The Struggles All Amateur Drivers Go Through
Even if you're a seasoned driver now, you probably remember the not-so-great moments you had behind the wheel. Maybe you bumped into a curb once (or twice); maybe you forgot which way to turn the wheel while in reverse. It's a good thing that experience builds confidence, and that's why you've gotten better. But if you're still new on the road or you're just trying to forget that one error you made last week, here are 20 embarrassing mistakes all amateur drivers make.
1. Signaling Wrong
While signaling is a simple flick down or up, amateur drivers are more likely to confuse which is which, or forget during stressful moments and accidentally signal the opposite of what they intended. Not only is this embarrassing for you as a driver, but it can also confuse other road users.
2. Turning Too Fast
Inexperienced drivers are also prone to turning too fast, especially when making left turns (for those who drive on the right-hand side of the road). This is because they're unable to judge how fast they're going, when they should start braking, and what speed they need to turn at.
3. Putting the Wrong Gas In
If you've never made this mistake before, you might find it silly that anyone could ever accidentally make this error. But putting the wrong type of fuel into your vehicle happens more often than you think, and you'll need to take immediate action to not harm the functioning of your car.
4. Not Adjusting Mirrors Correctly
Amateur drivers may also not fully understand how to adjust mirrors, even if they've been given tips on how to do so. Instead of following exactly how someone else does it (such as an instructor, parent, partner, or friend), every driver is different, so it's important to set up your mirrors to suit you and your personal preferences.
5. Not Understanding How Reverse Works
We've probably all been there before: you shift your car into reverse, and then you promptly forget which way to turn the wheel. Once you practice a few more times and get the hang of it, backing up becomes muscle memory, and you'll know which direction goes which way.
6. Turning Too Slow
That's right: not only do inexperienced drivers make the mistake of turning too quickly, they can also turn too slowly. This happens especially during right turns (again, for those who drive on the right-hand side of the road), as it's sometimes difficult to gauge how much to slow down before the maneuver.
7. Not Staying Centered
New or inexperienced drivers are typically too concerned with accidentally hitting objects, so instead of looking straight ahead, they'll stare into the space directly in front of their vehicle. This causes overadjusting of the wheel, making it hard to stay centered in the lane.
8. Driving Into a One-Way Road
Yup, even when there are explicit signs and warnings, sometimes amateur drivers will still trap themselves by driving into one-way streets. Thankfully, most of the time, these are residential neighborhoods or smaller roads with light traffic, so it's easier to get out of the situation unscathed.
9. Turning Into Opposite Traffic Lane
What's worse than driving into a one-way street? Turning into the opposite traffic lane. Believe it or not, even seasoned drivers can make this mistake, especially at night. While it's embarrassing, it's more important to ensure you always stay alert and vigilant when driving so you don't hurt yourself, your passengers, or others on the road.
10. Mistake Brake & Accelerator
Because the brake and accelerator are situated right beside each other, new drivers may mix them up during the first few sessions. Of course, as you drive more and gain more experience, this mistake shouldn't happen again. You should also never (never!) drive with your feet on both pedals.
11. Hitting the Curb
All amateur drivers (and honestly, the experienced ones too, every once and a while) have made this embarrassing mistake before. Maybe you're trying to make a tight turn or you're trying to parallel park, but you misjudge how much space you have and end up running your tires into the curb. Just don't think about the cars around you who witnessed that.
12. Parallel Parking
Parallel parking, unless you're great at it immediately from the get-go, will always be sort of embarrassing to do. If you're not parking in a quiet residential neighborhood, you're attempting the maneuver on the side of a busy street, which means everyone on the road is watching you nail (or massively fail) this parallel park job.
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13. Driving In a Bike Lane
This mistake might also happen to the best of us, not just inexperienced drivers. Sometimes, the bike lane just looks like every other lane, and you don't see the markings on the road until a cyclist passes you and gives you an odd look. And then you realize: oh, that was why everyone else was giving you weird looks.
14. Almost Running a Red Light
Before amateur drivers get the hang of stale lights, they'll almost always either: slow down when it's still safe to go, or speed up just when the light switches from yellow to red. Because of this, they may end up passing the marking and jutting out onto the crosswalk, much to the dismay of pedestrians.
15. Taking the Wrong Exit or Turn
Oops! You missed your exit and now you're forced to drive to the next city. We've probably all been here, right? Inexperienced drivers too are likely to experience highway hypnosis or something similar that causes them to miss their turn or exit.
16. Stalling a Manual Transmission Car
Maybe we haven't all been there; only those who have driven a manual car will understand this feeling, after all. But stalling when you're in the middle of traffic or coming off a red light is one of the most embarrassing things you can do as a new driver, because everyone behind you knows that you've stalled and may have to go around you.
17. Honking at the Wrong Time
Amateur drivers are also likely to be overconfident, leading to some awkward misjudgments. One of which may be honking. They're so certain that they're in the right and others are wrong, that they blast the horn any chance they get—only to realize their mistake afterwards. An example? Honking at someone during their turn at a four-way stop because you didn't know it was a four-way stop.
18. Accidentally Hitting a Pillar
Whether it's parking into a tight space or accidentally going too forward, inexperienced drivers are likely to bump and scratch against pillars or other objects. Not only is it embarrassing, but the mistake will leave a permanent mark until it's fixed.
19. Forgetting Which Way to Turn Wheels On a Hill
Do you remember which way your tires should face when parking uphill and downhill? New, inexperienced drivers often forget, as do drivers who don't usually park on hills. We suggest reviewing a manual or video on this before you make the attempt.
20. Accidentally Turning On Fog Lights
Have you ever gotten randomly honked at while you're just driving and minding your own business? Well, chances are your fog lights might be switched on. Amateur drivers who can't tell the difference between symbols and how to turn them on are more likely to make the mistake. When your brights are on in normal visibility, they can be extremely blinding, hence the warnings from other drivers.
