Section 2: Vehicle handling Flashcards
You should not drive with your foot on the clutch for longer than necessary because it
a) Increases wear on the gearbox
b) Increases petrol consumption
c) Reduces your control of the vehicle
d) Reduces the grip of the tyres
c) Reduces your control of the vehicle
You press down the clutch pedal when changing gear and just before stopping. Your vehicle will usually slow down when you take your foot off the accelerator pedal. The engine can act as a brake when in gear but not when out of gear.
Why is pressing the clutch down for long periods a bad habit?
a) It reduces the car’s speed when going downhill
b) It causes the engine to wear out more quickly
c) It reduces the driver’s control of the vehicle
d) It causes the engine to use more fuel
c) It reduces the driver’s control of the vehicle
When your clutch is down your vehicle is out of gear and your engine cannot help to reduce your speed.
You should avoid ‘coasting’ your vehicle because it could
a) Damage the suspension
b) Increase tyre wear
c) Flatten the battery
d) Reduce steering control
d) Reduce steering control
A vehicle’s battery will normally be charging whenever the engine is running. A panel warning light will usually tell you if the charging circuit has developed an electrical fault.
Coasting the vehicle
a) Improves the driver’s control
b) Makes steering easier
c) Reduces the driver’s control
d) Uses more fuel
c) Reduces the driver’s control
Use just the right amount of acceleration and the correct gear to negotiate bends and corners safely. Drive with the engine just pulling the vehicle around the curve. Do not use too much acceleration. Remember - the lower the gear the more control you have.
Why is coasting wrong?
a) It will cause the car to skid
b) It will make the engine stall
c) The engine will run faster
d) There is no engine braking
d) There is no engine braking
Applying the brakes is the only way to stop your vehicle when it is out of gear. Never drive with your foot resting on the clutch pedal. You could wear out your clutch. Plan ahead so you always have plenty of time to put your foot on to the clutch pedal.
What are TWO main reasons why coasting downhill is wrong?
- *Mark two answers
a) Petrol consumption will be higher**
b) The vehicle will pick up speed
c) It puts more wear and tear on the tyres
d) You have less braking and steering control
e) It damages the engine
- *b) The vehicle will pick up speed
d) You have less braking and steering control**
Going down steep hills you are advised to keep in low gear so the engine can help the brakes to control your speed. Rolling downhill out of gear is too dangerous to justify the small saving in petrol consumption.
When driving a car fitted with automatic transmission what would you use ‘kick down’ for?
a) Crusie control
b) Quick acceleration
c) Slow braking
d) Fuel economy
b) Quick acceleration
Good drivers will often change down to a lower gear to increase acceleration, especially when overtaking. You can select a lower gear in an automatic vehicle by kicking down sharply on the accelerator pedal.
In which THREE of these situations may you overtake another vehicle on the left?
- *Mark three answers
a) When you are in a one-way street**
b) When approaching a motorway slip road where you will be turning off
c) When the vehicle in front is signalling to turn right
d) When a slower vehicle is travelling in the right-hand lane of a dual carriageway
e) In slow-moving traffic queues when traffic in the right-hand lane is moving more slowly
- *a) When you are in a one-way street
c) When the vehicle in front is signalling to turn right
e) In slow-moving traffic queues when traffic in the right-hand lane is moving more slowly**
In general you should not overtake on the left. You may do so in a one-way street but make sure it is safe and watch for traffic moving across from the right-hand side of the street. When overtaking a vehicle which is signalling right, watch for traffic that may be hidden by it.
You wish to overtake on a dual carriageway. You see in your mirror that the car behind you has pulled out to overtake you. You should
a) Not signal until the car has passed
b) Signal and pull out to overtake
c) Signal to tell the driver behind you that you also want to overtake
d) Touch the brakes to show your brake lights
a) Not signal until the car has passed
The repeating cycle of LAD-MSM-PSL is the basic routine of good driving. You Look in your mirrors to Assess the actions of following traffic in order to Decide what you should do next. You use your Mirrors before deciding to Singal your intention to begin a Manoeuvre. Avoid any change in your speed and/or direction that would cause another road user to change their speed and/or direction.
You are driving in the left-hand lane of a dual carriageway. Another vehicle overtakes and pulls in front of you leaving you without enough separation distance. You should
a) Move to the right lane
b) Continue as you are
c) Drop back
d) Sound your horn
c) Drop back
Always keep a safe gap between your vehicle and the one in front. The higher the speed the greater the gap. Use the two-second rule. If the gap is less than your overall stopping distance you are taking a risk. When you have overtaken another vehicle, move back smoothly and quickly but do not reduce the gap from the vehicle behind by cutting back too soon.
You see a vehicle coming towards you on a single-track road. You should
a) Stop at a passing glance
b) Reverse back to the main road
c) Do an emergency stop
d) Put on your hazard flashers
a) Stop at a passing glance
Single-track roads usually have places where vehicles may pass one another. If the passing place is on your left you pull into it. If the passing place is on your right you pull up opposite it. Do not treat a passing place as a lay-by.
You are driving downhill. There is a car parked on the other side of the road. Large, slow lorries are coming towards you. You should
a) Keep going because you have the right of way
b) Slow down and give way
c) Speed up and get past quickly
d) Pull over on the right behind the parked car
b) Slow down and give way
Parked cars often reduce the effective width of a road to a single carriageway. So we should always think carefully before parking on the road. Good defensive drivers follow the rule of giving way to uphill traffic.
Which TWO are correct? The passing places on a single-track road are
- *Mark two answers
a) For taking a rest from driving**
b) To pull into if an oncoming vehicle wants to proceed
c) For stopping and checking your route
d) To turn the car around in, if you are lost
e) To pull into if the car behind wants to overtake
- *b) To pull into if an oncoming vehicle wants to proceed**
- *e) To pull into if the car behind wants to overtake**
Be prepared to reverse back to a passing place if you encounter an oncoming vehicle on a single-track road especially if the place behind is nearer than the one ahead. A small vehicle should normally give way to a larger vehicle. Downhill traffic should give way to uphill traffic.
Which THREE of the following will affect your stopping distance?
- *Mark two answers
a) How fast you are going**
b) The tyres on your vehicle
c) The time of day
d) The weather
e) The street lighting
- *a) How fast you are going**
- *b) The tyres on your vehicle
d) The weather**
At 30mph in perfect road conditions the minimum overall stopping distance for an alert driver is 23m (75ft). At 60mph the minimum overall stopping distance is 73m (240ft). If you double your speed you will at least treble your stopping distance. If the road becomes wet your stopping distance will be even greater if your tyres are in poor condition.
You are driving in heavy rain. Your steering suddenly becomes very light. You should
a) Steer towards the side of the road
b) Apply gentle acceleration
c) Brake firmly to reduce speed
d) Ease off the accelerator
d) Ease off the accelerator
If your steering becomes very light you should consider this as advance warning of possible danger. Your first action must be to take your foot off the accelerator pedal. Braking or steering will have no effect until the tyres grip the road surface. Do not rely on ABS (anti-lock brake system) to solve the situation.
