Good driving behind the wheel is essential to enjoy your vehicle. For this reason, we have sought the advice of the true experts of the wheel, the driving teachers, so that you know how to drive a car like a professional. In this second post in the series, after dealing with the aspects prior to riding in the car, we will address the conditions to take into account while driving.
What should we take into account when driving a car like a professional in the city? And by road?
Which are totally different conductions. In the city, there are many stimuli to attend to, it is a little more stressful driving, but it is compensated by the speed at which we can circulate which, as we all know, is a maximum of 50km / h. However, on the highway when developing higher speeds, the gaze must be as far as possible to be able to anticipate with enough time what is happening around us and the movement of the steering wheel must be more smoothly than in the city, due to the same reason.
The risks of accidents increase with the increase of the speed, because the response capacities of the driver are reduced, at the same time that the demands increase. The higher the speed, the greater the braking distance, the greater the reaction and the separation distance. In other words, the increase in speed will lead to an increase in risks. The driver must adapt the speed. It is necessary to drive in such a way that the stopping distance is always shorter or at least the same as the clear distance visible in front of the vehicle. In fact, adapting speed means being able to stop the vehicle in any circumstance in front of the obstacle.
How can we save fuel?
The way you drive has been shown to be the most effective way to save money. We must drive as progressive as possible, avoiding accelerating and braking all the time. How is this achieved? In advance, anticipating what is going to happen before it happens. Also, we must circulate with gears as high as possible, this does not mean that we go at a higher speed but, contrary to what happened a while ago, we change the gear without over-revving the engine. Likewise, if you need to know how to drive a car in a professional way, you have to make gear jumps, use more as a way to brake the engine brake (deceleration and downshifting) and not the foot brake constantly, make proper and rational use of air conditioners, etc.,
From How to drive a car like a professional we advise you to save fuel in the following ways:
- Warming up the motor in motion, as long as it is as uniform as possible.
- Refueling without spilling it and without filling the tank to the filling edge.
- Starting without acceleration or with just enough acceleration and smoothly.
- Using the most correct gear ratio, according to the driving force required.
- Circulating at a suitable speed, which will be the lowest possible.
- Stopping the engine in long stops, if you do not have the start-stop system.
- Avoiding idle accelerations or accelerating more than necessary.
- Constant speed, since speed changes involve additional energy consumption.
- Using a good oil at all times, to minimize internal friction.
- Anticipating all actions, (especially arrests), in case it is possible to avoid them. • Keeping the windows closed, whenever possible.
- Properly distributing the load, nor overloading the vehicle.
- Not exceeding the established speeds.
- Not putting the tires at a lower pressure than adequate.
- Avoid using gasoline with a different octane rating than recommended.
- Not performing double clutch.
- Not driving in neutral.
How do you engage the gears without damaging the clutch?
If you’re wondering how to drive a car like a pro when you’re going to change gear, the first thing to do is get the clutch pedal fully depressed. Then we will operate the lever by moving it gently and accompanying it in the movement, that is, without forcing it. If we move our hand slowly, we will notice the rhythm that she wants and not the one that we want to impose on her. This is so, because there are so-called synchronizers, which need a certain time to function properly. Once the lever is in the desired gear, we will calmly release the clutch and remove our foot to the footrest. A very widespread custom that only serves to burn the clutch is to leave the foot on top of the pedal, with which we are circulating with the clutch depressed and you can buy used cars online in United Kingdom.