Downshift vs neutral roll

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Well it seems to believe I is a 'Murican.

What are you using for your browser? You can change the region of the dictionary.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

What are you using for your browser? You can change the region of the dictionary.

Ya, but the other setting just tell me other words are wrong. It is a no win situation and since I am used to the ones it thinks are wrong I am better off stick with that. Wouldn't matter if I actually took the time to proof read what I write butwebothknow that doesn,t happon oftin.

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Wouldn't matter if I actually took the time to proof read what I write butwebothknow that doesn,t happon oftin.

lol I KNOW!

[Frankie'sFRS]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

If I am moving even a little the car is always in gear. The clutch may be in but I am in the lowest gear possible for the speed I am traveling. This has saved my bacon at least 100 times over the years when events suddenly required me to accelerate and motor out of danger. If I had needed to shift into a gear and then accelerate in at least 10 of those cases I would probably have been dead.
Rolling around in neutral takes your nice light sports car and turns it into a big heavy soapbox racer.

Could you give a scenario that happened to you ? Whenever I hear this reasoning I can't think of anything of how being in gear will help. I guess if your still moving then it makes sense but people say the same thing about being in neutral vs 1st and clutch in. But if I needed to move , I'd hit the guy next to me ! Just can't wrap my head around it.

[xFury]

Originally Posted by Frankie'sFRS

Could you give a scenario that happened to you ? Whenever I hear this reasoning I can't think of anything of how being in gear will help. I guess if your still moving then it makes sense but people say the same thing about being in neutral vs 1st and clutch in. But if I needed to move , I'd hit the guy next to me ! Just can't wrap my head around it.

That's what I was thinking, unless you're the first one in the line waiting for the green or a stop sign, but then it still involve risk from getting into accidents with other vehicles/peds.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Frankie'sFRS

Could you give a scenario that happened to you ? Whenever I hear this reasoning I can't think of anything of how being in gear will help. I guess if your still moving then it makes sense but people say the same thing about being in neutral vs 1st and clutch in. But if I needed to move , I'd hit the guy next to me ! Just can't wrap my head around it.

Actually I bet you have done it yourself and just didn't realize it since you were in gear at the time.

Sitting at an intersecting with the green and waiting to turn left. Guy in a Benz runs the light and nails the guy going straight. Had just enough time to pop the clutch and gun it straight ahead to avoid the guy that got hit being pushed right into me. If had to put it in gear I would have been too late and would have got nailed.


Slowing down for a stop sign and truck comes barreling up behind me could tell was not going to get stopped in time. Again popped clutch and got the hell out of his way. Had to dodge a car going through but managed. The truck stopped about six feet into the intersection and it would have been nasty if I had still been there. This is another case where the 1/2 second needed to put in gear would have been too long.


Going down the highway and downshifting to slow down for a ramp. Guy beside me decides he wants that ramp and starts to move over with his front bumper about midway up my rear door (Lancer GTS). Nowhere to go to the right and if I slow down he has me for sure. Gun it and get ahead and he comes in about an inch behind me. If coasting he would have had me for sure. Scenarios such as this have happened many times.


Of course there are more times you would be trapped and can't do this then there are times you can but motoring out of the way is sometimes your best option if it is available. If you do need to do it then it is sudden and requires quick action. That time needed to go into gear may make the difference between getting out or getting creamed. Now certainly there is no value in doing it if all alone on a wide open stretch of road but since it is my habit I do it all the time. That way there is no thought process involved and when I need to it is there.


In 40 years of driving, at an average of 50K a year, I have driven over 2 million miles and have never had an accident, not even a fender bender. I attribute this to my early military driver training (I was a driver by trade) which had a huge focus on situational awareness and defensive driving. One of the main things they said was keep all your options open all the time. If you are prepared then motoring out of the way is an option so that is what I have done. You can not use this option in time if you are sitting in neutral.


This is just my personal experience and I know some disagree for various reasons so take my advice as you wish.

[Big D Design]

I have a major traffic intersection just 600 ft out of my development down here in Florida.

I'm stopped at the light. I know exactly when the lights turn pretty much. Here I am stopped at the light in neutral with no brakes on. The road is level so there is no creeping. The lady behind me in a new Camry decides it's time to "go", and hits me in the bumper. Because my car was in neutral, my car advanced 20 inches and there wasn't any damage to either car. I was so happy. The lady says "Oh my! I'm sorry". She's about 80 something. Weird story eh!

[pushrod]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

In 40 years of driving, at an average of 50K a year, I have driven over 2 million miles and have never had an accident, not even a fender bender.

That's pretty solid, but I'm sure you understand that some arguable percentage of that is luck. When I got rear ended, I was a sitting duck in a city-wide traffic jam from a transit strike. I didn't see it coming, and I'm glad, because if I had, I would have panicked and gotten hit anyways. There was no out, no nothing. I can say that in my 14 years of driving, that is my only accident.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Big D Design

I have a major traffic intersection just 600 ft out of my development down here in Florida.

I'm stopped at the light. I know exactly when the lights turn pretty much. Here I am stopped at the light in neutral with no brakes on. The road is level so there is no creeping. The lady behind me in a new Camry decides it's time to "go", and hits me in the bumper. Because my car was in neutral, my car advanced 20 inches and there wasn't any damage to either car. I was so happy. The lady says "Oh my! I'm sorry". She's about 80 something. Weird story eh!

Story would have ended the same if sitting there clutch in though,

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Frankie'sFRS

Could you give a scenario that happened to you ? Whenever I hear this reasoning I can't think of anything of how being in gear will help. I guess if your still moving then it makes sense but people say the same thing about being in neutral vs 1st and clutch in. But if I needed to move , I'd hit the guy next to me ! Just can't wrap my head around it.

I'll add one of mine, to @Tcoat 's experiences.

Germany, 1966, on a snow packed autobahn (I had chains on), at night, almost stopped, car coming up behind me going waaaay to fast.

I cut the wheel, hammered down, got out of the way just in time ....... big Mercedes slams into a car that was in front of me…….. get the drift …….


humfrz

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by pushrod

That's pretty solid, but I'm sure you understand that some arguable percentage of that is luck. When I got rear ended, I was a sitting duck in a city-wide traffic jam from a transit strike. I didn't see it coming, and I'm glad, because if I had, I would have panicked and gotten hit anyways. There was no out, no nothing. I can say that in my 14 years of driving, that is my only accident.

Oh for sure! No denying the luck aspect. But in many of my near misses I made my own "luck". I know for a fact I have avoided many incidents that would have turned out much different if I was not totally aware of what was going on and in complete control of my vehicle. Like I said above there are times when there are no options and all I am trying to convey here why reduce your options by adding extra reaction time to a situation.


Now if I get hit today you know I am gonna hold you guys totally responsible.

[xFury]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Actually I bet you have done it yourself and just didn't realize it since you were in gear at the time.

Sitting at an intersecting with the green and waiting to turn left. Guy in a Benz runs the light and nails the guy going straight. Had just enough time to pop the clutch and gun it straight ahead to avoid the guy that got hit being pushed right into me. If had to put it in gear I would have been too late and would have got nailed.


Slowing down for a stop sign and truck comes barreling up behind me could tell was not going to get stopped in time. Again popped clutch and got the hell out of his way. Had to dodge a car going through but managed. The truck stopped about six feet into the intersection and it would have been nasty if I had still been there. This is another case where the 1/2 second needed to put in gear would have been too long.


Going down the highway and downshifting to slow down for a ramp. Guy beside me decides he wants that ramp and starts to move over with his front bumper about midway up my rear door (Lancer GTS). Nowhere to go to the right and if I slow down he has me for sure. Gun it and get ahead and he comes in about an inch behind me. If coasting he would have had me for sure. Scenarios such as this have happened many times.


Of course there are more times you would be trapped and can't do this then there are times you can but motoring out of the way is sometimes your best option if it is available. If you do need to do it then it is sudden and requires quick action. That time needed to go into gear may make the difference between getting out or getting creamed. Now certainly there is no value in doing it if all alone on a wide open stretch of road but since it is my habit I do it all the time. That way there is no thought process involved and when I need to it is there.


In 40 years of driving, at an average of 50K a year, I have driven over 2 million miles and have never had an accident, not even a fender bender. I attribute this to my early military driver training (I was a driver by trade) which had a huge focus on situational awareness and defensive driving. One of the main things they said was keep all your options open all the time. If you are prepared then motoring out of the way is an option so that is what I have done. You can not use this option in time if you are sitting in neutral.


This is just my personal experience and I know some disagree for various reasons so take my advice as you wish.

That makes sense. Thats why a lot of people prefer Auto, since its only two pedals and a few less steps to do in situation like this.

Gonna start doing this now since it makes more sense, unless I'm in the middle of the line or something.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by xFury

That makes sense. Thats why a lot of people prefer Auto, since its only two pedals and a few less steps to do in situation like this.

Gonna start doing this now since it makes more sense, unless I'm in the middle of the line or something.

I do it all the time regardless of whether it is needed or not. Don't want get to thinking "ahhh all is cool I will coast", get out of the habit and get caught when I need that immediate acceleration and I am not in gear.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

I do it all the time regardless of whether it is needed or not. Don't want get to thinking "ahhh all is cool I will coast", get out of the habit and get caught when I need that immediate acceleration and I am not in gear.

Yep, as Tcoat and several others know, it can make a big difference between charging (chambering a round) and pulling the trigger and ....... just pulling the trigger .......


humfrz