I was driving the Passat which is an automatic – for those of you that haven't driven one, when you take your foot off the brake pedal they creep forward, which is great for traffic queues etc, but it does require to you have your foot ON the pedal all the time to keep the car stopped (I expect you can see where this is going). To help with this the car is equipped with an auto-hold function activated by a button on the centre console, which means that once you stop, it applies the brakes lightly until you press the accelerator again, removing the need to have your foot on the brake all the time.

This morning there was something rattling loudly in the passenger side door pocket, so rather than try and move it whilst driving I pulled up at the lights, hit the button and then leant over quickly to mess around with whatever it was. However I must not've been completely stopped because whilst I had my head down the car crept forward. I noticed just at the last second and jabbed the brake, but not soon enough to avoid hitting the car in front!

It was a lady driver, fat and smoking, but (according to STW morality) in spite of all that she was super nice and extremely good natured. Helped I suppose by the fact that it was a very tiny nudge which left no evidence on either car…

Still, I was pretty upset with myself.

It was a lady driver, fat and smoking

She might be smoking hot, but in circumstances like this you should keep your tiny nudge to yourself. Still at least you've got her number now! 🙂

Still at least you've got her number now!

and you've rear ended her once already

To help with this the car is equipped with an auto-hold function activated by a button on the centre console

Is that a high tech version of what us luddites would call a handbrake?

at least it wasn't a cyclist in front of you…

Traditional controls rule…!! Cant beat proper clutch, gear lever and handbrake.

Used to run a DSG Golf. Excellent fun when actually driving, but a PITA in traffic without a clutch pedal

I stick mine in neutral whenever I stop. So this never happens! Also means if someone hits you, the car isn't "locked" up and moves more easily turning more energy into movement (rather than just impact energy).

Opposite thing happened to me years ago in a queue for the lights. The car behind jumped forward and impaled itself on my tow hook. Needed me, the other driver and a couple of passers-by to lift it off again 🙂

No other damage, it takes a lot more than that to dent the rear bumper of a 405 estate…

Also means if someone hits you, the car isn't "locked" up and moves more easily turning more energy into movement (rather than just impact energy).

do you then leave 15 foot infront so you dont hit the car infront while your using your movement – resulting in a claim on your insurance …

infact i just about always leave my motor in gear when parked up – remember me n my mate going out in his xantia not long after he passed his test . parked it in my drive and came out to find it in the middle of the street – hand brake to the front wheels anyone….disks cooled and contracted and brakes did not hold car

Probably time to get a bus pass 😉

Anyway what was it rattling in the passenger side door pocket, the suspenders are killing me.

ou have your foot ON the pedal all the time to keep the car stopped (I expect you can see where this is going). To help with this the car is equipped with an auto-hold function activated by a button on the centre console, which means that once you stop, it applies the brakes lightly until you press the accelerator again

Nice way to waste fuel. What's wrong with neutral?

Is that a high tech version of what us luddites would call a handbrake?

No, it comes on automatically once you've pressed the button. Just annoying that the setting goes off when you stop the car.

As for traditional controls, ever hear of someone's foot slipping off the clutch? Happens a lot, and the car leaps forward a lot more than an auto at idle.

Excellent fun when actually driving, but a PITA in traffic without a clutch pedal

Odd – the only reason I bought the DSG was because it was much better in traffic, despite being worse in actual driving! I hate having to tickle throttle and clutch for hours on end in traffic jams…

And we did not exchange numbers (sorry to disappoint) since there was no damage. And for all those judgers out there I crept forward mabye a foot and stopped myself. But yes, good job it wasn't a cyclist otherwise he might have a buckled wheel.

Nice way to waste fuel. What's wrong with neutral?

Doesn't waste fuel. Car de-clutches when you stop. It's not a traditional auto, it's a computer controlled manual.

Surf-Mat – Member
I stick mine in neutral whenever I stop. So this never happens! Also means if someone hits you, the car isn't "locked" up and moves more easily turning more energy into movement (rather than just impact energy).

My E39 will undoubtedly have a different gearbox to yours, but I have read on 5 series forums that this is a no-no for me.

I can't remember the exact reason why though.

OP you do realise that at somepoint you are going to be contacted about the three adults who received whip-lash from the car infront.

Ho hum – not sure why that would be. But torque converters mean cars can now "safely" be left in drive when stopped. I just don't trust them.

Trail rat – I leave enough gap to make sure I can see the bottom of the tyres of the car in front – a thing I learned in Cop training. Has "saved" me from being rear ended twice – I've had enough room to move out of the way after seeing a car behind that isn't going to to stop in time…

As for traditional controls, ever hear of someone's foot slipping off the clutch? Happens a lot, and the car leaps forward a lot more than an auto at idle.

Not if the handbrake's on or you're in neutral. Also never happened to me (though I do tend to use the old-fashioned methods I mention in the first sentence).

Does your fancy high tech car not come with a handbrake then? Is there any good reason not to use it if you've got one?

I've had enough room to move out of the way after seeing a car behind that isn't going to to stop in time…

so they swerve left/right to gain a bit of extra braking distance and avoid running into the back of you only to hit your car as it veers to one side?

Personally, I'm not that good at guessing braking effort being used in cars approaching from behind me unless the tyres are smoking.

so they swerve left/right to gain a bit of extra braking distance and avoid running into the back of you only to hit your car as it veers to one side?

No. In both cases I got out of the way fine thanks.

3rd time lucky 😉

My first car accident this morning

I've had shit loads! 😆

Not if the handbrake's on

Doesn't make all that much difference in my experience.

And the fancy electronic car does come with a handbrake, a fancy electronic handbrake in fact. Which is somewhat tempremental it must be said. But I'm not sticking up for the car, I bought it I didn't design it.

In all fairness it was my fault not the car's. It has four ways of stopping the car from moving (on the flat at least) and I deployed none of them correctly, in my anxiety to stop a rattle.

Sometimes I wish I'd got the manual – when I am trying to pull out of junctions fast, when I am on a nice windy road and when I fill it with diesel. Sometimes though I am very glad I have the auto – when I am on the motorway and stuck in a queue for 45 mins.

Does gently tapping the car in front really count as an accident?!

😉

Well one of my mate's mates was fond of doing that all through Hereford as we pulled up at lights and he was driving behind me. It wasn't even my car, it was my Dad's.

In all fairness it was my fault not the car's. It has four ways of stopping the car from moving (on the flat at least) and I deployed none of them correctly, in my anxiety to stop a rattle.

I love your honesty!

Anyway what was it rattling in the passenger side door pocket, the suspenders are killing me.

Oh, well, to finish the story, there was nothing in the door pocket! I think it was the height adjust lever on the seat which seems to be loose when it is in the lowest position. Opposite to my Revelations which rattle when you're NOT in either the shortest or longest travel setting.

Hey, double post.

Also means if someone hits you, the car isn't "locked" up and moves more easily turning more energy into movement (rather than just impact energy).

All good and well until you're at the front of a queue and someone shunts you into oncoming traffic….

wwaswas – Member

at least it wasn't a cyclist in front of you…

or an old lady.

or a woman pushing a baby in a buggy.

But nobody got hurt so just get your wallet out and have the cars fixed.

A lesson learned.

wouldn't have happened in a Skoda (apparently) 🙂

Spongebob, did you read the whole thread? It was extreme slomo and only about 18" of movement, so it's unlikely a ped would have been hurt. But yes, lesson learned.

On the subject of queueing, in the US apparently they are taught to leave a car-length between cars so that if someone does shunt you you don't cause a multiple car pileup. Impractical though, and I had to point out to my Mrs that there just isn't the room here for that.

All good and well until you're at the front of a queue and someone shunts you into oncoming traffic….

I've tested both methods of this, I can conclude that:

If someone hits you hard from behind and you have the brakes on, you can stop yourself hitting the car in front generally (though they still assume you hit them due to the noise, and get all angry).

If you leave the brakes off and/or try to accelerate you restrict the damage done, but really hurt your neck as the car moves faster than your head.

I had new Astra on hire last week
car built for numpties – you have to push the clutch in to start the thing and push the footbrake to release the electronic hand brake
most annoying thing though is the auto-roll back feature which stops you from rolling backwards – only it doesn't – it only does it when it wants to
stupid

All this automation, really doesn't help keep drivers engaged. Same point has been made by military and test pilots – all the automation in commercial airlines mean that when things go wrong the pilots really are not well equiped to deal with problems by hand.

Ahh – more internet "opinions."

All those giving advise, please state number of years driving and number of accidents in those years.

The ones with no accidents are allowed to continue.

Not really fair, surf mat. One might say that having had an accident one may have learned more.

Anyway – as for automation, these things are only gadgets. You could just as easily argue that cars with synchromesh are for numpties who can't change gear, or movable seats, or windscreens for those who are too lazy to wear goggles and so on. Pointless, you make yourself sound like a luddite.

Excellent fun when actually driving, but a PITA in traffic without a clutch pedal

Odd – the only reason I bought the DSG was because it was much better in traffic, despite being worse in actual driving! I hate having to tickle throttle and clutch for hours on end in traffic jams…

It's a few years since I sold the Golf, so might be suffering from fallible / selective memory, but being continually stuck in traffic on the Bryn Glas Tunnel section of the M4 with constant drivetrain shunt in 1st and no clutch was a PITA.

Out on the open road though it was super sweet, even if the sequential stick was a surer method than the paddles when the road got very twisty

I thought auto lights and wipers were silly until I got some…:-)

"Not if the handbrake's on"
Doesn't make all that much difference in my experience.

You must have a really rubbish HB. The one on my car's bad enough that I did think about suggesting it might not help that much, but I realised it will still stall my car from idle.

9 years, no accidents unless you count hitting an overhead LED bus timetable display as you drive (legitimately) across a pavement. I blame it on my colleague as he was meant to be directing me and instead found a hot chick to chat to… Bus display got bent and the lid flipped up, all on CCTV from about 5 different angles so I let the bus company know…they didn't care but it got removed the following week.

Personally I don't like auto's as I like being in charge, and don't like the feeling coming to a halt against the engine. They are involved in less rear end accidents though as people tend to sit on the brakes at junctions making them more visible rather than using the handbrake or being lazy and holding the car on its poor abused little clutch 🙂