Women

[Steve Walker]

You tot up minors for each failure to follow current teaching. Tot up enough of them and you fail.

In the '80s they taught to use the gears.

There were a number of cars with problems, but it was nothing to do with the ratchet mechanism IIRC - it was hot disks and calipers cooling when parked, metal contracting and the pads releasing their grip on the disks.

How many people have been trained to describe what they are seeing as they are driving, other than advanced drivers like the police? Most people would have to have numerous lessons to get into the habit to be able to do that.

SteveW

[Dave Liquorice]

I was taught to use the gears in the late 70's.

Flatlanders. Using the gears to slow down stopped me leaving the road when the brakes faded on a long twisty decent were I'd been using the brakes in preference to the gears for each corner.

I also keep off the brakes when on driving on snow, far to easy for the wheels to lock up. It takes quite a concious effort to take your foot of the brake when sliding towards a tree, even when you know that when you do steering will instantly come back. That's on good winter tyres all round as well.

Modern brakes are far more effective that older ones but it doesn't stop 'em fading or getting you into trouble on slippy surfaces.

I guess the reason for "use the brakes" is to turn on the big red lights on the back of the car to wake up the bozzo behind to the fact your slowing down.

[Dave Liquorice]

provisional

Most might but not all

But not in the UK.

Reducing accident rate is one measure to look at but there is also keeping the driving population at least reasonably up to date with the changes in the rules and laws. I think when I learnt to drive (1977) seatbelts were still optional for rear seat passengers. Child seats, what are they?

[dennis]

No it isn't. Still not thinking logically are you.

[dennis]

Well rod if we actually cared what happens in aussi land we would post in an aussi group wouldn't we!

[dennis]

Because you don't meet the required standard, that means you can't drive very well.

By someone that didn't have a clue I suspect.

That doesn't cause the handbrake lever to release while unattended. The correct way is to hold the button in until nearly at the top and then relase it for the last click so you know it has engaged properly.

You mean they drive to fast to be able to take in their surrondings and be able to describe them? If you can't be aware of whats happening around you then you are driving too fast and should either slow down or get a chauffer.

[John Kenyon]

I suppose it is to ensure that the brake pawl gets held firmly in a detent, rather than the pawl sitting on top of a tooth and then sliding off thus slighly releasing the brake.

BTW I belong to the "push, hold, operate, release" generation...

[dennis]

All of wich indicate that you can't drive very well. You need something like 15 faults like that in a 20 minute drive so I would say you can't drive.

As is the test.

Engine braking and using the engine to "brake" are not the same.

[dennis]

If its a long twisting decent you should be staying in low gear anyway. It save fuel and ensures there is enough vacuum to actually apply the brakes if you need to.

You can do that without applying the brakes.

[tim...]

I never knew that as the word for it :-(

tim

[tim...]

Only associated with one particular manufacturer

if you don't have one of those you could easily have just ignored the reports

tim

[tim...]

that's an argument for having re-tests at 25, not 70

tim

[John Kenyon]

No - the handbrake lever remains where it is, the force applied to the brakes remains constant, however in the "self releasing brake" scenario, the brake effectively releases itself as the disc contracts. Or put it another way, a fully applied brake becomes a partially applied one, and the thing rolls.

Compare with a drum brake which has a self servo effect in the forward direction. Slightly reduce the pressure, and the hub will start to rotate. The partially applied brake will apply further pressure and stop the car from rolling.

Disc brakes don't have any self servo effect. A disc handbrake has no servo assistance whatsoever.

[Jack98]

All do except those who don't use their license, just because of more experience.

But its unlikely that anyone but the brain dead arent aware of child seats now.

[Tim Streater]

He's not driving a train, Den.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Never drunk at the Paul & Rat Shit?

[Andy Burns]

Yes, I was taught to slow with gears, to the extent when approaching traffic lights, get down into 2nd and as long as you are still infinitesimally creeping along, don't touch the brakes and only change down to 1st if you do actually come to a stop.

[Max Demian]

A way that manufacturers can blame the driver - find out what he's doing, and tell him it's wrong.

[Max Demian]

Surely you don't solely rely on the handbrake to hold a car on a slope?

[Max Demian]

Most cars use vacuum from the intake to assist the brakes. Trains haven't used vacuum brakes for decades.