Driving styles - automatic v70

[Dippydog]

During my driving lessons and test[many moons ago] I was always taught to put car in neutral and engage handbrake when at traffic lights,road junctions with a stop sign[i.e. not a give way junction]etc.Mind you I was also taught not to allow my hands past the 12o'clock position when turning the steering wheel too.I was also told never to tow an auto with its driven wheels on the ground without disconnecting the propshaft/drive shafts,however my Omega auto is capable of being towed at[can't recall which way round the figures are]either 40m.p.h. for 50miles or it might be 50m.p.h for 40miles it's one of the two,and I believe many modern autos are the same.Must admit in the Omega[my V70 is a manual]I do tend to leave it in D and stand on the footbrake at traffic lights and such and I've never yet had to replace a warped disc for any reason.

[petey]

Hmmm, the last automatic car that I can think of that had made significant provision for being towed for the original AP bevel box fitted to early minis that had a road driven oil pump to allow the car to be push-started. There may be others, but the point here is that N does NOT facilitate being towed, that's not what it's for, do not tow an auto if at all possible.

Re the Omega, those numbers might be KPH rather than MPH and only as a last resort. Seriously, don't tow autos, it's a really bad idea.

[Simon Jones]

Originally Posted by Dippydog

I do tend to leave it in D and stand on the footbrake at traffic lights and such and I've never yet had to replace a warped disc for any reason.

Sitting in traffic with someone in front with the brake lights on (especially with bright LED lights at night) is extremely unpleasant and IMHO is a sign that the person doing it is either completely oblivious (or ignorant) of other road users. It takes a second to put the handbrake on and helps to ensure it does not get seized up.

Leaving the pads in contact with a hot disc is actually going to increase the chance of it warping, and it also tends to result in a build up of contamination from the friction material which gets fused into the surface of the disc which causes brake judder.

[Gazdkw]

I could do that but it’s a pain when the handbrake takes 6-7 clicks to hold the car from movin forward lol

[ThomasG]

Right.. My rather personal answer (by that I mean: I'm not saying its right way, nor advise others to follow, do as you please):
I will keep indicator on as long as it needed. In traffic, I'd cause more suffering by making someone believe that I'm going to go straight, than by dazzling him/her.
For brake/N thing:
I'll stay in D on traffic lights. Will switch into P only if expected wait time is more than 2 or so minutes, and even then- not always.
Reasons for that:
My gearbox is rather worn. It received its first oil change at roughly 235000miles, and that was after developing "bumps" and "thumps". It improved with oil, but damage is done, won't go away, and by frequent engaging/disengaging I would shorten its life even further. So, not-unless necessary.
As for brake lights- I'm in city. Streetlights on all night. Human eye soon adjusts to bright spots and darker shadows. I agree, it would be bad behaviour on my side if I was on a pitch black suburban road.
That doesn't happen often.
And if it does, I (provided I remember about it) will either " creep" forward or hold the car by handbrake. First one still having brake lights on, but one can't have everything perfect.

Damn.. Had a phone call just now and I lost my train of thought..

Anyway, I know I'm not the perfect driver. And I do things my way, trying to accommodate needs of my car, needs of me myself, passengers if any, and fellow road user. As to which gets priority depends on circumstances combined.

[ThomasG]

Oh.. And if we're talking "dazzling"..
What about all that folk with wrongly adjusted headlights? Or the ones oblivious to Te fact they have high beams on?

[john.wigley]

Originally Posted by ThomasG

Oh.. And if we're talking "dazzling"..
What about all that folk with wrongly adjusted headlights? Or the ones oblivious to Te fact they have high beams on?

As the one who introduced the 'dazzling' comment to the discussion, I have to agree with you that that is a very real problem, 'ThomasG'. However, I do not feel that it mitigates causing additional dazzle which is within one's powers to avoid.

Regards, John.

[ThomasG]

Oh, I'm not using it as a justification to what I'm doing, nor to belittle your concern, far from that.
Only as a side note.

[Simon Jones]

If handbrake is not capable of holding car in D then there is a problem with it or the way it is being used. I know all about rubbish handbrakes as I have a Freelander 2 .

[cjard]

Originally Posted by ANDREW54

Good idea re indicator, never thought of that, it will be adopted.
Thanks John.

Regards, Andrew

If you turn your engine off, like a vehicle fitted with auto stop start, to save fuel you'll also pause the indicator.

Though if you're in the right hand of a two lane light set, intending to go right, and will be blocked by incoming traffic it may be more fair to your fellow man to reactivate the ignition to position 2 and restore the indicator lest someone behind you who wants to go straight on assume you're going straight on too, only to find themselves stuck behind you as you wait for a clear right turn when the lights change