Old people parking, aka ‘The clutch whisperers’
Discussion
I’ve been doing some volunteer work at a local park recently, in the car park and I had the opportunity to watch a procession of elderly drivers come and go: It amazes me the deftness and nuance of their clutch control in their Jazz’s and i10s, the engine can be bouncing of the limiter, yet the car hardly moves, how do they do it? Do you have to go on a course when you reach a certain age, to be taught how to do it, or is it something that comes naturally, an evolutionary gift?
My father used to own the local village shop alongside his TV repair business.
He sold up nearly 20 years ago, but many of his customers were elderly ladies, somehow all of them, despite living in houses that even back then were approaching £1 million, insisted on driving manuals.
There was one particular lady who purchased a brand new black Volkswagen Lupo on a W plate. I promise I am not exaggerating when I say I never, ever, heard this car at anything less than 6k rpm. She would start it with her foot to the floor, and she would move at a snails pace in any gear on the rev limiter. Sometimes, the car wouldn't quite be in gear so you also had some grinding from the gearbox, too. That thing took a right old pasting, she died long after the business was sold, but we often saw her out and around still bothering the rev limiter despite not travelling much more than 15mph. Plate from memory was W228 XGS, wonder if it's still about now.
We spent many hours doubled over laughing until we cried
He sold up nearly 20 years ago, but many of his customers were elderly ladies, somehow all of them, despite living in houses that even back then were approaching £1 million, insisted on driving manuals.
There was one particular lady who purchased a brand new black Volkswagen Lupo on a W plate. I promise I am not exaggerating when I say I never, ever, heard this car at anything less than 6k rpm. She would start it with her foot to the floor, and she would move at a snails pace in any gear on the rev limiter. Sometimes, the car wouldn't quite be in gear so you also had some grinding from the gearbox, too. That thing took a right old pasting, she died long after the business was sold, but we often saw her out and around still bothering the rev limiter despite not travelling much more than 15mph. Plate from memory was W228 XGS, wonder if it's still about now.
We spent many hours doubled over laughing until we cried
‘Maniac, yobbo!’My old neighbour from ages ago had a Kia Pincanto, and he would rev the tits off this thing. Daft thing is, whilst his garage floor was flat (of course it was garaged...), the driveway was sloped, so all that was really needed to get the car moving was to even just lightly lift the clutch. But no. Max revs to get it out of the garage and down the driveway.
He once complained to dad that the clutch had gone and he couldn't believe it. The car had 20,000 miles on it.
He once complained to dad that the clutch had gone and he couldn't believe it. The car had 20,000 miles on it.
The modern version of this is the "EV bong" where our Dorset office is a public car park. People seem incapable of manouvering and judging the lengths of their vehicles so there is loads of Austin Powers type shuffling backwards and fowards. "Bong. Bong. Bong..... Pause... sound of dry steering... Bong. Bong. Bong" it's like chinese water tourture.
I did manage to persuade my mother to change her manual Jazz to an automatic one as she had a habit of, when approaching a turning or junction especially on dual carriageways, dropping down a gear instead of using the brakes no matter what speed she was doing. I'm not sure if she could hear the poor engine screaming its nuts off, I suppose this is why elderly people like Hondas and Toyotas. They don't break when you do stupid things to them.
Growing up in the 60s one of my nieghbours who didn't pass his test until he was over 65 went through 7 clutches(1 on the way back from my sisters wedding) and 1 engine in a 1967 HA Viva he bought brand new.He would take 15 to 20 minutes to reverse out of his drive which was only about 4 times the length of the car but even though we were just nieghbours he still insured it for us to drive while we were learners.
I know what you mean. Arthritis in your legs is a b
d thing at times, it can stop me ballet dancing, ice skating and even walking without lurching like a dunkard.
Driving skilfully... well I do my best but if I'm in my manual car I suggest you stay well clear - you won't miss it, it's a white Fiesta.
d thing at times, it can stop me ballet dancing, ice skating and even walking without lurching like a dunkard. Driving skilfully... well I do my best but if I'm in my manual car I suggest you stay well clear - you won't miss it, it's a white Fiesta.
I will say, at the ripe age of 32, my garage give me a Citroen C1 courtesy car, which has the highest clutch bite known to man. For the first few miles driving that I was revving the tits off it while getting used to the, frankly evil clutch. I don't think my legs being too long for the drivers seat, and it having no power helped matters.
I then get back in my car, with a relatively low bite point and instantly stall.
I then get back in my car, with a relatively low bite point and instantly stall.
POIDH said:
Indeed it seems to be a skill honed over the decades and practiced in public once you are over the age of 70....
At least on the bright side they are not in an automatic....
OYE, I'm over 70, still don't over rev when manouvering. What boils my piss is the folk who heave on the steering wheel to tun in or out of a parking slot while the car is stationary, my heart goes out to the track rod ends. This can be any age, often the young-unsAt least on the bright side they are not in an automatic....
Skyedriver said:
OYE, I'm over 70, still don't over rev when manouvering. What boils my piss is the folk who heave on the steering wheel to tun in or out of a parking slot while the car is stationary, my heart goes out to the track rod ends. This can be any age, often the young-uns
Same here. Some of us can still treat a clutch properly.The cost of a replacement is a big incentive!
carlove said:
I will say, at the ripe age of 32, my garage give me a Citroen C1 courtesy car, which has the highest clutch bite known to man. For the first few miles driving that I was revving the tits off it while getting used to the, frankly evil clutch. I don't think my legs being too long for the drivers seat, and it having no power helped matters.
I then get back in my car, with a relatively low bite point and instantly stall.
Hahaha my mum bought a C1 (it has a red roof obviously the most important thing) the clutch is horrible could not agree more.I then get back in my car, with a relatively low bite point and instantly stall.
I tried to explain about not using the clutch to gain rpm and make up for being in the wrong gear. Fair play she tried to not do it but then introduced the Side Step to 69 bhp.
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