OT: Steering wheel

[Mr Macaw]

Backing out is so much easier. Back into the large space, drive forwards into the small space.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Generally true, but you have to consider the whole situation. Once you back out of the garage where do you go? If you cannot turn around it is more dangerous to back into traffic on a busy street.

My street in not busy, but on a hill. I prefer backing in so I can pull forward into the street and up the hill.

[Mr Macaw]

Consider coming home. You try to back into your drive, you have to stop= first, others have to get past you, you get in their way while you reve= rse into your drive. But when you're leaving, you can wait for a gap in= traffic to reverse out.

-- =

Los Angeles's full name is =E2=80=9CEl Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de los Angeles de Porciuncula=E2=80=9D and can be abbreviated to 3.63% of its size, =E2=80=9CL.A.=E2=80=9D

[Ed Pawlowski]

On my street I have a car behind me maybe once a month so backing is easy. It also allows the driver door to be on the same side as the side door of the house. If my wife will be going with me next trip I pull in so she does not have to walk as far.

Overall, it is just easier to pull out and go up the hill as I go in that direction 99% of the time.

[Mr Macaw]

:

I reverse into my drive maybe twice a year, if I've got something heavy = in the boot to get out.

No good at hill starts?

-- =

A bunch of lawyers were sitting around the office playing poker. =E2=80=9CI win!=E2=80=9D says Johnson at which point Henderson throws do= wn his cards. =E2=80=9CThat=E2=80=99s it! I've had it! Johnson is che= ating!!!=E2=80=9D =E2=80=9CHow can you tell?=E2=80=9D Phillips asked. =E2=80=9CThose aren't the cards I dealt him!=E2=80=9D

[Ed Pawlowski]

Not so easy on snow or ice. Why go from a dead start on a slippery road when it is easier to keep momentum and easier and safer to see.

[Mr Macaw]

Your drive was better gritted than your road?!

And get an automatic, they don't wheelspin.

[>>>Ashton Crusher]

Most wear is either rust or from mileage. It's got 114,000 miles and not much rust. The "Constant Control Power Steering" is just a marketing name. It's pretty much the same as all integral PS boxes.

[Mr Macaw]

Ah, 114,000 miles isn't much. Most 56 year old vehicles have done a lot more than that!

I'm guessing you live somewhere very dry, or keep it in a garage?

[Ed Pawlowski]

I have an automatic. Evidently you don't drive on ice much.

[Mr Macaw]

My previous car was an automatic and it was very good at ice and snow. If the wheels began to spin, it would simply engage a higher gear (and very smoothly so using the torque converter), reducing the power output of the engine. Of course you had to have the sense not to put your foot to the floor. Having said that on one occasion I found that to be quite useful. I had to get up a steep hill with a foot of freshly fallen snow. Everyone kept getting stuck. I simply put my foot to the floor and went up the hill at about 20mph, although the speedo read over 100. The snow was flung to the sides by the spinning wheels as I went up and I formed a nice track. When I got to the top, I parked the car and got out, then saw a line of cars following the tracks I'd made. Three of them mouthed "thanks" and waved. If any pedestrians had got in the way, they would have received a smack in the mouth with a 100mph snowball :-)

[gfretwell]

Every time here with all 3 vehicles. It is easier to back into an empty driveway than to back into the street. DuH!

[Mr Macaw]

No, it's easier to back into a bigger space. And most importantly when reversing into a drive, you may inconvenience others when you stop and they have to go round you. When reversing out, you can wait until it's clear.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Depending on the street and traffic, direction of travel. If you have to back across a 2 lane with cars and trucks moving at 50 mph, it is more dangerous than pulling out with full control and accelerating as needed.

The ideal situation is to be able to turn around in your driveway so both can be done driving forward.

[clare]

You still wasting time and breath on the "parrot"??

Of course he hasn't driven much on ice. I don't think, personally, he has driven much, period..

An automatic with all speed traction control, possibly with posi as well, and good snow tires will not spin easily. But then again, I doubt our Limey friend is driving a Mondeo Ghia.

[gfretwell]

Then why is it so hard to back into your driveway. I can do it with a

20' pontoon boat and weave it between 2 other vehicles.

[Vic Smith]

I always go forward into my driveway, as does everybody else around here, from what I've seen. You can back into the street when it's clear of traffic. OTOH, there's no guarantee it's clear when you arrive. Besides, it much easier getting both cars in the garage forward.

[gfretwell]

We don't park in a garage and I still prefer driving into the street instead of backing into the street. I have plenty of time to assess the traffic when I am approaching the driveway and if there is a car or two. I just pull over and let them pass, then I back in. I prefer backing into an empty driveway to backing into the street. Visibility is better going forward. If that is not your opinion, don't do it.

[Mr Macaw]

But since you can sit in your driveway until both ways are clear, there's no problem reversing out. If traffic is that busy, when you come home you have to stop with cars behind you and reverse in, they're now in your way and cursing you.

[Mr Macaw]

I've driven since 1997, commuting long distances, going on holiday abroad, and driving for a living. To morons that haven't driven so much, or just follow the rules and never think for themselves, what I say may be so complicated for your little brains that you think it's nonsense.

What part of "changes up a gear itself" didn't you understand?