Pretty shocking

Phate · 21 Nov 2009 at 17:20

Hi guys,

now recently a friend of mine passed her driving test and has got herself a little car to runaround in. But she said to me she keeps smelling this burning smell when driving it and if I could have a look.

So I had a look, drove it, no smell. So I got her to drive it and I sat in the car and we are on a small hill and shes basically riding the clutch with the throttle instead of using the handbrake and the burning smell came back so she said

"there! thats the smell!" - It was her burning her own bloody clutch out...

Chatted to her abit more about it, how she was sitting on that hill was how she was taught to do hill starts! :eek:

No use of the handbrake, nothing, just sit there clutch at biting point with enough throttle to hold the car, I couldn't believe it! - So afterwards I took her to a nearby quiet road with an incline and taught her how to do a proper hill start with the handbrake and now she's fine and is 'so glad' the 'burning smell has gone away!'

I was proper stunned though, I'm thinking it's lucky my friend didn't have a hill on her test otherwise that could've failed her (I'm guessing this anyway) but at the same time Brentwood (where we live) is a VERY hilly area, how could they NOT teach a hill start?

I'm tempted to complain to the instructor, I remember when I was learning having 'hill starts' as part of the tick list of things to do along with everything else.

This can't be right surely? :confused:

Clarkey · 21 Nov 2009 at 17:25

I'll bet she's pretty hot, right?

mjt · 21 Nov 2009 at 17:26

when i was being taught i was told i could hold it on the hill using the clutch instead of the handbrake
in fact that's the method i used when we had a merc with a foot-operated brake
i still do it occasionally but only on very low gradients. i don't really fancy forking out for a new clutch any time soon.
and i mean that i only do it for a second or so; off the brake onto the clutch

did she just sit there for ages, holding the car on the clutch?

Phate · 21 Nov 2009 at 17:26

Clarkey said:
I'll bet she's pretty hot, right?

What's that got to do with anything?

She's not ZOMG BEWBS kinda hot but her pasty is definately smashable

InvaderGIR · 21 Nov 2009 at 17:27

Typical Essex.

That's really bad of the instructor though if she actually was taught like that for hill starts. I stalled on my first lesson going up a steep hill so got to do a hillstart. Handbrake on etc.

Surely she had to stop the car properly for a hill start, how did she get the bite correct if she stopped on the pedal and then wanted to pull away? Heel-toeing? :confused:

Holding on a hill I was taught if you know you're going to pull away very soon, clutch, else handbrake.

Phate · 21 Nov 2009 at 17:28

InvaderGIR said:
Surely she had to stop the car properly for a hill start, how did she get the bite correct if she stopped on the pedal and then wanted to pull away? Heel-toeing?

Basically, yep. As she was coming to a stop her foot would jump from the brake to acclerator on the off chance she'd catch the car to stop it rolling. Worrying!

InvaderGIR · 21 Nov 2009 at 17:29

Although skills if she gets it right everytime.

Phate · 21 Nov 2009 at 17:30

InvaderGIR said:
Although skills if she gets it right everytime.

lol I'll tell her you said that (it's Carly btw

)

Firestar_3x · 21 Nov 2009 at 17:31

I'm confused, i can see what she doing wrong no issues with that, i also have no issues with holding a car on a hill on its clutch if its only for a few seconds.

However are you saying that you can't stop a car on a hill with the brake pedal whilst depressing the clutch then come off the brake to throttle whilst raising the clutch to catch the biting point before the car starts to roll backwards?

Do you use the handbrake everytime or something?

InvaderGIR · 21 Nov 2009 at 17:32

Firestar_3x said:
I'm confused, i can see what she doing wrong no issues with that, i also have no issues with hold a car on a hill on its clutch if its only for a few seconds.

However are you saying that you can't stop a car on a hill with the brake pedal whilst depressing the clutch then come off the brake to throttle whilst raising the clutch to catch the biting point before the car starts to roll backwards?

Do you use the handbrake everytime or something?

The point is more as a hill start she has been taught not to use the handbrake, so always rides the clutch a lot.

Phate · 21 Nov 2009 at 17:34

Firestar_3x said:
However are you saying that you can't stop a car on a hill with the brake pedal, depress the clutch then come off the brake to throttle whilst raising the clutch to catch the biting point before the car starts to roll backwards?

I'm saying you can't do it safely without the risk of a stall and possibly rolling backwards. Specially round here where most hills are considerably steep and also when your a new and slightly nervous driver.

Clarkey · 21 Nov 2009 at 17:35

Phate said:
What's that got to do with anything?

She's not ZOMG BEWBS kinda hot but her pasty is definately smashable

Because looks are the perfect substitute for skills.

Phate said:
Basically, yep. As she was coming to a stop her foot would jump from the brake to acclerator on the off chance she'd catch the car to stop it rolling. Worrying!

What's wrong with that? That's how I would do a hill start, minus the riding the clutch though. Who can be bothered with the handbrake? It's for parking and doing skids.

Phate · 21 Nov 2009 at 17:36

Firestar_3x said:
Do you use the handbrake everytime or something?

Nope, just go on the basis if it's more than a pause then use the handbrake

So like others have said, if its for just a second I'll use clutch/throttle but when waiting on a hill I'll use the handbrake, she was just using the clutch/throttle all the time.

Firestar_3x · 21 Nov 2009 at 17:38

Extended clutch slipping on a hill = bad news no doubt about that.

I hardly ever use the handbrake on a hill unless i'm stuck in major traffic.

If you can't do a proper hill start without the handbrake (as in comming off the brake then onto the power and raise the clutch) whilst getting the biting point before the car starts to roll backwards after 6 months of driving you should be forced to retake lessons on hill starts.

Phate · 21 Nov 2009 at 17:39

Firestar_3x said:
If you can't do a proper hill start without the handbrake (as in comming off the brake then onto the power and raise the clutch) whilst getting the biting point before the car starts to roll backwards after 6 months of driving you should be forced to retake lessons on hill starts.

If you can't do that in your test you shouldn't pass full stop imo.

Clarkey · 21 Nov 2009 at 17:45

Phate said:
If you can't do that in your test you shouldn't pass full stop imo.

Not quite sure about that, it's not exactly a vital technique. The handbrake method taught for the test is perfectly fine and indeed safer. Only reason I use the footbrake instead is down to laziness.

shifty_uk · 21 Nov 2009 at 17:46

Clarkey said:
I'll bet she's pretty hot, right?

Hot = dumb?

Phate · 21 Nov 2009 at 17:47

Clarkey said:
Not quite sure about that, it's not exactly a vital technique. The handbrake method taught for the test is perfectly fine and indeed safer. Only reason I use the footbrake instead is down to laziness.

Yes but the point is she wasn't taught the handbrake method at all

Phate · 21 Nov 2009 at 17:50

shifty_uk said:
Hot = dumb?

Obviously

alex24 · 21 Nov 2009 at 17:56

I learnt in Brentwood, and was taught to do a hill start from being on the handbrake. I learnt with ABC, not sure where there based but my instructors were both great.

However, my second instructor (first one couldn't do my test date) re-taught hill starts to me and made me practise clutch control by holding the car still on a really steep hill in Billericay. It was a good technique tbh, and I often hold the car on the clutch when stopped at lights on hills, but if it's for an extended period of time (i.e. a wait and not a stop) I go onto the handbrake. More common sense than something you need to be taught tbh.