How do you hold the steering wheel?

junii

Well?

Bad roads,
Country roads,
Motorways.

mike65

I will have to admit I'm not as "Ten to two" as I used to be, I blame power steering for making me somewhat lazy when I'm on the open road. I have a habit of driving with my right hand at the 2 postion and my left hand resting on my left leg just steadying the wheel from below.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0903/mike65/Audi%20A6/steeringwheelhands.jpg

Naturally on bad roads, bendy bits and in tight town conditons its back to regulation 10-to-2.

Mike.

mikedragon32

On bad/country roads and on single lane roads (incl N roads) ten to two, on motorways I'd be like mike65, unless there's heavy traffic, then it's ten to two again!

r3nu4l

Bad Roads - 10 to 2
Country roads - One hand on wheel, one on the leg
Motorways - One hand on wheel, one on the leg

All of the above is when I'm taking it easy, with low traffic volume and a good gap between me and the car in front.

In heavy rain, heavy traffic or at higher speeds, it's 10 to 2 for me, it's safest all round.

neacy69

well i usually steer with my elbow/knee combination cos my hands are full with my morning coffee+electric razor+toothbrush....

im just kidding of course but i have some of this crazy stuff on the motorway the worst being a guy reading a book which was placed on the steering wheel while overtaking me on the motorway

sorry back OT
ten to two on town or onbad roads
same position as mike on motorways in good traffic

Tobias Greeshman

I always drive in the 9-3 position on country-roads, town driving, bad roads. I'd normally use it on Motorways as well, but sometimes I get lazy and just use the one hand.

cormie

I was thinking about starting a thread like this haha.

I drive 10 and 2 unless cruising where I'll drive at half one and 10 past 7 with left hand resting on knee guiding the wheel. Any speed in heavy traffic 10 and 2, country roads etc 10 and 2.

Scary, I was in a car with some girl in Spain and she did 7 and 4, sharp corners were a scary experience with her:eek:


How about steering though? do you feed the wheel or cross your hands over? I feed.

Stark

10 - 2 and feeding. Mainly because I've yet to do a driving test though and I want to keep good habits.

I have on occasion in the past being lazy and used one hand.

dubstub

Keep at ten to two in any kind of difficult driving conditions (speed, bad roads, rain, etc.). While cruising or in heavy, slow-moving traffic, I keep right hand at 3 and left either on leg or same position as Mike.
When cornering at low speeds I'll cross, otherwise I'll feed.

Supercell

I do 10 - 2 also mainly as I'm waiting to sit the driving test.

Interestingly though on Fifth Gear when they were taking some girl band members for a spin around the racing track they told them to adopt a 9 - 3 grip which is what I'd use when I need to manuver a tight spot , always assumed it was a hangover from motor bike riding which the hands would have always steered in roughly this position.

Maybe 10 - 2 is more suited for urban driving and 9 - 3 better suited to fast or more delicate manuvers ?

Alun

10-2 most of the time for me too, partly because I had it drummed into me when I learnt to drive and partly because that's actually the most comfortable position to hold my (and many others I've owned) steering wheel. It's a four spoke design and just above the top spokes there's a little 'bump' on the wheel that just invites you to hold your hands there somehow. On longer, quieter motorway journeys though I tend to drop a bit lower, with my thumbs resting on the top spokes and sometimes drop the left hand. At the first sign of any potential shenanigans though it's straight back to 10-2 just in case.

Rovi

10 and 2 everywhere. It just feels 'wrong' to do it any other way, a lot like driving without a seatbelt when shifting the car around the yard or somesuch.
Feeding for regular driving, crossing for low speed maneuvers.

I have a buddy who drives as if there was a death penalty for having more than one hand on the wheel at a time.
His wife and I both give him a hard time about it, but he's gamely hanging onto the habit.
He's one of Sylvester Barrett's babies, and has a fine repertoire of bad habits. :mad:

.

Gatster

Exactly as Mike, ah the joy of an Auto box

layke

I use a smaller stearing wheel so i'm at 9 and 3.

TBh I don't know how I ever used those huge wheels in the past. It really is much easier to drive with the smaller one. Well for me anyway.

Hal1

Do you have a lazy arm though? Do you rest it on the window like alot of drivers, and its a bad habbit too. When stuck at the lights I try not to get lazy and rest my arm like that.

peasant

Pretty much not by the book ...

10 to 2 in in bendy situations or in heavy traffic
10 to 3 with the right arm resting on the armrest when things ease up
6 and 3 with the right arm resting on the armrest on long, boring, empty straight stretches ...should this happen in the motorhome its 7 and 5 (no armrests but thighs and a biiiig steering wheel)

And I never, ever feed (at normal speed the movements required are minimal, so no feeding necessary and when maneuvering at slow speed the left hand is usually busy shifting gears so one hand only whirls the steering wheel around ...occasionally the left hand would hold the wheel momentarily to re-position the right.

All L-Drivers please dutifully ignore this post ...all others are allowed to shake their heads in disbelief

CJhaughey

Quarter past 9 for me, always.
I did find myself driving one handed at 5 oclock on a long boring drive once but that was an empty road and no traffic.
I have since broken that habit and to be honest adjustable steering columns make it easy to be comfortable now.

bennyx_o

I have paddle-shift on my car so my hands always tend to be near enough the paddles, normally between ten to two and quarter to three.

dr.bollocko

Now how am I gonna get my knees at ten and two on the wheel?

crosstownk

I'm not good at the 10-2 thing, tbh. I usually have one hand in the 2 position complete with elbow on the door panel and one hand on the gear lever or leg - some times I'm in a 10 past 7 postion. I also have a habit of holding the wheel with one hand (either one) in the 12 position - God help me if I've my left hand on the wheel and the airbag deploys as that Seiko on my wrist will kill me! However, on unfamiliar roads or narrow country roads I do revert to the 10-2 position.

digweed

i'm sorry but i have to say it!!!

i hold my steering wheel with my hands!!!!!

D.

Töpher

Depends on conditions, any that need it (rain, twisty roads, etc) 10 to 2.
Otherwise, at about 4 (sometimes 3) with my left hand relaxed on my left leg, usually tapping some form of rythyms on my knee. Very bad habit!

ninty9er

Generally 9:30 - 2:30.

I did feed the wheel but it's not practical unless you're speedi gonzales no matter what the rulebook says.

I pull with the right from 12 to 3 then push with the left from 8 to 11 and let it slide back with a bit of guidance. vice versa turning left (mirror I mean)

I find myself one hand driving in slower than 50 kph traffic with left planted in the gearstick