I suck going up slopes in traffic, HELP!

jamoor said:
Also I never understand how autos are "boring" they can be just as fun in the twisties in sports mode as any manual.
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Hmm, to make a good drivers car you have to be as involved in the driving experience as possible, you need to feel every bump, know how to judge the cars grip and have good comunication through the wheel / pedals / seat to so you can feel for grip.

A manual box allows you to control the car, what its doing, when you want the power, what gear you want to be in.

Its all part of the driver involvment package, some of the most involved driver focused cars are stiped out and bare machines...
 
Conscript said:
If you hold the car on the clutch, it wont roll back. When I sit on the biting point and then lift off the footbrake, the car stays still. Apply gentle throttle and the car accelerates.

I guess this depends on the car though.
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I have a Honda Civic '96 model, so it's quite old. In that sense, I don't think lifting my foot off the handbrake with the clutch down would result in a standstill on a slope. The accelerator is a must for me á la biting point. :D
 
Conscript said:
If you hold the car on the clutch, it wont roll back. When I sit on the biting point and then lift off the footbrake, the car stays still. Apply gentle throttle and the car accelerates.

I guess this depends on the car though.
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If you apply throttle and the car accelerates while you're on the biting point, then by definition you are not ON the biting point are you.

The OP can take it as read that to hold a car on a slope he needs to be pressing the throttle while holding on the bite, or the car will likely stall. To pull off, give it more gas and lift the clutch.
 
dirtydog said:
If you apply throttle and the car accelerates while you're on the biting point, then by definition you are not ON the biting point are you.

The OP can take it as read that to hold a car on a slope he needs to be pressing the throttle while holding on the bite, or the car will likely stall. To pull off, give it more gas and lift the clutch.
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OK....just over biting point then, i.e, on a hill, enough to hold the weight of the car still whilst my foot moves from brake to gas.

It's not as textbook as using the handbrakes, but it arrests the backward motion of the car a little longer.
 
I havent read the entire thread but I would recommend using a handbrake on a slope. Biting point and foot brake juggling might seem clever but if you passed recently you dont have to worry about that if your not allready comfortable with the handbrake


You can practice this on a flat, handbrake on. In gear, lift the clutch slowly till you can feel the engine wanting to push you forward. Too much and your stall, too little and you wont feel anything.
Just right and you have that biting point, you dont need the foot brake.


Dont worry about stalling, its perfectly safe when you still have the brake on. You might look like a muppet for 5 seconds but that wont cost you anything unlike having an accident.
If the car is pushing against the handbrake applied then it wont go backwards when you release it unless you were to lower the clutch too much.

Just carry on doing that and your'll be able to skip having to use it later on
 
Firestar_3x said:
Erm, no it won't, only if you do it thousands of times or hold it for like 5mins on the clutch.
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Done it with all my cars (trying not to with my new one), never had any problems with the clutch, I used to only use the handbrake for parking even stuck in traffic for 5mins I would just let the clutch slip.
 
I've been driving for awhile and still use the e-brake method. It's quite helpful...I would never stall but occasionally I would rev the engine too much and burn the clutch a tad, or chirp the tires.

Better to just use the E-brake, rev the engine up a tad and as soon as you feel the clutch start to grab, apply the throttle while setting down the ebrake.

Don't worry you'll get comfortable with it...it's all just practice.

Try parallel parking on a VERY steep hill with no power steering, a racing clutch, and a light flywheel. Not very fun. :p
 
Conscript said:
If you hold the car on the clutch, it wont roll back. When I sit on the biting point and then lift off the footbrake, the car stays still. Apply gentle throttle and the car accelerates.

I guess this depends on the car though.
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Aye, my Polo wouldnt do that.. as soon as you lift off of the brake it would start goin backwards and youd have to be quick if there was a car behind or you would roll back, stall and probably hit them.

Although, this is on proper hills.. not little inclines.. i always use the handbrake, get a proper biting point and some revs and go.. otherwise my motor is going backwards and stalling.. its a pain.. damn petrol..
 
gord said:
Aye, my Polo wouldnt do that.. as soon as you lift off of the brake it would start goin backwards and youd have to be quick if there was a car behind or you would roll back, stall and probably hit them.

Although, this is on proper hills.. not little inclines.. i always use the handbrake, get a proper biting point and some revs and go.. otherwise my motor is going backwards and stalling.. its a pain.. damn petrol..
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My thoughts exactly. :(
 
Just a case of learning your bite, if you're like me it only takes a few trys to get where it is, I can hold mine on the hill on a bit at a bad angle.. it just takes practice..
 
Holding the car on a hill with the clutch isn't very hard...however it's VERY hard on the clutch. No sense in burning up the clutch when you can just apply a brake.
 
I find it easiest when its a very short stop to do as follows (but handbrake if i'm going to be stopped for a while - it's a bit rubbish though hence the below method.)

Just stop using the brake, when you need to pull off use the right side of foot to give a few revs (whilst still holding the brake), and bring up the clutch in sync with letting the left side of my foot off the brake. Makes for quite smooth pull offs....

James
 
I prefer to use the handbrake more than holding the car on the clutch. I find it more comfortable.
 
It always astonishes me how many people are happy having their car roll backwards.

Nothing wrong with using the handbrake, mate. If you're doing that then you're better than all the fools who pass their tests and think they know everything. Drive like you're getting from A->B not like you're trying to get into some girl's knickers.
 
Kaiju said:
I'm guessing as it's the only really steep hill in the center of Norwich and it's rush hour, workers have got used to it. :p
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That was great thing about taking your test in Norwich; you always knew where you'd be doing the Hill Start :p
 
It depends on the situation and how fast the traffic is flowing, If traffic were moving very slowly id apply the handbrake, if traffic is moving extra slow i would apply handbrake and slip it into neutral and just sit back and chill. :p
 
gurusan said:
I've been driving for awhile and still use the e-brake method. It's quite helpful...I would never stall but occasionally I would rev the engine too much and burn the clutch a tad, or chirp the tires.

Better to just use the E-brake, rev the engine up a tad and as soon as you feel the clutch start to grab, apply the throttle while setting down the ebrake.

Don't worry you'll get comfortable with it...it's all just practice.

Try parallel parking on a VERY steep hill with no power steering, a racing clutch, and a light flywheel. Not very fun. :p
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e-brake? You American?
 
lol at everyone saying "damn petrols" etc, my petrol is fine on hills :) I can pull off with no throttle on reasonable hills and itll just crawl up them at idle, but that's a 6 cylinder for you :p can watch the rev counter drop to 250rpm before it even considers stalling :) Never want a 4 pot again :p

Tom.
 
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