What Shocked You Today

[FiatMatt94]

I learned to drive without the clutch 40 years ago when a clutch cable snapped. I found I could change without any trauma to the box or me quite happily. If I cant get the gears to change smoothly without the clutch on a proposed purchase i dont buy it. I see it failing the test as the sign of a poor gear box. Pandas are not the easiest, but practice makes perfect. All this just in time and just adequate parts nonsense makes it more likely no to break things.

My Golf was the easiest by far it may have been the DSG box had something to do with it. Vauxhalls were also easy to make smooth. Panda will do this but is not easy and it makes me fearful of breaking it. I cant imagine my wife doing this at all, ever.... Its more difficult to drive without a foot brake, but I have done this too. (Many many years ago officer) Frightening its now 50 years since I passed my test and 60 since I got taught to drive in the garden by my dad in my mums new mini. He was a generous man. I won't let anyone drive my Panda except under a) protest and b) Threat of death if its not returned in 100% A1 condition. not L (ol) at all!

When I passed my test & got the Cinquecento I used to change gear in that without the clutch as I sussed with that particular car at certain low revs you could just change without it crunching I remember my dad teaching me to drive across his mate's field when I was 11 in an old Panda 1000 CL & the MK1 Punto 55 SX he had after which I nearly reversed into a lake , he's the only person I allow & trust to drive my cars, no one else has the privilege to drive my budget Maserati he borrowed the Seicento this morning to go to the shops & when i handed him the key i went "don't get her dirty" she came back to me as clean as she went apart from a faulty indicator which was sorted less than 10 mins later after cleaning up the holder

 

[s130]

Well I passed my test at 17, first time, and now 52 years ago. My instructor was brilliant, gave and built my confidence and focused on what I personally needed.

I remember him say things like, it's a 30/40/50/60 ... limit so if safe "go for it, don't hang about". Basically building confidence and trust in your own personal assessment of what was practical and possible. Was never reprimanded either for going too slow, timidity or over cooking my road judgement or abilities. I would possibly argue he was gently pushing my limits (under his control) for me to self learn judge and take control whilst maintaining good road progress etc.

I'm not sure how today's driving instructors and testers operate etc. but I do really appreciate in my day being driven to maximise the tarmac/road in-front of me safely and with confidence and safety and not just that was required to pass the test.

 

[porta]

I learned to drive without the clutch 40 years ago when a clutch cable snapped. I found I could change without any trauma to the box or me quite happily. If I cant get the gears to change smoothly without the clutch on a proposed purchase i dont buy it. I see it failing the test as the sign of a poor gear box. Pandas are not the easiest, but practice makes perfect. All this just in time and just adequate parts nonsense makes it more likely no to break things.

My Golf was the easiest by far it may have been the DSG box had something to do with it. Vauxhalls were also easy to make smooth. Panda will do this but is not easy and it makes me fearful of breaking it. I cant imagine my wife doing this at all, ever.... Its more difficult to drive without a foot brake, but I have done this too. (Many many years ago officer) Frightening its now 50 years since I passed my test and 60 since I got taught to drive in the garden by my dad in my mums new mini. He was a generous man. I won't let anyone drive my Panda except under a) protest and b) Threat of death if its not returned in 100% A1 condition. not L (ol) at all!

We had a 2CV come in with no clutch pedal NO ONE wanted to take that to the compound so we towed it there…the worst one I ever drove was a Renault with a column change, you could not do that by feel or revs, crunched in every gear

 

[The Panda Nut]

We had a 2CV come in with no clutch pedal NO ONE wanted to take that to the compound so we towed it there…the worst one I ever drove was a Renault with a column change, you could not do that by feel or revs, crunched in every gear

I think the 2cv was a case of just put it in a gear then press the gas, Im not sure how you would change up afterwards though. I understand they have a number of gears.

 

[The Panda Nut]

Well I passed my test at 17, first time, and now 52 years ago. My instructor was brilliant, gave and built my confidence and focused on what I personally needed.

I remember him say things like, it's a 30/40/50/60 ... limit so if safe "go for it, don't hang about". Basically building confidence and trust in your own personal assessment of what was practical and possible. Was never reprimanded either for going too slow, timidity or over cooking my road judgement or abilities. I would possibly argue he was gently pushing my limits (under his control) for me to self learn judge and take control whilst maintaining good road progress etc.

I'm not sure how today's driving instructors and testers operate etc. but I do really appreciate in my day being driven to maximise the tarmac/road in-front of me safely and with confidence and safety and not just that was required to pass the test.

My instructor was not unlike this. His favourite phrase was "get them brakes going early" again good advice. I always reckon if the brakes are already on gently before you need to stop hard, stability control is increased vastly. He also taught me that accelerating away out of trouble was a better tactic than trying to pull up after it happened. Passing back then, and subsequently developing experience to handle todays chaos was, I am sure, much easier than trying to learn in todays conditions must be. Hats off to trainers and learners who suceed now.

 

[porta]

I think the 2cv was a case of just put it in a gear then press the gas, Im not sure how you would change up afterwards though. I understand they have a number of gears.

That stupid ‘in-out-turn-it-all-about’ umbrella gearstick was a pain

 

[FiatMatt94]

My instructor was not unlike this. His favourite phrase was "get them brakes going early" again good advice. I always reckon if the brakes are already on gently before you need to stop hard, stability control is increased vastly. He also taught me that accelerating away out of trouble was a better tactic than trying to pull up after it happened. Passing back then, and subsequently developing experience to handle todays chaos was, I am sure, much easier than trying to learn in todays conditions must be. Hats off to trainers and learners who suceed now.

My dad taught me a lot of what I know about driving & using the throttle to get out of trouble was one of the things he taught me & I've used it on many occasions, also from the way I drove when I was younger I got into the habit of looking well ahead as not only do I look at the car in front but also look upto 4 - 5 cars ahead as well, also I notice with a lot of people nowadays you see them put their whole foot on the pedals whereas I'll be like heel & toe, I don't really tend to use the brakes that much either as I live in the countryside so I get to a steady speed & throw them about a bit in a high gear whilst keeping up the momentum, the best brakes I've come across though are 7.5 inch Classic Mini Cooper S disc brakes on terms of both performance & longevity, I had these on my old Mini & will be converting my current Mini at some point next year & they were great, 2.5 years after installing them I'd taken the car of the road & when I stripped it down the pads still had loads of meat left on them, although my driving style is a little on the old fashioned side but in a good way as the standard of some of the driving nowadays is just awful & you have to question how on earth they got a licence in the first place

 

[s130]

also I notice with a lot of people nowadays you see them put their whole foot on the pedals whereas I'll be like heel & toe,

Different heel and toe. Yes some people lift the whole foot, i.e. toes and heel and press the brake pedal with ball of foot and heel of the floor and in the air. Others keep the heel on the floor and swivel the ball of the foot over to the brake. A lot depends on pedal positions and height and size of you foot.

The real "heel and toe" is where you use the heel of your foot to control the throttle and the toes to control the brake. This allow you to brake, change gear and engine rev match all at the some time. Also for rallying etc. it enable you to keep the engine on power and driving whilst also moderating optimum drive and controlled braking all at the same time. You will see this on rally cars going through loose surface bends when the brake lights are on but the wheels are still driving hard.

 

[portland_bill]

Whilst changing gear without using the clutch is possible, it should only be used when necessary, such as when the clutch mechanism fails. The synchromesh rings are designed to operate without load, and will wear significantly faster if loaded.