Online driving tutorial - Emerging Approaching

This online driving tutorial is focusing on advanced emerging. That's giving way and turning from the minor road into the major road. You should be well versed with MSM and POM by this stage.

Minor to major

I really believe that emerging is one of the most difficult things whilst learning to drive. Each end of the road situation will be slightly different from the last one you visited, so it's tricky to prescribe one solution to fit all scenarios.

Once you have the hang of basic emerging it's time to start trying to perfect it. Depending on what you see at the end of the road determines what will happen next.

Open junctions 

The term 'open junction' means that visibility both to the right and left of the major road your approaching is clear from a distance.

You will still be expected to complete your MSM routine and get your speed down to about 10 mph. If you can see both to the left and right, and it's clear, then no need to stop. You can simply make your turn and make progress. Don't forget to check your mirror in the new road. 

These are exceptionally rare and I'd recommend sticking to the basic routine of assuming you are stopping.  This will never be wrong. 

Make a mistake with an open junction looking to go first time could be extremely costly.

Closed junctions

This applies to about 99% of the junctions you'll come across. This is when you can see very clearly that you have no idea of what is behind the bushes/wall/fence/trucks etc at the end of the road. Due to this blocked visibility assume you're stopping.

The advanced technique for these junctions is as follows. Below are two contrasting closed junctions. They can be found in both cities and in leafy suburbs.

Let's assume you're turning left first. On approach, you're asked to turn left. Mirrors first, then signal, start reducing your speed. Now you have to assume there is danger around the corner and that we're going to stop.

Still under braking getting the car down to about 5 mph, position the car with enough left turn so to ease you round the corner, hugging the kerb and out of the road. DON'T LOOK TO THE RIGHT TOO SOON.  If you look right too early, you won't be able to hug the pavement and how can you stop at the line if you're not looking at it?

When you get to where the give way lines vanish under the cars bonnet you will now be able to observe and if clear come off the brake and glide around the corner.

If it's not clear, we're already on the brake, so increase the pressure and gently stop the car at the end of the road.

The key is to not observe until the end of the road, focus on position and following that kerb until the give way lines vanish, then look to go.

Just apply the same to turning right. Be aware that turning right is more difficult as you have to move across a lane of traffic. Remember to emerge straight first, then make your turn and get into your driving position ASAP.  This is especially true for very wide roads.

Emerging up hill 

You want to be applying the same method here as usual, however, you'll want to be slightly faster on approach and wait longer before releasing the accelerator. The reason for this is gravity. If you slow down too early, or brake too soon, you'll lose too much momentum and not make it to the end of the road first time smoothly.