What's everyone's thought on driving? What sort of emotional response do you all get from operating an automobile? I, personally, have been going through some rough shit the past few months. Not living alone doesn't help. I'd bet, on average, I leave the house just to drive around about 2 times a day (leaving room for the days where I'm actually too busy). It's the physical feeling of speed, (not excess speed, just moving in general) and being able to listen to tunes and hear the road through an open window and to think about the chemical and mechanical processes/feats going on a few feet in front of me. I also love getting tipsy, which complicates things because then I have to choose not to drive. I watch racing, but not much. I play a lot of racing games. If I could have my dream job, I'd be a rally driver. I'm not competitive... I just think I'd love the feeling. I suppose maybe I am addicted to having control over my location? I hate being somewhere and feeling like I don't have the coice to leave if I need to. Whenever someone else and I are going somewhere, I always offer to drive, sometimes insisting that I do so. In my strive to document my life, about once a week I clamp my camera in the pasenger headrest and film myself driving. I know there isn't much of a point! So I don't mean to have this thread to be some wankfest about WHAT they drive and how awesome it is... Indulge!
To me driving is an escape of reality. I love cruising in my car alone with my choice of music. No annoyances at all. Just me, alone in my car going and doing what I want. Bliss!!!! Also I love the feel of driving which is why I prefer manual transmission to automatic. Yakumo
manual all the way. You just can't control a moving vehicle by ordinary braking, you need a clutch and proper gears (paddle shifters are for pussies,and race drivers)
Cheers for stuffing oil company pockets. I really wish I knew more people that would want to cruise around. Well, I know they exist, but I bet most of them are clots.
I've used a paddle shift and it was F*ing awful. It didn't change when I wanted and felt right off. I've also driven the newest Subaru Impreza with a semi automatic shift gear (Like pedal shift) and that was turd too. Real manual for that true feeling is the only way for serious drivers. Yakumo
What car was it? I could imagine a high-end paddle shift (...Ferrari? Later Audi TT?) being decent, the ones that are insane and can change-up in milliseconds. "pussies,and race drivers" Well, I could see them being necessary in Formula 1, they've got enough stuff to think about already, but then even rally cars seem to always have at the very most a sequential gearbox, and they're dodging trees and rocks and such while listening to their copilot! I drive a Protege 5, my father a Mazda 3. His has that side-tiptronic-esque "manual" shift thing... and yes, it's worthless! Tip it down... ... ok! One thing I really want to try is the new Nissan 3X0z (?) that rev-matches for you (thanks... Top Gear?). I suck at heel-toe unless I'm braking really hard, (pedal distance) and I think that might be a nice little addition to the experience? Just got back from my 2AM drive. Barefoot clutch is really... difficult? I've got a question. Is it normal to slide the clutch up the sole of your shoe or do most people lift their leg? I've always wondered. I'm afriad I'm wearing the shit out of the rubber on the pedal.
even expensive cars that have paddle shifters, like the Aston Martin Vantage for example, feel like crap when you drive them. Shifting down a gear takes time from the moment you issue the command which means that you don't get the appropriate amount of torque the moment you need it - you can't really put the car into a clutch-kick-drift at high speeds for example. It's a fancy, civilized feature for sunday drivers
It was an Audi TT surprisingly. While it changed fast it wasn't as "controllable" as a true manual. Shifting up wasn't so bad but shifting down was all wrong. The Impreza with the shift gears (just like an arcade racer) had the same problem. While it was fully automatic (dumb ass idea for that type of car) you could also "manually" shift gears. I always had at least 1 second delay from the actual shift until the gears changed. Anyway, back on topic. Driving early in the morning is bliss. Only yesterday I went for a 1am drive through the country. Most relaxing and exciting when I built up the revs. I did get lost though which was quite scary. In the middle of nowhere without a single street light in site. Thank God for Sat navs! Yakumo
A stupid statement. Of course you can. Manual is superior, though. What I have learned is that tiptronic is not a good substitute. However, I think part of the 'lag' is because you're not pushing the clutch and hand shifting. So the delay of those two actions is not apparent, only the wait for the transmission to do it automatically. For me, it is the twists and turns of a country road and knowing the limits of the vehicle you are driving. How far can you push on that next corner? Knowing when to apply the throttle or what speed you can maintain. When I have more money I'd like to go to race days, but I wouldn't want to do it with my normal car. I also like the feeling of the wind on the face and the sound of the engine.
apparently our point of reference seems to differ. You cannot practice proper (race) driving without a manual gearbox. Of course you can drive your SUV down to the mall and get by, but that's hardly real passionate driving now is it =) Clutching does take time, more than a serial gear-box, but what it offers is power-control over the engine. You can half-clutch with a 3rd gear over a curve while maintaining your foot on the gas as appropriate in order to deliver the precise amount of horsepower needed to avoid under/over-steer. Driving is an "analogue" experience for me, so I love to have a clutch available even if the gear-shifting doesn't require a clutch at all (ie to control power despite the use of a clutch-less gear system)
I never seem to get mine to move anywhere, but then again it is a Sega ID cab.... I really need to get out more! OH:
I do race when I get the chance, what struck you as odd? You mean to tell me that you only use the clutch to shift gears?
Clutch control = launch off the line and fast and smooth gear changes. For fast cornering use an LSD ;-)
Anybody else come in here hoping to have a topic about receiving pleasure while driving? As far as really getting a rush out of driving I used to back when my car was in better shape. Right now it needs to have some work done to it to have any fun again.
Whenever i have time, i always choose the longer route. Specially because this means roads on the seaside.
