Hello I'm Chris and in this series of videos we're
going to be exploring the West Wickham driving test area, giving you tips and guidance along the way. We're also going to highlight difficult
to read road markings, hidden road signs and unusual road
layouts that might be on your driving test and where other people have failed their test before. On the walk to your car, the driving examiner
will ask you to read a number plate from around 20 and a half metres. They will then
ask you two show me tell me questions. After that get into your car make and yourself
comfortable. You'll probably be starting your driving test
down this road and it's quite narrow with lots of parked cars. Be ready for oncoming cars at any moment.
Keep a look out for spaces. At the end to this road we will be turning
left. The view on the right at this junction
is often obscured by park cars, so be careful, lot's of observations, creep out if necessary.
Then look out for a
bus stop on the left. Might be a bus here on your driving test. See a sign for a double bend coming up. Be careful not to cut corners as you go
around the bend. The next sign is warning us of a steep
downhill and a left-hand corner. Right-hand bend coming up. Signs warning us of elderly people. At the roundabout we will turn right
and it's the 3rd exit Take the first safe opportunity. Once you come off the roundabout, keep a
look out for the forty mile an hour speed limit signs, there's one on the right that is a lot
easier to see than the one on the left as it's very well hidden by trees. if it's safe and the conditions allow then
make sure that you get up to the speed limit. Driving too slow could cause
congestion and people behind might start overtaking in dangerous places.
We're on the Kent Gateway, known locally
as the Mad Mile. The time is currently 10 past three in
the afternoon. Gives you a rough idea of what the traffic is like in the area. It's quite a long open stretch of road. Keeping a good distance from the vehicle
in front, gives us better reaction time. Roadworks coming up, might be some workmen near the road. At the roundabout we will follow the
road ahead it's the second exit this roundabout is a little unusual as you
need the right hand lane to follow the road ahead it's only like this because the left
hand lane is for turning left only.
There are road markings on the road but the
arrows are very faded and they're right up at the roundabout. As soon as the road starts to widen out
we'll check our mirrors and move over to the right. Straight after the arrows is a
cycle lane. The give way line is straight after that. Observed early to the right, it's clear. When you go to exit this
roundabout there will be some solid white lines on the left in a red area, we will have to avoid this.
It's to help drivers coming from the previous exit as they
don't have to stop. Then get back to the left lane when it's safe.
Check mirrors, blind spot and signal as the right hand lane would be for
overtaking. Coming up is a tram crossing and
traffic lights. At the next roundabout we will turn
right, it's the second exit so again we will check our mirrors to the
right, blind spot and signal. It's going to go into three lanes, we will need
the middle lane to turn right. The furthest right hand lane would be
used for overtaking or going all the way around the roundabout and
coming back the way we came.
It's hard to see to the right with
this van so we're going to wait to be able to see to the right. Exit the roundabout as you normally would. We're still on a 40mph road. Another pedestrian crossing. Bus stop. We're currently going up Gravel Hill. Another tram crossing coming up and then straight after, a pedestrian
crossing. Plan ahead and anticipate the green
light to change at any moment. We're keeping a nice distance away from the
lorry in front, gives us a much better view of the road ahead. Keep in the left hand here
as we're not overtaking or turning right, if you do need to overtake then make sure that you get back to the left lane as soon as it's safe. Planning ahead we see signs for a 30
mile an hour speed limit. Just coming off gas here and allow the hill
to slow you down very quickly.
Don't really need to brake too much and
then be ready to change down gears if the car does struggle up hill At the next roundabout we will turn right. check mirrors, signal and blind spot check and then change lanes. It's a strange looking roundabout this one as it's controlled by traffic lights. Look out for the keep clear markings planning ahead for the traffic lights its green, and we exit the roundabout.
That's the end of Part one of our
exploration of the West Wickham driving test area. Really hope it has been useful. If it has then
please give us a thumbs up like at the bottom of the screen as it helps us
to help more people like yourself. If you are on the look out for driving lessons then please have a look at our website for more information
on that and have a look at our YouTube channel
for part two.
Again thanks for watching and see you on the next video..