First driving lesson next week!! Yayyy

[clocker]

Interesting.
In my entire life I have never seen anyone- irregardless of transmission type- apply the parking brake at a traffic stop.

I can believe that. Not because it's the correct thing to do but because once people pass their test they pick up bad habits.
"Bad habits" or just learning to adapt to real world conditions?

BTW, do you have any idea of the qualifications of the functionary/committee that produced these immutable "rules"?
The same folks who have artificially capped speeds on our roads (the famous "Speed Kills!" brigade)?
It depends on which state or which examiner one gets but in the US the road test is very lax.
No argument there.
...I won't say that once they have passed their test in the UK those drivers are better drivers than those in the US, but I will say that the standard required to pass the test in the UK is a lot higher than the standard in the US
And neither approaches the difficulty of Japan's requirements.
BTW, British drivers seem to think quite highly of US drivers/conditions.

I think the worst place for driving (that I've experienced) is India where the only rule seems to be the biggest vehicle has right of way, even if on the wrong side of the road.

I thought driving in Haiti was a nightmare (like the country itself) and the Mediterranean countries horrible (specifically Spain and Italy).

Italian cars don't seem to come equipped with brakes at all, much less handbrakes.
Everyone's horn seems to function perfectly though....

[j2k4]

I'd go see for myself, but I'm sure they wouldn't let me in, crude bugger that I am.

Or are you just afraid you won't want to leave, thus crushing all your prejudices against Britain?

Another misapprehension.

I am a complete Anglophile, and have no prejudice whatsoever against Britain or any of her subjects, apart from yourself.

BTW-

What have you got against her, OZ-boy?

[Ava Estelle]

What have you got against her, OZ-boy?

Oops ... wrong subject ... the 'her' threw me off.

[j2k4]

What have you got against her, OZ-boy?

Nothing at all, I find her honesty and candour utterly refreshing.

As do I, considering the content of the actual British contribution to this thread.

It's the ex-pats like you and vidcc who've mucked things up.

[Ava Estelle]

It's the ex-pats like you and vidcc who've mucked things up.

vidcc and I are men of the world, hence our wide knowledge of global affairs, unlike you we have no social compulsion to toe the party line.

[vidcc]

As do I, considering the content of the actual British contribution to this thread.

It's the ex-pats like you and vidcc who've mucked things up.

Fuck you racist xenophobe. My American family heritage goes back as far as the next mans. The circumstance of were my parents where at the time of my birth and the time spent in both countries during my childhood and adult life makes me no less one or the other.

[j2k4]

Fuck you racist xenophobe.

That's lovely.

Would you mind if I framed it.

[j2k4]

vidcc and I are men of the world, hence our wide knowledge of global affairs, unlike you we have no social compulsion to toe the party line.

Sounds rather elitist to me.

I suppose there are no arguments that cannot be defeated by a liberally applied dollop of "worldliness", are there?

BTW-

The party can do what it likes; I suffer no compulsions, and I toe no line.

[tesco]

Interesting.
In my entire life I have never seen anyone- irregardless of transmission type- apply the parking brake at a traffic stop.

I thought that automatic cars did not have a parking brake as such. When I stopped at traffic lights I just put the gear lever to 'Park'. I think. My memory is not what it used to be. So they tell me.

When I stop at traffic lights I just hold the brake. I never touch the gear lever at all.
I've never seen anyone move to park at a light, I wasn't tought that in driver's ed, I didn't doing it during my driving exam and I didn't get told off for it after the exam.

We were tought to use the parking brake when stopping the car (shift to park, engage parking brake, remove foot from brake pedal).
But I never see anyone with a automatic use the parking brake.

In fact what i always thought was that most car's parking brakes don't even work (My dad's old car's parking brake was weak but was a manual so i guess he had to have it working somewhat, my dad's van has a broken parking brake [can't even push down the pedal ], and the parking brake in my van doesn't hold the car)

No idea about a manual though, never even tried it, so I have no idea what balancing the clutch/accelerator means (probably won't until i actually try).

[MagicNakor]

I do drive a manual and I still don't know what they mean rossco, unless they're talking about easing off the clutch while trying to actually *go* but not doing it so fast or early you end up stalling.

I was never taught to park at a light either, and I imagine I would've been asked what I was doing if I had.