Markku Grönroos wrote:
> "Geoff Miller" kirjoitti
> viestissä:13gv9om4t5q694c@corp.supernews.com...
>>
>>
>> =?Windows-1252?Q?Markku_Gr=F6nroos?=
>> writes:
>>> Drivers with manual gear box don't need such a warning either.
>>
>> Of course they don't. But I'm sure it's nice to have.
>>
> I don't see that manual transmission is basically different from the
> automatic one in this respect.
>>
>>> JThey leave the lights as the people with the automatic gear box:
>>> with their right foot they tease the accelerator. Naturally
>>> simultaneously with this process they release the clutch by their
>>> left foot.
>>
>> And because the light turns amber before it turns green, they
>> don't have to keep the clutch pedal depressed while the light
>> is red -- which is both uncomfortable for the driver and hard
>> on the clutch's throwout bearing.
>>
> Bull. Actually doing so keeps things simple. We are driving two
> cars which are of the same model and the same vintage. The only
> difference is that I am shifting manually while you rely on the
> gear box. I am darting out from the junction first. As far as the
> bearing is concerned, you shouldn't be concerned.
Maybe that's true now, but it was a concern with older vehicles, and
probably influenced the original design of the traffic light sequence.
Incidentally, not all European countries have an amber-before-green
phase. The UK has red-and-amber before green, but France goes straight
from red to green.
--
Richard J.
(to e-mail me, change 'ten' to 'net' in address)
www.stayparis.net
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