Driving help?

I am going to learn how to drive this summer, but I don't know anything about cars. I know the things on the driving licence study guide book, but NOTHING about cars.


I asked my mom to tell me about it but she does't give good answers.


So, can anyone tell me about the automatic gear shift, the pedals, and accelerating or stoping.


I know it's a stupid question, but all the people that can explain these things to me live in Italy and their cars work differently.
Driving help?
You should go to a car dealership. Just ask them questions about a car that you like on the lot.
Driving help?
You remind me of myself...





I didn't know anything about driving last summer and anyone I asked would not give me good answers. You say your going to be taking drivers ed. then they will explain everything to you, there is't much to worry about. GOOD LUCK TO YOU ;)
Reply:You may well be OK starting from scratch with a good instructor. When I started I didn't have a clue.


One tip which I was given was:


Do not tell anyone when your test is scheduled. Just say you are off for a lesson. Otherwise the build up is too great - you'll be driving round that test bearing in mind that you have to phone/text people to tell them the outcome. Just get out there and relax. So important that you relax.


Of course - the test is some way off yet.


Good Luck!
Reply:i didn't realize the cars in italy worked different.


automatic gear shift. p is for park r is for reverse n for neutral d for drive 2 is a lower gear,( seldom used in auto). 1 is the lowest gear. two pedals left side is the brake and right is the gas. accelerating use gas pedal. stopping use brake pedal.
Reply:Clutch is on the left, break is in the middle, gas is on the right. If you have an auto you shouldnt have to worry about switching gears. Always start with you foot on the clutch , check all mirrors take of the emergency break. gently take you foot of the clutch give a little gas. And their you go your driving the rest just comes with practice and your instinct takes care of the wheel. To break always put your foot on the clutch before using the break otherwise the car will turn off. Hope I helped a little.


Try to answer mine http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...
Reply:((this is all referring to an automatic transmission))





The pedals::


Gas is always on the right, break is on the left. How hard you need to push them to accelerate and stop differs from car to car, but their position is always the same.





The gear shift::


In all automatic cars you need to have your foot on the break to come into and out of PARK ("P"). If the gear shift is next to the stearing wheel, you would hold down on the break while pulling the lever towards you and down to either reverse (R), drive (D) or nutral (N). If the gear shift is in the middle console, you would do the same thing but there is usually a button on the side or back of the shifter. As you hold down the break you push the button (if there is one) and move the shifter into the position you want it in.


This is always how you get into or out of PARK. Switching in between the other gears can sometimes be done without holding the break, depending on the car and shifter. (I drive a nissan maxima SE, shifter in the console, and I can shift without the break).





Hope I've helped!!!
Reply:The basics like accelerating and braking shouldn't be different in Italy. Driving is really quite simple, it just takes practice to get good at.





If your car is an automatic, you won't need to change the gears except from Park to Reverse or Drive. Those are rather self-explanatory, one sits still, one makes the car go backwards and the other, forwards.





After you learn how to drive, I recommend seeking out a friend with a stick-shift (manual transmission) and learning how to drive one. They're lots of fun, and it's a useful thing to know how to do. (PS. They get way better gas mileage too.)





To accelerate, you push the gas pedal. Do it slowly and smoothly, until you get the hang of it. To slow down, you push the brake pedal. Again, do this slowly and smoothly until you get the hang of how fast your brakes work. (Test these *before* you get into a situation where you need to stop, so you'll know how quickly you can stop the car.)





Here's a couple of things you may not think you need to know about your car, but they're just as important if not more important to know as how to drive. Ask your mom to go outside and show you how to do these things before you start learning how to drive. She should know how to do them. (If she doesn't, get somebody else to teach you and then show her. Maybe a friend's parents.)





1. Check the oil, and other fluids.


2. Know where to add more of each fluid in case they're needed.


3. Check the tire pressure. (Also make sure you know the proper pressure for the tires on your car, it's in the manual. Read the manual from cover to cover if you haven't already. Lots of info.) Don't forget to check the spare tire every now and then! (It would suck to have a flat then go to put the spare on and realize it was also flat.)


4. Change a tire. The car should have a spare with the proper air pressure, a jack, and a wrench to get the lug nuts off.


5. Learn how to use jumper cables. (In case your battery runs down on accident. Happens more often than you think.)





None of these tasks are complicated at all. My dad taught them all to me in one afternoon and made me change a tire by myself in the driveway before he let me drive by myself when I was a kid. Don't worry about learning how to drive, you can't really learn by reading about it. You'll get the hang of it soon enough after you start practicing.
Reply:Well, lets start with the GO part.





The gearshift (automatic I presume) has a quardrant where all of the gear positions are located. This quadrant COULD be on the dash board, the floor board next to the floor mounted shifter, or in the speedometer circle (where the needle tels you how fast you are going.





The ger positions are as follows, P for Park. This is used to keep the car in a mechanically locked condition so it can't move when parked. The drive wheels WILL NOT TURN in Park.





R for Reverse. Obviously you use this gear position to go backwards.





N Neutral. This is the "non gear" or the gear that tkeeps the engine and drive wheels disconnected from each other. It is SIMILAR to P Park only it DOES NOT lock the wheels to the car. The wheels are free to roll in neutral.





Then we come to D Drive. This is the gear that causes the car to go forward and it automatically shiffts from the starting gear (known as 1st) and then goes to 2nd, then third, and finally 4th gear if it has one.





You don't need to do anything to get it o shift these gears except step on the gas pedal.





Then there is a 2 position on the quadrant. This is a special gear for certain traffic situations whereby the transmission is STARTED off in 1st gear and will not shift beyound 2nd gear. Godd for engine control in certain situations.





Then there is l or Low gear. Very SIMILAR to 1st gear (in fact it IS 1st gear) only the internal transmission works applies a Low gear band instead of just the low gear clutch. This band application gives far greater low gear pulling power if needed.





All quadrant designs presented for sale in the United States follow this distinct format. It is called the PRND2L standard.





Now for the pedals.





The automatic transmission car has a standard pedal setup. The throttle pedal, (also known as the gas pedal) is what makes the car go ans is located to the extreme right hand side of the drivers foot well. The other pedal is the the brake pedal and is used to stop the car. Both pedals are proportional meaning the harder you push the pedal the more function you get from the pedal. (Harder push on the gas pedal and the car goes faster, less push and the car goes slower). Same for the brake, more push, more stopping power.





Then we come to the steering wheel. While just as important as the other contorls, it is maybe moreso because where you turn the steering wheel directly dictates where the car goes.





Now all you have to do is put all the info in the drivers License Handbook together with all of the infor I have given here and 'Voila', you are a driver.





Oh, one last thing. Don't run into anything. it will cause the car to have a boo boo and a lot of 'esplaining will be needed on your part.