally. By the way, a triumphant return to the ranks of drivers is best accomplished at secondary roads
with low traffic intensity.
Breathe correctly
During attacks of fear, a simple breathing exercise helped me calm down. When my heart began to pound like crazy and my breathing quickened, I slowly inhaled, then extended my exhalation in the same way.
Another exercise: I slowly inhaled air through my nose and held my breath a little for just a couple of seconds. Then I exhaled slowly.
I put a “new on the road” sign on my car. To some extent, this is true, so I thought that other participants in the movement should know about it. Still, at that moment, patience and caution were extremely necessary for me. I pasted several signs at once: “70”, and “shoe”, and “teapot”. Just to be sure.
After that I felt very comfortable on the road. I didn’t see reckless drivers or maneuvers from action-packed action films next to me. You know, both in my soul and behind the wheel I felt somehow calmer.
Be positive
I began to smile at myself in the mirror often, for example, when I was stuck in traffic jams or at a traffic light. I’ll be honest: this is a great switch good thoughts and reduces the concentration of jitters on the road.
Drive as carefully as possible
Even before the break in driving, I drove very carefully, but, to tell the truth, sometimes I could afford to drive around on a deserted road. country road when there are no children or animals in the car. After I got behind the wheel again, I avoided such experiments.
It is important not to act like a racer, but to understand that you are not the owner on the road, but a guest. In general, careful, attentive driving without extremes is my motto after returning to the wheel.
I hope my tips will help you feel more confident on the road, you will easily catch the car wave and will drive with pleasure. Just like me now!
Many novice drivers do not want to get behind the wheel again after a long break, fearing that they will not be able to cope with numerous road difficulties. This is especially true for those who were not very successful at driving even on their first trips. However, if you find yourself in a similar situation, you can completely cope with it if you approach the issue comprehensively.
Let's look at how to restore your driving skills after a break.
Find out the cause of anxiety when driving a car
The first step is to find out what exactly is causing your anxiety. To do this, you can go out onto city streets early in the morning, when there are practically no cars on them, and carefully observe your maneuvers.
You may not be able to park, you easily pass an intersection with a traffic light, but get lost at it when the traffic lights are turned off, you look too much in the mirrors and around, not having time to notice a hole in the road or road sign, you have trouble feeling the dimensions of the car, are afraid to change lanes, and so on. Once you have revealed everything weak spots your driving, you can take specific actions to eliminate them.
Feel the dimensions of the car
If you cannot feel the size of your car or cannot correctly judge the distance to obstacles, then find a suitable training area nearby where you can perform simple exercises. For example, on this site you stop exactly at a drawn stop line, and then get out of the car and check how far you really are from it.
The same is done with obstacles on the side or behind the car (you can stick branches into the ground on your site or place poles if it is asphalt or concrete). This exercise will quickly teach you how to correctly determine the distance to nearby cars or any obstacles.
Driving through intersections when you forgot your training
If you get confused at intersections, it’s worth re-learning the rules for crossing them. This is best done at home, making turns in one direction or another mentally or on a created model. This knowledge should be brought to such automaticity that in reality you do not think for a second about who should give way to whom.
Auto-training and assistance from a psychologist
It often happens that a novice driver looks more in the mirrors than ahead. He constantly worries about whether he is driving in the right lane and whether he is interfering with other drivers. As soon as at least one car appears behind you, the anxiety intensifies many times over, the driver begins to get nervous, add gas, collect holes in the road and make incorrect maneuvers.
Here, just training in shifting visual accents on the road will not be enough, since you also need to solve for yourself a problem called “What will others think of me?” This category also includes fears of crashing a car, hitting a pedestrian, not being able to cope with a situation, and the like. To solve such problems, you can use any of suitable technicians from the field of psychology.
After identifying all the difficulties that arise in your driving process, make a detailed plan of exercises that will help you cope with them, and simply act regularly until you achieve the desired result. At the right approach you will gradually get rid of everything that prevents you from driving comfortably and turn into a confident driver.
In conclusion, we offer a universal and effective remedy— take lessons from an experienced driving instructor. Believe me experienced instructor understands your fears very well and has helped more than a dozen stressed students overcome them. In addition, few people will tell you your mistakes from the outside.
Check out our driving school.
Call and make an appointment with the instructor you like. We are sure he will help you!
