Filed under: Etc., MINI, First Drive
MINI offers free driving lessons
My wife is a great driver, (of course you are, honey!) but that doesn't mean that I can't suggest improvements now and then. However, the folks at MINI know I don't like sleeping on the couch, and they're willing to take the heat on this one.
On their Web site they're offering a handy "Drive Like A Pro" section full of useful tips to improve your driving. Anyone who has ever driven autocross will recognize many of them like sitting up straight, keeping things smooth, proper cornering technique and the best way to shift (again, smooth). There's even a basic heel-and-toe primer.
And, thanks to the MINI's lessons, my wife now admits her husband is right that her hands should be at 9 and 3 on the wheel, not 10 and 2.
She says I can get off the couch as soon as I admit her driving would improve even more if I bought her a new Clubman. I wonder how much change is under this cushion.
[Source: MINI]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
omar 5:51PM (5/09/2008)
oldest piece of news on autoblog yet
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Leaf 6:17PM (5/09/2008)
So? Not everybody has seen it.
Brett- BMW Advo 6:55PM (5/09/2008)
totally agree with you! i think i read this when i purchased my Cooper S 2 years ago!
Rick 1:39PM (5/12/2008)
Thanks for posting Autoblog, I've never seen this before.
Kristina 5:53PM (5/09/2008)
Now, why do you have to go and pick on the wife's driving? http://www.azautophile.com
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Maxima98 5:57PM (5/09/2008)
Someone should send Dereck D this article
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chuck 6:01PM (5/09/2008)
Ha! I was about to say the same thing! His 1 and 11 hand position was funny!
Dan 6:03PM (5/09/2008)
I prefer just 6 o'clock
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why not the LS2LS7? 6:48PM (5/09/2008)
It was changes from 10 and 2 to 9 and 3 not to give larger range of movement, but because putting your hands at 9 and 3 means if the airbag goes off, it's less likely to push your arms up into your face, which can cause serious injury.
If you are driving a car without airbags (i.e. a race car), 10 and 2 is still a viable option.
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jake 5:23AM (5/10/2008)
Hey dork, 10 and 2 is for grandmas in their Gran Torinos.
It's 9 and 3. Period. Always has been for REAL drivers and racers. And that was LONG before airbags. Ever look at an old Momo steering wheel and notice where your thumbs go?
No doubt you're one also one of those who says, "Porsh."
Benfolio 6:51PM (5/09/2008)
Do they still teach 10 and 2 at Driver's Ed????
I've been out on the roads too long, but I thought with the common use of airbags it's been 9 and 3 for years now.
Y'know, less chance of losing a finger or breaking a wrist when that thing goes of with your arms positioned on the top sides of it as opposed to off to either side of it.
Aaaaand that's where most car companies put thier little concave hand hold cutout doohickymabobbers on the steering wheels.
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Razor1973 9:51PM (5/09/2008)
Which happens to have quite a few misspellings.
Vision section, point # 2. It says "Taking adrink" instead of "a drink"
Steering section, point # 3. It says "better to push the wheel then pull it" instead of "than pull it"
I'd write them, but I've tried stuff like that before and the most I get is a thanks, but nothing gets changed. Last time was the Office Depot page, where it still reads "DVD External Hard Drives" and "CD External Hard Drives" :-)
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ImSteevin 11:27PM (5/09/2008)
My mini teaches suckers "driving lessons" all the time...
The K20A helps.
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dan 9:39AM (5/10/2008)
staying back on topic... i read all the car blogs religiously, and i've never seen this site before. being an amateur track/hpde noob, i found this site to be extremely informative, and a good cliff's notes version of how to drive a car properly.
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Hank 7:40PM (5/11/2008)
According to my somewhat dated drivers ed manual they switched it from 9 and 3 back to 10 and 2 because when the airbag deployed the drivers hand would be pushed sideways to backhand the passenger in the face, causing serious damage on both ends. I personally dont see how this could happen if the passenger has an airbag deploying as well, but...
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Minster William 1:25PM (6/24/2009)
cool can i get my driving linsence soon cause im soon going to be 16 in 2 years
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