Ok people, listen up: some of us drive vehicles of the manual shift variety. I like my standard and prefer to drive one over an automatic. My question to other motorists out there: is it absolutely necessary to stop so closely behind me?
In case you weren’t aware there is, no matter how quick you are on the clutch, a small element of “roll back” that occurs when driving a standard when taking off from a start. This “roll back” factor increases when stopped on a hill. You being parked in my backseat doesn’t help.
If I can count your nose hairs in my rear-view mirror you’re too damn close! You’re the moron that stopped that close to me, don’t honk and flip me one when my car rolls back. A little space would be appreciated. —If you’re going to ride my tail at least pull my hair.
This article appears in Jun 10-16, 2010.
that o.p., is the drawback to owning and driving a standard shift vehicle. that and the lack of mind reading skills by other drivers behind you. do you have a very big sign saying you are driving a standard in your rear window, if not, then no one but you knows, til too late. but really, if you have been driving for awhile, then i would think you would be very familar with the term clutch popper.i have dricven and owned plenty of vehicles in my time, and never did i get the ability to reads minds, of the other drivers, some driving a stick or even the old column shift jobs. most cars on the road today are automatics, ans the majority of people driving, assume your car is one also. unless you are driving a fucking big semi trailor. live with it.
No one is asking drivers to read minds, LIFE SUCKS… just for people to simply leave three or four feet between their car and the one in front of them. It’s not that difficult.
c.b., do you forget what city we live in. no one here knows shit all about common sense, or even curtisy.
“Halisucks” sucks”
Forgot to add the sound of my huge yawn.
Yawwwwwwwwwnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
Yes, Halifax is unique that there are rude people.
Someone needs a new schtick.
I”ve lived east to west : Cornwallis,Halifax NS ; Wicklow,Cobourg,Scarborough,Toronto. Rexdale,Fort Erie,London ON; Squamash,New Westminster,Vancouver and Galiano Island BC and Halifax IN NO WAY SUCKS BELIEVE ME !
Are you sure that the rollback isn’t caused by a failing clutch, or just by your poor driving skills?
Funny how I could keep a 47 passenger motorcoach from rolling back on Duke St. yet a car driver has difficulty, but here is a trick taught to every driver of heavy commercial trucks:
From – http://www.standardshift.com/faq.html
Starting on a Hill
If there’s one thing other than stalling the car in the middle of traffic that scares a newbie, it’s starting from a stop on a hill. Make sure you are comfortable with flat terrain before attempting an incline, and it is best to start with a minimal slope that will allow the car to roll backwards slowly if in neutral. The key to learning how to start on a hill is the parking brake. It will allow you to remain in place and not roll backwards while you practice reaching the friction point quickly. And quickly is the key for starting on a hill to prevent rolling backwards. With the parking brake fully set, practice quickly releasing the clutch until the friction point is reached and then back off. Next, quickly reach the friction point and then partially release the parking brake as you give the car gas and release the clutch some more. The idea is to give the car just enough power to overcome the brake and gravity, which will allow you start smoothly without rolling back. As you get better, you will be able to reduce the amount and time that the parking brake is set, until you won’t need it at all.
lol standard, get with the times or get off the road!
Hey Echo, folks from the Europe look at North Americans and their automatics as odd. In Europe it’s typically the handicapped or the infirm that drive automatics.
“If you’re going to ride my tail at least pull my hair.”
nice.
“lol standard, get with the times or get off the road!”
Standard transmissions are actually better than automatics, they’re usually cheaper, more gas effecient, more fun (Oppinion), They’re easier to control, etc.
I know many people (Including myself) that wouldn’t even consider driving an automatic.
Tailgating is also dangerous, anybody remember pintos?
I’ve always driven a standard. I don’t mind if they hug me ass….if I roll back, they can buy me a new bumper.
A similar bitch was posted before, someone (supposedly) checked with the HRP and if you roll back into someone, even if they were inches away from you, it’s still your fault as your car was moving. So no they wouldn’t be buying you a new bumper, sebastian. Really though, just learn on a slight incline until you’re comfortable with your car, or get used to easing your clutch out with the brake still on until you get used to it. I never roll back more than 1-2 inches on even the worst hills. Unless I want to, that is. I love freaking out old people who get close by rolling back even closer to them.
Anothing thing that helped me in the beginning is practicing on a hill when there is no one behind you. Let off the brake, roll back a little, engage clutch and gas and drive up a little, push the clutch all the way in and roll back a little to try again. Going forward and back 5-10 times at every traffic light you come to lets you feel out a car pretty fast.
picture this one, old lady is sitting at the left turn light at bayers rd. and dutch village rd., left green comes on, she still sits there.4 changes of green and lefts later, she is still there. nerves wearing very thin 3 lights ago, you move your big 66 chrsler newport custom up to rear bumper of her little v w bug. you touch ever so gently. lights change to left turn green, you push her car to the middle of road, back up a bit, then make your left turn. this actually happen, i was driving the big fucking boat. you get in front of me, you either move, or oi push you the fuck out of the way. this broad had about 50 cars behind her, all blowing horns too.
You should not roll more than a couple inches if at all… Now I agree some get too close, but I’ve yet to see someone withing 6 inches which should suffice. And yes, I do drive a standard as well… It can be daunting at first but you’ll get used to it.
Woohoo standard! Makes me feel like more of a man. The only benefit to automatics is that they’re easier to drive. Standards are, as mentioned, cheaper, better on gas, longer lasting, give you more control, and are way more fun. You can pretend you’re driving a race car!
OP you might want to relocate to someplace like…Winnipeg.
That way you won’t have to worry about rolling backwards, until you put the damn car in reverse !
IF you need 3 to 4 feet of space your either the worst person I’ve ever heard of when it comes to driving away from a stop on an incline…or your clutch is FUCKED !
i’m with q on this one, my rusty five speed has great low end torque…vroom vroom
I will never go back to an automatic again! I love my standard!
I used to be afraid of rolling back on a hill. Nobody taught me how to do the parking brake trick, so my heart would pound when I had to stop on a hill with a car behind me. Then I moved to Halifax. There is no way I could drive without learning the parking brake trick, so I learned it. Now stopping on hills with rush hour traffic behind me does not scare me anymore. I highly recommend learning the trick, OP.
But if I see someone rolling back on a hill, I just give them a bit more space. I don’t expect everyone to know or use the parking brake trick.
And to those of you who remember me…I am back in the internet world finally. 🙂
of course nth, but i can’t forget anything…don’t rely on the parking brake, you should roll back maybe 6″. you must practise, i suggest the end of connolly at windsor
I guess I will try doing it without the parking brake when I am not wearing my heels. 😀
i think you can drive in heels, i have never tried^^you should use the whole front of your foot…i think i would rather drive barefoot. yes i know it’s illegal bro
I can drive in up to 2.5 inch heels but I am not so sure about 3 inch heels. I didn’t know it was illegal to drive barefoot…what’s the reasoning for that?
Driving in heels is nothing… I drive just fine in my stilettos…
Wait. I’ve said too much.
nice one doc…my feet are so huge it doesn’t matter
I love my standard too! Always owned one and hopefully always will… it just FEELS so much better to drive a stick. Vroom, vroom! Heels are no fun to drive in, totally throw off the clutch, so I nearly always drive in bare feet. Sssh, don’t tell. Oh, and I’m going to try the parking brake thing. I’m usually ok, but there are a couple of hills in Halifax that I’ve found tricky (mostly because of the amount of traffic behind me) and I’d like to be nice to my clutch.
I realize most people don’t use the old “leave one car space” suggestion in the drivers courses but does anyone really need to be within six inches of the car in front of them?
I can understand in certain circumstances…I have moved up a bit when I see that the car behind me is wedged out in another lane or an intersection (which they should have thought of before they moved) but for the most part I’m at least a couple of feet from the car in front if not a full car space.
Also, if the law is that the car moving is the one in the wrong…lets say there are no witnesses, wouldn’t it most likely look like the rear car hit the front one?
I wouldn’t think there would be much damage in a rollback but I guess you never know.
I too drive a standard.
Sure maybe I don’t actually roll back more than an inch or two, but what about the impatient buttheads behind me who can’t wait their turn to start going? S/he’s already too close behind me, I roll back my 2 inches at the same time s/he is hitting their gas to go forward. We meet in the middle.
I love my standard. I dont’ forsee myself driving an automatic anytime soon. Its more fun to drive, gives me more control, and is easier on gas.
Too bad common sense weren’t more common.
My motorcycle has a little rollback when stopped on a hill. The car behind me better be far enough back as I rollback a little during acceleration or they’re going to receive an impromptu hood ornament.