The Perils Of An Automatic Car
Posted by admin at 15 April 2018, at 15 : 32 PM
Generally, the automatic car is the pinnacle of safety. But, there are so many little things that can, potentially, be dangerous to other road users. If you have spent your driving years operating a manual vehicle, and are considering making the move to an automatic, there are many positives an automatic vehicle has over a manual. For lots of drivers, they say that driving an automatic is much like driving a go-kart. It’s very simple, you’ve got two pedals, one accelerator and one brake; you put your foot down, and off you go! But, as is the case in driving, it’s not always that simple. So, for those who are considering making the move, what do you need to consider?
Driving Can Feel Too Easy
This is the most important thing to consider when buying an automatic. Because the act of driving is relatively simple in an automatic, if you have poor driving habits to begin with, these could very easily compound itself. If you find yourself distracted on the road, or you indulge in looking at the dashboard more than you do what’s in front of you, these stupid habits could get worse. Because driving an automatic feels almost too easy, the cockiness every driver has could mean that an accident is on the horizon. While automatics are equipped with the most modern features, a lot of these can be quite distracting, so you’d better be aware of your own driving habits before you purchase an automatic; you don’t want someone to be making an auto accident injury claim because of your carelessness on the road. In some ways, an automatic is almost like learning to drive again. There is an adjustment period from a manual to an automatic, because driving a manual requires a lot more focus on the mechanics of driving, an automatic completely eradicates these. So when you do finally get up to speed, it could be to the detriment of your overall driving skills. Your skills as a driver could deteriorate. Because older manual vehicles were harder to drive, this meant you had to focus on the skill of driving overall. Because cars have now become equipped with smarter technology, we are generally, getting worse at driving. With features like lane assist, lots of people place their lives in the hands of this smart technology. As a result, their focus on the road in front of them is dangerously low.
Beware Of The Neutral Gear!
Why you may be forgiven for thinking that putting the car into neutral helps save fuel, it’s better for an automatic vehicle to keep the brakes on, while still in Drive mode. Switching in and out of neutral constantly will place wear and tear on the gearbox. Likewise, switching into Park mode, this can cause the locking pin to break, especially while the car is moving. While driving a manual means that shifting at gears doesn’t always have to be a smoother transition, in an automatic, it does. Because the locking pin, when in Park mode, inserts into a gear which is attached to the output shaft of the gearbox, and this same pin is connected to the wheels. So, if you are in a hurry, and you needlessly switch from Park to Drive, and put your foot on the accelerator before the locking pin goes to the wheels, this will cause a lot of pointless wear and tear. You are much better off learning how to gradually change gears. Much like in a manual, where you learnt how to smoothly change up, the same principle applies. And, by the same token, if you switch to Park mode before the car is stopped, the locking pin could get broken. Another thing to consider is the impact of a low fuel tank on an automatic transmission. Because an automatic car depends on the fluid pressure to operate effectively, as well as keeping the engine and other parts of the car lubricated and cool, by keeping a consistently low tank, this is going to wear out the engine much quicker. Most of us indulge in the habit of driving until the car is almost out of fuel, primarily because an automatic actually burns more fuel than a manual, but it’s far better for you to top up your tank when it is a quarter full, rather than when you are driving on fumes.
A Lack Of Control
This is certainly something that is up for debate between manual and automatic drivers. The more veteran drivers out there prefer a manual because they have more control over the car in general. An automatic vehicle, to an extent, makes educated guesses as to the gear the should operate in, based on how fast you are going. And, yes, while the engineering of modern automatic vehicles has become more sophisticated, when you weigh this in comparison to the instincts of a human brain, if in an emergency situation, you will react better and use your driver intuition and select the appropriate gear, you are relinquishing this when driving an automatic. Generally, an automated vehicle can make good choices, but in unique weather situations, such as snow and ice, it is far more difficult for you to navigate.
Should We Drive Manual?
It’s all down to personal preference, but as the act of driving is more stressful nowadays, if your ability is below par, then an automatic is a good option. Ultimately, you want driving to be as stress-free as possible, but this isn’t always going to be the case. Lots of people have problems with the clutch, and this can be something that driving an automatic completely eradicates. Driving an automatic is easier, but because the mechanics are different to a manual, we can all be forgiven for thinking that we can treat an automatic vehicle exactly the same as we would a manual. For those people who learn in automatic and drive one, this isn’t so much of an issue, but for the vast majority of us, who have learnt in a manual vehicle, there can be a few things that we have to take onboard.
So, if you are planning on purchasing an automatic, it’s not that straightforward!