Q. About clutch....

[Laurel]

Hi guys,

I'm having a rubbish time of learning to drive! I've had 6 hours of lessons and 4 of them were in a quiet car park and only allowed to drive for about half that time! We got thrown out of a carpark by a bouncer and my instructor grumbled for half an hour as he drove around trying to find another car park!! What a waste of £80!

Anyways I was going to get shot of him if my last 2 hour lesson wasn't a bit more challenging and it was like going from one extreme to the other! Not sure if there's any Swindonians on this site - but it was a road near the town centre on a bus route where it goes narrow because there's loads of parked cars along the side...

Anyways I absolutely HATE the Fiat 500! The pedals feel awkwardly high and the accelerator is stupidly sensitive - the revs went up and down with my pulse! Ugh.

I need you guys to give me some advice - basically my instructor has got a really annoying pet peeve whereby I MUST keep my heel on the floor as I put the clutch pedal down and bring it back up again - here's the problem, I CAN'T! In order to put the clutch all the way down I have to point my toe....if I move the seat forward and get it down easily with my heel on the floor, I can only bring the pedal back up about half way before I have to lift my leg up - so basically to find the biting point I've got my knee up to my chin - it's ridiculous!!! Yet because the pedals are so high I keep slipping my feet off and feeling the car trying to stall before slamming the clutch pedal back in to save it! (Thank you Ross!)

Is this normal? Ross seems baffled by it - maybe it's a Fiat thing? Any other Fiat drivers? I can feel my blood pressure increasing just thinking about my next lesson I just don't feel safe with my instructor, he's appauling and when I ask him questions he gives me the same robotic answers but not actually answering my question. It's a shame really because he's a nice Indian and likes to talk about his kids...so I don't want to change him but he didn't see a few cars coming and told me when to go when it wasn't safe - and he didn't see a kid running with a ball across the street (thank goodness I did and slowed down)

Sorry about the rant. I just feel like I've got a deadline to get my license and feeling the pressure.

[Christophski]

Yeh I think u need a new instructor as he sounds u safe. He is only probably saying about your heel sothat it makes It feel smooth?

[Laurel]

Hmm well in that case I think I'll dig out my stilettos so I can do it!

[Sonic]

We got thrown out of a carpark by a bouncer and my instructor grumbled for half an hour as he drove around trying to find another car park!!...

I absolutely HATE the Fiat 500!

my instructor has got a really annoying pet peeve...

I can feel my blood pressure increasing just thinking about my next lesson I just don't feel safe with my instructor, he's appauling...

Get a new instructor then...

[Laurel]

Get a new instructor then...

I know, I know it sounds obvious - but here's my problem:

1) I've already paid for 30 hrs of lessons plus my theory and practical test with BSM
2.) If I simply change instructor I'm still stuck with the same car and risk wasting more time getting to know someone new and going through the introductions...
3.) If I complain and get at least a portion of my money back I'm back to square one and have to go through the process of finding someone new...seeing if they are any good..and it's just time I don't have!!

I dunno, I think I'm in denial and just hoping that everything will work out...

[Sonic]

I know, I know it sounds obvious - but here's my problem:

1) I've already paid for 30 hrs of lessons plus my theory and practical test with BSM
2.) If I simply change instructor I'm still stuck with the same car and risk wasting more time getting to know someone new and going through the introductions...
3.) If I complain and get at least a portion of my money back I'm back to square one and have to go through the process of finding someone new...seeing if they are any good..and it's just time I don't have!!

I dunno, I think I'm in denial and just hoping that everything will work out...

1, You do your tests through the DSA regardless of who you learn to drive with. You might want to use their car for the practical test though. Ask for a refund on the hours you haven't used.
2, Go to a completely new company with a fresh instructor and a new car. You'll probably waste less time doing that than pissing about with your current one by the sounds of it.
3, You can't put a time limit on when you'll pass. You'll do it when you're ready.

[Fat Audi 80]

You can'r rush learning to drive, it took me about 5 months to learn and then pass and that was with 13 lessons and countless hours with my dad giving me flying hours.

If you don't feel safe and confortable with your instructor / car then change.

If it is any consolation, I can't keep my heel on the floor and operate the clutch on any of the cars we have (Passat, Audi 80 and S2).

I used to be able to do it in my old MK3 escort, but that was an old skool cable clutch with very little travel. Unless you have sixe 15 feet I seriously doubt you could operate many clutches just by flexing your foot at the ankle.

I suspect the way to overcome this is to use your "leg" let the majority of the clutch out then "feather" the last bit with your heel on the floor flexing your foot at the ankle.

I had a brilliant instuctor when I learnt who instilled loads of confidence. If your instructor is not doing that, then half the battle is lost already....

HTH

Cheers,

Steve.

[newsh]

FWIW a lot of women find it easier to drive in heels, not too big though lol

[urS6Tom]

The heel on the floor thing is ridiculous. You should operate the clutch in the way that's most comfortable and stable for you. If this means doing it with your heel off the floor, that's the way you should do it.

I wouldn't waste any more time/money with this guy. Call BSM and tell them you want another instructor. Do it tomorrow!

Tom

[Jamo]

Utter madness get rid of the instructor and get a different one and make a complaint or send the Hobbit in to do some finger wagging!

[mcandmar]

Never really thought about the heel on the floor thing, but it sort of makes sense. The only bit that matters is when letting out the clutch from a stand still, because you need to hold the clutch half way and wait for the car to gather momentum you really need your heel on the floor to have any precision. I doubt i could drive off smoothly without resting my foot on the floor. Once your moving it really dosent matter how you do it, other than the smoother the better. If anything you want your foot clear of the floor so you can do a smooth in/out motion.

Car could be an issue, i cant drive any French cars as i have size 12 feet. They all seem to have itsy bitsy pedals too close together. Especially in a Peugeot 106 as my foot catches on the steering column u-joint when pressing the clutch, hence disabling any ability to steer

[Flat on my back]

.

Could recomend you a good lady instructor...but she is in Chelt'nam..

Heel on the floor for the clutch is pants...

[JP]

Biggest problem that I found when learning to drive was that my toes got stuck under the lower dash trim on pedal release. Heel toe is the proper way to utilize the clutch progressively so you can work with the correct biting point. Like having your seat supporting your back correctly to ensure you get proper feedback of what the tires are doing on the road, keeping your elbows at 90 degrees and hands at 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock. However these are all things that you can only do when you choose the correct car for yourself. One that you can set the appropriate seat position up in relationship to the shifter, steering wheel and pedals.

Unfortunately when it comes to basic lessons your problem is that 99% of instructors will have the smallest possible car out there in order to maximize their profits with respect to running costs. This inadvertently means you cannot always drive the car the way you should simply because of poor positioning of components within the car or it not being appropriately sized for the driver. It's not until you go to advanced driving courses you get a different type of instructor and car where you can start to learn technique properly.

I would go to the main office make your complaint with regards to your concerns and if necessary (i.e. no positive response from management) mention trading standards if need be, as in effect they are not providing you with the service you have paid for and are in breach of their contract.

[bernsaudi]

It's your cash and time, and your instructor is doing it for the money. If you dont like things, remember you are voicing your problems with the situation on your time. Heel on the floor...rubbish!! There is no rule of the sort...

You will waste your time and cash if you do not take control of the instructor and his meanderings about his kids, and do not give him an easy time unless you feel like giving him 40 quid an hour(or however much it is thesedays) to fail to give you confidence on the road.
They are there to take you through the process of approaching your driving test with confidence and observational skill, plus usually a little track knowledge of the area you will be using during your test. If you feel that these are not being met, voice this with the company if you cannot get this through to the instructor. I would suggest a package deal run by a company that gives you confidence and empathy with any vehicle.

All the best!

[Laurel]

Thanks for the advice everyone! It does look like I'm just going to have to grit my teeth and get a refund..ugh I really didn't want to mess around with this! I've got a lesson tomorrow that can't be cancelled so I'll go to that and hopefully by the end of the lesson I'll feel more confident on the roads and get some road time with Ross in the Golf (Or the S2?? Hahahaha) The whole point of me paying for these lessons were for the dual controls and feeling safe on the roads. Pppft. What a waste!!