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    DOORS

    HANDBRAKE

    SEAT

    MIRRORS

    SEAT BELT

    The cockpit drill is the first thing you will practice on your first lesson, the idea is to explain and demonstrate how to prepare the car before starting to drive. It is important to do your drill in the correct order.

    DOORS

    You should Close your door with your  right hand, this will give you more control over the door should a gust of wind blow it from a passing vehicle.

    You next need to check your door and the passenger doors are closed correctly. Use your door mirrors to check they are flush with the bodywork of the car.

    The interior light and a dash warning light may stay on on some cars if the door is not closed correctly.

    HANDBRAKE

    It is important to check the handbrake is fully on as a weight change in the car could cause the car to move. Just pull the handbrake up to check.

    SEAT ADJUSTMENT

    You can adjust your seat in 3 ways; height, backwards/forwards and tilt. We start with height and using the leaver line your eyes with half way up the windscreen.

    Next place your left foot on the left clutch pedal and press it to the floor. Hold the steering wheel with your right hand and lift the lever under the seat with your left hand. Pull forward until you have a slight bend in your knee when the clutch pedal is fully down.

    The tilt is adjusted by placing your wrists on top of the steering wheel and adjusting your seat until it is touching the top of your back. When you drop your hands to the steering wheel you will have a perfect bend.

    Next is the head rest, this is very important as it can help prevent injury in an accident. This must be adjusted correctly.

    MIRRORS

    3 mirrors to check and start with the inside interior mirror. This mirror has flat glass and so gives a true view of distance behind. Set this without touching the glass so that you have a frame of the back window.

    The two door mirrors can be adjusted using a mirror control button or by hand depending on the model of car. It is important to know these have convex glass and so make objects appear further away than they are.

    SEAT BELT

    Most people have used a seat belt before, just check it is not twisted and is securely fastened.

    BLIND SPOTS

    It is important to remember that even when checking in your mirrors certain areas near you will not be covered

    STARTING THE ENGINE

    RE-CHECK HANDBRAKE  (PULL)

    CLUTCH DOWN

    GEAR LEVER NEUTRAL ( PUSH SIDEWAYS )

    RELEASE STEERING LOCK  (WIGGLE STEERING WHEEL WHILE TURNING IGNITION KEY ONE CLICK)

    START ENGINE (TURN IGNITION KEY)