Driving standards

[peanuts]

I’ve lately been travelling on the M62 and M27, which (both being largely composed of a continuous string of junctions) are much troubled with the practice of hurtling along stationary, or slow moving queues of traffic backing out of the slip road onto the main carriageway, then cutting abruptly into a space slightly more than a cars length in the queue..

the amount of times i get a car come down lane two and sit beside me in my truck waiting to force thier way in not on my watch sunshine hawey down the road .

[Enterprisingwestern]

It could roll forwards or backwards.  You need your foot to engage the parking brake and your hand to disengage, having the box in Neutral means both hands are off the steering wheel to pull away.

I was taught that Neutral is not a position to be used for an auto box unless you're being towed.

 

I always find it amusing that brake lights are annoying for some drivers, if I took the bulbs out they'd be even more p*ssed off......can't please some people.

 

I was under the impression that you shouldn't really tow an automatic car all wheels down in any gear at all, and if you must, only for very short distances at a very low speed. This was on gearboxes from the 60's and 70's, maybe things have changed?

 

Mike.

[chris p bacon]

I was under the impression that you shouldn't really tow an automatic car all wheels down in any gear at all, and if you must, only for very short distances at a very low speed. This was on gearboxes from the 60's and 70's, maybe things have changed?

 

Mike.

 

 

I think it should really be trailered,  but the manual does say it can be in Neutral then there is a switch on the panel to activate (which does something.....no idea)

[Titan]

It could roll forwards or backwards.  You need your foot to engage the parking brake and your hand to disengage, having the box in Neutral means both hands are off the steering wheel to pull away.

I was taught that Neutral is not a position to be used for an auto box unless you're being towed.

 

I always find it amusing that brake lights are annoying for some drivers, if I took the bulbs out they'd be even more p*ssed off......can't please some people.

 

Whilst it varies according to the automatic gearbox, you never need to take both hands off the steering wheel when using neutral. Procedure for pulling away, using left hand only and keeping right on steering wheel, 1st move from N to D. 2nd Release handbrake, (using same hand) 3rd press accelerator. The last two can be reversed if on a hill. Petty much exactly as a manual except without a clutch. In what world you would be attempting to do something simultaneously with your right hand I have no idea.

 

 

I was under the impression that you shouldn't really tow an automatic car all wheels down in any gear at all, and if you must, only for very short distances at a very low speed. This was on gearboxes from the 60's and 70's, maybe things have changed?

 

Mike.

 

 

I think it should really be trailered,  but the manual does say it can be in Neutral then there is a switch on the panel to activate (which does something.....no idea)

 

It will vary between gearboxes due to their design. To take an example, in classic Range Rovers The 3 speed auto had an input driven oil pump. If towed in neutral this pump was not turning, so there was no lubrication. Hence only short distances to be towed in neutral. The later 4 speed had an output driven oil pump, so when in neutral the pump was driven by the wheels, and there was no distance restriction on towing. Of course in a Range Rover you could always put the transfer gearbox in neutral which meant that the autogearbox did not turn at all, and you could tow as far as you liked.

 

So as far as towing an auto in neutral - best to read the owners handbook and stick to what it says!

[chris p bacon]

Whilst it varies according to the automatic gearbox, you never need to take both hands off the steering wheel when using neutral. Procedure for pulling away, using left hand only and keeping right on steering wheel, 1st move from N to D. 2nd Release handbrake, (using same hand) 3rd press accelerator. The last two can be reversed if on a hill. Petty much exactly as a manual except without a clutch. In what world you would be attempting to do something simultaneously with your right hand I have no idea.

 

Ok, so enlighten me as to how I use my left hand to engage drive, and then the same hand to release the parking brake when the release is on the right of the steering wheel. 

 

 

 

I suggested that both hands would be off the wheel as the procedure for my auto is to put your foot on the brake, release the park, engage drive. This can be done as a sequence with one hand on the wheel at all times but if someone is aggravated by a brake light I'd suggest they'd get even more p*ssed if they had to wait the few seconds for the operations to be carried out.

 

It makes for more fluid driving if the footbrake is used with the car in Drive for the few moments you can be held at lights, if I know I'll be there for a couple of minutes I'll engage parking.

Edited July 22, 2018 by chris p bacon

[Guest]

In the Leaf I just press the 'P' button. To set off again it's foot on the brake and click the puck into 'D'

[PatB]

I was under the impression that you shouldn't really tow an automatic car all wheels down in any gear at all, and if you must, only for very short distances at a very low speed. This was on gearboxes from the 60's and 70's, maybe things have changed?

 

Mike.

 

That's true, but I have some experience of towing stuff with Borg Warner 35 boxes without taking elaborate precautions and the gearboxes don't seem to have been any the worse for it. I've also tow started old-style autos (something else you're not supposed to be able to do). Not a practice I'd recommend because when the thing fires you've got to be a bit handy to knock it into neutral whilst keeping it alive with the throttle or there's quite a high risk you'll shunt the towing vehicle. Doable in an emergency though.

[Titan]

Ok, so enlighten me as to how I use my left hand to engage drive, and then the same hand to release the parking brake when the release is on the right of the steering wheel. 

 

Buy a car with better ergonomics.

[chris p bacon]

Buy a car with better ergonomics.

 

 

It's a Mercedes (my 3rd)  and it drives better than all of the others I've driven in the past. I've driven for 5 hours straight and left the car at the end as if I'd just done 10 miles,  unlike a Focus/Peugot/Citreon/Vauxhall where 10 mile journeys felt like a 5 hour drive.

[Jol Wilkinson]

It's a Mercedes (my 3rd)  and it drives better than all of the others I've driven in the past. I've driven for 5 hours straight and left the car at the end as if I'd just done 10 miles,  unlike a Focus/Peugot/Citreon/Vauxhall where 10 mile journeys felt like a 5 hour drive.

 

Well, Mercedes are designed for transporting rotund sausage/lager consumers, so should be comfortable for an undernourished English builder.

[duncan]

Ok, so enlighten me as to how I use my left hand to engage drive, and then the same hand to release the parking brake when the release is on the right of the steering wheel. 

 

 

Car model shouldn't have been passed for safe use in UK, unless the parking brake was moved to a position for left hand operation   

[royaloak]

Ok, so enlighten me as to how I use my left hand to engage drive, and then the same hand to release the parking brake when the release is on the right of the steering wheel.

 

 

 

I suggested that both hands would be off the wheel as the procedure for my auto is to put your foot on the brake, release the park, engage drive. This can be done as a sequence with one hand on the wheel at all times but if someone is aggravated by a brake light I'd suggest they'd get even more p*ssed if they had to wait the few seconds for the operations to be carried out.

 

It makes for more fluid driving if the footbrake is used with the car in Drive for the few moments you can be held at lights, if I know I'll be there for a couple of minutes I'll engage parking.

Maybe you should have bought a decent car with the parking brake on the left then?

 

Just because you have got a car with the PB on the right doesn't mean everyone else has!

Edited July 22, 2018 by royaloak

[chris p bacon]

Car model shouldn't have been passed for safe use in UK, unless the parking brake was moved to a position for left hand operation   

 

       

 

 

Maybe you should have bought a decent car with the parking brake on the left then?

 

Just because you have got a car with the PB on the right doesn't mean everyone else has!

 

 

But that was the point I was making........   

 

 

As for buying a decent car. . . .yawn. . .I've heard it so many times.    I've driven lots of other cars and the driving, cost of running and reliability of what I have suits me fine.

[Enterprisingwestern]

It's a Mercedes (my 3rd)  and it drives better than all of the others I've driven in the past. I've driven for 5 hours straight and left the car at the end as if I'd just done 10 miles,  unlike a Focus/Peugot/Citreon/Vauxhall where 10 mile journeys felt like a 5 hour drive.

 

Oi, less of the Citroen attacks please!, far more comfortable on a long trip than my current MB 200CSL/CSL/LCS (or whatever) option.

 

Mike.

[PhilJ W]

At one time automatics were fitted with a more powerful handbrake than their manual counterparts. This was sufficient to hold the vehicle with the engine on tickover. The recommended practice was to put the drive in D with the handbrake applied and when ready to go release the handbrake and gently accelerate.

[Titan]

It's a Mercedes (my 3rd)  and it drives better than all of the others I've driven in the past. I've driven for 5 hours straight and left the car at the end as if I'd just done 10 miles,  unlike a Focus/Peugot/Citreon/Vauxhall where 10 mile journeys felt like a 5 hour drive.

 

 

       

 

 

 

 

But that was the point I was making........   

 

 

As for buying a decent car. . . .yawn. . .I've heard it so many times.    I've driven lots of other cars and the driving, cost of running and reliability of what I have suits me fine.

 

Well seeing as the point was unique to you and your car and not relevant to anyone else, and the previous points were automatics in general, it was an inappropriate point for you to make. If you are happy about your car and the inability to drive it safely due to poor design then that is your choice and you should live with it, and not use it as an excuse to criticise a good driving technique that you can't use so easily on your car due to bad design.

[Baby Deltic]

Oi, less of the Citroen attacks please!, far more comfortable on a long trip than my current MB 200CSL/CSL/LCS (or whatever) option.

 

Mike.

Absolutely right! All French cars are sh!t.

[Enterprisingwestern]

Absolutely right! All French cars are sh!t.

 

Don't beat about the bush, tell us what you really think.

 

Mike.

[chris p bacon]

Well seeing as the point was unique to you and your car and not relevant to anyone else, and the previous points were automatics in general, it was an inappropriate point for you to make. If you are happy about your car and the inability to drive it safely due to poor design then that is your choice and you should live with it, and not use it as an excuse to criticise a good driving technique that you can't use so easily on your car due to bad design.

 

 

 

So Mercedes is the only car with a parking brake release on the right of the steering column. Are you sure of that ?

 

I get the feeling you have issues. . . Ive just reread my posts which were an explanation as to why some automatic cars are different and yet your reply above is that of a , quite why a make of vehicle should foster such attitude is ridiculous.

Edited July 22, 2018 by chris p bacon

[Enterprisingwestern]

So Mercedes is the only car with a parking brake release on the right of the steering column. Are you sure of that ?

 

I get the feeling you have issues. . . Ive just reread my posts which were an explanation as to why some automatic cars are different and yet your reply above is that of a ######, quite why a make of vehicle should foster such attitude is ridiculous.

 

Citroen XM also.

Just to get back on my hobbyhorse!!

 

Mike.

[Horsetan]

Absolutely right! All French cars are sh!t.

I bought one.

 

 

It has been an interesting ride so far....

[2750Papyrus]

Well, Mercedes are designed for transporting rotund sausage/lager consumers, so should be comfortable for an undernourished English builder.

I don't think you could class Mr Bacon as undernourished - cannibalism can be fattening!

[Titan]

So Mercedes is the only car with a parking brake release on the right of the steering column. Are you sure of that ?

 

 

No, but it seems you are the only one in this discussion that drives one, and unless someone else on this thread drives an automatic with the hand brake on the right, irrespective of manufacturer, your point is not relevant to anyone else but you.

Edited July 22, 2018 by Titan

[Jol Wilkinson]

Absolutely right! All French cars are sh!t.

Having spent my career in the motor industry, working for a British, a German and a French manufacturer, I can assure you that is that is utter b*ll*cks.

 

The problem with any brand of car is invariably the idiots that own and drive them.

[johnlambert]

No, but it seems you are the only one in this discussion that drives one, and unless someone else on this thread drives an automatic with the hand brake on the right, irrespective of manufacturer, your point is not relevant to anyone else but you.

The Jaguar XJS and derivatives (Aston Martin DB7 and first generation XK8) have a right-hand brake.  Even more confusingly, this is a 'fly-off' handbrake that returns to the down position once applied.