DD vs Spirited Driving -- American or Japanese?
03-18-2009, 06:01 AM
#1
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DD vs Spirited Driving -- American or Japanese?
**Get your mind out of the gutter.
So in my continuous attempts to procrastinate my finals studying (two finals tomorrow along with a 12 page paper due that I haven't started. sigh), I came upon a rather disgusting video of an S being redlined as much as possible on Facebook in the group "s2000" that the admin/creator had posted.
One of the first things I noticed was that he kept his shifting (right) hand on the shifter almost the entire time. In fact, he even countersteered with ONLY his left hand from center to almost a left-locked wheel position.
I've always thought it was bad form to keep your hand on the shifter. When I had my Celica, I made it a habit to keep both hands on the wheel unless shifting. Recently I've noticed I just keep my right hand on my lap or on the side, but never on the shifter.
Why? Well, one of my reasonings is that Japanese cars are right-hand drive. The shifter is on the left side, even though a majority of the world (Japanese people included) are right-handed. It's logical to keep your dominant hand on what you think is most important -- and that's wheel control. Why put in a short shifter/lowered shift knob/etc. if you're keeping your hand on the shifter the entire time?
Old American muscle, as we all know, was built upon drag racing... going as fast as possible in the straight, and thus I understand why we've continued to keep the left-hand drive (other than difficulties of massive change). Traditional American car drivers consider the shifting itself to be more important than the actual handling of the car. I've only let one white (no offense -- no intention of doing so) person drive my car before -- and it wasn't even the S. He drove my Celica, and he kept his hand on the shifter. It kind of irked me, but whatever.
So, I know after all of this, those of you who DO keep your hand on the shifter are probably less willing to speak up. Well, too bad. I'm asking you to now.
How many of you keep your hands on the shifter while driving?
Do you do this for a reason, or is it just out of habit and you've never thought about it?
How many of you HAVE thought about it?
So in my continuous attempts to procrastinate my finals studying (two finals tomorrow along with a 12 page paper due that I haven't started. sigh), I came upon a rather disgusting video of an S being redlined as much as possible on Facebook in the group "s2000" that the admin/creator had posted.
One of the first things I noticed was that he kept his shifting (right) hand on the shifter almost the entire time. In fact, he even countersteered with ONLY his left hand from center to almost a left-locked wheel position.
I've always thought it was bad form to keep your hand on the shifter. When I had my Celica, I made it a habit to keep both hands on the wheel unless shifting. Recently I've noticed I just keep my right hand on my lap or on the side, but never on the shifter.
Why? Well, one of my reasonings is that Japanese cars are right-hand drive. The shifter is on the left side, even though a majority of the world (Japanese people included) are right-handed. It's logical to keep your dominant hand on what you think is most important -- and that's wheel control. Why put in a short shifter/lowered shift knob/etc. if you're keeping your hand on the shifter the entire time?
Old American muscle, as we all know, was built upon drag racing... going as fast as possible in the straight, and thus I understand why we've continued to keep the left-hand drive (other than difficulties of massive change). Traditional American car drivers consider the shifting itself to be more important than the actual handling of the car. I've only let one white (no offense -- no intention of doing so) person drive my car before -- and it wasn't even the S. He drove my Celica, and he kept his hand on the shifter. It kind of irked me, but whatever.
So, I know after all of this, those of you who DO keep your hand on the shifter are probably less willing to speak up. Well, too bad. I'm asking you to now.
How many of you keep your hands on the shifter while driving?
Do you do this for a reason, or is it just out of habit and you've never thought about it?
How many of you HAVE thought about it?
03-18-2009, 06:09 AM
#2
Registered User
I like to keep both hands on the wheel as much as possible during spirited driving. One slip of my left hand and there goes the car off the road. I feel much safer with both hands on the wheel.
03-18-2009, 06:36 AM
#6
Just driving around, I put my hands wherever is comfortable given that day, typically my hand on the ebrake and my left at the 9/10 oclock position. WHen the road gets a lil windy or I gotta maneuver the car or when driving with a little more hustle, 10 and 2 or 9 and 3.
I made the mistake once in the S holding the wheel at 12 when I was accelerating on a straight onramp trying to get infront and when it hit vtec I lost the rear end (it was wet with oakland quality roads). Fortunately I managed to go from facing completely right to facing completely left and penduluming back and forth until I worked back to center while keeping inside my lane, of course when shit hits the ceiling, had my hands in the right position. It wouldve been impossible to have done so with one hand.
There are different driving styles where some folks keep one hand on each, but unless you graduated to that point it's all nothing.
I made the mistake once in the S holding the wheel at 12 when I was accelerating on a straight onramp trying to get infront and when it hit vtec I lost the rear end (it was wet with oakland quality roads). Fortunately I managed to go from facing completely right to facing completely left and penduluming back and forth until I worked back to center while keeping inside my lane, of course when shit hits the ceiling, had my hands in the right position. It wouldve been impossible to have done so with one hand.
There are different driving styles where some folks keep one hand on each, but unless you graduated to that point it's all nothing.
03-18-2009, 06:36 AM
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Just cruising is usually left hand @ 9 o'clock and my right on the center console near the shifter but not holding it. Spirited driving has both my hands on the wheel.
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03-18-2009, 06:39 AM
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Just driving around i find my right hand on this shifter about 50% of the time and my left hand on the door's arm rest - holding the wheel at about the 8 o'clock position.
If I'm really driving though (entering vtech) Left hand is between 9 and 12 and right hand reverts back to the wheel after shifting.
This car makes the G lean possible? I'm a pretty proportionate 5'10" and i can't recline back much or sit too far away from the wheel and still be able to fully depress the clutch.
If I'm really driving though (entering vtech) Left hand is between 9 and 12 and right hand reverts back to the wheel after shifting.
This car makes the G lean possible? I'm a pretty proportionate 5'10" and i can't recline back much or sit too far away from the wheel and still be able to fully depress the clutch.
03-18-2009, 06:40 AM
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normal driving left hand is generally around 10, right hand is either on the steering wheel @3 where it should be or i'm being lazy and leaving my arm on the console. if i'm doing spirited driving of any kind i'm at 9/3 and my right hand is never on the shifter longer than it takes to shift...
03-18-2009, 06:42 AM
#10
I'm "American" and I don't keep my hand on the shifter unless there's something wrong with the transmission and I have to baby the gears. If I'm driving hard, I shift and then I'm right back on the wheel.
"Proper" form is moving your hands to shift and then moving back. That's why sequential gearboxes usually have these huge levers that reach right up near the wheel. However you can drive pretty much however you want. I'm pretty sure there have been competitive race drivers with one arm.
Your post almost comes across as racist and I don't really think you have any idea what you're talking about. Even during the muscle car era, American cars were cleaning up on road courses. Remember the GT40 and some of the early aero mods on vettes and Challengers/Chargers? There are people from all races and cultures who drive many different makes of cars and have no idea wtf they're doing. Maybe it's time to go study.
"Proper" form is moving your hands to shift and then moving back. That's why sequential gearboxes usually have these huge levers that reach right up near the wheel. However you can drive pretty much however you want. I'm pretty sure there have been competitive race drivers with one arm.
Your post almost comes across as racist and I don't really think you have any idea what you're talking about. Even during the muscle car era, American cars were cleaning up on road courses. Remember the GT40 and some of the early aero mods on vettes and Challengers/Chargers? There are people from all races and cultures who drive many different makes of cars and have no idea wtf they're doing. Maybe it's time to go study.