FAILED 9minor marks - 1 serious fault

I was told to use it in middle of a 3-point-turn (now called a turn-in-the-road). When pulled my car so that it was sitting across the road she had me put the hand brake on before putting it in reverse. To me, it makes more sense to make the turn in the shortest amount of time possible but she told me that's how to do it.

Good I am not crazy!

 

I was told to use it in middle of a 3-point-turn (now called a turn-in-the-road). When pulled my car so that it was sitting across the road she had me put the hand brake on before putting it in reverse. To me, it makes more sense to make the turn in the shortest amount of time possible but she told me that's how to do it.

Yes, because when making a three-point turn IN an intersection, you want to be hanging out there as much time as possible to increase the risk of getting bashed by another vehicle! 

You won't be doing it in an intersection...

It's not a u-turn in that sense..

For some reason, automatic transmission has never become as widely accepted here as in the States, and a lot of British drivers seem to have an inherent dislike of it, even those who have never tried one.  

Yes, I *really* don't understand this.  I have driven (and owned) manual cars in the US, as well as automatic ones.  Sometimes & under some driving conditions, I preferred the manual.  Other times, the automatic.  But here I just find with the narrow roads & all the fiddley bits of driving (as expected for the licence test) -- not having to drive a manual is one less thing to have to worry about especially when the car is all backa*sewards from what I'm accustomed to.

Steve and I had a number of disagreements over my desire to eventually get an automatic car.  I don't think his current car is a good example of a manual, no -- it's just horrible to drive...the gears don't like to shift, it's a tiny car (I think even by UK standards) so I really feel cramped, etc.  Even so, I think an automatic would be better at least until I'm used to driving here.  Finally, it took me (subliminally?) getting him to see his own awkwardness in driving with the manual...as well as our friends locally who pointed out how much safer the automatic can be in that you're more focused on the road & less about shifting the da*n car.

As for some of that riding the clutch business...when I learned to drive a manual in the US, the clutch was one of those things shown to me to be useful when driving in snowy, slick conditions (using clutch to slowly downshift, etc vs braking/skidding)...similarly, if needed - knowing how the clutch can assist (or hinder) you with climbing or descending sharp elevations.  When we were driving through snowy conditions here around Christmastime & DH was nervous about it, how you can use the clutch to help you was like a totally foreign concept to him!

Right -- the 3-pt turn is just on a road somewhere. Mine was in a quiet residential neighborhood.

Best bet is TAKE LESSONS!! Listen to instructor and just blindly do what he/she says. Don't question it no matter how assinine your common sense is telling you it is. Just do it.  

You won't be doing it in an intersection...

It's not a u-turn in that sense..

http://www.2pass.co.uk/signs.htm

and do just what the instructor tells you... become one with the DSA....

http://www.2pass.co.uk/signs.htm

Now that I see that ... I'm wondering ... maybe they did make me use my handbrake on that maneuver. I honestly don't remember! It was barely a year ago, and I've already forgotten! 

You won't be doing it in an intersection...

It's not a u-turn in that sense..

Oh, do they just pick a random spot in the road and tell you to do the three-pointer? (That's what they do here.) [checked out the link, thanks peeps] It still seems to make no sense to use your hand brake at each point in the turn. What is this obsession they have with hand braking?! Are UK drivers so bad that one should expect to get rammed everytime one stops their car?! 

I personally like the little next button and the car moving around...

Oh and my other personal fav is reversing around a corner.. which can be a sharp corner or a wide sweeping one... lucky me I did not have to do it!  I just had the others!

Oh and my other personal fav is reversing around a corner.. which can be a sharp corner or a wide sweeping one... lucky me I did not have to do it!  I just had the others!

And, would this be to escape the roving band of marauders intent on stealing my car? 

Oh and my other personal fav is reversing around a corner.. which can be a sharp corner or a wide sweeping one... lucky me I did not have to do it!  I just had the others!

Yes that bit kills me...only here would I need to learn how to drive backwards.

And, would this be to escape the roving band of marauders intent on stealing my car? 

Yes but only those marauders intent on stealing your big pants.  That and the random sheep....

Oh and my other personal fav is reversing around a corner.. which can be a sharp corner or a wide sweeping one... lucky me I did not have to do it!  I just had the others!

I hated that one!! I think I only actually did it successfully ONCE during all my lessons. And, wouldn't you know it, it was one of the maneuvers the examiner made me do. Ugh. But ... somehow ... it was like I was the superwoman of driving on that day ... I could do no wrong! It was perfect!!

Yes but only those marauders intent on stealing your big pants.  That and the random sheep....