What happens if you shift into Reverse while driving?
Trying to write about the best scenes in Woody Allen's Annie Hall is like trying to find unhealthy food at McDonalds. Where do you even start? Luckily, this is a car site, so we can just skip to the part where Christopher Walken's character explains to Woody,
To which Woody (fine, Alvy) answers, "Right. Well, I have to go now, Duane, because I'm due back on the planet earth." And really that's the right response. When one encounters crazy, one should run. Of course, we work with Dan Roth and sadly running isn't an option. Much like Walken's Duane, Dan wonders exactly what would happen on a "long, uninteresting stretch of highway" if he shifted his car from drive to reverse? Dan goes ahead and researches what would happen if you were to somehow get a forward moving vehicle's transmission into R. We ain't going to spoil the details (hint: not good!), but you can read all about what happens on AOL Autos.I tell you this because, as an artist, I think you'll understand. Sometimes when I'm driving on the road at night I see two headlights coming toward me. Fast. I have this sudden impulse to turn the wheel quickly, head-on into the oncoming car. I can anticipate the explosion. The sound of shattering glass. The flames rising out of the flowing gasoline.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
yournamehere6785 8:09AM (9/09/2009)
Mythbusters did a segment on this. they had no results at all. nothing happens. total let down.
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AMcA 8:37PM (9/09/2009)
I did it once, at age 16, in a 1975 Ford Country Squire.
I was going downhill at about 15 miles an hour, and shoved it into reverse - well, I'm not sure how or why I did it - and all that happened was a loud clunk as the engine died.
The car ran fine following this incident.
I've never told anyone this. Don't tell my Mom, OK?
Nathan 8:09AM (9/09/2009)
Mythbusted like 2 years ago.
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jpm100 8:21AM (9/09/2009)
On older, dumber transmissions, you get some torque steer and stall the engine which effectively puts you in neutral. Then the park pawl grinds as you coast to a stop.
Or, so I've heard.
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Quantumphysics 4:45PM (9/09/2009)
YOU F*CKIN DIE
Or so I've heard.
jpm100 8:23AM (9/09/2009)
Sorry, the park pawl thing only happens if you put in park too soon after first putting in reverse.
Or, so I've heard.
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Mike7 8:26AM (9/09/2009)
I thought it would rip a hole in the space-time continuum.
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Greg 12:02PM (9/09/2009)
I understand that is how Einstein discovered space-time. I think it was in a Plymouth Business Coupe.
Benfolio 8:49AM (9/09/2009)
Once this sucker shifts into Reverse at 88MPH, you're gonna break some serious sh*t.
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Dubious1 9:16AM (9/09/2009)
The driveshaft snaps instantly, and the shifter linkage is busted up as well. That's the results of "accidentally" putting the car in reverse in a 1992 Ford Escort. Your results may vary.
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BigTeebo 9:25AM (9/09/2009)
This(the autoblog article) was terribly written. Made only worse that it was on Mythbusters already.
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Dude 10:44AM (9/09/2009)
I Agree. Quit writing for New Yorkers and write about things the other 99.9% of Americans actually care about. Referencing Woody Allen movies and not knowing this was already done on Mythbusters years ago is not going to make you any friends.
nexusheli 9:38AM (9/09/2009)
Depends if you're running auto or manual. You do this on a proper manual and you're going to screw up some internals on the tranny if you're going at any speed. I've done this accidentally in a couple of auto-equipped cars. On the Escape I just (recently) did it in, it killed the engine but not much else. As mentioned above, there was some torque steer, but nothing major.
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ytilanigiroon 11:05AM (9/09/2009)
Wouldn't the gate for the reverser be closed at speed? It feels like trying to shift up without rev-matching or employing the clutch, only with a lot more force needed to put it in gear and a lot more grinding.
... or so I've heard.
adrenalnjunky 9:47AM (9/09/2009)
Did it in an 89 GMC Jimmy - at about 45mph. Chirped tires, killed the motor and everything freewheeled until I stopped, shifted to Park, restarted and then drove away.
I kept that truck to 225,000 miles and never had a bit of trouble out of the transmission.
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Conundrum 10:05PM (9/09/2009)
Same exact response from a 1988 Silverado at about 55-60 mph.
Or so I've heard.
Tim 9:59AM (9/09/2009)
Clearly just a cheap ploy to get us to click over to AOL Autos but I'm sure it's done at the behest of the corporate overlords.
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Mike 10:44AM (9/09/2009)
I think it would be more interesting to try and shift into a really low gear at 60mph or so :) 2nd anyone?
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leventpascha 11:12AM (9/09/2009)
did that with my old civic, oil drain plug came out and spilled all the oil on the highway.
Mike 11:44AM (9/09/2009)
I guess it was time for a new Civic?