<p>I just recieved my permit a few days ago and I took my first lesson yesterday. It went pretty well and the instructor just told me some simple tips and what I was doing wrong. I have the checklist of things I need to master but I still have some skills that I'm weak at (backing up, maintaing speed when changing lanes/turning, etc.) </p>
<p>Does anyone know of any sites or free online videos that would help me learn some techiques to accomodate my driving lessons? Thank you.</p>
<p>No video can teach what experience teaches.</p>
<p>Videos can teach techiques, applying the techiques implies experience.</p>
<p>It really isn't that hard, just go out there and learn by doing.</p>
<p>you just have to beg your parents to let you get in as much car time as possible and you'll learn in no time.</p>
<p>Drive everywhere you possibly can, no matter how far or how near, how long or how short.</p>
<p>I took my test on a morning when it had snowed 4 inches, and my appointment was at 8 AM so they hadn't plowed yet. Therefore, they were really lenient with me.</p>
<p>Be sure to drive at least 5mph under the speed limit the entire time, stop on all yellows, and look around whenever you go through an intersection, change lanes etc.</p>
<p>drive as much as possible</p>
<p>pretty much what people have said. you need to actually drive to learn. it seems scary at first, but it's really extremely easy. you'll catch on quickly, don't worry.</p>
<p>This has been bugging me: I know that it is against the law to drive above the posted speed limit... so why do almost everyone still do it? I mean, if you go on the freeway and the posted speed limit is 65, people will drive at least 70 and even up to 80mph!</p>
<p>Also, when I drive the local roadways, the posted speed limit is usually 25 or 35 in residential and business areas. I always have bunches of cars behind me that get mad at me for driving so slowly. By the way, if the roads are not busy at all and there are no cars in front of me, then should I still drive at 25 or go faster? Ahh..</p>
<p>To the OP: Yes, drive as much as possible. I remember when I first drove, it was like "*** I'M NEVER GONNA LEARN THIS". lol, trust me. experience is the key. </p>
<p>To your last post (^^): I know what you mean about the whole people honking at you for driving at the limit. You have to realize that they're experienced drivers and you're just a beginner. So, suck it up and be like "hey, there gonna get caught for speeding, not me." I used to have the same issues when I first drove. I was like "Dad can i PLEASE speed up?" Don't do it. Learn to drive slowly. Eventually, you'll stop caring about what people behind you say. If they wanna overtake you, they can do it, especially on a highway. I've been driving for nearly a year now (going for my license today) and I still drive at the speed limit, if not less, on highways. As for your last question, as you get more experienced you can drive faster than 25 mph, but for now (seeing that you got your license a couple days ago), drive at 25 or less. </p>
<p>With more experience, you can drive faster. For now, drive slowly. Good luck learning! :)</p>
<p>just please stay in the far right lane then...</p>
<p>Drive as much as you can -- ideally, with different adults in the passenger seat on different occasions (each one will emphasize different tricks and techniques). You will need to do this for several months. Try to drive in a variety of different situations -- day and night, empty roads and crowded ones, neighborhood streets and larger multilane roads, even an expressway eventually. And park in as many different places as possible (start with angle spaces, then straight spaces, then parallel parking).</p>
<p>Then, when both you and your parents think you're ready for the road test, give it a try. But if you fail, don't just go back to driving around with your parents. Instead, call the driving school and ask to pay for one more lesson -- specifically geared to the skills needed for the test.</p>
<p>The issue here is that the skills you use most on the road are not necessarily the ones emphasized on the test. Some of the test skills are things that your parents and other adults may rarely do and may not be well qualified to teach. For example, if you live in a suburb where most parking is done in parking lots rather than on the street, chances are your parents parallel park only a few times a year. They may not be very good at coaching you on parallel parking. But the driving school teachers are experts at doing just that.</p>
<p>For the speed limit thing, it's because the speed radar thing that the police use to catch you has a +/- error calculation of ~5mph, so you are actually "allowed" to go over the speed limit by 5-10mph because they can't really penalize you for it and if they do you can easily get out of it by going to court and saying so.
So people tend to say that in a 65 mph zone, you can actually go up to 70-75 mph without much of a problem.<br>
But as an inexperienced driver, you'd be better off just sticking to the speed limit. </p>
<p>Be sure that if you are driving AT the speed limit on a multi-lane street, you stay in the right lane. Maybe put a "Student Driver" sticker on your back window so people know you are inexperienced?</p>
<p>Haha I remember, when I first, i mean FIRST, drove on a two lane street,my dad put the 4way emergency flashers (or whatever you call them) on, to indicate that I'm a slow/new driver.
boy was that embarasing.....</p>
<p>^^Lol, I'd rather have the people hate me.</p>
<p>Anyway. I agree with everyone else. Experience is key.</p>
<p>pracitce on residential streets all the time</p>
<p>what worked for me was that for 8 months- everywhere that i had to go i drove with my dad in the car. I mean everywhere-- i took highways home in rush hour and i drove residential streets at 9:30 at night.</p>
<p>At that point, i was feelign a lot more comfeterable in the car and with the car. At that point, I started going with my mom to do her errands. my mom drives a LOT slower and more cuatiously than my dad so I was able to tighten up my skills, which made me better driver with anyone.</p>
<p>Practice parking in hard parking lot spaces... it will really help u get a sense of how big your car is, how manueverable it is and let you practice going backwards.</p>
<p>I failed my first road test because i hit the cone parallel parking, and because of my finals schedule i wasnt able to retest for about 6 weeks. I practiced parallel parking for a few days- both with garabge cans in front of my house and at the actual test center. Use the knowledge what ou failed with to refine your skills.. I dont necesarilly think that an extra lesson is required- espiecally if your family is short on cash- but ur parents want u to do well and they'll try and focus their tips if you ask them to.</p>
<p>btw- i passed last week :)</p>
<p>sorry that was long...</p>