Vehicle controls.
The controls of the vehicle are divided into three distinct groups, major, minor and ancillary, which are explained here in greater detail.
Major controls.
The Major Controls are those which actually control the movement of the vehicle and are regarded as being the most important. These are:- Accelerator, brake, clutch, gear stick, handbrake and steering wheel.
Three of these are found in the foot well beneath the drivers feet. From right to left, the accelerator, foot brake and clutch. These pedalsare always operated gently.
Accelerator.
The accelerator is the foot pedal on the right and is only operated by the right foot. We often call it the "Gas" pedal because it is a shorter word to use on the move. The further you press the pedal the more fuel is sent into the engine and the more power is developed.
When the instructor asks you to "set the gas" they want you to press the pedal down about the thickness of a pound coin. This doesn't sound very much I know but you do not need much power to move away from the kerb.
Footbrake.
The foot brake is the middle of the three pedals and is also used exclusively by the right foot. The further you press the pedal the quicker the car stops. Harsh use of this pedal will lead to very sudden stops indeed or even skids.
The foot brake and accelerator are both used with the right foot for one very good reason. One pedal makes the car go faster and the other slows it down. If you were to have one foot on each pedal then you would be making the two main systems of the car (engine and brakes) work against one another. By making you use one foot for both pedals we are making sure that this never occurs.
Clutch.
The clutch is the pedal on the left and as such is only operated by the left foot. The function of the clutch is to allow us to change gears. What the clutch actually does is to separate two plates which control the power between the engine and the gearbox. When we separate the plates by pressing the clutch then we are able to take or change gears. When you release the clutch the plates move back together and the power flows from the engine to the gearbox and on to the wheels.
Finding the biting point is fun when you first start doing it. You will already have pressed the clutch and selected first gear. As you gently raise the clutch you will feel a sensation through the pedal. Keep it still now. That sensation is the vibration from the two clutch plates coming together. When it is time to gently raise the clutch further the car will move away.
Gear stick.
Oh my friend are you going to have some fun with this! Please try to look at the gear stick only once. Your instructor will show you its position and how to get to the different gears and neutral. I will not go into too much detail here because different manufacturers vehicles put reverse in different places. You will only have to get used to one car though so that will not be a problem. Once you have been shown the gear stick do try not to look at it again. What is happening in the mirrors and through the windows is far more important. You must get used to using the gear box without looking at the stick. Now is the ideal time to start.
Handbrake.
We never, ever, ever apply the handbrake unless the car is completely stationary.
The handbrake mechanism comprises a spring which tries to pull a lever down against a ratchet. The handbrake only has two positions. Up and down. If the lever is up then the brake is on, so down must be off.
To release the handbrake you must take the tension off the spring by pulling up gently then press the button at the end of the lever. Holding the button right in you may now take the lever all of the way down. The handbrake is now off. It is important that you remember to take the handle all of the way down else the brake may still be slightly applied. This could cause overheating and damage if you drove for too long like this.
To apply the handbrake. Press the button and raise the handbrake until you can feel a reasonable amount of force against you. Before you let go of the lever you must release the button so that the ratchet can secure the handbrake in the up position. This is not a strength test and a little experience will soon teach you how much force is reasonable.
Most vehicles have a warning light to tell you if your handbrake is on. It is a useful reminder if you have forgotten to take the handbrake right down to the bottom when you released it.
Steering wheel.
You found it. Big round thing right in front of you. It has a mind of its own that thing!
To control it properly you need to master the pull/push method of steering.
Imagine for a second if you will that the wheel is a clock face. Neither of your hands may ever go beyond the twelve 'o' clock position and at no time may the wheel be allowed to spin between your fingers. The normal position for the hands to be in while driving along is somewhere between the quarter to three and ten to two positions.
If you need to turn to the left. The left hand comes to the top of the wheel and pulls down while the right hand slides down to the same position on the other side of the wheel (usually somewhere around the twenty to four area). The right hand now takes hold of the wheel and pushes the wheel upwards while the left hand slides up to the same position on the other side of the wheel (usually near to the top).
This is done as much as necessary to steer the car around the corner. Straightening up is the same procedure exactly but applied in the opposite direction.
Good Luck!
Minor controls.
The Minor Controls are those which are used in conjunction with the major controls to help us to state our intentions to others as well as to see and be seen. These are the indicators, mirrors and lights on the car.
Indicators.
The indicators are located on a "stick" which could be on either side of the steering wheel. Manufacturers differ as to which side they are. As a general rule though the indicators work in the same direction of travel as the steering wheel.
If the "stick" is on the left and you are turning left then you press it down to indicate left, and up to indicate right. If the indicator stick is on the right then it is exactly the opposite.
Up would be left and down would be right.
To show that the indicators have been turned on there is a set of indicator lights inside the car, usually located behind the steering wheel. These are usually separated to designate which way the external indicators are flashing though sometimes both arrows are on the same light.
Mirrors.
Apart from any that your instructor has added for their own use there are three mirrors which you need to know about. One interior mirror and two external mirrors.
The interior central mirror is perfectly flat and does not distort the image that you see at all. To adjust it you must take a hold of it at both ends using the thumb and forefinger, and adjust it so that you have a good view down the road behind you. There is usually a sticker in the rear window put there by the dealer. If you can see that in the bottom centre of your mirror it is usually a good guide.
There are two external or "wing" mirrors, one on either side of the car. The surface of these is convex so it bends slightly outwards. For the length of the vertical side nearest to the car you should be able to see a little bit of the car, and for the rest of the area of the mirror you should be able to see back down the road/footpath depending which side you are looking at.
Lights.
Manufacturers each have their own layout for controls and as such their position differ from car to car. Your instructor will make you aware of the positioning of these controls.
Apart from the indicators the side/head lights are the most used while the hazard and fog lights are rarely if ever used at all. Different manufacturers put the headlight controls on different switches. All are as valid as each other. There is no correct place for them. Your instructor will show you where they are on their particular vehicle. Below is some guidance as to their use.
Side, or parking lights.
When there is a slight deterioration in visibility due to lack of light then we turn on our side lights. They will make you much easier to see and identify as a moving vehicle to the other road users.
Headlights.
Headlights are not turned on to dipped beam until we feel that there is enough of a reduction in the visibility that they may be of some use to either us or others. As a general rule, if you turn them on and you cannot see their "footprint" on the road ahead then you have turned them on slightly too early. It would be folly though to leave it late to make sure. If you think that you need them, especially in cases of deteriorating weather, turn them on regardless, they will be helpful in regards to helping other drivers see you. It is better to be safe than sorry.
Dipped beam headlights will help you to see better and in towns/cities they are all that you will require. The lamp posts will do the rest. In the countryside at night you will find that they do not offer enough light to drive by properly so where it is appropriate you may use the main beam headlights. If you can see either the rear lights of a vehicle in front or the headlights of an oncoming vehicle then they should immediately be changed to dipped beam. You do not want to dazzle the oncoming road user.
Please be courteous to pedestrians, cyclists and horses as well. It is not only vehicles that matter on the road.
Hazard warning lights.
These are not there as a convenient excuse for stopping on double yellow lines outside the shops. No one is impressed if they are used in such a manner. Least of all parking wardens.
The hazard warning lights are solely for the purpose of warning other traffic that your vehicle has become a hazard to them if it breaks down, and if you cannot move it to a safer place. They have no other purpose.
Fog lights.
I have seen many people using their front fog lights just because they are located under the front bumper and they think that it looks cool to have them on. They are sad. Fog lights dazzle people. They are not to be used because it is dark and it is no excuse to say "but I am nervous and they are brighter than the other rear lights". Precisely. They dazzle people. Grow up.
All vehicles of recent manufacture will have at least one fog light located on the rear of the vehicle. On your dashboard somewhere will be a light which indicates that rear fog lights have been turned on.
Some vehicles have fog lights on the front of the vehicle. Often underneath the front bumper. These are white and much brighter than the other lights. Again, there will be a light somewhere to indicate that the front fog lights have been switched on.
The fog lights should never be turned on unless the visibility is reduced to one hundred metres or less. Simple as that. As soon as the visibility clears. Turn them off.
They are called fog lights because it is probably the most common reason for people putting them on. It is also perfectly valid to put them on for other reasons such as heavy rain or snow. Any reason that reduces your visibility to one hundred metres or less.
Ancillary controls.
Basically everything else. All of the devices that are fitted to a car that can be used to help us to drive it effectively. Heated rear window, wipers, ventilation devices such as fan/heaters and air conditioning, and of course the vehicles warning lights.
Windscreen wipers & washers.
Windscreen wipers are usually controlled by a "stork" on the opposite side of the steering wheel to the indicator "stork". There may be front and rear wipers on the car. This control stork can control the intermitent, normal and fast speeds as well as the washing function. Again the precise control method depends upon the make of the vehicle.
Heated rear window.
If the rear window starts to mist up for any reason or if you come out to your car in the morning and it is misted, frosty or covered in snow then the heated rear window will help.
Ventilation.
The fan is useful in keeping the windows mist free. If they begin to mist up you need to increase the amount of ventilation in the car. Opening the windows is a good idea unless it is freezing in which case I don't expect that you will fancy it too much. Turning the fan up to full and directing its flow across the windows is a good idea in any weather.
Heater or Air conditioning.
The heater will be one of your favourite controls on a frosty day. Get that warm air flowing across the screens and it suddenly becomes much easier to shift the frost.
Air Conditioning is a winner. Keeps you cool on hot/humid days and clears misty windows faster than a heater in the winter. One misconception about air conditioning is that it has to be cold. It doesn't. Follow the manufacturers guidance in the handbook because the different systems have different tolerances to heat but it is fine to have the air conditioning on with warm air flowing through it. It is the lack of humidity in the treated air that clears the mist. Not the heat. A heater alone will do the job, but not as fast.
Gauges.
Temperature gauge. As the engine gets warmer after starting the needle rises until it is just below the half way position. This is normal. On some vehicles this gauge might be colour coded from blue in the bottom half to red at the top. If the needle should rise above its normal position the vehicle should not be driven until the fault has been found and rectified. Failure to stop and locate the problem could result in engine seizure. Too nasty to contemplate.
Fuel gauge and as such is self explanatory. The higher it is, the further you can go. If you do let the vehicle run out of fuel this too can cause problems. It is sound advice never to let this happen.
Vehicle warning lights.
On the dashboard of your vehicle there are a number of warning lights. There are a number of standard ones and probably a few that the manufacturer has added themselves. Your instructor will point out the position and meaning of these lights to you as they differ from car to car. As a general rule these lights will be red when they light up. Some of them light up when you first turn the engine on and then go out after a few seconds. This is the period of time required for your electronic system to check itself, and the systems that it controls, over for faults. Some of these lights are so important that if they stay on you should not drive the car at all.
The fuel symbol indicates that you only have a minimum amount of fuel left in the tank. It is quite important when you own your own car that you know what that amount is. It varies from car to car and it is important because you will at least know how many miles that you can cover in your search for a garage. Important information if you are in an area that you do not know too well.
The 'ABS' warning light is telling you that there is something wrong with the braking system on your vehicle. If this one lights up and does not go off after a few seconds do not drive the car. Call someone who knows how to fix it.
The engine check light will come on before you start the engine and stay on for a little while afterwards. Pre-ignition it indicates that the electronics system on your vehicle is being checked constantly. Immediately after starting the engine the system will perform a set of checks to ensure that the engine is running to its optimum of both efficiency and performance before going off.
The battery warning light will come on pre-ignition and it simply means that your alternator is not providing enough charge to run the vehicle. Once the engine has been switched on the alternator will run and this light will go out. If it does not then a visit to a garage may be on the cards.
The door warning light tells you that at least one of the doors has not been properly closed. On some makes this will include the boot or rear door and on some it even includes the fuel cap cover. Once all doors are properly closed the light will go off.
The oil can light indicates that there is not enough oil pressure in the engine. It will be on pre-ignition because the engine is not creating the pressure. Soon after the engine has been started it should go out. If it does not then you should check the engine oil level of your engine and top it up if necessary. If the light is still lit then a trip to the garage is again a possibility.
The seatbelt light. If the driver does not put their seat belt on properly then this light will stay lit until you do.
