Car Control & Moving Off Safely

Know Your Car Controls

Before you start moving the car, you need to understand the main controls and what each one does. In a manual car, the three foot pedals are the clutch, brake and accelerator.

• Clutch: operated with your left foot and used when moving off, stopping and changing gear.
• Brake: operated with your right foot to slow down or stop the car.
• Accelerator: operated with your right foot to control the amount of power from the engine.
• Gear lever: allows you to select an appropriate gear for the speed and situation.

Clutch Control & the Biting Point

Clutch control is the ability to raise and lower the clutch smoothly while controlling how much power is delivered to the wheels. Developing good clutch control makes moving off, stopping and driving slowly much easier.

The biting point is the position where the clutch begins to connect the engine to the wheels. As you slowly raise the clutch pedal, you may notice a change in the engine sound and feel the car wanting to move.

How to Move Off Safely

Moving off isn’t just about controlling the clutch and accelerator. Before the car moves, you need to prepare it, make effective observations, and decide whether it is safe to move away.

1. Press the clutch fully down and select first gear.
2. Set the gas and slowly bring the clutch towards the biting point.
3. Check your mirrors and assess what is happening around you.
4. Check the appropriate blind spot before moving away.
5. Signal if it would benefit another road user.
6. Release the parking brake when it is safe to move.
7. Raise the clutch smoothly while gently increasing the accelerator.
8. Steer into your normal driving position and check your mirrors again.

Moving Off on a Hill

The MINI Cooper S has Hill Start Assist, which can briefly hold the car after you release the brake when moving off on a slope. This helps reduce the risk of the car rolling backwards while you prepare to move away.

You still need good clutch and accelerator control. Set the gas, bring the clutch smoothly towards the biting point and move away in a controlled manner. Hill Start Assist is there to help you — it doesn’t replace good car control.

As your skills develop, you’ll learn to recognise the car’s sound and feel and coordinate the clutch and accelerator smoothly, whether you’re moving off on level ground or on a hill.

Steering Control

Good steering should be smooth, controlled and appropriate for the amount of direction you need.

At Nolan School of Motoring, we break steering down into easy-to-understand amounts:

• Quarter turn – for small changes of direction.
• Half turn – when more steering is required.
• Three-quarter turn – for tighter changes of direction.
• Full turn – when you need much more steering.

Thinking about steering in this way helps you understand how much steering to apply, rather than simply turning the wheel and hoping you’ve judged it correctly.

Always look towards where you want the car to go. As you gain experience, you’ll begin to judge the amount of steering naturally and combine it with your speed, observations and overall control of the car.

Changing Gears Smoothly

Choosing an appropriate gear helps the car respond smoothly and gives you the control you need. Avoid looking down at the gear lever while driving. With practice, you should be able to select gears while keeping your attention on the road ahead.

Stopping Safely

Before slowing or stopping, check your mirrors so you know what is happening behind you. Ease off the accelerator and use the brake progressively. As the car slows, press the clutch down before the engine begins to struggle or stall.

Common Learner Problems

It is normal for new drivers to find car control difficult at first. Some of the most common problems include:

• Releasing the clutch too quickly and stalling.
• Using too much or too little accelerator.
• Holding the clutch around the biting point for too long.
• Looking down at the gear lever.
• Forgetting observations while concentrating on the controls.
• Rushing when moving off.

These skills become easier through repetition. The goal isn’t simply to avoid stalling. You want to develop smooth control while still observing and responding to what is happening around you.

Practise Between Your Driving Lessons

Private practice with an appropriate supervising driver can give you additional experience between professional driving lessons. Use your practice time to reinforce the skills you’ve already covered with your instructor.