Rascal's Learning to Drive

[Maxwellian]

I have driven a auto box for the last 7 years on my 3rd one of the same model. Not one problem with the auto box. 

[Liberty]

Would never go back to a manual; why make life hard work?  Especially with today's tiptronics and steering wheel paddle shifts if you do want extra work...  If you want to play chuck it into sports mode and off you go on the twisties. 

[ExSurveyor]

I haven't tried the Lexus in sport mode yet,  it is blooming quick anyway and a bit too big to throw around twisty bits. 

[Liberty]

You're not trying hard enough -- my 7 series was big and could pick up its skirts and run with the best of them!!

 

[ranworthbreeze]

I have driven automatics since 1996, I would never go back to a manual now.

My worse case manual issue was on a company escort van, I had just got onto the M1 going to Leeds when the gear stick popped out of the gearbox and was just flopping around in the rubber gaiter, getting to the end of the motorway in Leeds was a trial, I managed to push back in the gear-stick and hold it in third gear until I got to the companies own garage.

Regards

Alan

[grendel]

I had that in my second car - an old mk 1 escort, the threaded plastic part had cracked, and if you changed too vigorously the whole thing came out of the housing.

[LondonRascal]

Urm due to buying a boat this Saturday, my lesson has been canceled. Also due to working on a boat next weekend that has had to be canceled too - I think I need less boats in my life lol

[unclemike]

why not book lessons in norfolk,ccombine the 2 activities

[LondonRascal]

8 minutes ago, chameleon said:

why not book lessons in norfolk,ccombine the 2 activities

Right - sorted. I'm getting an 'MX5' - but you can take on the river, two into one. Result

[FairTmiddlin]

But I wouldn't do London to Norfolk like that though !

Petrol stations are a bit few and far between.

[Lulu]

Handy for the low bridges :)

[grendel]

37 minutes ago, FairTmiddlin said:

But I wouldn't do London to Norfolk like that though !

Petrol stations are a bit few and far between.

not when you can just drive up a slipway and pop into Roys garage

[finny]

2 hours ago, LondonRascal said:

Right - sorted. I'm getting an 'MX5' - but you can take on the river, two into one. Result

That will be great ........the BA can chase you by river or by 4x4 on entry to the kingdom for its tolls 

 

finny

[BroadAmbition]

My worse case manual issue was on a company escort van, I had just got onto the M1 going to Leeds when the gear stick popped out of the gearbox and was just flopping around in the rubber gaiter,

Happened to me in my first road legal car, a mighty Austin 1100.  The gearstick came out of it's housing completely (In Bawtry). Mum was with me who found it highly amusing.  Snag was we were on our way to the Broads for a week.  Nowt was going to get in the way of our week afloat.  I somehow managed to fiddle around a bit without even stopping the car, we made Norfolk ok where I effected a 'Griff Repair' (Bodge) it got us home a week later too

Griff

[rightsaidfred]

After 60 years of driving with just about every type of gearbox its a manual for me every time, I have driven home without a clutch more than once, I also like the idea of an auxiliary brake regardless of what the modern idiom is on using gears plus the extra control in bad weather, whilst the technology in cars has moved on in leaps and bounds the standard of driving has deteriorated at much the same rate, for example while ABS is great in itself it is no coincidence how many people don`t know how to drive in adverse conditions anymore and while brakes are far better now the number of tailgaters and rear end shunts has increased, to me automatics make you lazy and combined with cruise control can result in a lessening of concentration.

Fred

[MauriceMynah]

I'm glad someone has mentioned Cruise Control, I can't make my mind up whether I like it or not. I have it and have used it, but not often and only on the motorway.

Oh and RSF, I agree with you so strongly when you say that as the advances crop up, the driving deteriorates.  

[Bound2Please]

9 minutes ago, MauriceMynah said:

Oh and RSF, I agree with you so strongly when you say that as the advances crop up, the driving deteriorates.  

You n me both matey

[ZimbiIV]

cruise control only use it for average speed cameras, getting to be all the time now!

paul

[JohnK]

I'm glad someone has mentioned Cruise Control, I can't make my mind up whether I like it or not. I have it and have used it, but not often and only on the motorway.

 I use it all the time in average speed camera zones

In my opinion adaptive cruise control (where the car holds a distance to the car in front) is a fantastic safety aid (sadly I don’t have a car with it on at present).

 

 

Oh and RSF, I agree with you so strongly when you say that as the advances crop up, the driving deteriorates.  

 

 

I agree too but also thinks it matters less. For example if all cars have ABS does it matter if people don’t know how to drive without it?

 

[MauriceMynah]

2 minutes ago, JohnK said:

For example if all cars have ABS does it matter if people don’t know how to drive without it?

Not being in the wealthy set who buy new cars regularly I honestly don't know if all new cars have ABS, most new cars have ABS or a few new cars have ABS.

My car is old and does not have ABS  and for as long as the majority of cars on the road do not have it, it's kinda important to know how to drive without it.

As far as cruise control goes, maybe I'm unlucky but I usually find that whenever I've set mine, the car in front has his set a tiny bit slower, also I now understand why some cars overtake me whilst going only minutely faster than me. 

[JohnK]

Not being in the wealthy set who buy new cars regularly I honestly don't know if all new cars have ABS, most new cars have ABS or a few new cars have ABS.
My car is old and does not have ABS  and for as long as the majority of cars on the road do not have it, it's kinda important to know how to drive without it.
As far as cruise control goes, maybe I'm unlucky but I usually find that whenever I've set mine, the car in front has his set a tiny bit slower, also I now understand why some cars overtake me whilst going only minutely faster than me. 

I think we’re agreeing ... however if someone is unlikely to ever drive a car without ABS (I’d say most new drivers fit this category) do they need to know how? Ironically, apparently, inexperienced drivers with ABS often back off the brakes when ABS cuts in.

[grendel]

I love cruise control, use id regularly as it saves a lot of strain on the accelerator foot, meaning I can drive for longer through a day (after 2 or more hours of pressing a pedal in one position on a motorway my right foot is usually throbbing) of course if its wet or icy, it doesnt get used. ABS - well thats another thing my car has in a rudimentary form nothing like todays modern ABS - if it does fail it fails safe- ie it fails so the brakes still operate, mine is so old (18 years) that it still trips itself out if you get too far a reading between two wheels, ie it tends to shut down when you are driving on ice as the wheels can be going different speeds, which confuses the poor simple thing. (apparently the difference between a worn tyre and a new one on opposite ends of an axle can confuse the early volvo systems).

[oldgregg]

ABS has been mandatory on new cars since 2004, and ESP (stability control) has been mandatory since 2014.

[MauriceMynah]

Thanks OldGregg, I didn't know that. My car is a 1996 Volve (850) Love it to bits but then I would, I'm an Antiques dealer.

[Vaughan]

It's younger than mine, John!