Driving Habbits?, Whats your comfy position?.

Submitted: Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 at 20:32
ThreadID: 70123 Views:2921 Replies:11 FollowUps:17
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After driving a defender for years, and having no option other than to have the elbow out the window and legs spread..lol. to create some sort of comfy driving position, i seem to have adopted this practice no matter what vehicle i'm in. SWMBO picked it up to-day whilst driving her toyo home,..lol. Also bare foot driving on a long run is so much more comfortable, Not all that legal though i'm sure..lol.

Cheers Axle.
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Reply By: Dave... Adelaide (SA) - Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 at 20:42

Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 at 20:42
G'day Axle
I'm with you on the bare feet, much more comfortable.
AnswerID: 371700

Follow Up By: disco driver - Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 at 23:24

Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 at 23:24
Series 3 Landrovers only had 1 seating position, bloody uncomfortable till you get used to it, after that, bearable.

Bare feet are not a good idea, not because it's illegal but................in a Landrover series 3 in standard trim, no floor mat, just stinking hot metal. Ouch!!

Disco 2 can be adjusted so that I can drive all day if required and still move after I stop.

In the olden days, 50's and 60's, 1 hand on the wheel the other on a leg,not often mine or 1 hand on the wheel, the other elbow on the window frame and the hand gripping the gutter above the door. That stopped once I had a car with A/con.

Gees, haven't things changed??

Disco.
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Reply By: Robin Miller - Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 at 20:48

Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 at 20:48
I happy any way but with a cup of coffee on the go , with these insulated mugs these days it lasts almost all the way on my daily drive to work.
Robin Miller

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Follow Up By: Member - Axle - Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 at 20:55

Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 at 20:55
G/day Robin, ..Well so far between You ..Me ..& Dave There's already potentional revenue for the Blue boys..Hahahaha.


Cheers Axle.
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Follow Up By: Sir Kev & Darkie - Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 at 21:03

Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 at 21:03
Better make that 4 hahahaha


Cheers Kev
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Follow Up By: tim_c - Thursday, Jun 25, 2009 at 11:24

Thursday, Jun 25, 2009 at 11:24
It's not illegal to drink coffee while driving is it? If so, why so many cup holders in new cars?
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Follow Up By: Hairs & Fysh (NSW) - Thursday, Jun 25, 2009 at 19:04

Thursday, Jun 25, 2009 at 19:04
Hi tim_c,
About five years ago I would love nothing more than a couple of tallies of Vic on the way home from work. Anyway a Copper I knew came into work one day the organize a delivery of timber and pulled me aside and told me it was Illegal to consume any beverage whilst driving, I questioned the fact that I would not be over the limit on 35 minute trip. His response was, nothing to do with being over the limit, it's a deal Bob Carr did with the Greens, 'that you are not allowed to consume any beverage whilst driving'. This being NSW, I don't know about the other states.
Now I'm not 100% sure whether he was trying to save my skin and have me not drink on the way home or it is fact, but I threw my job in a week later and didn't want to have a couple beers on the way home any more after a days work. So I've never followed it up.





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Follow Up By: tim_c - Friday, Jun 26, 2009 at 14:48

Friday, Jun 26, 2009 at 14:48
Ok, thanks Jon - will have to be mindful of that from now on as I always have a bottle of water handy ('sports' drink bottle with pop-top) that I sip on while driving - it's a necessity on the longer trips in the coach.
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Follow Up By: Hairs & Fysh (NSW) - Friday, Jun 26, 2009 at 15:13

Friday, Jun 26, 2009 at 15:13
I reckon it's one of those stupid laws that we have, and there are plenty of them.
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Reply By: Atta Boy Luther - Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 at 21:02

Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 at 21:02
You definately need your elbow out while driving the troopy . Thongs are a prerequisite . In the old holden HQ though in the seventies i remember it was elbow on the sill and hand on the roof .
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Reply By: Hairs & Fysh (NSW) - Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 at 21:19

Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 at 21:19
Yep, Elbow out the window, Finger tips just touching the Wheel and other hand resting on leg. Very Comfy. Work boots or bare feet, no thongs.
Now, when I went for my driving test some 26 years ago, I drove my old XY the same way. The Copper who took me for my test didn't say anything until we pulled up at the cop shop. All he said was"I see ya driving around town with your elbow out the window, I'll book ya"
Never caught me. ;)



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Follow Up By: Member - Axle - Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 at 21:41

Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 at 21:41
LoL!, Jon, You forgot to mention in the old days the girlfriend was tucked right up beside you..lol....Hand resting on leg, Hahahaha.

Cheers Axle.
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Follow Up By: Hairs & Fysh (NSW) - Thursday, Jun 25, 2009 at 05:56

Thursday, Jun 25, 2009 at 05:56
And if it was a bench seat, column auto, left foot up on the transmission tunnel. Left elbow resting on knee whilst steering and right elbow resting on sill and fingers grabbing the roof gutter, listening to the push button radio or cassette player.if you were lucky enough to have one. Hmmm
:)))
Now look what you've started Axel.
lol

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Reply By: Farko - Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 at 21:30

Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 at 21:30
serious for a minute :-)
Adjust the base of your seat close enough so that you can not straighten your legs in emergency braking. (straight legs with knees locked in a collision can push your femur through your pelvis.) Then adjust the back of your seat and your steering column so that, with your arms straight, your wrists can sit on top of the steering wheel. Do not drive with them there, it is just for setting up the proper position.
Can seem a bit close when you start but soon get comfortable with it. Anything is better than the Defender allows!!
I used to drive my HQ with elbow on sill, hand on roof, too, until a neighbour doing the same lost most of his right hand when he was T-boned.

Back to talk of thongs, bare feet, etc

cheers
AnswerID: 371717

Follow Up By: Member - Axle - Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 at 21:42

Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 at 21:42
Nothings to serious around here mate.


Cheers Axle.
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Reply By: Ups and Downs - Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 at 21:57

Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 at 21:57
I remember, years ago, coming across the Nullarbor in the old Kombi.

The Cruise control was a brick on the accelerator pedal. just moved it up or down to get the right weight, and therefore speed.

At least I could have kicked it away in a hurry if needed, unlike the hand throttle on the Troopy!

Paul
AnswerID: 371720

Reply By: Member - Mark E (VIC) - Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 at 22:06

Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 at 22:06
If anyone can point me to the law which states one is not permitted to drive a motor car in bare feet I will be very interested. ???

Cheers

Mark
AnswerID: 371723

Follow Up By: Wayne's 60 - Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 at 22:15

Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 at 22:15
Mark,

FWIW ................. I think there is better control/contact with the pedals with bare feet ............ gave up on wearing stillettos a while ago .... LOL

Cheers,
Wayne & Sally.
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Follow Up By: Canvas Charisma - Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 at 22:30

Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 at 22:30
Hi Mark,

I don't think there is one.

Years ago when I worked for the ambulance service on one of the driving courses we did we were told the only real no no was thongs, sandals etc but shoes, boots and bare feet were all good. On a long haul bare feet can be very comfortable.

Cheers

Brian
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Follow Up By: Member - Mark E (VIC) - Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 at 22:43

Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 at 22:43
From my understanding of the law one's footwear is irrelevant unless it impedes one's ability to adequately control the car as would be evidenced by careless driving.

Whilst I personally don't think it would be the best idea to drive with my "Dorothy the Dinosaur" slippers on, it is however quite legal, providing I have adequate control.

Plenty of women drive cars with stilettos on and I reckon that would be close to the worst shoes to drive in, it's still not illegal.



Cheers,

Mark
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Follow Up By: Member - Doug T (NT) - Thursday, Jun 25, 2009 at 04:28

Thursday, Jun 25, 2009 at 04:28
I don't know how many millions of K's I've driven, I do know there was over 1 million during 1980s and most of the driving has been wearing thongs, I fail to see the issue, I do notice that with Boots on there is no feeling of where your at when climbing around a loaded semi. the only time I notice thongs are a disadvantage is on wet tiled floors ,

.
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Follow Up By: tim_c - Thursday, Jun 25, 2009 at 11:28

Thursday, Jun 25, 2009 at 11:28
My parents always told me not to drive in thongs (better to slip them off while driving, put them back on as you get out of the car). It is because of the risk of your foot slipping out of them during an emergency, eg. panic braking.
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Reply By: Member - Allan B (QLD) - Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 at 23:07

Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 at 23:07
Gotta mate who used to drive with his right arm hanging out the window.

Poor old Lefty........ he doesn't do it any more!

Cheers
Allan

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Reply By: Member - Doug T (NT) - Thursday, Jun 25, 2009 at 04:17

Thursday, Jun 25, 2009 at 04:17
I've always driven with the elbow resting on the door , although not to far as to be obvious, same when I used to drive trucks, after a 8 years in the same one the paint was worn away, on long trips in the Troopy the right foot gets an ache now (old age !!!oh for a cruise control) and I find relief for the left leg to put my foot up on the side of the gear stick well and rest the left arm on the knee,
I just recently drove the Station Owners Triton into town and went to put the elbow out the window.............I felt like a chook with a wounded wing ...the door is too high or am I too short,
Barefoot on a hot day....yes and I one has better grip with contact to the pedals, although it's not something one would do in the old B Model Macks, you'd get blisters from burnt feet the floor in those old work horses, I never drove one but I've always seen the drivers with boots on ,

.
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Follow Up By: tim_c - Thursday, Jun 25, 2009 at 11:30

Thursday, Jun 25, 2009 at 11:30
Try the door mounted arm rest/handle in the Triton - might be a better height.
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Reply By: tim_c - Thursday, Jun 25, 2009 at 11:35

Thursday, Jun 25, 2009 at 11:35
My first car was a Suzuki LJ80v and the seat didn't go back anywhere near far enough so my legs were always cramped. The car was so small (and no A/C obviously) so the windows were always down (unless it was raining) and one elbow out on the sill. It used to crack my brother up when he was following - there'd be one elbow out each side until we approached a puddle/creek. The elbows would go inside, the windows would go up, the car would splash through the water, then almost immediately afterwards, the windows would go down and the elbows would come out again!

I upgraded to a 1982 Jack and used to rest my elbow on the window sill but often with the window up. The window sills were too high in my next Jack (1995) so I got used to resting the elbow on the door mounted arm rest - there was a bit of an indent there by the time I sold it!
AnswerID: 371775

Reply By: Oldsquizzy (Kununurra) - Thursday, Jun 25, 2009 at 14:40

Thursday, Jun 25, 2009 at 14:40
After a bit of thought have come to the conclusion my wife finds the most comfortable position is the passengers seat.. From there she drives exceptionally well
AnswerID: 371797

Follow Up By: Hairs & Fysh (NSW) - Thursday, Jun 25, 2009 at 19:18

Thursday, Jun 25, 2009 at 19:18
Hmm, Know what you mean.
I use to many years ago own a 92 TT600, when ever I doubled with Fysh on the back I would get sharp Kidney pains. Strangely they would cease after I drop her off at her mums, ;))

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