POLL: manual drivers, do you wiggle the stick to make sure your in neutral?

[paulney]

Originally posted by: Aharami
i do it all the time, cuz if im goin on a downward slope, i just put the car in neutral and let go of the gas (that is, if the angle of the slope is enough to sustain my current speed) --> save as much gas as possible

Prepare to be flamed off the Earth. Oh, and just in case - for a nice ticket, too. In case you don't crash earlier.

 

[DannyBoy]

uhuh

 

[aolj]

all the time.

 

[dpm]

Before I start the car I do. My mom always used to leave the car in gear, which drove me mad, but instilled the habit of checking to make sure.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Sometimes, but rarely. I need to clutch it to start the car, and I leave it in gear when parked. When I take it out of gear, I already know it's out. No wiggling required.

 

[paulney]

Originally posted by: dpm
Before I start the car I do. My mom always used to leave the car in gear, which drove me mad, but instilled the habit of checking to make sure.

Service guys always do that, and I always forget to check if they did or not. Drives me nuts.

 

[jjones]

Not very often at all. Sometimes when I start the car and get interrupted in the process (family distractions), I'll have the clutch in but forget if I took it out of gear or not. I'll wiggle it to see if it's in neutral so I can let out the clutch and finish whatever needs attention before I drive off. Once I'm driving around I probably never do that.

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: paulney

Originally posted by: dpm
Before I start the car I do. My mom always used to leave the car in gear, which drove me mad, but instilled the habit of checking to make sure.

Service guys always do that, and I always forget to check if they did or not. Drives me nuts.

Well you "should" always park it in gear. It's just another thing you can do to keep it from rolling away. I hate it when people don't....I get in the car, start, pull back to put it in neutral and wonder why it didn't feel right

 

[paulney]

Originally posted by: Jzero

Originally posted by: paulney

Originally posted by: dpm
Before I start the car I do. My mom always used to leave the car in gear, which drove me mad, but instilled the habit of checking to make sure.

Service guys always do that, and I always forget to check if they did or not. Drives me nuts.

Well you "should" always park it in gear. It's just another thing you can do to keep it from rolling away. I hate it when people don't....I get in the car, start, pull back to put it in neutral and wonder why it didn't feel right

Maybe you shouldn't be so cheap and maintain your parking brake tight?

Don't want to start another holy war or anything - this has been discussed way too many times. I don't like leaving car in gear when it's not warranted. My parking brake has plenty of gripping power to keep the car from rolling. Of course, if I'm on a hill or smth - I do put it in gear in addition to a brake.

 

[Doggiedog]

Yes, but I don't wiggle it too hard because I don't want to accidentally put the car in reverse.

 

[Aharami]

Originally posted by: paulney

Originally posted by: Aharami
i do it all the time, cuz if im goin on a downward slope, i just put the car in neutral and let go of the gas (that is, if the angle of the slope is enough to sustain my current speed) --> save as much gas as possible

Prepare to be flamed off the Earth. Oh, and just in case - for a nice ticket, too. In case you don't crash earlier.

prepare to bend over and kiss your own @$$. ticket? crash? wtf are u talking about?!!

 

[WinkOsmosis]

Yeah I push it to the left or right.

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: paulney
Don't want to start another holy war or anything - this has been discussed way too many times. I don't like leaving car in gear when it's not warranted. My parking brake has plenty of gripping power to keep the car from rolling. Of course, if I'm on a hill or smth - I do put it in gear in addition to a brake.

It's just an extra layer of protection, it's free, and it requires no extra effort. Why not, then?
That's they way I've always looked at it.

 

[LAUST]

I'll trust a tranny gear long before I trust a wire thing brake cable

 

[ucdbiendog]

i also tend to do that to the beat of the music when i am stopped for some reason.

 

[brxndxn]

Originally posted by: Sid59
it's more habit and something that's instinctive .. passes the time.

if you don't know that you shifted into neutral and do it to check .. you shouldn't be driving.

FU bish.. I always forget what gear I'm in cause' there's always a million things going on in my head. Also, I have a Hurst short shifter so sometimes it hangs between gears if I just tap it.. Wiggling makes sure I don't get the nasty grind and "OMG, I hurt my car!" feeling.

 

[Crazymofo]

yup, total habit...

 

[Lithium381]

i do it

 

[Vic]

Yep. Just a habit that I don't even think about. Anyway, better to check and be sure than to screw up just once in your life and let the clutch out while in gear and cause an accident. At least that's my reasoning.

 

[Chiropteran]

Originally posted by: dpm
Before I start the car I do. My mom always used to leave the car in gear, which drove me mad, but instilled the habit of checking to make sure.

Check to make sure of what? Doesn't the clutch have to be in to start your car?

I always park in 1st and start the car in 1st and never even shift into neutral, what is the point?

 

[LordMorpheus]

Originally posted by: freegeeks

Originally posted by: NFS4
I usually let someone else wiggle my stick

heheheh

When one executes a manual override, one knows one is in gear and there is no need for wigglage just to make sure.

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: Chiropteran

Originally posted by: dpm
Before I start the car I do. My mom always used to leave the car in gear, which drove me mad, but instilled the habit of checking to make sure.

Check to make sure of what? Doesn't the clutch have to be in to start your car?

I always park in 1st and start the car in 1st and never even shift into neutral, what is the point?

Hanging out at stoplights with the clutch in and the tranny in gear is a good way to wear out your clutch prematurely (especially the throw-out bearing). Plus my leg gets tired at the really long lights.

 

[Chiropteran]

Originally posted by: Vic

Originally posted by: Chiropteran

Originally posted by: dpm
Before I start the car I do. My mom always used to leave the car in gear, which drove me mad, but instilled the habit of checking to make sure.

Check to make sure of what? Doesn't the clutch have to be in to start your car?

I always park in 1st and start the car in 1st and never even shift into neutral, what is the point?

Hanging out at stoplights with the clutch in and the tranny in gear is a good way to wear out your clutch prematurely (especially the throw-out bearing). Plus my leg gets tired at the really long lights.

Apparently I read what you said wrong. You said your mom left the car in gear and I thought you ment you had to shift to neutral before you started the car after your mom used it. I think what you were really saying was that your mom just used the clutch and rarely shifted into neutral while waiting at stop lights, now I get it

 

[DainBramaged]

All the time.

 

[bradruth]

Yes I do.