Aimed at learners, those waiting to learn and people on the road for years.
If you’re looking for the type of channel that puts a learner clearly not ready through a mock test, creating 10+ serious faults, with the instructor constantly intervening… then this is not that channel.
Hoping to continue helping not only learners, full license holders but also a growing number of new ADI’s and PDI’s by demonstrating correct lesson formats and developing learners in a way that helps them to be independent. There is no such thing as a perfect lesson, so analysing my lessons and thinking about things you might have done differently can always be a great way of learning.
Feel free to send In dashcam footage to be analysed, helping spread good knowledge.
Some of my videos involve drone footage to give you a clearer picture.
Happy to do videos on request, and help where needed. Find me on Facebook | Driving instructor Diss James Simpkins
Пікірлер
I would be inclined to give priority to aid the general flow of traffic, in addition to the issue of safety. For example, let's say I can see there's a red light ahead and I'm approaching a queue of traffic, plus there are a few cars behind me. Someone is wanting to come out of a side junction from my left and they are making the right turn. If I insist on my priority, then I just join the back of the queue a few seconds earlier and the other vehicle, wanting to go the other way, remains at the give way line. But if I stop to let them out, they can carry on their journey and I am not either delayed in my journey, nor am I causing others any delay.
I do agree with this, there are of course situations where giving one’s priority away makes perfect sense. Very often my learners will keep a junction clear in traffic, and of course it makes sense if we allow someone waiting to go in front. However, as I experienced recently when someone on the A140 decided to stop a 50 mph road suddenly to allow an elderly man to walk across the main road, often road users are too unaware to make safe decisions.
Sorry for the random question mate, it’s about yellow zig zag lines, is it the same as all other clearways, don’t stop unless it’s something outside of your control, for example traffic lights or road works of a stationary queue of traffic?
Yeah the same, they’re usually outside schools, there’s one outside the fire station near me. Many people block it in traffic but it should be kept clear. You can be fine for stopping, waiting or parking on them.
It's born out of laziness. People handle the easy, familiar corners in a slapdash way because there it usually doesn't matter, but actions such as cutting the corner become a bad habit which is going to bite you eventually when you come across an awkward one. People should practice good habits but they don't - which makes them bad drivers.
It's difficult to get people to trade convenience for safety.
You’re not being harsh at all mate, you’re absolutely spot on, we have priorities so we all know what’s going on and so we don’t get confused, if people start doing things out of the ordinary it just causes confusion which obviously isn’t good. 🙃
Had it a few weeks ago some decided it would be a good idea to randomly stop a 50mph A road to let someone cross that was perfectly safe waiting to cross. Caused chaos!
Stopping randomly on a very fast road is extremely dangerous!
Many drivers flash their lights to let you go ahead of them where it is their priority. The vast majority have not checked to see if third party road users are going to be a problem for you.
Absolutely agree
I've been driving a couple of years now, when I approach a closed junction I do it slightly different to you have just shown.... I wait until I get there then take 1st gear when I'm at the give way line but that's only because my car doesn't go into first very easily I have to basically be stopped to select 1st, also this is based on not having any view at all. Sometimes I can do this in second gear especially if there's a little more view but end up dipping the clutch and giving a bit more gas than usual to get going/avoid stalling whilst I'm travelling at the very low speed.
Sounds ideal, yes some cars hate first on the move!
This morning going to work as i was approaching a junction before i could see the junction and couldn't see the car from the opposite direction but was able to see them flash someone out of the junction. I did think i need to be aware of someone pulling out the junction. Luckily for me the cyclist didn't react on the flash , but i did think your kindness could have put them in danger. Obviously i was aware of the flash and know their is junction Yet if someone didn't see the flash that shouldn't happen. Thier is potential for an accident. When im cycling i don't expect people to let me out of junction. The problem with flashing is they forgot others are on the roads
Absolutely agree
Yes James this hits hard! The only part of KUSA that's impressionable is ATTITUDE. I firmly believe that our young Generation are floating about with Dads, Mums, Grandparents even! and they automatically copy what they do and that includes road attitude. I was driving into a shopping center the other day and the slip road split into 2 lanes, I came round the bend into the left lane and realised I needed over to the right for the mini-roundabout. MSM'ed and as soon as I was half way across a Granda and his grandson (I assume) came flying round the corner and wanted past me. The grandson sat shaking his head with an attitude you see road rage victims having. This is what you have to fight against and will probably never eliminate. Older generations are molding future drivers with their terrible driving.
I couldn’t agree more, it’s such a big conversation I often have with my learners. When they’re doing certain things, why do you do that? And when they think about it, it’s what they see happen. Priorities changing, we see that all the time so we start to copy. Absolutely nail on the head
And no one should respond how they did to you, especially when ‘setting the example’. My pet hate
It comes down to what I judge to be safest. If it's a specific type of car and driver combination they are best off out of your way. We all know the ones. Learning what is safest is the hardest bit because you never know what others will do so you have to make your best guess. Take control or let them go, it varies per situation. The best advice is to do what is expected and not be unpredictable unless you are trying to give other drivers a hard time. If you go out wanting to give others a hard time, don't drive.
Superb, as you say you can’t teach experience. Every situation is different
In my country it's normal to turn into a side road like you did at 7:13. We are also more likely merging in turn correctly than to queue for no reason. But I hate it when in stop - start - traffic the cars can't keep clear side roads or pedestrian crossings.
I hate the expression i have right of way. For me to give away priority I have to be in queuing traffic that is stopped an I'm going straight on I might let someone go in front to aid flow of traffic but if I'm moving i ain't stopping. If passing queues of parked cars and following vehicles and I can see someone is waiting I will stop if the hazard is on my side. The other week when going past parked cars following a car past a long line of parked cars. A person come from the opposite direction and stopped because the road wasn't clear for them. The car in front had to go past 1 moree car but decided to pull in which is fine if no 1 behind I could have pulled in but had following vehicles so thier was no point. Blocking traffic when lights are on red say into an out of a junction is annoying or if the traffic is stop start. You stop to make sure you are not going to block the junction going straight on . Then see you can move forward without blocking the junction and the car behind follows and block the junction while the lights are on red or traffic is stopped is annoying
Driving culture is so bad in the UK, cars don't give pedestrians way. Is the UK in Europe or not? Feels like 3rd world country.
If you're getting annoyed by people exercising their legal right to let another road user out, you don't have a mature enough temperament to be behing the wheel. There are many situations where I will give up my priority. If I see pedestrians stood between bollards in the middle of the road, I'll slow down to get them out of the road quicker. If I see a disabled or elderly person on the edge of a curb. An incredibly heavy fully loaded truck which will struggle to pull out into busy traffic flow at a normal rate, who just needs somebody to ease off and give them a longer gap. A learner driver, who's under pressure in rush hour who's trying to learn clutch control and has a huge line of cars behind them becoming more irate...and so on. There are also often occasions where traffic becomes gridlocked because people refuse to give up their priorities. Imagine you're in slow traffic, grinding to a halt, and it's because way up the road a vehicle in your lane wants to turn right across oncoming traffic, but directly infront of you in the opposing lane a car is waiting to turn right across your lane. If nobody gives up their right of way, traffic will gring to an absolute halt. In order to move again, somebody has to give up their right of way. There are many similar situations, which aren't as extreme, but where giving up your right of way is the safest, or most practical thing to do. Approaching nuanced situations where there are grey areas, with a hard and fast - black and white rule, is a low IQ way to approach driving. It's also quite arrogant to be honest. Imagine your elderly mother, stood between two bollards in the middle of the road, perhaps unsteady on her feet. Then imagine me stubbornly driving past at 30mph saying "sorry if that annoys you but it's my priority". The most valuable thing any driver can learn is to be patient with all other road users and to share the road considerately, with safety of the most vulnerable road users at the forefront of their decision making.
I actually stop and allow an elderly lady to cross the road in the full video (20 minutes) It’s easy to judge someone from a 1 minute clip that may not show the full context. Cheers
Totally agree. Drive and make progress. Don’t feel sorry for people. They will get an opportunity to cross/ merge
I thought pedestrians had the right of way since the Highway Code was changed?
Not to walk across a main road. The priority applies to junctions you are turning into or from. Rule H2
Even crossing at a junction they still have to check its safe to cross What I have noticed is the younger generation tend not to check where people older do tend to check it's safe.
Actually I had no idea you were allowed to proceed after the light went red. I thought everyone doing it was naughty. Poppy is adorable though.
Only if you’re already past the line. There are of course people that decide to proceed from behind the line! That was her first KZread video, was my first one to reach over 1k views so she was thrilled!
07:57 what are them 3 white lines after the level crossing?
It just marks the edge of the crossing, as I approach its solid telling me where to wait and respond to the lights. If I was walking the other way for example it would be the furthest forward I would wait
Ah I see, so it shows where the crossing area ends, they come up with these great ideas but they don’t put them into the Highway Code, I’m not sure how you’re supposed to know what something means if it’s not in the Highway Code. 🙃
06:20 honestly if someone turns left but only observe to the right not being awful but they shouldn’t be driving, emerging out of a side road you need to constantly be looking left ahead and right until you’re 100% sure that it’s clear and safe to go.
It’s quite scary the amount of people that do it. Whenever I have a side road on my right and I have to go onto the right side of the road I’m extremely cautious
I wonder if they’re even aware that they’re doing it, if you can’t see anything surely it’s just common sense to slow right down until you can see, it’s the same as going around a bend or a corner, you check your interior mirror and your right side mirror and slow down before the corner or the bend and then when you can see clearly ahead you check your interior mirror and your right side mirror and speed up.
@@WayneTulip-zm9gw exactly what I would question, most people that don’t check left probably done realise it as there’s not often something approaching from the left that stops you emerging
06:39 if she doesn’t understand that the giveway lines means give way to traffic on the major road, sorry, not being awful but she needs some more training.
Short, Driving Basics Videos, Good Idea 👍
Regarding the police closures. So they wanted normal traffic to turn right into oncoming traffic?
Looked like it! But no they had closed the road at the next roundabout so no traffic was oncoming thankfully!
The road markings on the junction the silver Peugeot emerged from are odd in that the double-dashed white lines seem to be for the entire width of the road and it is quite a wide road. This has the potential to lead some to think that they can emerge on either side of the road as you would from a one way street. So the person driving may well have had this mindset. I’m not defending what happened, simply offering a possible reason for their positioning. However, probably the main reason is because they do the same journey every day and there’s rarely a car coming from their left so they don’t bother to conduct standard practice for the junction. The fact that they stopped mid-maneuverer because they were surprised you were there, sort of confirms this.
Most two-way roads have single dashed white lines on one half of the road for vehicles entering and double dashed white lines on the other half of the road for vehicles exiting but some two-way roads have double dashed white lines across the full width of the road and some two-way roads have single dashed white lines across the full width of the road, that’s the mistake that many drivers make, most drivers think that if a road has double dashed white lines across the full width of the road then it’s a one-way road which is wrong, I also thought it meant one-way until I watched Conquer Driving’s video about it, he said it doesn’t matter if a road has a single dashed white lines across the full width of the road or double dashed white lines across the full width of a road, a road is designed to be two-way, if it’s one-way there will be a no entry sign or a one-way sign or no entry written on the road or one-way written on the road with arrows. 🙃 Even a driving instructor got this wrong until I corrected him, Zondo Driving thought that if a road had double dashed white lines across the full width of the road he thought it meant one-way until I politely corrected him. ☺️
I must admit, as a driver for nearly 50 years, I don't open my window in this situation. I do creep out as shown in your video. I find, because I have 4 controls for all the windows, I am distracted & end up pressing the wrong button. It then ends up distracting me from watching the road, whilst trying to find the button to shut the window. Having watched this video which make good sense, I will practice the positions of the buttons in the safety of the driveway. Keep up the good work, I like the short videos. Just one point, how much sound does an electric car create when approaching you in this situation ?
This is such a helpful video, thank you.😊
It's that long since I passed my test can't remember if we did talk about open or closed . We might of talk about them I not realised. It was more like to be in 1st and can start looking sooner and if you can see clearly after double checking can keep going without stopping. If it was a stop you had to put the handbrake on or they would fail you that was almost 30 years ago. Then again the car was a nova 1l so I doubt it would pull away in 2nd and the number 1 aim is to make the examiner feel safe. I did a night class on theory stuff afterwards which would have talked more in depth and1 lesson was a sentence and it had 2 of the same words but when you read it you only read it aloud once. It was to teach look but didn't see
Just shake your head moment.
Thanks for the heads up!! I haven't yet seen this content on all the driving vlogs I have been watching so far!! I'm sure there are more... Let's hope not too many!! Attention to detail springs to mind!! lol. 😁👍
I tend to give a door ways of space but if I am honest I take the odd risk and pass cars closer but I usually reduce my speed by quite a lot, however I only passed a few months or so ago and am gradually really changing how I drive and not watching how others I drive as a passenger with anymore and most importanly I am simply not caring anymore about "holding people up" behind me which I think is the issue that forces many new drivers or learners to make these mistakes. These videos are great, even though I have passed, the learning is on going for sure.
Great to hear, we can all improve in some way. Sounds like you’ve got a great attitude, in my opinion the most important thing.
It can be a little bit confusing when things happen out of the ordinary but there’s nothing wrong with taking a little pause and looking all around and trusting your own instincts and not like you say just blindly following the vehicle in front.
Sorry for repeating myself mate, just to double check, I’m allowed to cross the solid white line of a bus or cycle lane to access for example a lay by or a petrol station or a car park or a driveway and I won’t get a fine?
Yeah all good, if you can think of any examples feel free to drop me a pin on google maps to my Facebook page. If I owned a petrol garage and people couldn’t cross the bus lane to come into my garage I’d be pretty poor
Thank you so much mate, I really appreciate it, they should make it more clear in the Highway Code, it says nothing in the Highway Code about crossing bus and cycle lanes which obviously means that you’re allowed to do it but they should make it clear, they should mention it.
@@WayneTulip-zm9gw agreed, I think the Highway code is great but like anything can always improve. The fact there are so many misunderstandings and misinterpretations on the publication speaks volumes
They should definitely mention it and make it very clear, it’s so important, I’ve heard lots of stories of people crossing bus and cycle lanes and getting fined for being in the bus lane during hours of operation, one guy crossed a bus lane to enter parking bays next to the bus lane and he received this reply :- When the bus lane rules are in force, crossing the white line into a bus lane - even for a short distance - is not allowed. The purpose of this is to keep the whole width and length of the bus lane free so that buses can have faster, safer journeys. So many bus and cycle lanes now have camera so honestly I think I’ll play it safe and only enter one if the lane is outside of hours of operation.
You have made some very good points, thank you There’s a mixture of fixation on the vehicle in front and being sheep. If you do follow the signs where others have not it is time to increase awareness even more to ensure your actions don’t cause an issue, even though you have done the correct thing.
In them situations sit back and take a wider look can help to see what to do and don't rush in
Really interesting James. I learn things from your vids even after forty years driving. One thing I would mention is clearance given to walkers on the pavement. When walking, I try to use the right hand pavement so I can see cars coming towards me. This is just as well, as sometimes cars come so close, the mirror is in danger of hitting me. On the left hand pavement, they all but take my coat with them on occasion. I think we are told to give cyclists 1.5m in case they swerve or fall off. Something similar could happen to a pedestrian, so shouldn't we also move out if there is a pedestrian on a narrow pavement?
The problem is people look at you the walker and forget to look at the space they can use. I once was marshaling a cycle race hi viz flags to warn of cyclist and it was rare for people to change road positions to make safe for you. Personally if I see someone walking I use the opposite lane and slow down or if can't then slow right the way down to walking speed . My first job as a driver is to make sure people on the road are safe
Absolutely, the Highway code advises exactly as you say to avoid walking with your back to traffic, even on a pavement. If it is possible to give more room to narrow pavements I quite agree and if not possible a reduction in speed is very welcome. I try and ask my learners how they would want to be passed etc
For me personally it doesn’t matter if someone is in the vehicle or not, always play it safe, weird things happen, you’re sure nobody is in the vehicle and then all of a sudden the door opens, it’s the same when I see a pedestrian walking along the pavement, I always drive in the middle of the road just in case they pass out and collapse onto the road, sorry for the random question mate but just wanted to double check with you, I’ve had a good look online about it, some say you can do it, some say you can’t, with the solid white line of a bus and cycle lane when the lane is within the hours of operation I know you’re not allowed to drive along the lane but are you allowed to cross the lane at 90 degrees for example to enter a driveway or a lay by or a car park or a supermarket or a petrol station? Surely you’re allowed to as if you wasn’t then how else would you enter your driveway or lay by or car park or petrol station right? 😃
Yeah absolutely, crossing is different to driving in is the way I would look at it. If the opportunity is there to not drive in the bus lane you mustn’t. For example a couple in Norwich, a bus lane running along the left, approaching a left turn the markings are temporarily suspended by the junction. So I couldn’t enter into the bus lane before. Another approaching roundabout and again the bus lane ends just before the roundabout so I must wait until the solid white line ends. But if I need to take a left turn and I cross a bus lane as long as I do it near to the junction, as close as reasonably possible there’s no problem. Most I’ve seen the markings are suspended by the junction, presumably to avoid confusion.
Yes mate, you’re absolutely right, the Highway Code says you must not drive in a bus or cycle lane during the times of operation, crossing the bus or cycle lane is not driving along it, it’s just crossing it, like you say, with most bus and cycle lanes the solid white line becomes broken at points where you’re allowed to cross the lane but I’ve seen a few videos online where the solid white line of a bus and cycle lane across a junction for example doesn’t become broken, it stays solid, some people are scared to enter a bus or cycle lane at any time as they don’t want a fine which I understand, I don’t know the laws about it but surely you’re always allowed access to a driveway or to a property, I saw online that if you need to cross the solid white line of a bus or cycle lane then like you said you should only enter the bus or cycle lane at the very last possible moment, I think it said within 1 car length is considered reasonable and acceptable, I’ve never driven outside of my local town before and I want to be able to drive further to Leicester which is my local city, so far a few driving instructors have told me that they’re too busy but I’m not giving up hope. 🙃
@@WayneTulip-zm9gw exactly that, I also use rule 129, whilst this is about markings in the middle of the road, it mentions you may cross a solid white line to access property or a side road. Rule 140 talks about crossing cycle tracks that you must not drive in so there’s the nearest specific reference we could use. Good luck getting to Leicester! Hopefully you don’t have to wait too long
Thank you so much, I really appreciate it, yes, hopefully I won’t have to wait for very long! Rule 140 of the Highway Code says you MUST NOT drive or park in a cycle lane marked by a solid white line during its times of operation which is backed up by law and it doesn’t mention anything about CROSSING a cycle lane so therefore you’re allowed to do it, rule 141 of the Highway Code says unless otherwise indicated, you should not drive in a bus lane during its period of operation, you may enter a bus lane to stop, to load or unload where this is not prohibited, so it seems like bus lanes aren’t backed up by any laws.
@@WayneTulip-zm9gw honestly you don't need to know every rule no. All you need to know is the basics like making safe and pass safely , how your priorities work at junctions like you can't drive across people. Most of it is just common sense it doesn't matter if you don't know the rule no. Like sure you don't need a rule to tell you to pass parked cars a doors width away
Hazard perception has a lot to blame for this. The learner and people look at the hazard . Where I would look at the space available to my right and If no 1 is coming in the opposite direction I would actually straddle the center line. Where by looking at the hazard you do tend to get to close to the hazard. If I can't move over then speed is reduced. Also if someone is coming towards me with the hazard on thier side I will also move tight to the left provided no cyclist is on my left to give them room if needed if possible for them to come through.
Absolutely not, the designated entry/exit points were clearly blocked off beacuse of road works, rendering the ZC inoperable to pedestrian traffic.
No
If I know there is no one else about then I am more relaxed about following the 'social' side of the rules; the things you do to dance with other drivers so everyone knows what to do. I become Mr. Predictable when driving around others. "Guess where I am going." "that's right, I gave the game away again"
Another aspect is that it sometimes seems to me if there are two lanes, and perhaps not much traffic, people waiting to enter almost expect me to straight line it and when I am coming round sticking strictly to the left hand lane they think I am turning left and start creeping out.
I've got a subject for you to do a video on, James: When you are trying to pass cars parked on your right, I always follow the highway code regarding letting people coming towards you continue once they've started. However, it seems a lot of selfish beggars have cottoned onto this. Now you often find several cars will try & bully their way through on your side of the road, when they could easily have stopped. Any thoughts?
Yes indeed that’s a good one to do. My learners are taught as you are saying, not to just follow someone through. If I can see cars that should have priority over us, I will expect my learners to stop and offer the waiting cars their priority.
I have just started watching your Channel, starting from the oldest working up to the newest. I was going to suggest that you numbered the videos, as this will make it easier to tell people important videos to watch eg: Pedestrians at a Roundabout. I was about to send the comment and noticed that you have now started to Number the Videos 👍. Very informative Channel, Keep up the Good Work. 🙂
Thank you very much, yes I’m still learning! Not the most tech savvy person but starting to try and organise it a little better to make it easier to access videos that will interest certain people etc. thank you for the kind comment
What's more annoying is people turning off having braked late, signalled even later, and then completed the turn itself unnecessarily slowly because they're fumbling about changing down from top gear half way through the manoeuvre.
I’d agree it’s annoying, the lack of awareness etc. But I don’t follow people closely, so don’t really find this a common problem. The one in the video I experience daily
What about if you’re on a single carriageway road with 2 lanes going in the same direction, there are traffic lights just ahead which are on red, there are no cars in lane 1 but there are 5 cars in lane 2, technically everybody should be in lane 1 as that’s the normal driving lane but what should I do in that situation, am I supposed to stay in lane 1 and wait behind the fifth car and wait until they’ve started to move forward and then move or is it ok to pass all of the 5 cars because it’s a queue and lane 2 is congested?
Straight lining is an important driving skill and is taught in advanced driving. I do it when safe to do so to maintain momentum which is better for fuel economy, better on your tyres and therefore better for the environment. Certainly a skill only to be used by competent drivers. Unfortunately, having a driving license does not ensure competency these days.
If it doesn’t affect anyone else then it’s a logical thing to do,mind you, I’m in rural Cornwall and a lot of the time it’s traffic free.
It’s very important not to straight line a roundabout and to stick to your lane so someone else can also use the roundabout at the same time as you and also people can work out where you are going.
Good video. Even though I passed last year I am still finding myself watching channels related to learning to drive. I still find it very interesting. New subscriber.
Great to hear, if I’m honest I wish I’d had something like this when I was younger as it would have helped me no end. Like many in my generation I learned to drive once I passed my test , through mistakes. Nowadays teaching generally is better but so many more ways of keeping current such as this. Thank you for subscribing 😎
@@JamesSimpkinsADI definitely watching KZread and following all these driving instructors has made me a better driver in how I approach and respect others. It's just the idiots around you that you must be on the look out for.
@@shankly1985 definitely, I watch a lot of dashcam footage online, and find it amazing how people sometimes don’t see what’s about to happen. DTA, don’t trust anyone, and you’ll get by just fine
@JamesSimpkinsADI after I passed my test thier was little course you could go and do. All class room based where you leaned things like road positioning to give a better view . So learn to stay wide into corner so you have a better view. Thier was also a thing called looked bur failed to see. For example you look see the car but fail to see the cyclist. The example they used was a sentence and yiu read it out and everytime you got wrong as 1 of the words was a double like the but your brain only read it once despite it being repeated. I know for myself in city driving when dark and lots of lights and seen the car then double checked and thier has being a cyclist and I have missed on the first look as they have disappeared in the lights. Or my eyes have been drawn to the car lights.. People will say it was easier when we learned . Maybe it was in someways but we never had the number of different ways to learn from that they do now.
Time and place I do do it but only when it's quite and no traffic about. I certainly don't do when there is traffic about as it's a little selfish and can be a bit confusing. If thier is a learner I definitely ain't doing as I think drive by example so when they are watching they have a good example say to follow the left lane for straight on it gives them a good example to follow and you as an instructor can say watch how they follow their lane
I was taught to signal on roundabouts back in the 80's. Seems no-one is these days, and it annoys me like mad when they make me stop, then turn into the road I'm approaching from.