Getting into/out of an Elise
Discussion
Does anyone have a link to the difinitive video for getting in and out of the passenger seat on the 'lis. The new Mrs Bing o is struggling at the moment, and is worried about looking silly getting out of it in public!!
Thanks in advance gents (and ladies).
Oh, and I must try and get my arse down to Le Mans next year - the pictures look great!
Thanks in advance gents (and ladies).
Oh, and I must try and get my arse down to Le Mans next year - the pictures look great!
Couldnt find any videos im affraid.. but usually get one leg out first if your the passenger side.. your left leg.. then hold on to the left of the car and the right where the windscreen is and pull yourself out and let the other leg just follow you out of the car.. as if your kind of side stepping of the ledge to get out of the car.
see quite a lot of people trying to get out of the car with both legs, doesnt usually work and thats when you look like a plonker.
Dont know how much use to you what ive just said is but thought id give my input to help.
heres one video i managed to find for you.. Its one way to try i suppose
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-442222672...
and this:
http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f221/how-get-out-e...
see quite a lot of people trying to get out of the car with both legs, doesnt usually work and thats when you look like a plonker.
Dont know how much use to you what ive just said is but thought id give my input to help.
Edited by ant111s on Tuesday 23 June 15:44
heres one video i managed to find for you.. Its one way to try i suppose
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-442222672...
Edited by ant111s on Tuesday 23 June 15:51
and this:
http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f221/how-get-out-e...
Edited by ant111s on Tuesday 23 June 15:53
ant111s said:
Couldnt find any videos im affraid.. but usually get one leg out first if your the passenger side.. your left leg.. then hold on to the left of the car and the right where the windscreen is and pull yourself out and let the other leg just follow you out of the car.. as if your kind of side stepping of the ledge to get out of the car.
see quite a lot of people trying to get out of the car with both legs, doesnt usually work and thats when you look like a plonker.
Dont know how much use to you what ive just said is but thought id give my input to help.
Yeah, that's kind of the technique I'm trying to teach her - I tend to lean and roll with my elbow on the sill in one flowing motion - if you stop halfway through then you are stuck (literally).see quite a lot of people trying to get out of the car with both legs, doesnt usually work and thats when you look like a plonker.
Dont know how much use to you what ive just said is but thought id give my input to help.
Edited by ant111s on Tuesday 23 June 15:44
Still, she's a flexible young thing - I'm sure she'll get the hang of it...
rules are slightly different from men to women i believe.
men, unclip roof roll over the first roof strut, step up and out of car.
if raining do this quickly!
women, wear the shortest skirt you have, take your time those people with cameras are taking photos of the car not you so dont worry, smile and wiggle out of the car.
HTH
men, unclip roof roll over the first roof strut, step up and out of car.
if raining do this quickly!
women, wear the shortest skirt you have, take your time those people with cameras are taking photos of the car not you so dont worry, smile and wiggle out of the car.
HTH
Yeah, it's a fair comment if the lady is wearing a skirt or a dress, TBH. Without any practice, it's easy to start the manoeuvre the wrong way and end up getting stuck or having to crawl out. Getting both legs out with your arse still in the seat and then trying to push yourself out of the car is completely the wrong way to approach it... especially with a hardtop on if you're more than 5'6" tall!
I just sling myself in and out of the driver's seat, with or without steering wheel (I remove the steering wheel for security) - it's easier to get in with the steering wheel off, but it's easier to get out with the steering wheel on (some leverage to hold on the way out). That's just years of practice, and I'm thin and reasonably flexible.
However I can't throw myself in and out of the passenger seat because I hardly ever sit in the passenger seat. My girlfriend has been passenger in all of my Lotuses and is quite quick at getting in and out, but when I let her drive it she ended up making a mess of it and crawling out
She's reasonably tall with long legs, and you have to do one leg at a time, as mentioned above. Of course, one leg at a time with a short skirt or mini dress is a recipe for 'wardrobe malfunction'. She's not so bothered about that, it's more that if she's going to arrive somewhere in a cool looking sports car then she *has* to look cool getting in and out. Which is fair enough IMO 
Nothing beats my old uncle though, who had been drinking - he just about fell into the car OK but it took two of us to get him out
This was the VXT, which had a hardtop and was pretty much identical to the Exige in terms of getting in and out...
I just sling myself in and out of the driver's seat, with or without steering wheel (I remove the steering wheel for security) - it's easier to get in with the steering wheel off, but it's easier to get out with the steering wheel on (some leverage to hold on the way out). That's just years of practice, and I'm thin and reasonably flexible.
However I can't throw myself in and out of the passenger seat because I hardly ever sit in the passenger seat. My girlfriend has been passenger in all of my Lotuses and is quite quick at getting in and out, but when I let her drive it she ended up making a mess of it and crawling out
She's reasonably tall with long legs, and you have to do one leg at a time, as mentioned above. Of course, one leg at a time with a short skirt or mini dress is a recipe for 'wardrobe malfunction'. She's not so bothered about that, it's more that if she's going to arrive somewhere in a cool looking sports car then she *has* to look cool getting in and out. Which is fair enough IMO Nothing beats my old uncle though, who had been drinking - he just about fell into the car OK but it took two of us to get him out
This was the VXT, which had a hardtop and was pretty much identical to the Exige in terms of getting in and out...I had read you should try to avoid using the windscreen frame as a hold when getting out because apparently it might eventually cause the windscreen to crack - is this internet tosh or worth bearing in mind?
I would recommend for getting out (from the passenger side):
- left leg out over the sill
- place left hand on sill
- place right hand on seat base
- push with both hands to get your weight onto the sill and your left leg heading toward the ground, and drag your right leg over as you do so.
Doing the above means you don't have to really use your right leg to get out, so you can keep your knees quite close together (handy for those wearing a short skirt/dress!).
I would recommend for getting out (from the passenger side):
- left leg out over the sill
- place left hand on sill
- place right hand on seat base
- push with both hands to get your weight onto the sill and your left leg heading toward the ground, and drag your right leg over as you do so.
Doing the above means you don't have to really use your right leg to get out, so you can keep your knees quite close together (handy for those wearing a short skirt/dress!).
Never hold onto the windscreen.It is not strong enough to be pulled on.It is just an alloy box with foam in it and and designed just to hold the windscreen.
I haven't perfected the get out with the roof on and look a right twonk, so I only really use the car with the roof off, unless raining. I put my left hand onto the edge of the passenger seat and right hand onto the sill to lever me out.
I haven't perfected the get out with the roof on and look a right twonk, so I only really use the car with the roof off, unless raining. I put my left hand onto the edge of the passenger seat and right hand onto the sill to lever me out.
Justin S said:
Never hold onto the windscreen.It is not strong enough to be pulled on.It is just an alloy box with foam in it and and designed just to hold the windscreen.
Worth quoting that and repeating, do not hold on to the screen pillar, it'll be an expensive job if you do. Left leg out head and shoulders moving, push with right foot and hand on the sill if you must. Job done. Practice makes perfect, I usually fall on my arse getting out the passenger side as I've only ever been a passenger 3 times.I am a 59 year old bint and 5' 7" and get out of our Sportsracer in a straight style knee length skirt without any problems with the roof on. Just remember keep the knees together and swivel to the left, left leg over the sill followed by the the right leg and out of the car. Dignity intact!!
Getting in is simple right leg in first followed by left leg, no need to hang on to anything getting in or out.
Getting in is simple right leg in first followed by left leg, no need to hang on to anything getting in or out.
Edited by Mrs Muttleysnoop on Wednesday 24th June 14:46
Edited by Mrs Muttleysnoop on Wednesday 24th June 14:48
i have had to find a new way of getting in due to my bucket seat(drivers). works for passenger side also-
driver:
left left in, croch down, head in with left hand on side of seat, then follow with rest of body and butt, twist a bit and sit, support with both hands then right leg.
bucket seats in an S1 is NOT easy.
driver:
left left in, croch down, head in with left hand on side of seat, then follow with rest of body and butt, twist a bit and sit, support with both hands then right leg.
bucket seats in an S1 is NOT easy.
LivinLaVidaLotus said:
Justin S said:
Never hold onto the windscreen.It is not strong enough to be pulled on.It is just an alloy box with foam in it and and designed just to hold the windscreen.
Worth quoting that and repeating, do not hold on to the screen pillar, it'll be an expensive job if you do. Left leg out head and shoulders moving, push with right foot and hand on the sill if you must. Job done. Practice makes perfect, I usually fall on my arse getting out the passenger side as I've only ever been a passenger 3 times.this is the only reason i have not bought a exige yet!
i test drove one and alot tring one out at the british motorshow but i can't work a way of getting in or out of it and being a big guy, 6ft and body builder i just gathered it wasn't going to happen.
what if your in a tight car park or something i would have to roll the car out to get in as i would need the door fully open.
the biggest scare would be if i crashed it as there would be no way of me getting out.
i test drove one and alot tring one out at the british motorshow but i can't work a way of getting in or out of it and being a big guy, 6ft and body builder i just gathered it wasn't going to happen.
what if your in a tight car park or something i would have to roll the car out to get in as i would need the door fully open.
the biggest scare would be if i crashed it as there would be no way of me getting out.
My technique (S1), if in the driver's chair, is to lever myself up using the side of the seat and the sill, get my right leg out, sit on/straddle the sill, swivel my bum towards the outside of the car and then back out whilst balancing on my right leg. I keep my right hand on the wheel when I do this. Technique for the passenger side is the same, except I use the windscreen surround to support my left hand. Like others have said, on an S1 don't put lots of weight on the windscreen surround as you might crack it (the screen). Advantage of doing it this way is that you can get away with the door not being fully open.
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