What car for Advanced driving? Spackerbox or 1.0l manual?
Discussion
Well I've made the plunge and paid for my advanced driving lessons (Edinburgh district if anyone is interested). The thing is I've a little bit of dilemma on whether to use my car or the GF's '03 Nissan Micra 1.0. I know the standard response is "use the car you drive more often" but I use both about the same.
The old XJR is more fun, comfortable and actually has the power to accelerate to and maintain motorway speeds but it's an auto and I can't help but feel that's cheating. It's also an absolute b
d to park and drive around town and I feel that might hinder my progress.
As I'm going through all the effort of learning to drive properly I wonder if anybody with advanced driving experience would be able to help me choose which of my two vehicles will help me get the most from my lessons?
Thanks in advance.
The old XJR is more fun, comfortable and actually has the power to accelerate to and maintain motorway speeds but it's an auto and I can't help but feel that's cheating. It's also an absolute b
d to park and drive around town and I feel that might hinder my progress.As I'm going through all the effort of learning to drive properly I wonder if anybody with advanced driving experience would be able to help me choose which of my two vehicles will help me get the most from my lessons?
Thanks in advance.
A 'fidgity' or darty little manual car is quite difficult to drive smoothly, so that would be a good choice from the point of view of learning to make smooth progress. On the other hand it can be equally hard to make smooth progress in a wallowing old barge (no insult intended) due to the need to 'warn' a softer, heavier car of your intentions, so that would have it's plus points for learning in too. If you go the auto route does anyone know the 'accepted' technique taught nowadays. By that I mean that I'm constantly gobsmacked by the number of people who only use their right foot in an auto. Weird in IMHO.
No offence taken at all! I love the old rust bucket. I definately think it's easier to keep the Jag smooth but it's size makes it quite difficult to move around despite having clever suspension.
I usually only use my right foot? I only use the left when I'm wanting to pull away as quickly as possible, clean crap off the discs or redistribute the weight when I'm cornering hard. When else would you use it?
I usually only use my right foot? I only use the left when I'm wanting to pull away as quickly as possible, clean crap off the discs or redistribute the weight when I'm cornering hard. When else would you use it?
Edited by G_T on Wednesday 29th April 11:45
G_T said:
No offence taken at all! I love the old rust bucket. I definately think it's easier to keep the Jag smooth but it's size makes it quite difficult to move around despite having clever suspension.
I usually only use my right foot? I only use the left when I'm wanting to pull away as quickly as possible, clean crap off the discs or redistribute the weight when I'm cornering hard. When else would you use it?
Let me fire your own question back at you.I usually only use my right foot? I only use the left when I'm wanting to pull away as quickly as possible, clean crap off the discs or redistribute the weight when I'm cornering hard. When else would you use it?
Edited by G_T on Wednesday 29th April 11:45
There are two pedals, you've got two feet. WHY make things difficult by dancing between the two with one foot. I use the left ALL the time for the brake and the right ALL the time for the throttle. Makes it much easier to blend in and out of the two controls smoothly and saves vital time in an emergency. Took about a day to build the required sensitivity in my left foot btw so don't worry about being clumsy under hard braking etc. - that passes very quickly with practice. Of course if you're American and put your knife down so that you can use your fork then by all means use one foot 
But for me there's two pedals and you've got two feet so why on earth just use one? Put it another way. If you took a guy out of the Amazon Rain Forest who'd NEVER seen a car and certainly didn't know the difference between auto/manual, faced with two pedals what do you think he'd do?And all that's before you get more advanced and start using the throttle AND brake for cornering when pressing on.
Edited by Pugsey on Wednesday 29th April 12:11
Part of what you'll be learning is the System of Car Control, which in general requires that you separate braking and gearchanging into two distinct activities. It's therefore useful to do your initial coaching in a manual car since this makes that distinction more obvious and therefore easier to remember and apply.
Once you've got that under your belt and you're satisfied with the method and quality of your gearchanging, you'll be able to use whichever car you prefer on the day.
Nick
Once you've got that under your belt and you're satisfied with the method and quality of your gearchanging, you'll be able to use whichever car you prefer on the day.
Nick
Well I would say in response to "why not" about using both feet, after years of driving a manual it's far easier to stick with what you know. I'm not sure about better braking either. If I'm off the track I'm either breaking or adjusting the throttle. Never both, especially if I'm planning ahead.
I also find my right foot is far more sensitive. I understand your point that this would change with practice, but after 6 years of using my right foot, I doubt the dexterity of my left would be close even after a lot of pracice.
In addition to that lets not forget it's an auto, it's supposed to be easy to drive, I'm not going to make it harder for myself!
That sounds good Nick. I'll have a natter with my observer about switching vehicles and go from there. I would like to learn the gear-change aspects.
I also find my right foot is far more sensitive. I understand your point that this would change with practice, but after 6 years of using my right foot, I doubt the dexterity of my left would be close even after a lot of pracice.
In addition to that lets not forget it's an auto, it's supposed to be easy to drive, I'm not going to make it harder for myself!
That sounds good Nick. I'll have a natter with my observer about switching vehicles and go from there. I would like to learn the gear-change aspects.
G_T said:
That sounds good Nick. I'll have a natter with my observer about switching vehicles and go from there. I would like to learn the gear-change aspects.
I was going to say, why not speak with your observer about learning the basics in one, then going out for a session in the other one, so you can get some input on both vehicles.G_T said:
Well I would say in response to "why not" about using both feet, after years of driving a manual it's far easier to stick with what you know. I'm not sure about better braking either. If I'm off the track I'm either breaking or adjusting the throttle. Never both, especially if I'm planning ahead.
I also find my right foot is far more sensitive. I understand your point that this would change with practice, but after 6 years of using my right foot, I doubt the dexterity of my left would be close even after a lot of pracice.
In addition to that lets not forget it's an auto, it's supposed to be easy to drive, I'm not going to make it harder for myself!
That sounds good Nick. I'll have a natter with my observer about switching vehicles and go from there. I would like to learn the gear-change aspects.
Fair enough - each to his own. You WILL be much smoother using both feet though which, for me, seems reason enough to use both feet. The left foot 'problem' is a red herring really. It took very little time for mine to become as sensitive as my right foot, and it's been the same for a number of guys I know who also drive autos from time to time.I also find my right foot is far more sensitive. I understand your point that this would change with practice, but after 6 years of using my right foot, I doubt the dexterity of my left would be close even after a lot of pracice.
In addition to that lets not forget it's an auto, it's supposed to be easy to drive, I'm not going to make it harder for myself!
That sounds good Nick. I'll have a natter with my observer about switching vehicles and go from there. I would like to learn the gear-change aspects.
Pugsey said:
Fair enough - each to his own. You WILL be much smoother using both feet though which, for me, seems reason enough to use both feet. The left foot 'problem' is a red herring really. It took very little time for mine to become as sensitive as my right foot, and it's been the same for a number of guys I know who also drive autos from time to time.
I agree, but I remember reading/hearing somewhere that the reason for NOT using your left foot for braking is that in an emergency, you might mix up which foot and end up braking later. Seems a bit odd but there must be some truth. The main thing for me is that if you drive an auto left-foot braking, then get in a manual, you could quite easily have a bit of a mix-up when going for the clutch, etc. I once lifted my left-foot off the brake to go for the clutch - and ending up on the brakes again. Being an old car with a heavy clutch, it felt like I hit a brick-wall 
. Thankfully the road was empty. It's not for lack of feel - I just got the wrong pedal.
RenesisEvo said:
Pugsey said:
Fair enough - each to his own. You WILL be much smoother using both feet though which, for me, seems reason enough to use both feet. The left foot 'problem' is a red herring really. It took very little time for mine to become as sensitive as my right foot, and it's been the same for a number of guys I know who also drive autos from time to time.
I agree, but I remember reading/hearing somewhere that the reason for NOT using your left foot for braking is that in an emergency, you might mix up which foot and end up braking later. Seems a bit odd but there must be some truth. The main thing for me is that if you drive an auto left-foot braking, then get in a manual, you could quite easily have a bit of a mix-up when going for the clutch, etc. I once lifted my left-foot off the brake to go for the clutch - and ending up on the brakes again. Being an old car with a heavy clutch, it felt like I hit a brick-wall . Thankfully the road was empty. It's not for lack of feel - I just got the wrong pedal.G_T said:
The old XJR is more fun, comfortable and actually has the power to accelerate to and maintain motorway speeds but it's an auto and I can't help but feel that's cheating. It's also an absolute bd to park and drive around town and I feel that might hinder my progress.
I'd definitely use the XJR. Much more potential for learning!d to park and drive around town and I feel that might hinder my progress.Hopefully you'll get someone good that can explain sustained-rev gear changes (yes in an automatic
) and make your parking a bit less stressful...Gassing Station | Advanced Driving | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff