To think what the driving instructor has told Dd is wrong?

[JacobReesMogadishu]

Apparently you never do a shoulder check unless you’re stopped. So if you’re changing lanes on a motorway or coming down a slip road you just use your mirrors and don’t do a quick shoulder check. I know it’s a long time since I took my test but I was told you must because of blind spots.

Second thing is apparently when stopped at traffic lights, etc you don’t need to put your hand brake on. Again I was told you must so if someone rear ends you hopefully you don’t crash forward into the person in front. She’s driving an automatic if that makes a difference.

So last week when driving with me she was stopped at lights with quite a hill start and hadnt got the hand brake on. It’s a good job she is in an automatic or she’d have rolled backwards when she took her foot of the brake to move forward!

She has her test in less than two weeks! 😱

The only time I’ll do a shoulder check for my blind spot is when joining a motorway/dual carriageway. Personally I think you have to in that situation and always do it.

However, I wouldn’t shoulder check when changing lanes. I use my mirrors all the time and I mean ALL the time. I keep a constant check on what everyone around me is doing. I don’t make sudden manoeuvres so am gauging the situation and reading the road before moving. I think learners should be taught to use their mirrors so much more. Awareness is everything.

@BillMasen lots of modern cars, whether automatic or manual, have electronic handbrakes. Depending on the model if you just brake you should automatically activate the handbrake.

i check all the time they came out of nowhere

I tend to be constantly aware of what's around me. you keep track continuously of who is where. If there was a black car there just now, and I don't know where it is now, that's when I look over my shoulder.

I've never done a shoulder check, but I do mean forward or to the side so I can get a good look in my mirror before I move into the next lane.

I think shoulder check doesn't apply if the car is moving, only when you are moving away from stationary position. Passed test in Germany though, if that makes a difference.

To be fair I was always told off by my instructor for shoulder checking when I was learning about 15 years ago. He insisted said mirrors should be sufficient.

God knows if he was right, but I would never swap lanes without doing it!! It's a jungle out there during rush hour!

[quote Hobnobsandbroomstick]@BillMasen

How do you check your blind spot without looking over your shoulder? Genuine question.[/quote]
You learn forward and look in the mirror. It's sort of changes the angle and let's you see your blind spot without risking turning and pulling the wheel with you.

That's the way I was taught 20 years ago.

I’m not sure if the handbrake thing has changed.

BUT the blind spot thing is apparently true, my niece is learning to drive and when she went out with her dad it came up and we were discussing it at a later date, then a family friend who is also learning said the same thing! They’ve got different instructors around 60 miles apart.

Conversely, that same instructor also insisted on a stationary hand brake. Another rule of his that I ignore to this day

How do you keep up shoulder checks when moving lanes at 70 on a motorway? Genuine question.

I always do when pulling onto a dual carriageway or motorway - we were not taught motorway driving in 'my day' you just had to get on with it.

If driving at 50 in left, up to 60 in middle then looking to overtake - you would know if you check regularly in your mirrors what was behind you (unless they were doing 150mph) I think a shoulder check at 70 is quite dangerous.

My opinion of course. I've yet to get a point on my license though in 30 years, have travelled extensively including abroad. Maybe I'm an accident waiting to happen for just checking all 3 mirrors.

My instructor said this too, I always do anyway.

Surely checking your miirrors is alao taking your eyes off the direction you are travelling in? You can't look in the mirror and keep your eyes entirely on the road ahead.

I was taught recently in an automatic. I was never told to put the handbrake on at traffic lights.

I PASSED my test in March without using the handbrake once - apart from when parking.

I had some private practice with an ex-driving instructor who told me I should use it when stopping for any length of time, which I do.

But not using it on your test, in an automatic at least, WON’T fail you.

I passed four years ago and was taught to only put the handbrake on if I was getting out the car. By two different instructors as well. In a manual.

I passed first time just over 2 years ago. I was told to check my blind spot when pulling away from the side of the road from stationary but not to change lanes. Instead you should be frequently checking you mirrors. Tbh the idea of turning my head away from the road when travelling at 50/60/70 mph if frankly terrifying not to mention dangerous! Also was taught to apply the hand brake when the car has come to a stop for any reason

idril Are you actually being serious? Do you drive?

I also drove on a dual carriageway in my test and was told to overtake and get up to 70 (the legal speed limit) I did not shoulder check and was not penalised.

I passed my test in 1991 and I've never looked over my shoulder to check blind spots.

I was however taught to check over my shoulder when changing lanes. It’s crazy not to. The blind spot doesn’t go away!

Well this has cleared up the mystery about people rolling backwards when at traffic lights on hills. Why the heck people don't put on their handbrakes baffles me.
Unless they have the type of car i have where if you use the brake and go out of gear the engine cuts out and a parking brake applies (handbrake brake light is green instead of red as it usually is).

I always check my blind spots before changing lanes etc. If I didn’t then a couple of years ago at best I would have seriously injured a motorcyclist, at worst I would have killed them.

@Brefugee

Well this has cleared up the mystery about people rolling backwards when at traffic lights on hills. Why the heck people don't put on their handbrakes baffles me. Unless they have the type of car i have where if you use the brake and go out of gear the engine cuts out and a parking brake applies (handbrake brake light is green instead of red as it usually is).

Or they are just terrible at clutch control and hill starts after removing handbrake.

Yes, the shoulder checks were to predominantly check for cyclists

Also can’t really comment on the handbrake when driving automatic as I learnt manual and have only driven manual cars, but I was taught to put in on when in traffic

I always shoulder check. Handbrake is different as mine is a manual. I was glad to have it on and to have left a decent amount of stopping room when I got hit from behind on the motorway in standing traffic. I was the last one in a pile up effectively, and didn't hit the car in front so stopped any more damage and didn't have issues on insurance as I hadn't hit anyone thanks dad for telling me to always leave loads of room