Why do people pump the gas pedal?

[nk4e]

Having known several people who do that, I've come to the conclusion that yes, it is a genuine attempt to keep a certain speed, but NO, they don't realize they're doing it. It seems that they just have numb feet (and numb brains). They accelerate from a stop, notice that they are going too fast, and take their foot off the throttle. The car slows down, so they give it more gas. It speeds up, so they take their foot off... it makes the passengers want to hurl, and it murders your fuel economy as well.

I live on a slight hill near a fairly busy suburban road. One car in particular I notice almost every day - WAAAAAAHHHHH out of the intersection wuuhhhhh through the slight bend WAAAAAAHHHHH at the base of the rise wuuhhhhh halfway up WAAAAAAHHHHH over the top wuuhhhhh down the other side... if I rode with that person every day, I'd kill him.

I believe that I tend to do that in certain traffic conditions but I usually have a good distance when I release my gas pedal. I am trying to change my driving habits.

 

[Sniffs]

You know, I'm one of those "geezers" that learned to drive a manual in a series of vehicles with a "3 on the tree" shifter!
One of them even required stepping on the starter, as it was mounted on the floor.
You learned real quick to either firmly depress the clutch before stepping on the starter, or pulling that lever down into neutral.

you ain't a geezer in the sense i was talking about less your a Korea Vet! (and thus, over 70) yeah, I've had to try and work one of those before. I was asked to assist with a carb feed check on a 30 Dodge Senior with a 244 flathead 6. the pedals and starter were about 2 feet away from my comfortable spot. I still don't know how people can drive with their arms and legs stretched out stiff as rods like they're gripping a 10k volt lelectrical wire

can ya answer a silly question? I was checkintg out a 3 on the tree Plymouth Business I passed (wasn't worth the 6k the guy was asking) and was wondering which slot reverse was in, cause i know theykept swapping first and reverse's positions around. it's not the column I'm afraid of, it's putting it in reverse instead of first and backing into someone!

 

[wfooshee]

Reverse is back and up. First is back and down, second away and up. I leave the location of third as an exrcise for the reader.

 

[FoolKiller]

there's the difference, even down where your closer to the Appalachians than I am. the boobs who designed these roads went straight UP or DOWN the bleedin hills, and all the curves that ARE on them are perfect 90 degree angles around property lines and old farmers fields. throw in some of the major highways are ALSO deigned like this, AND i run daily on 1.5 lane back roads and dirt roads in the state with the biggest reputation for Craptacular maintenence in the East (they don't start even basic plowing in some places untill eight or 9 in the morning, when the union boys get to work!)

Yeah, the ones in KY are basically old mining roads, so they were designed to be driven on by trucks loaded with coal.

also, i have had only 3 vehicles with more than basic airbags and/or ABS (rear wheel only), and those in a no-longer working condition. I do not have safety nannies to worry about.

Gil: ever notice that these young guns don't know what it's like to drive something with no helpers? same thing that the guys who drove around in column shift manuals with no radios and barely a heater said to US

made me feel SO old, now

You only have six years on me. And this VW is the first car I have had that has had more than just a driver side airbag. My first car was an 85 Plymouth without a working stereo (replaced it myself), a single speaker in the center of the dash (added two rear speakers myself), and an AC that never worked to my knowledge. Oh, and the handle on the window crank was broken on the passenger side and one of the rear door handles was missing.

I also had an 88 Buick that quit showing mileage on the odometer because I broke over 300,000 miles.

The only reason I have a decent car now is because in 2006-2007 I was promoted three times and had a total pay increase of 21%. I decided it was time I got a car I could enjoy now that I could afford it.

No, it probably wouldn't. Most of them would probably give you a blank stare and say "What are you talking about? I don't pump the gas pedal."

Or they do what my wife does and just say, "Do you want to drive?"

 

[Kylehnat]

Or they do what my wife does and just say, "Do you want to drive?"

Answer: YES!!!