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Re: Review! Re: Starting with clutch engaged helps thrust washers?

To: "Eric A. Yates" <eyates@enteract.com>, <spitfires@autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: Review! Re: Starting with clutch engaged helps thrust washers?
From: "James Carpenter" <james.carpenter@jccsystems.swinternet.co.uk>
Date: Sat, 19 Jun 1999 13:50:50 +0100
This was the thinking when I was learning to drive 5 ish years ago, in the
UK you can get an Automatic licance, but no one does because you cant drive
a manual car with it, but you can drive an auomatic with a manual lisance.

1. Starting in clutch pedal up.  Very good for Spitfires and all engins with
weak thrust washers.  Not good on cars with expensive starters and strong
thrustwashers.

2. My driving instructor would have a fit if he found you in gear at trafic
lights.  You put the car in gear when they are about to go red and yellow,
then go on green.

3. Whell some would argue that this is bad, and the driving instructor would
not have allowed it, but some cars only have first as a hill start gear.
If I am going down hill, and I want to start I never use first, because
thers two much engin braking, and you would slow the car, where as second
matches the acceleration perfect.  On level ground I normaly skip first,
unless I need to go fast, or am in stop start traffic.   I always use first
on a hill.

4.  Chainging down to slow, would fail the test in the UK.  When braking you
are taught to use the brakes then chainge down at the last minuet, because
you would have a sudden surge of engin braking, and you brake lights dont
show.   However selecting a lower gear is nessecery for hills, or when you
may need to do an emergancy stop, like 3rd in streets with parked cars.  But
you must also select a lower gear and brake, if you are going to need the
power after, i.e. if you are slowing for a corner, but want to overtake
after, taking the longest route arround the corner so you can see the most.

This is completly the oppersite way of driving to the way my dad was told,
and my Grandfather had to revise the car into a gole.


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