Thinking about getting an automatic

[M104]

m119 I want you to try something. Don’t ask me where this is from. Each time you sit down to drive, close the door. Before you start the car, make a knife edge with your hand and hold it horizontally against your chest, centered, heart level. Inhale 3 times. Grab that feeling and hang on to it, start the car and go.

Absolutely have to try that!

As someone who got rear-ended this morning on the way to work by a teenage girl playing on her phone, learn to drive and freaking pay attention.

I know how you feel and how much it sucks, one of the only nice cars i ever bought got rear ended too and i was biter for a while. Don't worry, at least least i am aware of my limitations and am not stupid enough to ignore it and to look at my smartphone or even listen to music or even drive fast or whatever.

 

[tyman]

That really sucks. I got hit on my way to school last month by some crazy lady who was all over the road. Then she demanded my insurance and everything else I’m like wait a minute not happening. Bad part is it wasn’t in the back it was in the front she cut over in front of me and clipped my front end so it made it look like it was my fault.

Yeah, this is the 2nd time in the CR-V and my truck has been rear-ended twice now as well. When I got our CR-V brand new in 2019, I had less than 150 miles on it and a dumbass t-boned me in a roundabout. Sun was in his eyes. Didn't even have the official registration paperwork for it yet. Now this.

**** I hate ****ty drivers.

 

[AutoMechanic]

Yeah, this is the 2nd time in the CR-V and my truck has been rear-ended twice now as well. When I got our CR-V brand new in 2019, I had less than 150 miles on it and a dumbass t-boned me in a roundabout. Sun was in his eyes. Didn't even have the official registration paperwork for it yet. Now this.

**** I hate ****ty drivers.

Man sounds like you have been hit a lot. That sucks such a low mileage car. Hope it wasn’t totaled but I’m betting it was.

 

[tyman]

Man sounds like you have been hit a lot. That sucks such a low mileage car. Hope it wasn’t totaled but I’m betting it was.

It's pretty much the reason why I can't ever buy a motorcycle. I'd be dead in the first week or two. Every time I go to the store without the wife, I will text her and let her know how far I made it without someone trying to kill me. The average is about 5-7 blocks. Hell, the other morning it was extremely frosty on everything, windows covered. I was going to work and backed out of my drive, started driving down the road, and the neighbor girl who was warming up her car started backing out, almost hit me but I managed to gun it and swerve around it. Told the wife that I can't even measure the drive in blocks anymore without someone trying to hit me, it's at one house now.

And I was a stoplight in a row with 10 other cars in front of me. She came in about 40mph. Dinged up the rear hatch and smashed in the bumper but CR-V took it like a champ. I hit the car in front of me about 3-5mph so it barely even registered on the front bumper but it did pop one side out. I used my hand and popped it back into place. Probably $5-7k in repairs for new hatch, rear bumper, exhaust, etc.

 

[AutoMechanic]

It's pretty much the reason why I can't ever buy a motorcycle. I'd be dead in the first week or two. Every time I go to the store without the wife, I will text her and let her know how far I made it without someone trying to kill me. The average is about 5-7 blocks. Hell, the other morning it was extremely frosty on everything, windows covered. I was going to work and backed out of my drive, started driving down the road, and the neighbor girl who was warming up her car started backing out, almost hit me but I managed to gun it and swerve around it. Told the wife that I can't even measure the drive in blocks anymore without someone trying to hit me, it's at one house now.

And I was a stoplight in a row with 10 other cars in front of me. She came in about 40mph. Dinged up the rear hatch and smashed in the bumper but CR-V took it like a champ. I hit the car in front of me about 3-5mph so it barely even registered on the front bumper but it did pop one side out. I used my hand and popped it back into place. Probably $5-7k in repairs for new hatch, rear bumper, exhaust, etc.

Sucks man. People can’t drive worth crap anymore that’s why I hate driving nowadays.

 

[meep]

It's pretty much the reason why I can't ever buy a motorcycle. I'd be dead in the first week or two. Every time I go to the store without the wife, I will text her and let her know how far I made it without someone trying to kill me. The average is about 5-7 blocks. Hell, the other morning it was extremely frosty on everything, windows covered. I was going to work and backed out of my drive, started driving down the road, and the neighbor girl who was warming up her car started backing out, almost hit me but I managed to gun it and swerve around it. Told the wife that I can't even measure the drive in blocks anymore without someone trying to hit me, it's at one house now.

And I was a stoplight in a row with 10 other cars in front of me. She came in about 40mph. Dinged up the rear hatch and smashed in the bumper but CR-V took it like a champ. I hit the car in front of me about 3-5mph so it barely even registered on the front bumper but it did pop one side out. I used my hand and popped it back into place. Probably $5-7k in repairs for new hatch, rear bumper, exhaust, etc.

Tyman your experiences sound awful! Makes me want to avoid Kansas! Seriously that’s bad.

I used to ride a bike, well both kinds, MTB and motor. I truly enjoyed both. I rode 5 days a week, nights, or commuting, or just to explore. That was in the 90s and 2000’s. I couldn’t imagine doing it now. I watched a large suv get the phone on the top of the steering wheel the moment it backed out of her space and navigate a crowded parking lot full of people and shopping carts yesterday. Nope, no sir. I want a cage around me.

I’ll also second your statement on CRVs. My wife‘s 2015 was rear-ended not long after we got it, and from what I could gather was a pretty hard hit, as things from the back seat ended up in the front. The bumper skin and the plastic crush materials were destroyed, but the metal which I could see was undisturbed. she was sore for a bit, and iirc did see a doctor as a precaution. the chassis of these newer ones is impressive.

glad you’ve been in vehicles that can take it and protect you.

 

[M104]

Inattention seems to be the main cause of accidents in your area, here it is clearly people driving like maniacs and being jerks. These days i don't have the nerves to endure driving through Paris. I don't know how driving can make people so agressive, impolite and selfish. I wanted to ride a bike for a while, always been attracted to my dad's 1968 Bonneville but familly and gf would not let me.

 

[tyman]

Tyman your experiences sound awful! Makes me want to avoid Kansas! Seriously that’s bad.

I used to ride a bike, well both kinds, MTB and motor. I truly enjoyed both. I rode 5 days a week, nights, or commuting, or just to explore. That was in the 90s and 2000’s. I couldn’t imagine doing it now. I watched a large suv get the phone on the top of the steering wheel the moment it backed out of her space and navigate a crowded parking lot full of people and shopping carts yesterday. Nope, no sir. I want a cage around me.

I’ll also second your statement on CRVs. My wife‘s 2015 was rear-ended not long after we got it, and from what I could gather was a pretty hard hit, as things from the back seat ended up in the front. The bumper skin and the plastic crush materials were destroyed, but the metal which I could see was undisturbed. she was sore for a bit, and iirc did see a doctor as a precaution. the chassis of these newer ones is impressive.

glad you’ve been in vehicles that can take it and protect you.

The truck was parked both times it got hit.
And as bad as KS drivers are, TX and FL drivers absolutely demolish them.

 

[PimTac]

As someone who got rear-ended this morning on the way to work by a teenage girl playing on her phone, learn to drive and freaking pay attention.

Happens way too often these days. I don’t understand though why someone would consider this a laughing matter?

 

[tyman]

Happens way too often these days. I don’t understand though why someone would consider this a laughing matter?

Probably/hopefully just how I worded it. I don't think he was laughing because of the wreck.

 

[Jetronic]

I agree with OZHSV. This is one reason why I have used very moderate hypermiling techniques. Forces me to stay focused on the road. Also helps me avoid speeding tickets, which I have picked up occasionally prior to doing this. Saves on brakes and at the pump as well.

I was going to reply something very similar. Having an automatic gives you the opportunity to be consciously occupied with traffic further ahead and coming up behind. That makes you a better driver. What happens right in front you won't miss anyway, and if you looked ahead right it's not a surprise anyway.

Cruise control is another tool that if used right makes you focus more on traffic fore and aft. It is afterall no good if you have to brake while driving on CC.

 

[Jetronic]

I've never found that a manual trans helped me keep focus while on the highway. Going to my inlaws might have a couple of stretches where I might not shift for up to an hour.

Although: for a while I tried to stay in top gear for as long as I could on my commute, years ago. I'd shift into high gear on a backroad, go 7 or so miles. Then merge onto a highway for 20 and change highways--the interchange is marked at 45 but no-one goes that slow there. Then several miles and slow down for a toll: I was happy when EZ Pass went in, so I could do this! but boy the car did not like pulling away at 40 in top gear... Few more miles, another highway change, and finally the city, where I had to start shifting again.

Got the chance to take the wife's car out on the highway yesterday. Was fun rowing through the gears but once in the city I started having second thoughts. I rolled my left ankle many times over the years and sometimes it just aches.

Yeah played those games aswell... Do a whole journey without touching the gas pedal, or the whole journey in 5th (including starts). Brake with left foot and clutch with right also.