How to Steer a Car Properly | Driving Instructor Explains

Summary

In this driving lesson, Jack teaches proper steering techniques, emphasizing the importance of comfortable seating and the '9 and 3' hand position on the steering wheel. He explains the need to let the steering wheel return to center and demonstrates various turns, from 90 to 360 degrees, highlighting the car's natural tendency to go straight. Jack advises on maintaining a relaxed grip and using road markings to guide turns, ensuring precision and safety.

Takeaways

• 🔧 Steering a car requires precise movements, often almost a full 360-degree turn for sharp corners.
• 💺 Adjusting your seat position is crucial for comfortable and effective steering; aim for a slight bend in the elbow at the '9 and 3 o'clock' position on the steering wheel.
• 🤲 Maintain a relaxed grip on the steering wheel with elbows down and thumbs up to ensure smooth turns.
• 🔄 Let the steering wheel return to center by itself after making turns to take advantage of the car's natural tendency to go straight.
• 📚 For learners, using resources like zootopia.com can significantly help prepare for driving tests with practice tests and detailed explanations.
• 🛣️ When driving straight, minimal steering is needed, but be prepared to make slight adjustments for road conditions like curves or potholes.
• 🔄 Understanding the steering wheel as a 360-degree circle helps in knowing how much to turn for different road angles.
• 🚗 The car's design assists in steering; use the car's natural straight alignment to make the necessary turns and then release to go straight.
• 🚦 Pay attention to road markings which are designed to help guide your steering and ensure you're on the correct path.
• 💪 Avoid tensing up, especially the shoulders and grip, as it can lead to wobbly steering and loss of precision.
• 🅿️ Practice parking to hone your steering skills, ensuring each movement is deliberate and matches the turn's requirements.

Q & A

What is the recommended hand position on the steering wheel while driving?

The recommended hand position is at nine and three o'clock, similar to a clock face, with a slight bend in the elbows, ensuring comfort and proper control.

Why is it important to have the correct chair position while driving?

Correct chair positioning is crucial for comfort and control. If you're too close to the steering wheel, your arms may feel tight and bound, and if you're too far, you might have to stretch to make movements.

How should your elbows and thumbs be positioned while steering?

Your elbows should be hanging down, and your thumbs should be up. This prevents your hands from being twisted down at the bottom or up at the top of the wheel, allowing for smooth turns.

What does the instructor mean by letting the steering wheel do its own work?

The instructor means that the car's design naturally wants to go straight, so you should gently guide the wheel unless making a turn, letting it return to center after the turn.

What is the significance of the nine and three o'clock position on the steering wheel?

The nine and three o'clock position is significant because it allows for maximum control and safety while driving, providing a comfortable and effective grip on the steering wheel.

How can the steering wheel be thought of in terms of degrees?

The steering wheel can be thought of as a circle of 360 degrees, where you might turn it 90, 180, or 360 degrees to the left or right depending on the angle of the turn required.

What is the role of the road markings in assisting with steering?

Road markings, such as dotted lines and stamps, help guide the driver by providing a visual focus on where they need to end up, assisting in precise steering.

Why is it advised to keep your shoulders and elbows relaxed while driving?

Keeping your shoulders and elbows relaxed prevents unnecessary tension, which can lead to a wobbly feeling while steering. It allows for smoother and more precise control of the steering wheel.

What is the recommended approach when making turns at different angles?

When making turns, you should match the rotation of the steering wheel with the curve of the road, ensuring precise steering without oversteering or understeering.

How does the design of the car assist in steering?

The design of the car assists in steering by naturally wanting to go straight, which means you only need to make slight adjustments to the steering wheel to navigate turns and curves.

What is the significance of the steering wheel returning to center after a turn?

The significance of the steering wheel returning to center is that it allows the car to naturally realign with the road, ensuring straight travel and reducing the need for constant steering adjustments.

Outlines

00:00

🚗 Steering Basics and Comfortable Positioning

The paragraph introduces Jack, a driving instructor, who discusses the fundamentals of steering a car. He emphasizes the importance of being comfortable while driving and finding the right seating position relative to the steering wheel. Jack explains that being too close or too far can hinder steering ability. He advises positioning the hands at the nine and three o'clock positions on the steering wheel, with elbows slightly bent and hands relaxed. Jack also covers the concept of letting the steering wheel return to center by itself and introduces the idea of steering wheel rotation in degrees, from 90 to 360 degrees, depending on the driving situation.

05:02

🛣️ Understanding Steering Wheel Rotation and Road Awareness

In this section, Jack elaborates on the need to understand the unique angles of each turn and how to match the steering wheel rotation to the road's curves. He points out that the steering wheel and tires are designed to maintain a straight line, so minimal steering is required when driving straight. Jack also addresses the common issue of new drivers tensing up, which can lead to imprecise steering. He demonstrates how to make precise turns, such as 90-degree turns, by using the car's natural tendency to go straight and letting the steering wheel return to center after the turn. Jack also mentions the importance of using road markings to guide the steering and ensure precise turns.

10:09

🅿️ Advanced Steering Techniques and Parking

The final paragraph focuses on advanced steering techniques, particularly when parking. Jack discusses how to approach parking a car by thinking of the steering wheel as a 360-degree circle and matching the turn to the requirements of the parking space. He advises keeping elbows down and thumbs up while turning the wheel to ensure smooth and precise movements. Jack also mentions that older cars may require more physical effort for steering but the same principles apply. He concludes by encouraging drivers to be comfortable with steering and to use the road markings as aids, and he wishes them a good day.

Keywords

💡Steering Wheel

The steering wheel is a critical component of a vehicle, used to control its direction. In the video, it is emphasized that understanding how to properly manipulate the steering wheel is essential for safe driving. The instructor mentions holding the wheel at the nine and three o'clock positions, which is a common recommendation for optimal control and visibility of the road.

💡Elbow Position

Proper elbow positioning is highlighted as crucial for comfortable and effective steering. The script advises keeping elbows hanging down and not twisted, which allows for smooth turning movements. This is exemplified when the instructor discusses the importance of not having the elbows up, which could impede proper steering.

💡Nine and Three

The 'nine and three' refers to the recommended hand positions on the steering wheel for maximum control and safety. The video script uses this term to illustrate the correct placement of hands at nine o'clock and three o'clock, ensuring that the driver can make precise turns without straining.

💡Steering Precisely

Steering precisely means making the exact movements needed to navigate turns and corners without overcorrecting. The video emphasizes the need for precision, especially when discussing turns that require specific degrees of wheel rotation, such as 90-degree turns.

💡Chair Position

Adjusting the chair to an optimal position is essential for both comfort and control while driving. The script mentions that being too close or too far from the steering wheel can hinder steering ability, indicating the importance of finding a 'sweet spot' for seating position.

💡360 Degrees

A full rotation of the steering wheel is referred to as 360 degrees. The video uses this term to explain the range of motion required for different types of turns, from minor adjustments to full rotations, which helps drivers understand the extent of steering input needed.

💡Guiding

Guiding in the context of the video refers to the gentle manipulation of the steering wheel to keep the car on course, especially when navigating curves or uneven road surfaces. It's portrayed as a subtle action, in contrast to the more forceful act of turning the wheel.

💡Oversteer

Oversteering happens when a driver turns the steering wheel too much, which can lead to loss of control or collisions. The video warns against oversteer, advising drivers to match their steering input to the road's demands to maintain safety.

💡Tension

Tension, particularly in the shoulders and arms, can negatively affect steering control. The script advises drivers to remain relaxed, with shoulders and elbows down, to avoid introducing unnecessary tension that could lead to an unstable driving feel.

💡Zootopia.com

Zootopia.com is mentioned as a resource for learning to drive, providing practice tests and educational material. It is used in the script as an example of external tools that can aid in driver education, complementing the practical advice given in the video.

💡Straight Position

The straight position refers to the natural alignment of the steering wheel and tires when the vehicle is moving in a straight line. The video script explains that the car is designed to go straight, and drivers should use minimal steering input unless making a turn.

Highlights

Jack is back as a driving teacher, focusing on proper steering techniques.

The importance of arm position for holding the steering wheel correctly.

How to move hands to rotate the steering wheel and let it return to center.

Proper chair positioning for comfort and effective steering.

Hands should be at nine and three on the steering wheel for optimal control.

Elbows should hang down and thumbs up to avoid twisting hands on the wheel.

The steering wheel should return to center on its own to ensure smooth driving.

Zootopia.com is recommended for DMV practice tests and driver's education.

Guiding the steering wheel is more about being relaxed and letting the car move forward.

Understanding the degree of steering wheel turns for different road conditions.

The steering wheel is thought of as a circle with 360 degrees for precise turns.

The car's design naturally wants to go straight, so steering adjustments should be minimal.

Steering should be precise to avoid accidents or blocking oncoming traffic.

Relaxing the shoulders and grip can prevent unnecessary tension and wobbly steering.

Demonstration of a 90-degree right turn requiring almost 360 degrees of wheel turn.

Using the car's design to make the slightest curves necessary for turns.

The importance of road markings in guiding the steering wheel.

Driving an older car may require more muscle power and work for steering.

Turning into a parking spot with precision and understanding of the wheel's circular nature.

The video concludes with a reminder to keep elbows down and thumbs up for effective steering.

Transcripts

this right turn up here is a pretty

direct 90 degree angle and let's see how

much I have to turn the steering wheel

almost 360 Degrees to make that right

corner precisely in my position

hey this is Jack

happy to be back as your driving teacher

today

we're going to spend some time thinking

about how to steer properly and we're

going to talk about our arm position so

that we can hold the steering wheel and

steal properly we're going to be talking

about how we move our hands to rotate

the wheel and we're going to be talking

about how we let the steering wheel do

its own work and return back to Center

so the first thing I want to talk about

is how to position your chair so that

you're super comfortable

if you were too close to the steering

wheel

like this it would be hard for you to

move the steering wheel because your

arms would feel really tight and bound

and if you're too far away from the

steering wheel

[Music]

then you feel like you have to really

stretch to make any movements and that

could feel weird too

so I want to encourage you to find that

sweet spot

where you're close enough that you can

hold on to the steering wheel

comfortably at nine and three there's a

slight Bend in your elbow it might be a

little bit more than 90 degrees but just

make sure that you're comfortable

when we're thinking about steering the

first thing I want you to think about is

having your hands on the steering wheel

at nine and three and you can think

about this steering wheel like a clock

nine o'clock three o'clock twelve

o'clock and six o'clock

an important thing is to always try to

keep your elbows hanging down your

thumbs up you don't want to get your

hands Twisted down at the bottom of the

wheel nor up at the top of the wheel if

you find yourself with your elbows up

you're not turning properly

instead you should be able to turn the

wheel super smooth

keeping your elbows down and your thumbs

up

or you might do a more powerful turning

move

turning and pulling and holding

an important part of steering is letting

the steering wheel come back to home

if you're studying for your permit or

learning to drive I recommend that you

check out zootopia.com they have an

amazing app with tons of DMV practice

tests to help prepare you for your

permit test it goes through everything

you need to know in detail and has

hundreds of illustrations to make it

easier to understand and remember the

information

with more than 100 000 ratings zootobi

is one of the most widely used drivers

ed resources in the US and a must-have

for Learners check it out and see for

yourself

so the first important thing for you to

think about is how you don't have to do

much steering when you want to go

straight

you might because of the curve in a road

and the way the road is designed have to

slightly guide the steering wheel to the

left or the right imagine if there's a

pothole or if your road is on a hill and

there's a slight decline to one side or

the other in that case you're doing

guiding not necessarily too much work so

just think about it as being relaxed and

letting the car guide you forward and

let the steering wheel do its work

but if you're going to make any Curves

in the road or any turns you're going to

have to learn just exactly how much you

want to turn the steering wheel

so to talk about how much to turn the

steering wheel I want to think about the

steering wheel in two different ways

first I want to think about it as a

circle 360 degrees

there are times when you might turn the

steering wheel 90 degrees to the left

or 90 degrees to the right

there are other times where you might

turn the steering wheel

180 degrees to the left or

180 degrees to the right

and then there are times when you might

turn the steering wheel 360 Degrees to

the left

or 360 Degrees to the right

that sounds a little technical when

we're sitting on the side of the road or

you're sitting at home thinking about

driving but once you get out on the road

and you realize that Each corner is

going to have its own unique angle and

that you're going to have to get to know

your steering wheel to know how much you

should turn you're going to realize that

it really is important to know sometimes

you'll do a little bit of a turn

sometimes you'll do a lot

sometimes you'll do more

let's see how that looks when we're out

on the road

another important thing to think about

is how our steering wheel and our tires

are designed to go straight so we hardly

have to hold the wheel we can just

gently guide the wheel unless we're

making a turn

then we have to match the rotation of

our steering turn with the curve of the

road

so that we can steer just enough but not

too much

if we oversteer

we risk bumping into

a parked car

or accidentally if we go too wide

blocking oncoming traffic

so we want to be really precise with the

amount of steering that we do with our

wheel holding just long enough

to get around our curves and then

straightening back up to continue going

forward

one of the common challenges that I see

with new drivers when they get nervous

is that they have a tendency to scrunch

up their shoulders and tighten their

grip on the steering wheel and that

actually creates an unnecessary tension

with the steering wheel and can create a

kind of wobbly feeling

so if you find yourself 10 step and your

shoulders 10 step and your elbows tensed

up try to just sit back in the seat

think about how your shoulder blades

should be resting gently on the back of

the seat your elbows should be hanging

down comfortably and you should just be

lightly holding the steering wheel

this right turn up here is a pretty

direct 90 degree angle and let's see how

much I have to turn the steering wheel

almost 360 Degrees to make that right

corner precisely in my position

this left turn is also 90 degrees

let's see how much I have to turn the

wheel

to make a really good 90 degree left

turn here

I'm always going to start with my right

hand on the left turn pushing

pulling

and that was about

270 degrees about three quarters of a

turn of the steering wheel

for this right turn

I'm going to hold the steering wheel to

the right

and then turn just a little bit more as

I finish my turn before gently releasing

so that the steering wheel can go

straight again

again I'm using the design of the car

which wants to go straight

I'm making the slightest curves that are

necessary to get me around the corner

and I'm letting the steering wheel

return back to Center which is a really

important part of steering

understanding that the steering wheel

wants to go back to Center

and the steering wheel connected to the

tires wants to go back to its straight

position

the dotted lines on the ground ahead of

me and the stamps are going to help me

so that when I'm guiding my steering I

really have some focus on where I need

to end up and that's helpful remember

that you're not in this alone the

Traffic Engineers have done a lot of

work to paint the roads to help line up

your uh

your tires and just help you take the

guesswork out of how much you have to

steer

all along this road I'm tracking the

yellow line to the left

I'm guiding the wheel so that I stay

centered above the stamps

and I'm steering just enough making the

slightest rotation of my wheel

to make the slightest curve of my wheels

now if you get the chance to drive an

older car where the steering isn't as

smooth of course you're going to have to

do more work

it might take a little bit more muscle

power to get the steering wheel to turn

but you'll use the same idea and

understanding about the steering wheel

as a circle

thinking about the degrees of turn that

match the road conditions

[Music]

and also think about your guiding hands

sitting in the nine and three o'clock

position

and now we are going to turn into a

parking spot

and I hope that you feel a little bit

more comfortable thinking about the

steering wheel as a 360 degree circle or

as a clock understanding that every

movement has to be precise and match the

requirements of the turn you're going to

take

and remember that you want to keep your

elbows down and your thumbs up as you

turn the wheel so that when you release

the wheel back to Center you can be

ready to continue going straight thanks

a lot have a great rest of the day

[Music]