Driving / Car Vocabulary (N-Z)
Photo: Osvaldo Gago (Wikipedia)
Just in time for Operación Retorno, here is a list of driving related vocabulary.
an offence - una infracción¡
- Driving without a seatbelt is a serious offence.
oncoming traffic - tráfico que viene de frente
- You need to be careful with oncoming traffic when overtaking.
a one-way street - una calle de sentido único
- You can't turn here; it's a one-way street.
to overtake - adelantar
- It's prohibited to overtake on this dangerous curve.
a parking meter - un parquímetro
- Remember to put money in the parking meter before leaving the car.
a parking space (garage) - una plaza de aparcamiento
- I found a parking space near the mall entrance.
a parking ticket - una multa de estacionamiento
- If you park without paying, you'll get a parking ticket.
a pavement (UK) / a sidewalk (US) - una acera
- Children should walk on the sidewalk to stay safe.
a pedestrian crossing - un paso de peatones
- You should always stop at the pedestrian crossing if people are waiting.
penalty points - puntos de carnet
- If you accumulate too many penalty points, you could lose your license.
petrol - gasolina
- I need to fill up the tank with petrol before the trip.
the petrol pump - el surtidor de gasolina
- The petrol pump at the station is out of service.
a petrol station - una gasolinera
- We stopped at a petrol station to buy snacks and fill up the tank.
a place to park (street) - un sitio para aparcar
- I found a place to park right in front of the restaurant.
a pothole - un bache
- Be careful with that pothole in the road; it's very deep.
a ramp - una rampa
- We used the ramp to load the motorcycle onto the truck.
the registration - la matrícula
- The police asked to see the car's registration.
a registration plate - una matrícula
- My car needs a new registration plate because the old one is damaged.
to reverse - dar marcha atrás
- I need to reverse to get out of this alley.
road rage - la ira al volante
- Road rage can cause serious accidents.
a roundabout - una rotonda
- Turn right at the third exit of the roundabout.
to run out of petrol - quedarse sin gasolina
- We ran out of petrol halfway through the trip and had to call a tow truck.
the rush hour - la hora punta
- I try to avoid driving during rush hour because the traffic is terrible.
the scenery - el paisaje
- The scenery on the way to the mountains is spectacular.
the scenic route - el camino más bonito
- We decided to take the scenic route to enjoy the trip.
a seatbelt - un cinturón de seguridad
- Don't forget to put on your seatbelt before starting the car.
a (road) sign - una señal de tráfico
- That road sign indicates we need to slow down.
to skid - derrapar
- The car started to skid on the wet road.
a slope - una cuesta
- The slope was so steep that I had to shift to a lower gear.
to slow down - reducir la velocidad / ir más despacio
- We need to slow down as we approach the school zone.
a spare tyre - una rueda de repuesto
- Make sure the spare tyre is in good condition.
to speed - ir con exceso de velocidad
- He was fined for speeding in a residential area.
to speed up - acelerarse
- The car started to speed up on the highway.
speed bumps - los reductores de velocidad / los badenes
- There are several speed bumps near the school.
speed cameras - radares
- The speed cameras on the highway catch drivers who exceed the speed limit.
the speed limit - el límite de velocidad
- The speed limit on this road is 50 km/h.
to steer - conducir / dirigir
- It's important to know how to steer the car properly in rainy conditions.
the steering wheel - el volante
- I kept my hands firmly on the steering wheel during the storm.
a toll road - una carretera de peaje
- The highway we took is a toll road.
to tow away - remolcar / llevarse remolcado
- The tow truck had to tow away my car because it broke down.
a tow truck - una grúa / un camión de remolque
- We called a tow truck when our car broke down.
a traffic jam - un atasco
- I was late to work because of a traffic jam on the highway.
to turn (right/left) - girar (a la derecha/izquierda)
- You need to turn right at the next intersection.
a tyre - un neumático
- One of the car's tyres is flat.
(to do) a u-turn - (dar vuelta) un cambio de sentido
- We had to do a u-turn because we missed our turn.
a wheel - una rueda
- The front wheel of my bicycle needs to be replaced.
the windscreen - el parabrisas
- The windscreen cracked when a stone hit it.
the wipers - los limpiabrisas
- I turned on the wipers when it started to rain.
a give way sign - una señal de ceda el paso
- There's a give way sign at the next intersection.
a zebra crossing - un paso de cebra
- Cars must always stop at a zebra crossing when pedestrians are waiting.
Take a look at A-M.
The Unexpected Road Trip Adventure
It was a sunny Saturday morning when Laura and her friends decided to take the scenic route to the mountains. They loaded up the car with snacks, filled up the tank with petrol at the nearest petrol station, and set off, eager to escape the rush hour traffic in the city.
The drive started smoothly, with Laura steering the car carefully along the winding roads. The scenery was breathtaking—lush green valleys, sparkling rivers, and quaint little villages. They passed through a small town where they had to navigate a roundabout and carefully obeyed the road signs that pointed them in the right direction.
As they continued, they encountered a toll road. Laura rummaged through her purse for change as they approached the toll booth, while the others enjoyed the view. But soon after, things took a turn for the worse. A sudden loud bang startled everyone in the car. The steering wheel jerked in Laura's hands, and she had to slow down quickly.
"What happened?" asked Mark from the backseat.
Laura carefully pulled over to the side of the road, where they discovered the front tyre had burst after hitting a deep pothole. Thankfully, they had a spare tyre in the trunk. However, when they tried to reverse to a safer spot to change it, the car began to skid on the gravelly shoulder of the road.
After a few tense moments, they managed to stop the car safely. They worked together to replace the tyre, but as they finished, a car approached from behind, slowing down as it passed. The driver gestured angrily, clearly frustrated by the temporary blockage. "Talk about road rage!" Sarah muttered as the car sped away.
With the tyre replaced and everyone back in the car, they continued on their journey, hoping to avoid further mishaps. But as they entered the mountain road, Laura noticed that the windscreen wipers were malfunctioning just as dark clouds gathered overhead. They decided it was better to find a place to park and wait out the storm.
Luckily, they found a parking space in a small village at the base of the mountain. They huddled in a nearby café, sipping hot chocolate while waiting for the rain to pass. Eventually, the storm cleared, and they resumed their drive.
Despite the challenges, the group finally arrived at their destination, tired but relieved. The mountains stood tall before them, a reward for their persistence. They parked the car, thankful for the adventure they had shared, and set off on foot to explore the stunning landscapes that had been their motivation all along.
Detour to the Scenic Route
On a rainy afternoon, John was driving down a scenic route when he noticed a give way sign at a roundabout. As he approached, he slowed down and spotted a pedestrian crossing with several people waiting. He stopped and let them cross, but as he started to move again, his car hit a pothole. The impact caused the car to skid, and John had to grip the steering wheel tightly to regain control.
He managed to steer safely and continued, but soon realized that one of his tyres was flat from the pothole. Thankfully, he had a spare tyre and pulled over near a petrol station to change it. While fixing the tyre, he noticed a car speeding by, likely unaware of the nearby speed camera. With the spare tyre in place, John decided to take the scenic route home, enjoying the scenery and grateful for his safe journey.
Generated by Chat GPT
Answer some of the following questions:
- Have you ever experienced road rage or seen it happen? How did you handle the situation, or how would you handle it if it happened to you?
- What do you think is more dangerous: driving during rush hour or on a poorly maintained road full of potholes? Why?
- Have you ever had to reverse out of a difficult spot? What was the situation like, and how did you manage it?
- Have you ever gotten a parking ticket? What was the situation, and how did you feel about it?
- What’s your opinion on speed cameras? Do you think they are effective in improving road safety?
- Have you ever taken the scenic route on a trip? How did it compare to the faster route in terms of the experience?
- Have you ever run out of petrol while driving? What did you do in that situation?
- What are your thoughts on toll roads? Do you think they are worth the cost for a faster or safer journey?
- Do you find it challenging to park in a busy area? How do you usually find a place to park when it’s crowded?
- Have you ever had to change a tyre or use a spare tyre? How confident are you in handling such situations on your own?
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