Minor rant at stupid drivers

[kalniel]

Someone rear-ended me today as I was sitting in a queue of traffic - there was no damage at all (yay for bumpers) but it was a fairly violent shove forward. Apparently their foot slipped off the clutch.

Because it was wet and I wanted to get to work I didn't have a go at them, but I would love to know why they
a) were sitting in stationary traffic in gear?
b) were sitting right behind me with no space?

She was a relatively young driver - mid twenties at most, so surely this kind of thing had been pointed out in lessons - or do they not bother to tell people about things like this these days?

I personally loathe all these personal injury lawyer things so won't be getting anyone involved, and the stiff neck will go away in no time - headrests are something I do make sure are in the right place though I was leaning forward a bit at the time. But I just wanted to a bit.

[dave87]

Gotta love dim drivers.

I don't know about the sitting in traffic in (or out of) gear, depending on where I am and how much my leg aches, I'll do either. Luckily though, I usually leave a gap infront of me, and haven't yet managed to have my foot slip of the clutch (bit hard isn't it? unless you are wearing stupid shoes).

Glad to hear there was no damage though

[Howard]

Yeah most people are taught to hold it on the clutch as you wait, which is terrible IMO, I always put it in neutral if I'm waiting longer than about 5 seconds.

Saying that, even if your foot slips off it shouldn't lurch forward that far unless it's a big powerful engine, so she must have been sitting about 2 inches off as you said

[shelley bda]

I'm taught to keep the Car in gear while waiting in queues of traffic on lessons, i'm also told to use the handbrake and leave tyres and tarmac inbetween me and the Car in front!

She was dim, but I bet it won't be a mistake She'll make again in a hurry. Good to hear your ok and there was no damage.

[Howard]

I'm taught to keep the Car in gear while waiting in queues of traffic on lessons

Please shake that habit when you pass your test, for my sanity alone

[SilentDeath]

My clutch foot is almost permenantly down in queues but then again I am usually at the front

I took my car to a garage a few weeks ago and parked a bit arkwardly half inside his garage so I wasnt blocking traffic to other shops. Left engine on, put bonnet up. He was standing infront having a look and I sooo *almost* let go of the clutch as I was about to get out, that will teach me to leave it in gear when the bonnet is up...

[piggeh]

Most of the time I do it, but then the traffic I sit in normally moves after a few seconds and it's bloody annoying when you put it into neutral and then almost immediately have to put it back into first. Depends on the jam & circumstance I guess. If I know the lights stayred for a while I'll put it into neutral but that's rarely the case.

[aeronic]

Another one here, I've been driving for 10 years, and never realised that I sit with my foot on the clutch.
Saying that however, I never sit so close to the person in front, and the other foot is hovering over the brake, 'just in case'.

[schmunk]

I sit with clutch and brake fully depressed when temporarily stopped, unless I'm on a hill, when I'll put on the handbrake and then use clutch control to set off.

[Guy]

depends really, if its level ground and im at traffic lights or a roundabout etc, I usually stick it in neutral clutch up and have my foot close to the brake, hills on the other hand, if im only there a few seconds I hold it on the clutch, otherwise neutral and handbrake.

[IAmATeaf]

I'm afraid I'm a neutral man with foot on the brake unless on a hill in which case I'll apply the handbrake.

Another current pet hate of mine are drivers coming towards you on other side of the road who leave a massive gap between them and the parked cars on their side forcing you drive closer to the parked cars on your side. These idiots just seem oblivious to how they are driving, if I drove a banger I'm sure I'd scare the jeepers out of them by clanging their drivers mirror with mine.

[herulach]

I stay on the clutch nearly all the time, even on hills unless i know im gonna be there for ages. THat said, ive never heard of anyones foot slipping off the clutch. Except maybe when i first passed my test and did a wheelspin out the drive without knowing my mum was watching.

[dkmech]

I keep my foot on the clutch unless i know it will be a long wait but i use the handbrake all the time.

Talking of peculiar drivers. At lights there were two lanes - one for left and one for straight and right. In the right lane there was a clio signaling that it wanted to change lanes - so I let it in (nice person that I am) - as soon as it was half way between the lines it indicated right and pulled back into its lane, after which it turned right at the lights. What the hell?

[dave87]

Wheelspin is fun, especially in a rear wheel drive car, but utterly pointless if you want to accelerate away quickly...

It takes a fair bit of effort to miss the clutch pedal, and for that matter fall off it, especially in small cars....

[Howard]

My foot has slipped off before, but it was p!$$ing with rain and my feet were covered in leaves etc, but the car just went CLONK and stopped, wouldn't have been a problem unless I was less than a foot from something else. I was only in my driveway though, lol


As for the holding the clutch thing, it's just a habit of mine... Stop, notice a few cars stopped, pop it in neutral, rest hand near stick, pop it in gear when traffic starts moving. I don't put my foot on the brake either, it's handbrake if the car moves or not at all

[herulach]

Wheelspin is fun, especially in a rear wheel drive car, but utterly pointless if you want to accelerate away quickly...

It takes a fair bit of effort to miss the clutch pedal, and for that matter fall off it, especially in small cars....

Yeah, thats just what i told my mum