How do I de-ice a car properly and safely?
The right order, why the boiling water shortcut costs a windscreen, and the two minutes the night before that saves ten in the morning.
beginner15 min4 min read
Driving
Conditions, manoeuvres and the roads people find hardest.
28 guides in Motoring
Is it safe to drive through flood water?
Why 30 centimetres of moving water is enough to float a car, what a bow wave is actually for, and why the damage from getting it wrong is usually not covered as you would hope.
beginner12 min5 min readHow do I drive safely in fog, and when should fog lights be on?
The Highway Code sets a clear threshold for fog lights, and using them outside it is an offence. What that threshold is, how to judge it, and the driving technique that actually reduces risk.
beginner12 min4 min readHow do I get round a multi-lane roundabout in the right lane?
The general rule from the Highway Code, why the painted arrows override it, how to read a roundabout before you reach it, and what to do when you end up in the wrong lane.
beginner18 min6 min readWhat do I need to drive abroad from the UK?
The documents to carry, the kit each country requires by law, the insurance and breakdown cover to check, and the zone rules that catch people out in cities.
intermediate1 hr 30 min5 min readHow do I drive safely in heavy rain, and what is aquaplaning?
What tread depth is really doing in the wet, the warning signs that the tyres are about to lose contact with the road, and the one response that works when they do.
beginner12 min4 min readHow do I parallel park properly?
A reference-point method that works in any car, why the front swings out more than people expect, and how to adjust when the first attempt is not right.
beginner20 min5 min readHow far does it really take to stop, and what is the two-second rule?
Why braking distance grows far faster than speed, what the Highway Code figures actually assume, and how the two-second rule converts all of it into something you can use while driving.
beginner15 min5 min readHow much room do I have to give a cyclist or a horse?
The distances and speeds the Highway Code sets out, the hierarchy of road users introduced in 2022, and why a cyclist in the middle of the lane is doing the right thing.
beginner15 min6 min readHow much snow and ice do I have to clear off my car before driving?
The Highway Code sets out exactly what must be cleared before you set off, including the bit most people skip. What the requirement covers, and how to do it in five minutes rather than twenty.
beginner15 min4 min readHow do I overtake safely on a single carriageway?
The three questions to answer before committing, why the gap you need is much longer than it looks, the places the Highway Code prohibits it, and the discipline of aborting.
intermediate18 min5 min readCan I leave my car running to defrost it?
The Highway Code prohibits leaving a parked vehicle unattended with the engine running, and there is a separate fixed penalty for unnecessary idling. What is actually allowed, and the faster way to clear a screen anyway.
beginner10 min5 min readHow do I actually improve my car's fuel economy?
Which changes make a measurable difference to miles per gallon, which are folklore, and why your car's own display is probably flattering you.
beginner20 min4 min readHow do I cope with being dazzled by headlights at night?
Why modern headlights feel so much brighter, what actually helps rather than folklore, and the small maintenance jobs that make the biggest difference to how well you see in the dark.
beginner12 min5 min readHow do I cope with low sun glare while driving?
Why a dirty windscreen is the real problem rather than the sun, what to do in the moment you are blinded, and the seasonal preparation that makes the whole autumn easier.
beginner12 min5 min readHow do I drive and load a van for the first time?
What changes about driving when the vehicle is tall, long and blind behind, how to find and respect the weight limits, and how to secure a load so it cannot move.
intermediate25 min6 min readHow do I drive safely in strong wind?
Where the gusts actually come from, how to hold the car through them, which vehicles are most at risk, and when the answer is simply not to go.
beginner15 min5 min readHow do I hire a car abroad without being stung?
The excess and deposit trap, the fuel policies to accept and refuse, and the ten-minute inspection that prevents a damage charge.
beginner1 hr4 min readHow do I join a motorway or dual carriageway confidently?
The slip road is an acceleration lane, not a queue. How to time the merge, what lane discipline actually requires, and why the middle lane is the one to leave.
beginner15 min4 min readHow do I drive an automatic if I have only ever driven a manual?
What P, R, N and D actually do, why creep is a feature rather than a fault, and the three manual habits that cause trouble in the first week.
beginner20 min5 min readHow do I drive on the right for the first time?
The positioning habits that keep you on the right side, the junctions that catch British drivers out, and how to set the first day up so it is easy.
intermediate45 min4 min readHow do I drive safely in snow and ice?
Preparation before setting off and the smooth inputs that keep a car under control on a slippery surface.
intermediate30 min2 min readHow do I drive safely on a narrow country lane?
The one governing rule for lanes, how to use passing places properly, why reversing is normal here, and the hazards that only exist on rural roads.
beginner15 min6 min readHow do I get back to driving after a long break or a loss of confidence?
Why confidence goes and how it comes back, a graduated plan that actually works, what a refresher lesson is really for, and the specific case of returning after a collision.
beginner20 min5 min read