Any Tips for Driving an Automatic Car?

[GautamJ]

Re: new to auto gear

Hi,
I just bought my Maruti k10 amt. On the third day I have had an accident.
I want to make sure it does not repeat.
My question is " how to get the car moving on a road hump out of a parking lot in a mall"

Background: i am new to auto gear. I was exiting the parking lot (exit is towards my right
At the point of exit there was a huge road hump. The car would not move. It was in D mode. I accelerated to get the wheels moving. The next I know was i crashed into the wall right opposite.the front portion on its left got smashed. Nothing happened to me and my child ,sitting in front beside me. Please give me more knowledge on driving automatic transmission. Driving schools don't. What happened to me should not happen to others or repeat with me. My new car is with accident department. Very said:(

You have to use handbrake + gas combo.
Give gas only till you feel, car is eager to move ahead without much drama, after that disengage handbrake and you are good to go.
Take Care Brother.

 

[AC_616]

Re: new to auto gear

Hi,
I just bought my Maruti k10 amt. On the third day I have had an accident.
I want to make sure it does not repeat.
My question is " how to get the car moving on a road hump out of a parking lot in a mall"

Background: i am new to auto gear. I was exiting the parking lot (exit is towards my right
At the point of exit there was a huge road hump. The car would not move. It was in D mode. I accelerated to get the wheels moving. The next I know was i crashed into the wall right opposite.the front portion on its left got smashed. Nothing happened to me and my child ,sitting in front beside me. Please give me more knowledge on driving automatic transmission. Driving schools don't. What happened to me should not happen to others or repeat with me. My new car is with accident department. Very said:(

What I do in very tricky situation is to keep my left foot on the break pedal (not pressing the break, but ready to do so when required) and accelerate till the car moves forward. As soon as the car gets out of the situation (say an hump or a steep incline, as in your case), i press the break. This ensures that car always stays within our control.

 

[rsk11584]

A question on Driving Style of Cars - Automatic

Dear Friends,

This question is more of a query on the driving style and human tendency. I have driven bikes for many years (17+ years) and recently ordered my first Car (Tiago XZA). Whenever i took TD of AMT Cars, i was asked to use only the right leg for Brake and Accelerator. Many Automatic driving instructional videos on youtube also discourage users from using both legs in automatic cars. Now my query is if I am not going to drive a manual car and if i am mainly going to drive an automatic car only, will there be any problem if i use left leg for brake and right leg for accelerator? It will be my responsibility to ensure i dont press both at same time and i have to get my legs trained on the accelerator and brake. I can relate to using both legs with using both hands while i am typing this on keyboard. My both hands are on keyboard, one on left side and another on right side, and as I am quite experienced in typing automatically my hand fingers move to the alphabets which are on its side and i can type. Also when i started driving a gearless scooter (TVS Jupiter) after years and years of gear bike use, i found myself pressing right foot on floor of scooter for brake, this happened subconsciously. So in this scenario are the instructors doing right by restricting me from using both foots for both pedals while driving automatic or i can drive automatic with both legs provided i can control them. As of now I feel it little difficult to change between brake and accelerator with the heel as my legs are small and even with shoes the change is not perfect.

 

[Nairrk]

Even in manual gear cars, only right foot is used for Accelerator and Brake. May be there can be a technical reason to adopt this practise from the beginning can be that the driver should not by mistake press both brake and accelerator simultaneously(incase he uses left foot for brake and right foot for accelerator) . If we use only one foot for accelerator and brake this would never happen.

By adopting right foot only for accelerator and brake is the best option and you should try to practise same thing.

 

[anshuman8]

Re: A question on Driving Style of Cars - Automatic

Dear Friends,

Many Automatic driving instructional videos on youtube also discourage users from using both legs in automatic cars. Now my query is if I am not going to drive a manual car and if i am mainly going to drive an automatic car only, will there be any problem if i use left leg for brake and right leg for accelerator? It will be my responsibility to ensure i dont press both at same time and i have to get my legs trained on the accelerator and brake. I can relate to using both legs with using both hands while i am typing this on keyboard.

I suggest you stick to conventional way of driving. Though myself I drive both Auto and Manual cars at different times everyday, it is better to use only Right Leg for both Brake and Accelerator. Do not use both legs. It is about human brain co-ordination . You need to take your foot off the accelerator before putting the brake.

 

[Nanofreak]

I learned car driving 2 years in my friend's automatic geared car, really found very easy to adapt car driving. But, the thing is when I was about to drive in gear mode, OMG very risky and challenging.
Essentials to follow : Use handbrake to park, switch into parking mode before stopping car, use right leg

Hi @sarah clark welcome to TAI, the first thing one has to unlearn is not to use the left leg in an automatic car, because the movement you hit the brakes with your left leg thinking you were applying clutch, you will be in trouble. Rest all is easy and a learning curve.

 

[ashikawa]

Hi all,

True to my handle, am new to driving. I've recently picked up a Honda City V AT (long story, from Jazz to Vento to City!!). The car drives like a dream. Super silent and smooth. The automatic gearbox really helps newbies like me in taking out a large part of the stress of initial learning.

Now, are there any tips that you experts out there can offer me? I've been shifting to N with handbrake for short signals and to P for longer ones. My current daily runs are way too short for the engine to open up; so not a good time to look at fuel efficiency :-)

Any tips on when to move to L? Inclines up/down? Any other tips you have are most welcome. Thanks a lot.

Mods: Pls move the thread if this is not the relevant section. Tried searching for relevant threads, couldn't find any

Since your car is now 9 year old. Can you enlighten us on how you CVT car is holding up. Mileage you clocked. Any major maintenance it required etc. It will be great help as i am contemplating to purchase an automatic car.

 

[Redex]

Hi all,

True to my handle, am new to driving. I've recently picked up a Honda City V AT (long story, from Jazz to Vento to City!!). The car drives like a dream. Super silent and smooth. The automatic gearbox really helps newbies like me in taking out a large part of the stress of initial learning.

Now, are there any tips that you experts out there can offer me? I've been shifting to N with handbrake for short signals and to P for longer ones. My current daily runs are way too short for the engine to open up; so not a good time to look at fuel efficiency :-)

Any tips on when to move to L? Inclines up/down? Any other tips you have are most welcome. Thanks a lot.

Mods: Pls move the thread if this is not the relevant section. Tried searching for relevant threads, couldn't find any

Hi,
The answer is in the question : AUTOMATIC.

Press the "A" pedal to go.
Press the "B" pedal to stop.

Read your car user manual, it will explain about the best way to use all the functions of the automatic gearbox in "YOUR" car. There are many variations of "AUTOMATIC" transmission, you need advice for YOUR SPECIFIC VEHICLE and driving conditions. There are no "cure it all" answers.

Keep it simple and enjoy the car.

There are very few occassions when you may need to take manual control over the gearbox.

Manually controlling the gearbox can destroy it or cause a huge repair bill, if done incorrectly.

The most common situations for changing the gear selection is using engine breaking on long down hill streches and low gear selection for going up very steep hills.

In normal everyday use just let the "AUTOMATIC" box do its job.

Regards Neil.

Over 50 years driving experience of most vehicle types. Now retired but still working 3 to 5 days a week on the "spanners" in my son's garage in the U.K. Anything with an engine is repaired, cars, trucks, tractors, motorcycles, outboard motors, generators etc. etc.