I love saturdays

[JeffM]

So yesterday I hear a grinding noise coming from a customer's 4 Runner as she's trying to drive away. I went over and ask if there's an issue and she she tells me that there is a problem with her 4wd system. I ask her to show me what she is trying and she says "I put it in "N" for "Normal" and it doesn't work!" After I explained it should be in "Hi" she just drove away and didn't say anything.

 

[Washmee]

Over and over I have customers tell me after instructing them to put their car in neutral,"I always wondered what that N stood for". I would guess that 25% of the driving public has no clue about the operation of their vehicle. They know that if you turn the key the engine starts and if you press the pedal on the right, it goes and if you press the pedal on the left, it stops.

 

[DiamondWash]

I remember years ago in Drivers Ed and means years ago I was riding along and the girl driving asked "If I let off the gas pedal going down a hill will the car go faster and save gas?"

 

[Eric H]

This one of the reasons that both of my children will be getting standard transmission cars when they get their license. They are now 8 and 7 years old and already know most of the rules of the road, sometimes correcting me for things that I do.

 

[JeffM]

Just to clarify, it was an automatic trans with a manual 4wd shifter. She was trying to put it in gear using the shifter on the left (see pic)

 

[pschlacter01]

You're absolutely right Eric. But people nowadays think less like you. They want everything so simplified that they reach the point when they don't know to explain even the simplest thing.

 

[MikeV]

My niece is getting marries this coming Saturday and I offered my 1980TR8 as their getaway car. She and her fiance jumped on it so I have spent the last 4 Sundays trying to teach him how to drive a 5-speed. Probably the most uncoordinated guy I have seen in a long time. I tried to teach him how to pull out on a hill...either use the hand brake to hold the car in place while letting out the clutch, or just give it a little gas while releasing the clutch. He opted for the hand brake method, but absolutely could not coordinate his left food, right foot and the hand brake at the same time. I finally told him not to stop on a hill.