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The first and foremost thing to do when learning how to drive a car is to get a book of road rules and commit it to memory. It is also better to have a more experienced driver in the passenger seat when going for a ‘test’ drive, especially if it’s along what looks like a deserted motorway that could be used by other motorists. The clutch, brake and accelerator are the foot pedals on the floor of the car, arranged from left to right, in that order. The clutch should always be pressed when changing gears. First time drivers should practice changing gears and familiarize themselves with the foot pedals before starting the car. The middle of the gear box (in which the gear stick can be moved easily from left to right) is the neutral zone. To put the car into first gear, bring gear to the extreme left of the neutral zone and move it up. The second gear is to the extreme south of gear 1. Press the clutch and pull the gear down gently. To engage gear 3, move gear stick to middle of neutral zone. North of that position is gear 3, south is gear 4. To use gear 5, move gear to extreme right of neutral zone and shift up. The reverse gear is to the extreme south of gear 5, or inn a car with only four gears, to the extreme south of gear 3. The basic steps of learning how to drive a car are as follows. Firstly make sure the car is on a flat, open surface so that it doesn’t roll down an incline. Also, make sure that the hand /parking brake has been engaged to give more control over the vehicle when the car is started. Place the gear on neutral. Turn the key to start the car, gently press the accelerator till there is a VERY SLIGHT change in the sound of the engine. Press the clutch, shift to first gear and release the hand /parking brake. The brakes can always be applied to stop the car. Pressing the accelerator increases the speed of the car, but similarly, the gears also have to be shifted to suit the different speeds. It is also wise to get into the habit of checking the rear view mirrors. When reversing, shift to the reverse gear and use clutch and accelerator to reverse slowly while monitoring progress through the side mirrors. To stop the car, press gently on the brakes, move gear into first, pull the hand /parking brake and remove the key from the ignition. The best way to learn how to drive a car is to join a driving school. This has more advantages than getting instruction from a kindly relative or long suffering friend as it also enables you to get something tangible out of the whole learning experience, like a driving license that may be of use to you, and which will actually allow you to drive! Muna wa Wanjiru is a web administrator and has been researching and reporting on internet marketing for years. For more information on how to drive, visit his site at how to drive
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