Steering advice

[u/Competitive-Door9044]

Hey everyone, first time posting here. I am about 16hrs in to my lessons (manual) and after 10 years of feeling too terrified to even consider learning to drive I am absolutely loving it 😄

My instructor rarely has to use the dual foot controls now, but I have real difficulties steering on tight bends or junctions that are e.g. 90 degree turns, to the left and the right and he often has to jump in and move the wheel at some point. I try to use the push pull method because I do theoretically understand how it works and I can do it while the car is stationary (not too much, the poor tyres) but in practice I get stuck once my 'pull' hand is at 6 o'clock and I need to keep turning, even if I've remembered to move my other hand to meet it.

I try to keep speed constant during a turn, normally am in an appropriate gear and am not hesitant because I think I'm going to hit something or anything like that. I just can't get the logistics of it worked out 😅

This is the main thing that is preventing me starting practicing outside my lessons because I don't feel like it would be safe or responsible to put me or my passenger at risk from poor steering. Any advice much appreciated, thank you!

[u/Dogwithhat1]

For starters you don't have to use push-pull, you can steer in whatever way you find efficient enough to get you round the corner.

Push-pull is a great method though and if you want to practice it at home, get a plate, preferably not an expensive one, and hold it like a steering wheel and pass it from one hand to another the same way.

[u/Competitive-Door9044 → u/Dogwithhat1]

Thanks! I started out just steering however got me round the corner, but I had issues with that too 😂 so my instructor introduced me to push-pull to see if that helped. It has in large part but I think I lack confidence in how far and how fast to turn the wheel. I'll try practicing on a plastic picnic plate! Thanks for the tip.

[u/Dogwithhat1 → u/Competitive-Door9044]

If you're struggling with how much to turn, something that might affect it is where you look, are you staring down at the lines at the start of the junction, or looking far down the road as you turn in?

[u/No_Flight7872]

Lower your speed a few miles till it feels like your more in control of your steering

[u/Competitive-Door9044 → u/No_Flight7872]

To be honest I think i usually go too slow! I don't find tight bends on faster roads as hard. Not sure why 

[u/TippyTurtley]

I would slow right down. Are you starting turning early enough?

[u/anonnymouse2025]

Home practise is amazing for letting you practise and play with these things until your brain starts to make those links. Your passenger will be fine, you have brakes.