Moving Off
There’s a routine that you need to learn
that will always allow you to move off safely:
P.O.M.
·
Prepare
·
Observe
·
Manoeuvre
Prepare- Get
the controls of the car ready first. This includes the gears,
the gas and the clutch so that the car is physically ready to
go.
Observe- Check
all around in this order: Ahead, interior mirror, door
mirror(s), blind spot (the area that the mirrors don’t show
you). Signal if you need to.
Manoeuvre-
Get the car moving as soon as it's safe.
Doing things in this order should get you
moving away safely because this cuts down the delay between
checking and going.
This is something that you need to get
into the habit of doing whenever you move off from a parked
position, from a junction or even before doing any reverse
manoeuvre. Separating these tasks cuts down your mental
workload and reduces the risk of any little “surprises” just
as you move out into what you thought was an empty road.
A word of caution: Any signals that you
give are only to show others your intentions. You have to make
sure that when you move off or emerge, it doesn’t interfere
with the progress of the people around you. If they decide to
give way, fine, but signals don’t give you permission to do
anything. If in doubt – wait!
