[rrnsss]

Sir, the classic position is 10:10 . This is because in olden days power steerings were rare and if you had your hands at 10 and 2 or 10:10 as you called it, one hand can push the steering wheel while the other can pull it and both hands can work as a team , easing the burden. This was the logic. You can see some lorry whalas doing the push and pull action even today.


With modern day cars , and city traffic I think the best position is right hand on the steering and left hand on the gear lever.

[HappyWheels]

Most of the time I do single hand driving, at 3 O'clock position. Other hand is mostly on the gear.

Use both hands only in case of heavy traffic or I cross the 90kmph mark. At that time it is 10:10 position.

[HappyWheels]

Originally Posted by rrnsss

...With modern day cars , and city traffic I think the best position is right hand on the steering and left hand on the gear lever.

I never knew I was so good!

[rrnsss]

No offense to ladies but 95 % of all the guys I have seen driving drive only with one hand

I think it is instinctive

[rks]

Originally Posted by rrnsss

With modern day cars , and city traffic I think the best position is right hand on the steering and left hand on the gear lever.

Kindly go through your car manual. Mine says that you should never rest your hand on the gear lever while the car is running, as that will eventually cause damage to the gear selector mechanism. Keeping both hands on the steering wheel whenever possible is the best idea in terms of safety as you will never know when an emergency might occur requiring a rapid two-handed response on the steering wheel.

I think there is already a thread devoted to this topic.

[kpzen]

It has been discussed before here.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...-position.html

[Thad E Ginathom]

The "push-pull" method of steering is still the best and the easiest way to control the car around a sharp turn.

I was told this is the method taught to British police drivers.

Power steering or no makes little difference to how much force it takes to turn the wheel at driving speeds.

[rr_zen]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

The "push-pull" method of steering is still the best and the easiest way to control the car around a sharp turn.

I was told this is the method taught to British police drivers.

Power steering or no makes little difference to how much force it takes to turn the wheel at driving speeds.

@Thad: Can you elaborate a little more on this "push-pull" method please ?

[Thad E Ginathom]

Oh dear... it's one of those one pic is worth a thousand words things...

I'll try. It might come out all garbled.

for left turn:

Left hand to top of wheel, grip and pull down from 12:00 to 6:00
Right hand, at the same time, slides down to 6:00, and if more turn is needed...

Right hand grips, then pushes up back towards 12:00 while left hand slides up to meet it.

Left hand always stays on left side of wheel, right hand always stays on right side.

It is, I think, the smoothest, easiest way to control a car, both for sharp turns, and for stuff like parking manoeuvres. Others may have different favourite techniques.

Sure, most of my driving is done in lazy style, one hand on wheel --- but I do use this technique for turns, and hate to handle them single handed, with the hand crossing to 'wrong' side of the wheel. Occasionally, of course, one is using the other hand strangling one's passenger to prevent them doing one of the things mentioned in the annoying habits thread...

In case it is useful to anyone, here's the hint I was taught about steering in reverse:

With the wheels straight, put your right hand exactly at 12:00. Even while looking over your shoulder (which one should be doing), you will know, by feel, which way the wheels are turned.

[nitrous]

This push-pull method, I follow when driving bloody-hard steerings like those in my jeep or trucks.
I doubt if its required for light steerings.
I usually learn a lot of driving styles from racing drivers.

[TrueDreamer]

I would like to know the best driving position for driving an Indica. I use 9-3 steering position for very busy city traffic else its one handed at 3 and the PS does well effortlessly for me. For parking i use it at 10-2 or 9-3 probably. Xeta has 4 spoke steering wheel with horn and lighting switch accessible near 3.

I keep the seating in 2nd step from extreme front as i will not be able to get in & get out comfortably if i put my seat in the extreme forward. Also at the same time even being 6" i can't see the bonnet or any part of chassis on the front. Total imagination all the time. This is one i am not very much happy about my Indica Xeta

All the time i drive, i don't have any trouble with my driving position. But i feel something is wrong with my position when i try to park my car in the parking space of my apartment. Its all cramped parking and my left leg muscles feel stressed too much with lot of clutching and slowly releasing it on reverse gear and first gear.

P.S: It almost takes 5 minutes to park my car in my parking space :(

Gurus...Any remedies??

[sqwall]

I would say the best position would be one which allows maximum movement of the steering without getting the hands crossed and that would be when our hands are parallel i.e. Left to left and right to right.

[govigov]

one hand on the stering and the other hand on the gear, the hand on the steering is usually at 4 O clock while cruisin.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Oh, it is so easy to let that left hand creep to the gear, especially in city traffic, where a change is always coming soon.

Yes, I do it too.

But, read the previous posts: we shouldn't, we really shouldn't!

[razor4077]

Interesting thread!
During city driving I usually steer one-handed, with the right hand at 3 o' clock. Left hand on the gear lever.
While driving fast, especially on highways, I use a 11-3... somehow works for me while cruising at high speeds. If there are any corners/twists involved I revert to a 10-2.
Seat pushed back all or nearly all the way. In cars like the Lancer I cannot sit all the way back because I feel distanced from the steering wheel. In a Santro, I won't fit unless it's all the way back (I am 6'1")!! Backrest close to upright (helps my back and makes it easier to concentrate on the road).

This is a personal thing I guess... whatever style suits you.

A clip with my driving position while cruising on the highway in a Santro (from the Team BHP Santiniketan drive):

YouTube - Team BHP Drive to Santiniketan