having trouble / with roundabouts

mike77 · 23. Apr 2011, 11:18

Hi all well there is a few wee things stoping me from getting the driving test , 1, roundabouts ,2, I still drift over towards the kerb .3, mirrors I keep forgetting to look them when the instructor tells me too ( but if he was watching me he would see that I do this ) but sadly he looks when I have singalled . had a lesson yesterday and we were coming to a roundabout so he said right I want you to go into the 2nd lane and exit at the third exit , so when I left the 2nd lane and follwed the white lane for the 2nd he said right 2nd exit , I think he wants me to take that in stead ,so he is saying no mike its the 3rd exit at this stage I panic , so now I have booked a lesson for thrusday and I am going to ask him not to instruct me just observe at roundabouts and if I make a mistake then I think its time to admit its not for me yet ( but I think if I was left alone then my driving at rounabouts would be ok .

after all the examinner will not tell me about exits when I am on the roundabouts .

Mike R * Hazel *Mike JR

dreamdaisy · 23. Apr 2011, 11:24

Hello Mike, I am sorry to hear that roundabouts are causing you some trouble. They can be the very devil, usually because other drivers don't signal or are in the wrong lane for the exit they want. Observation is the key to all things at all times - that and remembering that other drivers are perhaps lost in their own little worlds! Driving is like patting your head while rubbing your stomach while turning carthweels while dancing a waltz. The more you can get out and practise the easier it will all become, of that I am sure.

I am sorry I haven't been about for a while or answered any of your posts. Stuff is rough at the mo. I hope that you, Hazel and Mike Jnr are all as well as you can be. DD

jilly · 23. Apr 2011, 11:44

Hi Mike , My son is an instructor , he says that when it comes to mirrors you are better exaggerating your moves .That way when you take your test they see you do it .
Roundabouts are hard are'nt they these days other drivers are so agressive you have to be on your toes all the time , I dont drive on motorways , I didnt pass my test until i was in my twentys , i think it has made me worry to much ... good luck hope you pass first................jillyxx

daylily · 23. Apr 2011, 11:58

Hi Mike,

I've been driving for 30 years and still don't like roundabouts!!!!!
I think you're right to ask the instructor just to tell you which exit to take then sit back and observe- it panics you when someone starts giving advice half way round.

You'll get there I'm sure.
xx

barbara12 · 23. Apr 2011, 12:11

Hi Mike
That is good thinking, panic does set in when they are instructing you, and panic makes us do silly things
So like you say ask him to observe you, hopefully this will give you some confidence,
Good Luck
Barbara x

mike77 · 23. Apr 2011, 12:23

jilly wrote:

Hi Mike , My son is an instructor , he says that when it comes to mirrors you are better exaggerating your moves .That way when you take your test they see you do it .
Roundabouts are hard are'nt they these days other drivers are so agressive you have to be on your toes all the time , I dont drive on motorways , I didnt pass my test until i was in my twentys , i think it has made me worry to much ... good luck hope you pass first................jillyxx

Hi jilly , i do my mirror checks but he asks me later on when I have them done so does not see me doing them) to me roundabouts are ok but its just when he tells me about the 2nd exit I think to myself but you said the 3rd , so now you want me to take the 2nd exit instead I panic and go to the 2nd exit , the instructor yells no mike I said the 3rd.

So my next lesson I am going to ask him to observe , I think then I will do better

Mike * Hazel * Mike JR

dreamdaisy · 23. Apr 2011, 13:12

When I was learning I was told to adjust my mirrors ever-so-slightly off so that to look in them I had to move my head. That kept the instructor (and the examiner) happy. That might be worth a go - they miss eye flicks. DD

Bookseverywhere · 24. Apr 2011, 06:31

Roundabouts can be a nuisance, particularly when other drivers don't signal their intentions. When I was taking lessons (admittedly many years ago), roundabouts were what caused me the biggest problem (and the reason I failed first time). Keep at it.

Best wishes,
Kevin.

tkachev · 24. Apr 2011, 13:08

I never think my OH is looking in the mirror but then something happens and I know he has been looking it just isn't done in exagerated movements. So like Jilly said you have to look like you are doing it. You could even say aloud, mirror, signal manouver so he knows!

Elizabeth

mike77 · 25. Apr 2011, 11:55

tkachev wrote:

I never think my OH is looking in the mirror but then something happens and I know he has been looking it just isn't done in exagerated movements. So like Jilly said you have to look like you are doing it. You could even say aloud, mirror, signal manouver so he knows!

Elizabeth

Hi Elizabeth thats a good idea might try that on Thrusday , I am just going to ask him to observe me at the roundabouts , he will be suprized that I have done it ok without prompting from him. I think he panics me when he has told me to take the 2nd lane and exit at the 3rd exit , so the moment he says right 2nd exit I steer towards that my heart pounding.

so if he lets me try it myself then (i think all will be ok)

Mike * Hazel * Mike JR

katekelly · 25. Apr 2011, 14:05

dreamdaisy wrote:

When I was learning I was told to adjust my mirrors ever-so-slightly off so that to look in them I had to move my head. That kept the instructor (and the examiner) happy. That might be worth a go - they miss eye flicks. DD

This is really good advice - I failed my first test because the Examiner didn't see my eyes as I was wearing sunglasses on a really bright day. So next time I adjusted it slightly off and so I had to move my head to see in the mirrors and passed on my second test.

mellman01 · 26. Apr 2011, 17:12

Move the mirros just slightly so you have to turn or move your head more to get a full view, that should help, also try and work out a patern of checks when driving, ie speed postion in road mirrors and repeat, that's how pilots do things, they have set paterns so are constantly checking certain things in a set format, repatition is the only real way you will get it it just takes time, it's synaptic brain training just keep repeating things.

rugbygirl · 26. Apr 2011, 17:23

I can sympathise with roundabouts. I learnt to drive in a town full of the sodding things. Everywhere I go to I have to go round them.

The best thing you can do is treat every other driver as an idiot while on the road and especially on roundabouts.

Jaki

Scarlet · 26. Apr 2011, 17:43

Hi Mike

I hate roundabouts, the first thing you are confronted with when you leave the local test centre is a huge roundabout, not ideal! I passed my test last November and I still go out of my way to avoid big busy roundabouts!

I'm a bit of a newbie here so I don't know how long you've been learning, but would it be worth possibly changing your instructor?? I was with an instructor who was useless, after I failed my test (with 2 serious faults, yikes) I went with someone else and subsequently passed on my second attempt (only 7 minors, woohoo!).

If the instructor makes you panic with their dodgy directions then you'll find it difficult to be able to relax and be more confident with your driving.

having trouble / with roundabouts

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