The
Car
Now that you are legally
entitled to drive a car you 1st need to know how
the car works, what each control does and how to use them.
The controls can be separated into 3 parts: Primary,
Secondary and Auxiliary.
Primary
Clutch
Brake
Accelerator
Handbrake
Gear Stick
Seatbelt
Mirrors
Steering Wheel
The 3 pedals are from left to
right the Clutch, Brake and Accelerator. Your left foot is
only used for the clutch and your right foot is only used
for the Brake or accelerator. This is because at no time do
you ever need to use the accelerator and brake at the same
time so one foot can control both.
The
Clutch
The Clutch is used if you
need to move off, change gear or stop. The main purpose of
the clutch is to connect and disconnect the power from the
engine to the road wheels. Its needed so that changes can be
made smoothly from one gear to another and also to stop
without stalling. When using the clutch it always goes down
fast and up slowly.
The
Brake
The brake is to be used
gently. Its better to brake earlier and easier than later
and hard. You can brake without needing to use the clutch
but if you want to stop then the clutch must be fully down
before coming to a stop. If possible you should avoid
braking and turning at the same time as this can cause the
vehicle to not turn as well or slow down as much. When
entering a junction or bend it is best to brake in advance
and turn while “under acceleration”. As with most aspects of
driving there are times when extra braking while turning is
necessary such as encountering a hazard.
The
Accelerator
Also known as the Gas pedal
it makes the car go faster by adding more fuel to the cars
engine. It is to be used gently and to increase speed
gradually not only for smooth safe driving but economic fuel
consumption.
Cockpit
Drill
When you first get into the
vehicle you will get used to performing your cockpit drill.
The aim of the cockpit drill is to make sure that you are
comfortable in your seat and in a suitable position to
operate the controls of the vehicle.
The cockpit drill is very important. The letters D.S.S.S.M
help us to remember the order in which the cockpit drill
checks must be carried out.
1.Door
--- must be properly closed.
2.Seat
--- comes in three parts,
2.1. Cushion
- adjust the part that you sit on so that your left leg
bends
slightly when the clutch is fully depressed.
2.2.Back -
adjust for comfort.
2.3
Head restraint -
not head-rest. It is there solely to prevent whiplash
injuries
in the event of an accident.
Adjust it so that it is directly behind your head.
3
Steering
--- checked by placing both hands on top of the wheel.
4.Seatbelt
--- ensure that the strap is flat across the chest.
5.Mirrors
--- adjust all mirrors to give the correct field of vision.
Once you have completed the cockpit drill you will be
sitting comfortably
and suitably positioned to operate all of the controls of
the vehicle.
Secondary
Ignition:
This turns the car on. The key needs to be turned clockwise
through 3 stages and once the engine is “ignited” can be
left alone. Before turning on the car the gear must be in
neutral.
Horn:
Usually as part of the steering wheel is used solely to warn
other road users of your presence and never as a rebuke.
Indicators:
The purpose of indicating is to warn other road users of
your intentions. If the indicator stick is on the left hand
side then down is for left and up is for right. If its on
the right of the wheel then up is for left and down is for
right. This is because it always relates to the direction
the steering wheel will be turning.
Wipers:
These have varying speeds relating to how heavy the rain is.
The windscreen washer should always be topped up to ensure
windows can remain clean while driving.
Lights:
Dipped lights should be used in the hours of dawn and dusk,
in built up areas, when facing oncoming traffic and when
following behind another vehicle or in fog or heavy rain. At
all other times the full beam can be used.
Auxiliary
Speedometer:
Tells the speed the car is travelling in either Miles per
Hour (mph) or Kilometres per Hour (KPH) or both.
Rev Counter:
This shows the number of revolutions the crankshaft is
doing per minute. The higher the Revs the harder the engine
is having to work and so if the car is over 2000 Revs then
the driver should consider changing up a gear or easing off
the accelerator to slow down and ease pressure on the car.
Temperature Gauge:
This tells how hot the engine IS. If it moves towards Red
then it may overheat and you should pull over before it gets
too hot.
Fuel Gauge:
This tells how much petrol the car has. When the Fuel
warning light comes on you should refuel as soon as
possible. The light normally comes on with 8 litres of
petrol left but if the petrol level goes down too low it
sometimes means dirt and residue in the petrol tank is
transmitted though the engine and can cause it harm.
