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1.7 STEERING - two acceptable methods
Looking at the steering
wheel as a clock face, the hands rest on the steering wheel between the 9/10
o’clock and 2 o’clock /quarter to three positions. It may vary according
to the location of indicators and windscreen wiper switches. There should be
a slight bend in the elbow, when the palm of the hand reaches the top of the
steering wheel. Do
not hold the wheel tightly, rather be
relaxed. A light grip on the steering wheel lets you feel the road better.
| 1.
The
pull-push method.
Both hands move in an up and down motion on the sides of the steering
wheel. The right hand on the right-hand side and the other on the left.
|
For
turning left:
The left hand
pulls the wheel down, whilst during the same movement, the right hand
moves down ready to take over. The right hand
pushes the wheel up, as the left hand moves up etc.
|
| For a right-hand turn it is
vice-versa, the right hands pulls down, as the left moves down,
ready to push up.
Here
is how pull-push looks like
(links to our UK Partner).
Even on a slight bend, this method works very well. Just move
the steering wheel as required. Both hands are always at the same height,
making it very neat and tidy. The body stays balanced.
When a sharp turn is
required, both hands must move briskly from the top (12 o’clock ) to the
bottom of the wheel (6 o’clock).
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2. The
hand-over-hand method.
Steering in this
fashion crosses hands on top of the steering wheel. It is often used
during manoeuvres, e.g. three-point-turns, because a quicker movement from
lock-to- lock (left to right extreme), can be achieved.
|
Caution!
Loose
clothing or jewellery may get in the way using this method of steering. The body
may become unbalanced, as the hands cross over from one side of
the wheel to the other. Many driving instructors discourage
students to use of this steering method. |
|
The
most common steering faults are:
1.
Letting the wheel spin back by itself.
2. Placing hands
inside the steering wheel
3. Crossing hands
under the wheel.
4. Steering with
one hand. |
|
 |
Road Safety
Experts prefer the pull-push method. However, if a new driver finds it
easier to cross hands and it brings results, why change it?
In the debate about which
method of steering is best, it is often forgotten that a driver with long
arms and/or short legs finds it hard to pull-push the steering wheel, as the
elbow space is limited. Likewise a person
with short arms may opt for the pull-push method naturally. The arm may not
be long enough to reach over the top of the steering wheel.
Many
steering problems are caused not so much by incorrect handling of the
steering wheel, but by not looking far enough away from the vehicle where it
is meant to go. (This fault is covered in detail in Section 1.12
Observation).
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