Bahrain Driving Practical cheat sheet

Pre-drive sequence: seat and headrest adjusted, mirrors set, seatbelt on, gear in neutral or park, handbrake engaged before starting the engine.

Clutch control: the biting point is where the engine note drops and the bonnet lifts slightly; hold there before releasing the handbrake on a hill start.

Steering method: feed the wheel hand-over-hand for large turns and keep both hands on the rim except when operating controls; return the wheel by letting it slide through the fingers.

Stall recovery: clutch down, brake on, gear to neutral, restart the engine, then re-select first and repeat the biting-point sequence.

Hill start on an incline: bring the clutch to biting point, add slight accelerator, release the handbrake only when the bonnet lifts and the car feels to pull forward.

Emergency stop: brake firmly and progressively without locking the wheels, keep both hands on the wheel, and apply the handbrake once stopped.

Gear choice rule: use the highest gear that does not labour the engine; first gear for pulling away and very low speeds, second for slow turns and traffic queues.

Cockpit drill order before moving off: doors, seatbelt, mirrors, gear, handbrake, signal, then observation - commonly remembered as the pre-move routine.

Mirror routine before any change of speed or direction: centre mirror, relevant side mirror, then signal, then manoeuvre.

Blind spot is the area not visible in the mirrors; check it by a brief shoulder glance over the relevant side before moving off, changing lanes, or opening a door.

Interior mirror should show the full rear window; side mirrors should show a sliver of the car's own body for reference.

Following the two-second rule keeps the view ahead open; in rain or at night, double the gap to four seconds.

At junctions, look left-right-left before emerging; the last look must be in the direction of the traffic you are joining.

When reversing, turn the head and body to look through the rear window, use mirrors to check the sides, and pause if the view is blocked.

Pedestrian checks: glance at pavements, crossings, and driveways before and during any manoeuvre.

Motorcycle and cyclist checks: look twice for them at junctions and before turning, since they are small and easily hidden by pillars.

At a T-junction, traffic on the through road has priority; emerging traffic must give way to vehicles approaching from both directions on that road.

At an uncontrolled crossroads, give way to traffic already in the junction and to traffic approaching from the right where local rules or signage require.

At a roundabout, give way to traffic already on the roundabout, approaching from the right in Bahrain's right-hand-drive, left-hand-traffic system.

Roundabout lane rule: left lane for the first and second exits, right lane for later exits; move to the outer lane before the exit.

Signal left when leaving a roundabout and check the left mirror before moving over.

Stop line rule: stop at the line, not before it; if the line is obscured, stop where you can see approaching traffic clearly.

Turning right at a junction: position near the centre line, signal right, give way to oncoming traffic, and complete the turn into the corresponding lane.

Turning left at a junction: position near the left kerb, signal left, and watch for cyclists or pedestrians on the inside.

Drive in the rightmost lane unless overtaking, turning left soon, or traffic conditions require otherwise; keep left of the centre line only when passing.

Signal timing: indicate at least three seconds before a manoeuvre and cancel the signal once complete.

Lane change sequence: mirror, signal, blind-spot check, manoeuvre; do not change lanes on a solid white line.

Position for a right turn: near the centre line; for a left turn: near the left kerb; for straight ahead: in the correct lane marked for that direction.

Do not straddle lanes or drive in the hatched area marked with solid white lines.

Overtaking: pass on the right of the vehicle ahead in left-hand-traffic systems, and return to the right lane only when the overtaken vehicle is visible in the interior mirror.

Signals must be cancelled after use; a signal left on misleads other drivers and is a common test fault.

Parking against the kerb: wheels parallel and within 30 cm of the kerb; do not park on yellow lines or in spaces reserved for disabled drivers.

Urban default speed limit in Bahrain is typically 50 km/h unless signs indicate otherwise; motorway limits are higher and are posted.

Two-second rule: pick a fixed object ahead, count two seconds after the vehicle in front passes it; if you reach it sooner, you are too close.

Wet or night conditions: double the following gap to four seconds; in heavy rain or poor visibility, increase further.

Speed must be reduced before a hazard, not during it; brake before the bend, then accelerate gently through it.

Stopping distance grows with the square of speed: doubling speed roughly quadruples braking distance.

In school zones, near mosques at prayer times, and in residential areas, reduce speed and be ready to stop.

Speed cameras and radar traps are common on Bahrain's main roads; posted limits are enforced, and fines apply.

Maintain a steady speed in traffic; erratic acceleration and braking waste fuel and increase collision risk.

Parallel parking sequence: pull alongside the car ahead, reverse until your rear bumper aligns with its rear bumper, then turn the wheel toward the kerb and straighten as the car enters the space.

Reverse into a bay: use the side mirror to keep the bay line visible, reverse slowly, and straighten once the rear of the car is inside the bay.

Reversing observation: turn the head to look through the rear window, check both mirrors, and pause if a pedestrian or vehicle enters the path.

Hill parking: turn the front wheels toward the kerb when facing downhill and away from the kerb when facing uphill, and engage the handbrake.

Three-point turn: signal, check mirrors and blind spots, turn the wheel fully, reverse to the opposite kerb, then forward to complete the turn.

Do not reverse further than necessary; reversing on a main road or around a blind corner is prohibited or strongly discouraged.

Parking on a slope: leave the car in gear or park, apply the handbrake, and angle the wheels so the car would roll away from traffic.

Bay parking alignment: line up the car's centre with the bay centre before reversing; the side mirror should show the bay line and the kerb.

Scan 12–15 seconds ahead in urban driving and further on faster roads; look for brake lights, pedestrians stepping off kerbs, and cars edging out of side roads.

The Smith system: aim high in steering, get the big picture, keep your eyes moving, leave yourself an out, and make sure others see you.

Cover the brake when approaching a hazard you cannot yet resolve; this shortens reaction time.

Anticipate the actions of others: a car with a flashing indicator may turn without warning, and a parked car may pull out.

In rain, reduce speed and increase the gap; standing water can cause aquaplaning, so ease off the accelerator rather than braking hard.

At night, dip headlights for oncoming traffic and use high beam only on unlit roads with no traffic ahead.

Watch for sand on the road after dust storms; it reduces grip, especially on bends.

If a vehicle tailgates, increase the gap ahead rather than braking sharply, giving yourself room to stop gradually.

Seatbelts are mandatory for the driver and all passengers; children must be restrained appropriately.

Using a hand-held mobile phone while driving is prohibited; use a hands-free system only where permitted.

Drink-driving is prohibited; Bahrain applies a zero-tolerance approach to alcohol and drugs while driving.

Red traffic lights, stop signs, and solid white lines must be obeyed; running a red light is a serious offence with penalties.

Speed limits are posted and enforced by cameras and patrols; fines and points apply for exceeding them.

Roundabout entry rule: give way to traffic already circulating; failure to give way is a common cause of collisions and a test fault.

Road signs follow international conventions: red circles for prohibitions, blue circles for mandatory instructions, triangles for warnings, and rectangles for information.

Documentation: a valid Bahrain driving licence, vehicle registration, and insurance must be carried or available when driving.