Worked for a body shop a few years ago; we did a lot of electric and hybrid cars. I can't for the life of me figure those ****ers out.
If you've ever witnessed anyone used to riding foreign-made motorcycles attempt to ride a Harley for the first time... they very often rev the engine too high and let the clutch out much too quickly. If you haven't seen it, I'm sure you can imagine what might happen. And you'd be right. I saw a guy go right through a redwood fence. I saw another guy try to give his girlfriend a ride. They weren't wearing much... cut offs and flip flops. Revved up the engine, let go of the clutch, did a wheelie and with the front wheel still up in the air, crashed into the cars on the other side of the parking lot. He was drunk. She was pissed.
Best motorcycle screwup was a buddy of mine. We go to a local bar after work and drink a beer.. maybe 2 .. but who's counting !.. We get done, walk outside and his 920 virago is next to my GTO, we bs has he gets on his motorcycle, still bs'ing he turns it on, a couple more minutes and I notice him twisting the throttle, I'm thinking what's he doing? Finally he says I got to get home and I step back waiting for him to start it but instead he puts the kickstand up, pulls clutch in, kicks it in first, twists the throttle, puts his feet on the pegs and falls over. Him, the bike laying on the ground, I'm laughing so hard I'm about to p*ss my pants ! I help him up, suggest that it'd work better if he started it first, he said he was going to give that a try this next time. I was sure to tell everyone at the shop the next day !! Ah the memories and laughes thru the years at others expense, of course I added to others laughs too ! ....
How about driving an auto for the first time in a while and when you go to step on the clutch, you end up stomping the brake with your left foot …sure wakes you and any p***engers up!
I can relate having three RHD Utes. Two with LH floor manual shifter, One with LH floor auto shifter. I converted my 52 Chevy Ute from LH three on the tree to floor shift 5 speed (T5). Then my 52 GMC is LHD with RH floor auto shifter, but considering changing to column shift auto. Yes I have many times on my Utes went to the LH side only to then remember that I need to get in the RH side. Floor shifting with LH is not really that hard, but the LH three on the tree was something I had to pay a lot of attention to; for the short time I had that configuration. At least the RHD pedal configuration is the same as LHD, so no new learning required.
ran a Case backhoe for many (30+) years that had three levers for the crowd, boom and bucket controls foot controlled swing pedals....right foot, swing right and left foot swing left... updated to a John Deere backhoe with two levers for everything....and I still find myself pushing the floor when I need to swing when I get in a tight situation.....muscle memory takes over
Been there, done that. Worst time was back in high school. I'd been driving my '51 Chevy pickup(stick) but managed to borrow the family sedan for a date. After picking her up I accelerated briskly away from a stop sign and stabbed the clutch for a quick shift. Unfortunately, the car was an automatic and I hit the brake pedal. Girl bounced off the windshield and was NOT happy.
If were talking auto vs manuals, when I was a wee lad my mum jumped into a friend's auto (which was a weird one, being a "cut and shut" - front U.S. Dodge Dart / rear Australian AP5, push-****on selector, the owner was a panel beater) and being the first auto she had driven, proceeded to send me head first into the windscreen when she stomped on the brake while looking for the clutch. I had an Australian 1960 Chrysler Royal (which was a RHD mix of mid 50's Dodge and Plymouth bits), V8 with a push- ****on auto. Coming down a hill I thought it would be a good idea to select 2nd to slow me down a bit (I was about 18 years old and had never tried it before), somehow punched "reverse", the cars rear wheels locked up and put me sideways across the road, and the engine had stalled.. After ****ping myself, I looked under the car expecting a big pool of trans fluid, and maybe some metal bits, but there was nothing. I started the car, selected Drive, and drove off. The trans behaved like nothing had happened!
Yes I have . Sometimes when I switch driving different farm tractors I find myself reaching for hydraulic levers that are located in a different spot or the throttle lever
My biggest issue since starting to drive standard transmission semi trucks after driving standard transmission cars and pickups forever is remembering that there is a clutch brake if you push the clutch in too far. I’m getting way better, but that muscle memory has bitten me multiple times.
One job I had for 6 years had me in and out of a large range of different cars ( size style and value ) therefore I grew used to doing a cursory check of the controls. So the one only thing that I qualify for here is that after 18 years handling 18 wheelers, with manual turn signal switch, in the car I'll have to flip off the signal ( during the course of making some turns the driver must do sometimes do a combo of folding and unfolding the rig. The lights need to be lit )
I have a '27 T with the original pedal shifted 2 speed trans, plus a 3 speed Rocky Mountain trans and a 2 speed Ruckstell rear axle. 3 hands and 3 feet to drive. Then I jump into one of my early Dodge Brothers with the weird backwards shift pattern, then my '27 Dodge Brothers Roadsters with a normal SAE shift pattern, not to mention my Harley with its standardized controls and the Norton with opposite side shifter with reverse pattern and brake on the left. I've mixed up a few times to say the least! Dave
@dwollam Whoa... Nelly I'd never be on time. I thought it was too much stress when I stuck a 4 speed in my OT van. I used the column linkage for the for the forward a short single lever under the seat was reverse. My gig was same day office supplies ( including coffee svc ) to office in downtown. Parallel parking was always a cramped affair, always tight. Jockeying 2 shifters in the cramped spaces, as you use the clutch and dive under for reverse. Got old fast
Yes!! On my daily but als when I start or have to a stop on the forklift at work I sometimes push in the inching pedal as a reflex!
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