Pulaski

Another reason to head out into a rural area to take a test. If that was a failing point I would probably have failed my US test too, but the small town where I took my road test didn't have any traffic to wait for!

That said I know it is a bad habit I have, but the risk is immeasurably greater in an automatic compared to a manual. When waiting in a intersection I have the clutch fully depressed and the hand brake on, so in the event of pretty much anything unexpected happening (in the worst case, me dying) the car would jump a few inches forward and stall; an automatic held on the foot brake would take off! The greatest risk is being rear-ended forcefully enough to push me forwards significantly, which is why I am trying to get out of the habit of turning my wheels in ahead of moving to exit the junction.

markonline1

It's actually more to guard against you getting pushed into oncoming traffic should you be shunted from behind.

It does clearly say in the CA drivers handbook to keep the wheels straight when waiting to turn, but I had no idea that was classed as a major fault. That's tough.

Jonion

It's actually equally for both circumstances.
And as my driving instructor mate states, he's more concerned with the driver's control than the less likely odds of being hit from behind.

yukichon

My two pennies worth....I drive in and around London almost every day, and IMO, the standard of driving in this part of the world has diminished every year, and is now at a scarily poor standard. I am sure it has a lot to do with the number of cars on the road and the amount of roadworks, speed cameras etc...but I have noticed that since the significant increase in immigration, there has been a huge rise in insurance claims and the amount of people that just sit In the outside lane. I believe this is due to people not from the UK, natively driving in most cases on the opposite side of the road and driving on licences that were obtained in non EU countries.
Every time I drive in the States I find in general the standard to be reasonable, but maybe it's all that space in lanes and on roads. I do notice lots of 'tailgating' happening though, both on the Interstates and highways.

Jonion

I actually agree with all your points right there.

I once sat in the inside two lanes watching a Belgian sit in the outside lane of the M1 for 35 miles! (no idea how long he'd been there until then)
The only time he ventured from it was when he suddenly realised he had to cross two lanes for his exit.

I've often been asked (when driving in the US) why I'm staying in the inside lane.

markonline1

Your mate maybe needs to consider another career then, automatics don't have clutches LOL

Jonion

Yeah I'll tell him, he's only been an advanced instructor for the last 10 years so he probably isn't that good at it.

Mind you I have no idea why you seem to think autos having no clutches (which is factually incorrect) has anything to do with the topic of steering angle at junctions.

markonline1

Oh I don't know, maybe because you think the reason the various DMV's insist on keeping the wheels straight at junctions is in case your foot slips off the clutch. I'd be amazed if that would affect more than 5% of drivers in the US.

Taken from the California Drivers Handbbook

Jonion

You see the problem you're having is trying to prove me wrong about something I never said in the first place.
I have no objection at all to being corrected, we all learn that way. But when it's done so poorly and inaccurately it does nothing for the discussion.

At no point did I state that it was puely 'in case your foot slips off the clutch'. I used it in a group of examples of what could happen, not exclusively pertaining to clutch control in any way. In fact I mentioned 'accelerator' in the same sentence, this would pertain almost solely to automatics as for it to affect a manual it would need to be in conjunction with the clutch.
I also never stated that I was talking specifically about any DMV laws in the USA, let alone a specific state.
At no point was I talking about those driving automatic vehicles, nor did I imply such.
It was (I would hope) obvious to most that my post was talking generally about the safety aspect of not having turned wheels at a junction.
You seem to have missed that in your (unsuccessful) attempt to make a point.


Your claim 'It does clearly say in the CA drivers handbook to keep the wheels straight when waiting to turn' is actually nothing more than a "Safety suggestion".
So not a law, nor an insistence, just a suggestion.

If you object to seeing a comment that differs to yours maybe you should be absolutely correct when trying to make a big deal out of it.
Especially considering your silly insults of someone who happens to be very good at their chosen profession.

I'm also curious how you calculate less than 5% of all vehicles in the USA having manual gearboxes.

Maybe you assume too much.

yukichon

Seriously Jonion, are you a forum troll?

You bait people including myself and follow it up with derisory comments....

Bob

I was curious about that, as it is low, but a quick google -

http://content.usatoday.com/communit...1#.UlXbitxDv4Y

And similar stories, so not really far off the mark really.

Jonion

Trolls normally look for a kindred spirit. Is this what you're doing now?
I'm not sure I'd put Mark in that category the way you are but you fit it.

Yukichon, if you have a problem and have something reasonable to say then say it, if you're just wishing to spread your angst from other threads then I'm not sure it's the best option.

It's quite clear that I have made no derisory comments unless in response to such.

Michael

I was mostly interested in the article that stick shifts are no longer considered to get better gas mileage.

Jonion

Interesting.
Shame it's only since 2002 though. Still over 6% of that total.
Wonder how that would be for all cars in use.

Maybe it's the circles I mix in but 95% of the Americans I speak to regularly, dislike autos and have manuals. But they don't drive your usual family cars.
I see the benefits of both myself. My daily/track car is manual. My Hondavan is auto. And my Audi is a tiptronic.
And the mpg is more dependent on the use that day than whether it's manual or auto.

markonline1

Not once have I said it's the law LOL. Do you read replies, or just reply blindly to them. I also don't recall me insulting anyone in this thread.
At the end of the day, the fella that unfortunately failed his test took the test in California, and this is after all a forum for people living in the US. As for the amount of manuals on the road, no idea. All I'll say is, when looking on auto trader to buy a car, I found 300 manual and over 5000 auto within a 100 mile radius that includes America's 10th largest city.
Look, you've obviously don't like being questioned or corrected. I'm sorry about that. I don't want to upset you anymore, so if you want to think the reason why the DMV want you to keep the wheels straight is in case your foot slips of the clutch, or if your foot somehow stabs on your accelerator sending you hurtling into oncoming traffic, I'll go along with you to keep the peace

I didn't enter this thread to either look like or make anyone else look like a troll, so I'll shut up now LOL