Switching to driving an automatic
When you switch to an automatic car it could be for a wide range of reasons. Of course number one on that list could be that you are simply given an automatic car or you are driving in a country such as the United States where all cars tend to have an automatic transmission.
Whatever the reason, it will take a little bit of getting used to not automatically reaching over for the gears all the time as you would ordinarily and as becomes almost instinctive habit in a geared car.
You should familiarise yourself with the controls on the selector lever, and which option is for and when to select it. You must of course remember to move into 'P' when you park the car and exit it and it is particularly essential that you have the hand brake on with an automatic, even more so than with a manual drive car.
You will probably notice that the accelerator is a little more sensitive in an automatic than in a manual, and may also find that when you ease off the gas a higher gear could be selected, so one technique to slow down before you approach a bend or a junction, and as you turn into the bend to gently accelerate.
When it comes to braking, the braking effect from the transmission is usually more subtle (e.g. less) than with a manual car where the engine braking may be more pronounced. Overall, clearly the biggest benefit of an automatic is that it saes having to switch gear all the time and particularly for those who spend their lives in queues on the way to work and back it can save the constant switching of gears and use of the clutch; for those who have some physical disability too an automatica can be an atractive option or even necessary.
Related Articles...
Tips on passing your theory test
It is up to each individual who takes a theory test to do the necessary work and preparation to put themselves in the best position to pass the test.
Rather than attempting to 'cram' the night...
Regular car checks to perform
In addition to the daily checks that you should perform on core elements of your car such as the tyres (see article entitled 'what to check on your car daily') there are various other elements that...
What different cats eyes mean
There are market studs, which are usually referred to as multi-coloured studs or even more usually as cats eyes, along certain areas of motorways and optionally on other parts of motorways...
Some common engine faults
It is beyond the scope of the articles here to go into detail about how the engine works and what the various parts of it are. For the theory test you won't need to know a great detail about the...
Working out what a road sign means
There are many signs that you will see day in day out as a driver and are obvious to understand. For instance signs that tell you the maximum speed limit on the road you're on. For some reason,...
More on Motorway Driving
Signs that let you know there is a motorway ahead are rectangular, and they have a green background. This shows that they are information signs on a primary road.
The part with the reference...
Regulations relating to stopping
When you are driving you may not necessarily think much about stopping and simply stop automatically when a light is on red. But infact knowing when you should stop on the road is very important...
What are driving offences
Driving offences are what happens when you do not meet your obligations as a road user.
This could be something like not having the correct documentation that you require or something much...
Tips on joining a motorway
Joining and leaving the motorway are generally considered the more tricky elements of the journey. When it comes to leaving the motorway, it is all about selecting the right exit and moving over to...
Oil in your car and oil pressure
Oil is not something that you might think is essential to the operation of a car, but infact it is. Oil acts as a lubricant for the moving parts such as the moving parts of the engine, and it is...
Back to home page of driving theory test questions
