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 @ May 9th 2008 5:51PM
oldest piece of news on autoblog yet
Leaf @ May 9th 2008 6:17PM
So? Not everybody has seen it.
Brett- BMW Advo @ May 9th 2008 6:55PM
totally agree with you! i think i read this when i purchased my Cooper S 2 years ago!
Rick @ May 12th 2008 1:39PM
Thanks for posting Autoblog, I've never seen this before.
Kristina @ May 9th 2008 5:53PM
Now, why do you have to go and pick on the wife's driving? http://www.azautophile.com
Maxima98 @ May 9th 2008 5:57PM
Someone should send Dereck D this article
chuck @ May 9th 2008 6:01PM
Ha! I was about to say the same thing! His 1 and 11 hand position was funny!
Dan @ May 9th 2008 6:03PM
I prefer just 6 o'clock
Robby @ May 9th 2008 6:12PM
"I prefer just 6 cocks"
Fixed.
why not the LS2LS7? @ May 9th 2008 6:48PM
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.
jake @ May 10th 2008 5:23AM
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 @ May 9th 2008 6:51PM
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.
Razor1973 @ May 9th 2008 9:51PM
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" :-)
ImSteevin @ May 9th 2008 11:27PM
My mini teaches suckers "driving lessons" all the time...
The K20A helps.
dan @ May 10th 2008 9:39AM
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.
Hank @ May 11th 2008 7:40PM
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...