| Author |
Message |
    
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 15237
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 8, 2006 - 10:29 am: | 
|
Not necessarily. Some automatics have sophisticated computers in them and get better mileage despite some intrinsic things, like the way the clutch pack slips more often than a drive will slip a clutch. Also, some automatics have a higher top gear than the corresponding manual in the same model car.
|
lamojo
Citizen
Username: Lamojo
Post Number: 193
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 8, 2006 - 12:05 pm: |
|
hey tom - what's your daughter the lifeguard's name? Does she do swim lessons? |
jeffl
Supporter
Username: Jeffl
Post Number: 1812
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 8, 2006 - 12:14 pm: |
|
I drive a stick and taught my 17-year-old to drive one too. Now he only wants to drive my car and not my wife's automatic.
The Car Talk guys say the way to teach it is to have the learner put one foot on the clutch and let it out slowly until the moment the car starts to move. Then have them push it in again. Do that 50 times without putting the car in gear. This gives them a feel for where the clutch does engage. THEN, let them fully engage the clutch.
I'd say it took my son a dozen lessons of about 20 minutes a piece to feel really comfortable.
As an aside, I saw a dead body on the Turnpike yesterday. A tow truck operator was killed by a woman who fell asleep while driving. The man was only partially covered. It was the most horrible thing I've ever seen. I had a very frank discussion with my son last night about driving. Feel free to use this story to talk to your new drivers. |
Cougar86
Citizen
Username: Cougar86
Post Number: 34
Registered: 3-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 8, 2006 - 2:09 pm: |
|
A friend of mine's mother taught her to drive in a cemetary. There were plenty of slight hills and intersections to practice without anyone else around to bother her. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 15238
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 8, 2006 - 3:56 pm: |
|
lamojo, her name is Maddy Reingold, and you might be able to convince her to give private swimming lessons. She doesn't usually give them at the pool, though she has filled in for a teacher. She taught swimming last summer at Camp Horizons.
Privateline me if you want her contact information.
|
calypso
Citizen
Username: Calypso
Post Number: 79
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Friday, August 11, 2006 - 10:41 pm: |
|
Ever since I lived in Maine I've insisted on having manual cars. They are SO much more useful in snow or ice!
Doesn't anyone learn to drive in mall parking lots anymore? There's always plenty of space, and you don't have to worry about jerks like the ones in the Right-on-red thread honking at you. I suppose they don't have a lot of hills, though. I like the idea of learning to drive in a cemetary! What better way to give a teenager a little memento mori when s/he is feeling too flushed with the immortal feeling of being in charge of a car! |
bets
Supporter
Username: Bets
Post Number: 23834
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, August 12, 2006 - 2:36 pm: |
|
Hill are essential training for manual transmissions (I insisted on the 5-speed manual in my Honda Element and it took an extra week to get it delivered). While most mall parking lots don't have hills, the Livingston Mall does. Early mornings would be best. I've also helped teach driving a manual transmission in the Newstead section of South Orange. South Mountain Reservation also has some good spots for practice. |
Joanne G
Citizen
Username: Joanne
Post Number: 489
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, August 12, 2006 - 4:42 pm: |
|
Thought of you when reading this news item:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200608/s1713555.htm
Queensland is introducing legislation making it compulsory for learner-drivers to complete 100 of driving before going for their test - this needs to be logged in an book to be handed over at test. Also minimum of 10 hours must be with a qualified and registered driving instructor.
This pulls Qld into line with several other Sttes of Australia. |
tom
Citizen
Username: Tom
Post Number: 5473
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, August 12, 2006 - 6:22 pm: |
|
New Jersey is still pathetic at driver knowledge. DMV has a sample test of driving knowledge on their site. 20 questions.
3 about drinking and driving
1 about forms of ID to get a license, 1 about how old you need to be to register a car, 1 about the hours someone with a learner's permit is allowed on the road, and 1 about why your road test may be cancelled. That's 20% of the test on subjects totally irrelevant once you're a licensed driver.
So there are 13 questions left.
2 are about stopping for ice cream trucks or school buses, and 1 is about stopping for emergency vehicles. One more makes sure you know to stop at a stop sign or red light (though it doesn't specifically address flashing red lights -- Jefferson Ave. drivers beware). Two are about your windshield wipers, including one with the relatively new requirement to turn your lights on at the same time. One covers the "informed consent" law.
6 to go. These actually cover situations behind the wheel. But is there anything about yield signs? Merging into traffic? Flashing lights? Speed limits? (the Ohio test when I was a kid was all about speed limits) Signalling?
It's a crappy test designed to meet political specifications. I imagine driving schools "teach to the test," so no wonder NJ drivers tend to be bad. |
Joanne G
Citizen
Username: Joanne
Post Number: 491
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, August 13, 2006 - 1:22 am: |
|
"your windshield wipers, including one with the relatively new requirement to turn your lights on at the same time."
??? Please explain this law - why would you need your lights and wipers on at the same time, especially if it's daytime?
- Confused, in Howlong |
sac
Supporter
Username: Sac
Post Number: 3697
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, August 13, 2006 - 8:46 am: |
|
This is actually very sensible. If it is raining enough to need wipers, then visibility is impacted such that it is good to have the lights on to better BE SEEN by other drivers.
The newer cars automatically turn the lights on if you run the wipers (or some whenever the car is running) when the headlight setting is left on "auto". I've experienced this on rental cars in the last year or so and I like it very much. |
Joanne G
Citizen
Username: Joanne
Post Number: 494
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, August 13, 2006 - 9:15 am: |
|
Oh. Thanks for the explanation.
I would have thought everyone automatically did that these days, without a law - after all, it's good defensive driving technique.
Mind you, I know that not everyone really does, however I think 85% of our local drivers do. They don't all use proper lights in thick fog, though! |
tom
Citizen
Username: Tom
Post Number: 5481
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, August 13, 2006 - 9:28 am: |
|
But is it more important than knowing who has the right-of-way at a four-way stop sign? Or when you can make a right turn on red? |
Joanne G
Citizen
Username: Joanne
Post Number: 496
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, August 13, 2006 - 5:10 pm: |
|
Well, I wasn't discussing that part of your post - I just wanted to understand what you were talking about.
Personally? I think everyone should learn defensive driving. I think everyone should have some professional lessons, on the road, in all conditions (I'd find a way to handle snow, if it snows where you live, or severe thunder storms and minor flooding, if that's what happens where you live. I think the practical should include oral examination questions to show how the applicant handles passengers and also can think on their feet (so to speak) (talking during the test is banned here - or was when I went through). I think the written test questions should cycle through faster than they obviously do wherever you go, so all facets of law are covered. Too many applicants are taught how to pass the test, not proper driving skills to last a lifetime. And I think we should probably all be re-tested every 15 years or so...
You can demonstrate the right of way (although we wouldn't have stops on all corners: 2 would be 'give way')- and we can't make a right on red, so that doesn't enter my experience, but I guess you can demonstrate that too. But you can't demonstrate some of the other petty-legal stuff. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 15297
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, August 13, 2006 - 5:24 pm: |
|
Quite right, tom! And since removing bad drivers from the road would piss off too many people, not only is there not an incentive to encourage good driving, there is an incentive to leave bad driving alone. Retesting?! Joanne, bite your tongue!
It's as if bad drivers have a powerful lobbying group!
|
Joanne G
Citizen
Username: Joanne
Post Number: 499
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 8:42 am: |
|
Tongue bitten - for now!!  |
TK South Orange
Citizen
Username: Tk_south_orange
Post Number: 404
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 11:08 am: |
|
I got a 95% but I am not sure which one I got wrong. |
Alleygater
Citizen
Username: Alleygater
Post Number: 2458
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 1:15 pm: |
|
I learned to drive stick from my buddy in high school because it was fun, and I didn't have a car. It was on an original VW Bug. Part of my education was taking me up a VERY VERY VERY steep hill. That was where I learned that you need to break the rules (that were established to me at the time) that more than two pedals actually NEEDS to be depressed at any one given time. This confused the heck out of me. And I must admit I was terrified stalling out and rolling backwards on that hill with people honking me to go as the light was changing from green to red again. What a nightmare. So I was taught to hold the brake pedal down as you let up the clutch when on a hill to relieve the stress on the clutch (and prevent rolling backwards). It was very hard for me to get but I did eventually get it. Also part of my "manual" education was learning how to do donuts in the snow. What can I say, we were young and stupid. Maybe this is really a post letting you parents know that they should NOT let their kids learn how to drive a manual from their teenage friends. 
At that point, I only knew how to drive stick "technically" but not in actuality since I had only a handful of hours under my belt. I later spent some time driving stick in California for like 6 weeks straight driving over "the hill" into San Jose. That sort of solidified my experience, and I don't think now that I will ever forget how to do it. But I was saddened by the fact that after I drove that car (and it was an old car) it needed a new clutch. And as much as they told me it needed a new clutch for a while now and that it wasn't my fault -- well, I think the damage was done. My confidence was shaken a bit for sure.
My only last comment on the clutch is that while I find them POTENTIALLY more enjoyable to drive if the car is peppy and sporty. I find driving a manual on a normal old car pretty tedious in a more urban, stop-and-go scenario. All that shifting but not going anywhere. Blech. I also feel less safe. By having one hand on the stick, and only one on the wheel, and using EVEN A MERELY A SMALL PORTION of my brainpower on shifting (such as remembering what gear I'm currently in), well I feel less equipped for dealing with a cat, child or deer jumping into the street and needing to swerve out of the way quickly. I know that you more experienced stick drivers will argue that point, but I swear some small fraction of my mind is devoted to thinking about shifting, and I'm down a hand and am thereby less maneuverable. And even if it's only slightly less safe, I think it's more than I'd like to give up for my own and other's safety. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 15300
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 1:43 pm: |
|
I can't argue about what works for you. I feel safe driving a manual because I have had enough practice that I do it all without thinking. That is probably true for most manual drivers. Remember, in Europe, most cars have manuals, and their standards for driving are also higher. In the UK, most people fail their road tests the first time and often on subsequent tries. So that's proof that it is possible to drive safely with a manual, for many people.
|
tom
Citizen
Username: Tom
Post Number: 5500
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 1:58 pm: |
|
After a while it becomes unconscious. However I agree it is totally aggrevating in stop-and-go traffic. |
Closed: New threads not accepted on this page