OT - 4x4 automatic car.

[Another John]

Well.

This has been an extremely useful thread for me, since only on Saturday I was debating with myself the economics of getting winter wheels for our 04 reg Suzi Alto[1] (all I can aspire to, unfortunately -- be nice to get my other half a Land Rover for her birthday, wudden it? Praps something up to 2 years old, or brand new if preferable, deosn't really matter ...)

So thanks to "sweetheart" for kicking off this OT thread (OT for DIY -- thanks to whoever-it-was for x-posting to rec.driving by the way).

Is 'sweetheart' a well-known troll? Or just a very demanding, aggressive (not assertive: aggressive), extremely insecure individual of the female persuasion[2]?

She hasn't missed a single opportunity to have a swipe at all and sundry who have offered advice and opinions, reacting to perceived criticisms, or insults, where none were, and thus provoking backlashes which are then duly taken to be uncalled-for personal attacks upon herself.

Thanks anyway "sweetheart" -- a masterclass in trolling, which produced a very useful thread.

John

[1] I must come clean; we also have an 03 Corolla, but I have to choose one of them for the winter wheels treat, and judging from this thread the narrow-wheeled Alto seems the favourite. [2] Sweetheart, of course, may not be a woman. Either way, I wouldn't like to be her OH. [3] Oh yes and: "I suffer from dyspraxia". I bet you've got a blue parking permit for it, as well. (There's a genuine gratuitous insult for ya, sweetheart. "Sweetheart"! - Ha! I don't think so.)

[4] Ahhh - and now back to "Gas bayonet - BSP type?", "Good finish bath sealant", "Tap won't turn on" ... etc. The nice peaceful Snug Bar of uk-d-i-y.

[Huge]

"She" is now.

[Andy Burns]

Probably the latter, though she has certainly been accused of being the former, some of the tales have sounded just a little too tall.

Even if she has had a slightly rough ride in the past, and took altogether too long to appreciate some of the "robust" personalities in uk.d-i-y are like that with everyone ...

[Tim Streater]

I wouldn't argue with this.

Um no, I've read most of this thread although I skipped a number of boring posts about the minutiae of various cars.

I'd still assert, however, that Steve did not say "better", rather he said "more capable" (unless there's another post I didn't see). This would appear to be literally true on the face of it, but I'm not sure how relevant it is anyway.

Wouldn't surprise me.

I should add that I've lived in snowy countries for some years including French/Swiss Alps so have some experience driving on serious snow.

These days I drive a dizzle C4 with - hmm, not sure what it's called - anyway it has a manual box that shifts automatically. I imagine there's a clutch in there somewhere but I don't have to deal with it. So far it's done fine on snow both in the Cambridgeshire mountains and now the mountains of Kent (as I look out I see some inches of snow).

I'd agree with comments been made about winter tyres being more important than having 4-wheel drive, per se. IME its more about driving steadily and avoiding the brakes.

[Tim Streater]

What sort of driver is he?

[Tim Streater]

Er no this is rubbish. In an auto your left foot does nothing.

[Huge]

Unless, of course, you left foot brake.

[Tim Streater]

In which case you're a fool. Very few such people can be say that they'll *never* then drive a manual.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Every auto I've ever owned would run up to the 'redline' if you used kickdown so of course it changes up when you reach that when overtaking. And what's more you don't lose as much 'power' on that gearchange as you do with a manual.

As regards it changing up when slowing for a corner they all had a gear hold. Modern ones adapt to driving style and can do this themselves.

[sweetheart]

In some cases - mine is an instance, its a physical issue. My left leg is weak. Not so weak as to be a daily problem but a problem for things like riding a bike or clutch in a car. Its not as uncommon as people think. Its genetic and does not respond to physiotherapy because the nerves are not there.

This is why it annoys me that too many posters want to make issues and fun of others problems without understanding them. They should be grateful for their own full health and fitness and be aware that the ability to use a clutch is not the be all and end all of driving skill. For many the clutch issue is not about concentration at all and the comments become an insult.

[sweetheart]

Yeah its " her " - but she recently got a lot of money , no doubt someone will be crass enough to mention that soon, so I will do it first!

[The Natural Philosopher]

cylinder. That was pretty damned good.

[sweetheart]

I am probably the latter since I am not a troll.

Probably true. I do tend to be sensitive.

He gets three meals a day. I go out to work for him while he stays home now and does nothing , what more could you ask for? I have thought of getting a more amenable other half too but at fifty and after thirty years of marriage I doubt I would find another.

Besides, I can put the heating on now as I can pay for it.

I wish I did. As I said in the first posts, it isnt classed as dibilitating enough to be a disability. But your comment is hurtful because I cannot do anything about it.

I hope you have a nice life. Best wishes.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Well sweetheart, the standard POLICE technique for fast driving and automatic is to left foot brake, and its taught..to them..and you DO use a rather high gear in snow to limit wheel torque.

What is taught, is the simplest way to make people reasonably safe on the road.

Not what is the best way to drive a car to get the best out of it. Whatever that means in the context.

IAM gets a lot closer.

The real masters of loose surface driving are of course the rally boys. And that is most definitely left foot braking, hand braking and some at least use semi automatics - paddle shifts.

I remember a conversation with the Prodrive chief gearbox man 'our shift is 40ms, If we can drop that to 30ms that's 2 seconds a stage. That will we estimate cost us XXXX in development. It's more cost effective than spending YYYY to develop a variable rate gearbox" etc.

[sweetheart]

The sort who doesnt go out very often.

[The Natural Philosopher]

I never said that, but no matter what the test or your instrctor said, left foot braking is a very useful technique to get an auto box to behave the way YOU want it to.

[sweetheart]

Before anyone adds anything else nasty. I am posting this morning because its my day off.

>

[The Natural Philosopher]

Well if you DONT left foot brake you ARE less capable..

In SNOW? its hard enough to get it warmed up!

but it also is

I think you had better restrict yourself to that which you know.

No, some of us are trained qualified engineers, and some of us drive or have driven performance cars, and have met and talked with people in the automotive industry up to and including engineers who design and build performance cars for competition. Including those that have semi-automatic gearboxes and drive races on snow ice and mud.

When the flag drops, so does the bullshit. They know whereof they speak, and the proof is in the silverware in the reception area.

Your experience is simply that of a consumer of mass produced autos,. and a stripped down driving test that is only there to make sure you are reasonably certain not to kill yourself or anyone else on a typical suburban street.

Its valid experience, but its limited.

[sweetheart]

What a ;pity you have to mention their abilities as drivers since it was a few Christmases ago now when I came out of Church after the service and a police car ran two old ladies over whilst in a high speed chase. So much for my opinion of their abilities. It was a cold night and there was ice on the road. I will never forget that.

[boltar2003]

TBH, anyone who comes to grief because an auto changed gear when they weren't expecting it was most probably going way to fast for the corner/conditions and their own abilities. I'll grant that on snow they can occasionally be a pain , but in normal driving conditions an auto can just be forgotten about and left to get on with it.

B2003