Driving quirks.

[Lord Sterling]

I always coast when travelling around at low speed in say, a carpark, occasionally putting it in 1st or 2nd to keep it moving, often there are people in front of me driving slower anyway.

 

There is a habit I'm trying to kick, I always keep the clutch down when waiting in a queue or something.

 

With an auto I always select neutral when stationary. I noticed some people just stand on the brake.

[dieselnutjob]

here is my hill start proceedure

wait with my foot on the brake

when I can go (lights go green or whatever) put car in first, lift clutch until biting point

hold it on the biting point with engine idling whilst moving right foot from brake to accelerator

drive off

I thought that this technique would only work with diesels but I'm also finding that it works with the 604

at idle you might not have enough power to move off but you do have enough to stop the car rolling back

 

another thing I do is when approaching stationary cars on the motorway I press the brake pedal on-off-on-off-on-off to make the brake lights flash and make the slowing traffic more noticeable

 

I have noticed that my wife virtually alway gets the car moving without pressing the accelerator. She uses the clutch to get the car moving with the engine at idle speed and then once she's finished with the clutch she then presses the accelerator. It's almost like she can only cope with doing something to one pedal at a time. For manouvring in car parks or whatever she doesn't use the accelerator at all. She passed her test in a diesel and has never driven a petrol engined car since, and I'm not sure that she could. Funny thing is that you'd hardly notice anyhing unusual about it and it all seems quite confident and normal when she's driving

[dieselnutjob]

With an auto I always select neutral when stationary. I noticed some people just stand on the brake.

 

I put the diagnostic computer on my 607 diesel auto and compared fuel quantity injected in N versus D when stationary. In D it used twice as much fuel as N. Put the AC on by comparison had virtually no effect.

 

I also found that when slowing down below about 10mph that it suddenly feels like it doesn't want to stop because the engine is pulling whilst I am braking. Knocking it into N as I slow below 10mph is more relaxing and probably easier on brake pads etc

[Lankytim]

Always reverse into a parting space as well , people HAVE to stop to let you reverse in , they never stop when your trying to reverse out

 

That's because if you're reversing in, you are making a legal and safe manoevre; if you're not, you're not. Ask a driving examiner...

 

My instructor tought me this ( read you MUST do this ) and ive stuck with it ever since , Watching bods reversing out of a space at Asdas etc is painfull to watch sometimes

 

Plus if you reverse into somewhere and get stuck or wedged in e.t.c you can always drive back out. Old lorry driving tip that one!

[brammy777]

Worryingly I appear to have acquired some quirks recently without even realising it. Yesterday in my driving lesson I started keeping one hand on the gearstick and one on the steering wheel, I probably need to kick that one before my test. I also have an inability to keep my hands in the same place on the wheel if I am on a straight road (dont worry, I always keep two firmly on it). I have noticed with this diesel Fiesta you can move off without using any accelerator pedal, but I find it smoother and a little quicker if you do.

 

R.E. the reverse into the parking bay thing, what about shopping? Some car boots surely wont open if you are backed up into something.

[dollywobbler]

Must say, I tend not to reverse into parking spaces at the shops - how are you meant to get at the boot? GR8 4 REAR ENJINS I s'pose...

 

I've started downshifting manually in the CX auto quite often. Saves brake wear and makes you feel more in control. Always flick it into N when stationary. I note some people go the whole hog and opt for P, which terrifies the person behind by flicking the reverse lights...

 

I had a girlfriend who used to hold her car on the clutch all the time. Drove me mad and the daft cow wouldn't listen to my objections even when her 31,000 mile car needed a brand new clutch fitting...

 

A trick I learnt through many years of driving a 2CV with a shit handbrake is to heel-and-toe when doing hill starts. Twist of the foot while on the brake pedal to get the revs up, get the bite then slide my foot across onto the throttle. The heavy flywheel helps here as it gives you a chance to lift my foot off the brake and get it on the throttle.

[eddyramrod]

Use the back seat, like I do... It isn't your fault that architects do their job miserably badly, designing car parks with spaces smaller than a current VW Polo (actually sized to fit a 1973 Fiat 127) and without pedestrian aisles that you could back up to; but it absolutely IS your fault if you reverse out of one of these spaces and into the first passing car, or pedestrian (OAP, child, wheelchair user etc.). It's called Driving Without Due Care And Attention.

 

Sorry, seem to be hijacking this, I'll shut up now... for a bit, lol.

[dieselnutjob]

if your head is as near to the back of the car as the front (which of cause depends on the shape of car) then maybe you can see just as much reversing out as going out forwards. Surely for the car going past it doesn't make much difference whether he crashes into the front or the back of your car

[Rusty Pelican]

Talking of parking I always park in an " end bay " if possible especially if its a kerb side one , at least then the car will only get twatted on one side only. I always leave it in gear when parked too , handbrakes arnt perfect

[eddyramrod]

maybe you can see just as much reversing out as going out forwards

 

My eyes are on the front of my head and my neck allows a limited arc in which to swivel, you may of course be designed differently...

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

I check my mirrors regularly while making driving manoeuvres.

 

I have thought of an actual quirk, I brake with my left foot in manual cars. I just find the transition from clutch pedal on downchange to brake using the left foot a lot easier than the other, tardier way. I have tried heel and toe downchanges too but the only car I could do that easily in was the 405 with its crammed pedals.

Plus you can get on the power faster, saving 0.005 vital seconds on your run to the Co-op to pick up some of their excellent 'Super Strength' lager.

[Rusty Pelican]

. Surely for the car going past it doesn't make much difference whether he crashes into the front or the back of your car

It doesnt but the thing is they stop , they have to , especially as i swing across blocking the way so i can get in ( wether i need to or not ) , reversing out isnt so easy , numptys dont usually give way but speed up to get past , Winters coming anyway so my rear window will steam up as per usual turning the car into some wierd panel van with no rear vision whatsoever

[brammy777]

At the risk of veering off topic here, I see many people reverse out of the high street parking outside, and the amount of times people decide to beep and not even attempt to stop whilst they are, is shocking. Just out of interest, they would be liable if they hit them right? Thankfully my instructor normally reverses into the parking bay allowing me to just drive out.

[eddyramrod]

At the risk of veering off topic here, I see many people reverse out of the high street parking outside, and the amount of times people decide to beep and not even attempt to stop whilst they are, is shocking. Just out of interest, they would be liable if they hit them right? Thankfully my instructor normally reverses into the parking bay allowing me to just drive out.

 

If you follow his example you'll be fine. With regard to those you see reversing out: the driver making the illegal reverse is the one who will be at fault in any collision.

[Richard]

The street parking around here is angled so you really have to drive in and reverse out. Most people seem to manage without hitting anything.

[Claypole]

Reversing (200-203)200

Choose an appropriate place to manoeuvre. If you need to turn your vehicle around, wait until you find a safe place. Try not to reverse or turn round in a busy road; find a quiet side road or drive round a block of side streets.

 

201

Do not reverse from a side road into a main road. When using a driveway, reverse in and drive out if you can.

 

Crash into them.

[eddyramrod]

The street parking around here is angled so you really have to drive in and reverse out. Most people seem to manage without hitting anything.

 

That's just pure bad design, from which the whole UK suffers, in common with quite a lot of the developed world.

 

I seem to remember saying I'd be shutting up... sorry!

[Louise2cv]

Erm.. I have only skim-read this thread, so might have missed the point somewhere but...

 

It isn't illegal to reverse out of a driveway/parking space. The highway code is not the same thing as the law.

 

*purely my understanding and I also always reverse on to a drive/into a space... mainly because Dad would shout at me if I didn't when stil living at home, and its become habit.

[HMC]

Spend more time eyeballing the temp guage than any of the others combined. Probably says more about my car history than me I suppose. I also habitually throttle back on the upchange when driving autos- even when, as with Mrs brookjms modern, it confuses some processor or other and makes things worse

[cobblers]

Oh, I do the stereo thing really religiously - even when someone else is driving!

 

Same goes for sitting in neutral at lights and waiting for the opposite lights to change before going for first.

 

 

One that I've not heard is that when I'm setting off really slowly, a lot of the time rather than just accelerate a bit and be slow on the clutch, I blip the throttle a few times really quickly as I'm letting the clutch out. No idea why, it's just a habit I've picked up.

 

I'd rather sit for 20 minutes warming the car up so the blowers come warm and clear the windscreen than touch the windscreen and wipe it. If you wipe it, it'll only go all steamy, smeary and shit within 20 seconds and leave smears all over it.

 

If I'm stuck behind someone going slow on country lanes, I make sure that I don't brake, ever (while keeping a good distance obviously)

 

I also change gear really very quickly for no good reason.

[Pete-M]

Out of all the ones you lot have listed, the only things I do are start manuals with my foot on the clutch (lots of new stuff won't start unless the clutch pedal is depressed, and it's less load on the starter anyway) and I turn the stereo down if I'm looking for a house - mainly because I don't want to be crawling along a road for 10 minutes stopping outside every house with Dub Syndicate playing at 100db. I reverse park into street spaces, but don't bother reversing into the driveway at night.

 

It's quite rare I drive with both hands on the wheel, but other than that, I can't think of anything quirky.

 

I hate dirty interiors if that counts, oh and I never wipe the inside of the windows unless I'm cleaning 'em. I'd rather wait 10 minutes for the heaters to do their job, nothing makes a car as 'orrible to drive as the smeary greasy smeg on the insides of windscreens that have been wiped in winter.

[Pillock]

No, the highway code isn't the law. That includes bollocks such as "let busses pull out". No, I do not want to be stuck behind you! It is merely a series of recommendations.

 

My quirks... I self-cancel indicators, driven too much stuff where it wasn't a feature, or it was but it broke. I line heater controls up. And that's about it!

[Richard]

Any sentences in the Highway Code that start with "You must" or "You must not" are law.

[Louise2cv]

The only reversing one of that ilk is

 

203

You MUST NOT reverse your vehicle further than necessary.

 

It just says:

 

When using a driveway, reverse in and drive out if you can.

 

...about driveways.

[Captain Slow]

With an auto I always select neutral when stationary. I noticed some people just stand on the brake.

 

 

I've tried both, and it depends on how long the lights have been at red and my mood. Mostly I keep my foot on the brake. I also leave it a second after releasing the brake before smoothly pressing the accelerator - too many people are lumpen with autos and detract from the smoothness.

 

 

I drive with my elbow on the driver's door, and regardless of temperature if I'm driving after 10pm I have at least the driver's window open. And if I'm driving a manual, I take time over my gearchanges, pausing in neutral between shifts. That enough quirks for you?

[Richard]

I drive 2mm from the car in front and swear a lot.

[Mr H Sceptre]

I handbrake turn into ALL parking spaces in the Maxi.

 

It impresses chicks.

[scaryoldcortina]

I handbrake turn into ALL parking spaces in the Maxi.

 

It impresses chicks.

 

You are Russ Swift, and I claim my five pounds....

[Mr H Sceptre]

I handbrake turn into ALL parking spaces in the Maxi.

 

It impresses chicks.

 

You are Russ Swift, and I claim my five pounds....

 

 

Sorry, forgot to add that I almost always crash into stuff.

[j-j]

After skim reading all your insane quirks I was thinking that I have none at all.

 

I always reset the trip meter when I put petrol in.

 

But I totally do this! I think it's due to a child hood influence of my Dad using a weird little magnetic fuel-miles thingy that was permanently attached to the top of the 2CV dash and reset each time he filled up as the fuel gauge died and he just got this odd little thing instead of fixing the gauge! Also because the LPG gauge in the CX is a bit, well indeterminate.. but resetting the trip counter each time shows how many miles per litre I got. I even keep the receipts and write the mileage on them too I suffer a quiet inner rage when I forget to reset the trip counter...

 

I really don't get the 13 on the volume superstition! Don't think I'd even notice if i'd left mine on 13 apart from it's too frikkin quiet!

 

Other quirks:

 

I always indicate on approach to roundabouts/ junctions even when I know there's no other traffic. ( I do have good reasons for this!!!)

 

In supermarket crap parks I not only almost always reverse into a space (or better, drive through to the one on the other side if possible) but I park well away from others (often to find that someone has still decided to park next to me when I return!

 

I drive with dipped beam on all the time.

 

I always wait for the Citroen suspension to move up before driving off even when I don't need to. Likewise I like to try and catch a glimpse of it doing this in shop windows but it never often enough. When parked up I like to catch a glimpse of the self leveling moving down a bit after getting out even though I've seen it a million times..

 

I get quite annoyed when other drivers in modern expensive cars hold me up when their cars can't go over rough bits of road/ resurfacing ramps quickly.

 

That's all I can think of - maybe I'm not a quirky driver?