Blog Archives

Onehunga Lesson Notes

31/10/2023

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Key Points:

Dual lane roundabout - Must give way to cars on the right, check both sides and both lanes before moving in. Take advantage of cover vehicles.

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Wiri Lesson Notes

19/10/2023

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Immediate Fail:

Right Turn / Flush Median - You must use the flush median and not interfere with traffic flow. Merge in and out when needed, and if safe just move through them. (Grayson Ave and Cavendish Drive)

Critical Errors:

Right Turn - While waiting to turn, don't move forward while other vehicles are still turning right.
Merging - Nothing sudden, just merge in, use the space in front.

Key Points:

Roadworks - Be slow before the posted speed sign.
Parallel Parking - Recheck the right side.
Curb-side - When parking on the roadside, you must be under 30cm from the curb. When moving out don't go too wide.
Blind Corners - Keep left on wide roads.
Following Distance - Double your following distance when behind trucks and buses.
Other Vehicles - Beware of vehicles parked on the right side of the road and vehicles in the other lanes.
Roundabouts - If you miss the exit, just keep moving.
Vehicle Position / Right Turn - Keep on your side of the road.

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Gardens - Highbrook Lesson Notes

15/10/2023

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Key Points:

Dual Lane Right Turn - You must stay in your lane.
Left Turn into a HSZ - Angle the car
Lane Changing - Indicate till all 4 wheels are in the other lane.
Stop Sign - Must fully stop before moving.
Parallel Parking - Recheck the right side. Indicate left before stopping.
Cyclist - Keep away from them.
Hand Position - Don't twist your hands.
Roundabouts - Angle the car with the road or center island.
Narrow Roads - Indicate and check your blindspot before turning.

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Gardens - Highbrook Lesson Notes

15/10/2023

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Key Points:

Dual Lane Right Turn - You must stay in your lane.
Left Turn into a HSZ - Angle the car
Lane Changing - Indicate till all 4 wheels are in the other lane.
Stop Sign - Must fully stop before moving.
Parallel Parking - Recheck the right side. Indicate left before stopping.
Cyclist - Keep away from them.
Hand Position - Don't twist your hands.
Roundabouts - Angle the car with the road or center island.
Narrow Roads - Indicate and check your blindspot before turning.

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Misson Bay Recap Lesson

13/10/2023

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General Notes:

Stop Sign - Stop, pause, check both sides and then move.
Blindspot Checks / Shoulder Checks - You must check your left blindspot when moving to the left and right blindspot when moving to the right. Turn your head 90 degrees to the left or right. Don't twist your body, keep your chin up and look next to you.
Vehicle Position - Keep left reasonable, more left then right.
Center Mirror Usage - Check the center mirror every 10-15 seconds on a straight road. Check the mirror before braking.
Parking Curb-side - You must indicate and check your blindspot before braking. Vehicles must be under 30cm from the curb and not block driveways or intersections.
Narrow Roads - Look ahead, avoid bottlenecks, keep reasonable to the left and indicate to pass parked cars.
Sharp Corners / Curved Roads / Blind Corners - Keep left and roll around. Cover your brake but don't brake hard. Find the center and keep on your side.

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Highbrook Os Lesson Notes

12/10/2023

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Immediately Fails:

Right Turn with Turning Bay - You must move in and then slow down. Always indicate and check your blind spot before moving in. (Beeped at for being to slow before entering turning bay)

Critical Errors:

Follow the giveaway rule, not what other drivers tell you to do.
Left Turns - Keep left and stay in your lane. Angle the car with the road.
Lane Change - Indicate till all 4 wheels are in the other lane and nothing sudden, just merge in and don’t brake for no reason.

Key Points:

Aux Controls - Front and Rear Demister.
Turning - Be slow before turning and roll around corners.
Mirror Usage - Check your center mirror before braking or slowing down.
Wet Roads - Double your following distance and stay back when waiting in a queue.
Moving Forward - Don’t speed up to brake, just let the car roll forward and then speed up or brake.
Left Turns - Angle the car with the road. Must see 10meters on each side before turning.
Cover Vehicles - Use them when needed but make sure you can see and know it’s safe before moving.
Hand Positioning - Move your hands and make big turns when needed. Turn the wheel back, don’t just let go. Don’t drop your hands when slowing down.
Narrow Roads - Indicate to pass parked cars, check blind spots and avoid bottlenecks.

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Manurewa - Highbrook Restricted Lesson Notes

9/10/2023

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Needs Improvement:

Lane Changing and Merging - Nothing sudden, don’t slow down for no reason.
Left Turn - You must check your left blind spot before turning.
Speed Control - Stay under the speed limit. Specially after turning into traffic.
Vehicle Position - Keep left but don’t get too close to curb.

Key Points:

Orange Lights - Don’t rush to turn. Aim to slow down before turning.
Keep Clear Zones - Avoid stop across traffic lights and intersections.
Shoulder Checks / Blindspot or Head Checks - you must turn your head.
Double your following and stopping distance when behind trucks or buses.
Hand Position- Don’t drop your hands when slowing down. Don’t twist your hands.

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Wiri Lesson Notes - Full

5/10/2023

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Full Lesson Notes - Wiri:

Left Turn - Angel the car and check the cycle lane before turning, the left blindspot. You must see 100 meters on each side before moving out. Don't stop for no reason. Stay on your side of the road.
Cross Roads - Moving through stay in your lane. Check both side and make sure there is enough room on the other side.
Vehicle Position - Right turn use a turning bay you must stop behind the line.
Shoulders Checks / Head Checks - Always check before moving left or right. Turn your head 90 degrees. Always know what's next to you.
Gap Selection - Make sure it is safe before moving.
Narrow Roads - Look ahead, avoid bottlenecks and indicate to pass parked cars.

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Glen Innes Lesson Notes - Full

4/10/2023

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Glen Innes Lesson Notes:

Speed Control - Downhill stay under the speed limit.
Stop Sign - You must fully stop. All 4 wheels must stop moving. Pause before moving.
Dual Lane Roundabout - Indicate left when leaving.
Steering / Hand Position - Keep both hands on the wheel when slowing down.

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Flatbush - Pakuranga Lesson Notes

1/10/2023

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First Lesson Notes:

Vehicle Control - Starting the car

Move your seat forward and up
Put on your seatbelt
Move your center mirror, so you can see behind you. You are the whole car now.
Push the brake with your right foot and then push the power button
Wait for the ready light to be on.
Let go of the brake. (Don't have to push hard)
Adjust the side mirrors if required.
Indicators are on your right. Move it down (right) move if up (left)
Look ahead, Don't worry about keeping the steering wheel straight
Push the brake with your right foot, only a millimetre down use your toes just like tapping. Keep your heel on the ground and move it to the right. Only push a millimeter down. Keep your foot between both speed and brake paddles. Keeping your foot on the ground, move it left and right like you are waving with your foot.
In the middle you have your handbrake and gears. Look at the dashboard, the red (!) means the handbrake is on. Pull up the handbrake lever only a few millimeters and then push the button in and push the whole lever down. The red (!) should disappear, the hand brake is off.
The foot brake in general controls the front brakes and the hand brake controls the rear brakes. In case the foot brake fails you can use the handbrake to stop the car in an emergency. Pull up the handbrake.
The gears P-R-N-D-1-2 .
P - Only go into Park when the car is stopped at the left side of the road (not waiting at lights, at intersections or in a queue)
R - Reverse will make the car go back, it will normally make a beeping down and will display R on the dashboard
N - Neutral - No gear (Think of it like a ball it will just roll) When you need to tow or push the car off the road
D - Drive will make the car go forward. If it is in Drive the car will try to always go forward.
1-2 or L/S - Lower gears for going forward, normally used for towing another vehicle or going really steep hills. Lower gears have more power and use more fuel. You get power but lose speed
Put both hands on the wheel and turn all the way to the right and then all the way left. Don't twist your hands. Use your left hand to turn left and right hand to turn right. Push and pull, try to keep one hand on each half of the wheel
Look up at the center mirror if you can see the ground between us and the parked car behind us? Look back, turn your head. Everything in the mirrors is always closer. Check the side mirrors can you see the cars back there? It's hard to judge distance in the mirror. If you look in the center mirror and can see the ground between us and the other vehicle you have twice the room you need.
Turn your head 90 degrees to the left and now to the right. lift your chin up. look in the center mirror keep your head up and now look to the right/left. This is your BLINDSPOT or SHOULDER CHECK. Think of it like you are running/riding a bike and want to see if there is anyone next to you.

Moving - Steering, Braking and Acceleration

Don't do anything sudden. The car is straight, look ahead, not inside the car, look outward. Think of it like walking. Where do you look, at the ground or where you want to go?
For now the steering wheel is straight
Indicate right, move Indicator down, don't turn the wheel
Push the brake down softly. Move the gear lever from Park (P) to Drive (D). Keep your foot on the brake. Put the hand brake down and the (!) red light is off. Anyone behind us or next to us? I'm looking for cars, people and animals.
Just lift your foot off the brake and then push down again. Nothing sudden. We don't want to feel the car stopping. We will roll up to the next lamp post and then stop. Anyone behind us or next to us? Look over your right shoulder / Blind spot. Indicate right, check and let of of the brake roll 1-2 meters forward indicate left and brake.
Check and if safe this time we will goto 20km-30km, you will need to push the accelerator / speed only a millimeter, the car will speed up. The car is a ball. It will roll down hill and get faster, uphill it will get slower.

Turning and Steering/Hand Position

The car will never go straight, It will pull to one side, because the road is curved. We can only drive in a circle, the car has to curve around corners, we can't turn at 90 degrees. We will goto the end of the road and do a U-Turn, the more you turn right the more you have to turn left. Be ready to turn the wheel back.
If you can see the ground between us and them (other cars) you have lots of room.
At the end of the road we will do a U-Turn - Indicate / Mirror and Shoulder Check. Aim for under 20km. Just let the car roll.
Left Turns - Angle the car to the left / Right Turn, move forward and then make one big turn. 20km is a safe and comfortable speed for turning.

Gap Selection and Observations - searching ahead and around you

Always aim to stop, aim for 20km as you slow if you can see 3 lampposts / street lights on each side of the road and it is safe to go. If you can't see 3 lampposts on each side (100meters) it is unsafe. Stop and crawl forward centimeters.
Stop Sign - Full Stop and then check
When approaching intersections look early and off the road, 10 cars aways (rough guess) start looking to see if it is safe.

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Highland Park - Highbrook Lesson Notes

1/10/2023

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Key Points:

Carpark - Go slow and keep on your side of the road.
Left Turn - Angel the car and check the cycle lane before turning, the left blindspot. You must see 100 meters on each side before moving out. Don't stop for no reason. Stay on your side of the road.
3 Point Turn - You must indicate right and check your right blindspot.
Parallel Parking - Check center mirror before stopping. Use the space behind you.
Lane Changing and Merging - Nothing sudden and know it's safe before indicating. Indicate till all 4 wheels are in the other lane.
Flush Median - Too Wide.
Narrow Roads - Look ahead, avoid bottlenecks and indicate to pass parked cars.
Roundabouts - You must indicate left before exiting. Don't rush to enter. Use the cover vehicles. and angle the car with the center island.
Steering / Hand Position - Move your hands to make big turns, When driving straight keep your hands on the wheel. Turn the wheel back.

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Onehunga Lesson Notes

Wiri Lesson Notes

Gardens - Highbrook Lesson Notes

Gardens - Highbrook Lesson Notes

Misson Bay Recap Lesson

Highbrook Os Lesson Notes

Manurewa - Highbrook Restricted Lesson Notes

Wiri Lesson Notes - Full

Glen Innes Lesson Notes - Full

Flatbush - Pakuranga Lesson Notes

Highland Park - Highbrook Lesson Notes

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