Driving Lessons Guisborough – Part 6
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A couple of months ago the DVSA published the top ten reasons people fail their driving test. We decided to break things down a bit and give you the info. In Driving Lessons Guisborough Part 6 we have a look at another common fault catching our students out at test centers around Guisborough.
If you want to know what to expect on your driving test why not check out our full guide – Passing Your Driving Test – The Essential Guide
Ok, let’s have a look at what the 5th most common cause of driving test fails –
5. Moving Off Safely
Unlike our previous blog on Moving Off Control, A Moving off safely fault is more involved with observations.
In particular the blind spot check!
Being able to move off into the stream of traffic safely from the side of the road is very important. To make sure you’re competent the examiner is likely to ask you to do this at least three times.
Minor or Serious Fault
Similar to a stalling fault explained in moving off control, missing a blindspot check (as long as no-one around you was affected) would only get you a minor or driver fault. If you did it three times during the test, it could be bumped up to a serious fault.
If you missed a blind spot check and there was something there it would potentially be a serious fault. Especially if the examiner had to stop you from going.
Observations Before Moving Off
It’s not just the blind spot check that causes problems with moving off safely. You could quite easily miss danger coming from behind or ahead of you.
On your driving lessons you will cover which mirrors to look into, when, what you are seeing, and how you should react.
As moving off safely relies heavily on being competent with these factors let’s have a quick recap.
When you’re learning to drive the checks are usually in the 1 – 6 sequence below. Once you have a fair bit of post-test experience on the road you will most likely adopt your own style. The order below is the minimum checks the learner driver will be expected to make on test. They are –
- Centre mirror – To check the general condition of traffic coming from behind. There’s no point checking everywhere until behind is clear. When clear behind move onto –
- Left door mirror for cyclists squeezing up next to you
- Look ahead out the windscreen for any pedestrians stepping off curbs or traffic parking or emerging in front of you
- Centre mirror again to check behind a second time (things can change fast)
- Right door mirror for overtaking vehicles
- Right blind spot for anything the right mirror does not cover
If clear try to move off straight away. If you have a fumble or things don’t get going within a couple of seconds do your checks again. Especially the right blind spot!!
Hoof It !!
A common fault we see all the time is –
As you move off it’s all clear. However as you get going something zooms up behind quickly out of thin air. If you’ve already moved off get your on the gas and pick your speed up briskly. If the vehicle behind has to slow down too much or overtake you, it will usually be a fail.
The best way to spot this is to re-check your center mirror as you are moving off! If something is coming from behind, it’s pedal to the metal time!
Signaling
On test you only need signal (indicate) to stop and to move off, if anyone is around you will benefit the signal.
The main reason for problems with moving off safely signaling are these –
As you pull the vehicle up at the side of the road you should cancel your left indicator when you stop. The problem isn’t sitting there with the left signal flashing but when you go to drive off again. Under the pressure of test, many students leave the left indicator signal on and move off out to the right. If this causes problems around you it could fail you.
Signal If Necessary
As you move off from the side of the road you should signal your intention to anybody that may benefit it. You need to think about how vehicles around you may act if they suddenly see an indicator starts flashing. Ask yourself this –
If you were driving up quickly alongside a line of parked cars and suddenly an indicator from a parked car wanting to pull out on you started to flash. What might it make you think?
With this in mind, examiners have said that if someone sees your signal, slows down, and lets you out, it is their choice. They are letting you go and it would not be marked too seriously. If you pull out and cause someone to have to slow, stop, or let you out it would be a fail.
Driving Lessons Guisborough – Part 6
We hope the information above has been helpful for you in understanding the moving off safely faults and how to avoid them.
Please don’t worry if any of the tips above are a little confusing. It can take a while to fully get your head around them. Especially some of the signal when necessary rules. If you are currently on with your lessons hopefully they make a bit more sense and help to recap things going forwards.
