Do you drop a gear to stick to a speed limit..?
Discussion
Just thinking.
My current daily driver is hardly the most quickest of cars, however its very tricky to drive through a 30mph in any other gear than 3rd (1st and second would work, but it makes quite a bit of noise at those revs!
). A 40mph limit just about permits use of 4th gear and a careful right foot.
I think nothing of dropping into 3rd in these limits (i like the exhaust note anyway!
) to keep my speed down. If i don't i find it hard to drive within these limits. The same is equally true if driving a hire car (which i regularly do for work) - it is really hard to drive a car in a 30mph limt in 5th gear...
Am amazed at how many drivers i have ridden with won't do this however - excuses are "i can't be bothered", or "it wrecks the engine" etc. Yet my experience suggests that these people who leave it in 5th gear, reguarly creep up past the set speed limits. Its also easier and quicker to accelerate to the NSL when able to do so, rahter than labouring the engine in too high a gear.
So, just curious - am i in the majority here to drop teh car into a lower gear for low speed limits, or am i just being abit of a
for being concious of my cars gearing????
My current daily driver is hardly the most quickest of cars, however its very tricky to drive through a 30mph in any other gear than 3rd (1st and second would work, but it makes quite a bit of noise at those revs!
). A 40mph limit just about permits use of 4th gear and a careful right foot. I think nothing of dropping into 3rd in these limits (i like the exhaust note anyway!
) to keep my speed down. If i don't i find it hard to drive within these limits. The same is equally true if driving a hire car (which i regularly do for work) - it is really hard to drive a car in a 30mph limt in 5th gear... Am amazed at how many drivers i have ridden with won't do this however - excuses are "i can't be bothered", or "it wrecks the engine" etc. Yet my experience suggests that these people who leave it in 5th gear, reguarly creep up past the set speed limits. Its also easier and quicker to accelerate to the NSL when able to do so, rahter than labouring the engine in too high a gear.
So, just curious - am i in the majority here to drop teh car into a lower gear for low speed limits, or am i just being abit of a
for being concious of my cars gearing????safer driving, more dangerous for your licence!
I drive a 1.9 Diesel (well for a week more
) and I drop to 4th in 30's, 5th for every thing else.
In the marlin, I'm not sure. It's only got 4 gears. I might play with 1st and frighten people, especially in the 20mph zone.
Just around school time Mummies, 
GET OUT OF THE WAY
I drive a 1.9 Diesel (well for a week more
) and I drop to 4th in 30's, 5th for every thing else. In the marlin, I'm not sure. It's only got 4 gears. I might play with 1st and frighten people, especially in the 20mph zone.
Just around school time
Mummies, GET OUT OF THE WAY Yertis said:
Surely it's safer for all if you keep your head up and concentrate on what's going on outside of the car, and drive at a speed appropriate for the conditions, rather than worrying about whether you're at the right gear for thirty miles an hour or whatever.
I can tell roughly what speed i am doing by listening to the engine note of my car. This is one of the reasons i drop the gears. In fact i very rarely need to look at the speedo as i'm well practiced. If i didn't drop the gear i find myself creeping up speed to something that probably isn't suitable for the conditions and would have to keep taking eyes off the road to check/touch brakes all the time etc.
So thats all i was saying; if i don't drop a gear i find it hard to drive at 30mph where limited. Given that the limit is 30mph i figure its usually for a reason (unlike bloody 50mph limits!) so i wouldn't want to find myself creeping over it. Wondered if it was something others did too.........
30mph limit's = 2nd gear. Helps keep your speed down, and should you ever need to accelerate (not that you will need to of course - because you wont break the speed limit) it is much better than 3rd.
I will also admit that in 'Big Trev' at a high street, you know busy, people getting in/out of cars, crossing the road, etc... I will trundle along in first, agreed with a sports exhaust just over the 4k mark, he makes a bit of noise.... If I accidently run someone down, at least I can claim I was only in first gear, doing less than 30mph, and can they not hear my 108db car approaching them
...?
jj
I will also admit that in 'Big Trev' at a high street, you know busy, people getting in/out of cars, crossing the road, etc... I will trundle along in first, agreed with a sports exhaust just over the 4k mark, he makes a bit of noise.... If I accidently run someone down, at least I can claim I was only in first gear, doing less than 30mph, and can they not hear my 108db car approaching them
...? jj
-tastic! Might get done for noise pollution through 
Buffalo said:
So, just curious - am i in the majority here to drop teh car into a lower gear for low speed limits, or am i just being abit of a
Nope you are definitely not being a
One of THE fundamentals, right gear, right place, right time.
For the record my daily work drive is a TDCi Ford.
2nd in 30's ,revs are a bit high "but useful for holding the car back on a downhill approaching a known scamera location
" Usually 3rd in 30
3rd / 4th in 40's and above.
Only ever seem to use 5th on NSL duals and motorways.
Too busy trying to drive properly on the twisty stuff!
I'd agree so many people complain about "I can't keep my speed down to 30" and when I see what they are doing they are in 5th @ 30.
FFS! Have these people never heard of acceleration sense let alone having any!
at 30 my 2.3 beemer will happily go in 3rd but in 4th its just too slow and the revs are too low to even touch the throttle without the 'kangaroo petrol' action happening,no probs in a 40+ limit though.
even my cortina in a 30 will sit in top but if i come to a slight hill and have to touch the accelerator it will change straight down into 2 (auto box)
>> Edited by cortinaman on Sunday 28th September 02:19
even my cortina in a 30 will sit in top but if i come to a slight hill and have to touch the accelerator it will change straight down into 2 (auto box)
>> Edited by cortinaman on Sunday 28th September 02:19
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