"scoob" (scoobsti)
10/05/2014 at 16:33 • Filed to: PSA, Manuel, Automatic
12
31|
"scoob" (scoobsti)
10/05/2014 at 16:33 • Filed to: PSA, Manuel, Automatic | 12
| 31 |
Today, I committed the worst crime a gearhead could ever conceive. I didn't make love to a Camry, talk/text on a phone while driving, etc. But I did do something only that soccer mom juggling her iPhone and venti Pumpkin Spice latte in her Town & Country you thought would drift into your lane would be capable of. And it involves the automatic transmission.
There's no other way of putting it, so I'll just say it.
I got the pedals mixed up.
*Cue the pitchfork-wielding, "HERESY" crying, blowtorch-arming, Maldonado shaming, Ferrari flaming, brown diesel manual wagon praising angry mob that is Oppo*
As some of you know, I am 18 and I only have a learner's permit. I go to school in the city, so I don't need a car or a license. Anyway, I'm not a bad driver. At least, I like to think so. In my 8 months of permit ownership, I've never ran a red light, killed anyone, blown through a stop sign, or caused/got involved in an accident. I always put my phone away. I constantly look to the front, sides and rear of me. I stay out of the bike lane. I like to think I am one of the world's safest 18 year old drivers. You know when you criticize pedestrians when you drive, and drivers when you are a pedestrian? Yeah, I do that too. But I never, ever thought that I would fall victim to this 2-pedal confusion. Nope, I'm too good for that. Or so I thought.
I was parallel parking my dad's Trooper with the family onboard. It is like the one above, except with different wheels and amber turn signals. The spot was on the passenger side. Unfortunately I'm better at parallel parking when the spot is on the driver side. Anyway, I lined it up, put it in reverse, turned the wheel to the right and slowly crawled back. A car wanted to pass me, and as this was on a single lane, 2 way street, I decided to stop and let him go. However, I wound up pressing the accelerator instead. The engine revved and the car jumped back. Everyone screamed as I then mashed the brake pedal.
I am very lucky that I was quick to hit the brakes, and that I still had tons of space behind me. I could've went over the curb and into a sign, dog, person, Piers Morgan, or building, or I could've smashed into the Pathfinder behind me. This was a massive hit to my ego. All this time I thought I would never do something like that. I read all those articles of people crashing into pools, landing on buildings, falling out of the top level of a parking garage, etc. and scoffed at those drivers' incompetence. But then I joined their ranks.
My point is: don't think you are an invincible driver. You might hit that apex on every corner, or shave off 1/10th of a second on each autox run, or just be a plain old good driver, as in on the road. But don't take it for granted. One day, iPhone and venti Pumpkin Spice latte-juggling soccer mom in her Town & Country will smash into you. Or you'll smash into obedient Gixxer rider you didn't see coming.
No one is immune to driving faults. Not me, not you, not Jay Leno, not the Stig, not Orlove, not Kimi. It could happen to anyone.
And yes, I know this ain't such a big deal, but I just wanted to mention it!
ScoobSTi is classified as a millennial, and is therefore almost automatically bound to be a bad driver. He is not a writer, nor a great driver, but you should give him some slack because he admitted to this 2 pedal foolishness on a site where 3 pedals is life, yo.
Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
> scoob
10/05/2014 at 16:40 |
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Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
> scoob
10/05/2014 at 16:40 |
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I tried to drive away in my stepdads car but as I pressed the throttle and brought up the clutch it wasnt revving. Turns out his pedals are further apart than mine and I was pressing the brake not the throttle...
Cé hé sin
> scoob
10/05/2014 at 16:41 |
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I did something similar once. Got into the car to move it back a couple of feet, didn't bother sitting facing exactly forward, wound up by pressing the accelerator when I had let it roll back sufficiently whereupon I found myself accelerating downhill rapidly. I pressed the "brake" harder which didn't improve the situation. It takes a conscious decision to realise what you're doing, take your foot from what you're convinced is the brake and rectify the situation in time.
sm70- why not Duesenberg?
> scoob
10/05/2014 at 16:41 |
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My mom used to have a Trooper, and I almost got one just like yours: http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/this-could-be-…
ly2v8-Brian
> scoob
10/05/2014 at 16:41 |
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2 things.
1. Youre a greenhorn, its ok. you know what you did
2. Nobody would care if you ran over Piers Morgan.
Jayhawk Jake
> scoob
10/05/2014 at 16:41 |
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Shit happens. I've done the same sort of thing.
I forgot the parking brake once. My car rolled across a parking lot. I'm still grateful it didn't hit anything
EL_ULY
> scoob
10/05/2014 at 16:42 |
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An ex girlfriend of mine did that once. My neighbors Suburban got a door smashed and my e28 535i was left in critical condition and then later died a slow painful death.
You did good eventally stopping while most real idiots would still have the accelerator pedal still depressed in a panic.
It could of gone worse but you saved the Trooper and no cute puppies were ran over. That is what counts here.
$kaycog
> scoob
10/05/2014 at 16:44 |
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Hey, stuff happens. No damage done, and I commend you for telling us.
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scoob
> ly2v8-Brian
10/05/2014 at 16:46 |
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Haha, #2 is valid. It was still frightening though!
Tapas
> ly2v8-Brian
10/05/2014 at 16:51 |
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"2. Nobody would care if you ran over Piers Morgan.".....but then who would ask the real questions?! :D
KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs
> ly2v8-Brian
10/05/2014 at 16:55 |
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Some people might consider running Piers over a feature and not a bug.
The Clarkson, for instance.
OPPOsaurus WRX
> scoob
10/05/2014 at 16:57 |
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I did that trying to back into a parking spot. Good thing the lot was pretty much empty.
fhrblig
> scoob
10/05/2014 at 16:58 |
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If it makes you feel better, yesterday I stepped on my brake foot with my clutch foot. Nothing like lurching to a stop for no reason.
RickyD
> scoob
10/05/2014 at 17:01 |
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Happens to me all the time switching from a manual to an auto driver. I will slam the brake trying to use an invisible clutch.
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ly2v8-Brian
> Tapas
10/05/2014 at 17:02 |
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soundman98
> ly2v8-Brian
10/05/2014 at 17:12 |
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running over Piers might be worth a parade. i need to reference my 'automobile impact points' book again
NotUnlessRoundIsFunny
> scoob
10/05/2014 at 17:24 |
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So first of all, good for you for telling the story. But more importantly, from observing that you made a mistake and learning from it. Attentive practice improves performance.
Plenty of folks won't even admit their error. You already have a leg up.
Kudos to you, Sir.
And, despite what your signature says, you're actually a good writer.
promoted by the color red
> scoob
10/05/2014 at 17:33 |
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Ah, you'll be fine. We all do really stupid shit at some point and yours neither damaged property nor people. :)
norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback
> scoob
10/05/2014 at 17:35 |
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Quite frankly if you ran over the Piers Morgan the world would rejoice and the Queen shall night you.
Clown Shoe Pilot
> RickyD
10/05/2014 at 17:43 |
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I've done that plenty of times. Ask my wife about almost going through the windscreen when we get to the end of a long trip in her car.
Coming to a complete stop on the road/in traffic, no problem. It's pulling into the driveway at the end of a long day that the left foot goes into autopilot and tags that double wide brake pedal full force.
shop-teacher
> scoob
10/05/2014 at 17:44 |
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We all screw up occasionally. You were able to prevent an actual crash. A little scare like that every now and then, can actually make you a better driver.
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scoob
> NotUnlessRoundIsFunny
10/05/2014 at 17:46 |
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Thank you! :)
Burrito de EJ25
> scoob
10/05/2014 at 18:10 |
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Mistakes: Things human beings do.
You're all good, dude!
JGrabowMSt
> scoob
10/05/2014 at 18:12 |
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I drive manual mostly, but whenever I drive automatics, I kick the footwell. When I first started driving the Magnum, I did put two feet on the brakes a couple times. Its hard to get used to two pedals. My left leg feels so lonely and useless when I drive.
Rainbow
> scoob
10/05/2014 at 18:19 |
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I once launched my dad's car over a curb by making the same mistake as you. I was too embarrassed to admit it, and I still don't know if I caused any damage or not.
gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun
> scoob
10/05/2014 at 18:23 |
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I've had something fairly similar happen: one of the tractors I have at work has a hand clutch lever coming out of the left side of the steering column in the exact same place the turn signal would be on any other vehicle. Needless to say, after a 12 hour day I get in my car, start blinking lights, and don't move.
cnessel27
> scoob
10/05/2014 at 20:04 |
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Some times when I drive my wife's car I slam on her brake pedal thinking its the clutch pedal (it's an auto). She's usually sleeping before this, then extremely panicked.
MM54
> scoob
10/05/2014 at 20:36 |
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In automatics I left-foot brake 100% of the time. Just saying :)
(This partially stems from effectively learning to drive in my '71 Chevelle, which, before I rebuilt the carb, would stall in a variety of weird but consistent circumstances, like stopsigns on up-hills)
Axial
> scoob
10/05/2014 at 21:34 |
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That moment when you are driving an automatic and you hit the e-brake because you think it's a clutch and you need to shift...
Svend
> scoob
10/07/2014 at 02:15 |
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Were you driving an automatic because that is even worse than mixing pedals in a manual as you only have TWO pedals in an automatic, essentially 'STOP' and 'GO'. tut tut tut.
Live and learn though, live and learn.
Coty
> scoob
10/07/2014 at 17:26 |
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You could have hit Piers Morgan, but would anyone have cared?