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Passed My Test!



  Renault Clio GT
So I passed my test today! Going c̶a̶r̶ clio hunting tomorrow.

Anyone got any tips for driving alone, things to look out for, things you don't learn in your lessons etc. As they say you learn to drive when you pass your test.

Thanks!
 
  RS6 C7
Just take it steady for the first few years! , You think your a hero / racing driver when you first pass but in reality you know very very little, It may not be you but learn to read what other idiots are doing!

But drive steady! Iv'e had a couple of mates killed in their first year of driving.


Oh and enjoy ;)
 
  An orange one
Just take care, enjoy driving and remember its a mobile coffin you are potentially driving your mates / girlfriend around in.
 
  Clio 220 Trophy
Congratualations on passing your test,
Advice I was given when I passed mine,

Just remember your now going to start driving 3/4 ton of death on your own,
Treat every other road user as the idiot.

Advice thats stayed with me over many years,
 
Last edited:
  An orange one
Congratualations on passing your test,
Advice I was given when I passed mine,

Just remember your now going to start driving 3/4 ton of death on your own,
Treat every other road user as the idiot.

Advice thats stayed with me over many years,

Must have been a caterham ;)

Probably about 1.5 tonnes now lol
 

Thrust-Rated

President of the KMAG fan club.
ClioSport Club Member
  F31 35d, Berlingo Na
Just take it easy. Don't get pressured into driving fast. And like others have said. Treat other road users like they are idiots. Because they are ;) most of the time.

Enjoy the freedom of being able to go where you want.
Road trips in summer are the best.
Don't get racing.

Congratulations on passing test too. :)
 

The Chubby Pirate

ClioSport Club Member
  Golf R
Now you've passed your test. You now learn how to drive.

...

miyagi-fly.jpg
 
  Renault Clio GT
Auctully, it was a Mk3 Cortina 1.6 ( Go on say what the f---ks that );)

Speaking of Caterhams, me and my Dad are building one as we speak haha. Hopefully be able to take that on a track day at some point as it'll be a few year till I can get insured on it.
 
  1.2 16v
One thing my dad made sure i remembered was.. Just remember.. You're driving around a deadly weapon. One wrong move, one wrong split second judgement and worlds crumble, including your own. It sort of scared me into being over cautious, but not hesitant.

Once you get a few years behind you you'll be more confidant in yourself, but remember being confidant isn't the same as being cocky or a show-off ;)

Congratulations on passing your test man! All the best on them roads!
 
  Arctic 182FF
The advice I was given which I think is pretty damn good advice:

(As said by everyone else) Assume every other road user is an idiot, you'll be right a surprising amount of the time.
When you're on a road and see someone waiting to join that road (from a junction etc.) take your foot off the accelerator and cover the break incase they don't see you and pull out.
When looking to see if someone is going to pull out or not, the best way to judge whether they're moving or not is by looking at the wheels as you'll see the spokes turning, much more noticeable than seeing the whole car move a few inches.
Don't ever switch off whilst driving, this is how I hit the curb of a traffic calming measure, blowing up 2 tyres and setting off an airbag, just from lack of attention a month into driving when I thought I'd got the hang of it.
I've never really understood how peer pressure works as it doesn't bother me, but don't go racing your mates or get encouraged to drive fast etc.
Finally, the speed limit isn't a target. You should always drive to the limits of the road and conditions. It may be national speed limit but that doesn't mean you can do 60 around every bend, or in fact any bend that may be on that road. Especially in the wet.

There are my words of wisdom. Seems weird coming from an 18 year old who's been driving just under a year but I think most people will agree with that advice. Best of luck mate, enjoy driving on your own, it's ace.
 
  Red 1.2 Dynamique
45 feels really, really slow after a while (;)).

A mistake I made at the start was giving people lifts all over the place for free, when the novelty of driving wears off you realise this costs a lot of £££ on petrol; charge people if they want a lift anywhere.
Also something I do now is change gears in low revs, or go from 3rd to 5th etc. I've got my mpg up to 40.6 in my 1.2 now, it was 34. something when I got it. So I'm saving quite a bit on petrol money.

Goodluck :)
 
  extreme flamer
DO NOT tailgate other road users and give yourself plenty of space to be able to stop if someone slams the anchors on. It isn't intimidating at all and doesn't make people ahead speed up if anything it makes people slow down because they think your a w*nk, I learned this the hard way after a small shunt and a pretty bad crash on a motorway.
Drive according to conditions.
When buying your first car make sure the timing belts been done/isn't due anytime soon (I also learned this the hard way when the belt went ping on mines as I knew nothing about cars when buying, neither did my dad really)
 

LiamR172

Scotland - NW
ClioSport Area Rep
And have this in your mind "if in doubt, don't." I.e if your not 1000% sure you'll make the over take of what ever your attempting, don't.

This.. you dont want to be stuck along side a lorry when theres a car speeding towards you!

Just take it easy, dont be the idiot that everyone else is talking about!
 
  Monaco 172 Ph2
A mistake I made at the start was giving people lifts all over the place for free, when the novelty of driving wears off you realise this costs a lot of £££ on petrol; charge people if they want a lift anywhere.

^^^^^ This

I did exactly the same thing, if they would normally get a bus ask for their bus fare, if they normally get a taxi charge them

You may think it sounds tight but once you do it for free you will soon realise the cost and you would of already spent hundreds on petrol for their gain,

Oh and just becareful, dont let mates etc. try talking you into doing daft things - if they dont like how you drive tell them to get out and walk LOL

And congrats :)
 

MarkCup

ClioSport Club Member
A bullet leaving the barrel of a S&W M29 .44 magnum has 1,267 ft lbs of energy to do damage with.

A 1,000 kg car traveling at 65 mph has 283,000 ft lbs of energy.

Go careful.
 
Also, the I.A.M would be a good idea

This.

I haven't done the full course, but on the 2 day course I did through my work I learnt a lot of things I use today without even realising. What you learn with the IAM should really be put to use when just learning normally, would make driving standards in this country much better.

Another tip. If you have mates in your car, don't let them interfere/distract you while driving. Personally think that's a common cause of young people having accidents, with mates trying to be funny by flicking buttons/switches or reeling you to look at things not on the road.

All the best and drive safe!
 
  Edition 30
Look out for bananas, washing up liquid and if you witness an accident, drive straight past.
 

LiamR172

Scotland - NW
ClioSport Area Rep
This.

I haven't done the full course, but on the 2 day course I did through my work I learnt a lot of things I use today without even realising. What you learn with the IAM should really be put to use when just learning normally, would make driving standards in this country much better.

I done a day course through my work and even in the couple of hours i done, i learnt alot!

Good thing i learned was that driving at 30 in 4th gear in more economical than driving in 5th at 30 because the car isnt struggling so much.

Some cars are 3rd for 30, 4th for 40 though.
 

MarkCup

ClioSport Club Member
^^^ always be in the right gear at the right time.

Also allows you to moderate your speed better using just the throttle as engine braking is more pronounced.

Before I did the IAM I always used to go for the highest gear possible thinking it was the most economical...I was so far off the mark with that!!!
 
  Renault Clio MK4 RS
^^^^^ This

I did exactly the same thing, if they would normally get a bus ask for their bus fare, if they normally get a taxi charge them

You may think it sounds tight but once you do it for free you will soon realise the cost and you would of already spent hundreds on petrol for their gain,

Oh and just becareful, dont let mates etc. try talking you into doing daft things - if they dont like how you drive tell them to get out and walk LOL

And congrats :)

Done this when i first started driving for a few weeks until i decided that i was losing a tonne of cash just because i wanted to drive about and didnt have an excuse to haha but then I started doing a little taxi thing for friends after a night out and just charge them a bit cheaper than a taxi does. Fair to say they always get me instead of a taxi :) on my 19th birthday instead of going out I made a killing and got like £85 that night but spent about £20 on fuel rushing about to and from place to pick other people up :p
 
  Listerine & Poledo
Don't take any passengers for a while, they're just a distraction.

and before you start thinking about taking your first car and making it "individual", remember that things like tax, insurance, servicing, parts and fuel also cost money and are far far FAR more important.

But yes, welcome to the roads, they're fatal.
 

LiamR172

Scotland - NW
ClioSport Area Rep
Also, dont rely on people indicating.

They might not know their indicator is on and you might think they are turning in when they have no intentions of actually doing so!
 

Typhoon

Gangsta
ClioSport Moderator
Congratulations on passing bud.

A few things I did when I first passed which I now regret;

Thinking I was a rally driver - weaving in and out of cars, almost went straight out infront of a car going a lot quicker than me on the motorway because I didn't check my blind spot.
As mentioned by someone else, giving EVERYONE free lifts, and regretting it when the novelty wears off. It really does hurt your pocket.

My only advice to you is, you know how to operate a car now, not how to "drive".. so, don't rush into things, if you're trying to park, and not sure if you'll make it, get out the car if you have too and have a look and weigh up the situation. It may look stupid but it'll be handy. Don't rush anything.
 

Thrust-Rated

President of the KMAG fan club.
ClioSport Club Member
  F31 35d, Berlingo Na
I'm still getting the hang if steering and I've been driving almost 5 years ;)
 
  1.2 16v
Getting insurance at that age on a 1.5 DCi might be sky high, at least with a 1.2 the insurance would be cheaper but for ye first year or two, he'll get the experience an hopefully by that point he'll have a year or two Ncb, meaning he could then, with his experience, get a higher powered car - as well as economical! Im wanting either a 197 next or a DCi mk 3 for my next, easy!
 

TheEvilGiraffe

South East - Essex
ClioSport Area Rep
Congrats.

Don't buy a Clio ! (If you do, don't get one with a sunroof or a petrol engine).

Every Tom Dick and Shirley under 20 buy Clios, then proceed to fire them into buses/hedges/ditches etc. Insurance is hilarious.

Get something leftfield... things yoofs don't buy. You'll save enough money to buy your own house before your next birthday :rasp:
 


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