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[Nickbat]

I'm probably going to get pilloried over this but, having just seen someone make a meal of parking this morning using the "feed-through" method, I am still of the opinion that this is not the best way of steering and maintaining car control.

Surely, in the event of a having to make an emergency steering movement (such as controlling a skid, or avoiding an obstacle), feeding the wheel through your hands must be slower than the conventional arm-over method? When you see in-car footage of a driver in a drift or a skid (OK, I acknowledge these are planned, but still) they never sit there trying to feed the wheel through.

Maybe, I'm just too "old school".

I'm ready for the flak!   

[dbug]

No flak - agree with you

[sjc]

I only ever fed-thru to pass my test.

It's ok if you want parallel park at a snail's pace but utterly useless in real life.

[steve_daly]

The point of the 'feed through' or 'push pull' method of steering is not that it is any better than one way or another, it is just a standard way of teaching people as they learn to drive.

If done correctly it also means that you always have both hands on the wheel (unless changing gear etc.) and are then in full control at all times. You are told while learning that you are just brought up to a standard, how you drive after you pass your test is up to the individual. I guess some people either don't know they can do what they want, or are just comfortable as they are.

For me the 'arm over' is the way to go, or of course there is the 'left hand only leaning on the door' method which comes in a close second, but only if it's sunny and the window is open 

[Kevin Wood]

Depends what you've got time to do IMHO. If your hands are at "10 to 2" you have an armful of lock either way you can apply in an instant.

I see "Feeding the wheel" as restoring your hands to this position after applying steering lock, so you are still in a position to apply the maximum correction either way in the minimum time, as you negotiate a bend.

Some diversions from the straight ahead are too short lived to do this, of course, and if you try you're buying a one-way ticket to the other side of the hedge.

Kevin

[Sixstring]

I was taught "defensive and offensive driving" by the M.O.D many years ago, they SPECIFICALLY mentioned the traditional 10-2 position of hands was not conduisive to immediate reactionary driving, and only suitable for low speed manoevers.

(now I've opened up the can of worms..................)

[sjc]

I was taught "defensive and offensive driving" by the M.O.D many years ago, they SPECIFICALLY mentioned the traditional 10-2 position of hands was not conduisive to immediate reactionary driving, and only suitable for low speed manoevers.

(now I've opened up the can of worms..................)

Out of interest, how did they tell you to do it?  Quarter to three track style?

[Richie London]

i only ever drive with my left hand, sometimes i swap and use the right but never 2 hands, i find it uncomfortable for some reason

[sjc]

The point of the 'feed through' or 'push pull' method of steering is not that it is any better than one way or another, it is just a standard way of teaching people as they learn to drive.

If done correctly it also means that you always have both hands on the wheel (unless changing gear etc.) and are then in full control at all times. You are told while learning that you are just brought up to a standard, how you drive after you pass your test is up to the individual. I guess some people either don't know they can do what they want, or are just comfortable as they are.

For me the 'arm over' is the way to go, or of course there is the 'left hand only leaning on the door' method which comes in a close second, but only if it's sunny and the window is open 

Jeez you must have a long left arm 

[Sixstring]

Yep. apparently, that is officially recognised to be the best position for immediate reaction to direction change.

Out of interest, saw a lot of things demonstrated at the time that I never got the chance to try, but amazed me that it could be done on a normal road. One instance was a total direction change and accelerate away at over 70mph!! totally amazing to watch an accomplished instructor just make it seem so easy and polished. Lots of smoke and squeeling, but so slick and exacting. He also managed to put a 6ft wide car through a 6ft 4 ins gap (without touching anything....) at over 60mph, whilst his passenger hung out of the window shooting blanks at a pursuing car.....Fantastic.

[sjc]

Yep. apparently, that is officially recognised to be the best position for immediate reaction to direction change.

Out of interest, saw a lot of things demonstrated at the time that I never got the chance to try, but amazed me that it could be done on a normal road. One instance was a total direction change and accelerate away at over 70mph!! totally amazing to watch an accomplished instructor just make it seem so easy and polished. Lots of smoke and squeeling, but so slick and exacting. He also managed to put a 6ft wide car through a 6ft 4 ins gap (without touching anything....) at over 60mph, whilst his passenger hung out of the window shooting blanks at a pursuing car.....Fantastic.

Our house has a garage like that too!

Seriously though, it is amazing what some of these guys can do.  I've seen a few of those car stunt shows... I know the cars are modified to suit, but you can't deny the control and precision required.

[Mr Skrunts]

10 to 2 is taught for the purpose of passing the driving test, and adding to that is a method advised for safe driving.

They reckon that if toy can not steer fast enough using the 10 to 2 method then you are driving too fast for that road or conditions, and in all honesty I believe that to be a fair comment.

Now after passing my test then obviosly so did my driving, one of the best frivers I ever saw was my old man, every time I looked at the speedo (On a run to the coast) it was reading 90, we never held traffic up, and he allways drove within his capabilites (Dont forget we are talking may years ago with a lot less traffic) no matter what happened regards roads, traffic, idiots, bikers, even animals driving through the country.  He had 3 things he could do instanlty.  Brake, accelerate, or steer.  We had BMW autos, brakes were allways in tip top condition and best quailty parts, and the best tyres on the market.  He found to accelerate quicker that kickdown was a tad slow so he used to kick down and drop it in 2nd at the same time.

But it was his attitude to steering I most remember.  He was allways ready to change direction.  The one tip he passed on to me was so simple.  If you are driving fast, you will be changing gear a lot, keep your right hand at 12 on the wheel and if you need a rapid change you have the maximum movement of the wheel to the left or the right with out letting go of the wheel.  To be fair it's never let me down.

But to back the wheel shufflers, Russel Brookes a renowned rally man allways drove this way, and yes he had a quick rack fitted but this method worked for him, and guess who he trained, yup Andy Green (Look him up  )

[Mr Skrunts]

The point of the 'feed through' or 'push pull' method of steering is not that it is any better than one way or another, it is just a standard way of teaching people as they learn to drive.

If done correctly it also means that you always have both hands on the wheel (unless changing gear etc.) and are then in full control at all times. You are told while learning that you are just brought up to a standard, how you drive after you pass your test is up to the individual. I guess some people either don't know they can do what they want, or are just comfortable as they are.

For me the 'arm over' is the way to go, or of course there is the 'left hand only leaning on the door' method which comes in a close second, but only if it's sunny and the window is open 

Jeez you must have a long left arm 

I used to be able to do both    I had left and right hand drive cars at the same time. 

[Mr Skrunts]

Yep. apparently, that is officially recognised to be the best position for immediate reaction to direction change.

Out of interest, saw a lot of things demonstrated at the time that I never got the chance to try, but amazed me that it could be done on a normal road. One instance was a total direction change and accelerate away at over 70mph!! totally amazing to watch an accomplished instructor just make it seem so easy and polished. Lots of smoke and squeeling, but so slick and exacting. He also managed to put a 6ft wide car through a 6ft 4 ins gap (without touching anything....) at over 60mph, whilst his passenger hung out of the window shooting blanks at a pursuing car.....Fantastic.

Car 6'
gap 6'4"

and the passeneger was hanging out of the window through this gap.

??

[Sixstring]

It was a 6ft 4" GATE.............

(visions of a chopped off passenger......LOL!!)