X L AUTO
WHAT TO EXPECT
Town Driving
No matter what you learn in, be it manual or automatic, you will start off driving in town conditions.
Country Driving
Next step will be driving on country roads becoming familiar with the sort of roads you will be tested on.
Motorway Driving
Although you will not be tested on motorways you will learn to drive on them, joining, positioning, overtaking, exiting.
About us
X L Auto is owned and operated by John Giel. You will see me on other pages of this website.
The areas covered are Portsmouth, and roughly a ten mile radius. This takes in Havant, Leigh Park, Waterlooville, Porchester, Cosham, Crookhorn etc.
Although services are covered elsewhere, basically you will be taught to drive on either manual or automatic.
TOP 10 PRACTICAL TEST FAULTS
OBSERVATION AT JUNCTIONS
MIRRORS (CHANGING DIRECTION)
Practise ‘eye scanning’. Instead of fixing your eyes directly in front of you, keep looking all around you and in your mirrors. Take particular care to look for other road users who have the right of way over you at junctions, so you can wait for a safe gap to pull into.
Eye scanning can help with this one too. You need 360 degrees awareness of what is going on around you, especially before changing direction. Always look in the mirrors and check your blind spot before making any direction change.
POOR CONTROL (STEERING)
TURNING RIGHT AT JUNCTIONS
To have a strong chance of passing the practical, steering the car should be second nature. If it is not, keep practising. The push pull method is best under most circumstances, but the important thing is to keep contol of the car’s direction.
Some new drivers hate turning right at a junction but it is nothing you cannot handle. Do not get anxious. Just remember your Mirror, Signal, Prepare, Position, Observe routine before moving off. Be cautious in judging the speed of oncoming traffic and make the turn once you are sure it is completely safe.
FAILING TO RESPOND TO ROAD SIGNS
SLOPPY REVERSE PARKING
Continually look for signs and road markings, interpret the information they are giving you, and respond apprpriately. Do not let your theory knowledge slip between your theory and practical tests. Your theory know how is still important.
Reverse parking requires accuracy and control, not speed. Do not get flustered, take your time, and get in plenty of practice. Remember to keep checking around you for cars and pedestrians so you can reverse park safely.
FAILING TO MOVE OFF SAFELY
POOR POSITIONING IN NORMAL DRIVING
Go by the book each and every time. Remember Mirrir, Signal, Manoeuvre (MSM). That way you won’t pull away until it is safe to do so, and you will have shown your intentions to other road users. Observation and good judgement are key.
Stay within your lane unless you are changing lanes or pulling out to overtake. Do not let the car wander towards the lane markings. When overtaking cyclists, always leave a safe distance, generally the width of a small car.
FAILING TO MOVE OFF UNDER CONTROL
RESPONDING TO TRAFFIC LIGHTS
In a manual car, clutch and throttle control should be second nature by the time of your practical test. Practise pulling away smoothly while accelerating to a safe and legal speed. You must keep the car under control.
Look ahead to spot traffic lights and prepare to slow down and stop if necessary. Watch the lights as you wait for them to change colour. Get ready when the lights turn to red and amber, but do not move until they are green.
I would love to say that I thought of the above information but I would be lying. Credit to firstcar.co.uk
Talk to me
Have any questions? Feel free to send me a text message.
Please do not telephone, as a busy instructor my mobile is always on silent.
However, if you text me, when I am free I will read and respond.