How to Judge the Width of your Car - Narrow spaces and staying in your lane

Summary

This video offers practical advice on navigating narrow spaces while driving. The instructor shares personal anecdotes and demonstrates techniques to judge gaps instead of car width, using oneself as a reference point. Tips include using reference markers for parking and slow maneuvers, and checking wing mirrors when very narrow gaps are encountered. The video aims to boost driver confidence in assessing road space.

Takeaways

• 🚗 The script is a driving tutorial focusing on how to judge the sides of your car while driving.
• 👶 The narrator recalls childhood memories of being in a car and feeling like it was going to crash, relating it to new drivers' fears.
• 🚦 Many new drivers tend to veer left or right, often due to focusing too much on the sides of their car or oncoming traffic.
• 🛣️ The solution is to not think about the car's sides but rather to imagine driving oneself down the road, with the car following.
• 🌍 For right-hand drive countries, use the left leg as a guide, and for left-hand drive countries, use the right leg.
• 🚘 When navigating narrow spaces, focus on fitting the car into the gap rather than worrying about the car's width.
• 👀 Use reference points outside the car, such as other vehicles or road markings, to judge the size of gaps.
• 🚦 In tight situations, use reference markers on the car and check wing mirrors to ensure you're not going to hit anything.
• 🔍 When going through very narrow gaps, go incredibly slowly and use clutch control to maintain precise speed.
• 🛑 If unsure about a gap, it's better to wait or encourage oncoming traffic to give more space rather than risk an accident.
• 👍 The video aims to build confidence in drivers for navigating narrow roads and judging gaps without focusing on the car's width.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video?

The main focus of the video is to teach viewers how to judge the sides of their car when driving, particularly in narrow spaces.

Why do people often feel like they are going to hit oncoming cars while driving?

People often feel like they are going to hit oncoming cars because the perspective from inside the car can make it seem like there is less space than there actually is, causing a feeling of impending collision.

What childhood memory does the narrator share to relate to the driving experience?

The narrator shares a memory of sitting in a child seat of his dad's 1979 Datsun Bluebird estate, feeling like they were going to hit oncoming cars.

Why do driving instructors struggle to stop their pupils from driving into the curb?

Driving instructors struggle to stop their pupils from driving into the curb because most people instinctively want to drive to the left, which can lead to them veering towards the curb.

What is the solution to judging the sides of the car while driving?

The solution is to not focus on the car itself but on the driver's own position on the road, imagining oneself walking down the lane with a leg in the middle of the lane to guide the car.

How does the narrator suggest using oneself to judge the position of the car?

The narrator suggests imagining oneself walking down the road with the left leg in the middle of the lane if driving in a right-hand drive country, or the right leg if in a left-hand drive country, to guide the car accordingly.

What is the key to navigating narrow gaps in the road?

The key to navigating narrow gaps is to judge the size of the gap and use reference markers or wing mirrors when going very slowly, ensuring there is enough space for the car to pass through.

Why should drivers avoid using reference markers at higher speeds?

Drivers should avoid using reference markers at higher speeds because it takes their focus off the road ahead and can cause them to veer off course.

How does the narrator demonstrate going through narrow gaps?

The narrator demonstrates going through narrow gaps by driving slowly, using clutch control, and continuously checking both sides with reference markers or wing mirrors.

What advice does the narrator give for encouraging oncoming traffic to give space?

The narrator advises getting a bit closer to the oncoming car without playing chicken, to signal the need for more space, but if they don't comply, to wait until they've passed before proceeding.

What is the importance of using oneself as a reference point when driving through narrow spaces?

Using oneself as a reference point helps to avoid overthinking and improve confidence. It allows drivers to better judge the size of the gap rather than the width of their car, leading to safer navigation through tight spaces.

Outlines

00:00

🚗 Learning to Judge Car Widths

The video begins with the host discussing their early memories of learning to drive and the fear of hitting oncoming cars. It highlights a common issue among new drivers: overestimating the proximity of their car to other objects. The host explains that instead of trying to judge the sides of the car, experienced drivers focus on positioning themselves correctly on the road. They use their own body as a reference, imagining they are walking down the road and guiding the car with them. The video emphasizes the importance of not overthinking and building confidence in one's driving skills.

05:00

👀 Understanding Visual Perception While Driving

This section of the video script describes the challenges of judging distances while driving, such as the kerb appearing closer than it is. The host demonstrates how the perspective from the driver's seat can be deceptive, making lanes look narrower than they actually are. The solution presented is to focus on the gap size rather than the car's width, using oneself as a guide. The host also advises on how to handle oncoming traffic, suggesting getting closer to encourage them to move over and provide more space, but cautions against taking unnecessary risks.

10:03

🛣️ Navigating Tight Spaces

The host shares tips on how to safely navigate through narrow gaps on the road. They emphasize the importance of assessing the size of the gap rather than the car's width, and adjusting speed accordingly. When approaching a tight space, the video suggests slowing down significantly and using reference markers, such as the bottom of the window, to judge proximity to obstacles. The host also discusses the importance of clutch control and continuously checking both sides of the car to avoid collisions.

15:03

📏 Mastering Parking and Tight Maneuvers

In the final paragraph, the host provides a detailed guide on how to use reference markers for parking and very slow maneuvers. They explain how to set a reference marker by parking close to the curb and using the bottom of the window as a guide. The video stresses that these markers are only useful at very slow speeds and should not be used while driving at normal speeds. The host also advises on checking wing mirrors regularly when navigating extremely narrow gaps and the importance of going very slowly to ensure safety.

Keywords

💡Learner Car

A 'learner car' refers to a vehicle used by someone who is in the process of learning to drive. In the context of the video, the presenter uses their own learner car to demonstrate techniques for judging the sides of a car while driving. This is crucial for new drivers to avoid accidents and gain confidence on the road.

💡Judging the sides

Judging the sides of a car is the ability to estimate how much space is on either side of the vehicle while driving, which is essential for safely navigating tight spaces and avoiding collisions. The video emphasizes that instead of focusing on the car's width, drivers should focus on the size of the gap and their own position within the lane.

💡Oncoming Car

An 'oncoming car' is a vehicle that is traveling towards the driver's car from the opposite direction. The script mentions the common fear of hitting an oncoming car, which is a concern the video aims to address by teaching viewers how to judge gaps and position their car correctly.

💡Curb

A 'curb' is the edge of a road where it meets the pavement or another boundary. In driving, maintaining a safe distance from the curb is important to avoid running off the road or damaging the car. The video uses the curb as a reference point to demonstrate how drivers can judge their position relative to the road.

💡Reference Markers

Reference markers are visual cues used by drivers to help judge distances when parking or navigating narrow spaces. The video suggests using the bottom of the car window as a reference marker to determine how close the car is to the curb or other objects. This technique is particularly useful at very low speeds.

💡Wing Mirrors

Wing mirrors, also known as side view mirrors, are exterior mirrors on either side of a car that allow the driver to see behind and to the sides of the vehicle. The script advises checking these mirrors when approaching very narrow gaps to ensure there is enough space to clear objects without hitting them.

💡Reverse Sensors

Reverse sensors are devices that emit ultrasonic waves and detect objects when the car is in reverse. They alert the driver to obstacles that may not be visible in the mirrors. The video mentions that these sensors can also be triggered by very narrow spaces, indicating how close the car is to an object.

💡Clutch Control

Clutch control refers to the ability to smoothly and precisely operate the clutch pedal in a manual transmission vehicle. This skill is crucial when navigating narrow gaps, as it allows the driver to move the car at very slow speeds, providing more control and the ability to stop quickly if needed.

💡Gap

In the context of the video, a 'gap' is the space between a parked car and an oncoming car that the driver must pass through. The presenter advises focusing on judging the size of the gap rather than the car's width, which is a key strategy for safely navigating tight spaces.

💡Confidence

Confidence in driving refers to a driver's self-assurance and belief in their ability to handle various driving situations. The video suggests that as drivers gain experience and confidence, they will be better able to judge gaps and position their car without overthinking, leading to safer and more efficient driving.

💡Narrow Spaces

Narrow spaces are confined areas on the road where there is limited room for a car to pass, such as between parked cars or in tight lanes. The video provides strategies for assessing and navigating these spaces safely, which is a valuable skill for drivers in urban environments or when faced with road works.

Highlights

Learner drivers often overestimate the proximity to oncoming cars and curbs.

Driving instructors aim to prevent pupils from veering towards curbs.

People tend to drive too close to the left, focusing more on pedestrians than oncoming traffic.

Judging the sides of your car is the main cause of driving errors.

Experienced drivers focus on their own position in the lane rather than the car's.

In right-hand drive countries, imagine walking with your left leg in the middle of your lane.

In left-hand drive countries, use your right leg as a reference for positioning.

Drivers should not judge the width of their car but the size of the gap they're navigating.

Confidence in driving comes with trusting one's spatial awareness overthinking can lead to mistakes.

Encourage oncoming traffic to give you space by positioning your car appropriately.

When approaching a narrow gap, assess whether you can fit by comparing it to the size of other cars.

Use the space between parked cars and oncoming vehicles as a reference for 'the gap'.

In very narrow spaces, use reference markers to judge the sides of your car.

Reference markers are only effective at slow speeds and should not be used while driving at speed.

When going through tight gaps, look at your wing mirrors to ensure you clear objects.

Develop good clutch control to navigate narrow gaps safely.

Continuously check both sides of your car when going through narrow gaps.

Use the bottom of the window as a reference marker for the curb when parked near it.

Sponsorship links for learning to drive and car insurance are provided in the video description.

Subscribe for more driving tips and subscribe to the channel for future videos.

Transcripts

in this video i'm going to take my

learner car out

to show you how to judge the sides of

your car

one of my earliest memories was actually

when i was

around about four or five years old

sitting in the front

with a child seat of my dad's datsun

bluebird estate

from 1979 which i actually happen to

have a brochure of

this machine here because i'm a bit of a

car nerd

not exactly the most impressive machine

but as a very young toddler

it was a car with wheels and it moved so

it's wonderful

but the memory wasn't that great because

i remember sitting there thinking

ah we're gonna hit the person we're

gonna hit the oncoming car we're gonna

have a crash

but of course we didn't and a lot of the

people i teach to drive and i'm sure a

lot of you

probably feel the same way sometimes

you're driving down the road and you

feel like you're going to hit the

oncoming car

which is why driving instructors are

permanently trying to stop

their pupils from driving into the curb

most people

always want to drive to left rarely do

they want to drive to the right that

does happen

but that's normally when they're

focusing on the people walking on the

pavement

rather than the oncoming cars and

herein lies the problem if you try to

judge the sides of your car which is

exactly what those two examples

are trying to do that's what actually

causes the problem

so you can't judge the sides of your car

but there is a solution

firstly i'll show you why it's hard to

judge the sides of your car using this

head cam

now if you look out the front window you

can

see the kerb comes all the way over here

somewhere in the front window on the

dashboard looks like we're on the curb

but i can assure you we're not we are

actually next to the curb and also the

white line on the right

looks like it comes through the dash

around about here as well so

that lane looks tiny the window looks

huge

the car looks huge well that's the

problem

what's the solution well here's the

secret most experienced drivers

don't think about the car when they're

driving they think about themselves they

drive themselves down the road because

the car looks

so much bigger than it actually is from

your perspective

and if you're in a country such as this

country where your steering was on the

right

you're on the right of the car you just

imagine yourself walking down your lane

with your left

leg in the middle of your lane you guide

yourself

down the road and the car follows if

you're in the country which sixty

percent of the world are

where the steering wheel is on the other

side you'll use your right leg

because your right leg will be the leg

nearest the center of your car

but you may be thinking what about the

car the car's so much bigger than you

are how can you imagine yourself walking

down the road

and that's safe because you're tiny

compared to the car

this is how you do that well what i do

is i use myself

to judge where to place the car i'm not

actually using myself to judge how wide

the space is

i know this space is wide enough for a

car i can see that blue car

would fit in the space so i know that

that space is wide enough also i know

the lane on this road is wide enough for

a car

so i don't actually worry about the

width of the car because i know there's

enough space

so when i set off which i will do now

just make sure it's safe to go

all i'll do is control myself i'll steer

the wheel

until i feel like i am standing with my

left leg

in the middle of my lane which i am now

then i know the middle of the car is in

the middle of lane therefore i should be

fine

if you overthink things and start

thinking about the side of the car

you'll get into trouble and it does take

confidence

to do this when you're not confident you

will overthink things but as confidence

grows

you'll trust that it works so can i fit

past the black car

yes i can because i can easily fit the

black car in the space

what about with this red car freeze the

red car there can you

fit the black car in that space now

i don't think so it looks too narrow so

i wouldn't go but look to the right of

the red car

could the red car move over somewhat to

make the gap

bigger to make it easier for you to fit

through

if yes is the answer there's nothing

wrong with you encouraging the oncoming

car

to move over and give you help to

encourage the oncoming car to move

over to give you space you should get a

bit closer to that oncoming car

don't go head-on with them this is not a

game of chicken

just get a little bit closer if they

comply and start to move over

that's great you're opening up your

space you're making the gap bigger so

you can fit

if they don't comply and they stay

stubborn where they are

then just wait until they've passed

before you go through

don't be dangerous and this is because

most drivers aren't actually thinking

about you they're most likely in their

own world

driving down the road if you get

yourself out there a little bit so they

notice you they may think oh look

someone's trying to fit through here and

then they can help you out

i'm now going to drive down the road

with the head cam to show you what it

looks like when i go through some

narrow gaps i'm not going to show you

the whole clip because that would be

boring

i will skip to the important bits here

goes so can i fit

past this white car can i fit the black

bmw in the gap

just i could so i would do that very

slowly so i'm actually going to

accelerate here i'm only doing about

10 miles an hour so i can fit next to

the blue car that's coming

lots of space there there's lots of

space next to that

red car i can fit the red car in the gap

but with the white car can i fit the red

car in the gap

yes i can so i know this car will fit in

the gap you see i'm not

judging the width of my car i'm not

judging the sides of my car

i'm judging the size of the gap and

that's what you've got to try and do

can i fit in that gap that's that's

doable i can fit the car in the gap i

can fit this part car in the gap so i

could

it was quite small so i did go slow i

will only go quick if it's a very

easy gap if it's a smaller gap i will go

slowly and if the gap looks a little bit

dodgy possibly not quite big enough

i won't risk it i won't go if you're not

sure what i mean by gap

i'm talking about the space you need to

drive through between the parked car

and the oncoming car that's the gap

you've got to go through

like a gap in the wall so to speak i can

see

that i can fit past the bike because

that space is really big but

where there's a van on the right it gets

more narrow that's quite a narrow gap so

i have slowed down to about 14 miles an

hour now

oh look what we have we have a bus so

here i'm actually going to slow down

and wait for the bus to come through

because that gap doesn't quite look big

enough for me that looks a little bit

small so i'll let them come through

first

with the car i could just about squeeze

but there's no need squeezing

when there's only one car if the cars

were continuous i

would squeeze through and that applies

to normal driving squeeze through tight

gaps when you need to

don't squeeze through when it's not busy

if there's a need to yes try and get the

traffic flowing

but if it's not busy you may as well

just wait this is obviously a very

narrow gap

i can just about fit through there i'm

already committed to there's nowhere for

me to wait

got the white van here coming i can fit

the white van in the space i can fit the

jaguar coming in the space so i know

there's enough space for me

i'll just position myself in the middle

of that space

oh this should be fun i can fit the

light blue car

in the gap and most cars are a similar

width yes they vary by

i know 20 30 centimeters but you're not

going to be

judging gaps that accurately accurately

anyway

mince my word there a little bit

accurately you're going to be judging it

a bit more rough you can easily fit that

white car in the space for example

so any car of any width is going to be

able to fit in this space

fortunately the oncoming truck has seen

me coming they're waiting to let me

finish that's very good of them that's

what they should do because there's

definitely not enough room

for two cars on this bit here i'll say

thank you and there is a gap big enough

next to him i can fit the white car in

the space i can fit in the space

and obviously i can see this space here

is definitely wide enough for one car

so i'll just go down the middle of it

when it is a narrow space big enough for

one car

don't go to the left of it because you

just encourage people to try and squeeze

through

that's almost like telling them to come

get yourself in the middle of that space

to tell them wait for me please i need

to come through same here this is really

big enough for just me no incoming cars

so i'm not going to be going near the

curb like this encouraging them to come

through that's what learners do learners

see an oncoming car

and they think let's get out the way but

sometimes you need to make sure you're

bigger

and get in the way to get the message

across that they need to wait

i can fit next to the black car because

i can easily fit the black car in the

space so i'll just go through i am going

to go quite slow here though because

there's a bend and someone could come

around that bend quite quickly and i am

on the wrong side of the road they will

need to let me finish it's not my

responsibility now it's their

responsibilities let me finish because i

am committed

so now i've shown you how to judge

reasonable gaps gaps that are

easily big enough for your car how do

you judge the gaps that are

really small where you've got to go

through a really tight gap where you're

at risk of losing one of your wing

mirrors

well that is the only time when you're

actually going to try and judge the

sides of your car you do it when you're

parking

and you do it when you're going through

very small gaps

and the only way you can do that safely

is to go

incredibly slowly there's two things you

can do

one is you can actually look at your

wing mirrors when you get close to the

object to see if you're going to

clear the object or hit the object if

you're really slow you'll be able to

stop before you hit it

and another way is reference markers out

the front

window to set a reference marker

firstly you need to carefully park near

the curb and then see where the kerb

touches the bottom of the window

where the kerb touches the bottom of the

window is now a reference point so you

know

when you're close when the curb gets

that close you know

you're close don't let the curb get too

close or too much to the right

because obviously you're gonna hit it

and you can do that for both sides of

the car

so now i've turned the car around and

carefully parked close to the curb

you can see i'm relatively close to the

curb there

and then i can use the bottom of the

window as a reference marker remember

roughly where that curve is at the

moment with the window then i know

that's where i'm close

reference markers set don't transfer

them to other cars because they won't

work in other cars they'll just work

in your particular car it can be useful

i will warn you though

don't use these reference markers when

you are going at speed you need to look

up the road when you're driving at speed

reference markers are only for parking

and only for very slow maneuvers or

going through

very slow gaps certainly less than two

or three miles an hour

now i'm going to turn down this road on

the left

look how narrow that looks i'm certainly

going to need both sides of the road to

get in there

so i'm going to pause first get first

gear and let anyone out before i go in

looks like no one's coming out so

let's go through and this is where it

gets quite narrow this is where

the gap gets so narrow you may have to

check the size of your car

i'm okay with this gap with the black

and the blue car

but it's where this silver one is after

the pigeon that's watching me

that looks a bit more narrow through

that gap i may actually have to slow

down with the clutch down if you notice

i'm doing very slow speed one or two

miles an hour and i can actually see

very clearly there i'm missing the wing

mirror on that side

and i can get near this wing mirror on

the left and i can see i'm missing it on

that side i'll

continue to check i continuously check

both sides don't just look at one side

because if you become transfixed on one

side you'll probably hit the other side

now this one's not too hard let's try

and find one that's a bit harder

oh that looks a bit nasty getting in

there let's try and get in this little

gap there see how that looks

so okay just about i've got my reference

marker on the left for the curb

i'm not even doing one miles an hour and

i've definitely got space on the right

there the key here is control if you can

control your car really slowly you can

do this you've got to have

good clutch control first before you

deal with narrow gaps

you can easily clear that wing mirror

there and my reference marker on the

left

is fine as well it's to the left of my

marker

looks a bit wider here i can probably

actually come all the way off the clutch

and do more than four miles an hour

because i can squeeze through here

without having to check the sides if i

have to continuously check the sides

like this it's clutch down job it's very

very very slow

you can't have the clutch up because

you'll be too fast

and i don't like to take that kind of

risk of knocking someone's wing mirror

off now this looks a bit more narrow

here with this audi

so clutch down again to get a bit slower

i can see my reference markers okay on

the left

the right looks good left looks good

right yep

definitely good there not too hard

actually

i've had a lot harder than that we'll

see if we can make it a bit harder it is

getting a bit more

narrow down there it's a bit better here

with that fiat

the fiesta's got his wheels sticking out

but that looks okay i can still keep the

clutch up there actually

but this black car now this black car

this is the narrow one

that is barely big enough for a car i

mean you've got quite a handy guide here

you've got that red car in front of us

is it a brown or a red i don't know

something brown or red

you can barely fit that car in that gap

so no i can barely fit in that gap that

car is tiny bit bigger than mine

so if i move forwards now i can see i'm

right on my reference marker that's like

parking distance from the kerb

and if you look at my wing mirror that

is really quite close

there and it's actually setting off my

reverse sensors saying i'm too close

to the objects on the right so i'll go

through here very slowly zero miles an

hour just using clutch control checking

both my reference point on the left

and the wing mirror on the right and now

i'm clear and i have a

lovely narrow gap that's my rear reverse

sensor going off now because my reverse

sensors actually do the sides

as well as the front and back so as my

rear went past the narrow pinch

set the rear side one off as well

and this one looks okay so we're out the

woods now job done

so to summarize use yourself to judge

the position of the car

use the size of the gap and other part

cars up the road

to judge the size of the gap you judge

the size of the gap

not the width of your car if you're in a

really really narrow space

then you can use reference markers but

only use reference markers when you're

slow

because it takes your eye off the road

and you won't be able to stay

in a straight line if you start using

reference markers at speed

and because when you're using a

reference point you're looking at only

one side

you miss the other side also if it is a

really narrow gap and there's actually a

car there instead of just

a curb you can actually look at the wing

mirror

on either side regularly to see if

you're gonna clear the space

but again you're gonna be very slow

you're gonna have to clutch down

definitely

maybe one possibly two miles an hour

sometimes

my speedo registers zero because i'm not

even doing a whole

mile an hour as i go through such a gap

well i hope this video helps you get

through

narrow spaces in the road and makes you

more confident at judging

the width of your car not that you're

actually judging the width for your car

you're judging the space

if you think it does please give the

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