Correct driving positions
Discussion
I have my steering wheel mounted very close to me .. I extended the steering boss on my car by about 2 inches and also fitted an extra spacer behind the wheel. most wheels are far too far away for me to get any decent leverage on them.
I also find that even with my steering wheel lowered significantly (to go with my lowered seat) that my hands go numb and fail to function after about 50 miles of ten-to-two driving, so i invariably find me gripping the very bottom of the steering wheel over long distances. Not ideal but then neither is pins and needles in hands unable to function at all! I also find myself getting an acute pain in my shoulder joints if i hold the wheel *properly* for any distance.. maybe I'm just falling apart!! lmao.
I also find that even with my steering wheel lowered significantly (to go with my lowered seat) that my hands go numb and fail to function after about 50 miles of ten-to-two driving, so i invariably find me gripping the very bottom of the steering wheel over long distances. Not ideal but then neither is pins and needles in hands unable to function at all! I also find myself getting an acute pain in my shoulder joints if i hold the wheel *properly* for any distance.. maybe I'm just falling apart!! lmao.
StressedDave said:
Well...some instructors saying elbows bent 90o some 120o and some others 140o (degrees) wich one is the right one?
What ever is most biomechanically comfortable for you. Angle of elbow is unimportant, it's whether you can smoothly apply steering using your wrists and elbows rather than moving your shoulders.
Oh aye, wrists can be very useful! A few months ago I was a passenger in a car being driven on the M62 and we overtook a van. I noticed that the van driver had his hands through the steering wheel with his wrists resting on the spokes. That was a new type of 'grip' I hadn't seen before, and I can't say it looked very suitable - and I'm normally quite laid back about these little details.
Best wishes all,
Dave.
Here s a very good video of kimi in his street car !http://video.search.yahoo.com/search/
cptsideways said:
Does anybody "really" drive with two hands on the wheel if doing any great motorway type distance??(hoonage excepted) It makes your hands go cold holding them in the air (10-2) over any great distance & I mean not your average 30 min commute...more like 3-400 miles a day like reps & business types like myself often do.
From my observations the only people with two hands on the wheel are often nervous & don't like changing lanes!.
I think you can tell an awful lot about a driver & their attitude behind the wheel by their driving position, and a quick glance over when passing confirms what you thought when following them (usually).
Anyway, for high mileage I like a slightly laid back approach, with a comfy armrest ie not an horrible bit of lumpty plastic, a centre armrest & low steering wheel so you can keep your hands lower down. Best ever has to the Vauxhaul Omega Elite, followed by some of the Saabs or Volvo's. Worst are BMW Compacts with bus steering wheels that are fixed up in the air.
No doubt I'll be flamed & put in the sin bin & banned from this section for life & imprisoned in a locked Rover 600 with a rug on the shelf
I drive with both hands on the wheel, at quarter-to-three, with thumbs laid along the wheel. I make progress in a non-aggressive manner.
I drive with both hands on the wheel at all times. I received a rude lesson about this one late evening on the M1 when a piece of debris fell off the back of a vehicle in L1 (I was in L2 and had been for some time, about to start passing this vehicle) and it bounced into my lane. I didn't know what it was - it could have been paper, it could have been concrete. It was dark. With my super-cool laid-back one-hand-elbow-on-the-windowsill manner, I had to swerve into L3 and although I made my mirror check in time, the manoeuvre was not at all well-executed.
And my Compact doesn't have a bus steering wheel - although the lack of reach'n'rake does mean that it's more luck than judgement that it's in a decent position for me.
CommanderJameson_back_in_October said:
Does anybody "really" drive with two hands on the wheel if doing any great motorway type distance??(hoonage excepted) It makes your hands go cold holding them in the air (10-2) over any great distance & I mean not your average 30 min commute...more like 3-400 miles a day like reps & business types like myself often do.
From my observations the only people with two hands on the wheel are often nervous & don't like changing lanes!.
I think you can tell an awful lot about a driver & their attitude behind the wheel by their driving position, and a quick glance over when passing confirms what you thought when following them (usually).
Anyway, for high mileage I like a slightly laid back approach, with a comfy armrest ie not an horrible bit of lumpty plastic, a centre armrest & low steering wheel so you can keep your hands lower down. Best ever has to the Vauxhaul Omega Elite, followed by some of the Saabs or Volvo's. Worst are BMW Compacts with bus steering wheels that are fixed up in the air.
No doubt I'll be flamed & put in the sin bin & banned from this section for life & imprisoned in a locked Rover 600 with a rug on the shelf
I keep both hands on at quarter-to-three (because of the airbag) whether I'm driving 3 miles or 300. But then, I use push-pull steering almost all the time, too. And I maintain my 2 second gap. And I exercise lane discipline.
This week, I ar bin mosely polishin' my halo. </jesse>
And yes, the BMW compact wheel's lack of rake/reach is nutty, but not too bad if you're tall.
>> Edited by CommanderJameson on Thursday 27th October 07:33
>> Edited by CommanderJameson on Thursday 27th October 07:37
I roffle at my lack of medium-term memory.
You may point and laugh at will.
>> Edited by CommanderJameson on Tuesday 2nd May 13:10
>> Edited by CommanderJameson on Tuesday 2nd May 13:11
CommanderJameson said:
Does anybody "really" drive with two hands on the wheel if doing any great motorway type distance??(hoonage excepted) It makes your hands go cold holding them in the air (10-2) over any great distance & I mean not your average 30 min commute...more like 3-400 miles a day like reps & business types like myself often do.
From my observations the only people with two hands on the wheel are often nervous & don't like changing lanes!.
I think you can tell an awful lot about a driver & their attitude behind the wheel by their driving position, and a quick glance over when passing confirms what you thought when following them (usually).
Anyway, for high mileage I like a slightly laid back approach, with a comfy armrest ie not an horrible bit of lumpty plastic, a centre armrest & low steering wheel so you can keep your hands lower down. Best ever has to the Vauxhaul Omega Elite, followed by some of the Saabs or Volvo's. Worst are BMW Compacts with bus steering wheels that are fixed up in the air.
No doubt I'll be flamed & put in the sin bin & banned from this section for life & imprisoned in a locked Rover 600 with a rug on the shelf
I drive with both hands on the wheel, at quarter-to-three, with thumbs laid along the wheel. I make progress in a non-aggressive manner.
I drive with both hands on the wheel at all times. I received a rude lesson about this one late evening on the M1 when a piece of debris fell off the back of a vehicle in L1 (I was in L2 and had been for some time, about to start passing this vehicle) and it bounced into my lane. I didn't know what it was - it could have been paper, it could have been concrete. It was dark. With my super-cool laid-back one-hand-elbow-on-the-windowsill manner, I had to swerve into L3 and although I made my mirror check in time, the manoeuvre was not at all well-executed.
Well I'm not going to flame Declan for his comments, as I'm largely in agreement. I know some people insist on the need for both hands on the steering wheel at all times but do they really mean that? I doubt it. Do we really need both hands for steering at 10-15 mph while travelling in congested traffic?
Best wishes all,
Dave.
TripleS said:
Well I'm not going to flame Declan for his comments, as I'm largely in agreement. I know some people insist on the need for both hands on the steering wheel at all times but do they really mean that? I doubt it. Do we really need both hands for steering at 10-15 mph while travelling in congested traffic?
Best wishes all,
Dave.
I would agree that for low-speed urban driving, both-hands-on is probably unnecessary, but it's now just the way I drive. Perhaps it's a psychological thing, but I do feel more at ease and in control with both hands on.
There's a side-benefit, too - with both hands on the wheel, the temptation to use a mobile/fiddle with the stereo/eat a three-course lunch/make instructive and informative hand gestures to other drivers/etc is much reduced.
CommanderJameson said:
Well I'm not going to flame Declan for his comments, as I'm largely in agreement. I know some people insist on the need for both hands on the steering wheel at all times but do they really mean that? I doubt it. Do we really need both hands for steering at 10-15 mph while travelling in congested traffic?
Best wishes all,
Dave.
I would agree that for low-speed urban driving, both-hands-on is probably unnecessary, but it's now just the way I drive. Perhaps it's a psychological thing, but I do feel more at ease and in control with both hands on.
There's a side-benefit, too - with both hands on the wheel, the temptation to use a mobile/fiddle with the stereo/eat a three-course lunch/make instructive and informative hand gestures to other drivers/etc is much reduced.
OK fair enough CJ.
I like the bit about 'instructive and informative hand gestures' etc. - the art of communicating eh?
Best wishes all,
Dave.
I know what Rob means about modern cars being ill-fitting. I am only slightly taller than him but I spend ages trying to get a comfortable position in my Evo. It uses Recaro buckets which are extremely supportive in cornering but they have no adjustment for height. They are set a bit too high and are not height-adjustable.
The pedals are set too close to me so if i try to hold the wheel at the normal 'wrist on top of the wheel' position my legs are too bent up. They then have insufficient support and I sometimes get nerve twitches.
It takes me ages to get the right position and everybody else is banned from moving the seat. I still end up further from the wheel and gear lever than I'd prefer, though.
It is a nuisance because it spoils the car for me. I have considered changing the Recaros for ones with full ajustment but I shouldn't really need to.
The pedals are set too close to me so if i try to hold the wheel at the normal 'wrist on top of the wheel' position my legs are too bent up. They then have insufficient support and I sometimes get nerve twitches.
It takes me ages to get the right position and everybody else is banned from moving the seat. I still end up further from the wheel and gear lever than I'd prefer, though.
It is a nuisance because it spoils the car for me. I have considered changing the Recaros for ones with full ajustment but I shouldn't really need to.
Thought I'd post little 20 meg video clip up - its me (another dull day in the office NOT)
All this two hands on the wheel for control, is total utter rubbish in my book. Unless you've really experienced & carefully examined exactly what goes on when the cars "having a barney" be it sliding, sudden manouveres etc then you really need to look at this.
My hands slide through the wheel, yes it looks a bit like the BSM shuffle, they rarely if ever cross, the car does all the work, if you try & do it all yourself it goes wrong I can assure you.
20 meg clip, click the link & click again to download. Second section of the incar bit is what to look at.
www.savefile.com/files/5631745
>> Edited by cptsideways on Tuesday 9th May 14:37
All this two hands on the wheel for control, is total utter rubbish in my book. Unless you've really experienced & carefully examined exactly what goes on when the cars "having a barney" be it sliding, sudden manouveres etc then you really need to look at this.
My hands slide through the wheel, yes it looks a bit like the BSM shuffle, they rarely if ever cross, the car does all the work, if you try & do it all yourself it goes wrong I can assure you.
20 meg clip, click the link & click again to download. Second section of the incar bit is what to look at.
www.savefile.com/files/5631745
>> Edited by cptsideways on Tuesday 9th May 14:37
I drive with Arms quite bent so they are in easy reach of the top of the steering wheel. Basically so you dont have to move you body when opposite locking or taking tight turns.
Legs are bent so in easy reach of all the clutch movement(although I'm sure I only use half). I think the legs shouldn't be totally straight on full clutch, a tiny bit to spare.
Eye line generally goes across the top of the steering wheel in line with the top of the bonnet.
If your arms are too stretched it can bring problems. Mainly because its an effort to correct the wheel, also often means your further from the gearstick and also in my own experience on road rallies makes your ribs bruised by leaning forward a slight bit when correcting the wheel alot.
Legs are bent so in easy reach of all the clutch movement(although I'm sure I only use half). I think the legs shouldn't be totally straight on full clutch, a tiny bit to spare.
Eye line generally goes across the top of the steering wheel in line with the top of the bonnet.
If your arms are too stretched it can bring problems. Mainly because its an effort to correct the wheel, also often means your further from the gearstick and also in my own experience on road rallies makes your ribs bruised by leaning forward a slight bit when correcting the wheel alot.
rsvmilly said:
He is cpt sideways (there's a clue in the name
www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?t=216278&
So is Declan/cpt S "the drift academy"? looked at the webby, looks great.
Graham
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