Saturday, May 5, 2012

Learning to Drive in a Big City

Learning to drive is an important step in anyone's life and when you first get behind the wheel for your first driving lessons it can be an exciting, but also a nerve wracking experience. Depending on where you live will typically dictate where you learn to drive. For some people this is the countryside or a small town but for others who live in big cities such as London, Manchester, and Leeds.

Learning to drive in a big city is very different from learning how to drive in a small town and many people would regard it as more challenging. Therefore it is particularly important to make sure that you are taking driving lessons with a company with a good reputation and solid teaching record.

Hazards

If you are learning to drive in the city then you are typically going to have to face more hazards, more often. Even if you are learning to drive at a very quiet time of the day you are more likely to see people on the streets than if you are outside of the city. As well as pedestrians, the streets are likely to be busier and you are going to have to pay extra attention to make sure that you do not collide with other cars.

In recent years, city cycling has become very popular and despite the increasing number of cycle routes in UK in cities you will still find many cyclists on the road. As a general rule cyclists have not had to pass any sort of test to get on the road so you cannot rely on them knowing the rules of the road and obeying them. Cyclists should be aware of drivers and be careful but it is also the responsibility of the drivers to avoid cyclists.

Rush Hour

Any reputable company offering driving lessons will not take you out in rush-hour traffic until you are ready. Once you have mastered the basics and your instructor feels you are aware of hazards on the road then you can tackle rush-hour, but never rush into it. The increased traffic can be an overwhelming and, quite frankly, dangerous experience.

One Way Systems

When taking driving lessons, navigating a one-way system can be a complex process and you will find that roads you might normally be allowed to turn down are off-limits. Fortunately you're driving instructor will ensure that you don't go down the wrong road. Pay attention to the system, and remember how to navigate the one-way roads by looking at road signs - if you just remember how to navigate only that one-way system, when you come to another you will not know where to go.

There is no question that driving in the big city is a very different experience and learning to drive elsewhere and is arguably harder than learning outside of the city. You are most likely to have success with your driving lessons in Leeds and other major cities if you choose a good instructor.

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