How do you drive?

[FalcoColumbarius]

So how do you drive?

I had a discussion with DeliCat regarding driving styles and I thought it would be a good topic for open discussion.

• How do you hold the wheel?
• How do you use your mirrors?
• How much do you use your gears?
• How do you use your brakes?
• When do you start signalling when changing lanes?
• What about driving on a loose surface road or even off road?
• What about the weather?
• What questions do you have regarding driving styles?

Let's get into detail here

Falco.

[konadog]

But Falco, what about you? You haven't answered you own questions!? Anyway, here's mine:

How do you hold the wheel?

Two hands it's generally "10 to 2", one hand it's generally top-dead-centre - more variety esp. on long runs: 4:40 on the clock-face is pretty relaxing on the hwy. (Edit addition: Thumbs on the outside of the wheel!).

How do you use your mirrors?

Glance in both sides and centre a couple of times every minute or so when travelling and more if there is an "issue" back there... Love the mirrors for backing up!

How much do you use your gears?

Gear down lots when going down hills - love that OD button (auto trans).

How do you use your brakes?

As little as possible. When going down a hill that pulls me faster than the gear selection, I dab. Otherwise I try to anticipate the need to stop ahead and stop accelerating instead of using (read "using up")the brakes.

When do you start signalling when changing lanes?

Glance in the mirror, flick the signal, then make my move.

What about driving on a loose surface road or even off road?

What about it? Don't genreally use the signal. I do like to use the 4x4 option 'cause it makes corners more fun. Stay on my own side of the road, more or less...

What about the weather?

I prefer dry and smooth, though damp is good on logging roads to keep the dust down. Don't like rain and esp. don't like snow...

What questions do you have regarding driving styles?

Just one: with so many really poor drivers and a general lack of knowledge about the rules of the road and common civility, I wonder why it remains so easy to get licenced and why we are not required to retake our roads test every five years?

[mararmeisto]

I tend to drive like this:

[FalcoColumbarius]

The topic started with a conversation with DeliCat regarding how we hold our steering wheels.

I am generally nine & three on the clock. Typically my palms are flat on the wheel; thumbs resting by or on the horn (stock wheel); pinkies resting on the wheel at ten & two o'clock; middle three fingers are resting on the signal & wiper wands. This is my starting point, especially on the highway and I find it good for veering on those big highway bends. When I have to take a tighter corner then my hands take the wheel (nine & three) in a grip with my thumbs resting on top of the wheel, not inside the wheel ~ and I feed the wheel during the turning process from hand to hand without crossing my arms. I have a Cdn Tire steering wheel snake on the wheel and have wrapped it with black waxed linen in a criss-cross fashion. I have done this to aid my grip, especially when on a loose surface situation because I am more likely to "wheel" the wheel with my palm (which I usually start at 12:00 or 6:00). Typically I will be in 4low when doing this or parking the vehicle, not at fast speeds ~ had I done this on my original road test I probably would have failed right there, but then again I wasn't going off road during the test . When steering, my gaze will be roughly 100 metres ahead, especially on the highway, and I use my peripheral vision which encompasses my steering wheel and my mirrors. I tend to point the arrow part of the wheel (remember, stock) toward the centre point of my gaze, 100 metres ahead. This will keep me in the middle of the lane on a highway. In the city I scan the road situation a block ahead as well as the guy just in front of me.

On the highway I will scan my mirrors roughly every twenty seconds, depending on the amount of traffic (more traffic, more often; if I'm alone then less often). In the city I scan more like every ten seconds. I have mentally mapped my mirrors into quadrants and distances, for instance; in my left spot mirror if I see the yellow centre line at the bottom (or outside) of the mirror then I know that it is around 30 inches away; when overtaking a vehicle I will wait until it is in the top left corner of my right wing mirror before I pull back into that lane, this will put a safe distance between me and the other vehicle. One time on the highway, doing around 80 KPH, I looked into my rear view mirror I saw only the top of a car, looking at the reversing mirror I could see their front bumper, which put them at four and an half feet behind me. That was scary ~ and I was in the slow lane.

Falco.

[jessef]

How do you hold the wheel?

2 o'clock and shift with my left hand

How do you use your mirrors?

Often. Rotate every few seconds. Small, short cars that you can't see looking over like to come up alongside and test my mirrors often.

How much do you use your gears?

Everytime I turn the key on and drive. 5-spd

How do you use your brakes?

I gear down on most hills pretty much avoiding use of the brakes. 5-spd's are good for that.

When do you start signalling when changing lanes?

Before I change lanes. Loaded question. But usually 1-2 secs before.

What about driving on a loose surface road or even off road?

Like I've been driving/offroading for the past 20 years. Safely.

What about the weather?

Same answer above.

What questions do you have regarding driving styles?

Everyday, I see irresponsible people driving with cell phones, reading books, looking everywhere but in front of them completely oblivious to traffic around them. In a given week I drive by at least 2-3 accidents and actually witness about one accident every 2 weeks. It takes 25 mins for me to drive from Kits to Burnaby and all of the accidents have been on 1st ave and some on the highway merging lane.

Ticks me off.

[Jaz]

How do you hold the wheel?
I had an accident a few years ago and managed to do a good number on my left shoulder, so since then I've just automatically driven with the right, but the left comes into action when something needs to be done like a corner or something.


How do you use your mirrors?
All the time... you never can tell with these Vancouver drivers.



How much do you use your gears?
Just after I switch it on, just before I switch it off... damn slush box.


How do you use your brakes?
minimally normally, but driving an Auto has changed that to a degree


When do you start signalling when changing lanes?
You mean "when do I use the aftercator?


What about driving on a loose surface road or even off road?
It used to be: too aggressively
Now: Chill...

(Actually, here's the second video after the one above that would perhaps interest you guys - how we fixed the slight issue that had overcome my car. Bush Mechanic style. I recommend you right click and save, as I never got around to putting it on Youtube.

What about the weather?
Heheheh... refer above (different vid)


I should qualify this with the fact that I haven't got a delica... yet... so my driving style will most likely change again when that does happen.

[kidwrecked]

How do you hold the wheel?

Gentle place my right thumb on the outer edge of the wheel and move back and forth as needed,
or the left is grasping the wheel while the right hand holds the book I'm reading.

How do you use your mirrors?

The mirrors are for what is behind you, it's in the past, forget it.
Seriously, though, I like them and use them quite often.

How much do you use your gears?

As much as possible.....5spd.

How do you use your brakes?

As little as possible....or only when sliding sideways is required.

When do you start signalling when changing lanes?

I only use the signal when there is someone to signal to, if no one is there then I don't signal.
My wife likes to be efficient and signals, shoulder checks, and veers all at the same time.

What about driving on a loose surface road or even off road?

As fast as possible, with as little care as possible, just for the fun factor.

What about the weather?

The more adverse the weather the more the fun and the faster I go.

What questions do you have regarding driving styles?

No questions. I enjoy watch all driving styles as I calmly sit back and laugh.
I am a very calm person and like to observe all those around me. It's quite entertaining.

[Golf Cart]

How do you hold the wheel?
Suicide knob in my right, Timmies in my left


How do you use your mirrors?
As often as my steering wheel - continuous



How much do you use your gears?
In and out of O/D slowing down - usually shifting once I get sub 60kph.


How do you use your brakes?
I normally look further than 5 feet in front of my windshield, unlike most drivers these days. And I'm in continual battle with my miles per tank. I notice well in advance if I'll make the light, so I tend to coast - only breaking to avoid scratching my bambibar


When do you start signalling when changing lanes?
well in advance - usually 100 feet or so prior to the actual turn, and for lane change 3-5 seconds in advance.


What about driving on a loose surface road or even off road?
All bets are off - I make good use of 4 wheel drive , besides its the only time I get to drift.

[FalcoColumbarius]

I use my gears a lot. I drive an automatic tranny and the way I have it figured is as follows: Low= 1; second = 2; Drive = 3 (pretty clever, eh?); and O/D = 4 & 5 (listen for it... there is a fifth). So when I drove a manual I would very rarely go from 5 to 4, I generally went straight to 3rd. So it follows suit in my Starwagon that I go in and out of O/D. One thing I do do is lightly pump the accelerator when down shifting so I don't put a great deal of sudden load on the engine ~ you can hear a gap in the gears when shifting that is perfect for this. I will shift down into 2nd as part of the braking process, too. Also, I tap the brakes as I shift as a courtesy to the driver behind me, to let him know that I am slowing down.

Braking, but of course. I tend to brake at intervals to take some of the heat off of the pads. If I can do it with the gears then I likely will not use the brakes. When off road I will use my E brake in certain situations ~ for dragging purposes to keep me in a straight line on a steep grade, for instance. I also use the E brake when I am at a stop light and take her out of gear.... except when she's brake dancing... but that is another story.

Falco.

[jessef]

Braking.

My braking with Turtle is different than braking with Granola (now in new hands).

Turtle = stock brakes

Granola = twin piston / GenII brakes

Big difference in braking modulation and when I brake (time I press the pedal) between both Delica's.

Going to put the Gen II's on Turtle after Xmas.

I miss the big brakes up front.

[jessef]

I drive an automatic tranny and the way I have it figured is as follows: Low= 1; second = 2; Drive = 3 (pretty clever, eh?); and O/D = 4 & 5 (listen for it... there is a fifth).

Auto Transmission = 1,2,3,4 gear rings

No fifth. Would be nice though.

And on the 5-spd's, 4th and 5th are so close together that there is only a 3-400 RPM variance.

[The Pinkfingers]

How do you hold the wheel?
Normal driving conditions I usually use one hand, down around 5 or 7, depending on the hand. High traffic, adverse conditions, or anything out of the ordinary, 10 and 2.

How do you use your mirrors?
All the time. Especially the side mirrors. The rear view is more or less useless (except when used in conjunction with the bumper mirror) because we have a car seat or a kid in the middle back row, blocking the view. I scan the mirrors about every 20 seconds or so, and use a bit of the "quadrant method" like Falco. When backing up, driving the deli means using the mirrors rather than turning your head.

How much do you use your gears?
Tend to gear down going down hills and coming to some stops, but don't use them as much as when I drove manual.

How do you use your brakes?
As little as possible. Prefer gears and a pump of the brakes for going down hills rather than riding the brakes top to bottom. Prefer gravity to stop when going up hill. Look ahead and try to discern what traffic is doing and coast when needed. If you drive well, there is no reason to slam on the brakes except when faced with the stupidity of another driver or an emergency situation. Sometimes I imagine a glass of water on my dash and try to stop and start without spilling the water.

When do you start signalling when changing lanes?
95% of the time I look in mirror, signal, pause, look in mirror, shoulder check, then change lanes. However, there are drivers downtown who when you signal tend to speed up to close the gap, so sometimes I will look ahead for a gap, signal, and then change lanes before the driver can close the gap (no pausing).

What about driving on a loose surface road or even off road?
Don't do it very often, but safely, trying to preserve the paint job!

What about the weather?
Slow down in rain, even more so in snow.

What questions do you have regarding driving styles?
The only question I have is this: if you are in a delica traveling at the speed of light, what happens when you turn on the headlights?

[jessef]

The only question I have is this: if you are in a delica traveling at the speed of light, what happens when you turn on the headlights?

This

[FalcoColumbarius]

The only question I have is this: if you are in a delica traveling at the speed of light, what happens when you turn on the headlights?

You get a glimpse of God.

I have never taken the tranny apart but I can count and have done so often. From a standing stop (at a light) I have counted the shifts with the O/D on as I accelerate onto the highway and I count four. Considering I am already in gear when I start... 1+4=....

[Golf Cart]

Hey Jesse,

How did you get a copy of my cousins road trip ?