I suck going up slopes in traffic, HELP!

saitrix · 31 Jan 2007 at 11:30

I don't get it. Why do people slip the clutch when you can stick it into neutral with the handbrake on.

What I do is keep it in gear until the revs get too low then stick into neutral. Then once stopped stick the handbrake on. That way I don't have to hold anything so I just use the time to relax/have a stretch.

You should be able to get into 1st, take the handbrake off and start moving off from the time you first see the lights go amber to within a second of the green being on.

thedazman67 · 31 Jan 2007 at 12:54

rG-tom said:
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 can watch the rev counter drop to 250rpm before it even considers stalling Never want a 4 pot again

Tom.

OT

What's this i hear about 6 cylinders

did you find yourself a 2.5 V6 mondy

dirtydog · 31 Jan 2007 at 13:00

saitrix said:
I don't get it. Why do people slip the clutch when you can stick it into neutral with the handbrake on.

What I do is keep it in gear until the revs get too low then stick into neutral. Then once stopped stick the handbrake on. That way I don't have to hold anything so I just use the time to relax/have a stretch.

You should be able to get into 1st, take the handbrake off and start moving off from the time you first see the lights go amber to within a second of the green being on.

If I know I'm gonna be stationary for a while then I do do that. It isn't usually practical in stop-start traffic though.

saitrix · 31 Jan 2007 at 13:11

dirtydog said:
If I know I'm gonna be stationary for a while then I do do that. It isn't usually practical in stop-start traffic though.

If I think I'll be stopping for longer than 5 seconds I normally do, but lower periods of time, like pulling out on a junction/roundabout I leave it in first.

rG-tom · 31 Jan 2007 at 13:22

thedazman67 said:
OT

What's this i hear about 6 cylinders did you find yourself a 2.5 V6 mondy

*nods*

I'll make a thread on it in about a week or so, having a few problems with it / the garage i bought it from that im waiting to be resolved.

Tom.

Pookie Bear · 31 Jan 2007 at 13:43

When I was learning to drive (over ten years ago now), I had a little bother getting the biting point right during my first few lessons. My instructor at the time (a total plank, but I passed first time so I can hardly moan!) gave me some simple advice which made the whole thing easier:

Don't let your left heel rest on the floor when using your clutch - keep your entire foot off the deck, just keeping the front part of your foot on the pedal.

Worked wonders for me. It may help you.

Dr Who · 31 Jan 2007 at 13:57

dirtydog said:
If I know I'm gonna be stationary for a while then I do do that. It isn't usually practical in stop-start traffic though.

Of course it is, you pull on the handbrake and hold it... left foot on clutch, right foot on throttle... Right hand on steering wheel..

Then as the traffic moves, with skill, you lower the handbrake to exactly coincide with the clutch biting and providing forward motion...

If you aren't skilled enough to do it in heavy traffic thats one thing, you need practice, but it is perfectly practical on a hill..

I learned it 20odd years ago, and the only time I dont do it is in an auto as I use my left foot on the brake instead...

If I drove my bike engined car like you guys drive your normal cars I would be replacing the clutch every week

dirtydog · 31 Jan 2007 at 14:25

Dr Who said:
Of course it is, you pull on the handbrake and hold it... left foot on clutch, right foot on throttle... Right hand on steering wheel..

Then as the traffic moves, with skill, you lower the handbrake to exactly coincide with the clutch biting and providing forward motion...

If you aren't skilled enough to do it in heavy traffic thats one thing, you need practice, but it is perfectly practical on a hill..

I learned it 20odd years ago, and the only time I dont do it is in an auto as I use my left foot on the brake instead...

If I drove my bike engined car like you guys drive your normal cars I would be replacing the clutch every week

lol thanks for the driving tips mate - I've been driving 17 years and I think I know how to drive in traffic

I've never worn any clutches out either, funnily enough.

Dr Who · 31 Jan 2007 at 15:06

dirtydog said:
lol thanks for the driving tips mate - I've been driving 17 years and I think I know how to drive in traffic I've never worn any clutches out either, funnily enough.

So 17 years of bad habits and still find it impractical to use the handbrake on a hill in traffic?

Me 24 years and police driving school trained, so I keep the good habits

PS. how long might the clutch have lasted if you hadnt held it on a hill on the clutch? How many cars you have sold have had the clutch prematurely fail?

How long is a piece of string?

PPS. Give me one example of where it is impractical to use the handbrake in traffic?

dirtydog · 31 Jan 2007 at 15:11

Dr Who said:
So 17 years of bad habits and still find it impractical to use the handbrake on a hill in traffic?

I didn't say that

PPS. Give me one example of where it is impractical to use the handbrake in traffic?

Nor did I say that. I said it is impractical to use it every time you stop, if you are moving again within a second or two.

Mickey_D · 31 Jan 2007 at 15:16

Meh, I just take my right foot off the brake pedal and push down on the go pedal. No need to worry about the clutch as I don't have one!!

Autoboxes for the win!!!

Mind you, since buying the truck, I haven't had the need to stop on a hill. Mainly because there AREN'T any hills around here!!