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downshifting after exiting motorway

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Hi, I did say that I'd post the link to another defensive driving website when I found it, here it is:

http://www.smartdriving.co.uk/Driving/index.htm

Matt

Reply 81

Elementric

Original post by gbduo

Heel and toe sequentially down through the gears. Anticipate long in advance, use engine braking down to a sensible speed and then brake to a stop.

If you time it properly, you will be just about to hit the foot brake when the traffic lights change and you can pull away in the correct gear because you have been shifting correctly.

The thing about causing damage to your gearbox and clutch is utter BS if you can heel and toe (and go down a gear box sequentially).

PS I guess I should say, don't try to heel and toe in a car that has pedals which are staggered. It won't work. But if you are just changing down and using engine braking, you can blip the throttle with your right foot as normal with your left foot on the clutch and rev match.

Yeah this. Hell and toe is horrible in my car but you can still eliminate any significant clutch wear (which tbh is minimal anyway) by doing a bit of rev matching when down changing.

Reply 82

InArduisFouette

Original post by J_90

I change down gears and use engine braking, a concept that 98% of people don't understand.

do you drive a particularly heavy/ underbraked LGV/PCV without a retarder or a vintage vehicle ?

if not 'active' engine braking and changing down are not the recommended techniques .... vs 'acceleration sense' and specific conditions where you would 'hold' a gear (e.g. alpine pass or somesuch )

IPSGA anyone ....

and as Walter pointed out Push-pull is not 'shuffling' ... i think you are confusing the 'learner shuffle' / pull -pause-pull with push-pull ....

fixed / rotational input only works on go-karts and racers with stupidly 'fast' racks / narrow lock ...

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 83

InArduisFouette

Original post by J_90

I have been mentored by some ex pro racing drivers and I copy the way they drive and it's much better for me personally and they agree with it, who am I to argue.

i don't know how about nearly every organisation acknowledged to be expert in ROAD driving ... and not just the I Am Meldrews ...

Reply 84

InArduisFouette

Original post by Butane

If pedal spacing allows it (i.e. accelerator and brake aren't practically on opposite sides of the bloody footwell), heel and toe down through the box. Otherwise, just downshifting and revmatching until I get close to the end of the sliproad (or traffic in front) and have to brake.

or you could stop treating it like GTA and follow the orthodoxy of Advanced driving which sees the use of acceleration sense and then braking until you actually need to down shift - then block changing depending on the picture that has developed as you slowed ...

Reply 85

InArduisFouette

Original post by ily_em

Why is nobody taught to do this in driving lessons? I assumed it was bad; everybody I know is just taught to slow with the brakes...

because as a technique outside a few niche settings it's 50 + years out of date ...

as for those wanting driver training and development

there's the RoSPA RoADAR groups http://www.roadar.org/

or the I Am Meldrew lot http://www.iam.org.uk/

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 86

Astra_K

What a weird question, its the same as any other junction you approach. Filter off, take foot off the gas, let the car roll to the junction (this uses no petrol at all on newer cars) brake when you are near the junction, put into second and accelerate if its clear.
Simples

Reply 87

InArduisFouette

Original post by Butane

What did you do to control your speed when descending a steep incline? Ride the brakes?

this is what the number positions on a auto are for by limiting the box from changing above that gear - giving some engine braking effort

Reply 88

pugnacitas

lol, why is there a thread about this?

Reply 89

J_90

Riding the brakes is the way forward apparently....

Reply 90

Astra_K

Original post by J_90

Riding the brakes is the way forward apparently....

Cars don't need brakes apparently....

Reply 91

InArduisFouette

Original post by J_90

Riding the brakes is the way forward apparently....

you are either a troll or a phenomenally poor driver ....

same goes for Astra_K as well

Reply 92

Nick Longjohnson

Heel-and-toe, like a boss.

Reply 93

JamesyB

Original post by iwantcheese5

70 in second is do able in my car :P

'fraid not. Cars nowadays are "designed" to get to 62mph (100kmph) in second. Why this is I don't know....

Reply 94

iwantcheese5

Original post by JamesyB

'fraid not. Cars nowadays are "designed" to get to 62mph (100kmph) in second. Why this is I don't know....

For the RX-8's second gear top speed:

(0.00595) * (RPM * r) / (R1 * R2) = vehicle speed in miles/hour

where:
RPM = engine speed, in revolutions/minute
r = loaded tire radius (wheel center to pavement), in inches
R1 = transmission gear ratio
R2 = rear axle ratio
0.00595 = conversion from inches per minute to miles per hour

RPM = 9000
r = 12.985"
R1 = 2.269
R2 = 4.300

This gives you a speed of 71.3mph

Reply 95

JamesyB

Original post by iwantcheese5

Exception that proves the rule :wink:

plus that's a rotary engine :P

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 96

iwantcheese5

Original post by JamesyB

Exception that proves the rule :wink:

plus that's a rotary engine :P

I would bother to do it for the 300ZX as well but you'd probably say that it was too old to count. Also my housemate owns a Mark IV Golf V6 4Motion which can't even do 62mph in second. The same is also true of the R32 golf which can only reach 55mph in second due to the very short ratios it uses.

Seriously it's different in every car because of the gear ratios, wheel diameters and maximum rpms...