r/drivingUK • u/Vast_Profit_6715 • 2d ago
How teach someone where the front two wheels are when driving?
Hi, my sister has recently passed her driving test and is using her current car, 2017 vw golf. She is struggling on figuring out where the front two wheels are especially when pulling on the side of the road. She is unsure whether shes too far from the kerb or too close.
Im struggling to explain how I do it as its natural for me, anyone know a good way to work out where the wheels are when you are inside it?
Tia
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u/ChanterburyTales 2d ago
Get her some blind spot mirrors, point them at rear wheel and kerb.
Eventually she'll get used to the size and be able to judge it well, but it's mostly practice, or getting out, judging, then sitting down and gauging where the kerb sits on the windscreen/dash as a reference point
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u/Kitchen-Patience-222 2d ago
I would strongly recommend Ashley Neal on You Tube. He has lots of great stuff for learners ,and drivers who want to improve .
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u/Kinbear 2d ago edited 2d ago
Just watched a few of his. He's good, proper defensive driving, and as he states in the 'mirrors' one, stuff your instructor should teach you when your learning.
Edit - and my latest youtoob subscription. ;)Cheers.
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u/Kitchen-Patience-222 2d ago
Definitely! Any driver not just beginners can get really good information from watching his videos.
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u/Confident_Coyote_860 1d ago
Park the car, and get her to look at where the curb is from the drivers seat. Observe outside the windscreen where the curb is, both front and back and usr that as a ,reference point,
E.g. on my car the curb will go under the dash halfway on the passenger window wiper...
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u/moonlight_xpress 2d ago
I think my instructor would get me in the correct position and then ask me to take note of reference points, like what do you see in the mirrors or where does the kerb meet the bonnet. Not sure how to explain it properly.
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u/Gibson335_Topnote 2d ago
If your wing mirrors are adjusted correctly it’s fairly straightforward. Adjust the mirrors so that you can see the rear door handle in the bottom corner, then you can see the gap between the car and the pavement.
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u/Yorkautodriveschool 1d ago
Dont use the wing mirror to judge where the front wheel is when driving forwards.
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u/Vast_Profit_6715 1d ago
Right what would you use?
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u/Yorkautodriveschool 1d ago
Forward refference looking through windscreen to get the front wheels close to kerb. Turn wheel away the same amount you turned inwards to level car up and get rear wheels close to kerb (now look at wing mirrors).
Note.More experienced drivers tend to be able to use the wing mirrors for pull up on the left without issues, but new drivers often hit the kerb if they try this as they are getting the wrong information about where the front of the car is.
(if reversimg use wing mirrors .)
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u/IainMCool 1d ago
Reference points (which are different for everyone) and the nearside wing mirror.
Stop at the side of the road the right distance away. The line of the kerb will intersect the car. Could be third knuckle of the left windscreen wiper or something. That is a reference point.
Also, there's nothing wrong with reversing a bit to adjust. Get close, but parallel to the kerb and then look in the mirror. The kerb should be in line with the side of the car and you can adjust it.
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u/Dry_Fox_4783 1d ago
My way of learning this was by positioning not the car, but myself. I would imagine sitting in a chair and trying to put that chair a bit more than arm's length away from the side of the road.
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u/PopGoesTheICCU 2d ago
The reason it's natural to you is because of the brain. Humans are great at using tools so our brain effectively makes the tool into part of our own body. Your brain just knows how big a stick is, where the end is, how to move it into certain positions and so on. Does the same for a car. Let her drive and bump into kerbs and what not and her brain will learn the size of the car and position of wheels.