Let's talk about cars
Mar 29th 2018, 2:19 am
#7021
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Apr 2014
Location: Lauren's Co. SC by way of Palmetto, Florida
Posts: 3,265
Re: Let's talk about cars
This reminds me of a time way back in the haze that was my youth (late 80's). The work boss and I were returning from a jolly in Mendip and she let me drive her pride and joy, a scabby old 3.5l V8 Rover auto. I'd never driven an auto before and having crawled from Glastonbury to the M5 my youthful testosterone was itching to boot it. Sooo, going down the on ramp onto the M5 I floored it, then decided to change up....who knew that British cars could stop fast?
The boss was not overly amused at me coming to a halt in the first line of the M5, especially as I had to scrape her off the dash. That damned car stopped quicker than a horse refusing a fence. Needless to say, I have made a conscious effort when driving an auto to keep my left foot out of the equation...
The boss was not overly amused at me coming to a halt in the first line of the M5, especially as I had to scrape her off the dash. That damned car stopped quicker than a horse refusing a fence. Needless to say, I have made a conscious effort when driving an auto to keep my left foot out of the equation...
Mar 29th 2018, 1:42 pm
#7022
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
Re: Let's talk about cars
This reminds me of a time way back in the haze that was my youth (late 80's). The work boss and I were returning from a jolly in Mendip and she let me drive her pride and joy, a scabby old 3.5l V8 Rover auto. I'd never driven an auto before and having crawled from Glastonbury to the M5 my youthful testosterone was itching to boot it. Sooo, going down the on ramp onto the M5 I floored it, then decided to change up....who knew that British cars could stop fast?
The boss was not overly amused at me coming to a halt in the first line of the M5, especially as I had to scrape her off the dash. That damned car stopped quicker than a horse refusing a fence. Needless to say, I have made a conscious effort when driving an auto to keep my left foot out of the equation...
The boss was not overly amused at me coming to a halt in the first line of the M5, especially as I had to scrape her off the dash. That damned car stopped quicker than a horse refusing a fence. Needless to say, I have made a conscious effort when driving an auto to keep my left foot out of the equation...
Left foot braking always takes you by surprise.
Mar 30th 2018, 4:59 pm
#7023
Account Closed
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2
Re: Let's talk about cars
Mustang driver hits 150 mph in Glenwood Canyon, troopers give up chase
Troopers couldn’t get a read on the license plate of car going more than double the speed limit early Friday
https://www.denverpost.com/2018/03/3...h-speed-chase/
Troopers couldn’t get a read on the license plate of car going more than double the speed limit early Friday
https://www.denverpost.com/2018/03/3...h-speed-chase/
Mar 30th 2018, 5:45 pm
#7024
Gloves off
Joined: May 2016
Location: Antwerpen/Anvers
Posts: 7,265
Re: Let's talk about cars
I left-foot the brake frequently in my Morgan, especially early in the season or when the carburettor's a bit gunked up and the idle gets a bit lumpy. Dropping into neutral on approach to traffic lights allows me to brake with my left foot and keep the right foot rolling the throttle to prevent the engine stalling out. Also, it sounds a bit more like a racing car than an elderly sports tourer if you come up to the lights blipping the throttle... 
.
Coupled with double-declutching when changing down through the 'box (the pedals are set up quite nicely for heel-and-toe), I end up using either foot on the brake depending on circumstances. Only once have I used both feet at the same time by mistake... that stopped me a bit suddenly.
Edit to add: I've tried it in an automatic in the UK as I'd heard it's a good way to keep the revs set high when "pressing on" on twisty roads. Sadly, the car I tried that in was a Citroen Picasso, which didn't exactly have the dynamic characteristics to tell whether the experiment was successful. Here, with two automatic barges in the family fleet and all the decent corners having stop signs or traffic lights, there doesn't seem much point.
. Coupled with double-declutching when changing down through the 'box (the pedals are set up quite nicely for heel-and-toe), I end up using either foot on the brake depending on circumstances. Only once have I used both feet at the same time by mistake... that stopped me a bit suddenly.
Edit to add: I've tried it in an automatic in the UK as I'd heard it's a good way to keep the revs set high when "pressing on" on twisty roads. Sadly, the car I tried that in was a Citroen Picasso, which didn't exactly have the dynamic characteristics to tell whether the experiment was successful. Here, with two automatic barges in the family fleet and all the decent corners having stop signs or traffic lights, there doesn't seem much point.
Which model of Morgan do you have? I nearly bought a Plus 4 a couple of years back but OH vetoed it. My garage here specialises in 'Brit' cars + Volvo, so we have Morgan, Jaguar, Land Rover, and McClaren...
Not in the same league I know, but in the UK I used to have an MGB which developed a similar lumpy idling problem when in traffic, so I had to learn a bit of the left foot shuffle thing. Was not happy doing that, so I ended up borrowing someone else's car for town stuff.
Mar 30th 2018, 7:31 pm
#7025
Peace onion
Joined: Jul 2006
Location: Denver
Posts: 5,686
Re: Let's talk about cars
Any of you guys remember this? The Invacar. I was shocked to learn this vehicle went 82mph and was built by the same company that made the AC Cobra.
Whatever happened to the Invacar? - PetrolBlog
This is the perfect car for the likes of Sultan, LionInWinter, Nutmegger, dc koop.
Whatever happened to the Invacar? - PetrolBlog
This is the perfect car for the likes of Sultan, LionInWinter, Nutmegger, dc koop.
Mar 30th 2018, 7:34 pm
#7026
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
Re: Let's talk about cars
Any of you guys remember this? The Invacar. I was shocked to learn this vehicle went 82mph and was built by the same company that made the AC Cobra.
Whatever happened to the Invacar? - PetrolBlog
This is the perfect car for the likes of Sultan, LionInWinter, Nutmegger, dc koop.
Whatever happened to the Invacar? - PetrolBlog
This is the perfect car for the likes of Sultan, LionInWinter, Nutmegger, dc koop.
Mar 30th 2018, 7:38 pm
#7030
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
Mar 30th 2018, 7:46 pm
#7032
Peace onion
Joined: Jul 2006
Location: Denver
Posts: 5,686
Re: Let's talk about cars
When I was a wee-one, like, I'll always remember the sound (and smell of the tires) when people would wrestle their cars out of parking spaces. Turning the steering without power-assist. It was quite the thing and I loved it.
I also loved the giant black steering wheels on buses; the ones parallel with the floor. The driver had to make elaborate steering gestures to get the vehicle round a corner. That was driving. None of this SUV-driving-Timmy-to-lacrosse-practice you liberals know today. It was real driving for real, down-to-earth people.
I also loved the giant black steering wheels on buses; the ones parallel with the floor. The driver had to make elaborate steering gestures to get the vehicle round a corner. That was driving. None of this SUV-driving-Timmy-to-lacrosse-practice you liberals know today. It was real driving for real, down-to-earth people.
Mar 30th 2018, 7:51 pm
#7033
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
Re: Let's talk about cars
When I was a wee-one, like, I'll always remember the sound (and smell of the tires) when people would wrestle their cars out of parking spaces. Turning the steering without power-assist. It was quite the thing and I loved it.
I also loved the giant black steering wheels on buses; the ones parallel with the floor. The driver had to make elaborate steering gestures to get the vehicle round a corner. That was driving. None of this SUV-driving-Timmy-to-lacrosse-practice you liberals know today. It was real driving for real, down-to-earth people.
I also loved the giant black steering wheels on buses; the ones parallel with the floor. The driver had to make elaborate steering gestures to get the vehicle round a corner. That was driving. None of this SUV-driving-Timmy-to-lacrosse-practice you liberals know today. It was real driving for real, down-to-earth people.
I do have a similar nostalgia for old buses though. Good old Leyland Bristol, though Ulsterbus kept them in service until about 2006, so not really nostalgia as such but the whine of the engine, on the way home from school on a random rainy afternoon. Great stuff. Made the switch to trains when I was older though, that's a whole different set of jumpers making a whole new pair of goalposts.
Mar 30th 2018, 7:55 pm
#7034
Peace onion
Joined: Jul 2006
Location: Denver
Posts: 5,686
Re: Let's talk about cars
I had the sound as more of a "brummmmm" on the buses. Oh, the whine. You're probably talking about turbo-diesel.
This was before that. Like in the mid to late 70s. Routemaster buses with the jump-on pole and the driver periscope.
This was before that. Like in the mid to late 70s. Routemaster buses with the jump-on pole and the driver periscope.
Mar 30th 2018, 8:02 pm
#7035
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
Re: Let's talk about cars
I don't know how extensively the Bristol was used in England.
Kind of a long video, but within the first few minutes you get the sound I'm talking about. This was my daily ride home from school about 85% of the time for 14 years.
Kind of a long video, but within the first few minutes you get the sound I'm talking about. This was my daily ride home from school about 85% of the time for 14 years.