[spaxiaroorbes]

WTF is the 10 to 2 position I've never heard of it.

Very easy.

Look at the steering like a clock. Your hands should either be in the 9-to-3 or 10-2 positions. Meaning your left hand will be on 9/10 and your right on 3/2.

Since you're suppose to have both hands on the wheel, these are the ideal positions that they should be in.

Although I'm very bad at not doing this. My positions usually consist of:

1, Right hand at the 3 o'clock position with arm resting on window sill and left hand resting on gear stick.
2, Hands at 5-7 positions and arms resting on lap.
3, both hands resting on my lap and only steering with my thumbs and index fingers (only done when I'm driving on the motorway since there's little need to steer)


It's bad habits. Don't do them.

[Smittoh]

Very easy.

Look at the steering like a clock. Your hands should either be in the 9-to-3 or 10-2 positions. Meaning your left hand will be on 9/10 and your right on 3/2.

Since you're suppose to have both hands on the wheel, these are the ideal positions that they should be in.

I kind of figured that but wasn't entirely sure.

Although I'm very bad at not doing this. My positions usually consist of:

1, Right hand at the 3 o'clock position with arm resting on window sill and left hand resting on gear stick.
2, Hands at 5-7 positions and arms resting on lap.
3, both hands resting on my lap and only steering with my thumbs and index fingers (only done when I'm driving on the motorway since there's little need to steer)


It's bad habits. Don't do them.

I usually have my right hand at the 12-3 (anywhere between, and sometimes have my elbow on the sill) and my left hand on the gear stick. Once I am cruising I usually have my left hand at 10-12 (anywhere between) and my right at 12-2. The rules I've been told are meant to be 10-3 but I find that very uncomfortable, maybe cause the steering wheel is big (I've got a new racing one for free but need to buy a boss kit for it).

Also how are you supposed to do 10-2 when you are doing hand over hand turn? You can't leave your hands at 10-2 whilst turning, the wheel doesn't turn by itself.

Also another rule I found out about not so long ago is that every time you change gears you have to put your hand back on the wheel. For example you go from first to second than have hand on wheel, than take hand off wheel to change from 2nd to third when you need to etc etc. Thats kind of a problem for my car as it has kind of high torque and I go through the gears quickly and don't have time to put my hand on the wheel unless I'm going from third to fourth. Guess I'm just gonna have to drive extra slow when accelerator from the lights or turning corners.

[spaxiaroorbes]

Also how are you supposed to do 10-2 when you are doing hand over hand turn? You can't leave your hands at 10-2 whilst turning, the wheel doesn't turn by itself.

You guys do hand over hand as in crossing your arms? In the UK, we're actually not allowed to do that. I don't know if it's considered a major or a minor in the actual test.

You're suppose to feed the wheel steering wheels. Lemme try and explain it.

Say you wanted to steer right into a minor road.

1, Gripping steering wheel, right hand goes from 2 to 6 position, so you're pulling the steering wheel down.
2, Your left hand goes in the opposite direction, so it goes from the 10 back to the 6 position but you let the steering wheel slip through your hand.
3, Next, your left hand, from the 6 positions moves back to the 10 position but this time you're gripping the wheel.
4, Your right hand should let the wheel slip through your hand as you're pushing the steering wheel upwards with your left hand. And your right hand should return back to the 2 position.

Also another rule I found out about not so long ago is that every time you change gears you have to put your hand back on the wheel. For example you go from first to second than have hand on wheel, than take hand off wheel to change from 2nd to third when you need to etc etc. Thats kind of a problem for my car as it has kind of high torque and I go through the gears quickly and don't have time to put my hand on the wheel unless I'm going from third to fourth. Guess I'm just gonna have to drive extra slow when accelerator from the lights or turning corners.

Regardless of whether you're having to do that. You're still required to have both hands on the steering wheel. It shows the examiner that you are in control of the car.

[Smittoh]

You guys do hand over hand as in crossing your arms? In the UK, we're actually not allowed to do that. I don't know if it's considered a major or a minor in the actual test.

Its compulsory here. And I was talking about when you turn the wheel to turn a corner not when exiting. I usually just let the wheel straighten themselves up and let the wheel slide through my hands, only turning it to straighten the car up.

Never the less, I'll be going with a driver instructor a few times before going for my test so he can tell me what to do and if I'm good enough.

[Fouttysotlalf]

Its compulsory here. And I was talking about when you turn the wheel to turn a corner not when exiting. I usually just let the wheel straighten themselves up and let the wheel slide through my hands, only turning it to straighten the car up.

Never the less, I'll be going with a driver instructor a few times before going for my test so he can tell me what to do and if I'm good enough.

What the hell

Who is your instructor? Because you seriously are getting taught incorrectly. Hand over hand is dangerous, and so is letting the wheel slip through your hands to let it straighten up.

You turn the wheel by feeding it through your hands. One hand pushes the wheel while the other let's go and take up a new position, never crossing arm's and alway's as close to 10-2 as possible. Driving with one hand on the gearstick is a bad habit to get into before getting a full license. When I was learning I would alway's get my hand back on the wheel even inbetween gearshifts from 1st to 5th.
Maybe the new licensing is not as tough (which wasn't hard to begin with) as the single test they used to be

As for 30mph on a round about, that's not unusual at all. England's large roundabout's are very similar to Canberra's. The speed limit's of the roundabout are usually 80km/h, so once you are in them most of the traffic is flowing at atleast 60km/h, but hitting 80km/h is not hard without traffic.

[Smittoh]

Who is your instructor? Because you seriously are getting taught incorrectly. Hand over hand is dangerous, and so is letting the wheel slip through your hands to let it straighten up.

I don't have an instructor at the moment I'm driving through basic knowledge which I learnt from people who have full license, the driving test I did and mates of mine who have their P's and tell me what I should mainly practice on (which is simply hill starts, U turns, 3 point turns and reverse parking). And my mates told me that you have to use hand over hand when turning a corner.

As for 30mph on a round about, that's not unusual at all. England's large roundabout's are very similar to Canberra's. The speed limit's of the roundabout are usually 80km/h, so once you are in them most of the traffic is flowing at atleast 60km/h, but hitting 80km/h is not hard without traffic.

WTF, roundabouts here you only travel at about 40kmph to 50kmph and you go through them very quickly which is why I made the discussion about the indicators because you have to go through them in 5 seconds or less flat which isn't much time.

Anyways, I'm going for a drive now, so be back later

[Fouttysotlalf]

Indicating is still easy to do in small roundabout's. Alot of those around.

As I said, 10-2 and indicating is simply a finger movement.

[Smittoh]

Indicating is still easy to do in small roundabout's. Alot of those around.

As I said, 10-2 and indicating is simply a finger movement.

Oh wait I get what you mean now (I think). Yea, the indicator on my car is within fingers reach but you really have to stretch out your finger to get to it, also its stiff so you need a bit of force so yea, not so easy for me.

And I went driving in an auto today. After driving in a manual for a while I forgot how much I hate auto's. I had to get used to the braking cause I'm so used to tapping on the brakes in a manual and letting the gears slow me down where as in an auto I had to really push them down. Almost ran into a back of this red car on the way back.

Than we have the red lights, I'm used to putting the car in neutral and letting go of the clutch and just tapping the brakes to keep the car in place. Again you have to have the brakes pushed down a lot more in this auto.

Than we have takeoffs which don't feel right. But I guess you get that

Sigh

[Fouttysotlalf]

Oh wait I get what you mean now (I think). Yea, the indicator on my car is within fingers reach but you really have to stretch out your finger to get to it, also its stiff so you need a bit of force so yea, not so easy for me.

It's probably that Supercheap racing wheel you have bolted to it

[Smittoh]

It's probably that Supercheap racing wheel you have bolted to it

Haven't installed it yet. Was actually gonna buy myself a new racing steering wheel the other day with a boss kit, but they where $200+. When I found out my next door neighbor had two spare ones and I could have one I was so happy[thumbup]. Just have to find out how much a boss kit is.

But the steering wheel feels VERY comfortable, its thick and has a nice grip on it, much better than the stock crap I currently have which is thin and to big for my liking.

[spaxiaroorbes]

I don't have an instructor at the moment I'm driving through basic knowledge which I learnt from people who have full license, the driving test I did and mates of mine who have their P's and tell me what I should mainly practice on (which is simply hill starts, U turns, 3 point turns and reverse parking). And my mates told me that you have to use hand over hand when turning a corner.

They would say that since they've passed and like me, thrown half the stuff we did in the lessons out the window.

When you get an instructor, I'm sure he'll tell you other wise. It seems that the feeding the wheel technique is recognised and used everywhere else in the world.

I highly doubt an instructor will instruct you to use hand over hand and letting the wheel slip since canberra said, it's really dangerous if you're new to driving.

Another thing is, as a learner, you're taught to slow down waaay before you actually approach a corner you're entering as this gives you enough time to slow down, drop to second gear and then start feeding the wheel.

So you're friends are actually teaching you things you'd do after you've passed. Not before.