IAM advise use lower gears
Discussion
Anyone watching Breakfast on Beeb1 this am will have seen the following news item.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3362227.stm
Not new advice to some of us and all very sensible in my opinion. Ok accepted it's a bit more compicated an issue than this BBC soundbite suggests. But in essence it is just one example of the fundamental "right gear at the right place and time."
However listening to some of the vitriolic responses from viewers against the IAM opinion makes me wonder just how low standards can get to on our roads.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3362227.stm
Not new advice to some of us and all very sensible in my opinion. Ok accepted it's a bit more compicated an issue than this BBC soundbite suggests. But in essence it is just one example of the fundamental "right gear at the right place and time."
However listening to some of the vitriolic responses from viewers against the IAM opinion makes me wonder just how low standards can get to on our roads.
Flat in Fifth said:
Anyone watching Breakfast on Beeb1 this am will have seen the following news item.
<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3362227.stm">http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3362227.stm</a>
Not new advice to some of us and all very sensible in my opinion. Ok accepted it's a bit more compicated an issue than this BBC soundbite suggests. But in essence it is just one example of the fundamental "right gear at the right place and time."
However listening to some of the vitriolic responses from viewers against the IAM opinion makes me wonder just how low standards can get to on our roads.
alot of thats down to bloody schools of motoring there the ones that teach to tick along in a incorect gear.
then againg if all the numptys used there gears corectly.
Then we would have there problem of them loseing control
every time it rained due to there lack of feel, throtel control and brain cells.
there be a numppty, bent round asorted road furniture on every bend
you can just tell em, just one thing. They need to learn how to drive properly in the first place.
>> Edited by Roadrage on Friday 2nd January 09:23
PetrolTed said:
bbc said:
More than 60% of those questioned chose fourth or fifth gear in a 30mph zone
dont look so suprised there just the muppets they asked
I wouls say its more around 80-90%
ps ted you unbined the outlaw login yet ?
>> Edited by Roadrage on Friday 2nd January 09:55
But if I'm travelling at 30mph in 5th gear, if I put my foot down I'm so low down my torque curve that not a whole lot happens. If I'm doing 30mph in 3rd and my "foot slips" then the effect is moderately more dramatic.
So have I missed the point of using 3rd in a 30, or is my car just pants?
Rob.
So have I missed the point of using 3rd in a 30, or is my car just pants?
Rob.
skoda_rob said:
But if I'm travelling at 30mph in 5th gear, if I put my foot down I'm so low down my torque curve that not a whole lot happens. If I'm doing 30mph in 3rd and my "foot slips" then the effect is moderately more dramatic.
So have I missed the point of using 3rd in a 30, or is my car just pants?
Rob.
Rob it's all about control of speed upwards and downwards using just the loud pedal.
I bet if you lift off the gas at 30 in 5th not a lot happens either. That is because the engine is probably very close to idling speed.
So which is the easiest how do you slow down to below 30 because of a hazard? In 5th need to brake and change gear? Or in the appropriate gear just a flex of the size 9 Doc Marten.
I know which I prefer and in 30's my car is in 2nd or 3rd depending upon the actual conditions and issues at the time.
The point the IAM is making is that because of the lack of compression braking the speed is more likely to creep upwards.
The message they are giving is necessarily fairly simple because if the full message were given it would fly over the head of 94.8% [1] of viewers.
[1] completely made up statistic. Evidence suggests 95.6% of all statistics are made up on the spot.
Edited to say Ted can obviously type faster than me!
Didn't mean to repeat, doh!
>> Edited by Flat in Fifth on Friday 2nd January 10:36
Flat in Fifth said:
The message they are giving is necessarily fairly simple because if the full message were given it would fly over the head of 94.8% [1] of viewers.
Right I get it now...though the reason on the website of "powerful" engines making it easier to creep above the speed limit is a bit misleading though, as I'd imagine a lot of people with no interest in driving would deny their family hatchback as being powerful. And most large engined execs and 4x4s seem to come with automatic transmission anyway...
Rob.
skoda_rob said:
The message they are giving is necessarily fairly simple because if the full message were given it would fly over the head of 94.8% [1] of viewers.
Right I get it now...though the reason on the website of "powerful" engines making it easier to creep above the speed limit is a bit misleading though, as I'd imagine a lot of people with no interest in driving would deny their family hatchback as being powerful. And most large engined execs and 4x4s seem to come with automatic transmission anyway...
Rob.
as they other have said more control more enging breaking.
most nummptys seem too think it a race to get in top gear as fast as they can.
I blame the useless schools of motoring.
most are afrade to rev a enging they think there break it if they rev it past 3k
when i drive I rarly alow the revs to drop below 3k
unless im at a stand still.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3362227.stm
interesting set of balanced links there too..........
MoJo
interesting set of balanced links there too..........
MoJo
Roadrage said:
Flat in Fifth said:
The message they are giving is necessarily fairly simple because if the full message were given it would fly over the head of 94.8% [1] of viewers.
Right I get it now...though the reason on the website of "powerful" engines making it easier to creep above the speed limit is a bit misleading though, as I'd imagine a lot of people with no interest in driving would deny their family hatchback as being powerful. And most large engined execs and 4x4s seem to come with automatic transmission anyway...
Rob.
as they other have said more control more enging breaking.
most nummptys seem too think it a race to get in top gear as fast as they can.
I blame the useless schools of motoring.
most are afrade to rev a enging they think there break it if they rev it past 3k
when i drive I rarly alow the revs to drop below 3k
unless im at a stand still.
:wow: if I did that in the TVR I would be filling up twice a day!!!
I must admit I've always used forth for 30mph.
I was taught that way and was told that if you wern't willing to get it into fourth it would look like you daren't change gear and therefore not look like a confident driver during your test.
I went out today and tried driving around in third. only 500 revs more at 30mph and yes it was a lot easier to control speed (the car was a lot louder as well). Will try to do this more often if I can unteach myself.
I was taught that way and was told that if you wern't willing to get it into fourth it would look like you daren't change gear and therefore not look like a confident driver during your test.
I went out today and tried driving around in third. only 500 revs more at 30mph and yes it was a lot easier to control speed (the car was a lot louder as well
). Will try to do this more often if I can unteach myself.Right listen up:
This subject has Alarm Bells Ringing in my Head.
If you are in a lower gear then yes you can adjust your speed readily. But.......
If you are travelling along say a narrow country lane, in a higher gear you can "cruise" along without reducing your speed BUT you can be covering the brake pedal for something unexpected. Meanwhile the car doesnt slow down much if at all, (in 3rd you'd be back on the accelerator again & no where near the brake).
The time your foot is covering the brake pedal is massively increased & will be far higher than if you were in 3rd. Add in the reaction time & foot movement & thats a lot of near misses avoided!.
It's so much safer than what the IAM (or some instructor) is suggesting.
I do beleive I got this idea from a Sterling Moss or some rally driver book many moons ago. He also suggested left foot braking in the same circumstance (which I do practice too) & CAN be a very safe technique but only if practiced. (try it somewhere safe though)
The very same technique can be applied for driving through busy streets etc. Your foot movement & reaction must be in excess of a second which is quite a lot.
Correct me if I'm wrong but I think you can dig up research on this subject on the net.
This subject has Alarm Bells Ringing in my Head.
If you are in a lower gear then yes you can adjust your speed readily. But.......
If you are travelling along say a narrow country lane, in a higher gear you can "cruise" along without reducing your speed BUT you can be covering the brake pedal for something unexpected. Meanwhile the car doesnt slow down much if at all, (in 3rd you'd be back on the accelerator again & no where near the brake).
The time your foot is covering the brake pedal is massively increased & will be far higher than if you were in 3rd. Add in the reaction time & foot movement & thats a lot of near misses avoided!.
It's so much safer than what the IAM (or some instructor) is suggesting.
I do beleive I got this idea from a Sterling Moss or some rally driver book many moons ago. He also suggested left foot braking in the same circumstance (which I do practice too) & CAN be a very safe technique but only if practiced. (try it somewhere safe though)
The very same technique can be applied for driving through busy streets etc. Your foot movement & reaction must be in excess of a second which is quite a lot.
Correct me if I'm wrong but I think you can dig up research on this subject on the net.
Having just the read the post properly I am even more astounded. It's not a safety thing its a blinkin licence saving idea!!!!!!!. Because there's so many frickin speed cameras - aaaaarrrrggghhh
If you were crossing a road with sprogs in tow which you you rather the approaching driver was doing?
If you were crossing a road with sprogs in tow which you you rather the approaching driver was doing?
So no-one drives a turbo'd car here then?
You ever tried dawdling around at 3k rpm on part throttle with an instant 150+bhp with a small turbo? (saab 2.3Turbo's especially) bloody nightmare. Allright it's not a standard set up but it's like driving hissing sid. Well it with mine anyway, the thing wants to spool up at the slightest opprotunity of the tiniest tap of the throttle at those sort of rev's.
Just the same in the Tdi too, only thats all torque, there is no way this will every apply to a Tdi. Why do you think VW tune Tdi's to have 150lb of torque at 1500rpm! & No I'm not joking thats a standard Golf Pdi.
We should not be concentrating so hard on maintaining a nominal speed, but concentrating on the hazards instead.
You ever tried dawdling around at 3k rpm on part throttle with an instant 150+bhp with a small turbo? (saab 2.3Turbo's especially) bloody nightmare. Allright it's not a standard set up but it's like driving hissing sid. Well it with mine anyway, the thing wants to spool up at the slightest opprotunity of the tiniest tap of the throttle at those sort of rev's.
Just the same in the Tdi too, only thats all torque, there is no way this will every apply to a Tdi. Why do you think VW tune Tdi's to have 150lb of torque at 1500rpm! & No I'm not joking thats a standard Golf Pdi.
We should not be concentrating so hard on maintaining a nominal speed, but concentrating on the hazards instead.
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