The first thing I had to do once I got into the driver's seat was my cockpit drill, once I had completed this, my driving instructor then gave me a lesson briefing on moving off and stopping. The first thing he talked about was POM.
POM system
My ADI explained the POM stood for Prepare, Oberserve and Move, and that I should use this routine everytime I was moving off or beginning a manouver.
I prepare the car by find the biting point, this involves putting the clutch down (you don't have this pedal if you are driving an automatic car, only manual transmission) and keeping it down, selecting first gear, then using the right foot to set the gas, next comes lifting the left foot up slowly until I hear a reduction in the engine noise (I had to do this 3 times because I kept stalling the car).
Observations
I was taught the importance of looking all around the car before moving off when parked on the side of the road and everytime I stopped while performing a maneuver.
I was told to do a 6 point check, starting by looking over my left shoulder, then left exterior mirror, interior mirror, the road ahead, right mirror and finally over my right shoulder. My driving instructor emphasied the importance of make sure I had checked my blind spots as it is very easy when on the driving test to miss another road user, and this could cause me to fail, so I should develop the habit right from now!
Moving Off in the car
Once I've made sure it is safe, my left hand should go on the handbrake, I should do a final check the right side of the car, put the handbrake down, bring the left foot up slowly (clutch), steer into the road, continue bring the clutch up, and once in the road, check my mirrors and give it a little gas!
It sounds simple, but I had problems doing all that together, and kept stalling the car. Once I finally got it, I started panicking as I was driving the car, but couln't steer straight! My ADI instructor had to keep helping me, as I couldn't press the gas with the right amount of pressure, look down the road even though it was wide I was still drifting towards the parked vehicles. It is hard learning to drive a car, I didn't expect to find it this tough!
Mirrors Signal Move
Soon it was time to stop on the left, and I had to use MSM for the first time, checking the interior then left external mirrors, there was nobody around on the quiet road we were driving on, so I didn't need to use the indicators to signal, so I came off the gas, steering a bit to the left. When he said cover the brake, I slammed my foot down, and the car jerked to a stop! Oops. OMG, I had just driven a car, I was exicted and wanted to try harder to get this thing right. Now I was enjoying my driving lessons as this was what I signed up for.
SCALP
I must always use SCALP to select where I stop the car. I must stop the car in a Safe, Convinient And Legal Position. So much to memorise and remember.
I had another go at moving off, stalling only once, started getting better at steering the car on a straight course and worked harder on using MSM when it was time to stop on the left. There is so much to learning to drive a car especially the way that the DSA examiners want it here in the UK, and I'm finding it hard to remember everything.
I got to do some reversing on the driving lesson, learning that I should look back, not using the mirrors, and was explained clutch control to keep the car slow when perfoming a manouver.
Before I knew it, time was up, and my driving instructor was driving me back to my NW3 Hampstead flat via the busy Finchley road dual carriageway. One day I'll be able to drive myself home from my lessons.
Don't forget the highway code is the standard expected, so master it as it could save you from make a simple error that would result in failure, revise it when not taking practical lessons!
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