Written by Jitendra (Cell: (732) 688-7841)

In our 1^st chapter we have learned how to make decision, whether learn to drive with Driving school or not and if yes, how to select driving school.

2^nd chapter we have learned if we decide to learn from spouse, parent relative or friend, what is legal requirement and proper documentation required for student and teacher both. 

Now we are continuing with the real process of learning or teaching driving. 

Remember your posture; how you seat and position yourself in the car behind the wheel is very important.  It can increase or reduce your reaction time.  Always position yourself using the base guidelines below.

Walk around the car open the driver side door and position your self behind the wheel.

Seating distance from steering wheel. Set your heel between gas and brake. Use only toes or front of the feet, try to press the brake and gas slightly without starting the car. If you can than that is enough distance, do not forward your seat anymore. Automatically this is the best distance from your chest and steering wheel.  Do not try to go too close to the steering.  Remember, tallest person can not see the front of his own car.  You have to look far ...  Now put the seat belt on.

Adjust your center mirror. You want to see the entire rear glass (back windshield) of your car. Specifically the left corner must match with the left corner of your center mirror.

Adjust the side mirror. You want to see a little bit of the widest part of your car in your side view mirrors. For example, you would want to see the back door handles in bottom corners of your side mirrors.

Understanding your steering: Understanding your steering is very important before you go on road. When you are seating in a car, you do not see your tires.  But you do see your steering wheel. Very simple exercise will give you the feel.

Start the car.  In Parked position, turn your wheel full left until it did not go further. You will see steering is upside down.

Now start turning your steering wheel right one turn only i.e. Up side down to upside down.  Do one more turn and do third turn.  Now you can not go any more.

Now if you divide three in half is 1 ½ .   1 ½ turn of your steering wheel makes your steering straight and wheels of your car is also straight.

Curb Judgment: Most accidents happens with a lake of curb judgement.

Right curb judgment: When you drive a car, you are seating on a side of the car not in a center. So if you keep the half car, your side of the half car on the road, other half will stay on the road by itself

When you seat in a properly parked car, which is six inches away from the curb, from your driver side seat, if you see straight through center of the car, it looks like almost touching the curb. Or based on your height, see how far it is from the center of the car.

That means, when you drive if you keep center of your car that much far away, you will not hit a person walking, curb, tree, parked car or any other object.

Left Curb Judgment:  same thing as left, car inspection sticker or left corner of your front glass stays away from any object, you will not hit any object on your left side of your car.

Staying in the lane:  Remember, when you drive, do not focus on one object for longer time, keep your eyes moving.  Every few seconds, keep checking all three mirrors.

Center of your car must be inside of your right lane, left corner of your glass must be inside of your left lane

Top of your steering and Your driver seat should be in the middle of your lane while you are driving. It should look like you are seating in the middle of your lane 

From your side mirror, you should be able to see right & Left lane, if single lane road most probably yellow lane in left.  From right side mirror you should be able to see white lane or right lane.

In our next chapter, we will discuss how you can have feel for your gas and brake.  How to and how much you turn your steering wheel.  How to place your hands on steering wheel. learn to drive systematically.  

Remember, be precise, there are NO guessing games.  Life is precious gift given by God to you and others also.  Car is like a Huge Gun.  Once you press the trigger, you shoot the bullet, there is no point of return, same way, you press the gas, you can run over some one with a big car.

Driving is all about VISION and MOTION.  A one simple mistake can cost you a lot.