Questions regarding steering wheel and driving a car

[travis82]

Travis, when you finally get some behind the wheel time, you will forget all about how many "rounds" you have to turn. You'll get the
feel for the steering wheel and the road.

I wish it is as easy as you said.

 

[travis82]

The larger the turn radius the less you'll have to turn the steering wheel, the smaller the turn radius the more you'll have to turn the wheel. You'll learn how much is required by experience.

Sorry. I'm confused. I thought if the turn radius is large, you have to use more force to turn the steering wheel????

 

[travis82]

If it helps, put a piece of coloured tape at the top of the steering wheel when the wheels are facing straight. Now, have the helper turn the wheel 2 full turn to the left and what the front wheel does. Now, have the helper turn one more full turn to the left and watch the front wheel does.

I think after 2 full turns to the left, the steering wheel will be "locked" and can't be turn anymore.

 

[travis82]

Travis, you're best not to even think about the number of turns you are making. It is where you want the car to go that is key.

I remember when I was learning to drive, my instructor first asked if I had ever ridden a bike, he said the concept of steering is the same. He was so right. When you want the car to move straight again after turning, you do not wait until you are pointing in that direction, you have already started to turn back. Hopefully you will master the technique and then you will never think about number of turns again. Good luck Travis!

Thank you! Every one from JUB forum has been so nice and helpful to me.

- - - Updated - - -

Practice practice practice.
I can just simply drive ....

Thanks.

 

[travis82]

Indeed. As I've said a few times here, "Look where you want to go." When you do that, your body will do it's best to get you there. That also applies to where you DON'T want to go. If you car is heading toward a tree and you stare at the tree instead of a way to miss it, chances are you'll hit the tree. It's called 'target fixation'.

This video explains the phenomenon using motorcycles, but the principles are the same for cars.

Thank you for the video link. Appreciated.

Is there any youtube video that teaches you on steering wheel of the car?

 

[travis82]

You can left click on your JustUsBoys "User name".Then left click "View Profile" On the left hand side of that page you can left click on "Find latest started threads"

That will show you previously started threads in case you wanted to look at them.

"User name"

"View Profile"

"Find latest started threads"


Good Luck with everything

Thank you very much.

 

[travis82]

This is why having a big open area to practice in is so important: you can just drive around and get the feel of it and not have to think about how many turns or how far you've turned the steering wheel.

I mentioned this thread to a buddy and he said he learned to drive at a amusement park, with the bumper cars, before any adult let him behind the wheel of a real car. Thinking about the times I've driven bumper cars, I can see how that would work.

Thanks for the suggestion. Never thought that bumper cars can help you in driving.

 

[travis82]

Travis, if you're anywhere near the northern Oregon coast, I could give you lessons.

Thanks.

 

[travis82]

Only the front wheels are controlled by the steering wheel.



Whatever direction you turn the steering wheel, that is the direction the front wheels will turn. The more you turn the steering wheel, the more the front wheels will turn in the direction you are moving the steering wheel. When the front wheels turn as far as they can turn, the steering wheel will stop and you can't turn it any more.

If the front wheels are straight and you turn the steering wheel 1 turn to the left, the front wheels will be facing a little bit to the left. If you turn 1 more turn to the left, the front wheels will be facing a little bit more to the left. (It may take a few more turns to get the wheels facing as far left as they can go.)

Now, let's say you turned the steering wheel 2 turns to the left. The front wheels are now facing "a little bit more" to the left as explained above. Now, if you turn the wheel 1 turn to the right, the wheels are turning to the right, but are now facing "a little bit" to the left as explained in the previous paragraph. You still have to turn the steering wheel more turn to the right (2 turns total) to get th wheels facing straight.

Try this. Get someone to help you. Let them sit in the driver's seat. (If the car has power steering, as most do these days, the helper will have to start the car, but it is not necessary for the car to move.) Now, you stand in front of the car but to the side so you can see both the front-left wheel and the steering wheel and the driver.

If it helps, put a piece of coloured tape at the top of the steering wheel when the wheels are facing straight. Now, have the helper turn the wheel 2 full turn to the left and what the front wheel does. Now, have the helper turn one more full turn to the left and watch the front wheel. Then turn the steering wheel one turn to the right. You will see the front wheel turning to the right, but when the helper stops at one turn, the front wheel is still facing left. The helper must turn one more turn to the right to make the front wheel face straight ahead again.

As many times as you turn the wheel in one direction, you have to turn the steering wheel that many turns in the opposite direction to get the front wheels to face straight ahead.

As I said in an earlier post, the car will do this all by itself. It does not like going around corners. But it will only straighten if the car is moving. If the car is not moving, the front wheels will stay turned. There will be very few instances when you will want to turn the steering wheel when the car is not moving.

You have been very nice and very helpful to me. Thank you. Wish I can be your friend.

Have a great weekend.

 

[Latimer]

We've all needed someone--perhaps a professional--to sit in the car with us and teach us how to drive. Do you have someone to help?

 

[gsdx]

Wish I can be your friend.

Too late. You already are.

 

[LeicsDom]

So yeah, having a good place to train without worries about traffic or real estate is important.

I was lucky that I first learned to drive on a tractor in a field. I got all the basics off pat before I even went on a road

 

[gsdx]

^ That's where I learned, too. And my grandfather's old Ford truck in the fields as soon as I was big enough to reach the pedals.

 

[racer2438]

Center the steering wheel.....STRAIGHT.......place a piece of tape (any color) at top----12-o-clock

That way it will tell you where the tires are pointing.......

 

[G-Lexington]

It's a bit like the tap on your sink, or your shower. As you turn it (let's say it goes counter-clockwise, or "to the left"), more and more water comes out. If you turn it all the way to the left, the most water possible is coming out. If you then start turning it to the right, you'll start having less and less water coming out. It won't immediately stop.

You might do well to simply ride in someone's car, and watch as they steer.

Lex

 

[gsdx]

Center the steering wheel.....STRAIGHT.......place a piece of tape (any color) at top----12-o-clock

That way it will tell you where the tires are pointing.......

Not really. If the wheels are pointing straight and the tape is in place, the wheels won't be straight if he turns the steering wheel 3 to the left and then 2 to the right. He still hasn't figured out that he will know instinctively if the wheels are straight when the car is moving, no matter how many turns of the steering wheel. You can never know for certain if the wheels are straight when the car is stationary without getting out of the car and looking.

 

[Kulindahr]

Center the steering wheel.....STRAIGHT.......place a piece of tape (any color) at top----12-o-clock

That way it will tell you where the tires are pointing.......

Only if the ratio between the steering wheel and the tires is 1:1.

 

[travis82]

We've all needed someone--perhaps a professional--to sit in the car with us and teach us how to drive. Do you have someone to help?

Not really. I guess I can read my driving learner books.

 

[travis82]

Too late. You already are.

Sorry for my late reply. You are really a great,awesome,cool guy.


Any guy will be very very lucky to have you as his boyfriend.

Happy New Year. All the best to you in 2018.

 

[travis82]

Center the steering wheel.....STRAIGHT.......place a piece of tape (any color) at top----12-o-clock

That way it will tell you where the tires are pointing.......

Thanks for the advice. Happy New Year to you.