Clutchin'

[Will Owen <nashwill912@domain.elided>]

Okay...

Fred says double-clutching is a complete waste of time. Could be, but I learned how to do that back in the middle of 1960, driving government-owned Rambler station wagons, and now I just flat can't stop: it's automatic. Can't downshift any other way unless I think about it, and I think we all know that if you think about it, it takes just that
much longer...which is a waste of time. On the other hand, I would say it's undeniable that any strategy that results in clean, uncrunchy shifts is (as Martha would say) A Good Thing. Anyway, I'm just so goddam slick at it I couldn't STAND to quit.

Then there's the guy who frets that double-clutching is gonna wear out the clutch, because of all the extra engagement and disengagement. Here's the news on that: clutches don't wear out when they're engaged or disengaged. They wear out when they slip. You don't feather in the clutch when you goose the gears up to speed - you drop it like a rock,
then yank it back. Maybe some wear on the clutch springs, maybe on the pivot and the throwout bearing, but zip on the friction surfaces.

Will Owen
'87 Milano Gold (Rico)
'72 Berlina Bondo (about to depart...)
'71 Citroen DS21 (The Goddess)
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