New Driver - Stalling at roundabouts

[samlh]

How do I stop myself stalling at roundabouts!

Every morning, without fail, I stall at the same roundabout because I have to stop to give way to traffic.

It's getting embarrassing now!

Hit me with your top tips to help me stop stalling as I can't deal with the disapproving looks and beeps when I get flustered and stall it again!

Note: I passed my test last month and I got my car 3 weeks ago and i'm fine actually driving on straight roads and stopping and starting at traffic lights, it's just this one roundabout where I lose my nerve and it happens every blinking time!!

Thanks in advance

It will get easier as you get used to it. Fwiw I've been driving for 20 years and got a new car last year, it took me about six months to stop stalling!
Dealing with it calmly is the key. Don't get flustered.

You’re taking your foot off the clutch too soon.

Keep your foot slightly on the clutch when you hit your gas. You’re stalling because you’re taking the foot off the clutch too quickly.

It gets easier in time, even experienced drivers stall sometimes. My friend stalled constantly when she first passed and I mean constantly.

More gas and slower on the clutch.

It's a common mistake by learner and new drivers to want to hurry, so lift the clutch rapidly but not push much on the accelerator, which results in a stall. Something I often did.

You should get better with practice. You might still not be fully used to the clutch bite point in your new car, especially if the clutch has poor feel. (I test drove an old car and could hardly get it out of the car park because the clutch had no feel to it!)

A lot of it will come naturally as you get more experienced, though (as a PP said) new cars can throw experienced drivers until they're used to them.

I've been driving just over a year and I found round-a-bouts and junctions on hills awful to start with. I barely think about it now.

However, we got a different car a few weeks ago and I stalled that several times on the way home from picking it up!!

Get an autob

That would be an auto, fgs.

Having read these responses I am embarrassed 😳

It wasn't even a big change, vw polo to vw beetle. Just a very different bite point

Make sure you have a good biting point and if it makes it easier use the hand-break as well. If you're travelling at speed and in say 5th gear ease off and knock it into 3rd as you approach the roundabout. If it's clear and you have momentum to keep going keep it in 3rd if not take it to 2nd gear it just comes with practise and you'll be able to gauge when you need to go into a lower gear. And don't forget even the most experienced of us drivers still stall sometimes!! I did twice in a row last week and had to wait for the traffic lights to do a full 4 way circuit again 😂

Practice!

My weak spots after passing my test, were parallel parking and reversing long distances.

After one embarrassing moment too many (needed to reverse down a road to give way to oncoming cars, couldn’t do it without coming close to parked cars either side, another driver ended up having to do it for me), I spent an hour every night practicing in quiet roads until it ‘clicked’.

Thank you all for your comments!

I'm going to wait until everyone has left work today and practise setting off on the car park (it is huge so no chance of me crashing haha).

I have it in my head that I have to find the bite before I accelerate and I think that's where I am going wrong.

I'm just really glad that i'm not on my own, I genuinely felt like the only person to ever stall a car this morning (and last week) so thank you all again :) xx

Oh I did this when I first passed except I stalled about 15 times 🤦🏻‍♀️ it was so bad I caused a huge traffic jam. People were tooting their horns and shouting at me and I was crying it was awful! But practice is the only way to overcome it. Just keep going and forget what anyone behind you thinks. Just stay calm, focus and keep going. Everyone stalls it just feels like a big deal when you're new to it x

@supernintendochalmers I stalled 3 times in a row this morning (first time i've driven to work with no one else in the car). I didn't cry (which is a bonus) but I was still a bit frustrated by the time I got here.

You are 100% right! It definitely feels like a huge deal and i'm just so glad i'm not on my own! x

Clutch control.

Practice your biting point until you’re comfortable.

Don't panic, we've all been there, even the self-important eejits who beep and shout!

^^ Very true.

Agree with pp you need practice and to give it a little bit more gas before you get the biting point. Treat it like you would a hill start until you get more practice.

Did you learn on a diesel? I did, they are much harder to stall so I stalled loads when first switching to petrol.

How on earth did you pass your test if you stall when trying to pull away from a roundabout?! I mean that’s a basic, fundamental part of driving! Do you stall pulling away from a standing start at any other times or is it just this roundabout?

I find it worrying that after driving a car for three weeks you still stall a lot - I can understand it for a few days maybe with a new vehicle but nearly a month, no.

Practise practise practise.

That’s a bit unfair Sidge, I used to stall all the time when I first passed my test. Every time I stopped at traffic lights and stopped to join a roundabout, I was so concerned about getting away quickly so that I didn’t inconvenience the driver behind that I took my foot off the clutch too quickly.

Op, practice, time and experience! We’ve all been there.

I'm wondering how you managed to pass too,the test is so long now how did you not stall during it if this is such a problem?

Get an auto.

Practice 😂

I think it might be more psychological than technical if it’s always the same roundabout.

Take your time to get it right. If you’re feeling hurried or checking in rear view to see how many drivers you might hold up just take a few breaths and remind yourself that if they beep that’s their problem, you’ve passed your test, you can do it, you do not have to rush out of anyone’s way, trust yourself and take your time. Maybe stick a P plate on the back so other drivers understand you’re still new.

I passed my test first time, with one minor.

I don't want an automatic car, I got a deal through my workplace and manual was the best offer and in the interest of saving money, a little 1 litre runaround is perfect for me and the journeys I will be doing.

I already have P plates, the first thing I bought before I bought a car!

I think it's definitely psychological because the 3 sets of traffic lights on the way to work and back don't cause me any issues. The main problem is that I know if I stall, i'm holding people up, which makes me a bit panicky and then I stall and hold the people up.

I have to get home round the same roundabout so i'm going to take note of what people have said and just take my time, gentle clutch and release with acceleration and no panicking.

Thank you all again for your comments, i'm going to take the advice and just relax and it will come eventually :)

You obviously passed realy well them if you only got one minor,must be psychological. Just keep practicing!

@DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen - Even my instructor was shocked (in a good way I think) because the hour before the test everything went wrong.

I stalled it too many times, couldn't park, couldn't get my roundabout lanes right, went 34 in a 30... but then the actual test was fine.

My minor was for pulling away from stationary in 2nd gear and stalling (i recovered really quickly and calmly though and the examiner said he had to give me a minor for it).

It's definitely psychological and I just need to practice! :)