Tips for driving in traffic with a manual?

Originally Posted by RayPooley

Is it really that easy in the US? Here in the UK there are so many ways to fail a driving test its difficult to count them. You can fail if the examiner thinks you didn't use the rear view mirror enough. They are currently talking about adding a motorway driving component to the test even though motorways are by far the safest place to be in a car. They are over the top to be honest. Obsessed with road safety. We have about 1,800 road deaths a year. When you consider there are probably 3 or 4 billion road journies a year that's ridiculously small. Yest the motorist is considered public enemy No 1. We have 6,000 deaths a year in our dirty hospitals. That's people who go into hospital perfectly healthy, catch a bug and die as a result. Something seriously wrong with the priorities in this country.

The test is pretty easy here. Just about the only thing they take seriously is parallel parking. For the rest of the test, as long as you don't hit anything or run a redlight/stop sign, you'll pass.

I almost ran a stop sign and stopped abruptly about 4 feet past it. I still passed my test.

Originally Posted by RayPooley

Is it really that easy in the US? Here in the UK there are so many ways to fail a driving test its difficult to count them. You can fail if the examiner thinks you didn't use the rear view mirror enough. They are currently talking about adding a motorway driving component to the test even though motorways are by far the safest place to be in a car. They are over the top to be honest. Obsessed with road safety. We have about 1,800 road deaths a year. When you consider there are probably 3 or 4 billion road journies a year that's ridiculously small. Yest the motorist is considered public enemy No 1. We have 6,000 deaths a year in our dirty hospitals. That's people who go into hospital perfectly healthy, catch a bug and die as a result. Something seriously wrong with the priorities in this country.

1,800 deaths in your whole country? What's the population? On Chicago interstates (motorways) alone there were something like 950 deaths last year.

Terra, did you know they've had that auto brake feature for like 30 some years? My mom had a subi in the 80s that had it.

Originally Posted by peytonracer4

1,800 deaths in your whole country? What's the population? On Chicago interstates (motorways) alone there were something like 950 deaths last year.

Terra, did you know they've had that auto brake feature for like 30 some years? My mom had a subi in the 80s that had it.

Hmm interesting. They must have eventually gotten rid of it, since my buddy's subaru definitely doesn't do that

Originally Posted by Rotha

is that cockney?

Its an idiom. Means that what is suitable for one person or situation might be unsuitable for another.

Originally Posted by RayPooley

Is it really that easy in the US? Here in the UK there are so many ways to fail a driving test its difficult to count them. You can fail if the examiner thinks you didn't use the rear view mirror enough. They are currently talking about adding a motorway driving component to the test even though motorways are by far the safest place to be in a car. They are over the top to be honest. Obsessed with road safety. We have about 1,800 road deaths a year. When you consider there are probably 3 or 4 billion road journies a year that's ridiculously small. Yest the motorist is considered public enemy No 1. We have 6,000 deaths a year in our dirty hospitals. That's people who go into hospital perfectly healthy, catch a bug and die as a result. Something seriously wrong with the priorities in this country.

My driver's test was about 1 mile total length with 2 stop signs and a left hand turn. The parallel parking thing is a myth unless you live in a city. I learned to drive in a 2000 Cadillac Escalade so I can park anything anyway. Luckily I'm actually not a moron, but imagine a 16 year old girl behind the wheel of a 5000 lb Chevy Tahoe. They suck at driving and sadly enough often kill people on the interstate because they are so ****ing stupid. I wish our driver's test was much more difficult. I would still pass easily, but I want many of these people off the road. You know 90% of people don't even know that you drive in the right lane and pass in the left. They just drive in the left the whole time, slowly, creating parades on the interstate. Some people like to see how long they can take to pass a 70 foot long, 75,000 pound tractor trailer. I believe the record is a 0.01 mph speed differential that I have experienced. You just have to hang back and watch them die if something happens.

Originally Posted by peytonracer4

1,800 deaths in your whole country? What's the population? On Chicago interstates (motorways) alone there were something like 950 deaths last year.

Terra, did you know they've had that auto brake feature for like 30 some years? My mom had a subi in the 80s that had it.

UK population is around 80 million I think. Traffic deaths per capita is a bad number to go by though. Americans drive WAY more than Europeans. I probably drive more every day than 90% of Europenas in a week. The best number to use for safety comparisons is deaths per mile traveled.

Originally Posted by WDE46

My driver's test was about 1 mile total length with 2 stop signs and a left hand turn. The parallel parking thing is a myth unless you live in a city. I learned to drive in a 2000 Cadillac Escalade so I can park anything anyway. Luckily I'm actually not a moron, but imagine a 16 year old girl behind the wheel of a 5000 lb Chevy Tahoe. They suck at driving and sadly enough often kill people on the interstate because they are so ****ing stupid. I wish our driver's test was much more difficult. I would still pass easily, but I want many of these people off the road. You know 90% of people don't even know that you drive in the right lane and pass in the left. They just drive in the left the whole time, slowly, creating parades on the interstate. Some people like to see how long they can take to pass a 70 foot long, 75,000 pound tractor trailer. I believe the record is a 0.01 mph speed differential that I have experienced. You just have to hang back and watch them die if something happens.



UK population is around 80 million I think. Traffic deaths per capita is a bad number to go by though. Americans drive WAY more than Europeans. I probably drive more every day than 90% of Europenas in a week. The best number to use for safety comparisons is deaths per mile traveled.

What do you mean by "the parallel parking thing" is a myth?

Originally Posted by TerraPhantm

What do you mean by "the parallel parking thing" is a myth?

I've never actually heard of anyone who was tested for parallel parking in their driver's test. It seems to be a common driver's test stereotype that every teen struggles with the parallel parking part of the test. It's somewhat of a joke. Watch any movie or show where a teen is taking a driver's test and they always stress out about parallel parking.

Originally Posted by WDE46

I've never actually heard of anyone who was tested for parallel parking in their driver's test. It seems to be a common driver's test stereotype that every teen struggles with the parallel parking part of the test. It's somewhat of a joke. Watch any movie or show where a teen is taking a driver's test and they always stress out about parallel parking.

I only know of a handful of people that were not tested in parallel parking.

Originally Posted by lsteg

I only know of a handful of people that were not tested in parallel parking.

Interesting. I guess it strongly depends on the location. The county in which I was tested is mostly rural, though Nashville was < 10 minutes away. I wonder if Davidson county has the parallel parking test (Greater Nashville area).

I defiantly agree you should be limiting your time with the clutch in and your foot on the clutch. If you are stopped even for small amounts of time you should pop it into neutral and use the brake. Then when starting up again clutch in and quickly put it back in first.

Also don't use the handbrake as the guy from the UK suggest, just keep your foot on the brake as that is the most efficient and strong hold for the vehicle on hills, in traffic, traveling at any miles per hour.

Less time the clutch is engaged... the less wear

Originally Posted by WDE46

Interesting. I guess it strongly depends on the location. The county in which I was tested is mostly rural, though Nashville was < 10 minutes away. I wonder if Davidson county has the parallel parking test (Greater Nashville area).

I agree. Didn't have to parallel park on my test and can't say in 15 years of driving around Alabama, I've ever been in a situation that called for it.

Originally Posted by ZHPinthe103

I defiantly agree you should be limiting your time with the clutch in and your foot on the clutch. If you are stopped even for small amounts of time you should pop it into neutral and use the brake. Then when starting up again clutch in and quickly put it back in first.

Also don't use the handbrake as the guy from the UK suggest, just keep your foot on the brake as that is the most efficient and strong hold for the vehicle on hills, in traffic, traveling at any miles per hour.

Less time the clutch is engaged... the less wear

Agree with the handbrake. Doesn't help at all, holding the brake is better. And honestly, at the end of the day you just have to get used to it. If it still bothers you then just get an auto, nothing else you can do.

Personally, when I see brake lights in front of me I usually just cruise in neutral and brake when needed. Don't worry about anyone behind you, if they hit you they pay for it so it's worthless to worry about what they're doing. And when I'm moving, slow or not, and I need to go back in gear I always rev match. Just my 2 cents.

Originally Posted by BluBurry

I agree. Didn't have to parallel park on my test and can't say in 15 years of driving around Alabama, I've ever been in a situation that called for it.

I do all the time in Auburn, but I don't have to. There's usually another regular space available a little farther down the road.

I still don't understand why parallel parking is so difficult for some people. It really isn't that hard to do....is it?

Originally Posted by peytonracer4

1,800 deaths in your whole country? What's the population? On Chicago interstates (motorways) alone there were something like 950 deaths last year.

Terra, did you know they've had that auto brake feature for like 30 some years? My mom had a subi in the 80s that had it.

UK population is 62,641,000 give or take a few. Chicago population 2,707,120. UK has 23 times the population and only twice the deaths. The number of annual road deaths in the US is about 33,000 I believe. One every 16 minutes.

For the record, I can parallel park.

Minimal acceleration, avoid stopping, dont necessarily keep up to speed with car in front, anticipate if you see lights ahead, if changing to red, dont accelerate any more, when braking, brake early keep distance from car ahead and try and keep cars momentum going, when accelerating accelerate as slow as possible,

330ci 6 speed manual, and with petrol really expensive in england and most cars being under 2 litre i have to drive economically. !

Originally Posted by ZHPinthe103

I defiantly agree you should be limiting your time with the clutch in and your foot on the clutch. If you are stopped even for small amounts of time you should pop it into neutral and use the brake. Then when starting up again clutch in and quickly put it back in first.

Also don't use the handbrake as the guy from the UK suggest, just keep your foot on the brake as that is the most efficient and strong hold for the vehicle on hills, in traffic, traveling at any miles per hour.

Less time the clutch is engaged... the less wear

Nonsense. All the time you have your foot on the foot brake your hydraulic seals are under extreme pressure. That's the master cylinder and caliper piston seals. When you are stationary? Your handbrake is purely mechanical and doesn't use the hydraulic braking system at all. Its a seperate system. Hydraulic brakes are for stopping the vehicle. The handbrake is for holding the vehicle. That's why its called the HOLDING brake. If it wasn't for the traffic lights and holdups it would take me 10 minutes to get to work. As it is it takes me 35 minutes. That's 25 minutes queuing at traffic lights. With my foot on the brake??? And my BRAKE LIGHTS blinding the poor sap behind me? B*llocks to that. Learn to drive dude. Your the type of person I get stuck behind squinting and end up shouting GET YOUR F*CKIN FOOT OFF THE BRAKE D*CKHEAD!!

Lol, I don't think there's anyone in America that does that.