Driving Lessons - Right Turns

So for right turns we will start once again with a turn from a major road to a minor road. Or said another way, from a main to a side road. We have the same procedure as always, MSM. Your instructor will give you a direction similar to, we will take the next road on the right. We then look for the turning, check our rear view mirror, followed by the right wing mirror, and then indicate to the right. For a right turn we manoeuvre the car to the right-hand side of our lane (as far a you can move over without crossing the middle white lines).

With a right turn of this nature we need to give-way to any oncoming traffic, so when moving to the right we are usually leaving enough space on the left for traffic behind us to continue flowing - so not holding anyone up whilst we wait. Sometimes when turning right there will be a new lane or box in the middle of the road for us to wait in.

Our turning point for this right turn is when the nose of our car reaches the middle white line that separates the two lanes of the road we're turning into. Sounds complex, but re-read that sentence and think about it, and it will soon make sense.

So, once we have moved over to the right of our lane we then need to start slowing for the corner and getting down to 2nd gear to prepare for the fact we may be able to go straight away. Looking ahead, we can decide if we need to stop. If the road is clear or there is a big enough gap we can continue straight away into the new road. If not, then we stop at our turning point, explained above. If we stop we then need to prepare the car again for a move off. Select 1st gear, and when a gap appears set the gas and biting point, the car will start to move, and steer into the corner. If however we have had to stop on a hill where the car will roll back, we need to bring the handbrake up first so not to roll into anyone behind us and to prevent a stall. We would also bring the handbrake up if the slight pause in giving way becomes a wait.

When we have turned into the new road we then again need to check the rear view mirror to see who is now behind us, and gradually accelerate away.

We are nearly there with our turns now and almost ready for busier main roads. But first we need to cover right turns from a give way line.

JV