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driving an automatic


mint
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I remember back in the good old days when two wheel drive cars with relatively modest power were the norm in competitions, we used to either use left foot braking or more difficult but more instinctive heel-and-toe right foot techniques (related to double-declutching) in order to keep the power on while braking - so as to encourage the non-driven wheels to slide a bit without losing the all-important momentum. This was particularly useful in helping to counter the inherent understeer in a Mini, for example. It was with normal manual transmission of course. The Finns and Swedes were particularly adept at left foot braking. Who else is old enough to remember Erik Carlsson with the two-stroke front wheel drive Saabs?

Present day driving instructors would no doubt be absolutely horrified.

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Extract from Rospa regarding points raised.

"You should cover the footbrake when moving the gear lever when the vehicle is stationary. You may wish to set the parking brake as many vehicles will ‘creep’ and some vehicles may have a tendency to lurch, particularly if fitted with an automatic choke. Stops in traffic, at junctions and at traffic lights leave the selector in D. There is no need to move into neutral, as no damage will result. You may wish to set the parking brake if the pause becomes a wait but your decision will depend on the circumstances."

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If you want to really confuse yourself try an early post war Alfa Romeo, a Jeep or a Morris Isis (6 cylinderOxford). Everything seems fine except the accelerator is the centre pedal and the brake is on the right. Had a Wolesely 110/6 as a tow car for the autocross mini when I was 21. Paid for by an expenses scale which paid x pence a mile for a mini and 3x for a three litre car because all the partners had Rovers.. Three weeks away in Wellingborough paid more than double what I had spent on the car. Occasionally used the left foot on the brake to stop the car changing up half way round a corner. Great fun on snow or ice would take about five minutes to respond to anything you did to the steering wheel

 

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I had an early Citroen XM with a manual box and an american-style foot-operated parking brake. Made hill starts impossible (needed 3 feet). Took it back to the garage & the gave me what I paid for it against an auto. I thought that the Uk highway code actually requires you to use 1 foot in an auto. I may be wrong, of course.

I had a Volvo (760 turbo, auto box), too. Although I am alot younger than Dick

 

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I used to have a Daf 66 -- the elastic band driven machine.

The worst thing you could do with one of those was trickle to a halt uphill. You'd find yourself trying to do a hill start in top! The only way out of that was to reverse with the brake on, which would get it to change down -- not easy if the person behind at the lights was close to your jacksie.

The recommended way of stopping was to brake whilst keeping some revs up. Definitely a 2-footed automatic.
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[quote user="KathyC"]

I have to confess that I am also a rather careless automatic driver, in fact somewhat more so. I use the footbreak for everything, only using the handbrake/neutral for a lengthy stop on a long journey when my legs are tired.

Excuse my ignorance, Dick, I've only been driving for about six years; is there any other way to drive an automatic other than one footed?

[/quote]

If you drive an automatic with two feet, which is what manual drivers who are not familiar with automatics do, then you run the risk of stamping on the brake with your left foot as you try to depress the non existant clutch pedal. That is why it is recommended to drive an automatic with your right foot only and keep your left foot well out of the way. It makes it much easier to swap between manual and automatic.

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Yup. Also switch off and start again if you go into neutral.

Lovely gentleman's automobile. No real problems apart from the trickle stop uphill scenario. Apparently the Duch used to have reversing races in them because they could go equally fast forwards or backwards. I wonder what a speed camera would make of that.

I had to wave goodbye to mine after a 10 tonner drove into the back.
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[quote user="Albert the InfoGipsy"]I used to have a Daf 66 -- the elastic band driven machine. The worst thing you could do with one of those was trickle to a halt uphill. You'd find yourself trying to do a hill start in top! The only way out of that was to reverse with the brake on, which would get it to change down -- not easy if the person behind at the lights was close to your jacksie. The recommended way of stopping was to brake whilst keeping some revs up. Definitely a 2-footed automatic.[/quote]

Hells teeth! I had one of those, too. 1979 I think. Quite quick, always in the right gear...

I must add that I only had it becuase I had broken my ankle (hitting a beach in a 505 in a force 6). Did nothing for my street cred as I normally drove a Stag - plenty of interesting annecdotes about that car......

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I remember the Chief Ambulance Officer in Staffordshire Ambulance Service having a Daf 66. He had a massive Blue Light on it and when he turned it on, the car used to spin around the light..........................................[:D]
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[quote user="nicktrollope"]

I must add that I only had it becuase I had broken my ankle (hitting a beach in a 505 in a force 6). Did nothing for my street cred as I normally drove a Stag - plenty of interesting annecdotes about that car......

[/quote]

You didn't happen to be driving down the road one day only to notice that one of the Stag's wheels was overtaking you, by any chance?

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