To believe that 'feeding the wheel' is actually dangerous, a waste of time etc...

[Feminine]

I hold a driving licence from abroad, so does my DH. We are allowed to drive on it for one year , then we must sit the entire UK test again...

I've been driving for 7 years and him since 1977!

As we know the UK is obsessed with this feeding the wheel crap, we have been practicing.

It actually makes things more dangerous, stopping the car from doing what it does naturally.

I am not suggesting that crossing your hands is great, we don't do that...but not letting the wheel run through ones hands is, (imo) plan daft.

Worrying really, as its a fail here isn't it?

Maybe because I have already got a licence and the blooming DVLA won't just let me exchange

Thank God!

I can't quite picture it, Tee, but I expect you're right it works. I don't think I would feel very in control, but it's possible I only think that because of the way I've been taught.

Take something round, like a folded umbrella and hold it in front of you, griping it like you would a steering wheel.

Loosen your grip so that someone could pull the umbrella out of your hands, but not so loose that the umbrella falls to the floor.

That's what we're talking about, a lose grip. Not a removal of the hands.

YABU to think it's dangerous.

Does anyone here still do it? contributing to my post I mean?

I don't know anyone IRL that does.

They don't cross arms, they just let the car do its thing maintaining safety.

Yes I still do it, been driving 5 years. So do my dad and dh who both have HGV licences. I'm trying to think of anyone who doesn't tbh.

just book a lesson - they'll soon tell you if what you are doing is incorrect.

tee you get what I'm talking about right?

I wouldn't have passed my test if I performed anything dangerous , I just did exactly what you described earlier up thread.

If I did that here, I'd fail

Oh well, I suppose I am being U , I don't know anyone in RL that sticks with it though!

I still do it, I didn't know people didn't. I used to drive a lot on muddy, icy, twisty, narrow country roads and you do quite often really need a good grip on the wheel all the time, but maybe if I'd started off doing more gentle pottering about town it would not be an issue.

Yes, Zombie still does it.

Lots of stuff in the test is just convention, though, isn't it? Like you'd probably not choose to let someone go in front of you from a side road in your test, but in real life we all do it and it's polite. And I got taught not to wave 'thanks' during my test, but of course I do that now.

I don't like the assumption that because I'd rather concentrate on the road, than my hands I am somehow not qualified to drive

I've driven for ages , long distances and I am still in one piece , as is my family!

Passing a test in the usa and passing in the UK isn't really the same thing (i've done both)

I do grip the wheel.

just not in the UK test way.

Its interesting to read all your responses, thanks

spoon no it isn't and that's why people have to re test in the UK.

Can your sons not give you some pointers seeing as they learned here?

spoons I was just waiting for someone to say that.

All depends on what state its taken.

Florida is a piece of cake, some of the southern states too. I didn't take mine there though!

If your test was 'testing' you should have no problem passing the Uk one then?

They are my brothers vallium they are only too keen believe me.

I'll take proper lessons again.

To scare you all, I'm allowed to drive here one whole year before needing to re-test.

I'm in Dorset ....watch out!

But it IS different, completely different - our roads are tiny, we have roundabouts,generally the traffic here is faster etc

Oh sorry, thought you said you had teens!

spoon I really hope so.

what I hate about here, is the cost and the fact that its not easy to make an appointment for another test quickly!

I'm a get on with till you pass type person, don't want to be held back by anything!

Do they not have roundabouts in the US? But my satnav if you set it to US English does this fantastic accent when it says 'make a left turn at the rotary'?

My sister is in the states and she laughed her socks off at how easy it was to pass her test. When she drove here on holiday she didn't even do an over the shoulder check before pulling away. She said she was never taught it!

Yes, we actually had roundabouts in our state.

I'm driving here now.

Of course the roads are different, sometimes it was a lot more dangerous in the US.

Fancy being stuck between to semi- trucks on a massive highway?

These country roads however narrow, are actually quite relaxing