Hills and Worn Clutch (and a driver who hasn't ever done hill starts)

"CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist)" (ccpbb)
07/25/2015 at 20:34 • Filed to: The matrix chronicles

I was in the Matrix, let my friend drive (I was sorta tired, so yeah) and we were coming back from the Pick and Pull. And behind us was a White F-150. /RANT BEGIN

My buddy Matt has driven a variety of cars, from a SVO to a R35 (track spec) and I’ve been letting him drive the matrix. And he’s a much better manual driver than I am. Back to the story. He was heading up this big ass hill on the journey to the freeway on ramp. I found out he didn’t really like hill starts (because he rarely did them) and rarely even used the handbrake at stops (as before stated fact).

It was pretty stop and go traffic (Richmond CA by Pinole on Appian if any Bay Area jalops are here) and it was a big hill. Ahead of us was a big tanker truck. Behind was a F150. White and base spec. This guy in the F150 decides to fucking tailgate us after probably realizing my friend’s difficulty of launching 1st gear on a hill is. Note that the clutch on the Matrix is severely worn. And F150 is driving a goddamn automatic.

My friend even stalls the Matrix (as he was slightly trying to not murder the clutch) and claims to be the first time he’s sputtered to a halt in a while. At least in this car. He starts back up and handbrake hill starts are repeated several times, without stalls but with still that goddamn F150 tailgating us.

We eventually get on the freeway, and F150 moves to the next lane and gives us a thumbs up. We both simultaneously flip him off and he suddenly slows down. We hear a loud honk (presumably the poor driver behind us or asshole F150) and he just fucking tailgates us for a good 2 minutes. We don’t give any fucks. F150 ends up pulling off. We speed ahead. He doesn’t follow.

Moral: don't give a fuck if you stall. It isn't a crime to stall. Learn hill starts.

DISCUSSION (6)

TheRealBicycleBuck > CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist)
07/25/2015 at 22:26

Every vehicle I’ve ever owned is a manual and I’ve never used the hand brake (or the foot brake, in the case of my truck) when stopping on a hill. You just have to learn how to hold the brake, then be quick about getting on the gas and letting out the clutch to get rolling. When I was younger and cared less about my clutch, I used to hold the truck on a hill at a light by slipping the clutch. I still got 135,000 miles out of that clutch, so it couldn’t have been too bad for it.

It sounds to me like someone needs some practice starting on a hill.

someassemblyrequired > CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist)
07/25/2015 at 22:45

Rolling back into someone that gets to close = I was stopped and hit from behind.

CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) > TheRealBicycleBuck
07/26/2015 at 00:26

I’m nowhere near your skill level but I've gotten hill starts pretty well with the E-brake.

TheRealBicycleBuck > CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist)
07/26/2015 at 01:30

It’s best to lose that habit. Some day you will drive something with either a foot controlled parking brake or a push-button electric parking brake.

One suggestion - find a speed bump in an empty parking lot. You can put your front tires up against the bump, then practice pushing up onto the bump. It will act like a miniature hill. You could also try this with a piece of wood or a curb. Use something small enough that you can roll over it, but large enough to give some resistance.

CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) > TheRealBicycleBuck
07/26/2015 at 01:54

I will try that for sure in my local community college parking lot once I get it back with the clutch changed.

Berang > CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist)
07/26/2015 at 02:30

That sounds like pretty typical pick up truck driver behavior. I would have pulled over and waved him past with my middle finger.

Also if you roll back into somebody on a hill - it’s still their fault for following too closely.