4 Driving Basics That Some People Just Don't Get

1. How to put an automatic gearbox into D...

Picture this hypothetical situation that definitely didn’t happen to me when I was doing some voice-over lines for this week’s Project MX-5 video…

Ring ring, ring ring…

Me: "Hi mum, you OK?"

Mum: "Yes, honey. I’m sitting in Freddie [my mother’s hypothetical name for her hypothetical automatic new car] and I can’t get it in gear. There’s a funny button at the back, but it’s not working…"

Me: "Ermmm, weird…is your foot on the brake when you’re sliding the lever into D?"

Mum: "Aaahhhhh, clever you…Thank you!"

Yup, some people don’t even know how to slot a car into drive. In my mother’s defence, however, she hadn’t driven an auto for around 17 years. Hypothetically.

2. Not understanding when to yield

I’ve been a passenger in a car many times, and the one thing that frustrates/infuriates me more than anything else is when the person driving fails to yield for oncoming traffic. You’ll then find yourself in that awkward, dark no-man’s land where both drivers are facing off even though you know that it was your driver’s cock-up. Reasons for this misjudgement include a distracted driver, or someone who lacks basic spatial awareness.

3. How to work sat-nav

For some people, simply typing in a postcode and scrolling down to enter ‘start guidance’ is way too complicated. Most of the time, it isn’t through stupidity, it’s because he or she is too lazy to learn something new. And try as we might to explain the system, the person in question simply refuses to listen. Sure, I’m generalising here, but this happened to me. (This point is definitely not related to my mother and her new automatic car with sat-nav).

4. Being courteous

OK, I lied. The whole not yielding thing winds me up, but this one makes my blood boil. If I’ve waited for a person to let them pass, the least I expect is a nod, flash of the lights or a raised hand in thanks. When I don’t get it, I’ll make a point of showing my displeasure, either by shouting "THANK YOU" at them, or by accidentally honking my horn in disgust. A quick thanks is basic road etiquette and must not be ignored!