Automatics - my driving is worse!
Discussion
I don't think I'd qualify anywhere as an advanced driver, but I do try to pay attention, read the situation in advance and control the car as best I can.
For a while now, I've been driving an auto (DSG actually), and I think I have come to the realisation that my driving is worse for it. In a manual, somehow the gears act as a "foundation" to planning and preparation. It's not so much that I don't perceive the potential hazards in an Auto, or consider how they might develop. It's just that without the need to plan gears, engine response etc, I find myself thinking "I'll wait a bit more and see how it evolves". In the cases where it evolves to something I need to act on, everything - position, speed, secondary checks etc - just get a bit more bunched up and hurried. In a manual I know I wont have the time to do all those plus a smooth change or two, so I start making preparations in case.
Does this make sense? Anyone else experienced what I mean?
And most importantly, any good tips on how to avoid it???
Thanks!
For a while now, I've been driving an auto (DSG actually), and I think I have come to the realisation that my driving is worse for it. In a manual, somehow the gears act as a "foundation" to planning and preparation. It's not so much that I don't perceive the potential hazards in an Auto, or consider how they might develop. It's just that without the need to plan gears, engine response etc, I find myself thinking "I'll wait a bit more and see how it evolves". In the cases where it evolves to something I need to act on, everything - position, speed, secondary checks etc - just get a bit more bunched up and hurried. In a manual I know I wont have the time to do all those plus a smooth change or two, so I start making preparations in case.
Does this make sense? Anyone else experienced what I mean?
And most importantly, any good tips on how to avoid it???
Thanks!
I had been thinking about getting in touch with the local RoSPA group for a while - probably a good catalyst to do that. Also very interesting remark about switching between cars made me think - this is not by any means my first auto, but is the first time I've only had an auto - I don't recall this ever happening when I had both and regularly switched. So maybe that's another solution - get another car!
Regarding "ploughing on regardless" - it's not like that! I am not barreling on when I should be doing otherwise, or wouldn't be in a manual. Its just that some of the pre-preparation setup is left a little. I'm not braking or manoeuvring later, just that I might overlap a couple of actions in a way I wouldn't in a manual. I fear now that this will get blown out of all proportion, people envisaging me screeching to a halt in last-ditch efforts to avoid collisions.
Regarding "ploughing on regardless" - it's not like that! I am not barreling on when I should be doing otherwise, or wouldn't be in a manual. Its just that some of the pre-preparation setup is left a little. I'm not braking or manoeuvring later, just that I might overlap a couple of actions in a way I wouldn't in a manual. I fear now that this will get blown out of all proportion, people envisaging me screeching to a halt in last-ditch efforts to avoid collisions.
It mostly is subconscious - the detail/checklist is just so it can be put down in words on a forum... Probably the subconscious element is giving partial rise to the issue.
Taking the roundabout example, mostly it would be as you say. But lets factor in a roundabout with bad visibility for what is coming round. Maybe this is wrong, but the difference is I would be selecting the gear before my final decision (probably 2nd in this case due to low visibility). As I am selecting the gear, I would be getting a feel (not a checklist!) for the opportunities where I would be happiest accelerating onto the roundabout, slowing and feeding onto it or stopping and waiting. In an auto, without the need to make a (probably too deliberate) gear change, this may come slightly later and I just didn't have the same satisfaction with the manoeuvre.
Never mind! I don't think I am going to be able to explain this properly (or have it solved) by words alone. And it probably comes from changing gear too early/deliberately in a manual, so it's probably equally that element of my driving that is wrong.
EDIT: Was writing this as R_U_Local was responding. My goodness - that is exactly IT!!! And yes, I did try it in manual, but with full BGOL - so error there! I think that is a great idea - drive it exactly as I would a manual. But probably also shows how much value some lessons would be with an advanced driver if they can see straight to my issues like that. Very impressed that with two paragraphs you describe exactly what is going wrong, in a way I didn't quite see!
Taking the roundabout example, mostly it would be as you say. But lets factor in a roundabout with bad visibility for what is coming round. Maybe this is wrong, but the difference is I would be selecting the gear before my final decision (probably 2nd in this case due to low visibility). As I am selecting the gear, I would be getting a feel (not a checklist!) for the opportunities where I would be happiest accelerating onto the roundabout, slowing and feeding onto it or stopping and waiting. In an auto, without the need to make a (probably too deliberate) gear change, this may come slightly later and I just didn't have the same satisfaction with the manoeuvre.
Never mind! I don't think I am going to be able to explain this properly (or have it solved) by words alone. And it probably comes from changing gear too early/deliberately in a manual, so it's probably equally that element of my driving that is wrong.
EDIT: Was writing this as R_U_Local was responding. My goodness - that is exactly IT!!! And yes, I did try it in manual, but with full BGOL - so error there! I think that is a great idea - drive it exactly as I would a manual. But probably also shows how much value some lessons would be with an advanced driver if they can see straight to my issues like that. Very impressed that with two paragraphs you describe exactly what is going wrong, in a way I didn't quite see!
Edited by RedSwede on Thursday 9th April 13:14
I think you're right - they all kick down when fully mashed. Then the "sportier" cars don't change up at the limiter - meaning potentially an up change almost immediately which you weren't expecting. I tend to very rarely go full kickdown even overtaking - I just press to the before the click - though so that's not a particular issue for me.
I think there are a lot of upsides to a DSG, and my title was probably hyperbole. In truth, here is one aspect of driving an automatic that I sometimes feel less than satisfied/comfortable about, but couldn't quite explain. I'm certainly not one of the vocal auto-bashers on here. I will work on my problem and for my daily driver almost certainly go auto again.
I actually think it can be less stressful for passengers, especially for overtakes. In a manual I will sometimes select a lower gear in preparation and then decide against it. I feel this kind of thing can put passengers at slight unease. Often they don't notice the positional/observation preparation, so with an auto you can be halfway past before they notice (not to mention removing any doubts about which gear and whether a mid-overtake change is a "good" idea)
I think there are a lot of upsides to a DSG, and my title was probably hyperbole. In truth, here is one aspect of driving an automatic that I sometimes feel less than satisfied/comfortable about, but couldn't quite explain. I'm certainly not one of the vocal auto-bashers on here. I will work on my problem and for my daily driver almost certainly go auto again.
I actually think it can be less stressful for passengers, especially for overtakes. In a manual I will sometimes select a lower gear in preparation and then decide against it. I feel this kind of thing can put passengers at slight unease. Often they don't notice the positional/observation preparation, so with an auto you can be halfway past before they notice (not to mention removing any doubts about which gear and whether a mid-overtake change is a "good" idea)
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