Gas Station Blues?

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One of the things that many learners and newly qualified drivers dread the most is the thought of going to the petrol station to fuel up the car!

Ok, all motorists dread going to the gas station to fill up but usually the dread comes  from seeing the latest fuel price increase!

However if you are a new driver the idea of  filling the tank yourself can be scary.

In Cyprus we are spoiled because almost all petrol stations still have attendants who do it for you. Sooner or later though, you will have to fuel up after hours or at the weekend when there is no attendant but just a cash machine!

Here are some things to remember to make it less of a stressful experience:-

Make sure you know on which side of your car the fuel tank filler cap is situated so that you know on which side of the pump to park your car!

Be familiar with how you open the fuel cap-does it open with a key or is there a release catch (next to your seat, for example).

Make sure you know what kind and grade of fuel your car uses! You don`t want to be putting diesel in a petrol driven car or vice versa!

Make a mental note of the pump number you are parked at before going to the machine to insert your cash otherwise you might be paying for somebody else to fill their tank!

Remember to remove the pump nozzle after filling up and refit the filler cap before driving off!

It is a good idea to go to the gas station with an experienced driver to watch what they do before attempting  to fill up for the first time on your own.

Read The Road Ahead And Adjust Your Speed Accordingly!

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Many learner drivers have problems with driving at the correct speed in any given situation. We can divide these learners into two groups which, with no insult intended, I will call the hares and the tortoises!

The hares  are those that over rev the engine in each gear, frequently drive over the speed limit and do not accurately anticipate changing traffic conditions ahead.The result is that they often have to react and brake suddenly. This style of driving will leave any passenger in the car feeling  uneasy.

The tortoises are the complete opposite to the hares, as you would expect. They feel safer and happier staying in second gear, keeping well below the speed limit at all times, despite the line of traffic building up behind them.

Do you perhaps fall into one of these categories? Be honest with yourself now! Both the hares and the tortoises are driving in a way that will not impress a driving examiner.

Firstly you have the safety issue. The hares can be caught out by situations and have to react quickly, with heavy braking.This in turn can catch out another hare in a vehicle behind, or emerging from a junction, who may not be able to stop in time.

The tortoises will frustrate and annoy any other drivers because they are not making proper progress according to the prevailing traffic conditions. This may lead another motorist to attempt a risky overtaking manouevre. Also, the tortoises will very often have other drivers  pulling out infront of them from side roads because they are in effect handing out  an invitation to do just that by driving too slowly for the traffic conditions.

Apart from the impression we make on the driving examiner and the safety issue, we have the economic and environmental issues to consider. Driving at more constant, even speeds, with as little harsh acceleration and braking as possible, not only feels more relaxing-it saves you money! You will use less fuel and put less wear on your tyres , brakes and suspension.This in turn has a positive effect on the environment.

So how should we drive? Good driving is about good observation and anticipation.You have to be constantly monitoring the situation, assessing possible hazards and adjusting your speed according to changes in traffic conditions. To do this well needs concentration and experience. The more practice you have, the better you will get at so called "defensive" driving. Defensive driving doesn`t mean driving slowly-it means driving at the correct speed and with awareness of all that is going on around you so that you are able to safely deal with any unexpected events. By the way, the better you get at this technique, the fewer unexpected events you will come across!

Generally, you should drive as close to the speed limit as traffic conditions safely allow. Be careful not to be drawn into speeding because all the other traffic is breaking the speed limit. You cannot use that as an excuse to the driving examiner or to the Police!

As previously stated, these observations are not in any way intended to insult any learner driver. Hopefully, if you recognize that you are a hare or a tortoise, you will, with help from your driving instructor, be able to take steps to correct your driving style in order that you are better prepared for the driving test and for your future as a safe, responsible driver.