How do you start a car?!

[BabCNesbitt]

I know, I know, this is a ridiculous question. But I’ve done about 15 hours of driving lessons so far and yet at the start of every lesson I can never remember the sequence for starting the bloody car. I have to be talked through it every time. I’m getting better at all other aspects of driving, I think, but I just have a mental block about this! Do you turn the ignition on first or push down the clutch and put the car into first? When do you start checking all around you? When do you start pressing each pedal?

I’m hoping that if I see all the steps written down then it’ll stick in my head! (I’ve tried googling but I haven’t found anything that spells it out step by step for dummies like me.) I’m getting too embarrassed to keep asking my (hugely patient) instructor!

Thank you! 💐🚗

Most modern cars require the clutch to be down to start so I would

1. Put foot on clutch (keep car in neutral)
2. Turn on ignition
3. Check mirrors, surroundings etc
4. Put car into gear
5. Drive off

You could put the car into gear immediately but then you would need to keep your foot on the clutch whilst you check mirrors etc. I've been driving a long time though so whether that would be classed as correct I don't know!

To be fair it will depend on the car.

Mine you just turn the key in the ignition (making sure it's not in gear!). Clutch down, into first, then handbrake off when you've found the 'biting point'.

My husband has a stop start button and auto stop-start where you have to do something with the clutch (I don't drive his car very often as it has more buttons than mine!)

Good luck OP. It took me 40 hours of lessons to learn but I had a slow start- remember being really proud of getting into third gear on my 10th lesson

Open the door.
Sit down
Belt on
Check gear stick is in neutral and handbrake on
Depress clutch (you have to do this on some cars for it to start - others you don't need to)
Start car

ONLY THEN SHOULD YOU ENGAGE 1st gear and when safe release the handbrake.

For my car:
Clutch down turn the ignition.
Foot brake on, take off electric handbrake (my car. won't take handbrake off if foot brake not pressed)
Check surroundings
Indicate
Into first
Look around again
Move off if safe

Don't think I've missed any steps

Ignition on
Check Mirrors
Press clutch down
First gear
Mirrors again
Press accelerator down
Go

In short:
Ignition
Mirrors
Gear
Mirror
Accelerate

You are all fabulous, thank you! My instructor’s car has an automatic handbrake so I haven’t had to think about that but it’ll be useful to have that in mind if/when I’m ever able to drive our car. (And I ALWAYS forget to indicate, too.)

You’re forgetting to indicate too? mirror, signal, manoeuvre is usually the first thing most people are taught.

Are there other instructors you could try? This one doesn’t seem to be working out for you.

Check car is in neutral first!!! If you've accidentally left it in reverse or first or something, or knocked it into gear etc, it will jump a lot when you first turn it on.

For mine:

Check neutral and handbrake
Depress clutch
Press start button (or turn key in other models)
You can release clutch now if you want, if you are getting other things sorted
If so, then depress clutch again when ready to start, and put into first gear
Put other foot on foot above footbrake just in case
Clutch to biting point
Release handbrake and move right foot on accelerator and gradually move off, finishing releasing clutch as you speed up

Do you turn the ignition on first or push down the clutch and put the car into first? When do you start checking all around you? When do you start pressing each pedal?

You are muddying the waters of starting the car and starting to drive here. Break it down into separate things.

To start my car I check it's in neutral, clutch down and turn key.

The driving is the next stage where I would check the mirrors & blind spot, then indicate. Then put it into 1st and start to move.

Exactly the same as this for me.

Try and get into the habit of checking the door is properly closed and your seatbelt is on before you do anything else. They’re classed as faults on the driving test.

Good luck, you’ll get there :)

After all the checks it's car in Park, foot on brake, push the button, select drive and then do all the mirror, signal, manoeuvre

Mine you press clutch and turn key. Engage first gear, . Indicate , check mirrors and road clear, release clutch/press accelerator, release handbrake to pull away.

Dh press brake, push ignition, engage drive, indicate and check mirrors and road, press accelerator to pull away.

Op, I am also learning and this gets me everytime too!

I think it makes it worse that it doesn't feel natural yet, I am very conscious of getting the 'steps' right and by the time I've done my looking over left shoulders, mirrors, blind spot and slowing lifting up the clutch a car has come along behind me and I'm never sure whether I have to do all of it again!

Seatbelt
check mirrors
check neutral
clutch down
start car
mirror, signal, manoeuvre

It's been quite a while for me and I tend to do it automatically now but I seem to remember one of the first things I had to was wake up the man who would walk in front with the red flag.🤔

This is a really useful way of thinking about it, thank you!

@Floydthebarber I’m relieved it’s not just me!

@TwoLeftSocksWithHoles 😁