What to Do When Confusing Left and Right While Driving?
2 Answers
1. Confusing left and right: There are only two solutions to this situation. First, allow yourself more reaction time, don't rush to act, and practice more to improve reaction speed. Second, use methods suitable for you to distinguish left from right, training yourself to achieve conditioned reflexes: for example, the left side is near the window, and the right side is near the gear shift. 2. Confusing left and right when reversing: While moving forward, it's easy to clearly determine left and right, but once reversing, confusion sets in. For example, when adjusting the car body during reverse parking, you may not know how to turn the steering wheel, feeling completely unable to control the car's left and right movements freely. When reversing, make full use of the left and right rearview mirrors. This requires adjusting the mirrors after getting in the car to see the lowest point of the rear wheels as much as possible. When reversing, turn the steering wheel in the direction you want the rear of the car to move; if you're worried about the rear crossing the line, turn in the opposite direction. 3. Inadequate steering wheel control: When the car body deviates during reverse parking, adjustments are needed. However, sometimes the adjustments are too fast or too strong, leading to a feeling of losing control or over-correction. Steering wheel control should grasp 'three degrees': speed, force, and range.
When I first started learning to drive, I also often confused left and right. Looking back now, it was mainly due to nervousness. Later, I took a few deep breaths before driving each time and deliberately focused on hand movements. For example, when turning, I would softly say to myself 'left turn' and push the upper left side of the steering wheel, and 'right turn' for the upper right side. After forming this small habit, it became much easier. You can also practice at home while watching TV—when a turning scene comes on, mimic the steering motions. Friends with poor sense of direction are advised to practice parallel parking more, as situations requiring fine adjustments are great for honing judgment. Practicing about 50 times will basically eliminate confusion. The key is to find a memorization method that works for you—some people find body positioning, like remembering the clutch is on the left foot, very effective.
