RE: Ride the Clutch

[Thi VanAusdal <tvanausdal@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello too, 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Michiel van Wessem [mailto:jmvw@domain.elided]
> Sent: Monday, November 09, 1998 11:44 AM
> To: bmw-digest@domain.elided
> Subject: Re: Ride the Clutch
> 
> 
> Hello..
> 
> Can someone explain why it is wrong to 
> sit on the clutch pedal at stoplights?
> >
> >
> >Ernie,
> >
> >Well there's the old arguement that this will lead to 
> premature throwout
> >bearing failure, but the REAL reason you don't want her to 
> do this is a
> >safety reason.  Should her foot slip off the clutch and she 
> does not have
> >her other foot on the brake, the car can quite literally 
> jump into the
> >intersection and get hit by cross traffic. Ditto if she gets 
> rear ended at
> >the light by an upcoming car. Put it in neutral, step on the brake...
> 
> I've heard that argument before, but it doesn't seem to hold. 
> If your foot
> slips off the clutch, wouldn't your car stall? Unless it's capable of
> cannonball acceleration? Having a stalled car in gear seems 
> like a good brake.
> 
> Michiel

Good point, is she holding 5000 rpm at the light like a dragster?
However, if the AC's on, a heavy flywheel'd car ( 325e? ) or a fast
cold idle, it mmmmiiiigggghhhttt still lurch into the road.

I'd find other things to worry about, tho.

 - thi v.

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