Idiots in the neighborhood

[Claes Gefvenberg]

In Reply to Parent Post by SteelMaiden

and very rarely ever driven an automatic.

Ah... I can certainly relate to that... and ...I'll never forget the first time I drove an automatic:
I made a prize fool of myself!

How? Simple: After a mile or so I came to a very buzy roundabout and had to wait for my turn for a while. Then I entered it, grabbed the stick, and stomped the clutch to put her into second gear... Well, of course there was no clutch pedal to be seen, so my foot landed on the brake instead, with considerable force... That made me realize how hard you actually stomp that clutch pedal. I came to a screeching halt right in the middle of that roundabout, and I'm glad I always strap in good. If not I would have been all over the windshield.

Oooooh, that was embarrasing . So what happens next? I really didn't feel like sticking around, what with all those people watching, pointing and all that, so I got underway... and, yes: Oops, I did it again....

/Claes

[SteelMaiden]

Thank you Claes, for making me feel that I am not the only one!

[wolfnature]

You definately are not the only one. I have the same problem times 2.

I recently bought a new truck with an automatic (after many years of driving manual), but our other vehicle is manual (the family vehicle). Every now and then when driving the truck I catch myself frantically looking for the clutch and shifter, and when I drive the family vehicle I forget about the clutch sometimes (and have killed the engine at a couple stoplights).

It really is just too confusing.

[David Hartman]

Carrying on the auto related faux pas theme:

Many years ago we had two cars, one with tilt wheel (released by pushing the turn signal lever toward the dash) and one without tilt (Can anyone see where we're going with this?).

After spending several days driving the car with tilt, I jumped into the one without and proceeded to snap the turn signal switch lever off the column.

[tarheels4 - 2007]

In Reply to Parent Post by ddhartma

Carrying on the auto related faux pas theme:

Last Tuesday I was driving my Explorer to Livonia from T town; and on I275 just south of the airport I pulled over to refreshen my memory with a map. Well I wheeled off the pavement a little and roll over a steel end of a former sign post and had a blow out. So I began to change the tire. I got the one I destroyed off but the spare wouldn't go on because I rolled off the pavement with the right side of the car and the jack was too short. Luckily a courtesy van stopped and jacked it up higher.

The courtesy van guy really thought I was stupid when I told him I recently bought the Explorer from my now former wife.

I learned something that day. Never drive drive off the pavement on an interstate highway.

[SteelMaiden]

oh-oh David, bet that left a mark?

Wolfie, I did not trade my truck in...every redneck in 6 counties has asked, lol. I just cannot bear to part with it, they all want to know how I managed to get ahold of an extended cab with manual transmission. (97, they WERE scarcer than hen's teeth) So, I will continue to look like a fool trying to find the gear shift, but hey, I sing to myself on the way home at night and I'm sure most folks think I'm a little nuts anyway.

[shocked by the light]

For me, I bounce back and forth between a Dodge Neon with the shifter on the console and my Plymouth Voyager with the shifter on the column. Talk about confusion.

This happened to a maintenance guy who worked for us. After an especially bad day at work, he was driving his motorcycle home when he came up to a stoplight. Still stewing over the days events, he forgot to put his feet down and fell over. Embarrassed, he picks himself and his bike up and peels popping a wheely and nearly taking out on coming car.

[Laura M]

Hello, is Sue there? (name changed to protect the innocent)

She's at lunch, can I take a message?

This is Laura M, I'm returning her call.

OK - I'll have her call you, does she have your number?


Here's you sign....... (I didn't say it but I wanted to....)