Country and City Driving

Driving in the country compared to in the CBD can be like chalk and cheese. If you learn to drive in the country or the outer suburbs, going for a drive in the CBD can be quite a shock.

The Differences

The main difference between country and city driving is the amount of cars you have to deal with. You will feel a whole lot more pressure driving through built up areas. This is because you have to share the road with many more drivers, and you will find that city drivers can be very impatient.

You will have to deal with tailgating, people cutting in and out of lanes, people speeding, taxi drivers being distracted and stopping in the middle of the road (not to mention going the wrong way down one-way streets and other illegal manoeuvres), people being on social media on their phones, people missing lights or running red lights… the list goes on.

In the city you will have to deal with all kinds of drivers. The trick is to keep your eyes on the road and regularly check your mirrors for the positions of other cars. One thing you especially need to watch out for is motorcyclists. They can be easy to miss as they are a lot smaller than cars, and they tend to weave in and out of traffic and go between cars down the line between two lanes.

How to Handle City Driving

Staying alert is key. You have to drive with the traffic, and go with the flow. You have to be able to read signs and signals without looking away from the road. You have to be ready to deal with road-raging drivers who seem like they had one too many Red Bulls that day.

If you can, get some experience driving in the suburbs before you take the plunge and drive in the CBD. It’s best to build up to it, as the last thing you want to do is get flustered in the middle of driving. It could be dangerous.

Take your time learning, push yourself, but not too hard, and you should be fine.

Click here for more information about Great Western Driving School.