VicktorVauhn wrote:
If your driving a stick, and I figure you are... I think its really not a bad idea to read up on what the fuck a clutch is, and what is all going on down there... Completely unnecessary but I have always found it easier to do things when you actually know what it is your trying to do.
There isn't a whole lot to be said for when you first learn to operate a car, its pretty fucking simple (well depending on the car working the clutch takes a little practice) and the instructor will tell you what you need.
Don't know if your instructor will be into it, but I think the best thing to do is to start by stalling the car (not that you wont do that anyways). Do it with out even trying to drive it though. Put it in first on flat ground, and very slowly, very smoothly let out the clutch. The first little bit nothing will happen, once the clutch starts to engage the RPMs will dip slightly (easist to see with gauge, but if you listen carefully you can hear too). The car will try to start moving forward at that point, some can actually get rolling with no throttle... if the one you drive can this is a really good way to get used to the engagement point. You guys get little anemic cars though so it will probably stall, thats ok... but pay attention to were on the clutch it stalls, and what that felt like. Your basically going to do the same thing again, but use the throttle to keep the revs up.
Thats pretty much it. Just driving a car around is the easiest fucking thing ever... The only part that is actually hard is dealing with other traffic, but that is just memorizing the laws and watching for the idiots. Its only such a big deal because they ARE potentially dangerous machines, and you will end up driving daily for the next 30+ years, so the risk adds up over time...
That leads me to my last point... Not necessarily a tip for your class, but more for your whole driving career. Use your head and think. Avoid unnecessary risks. Yes, you can drive in someones blind spot just fine, and they probably wont do anything. Even if they did its usually pretty easy to avoid/get out of the way/honk and make them realize/ect... But you will encounter that situation thousands or even millions of times from now till you are too old to drive. It may be a 0.0000001% chance that it will end badly, but of your driving every day from 16 to 60 how many times are you taking that chance? It WILL catch up eventually. Driving safely ins't just going slow or following the laws, its realizing when your creating a situation that increases risk and limiting that... (with in reason)
Just knowing what is happened around you is a big chunk of danger taken out. In ITaly everybody wants to go first, and when you put two people who wants to cross a junction first and doesn't let the other go you have a 80% crash situation. I'm pretty relaxed when driving so I usually let the other guy pass and everything ends up nice and safe, most of my friends don't and you know it's just not a nice thing to do. In the end you are sharing the road with other people and cars, being impatient and do not letting other people go first is just a stupid way to get into a crash. Be kind when driving.
