Hill start in automatic car - driving test

VPS

Hello

What is the right way of doing Hill start in automatic car during driving test ?

Here is my procedure:

pull over, full stop, parking brake on, foot brake off , but gear in Drive as stop is for a few seconds.
Then foot brake on, parking brake off, foot brake off (slight roll back here), throttle on.

Is this correct? Is roll back (may be couple of inches) ok assuming there is no car behind?

**Timbuk2**

I don't think the car should roll back at all, as you might get a Grade 2 fault, possibly even a Grade 3 if there is a car close behind you.

Automatic cars shouldn't really roll back once you release the footbrake, unless it's a steep hill. If it is a steep hill, you can press the accelerator slightly before releasing the parking brake.

I've never driven an automatic before, so I wouldn't really know how to, but my friend (who does) says a hill start in an automatic is no different to a start on the flat.

Del2005

Use your left foot to hold the foot break till the car starts to move forward. As said unless you're on a big hill an auto shouldn't roll back, it's another of the advantages of auto boxes.

**Timbuk2**

I don't think you're ever allowed to use your left foot on the brake in an automatic. Your left foot should be doing nothing. I'm open to correction though, as I don't know how to drive an automatic - I'm just going by what I hear.

Alanstrainor

VPS wrote: »

Then foot brake on, parking brake off, foot brake off (slight roll back here), throttle on.

That would be incorrect.
*EDIT: The below assumes that you are stopped on a hill, with the parking brake(handbrake) applied and with the car already in drive*
I would release the foot brake, get ready on the accelerator and release the parking brake while gently accelerating. Automatics will "autocreep" forward, so the amount of acceleration will depend on the hill.

This will stop the car from rolling back on steep hills.

VPS

Is it a good idea to use left foot for brakes (especially during driving test)?

I was told only right foot must be used.

Shzm

No its a terrible idea

Alanstrainor

VPS wrote: »

Is it a good idea to use left foot for brakes (especially during driving test)?

I was told only right foot must be used.

It is a terrible idea!

If you do it as i said above, there is no reason to have to use your left foot.

Rovi

Left foot braking is a well known and recognised technique for getting the best from, and having full control of, an automatic transmission, especially at manoeuvring speeds.

There's a degree of controversy about its use in ordinary road motoring though, and given the conservative nature of Irish civil servants, it might be better to not tempt fate by using it during the test.

As already stated above, a sufficiently steep hill will overcome the normal tendency for an automatic to creep forward when the brakes are released, so I'd strongly agree that Alanstrainor's technique would be the best approach to take.

**Timbuk2**

But what is the point of braking with the left foot? I can't think of any situation in an automatic that would require it - you never need to use the accelerator and the brake at the same time, afaik.

I would try and stay away from it, as it would be a bad habit to get into if you ever plan on driving a manual later on in life.

Del2005

I've used left foot breaking to spin up the turbo on a diesel car so I had enough power to pull into fast flowing traffic, definately something which shouldn't be done during the driving test. As Rovi said, sometimes in tight spaces an autos natural creep will need to be restrained while requiring use of the throttle It shouldn't be much of an issue using your left foot to control an auto if you want to move onto manual, hitting the clutch pedal by mistake isn't a big issue. Most people going the other way usually left foot brake the 1st few times they try for the clutch when stopping, that's not a lot of fun

vectra

Alanstrainor wrote: »

That would be incorrect.
*EDIT: The below assumes that you are stopped on a hill, with the parking brake(handbrake) applied and with the car already in drive*
I would release the foot brake, get ready on the accelerator and release the parking brake while gently accelerating. Automatics will "autocreep" forward, so the amount of acceleration will depend on the hill.

This will stop the car from rolling back on steep hills.

On the button

Rovi

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

But what is the point of braking with the left foot? I can't think of any situation in an automatic that would require it - you never need to use the accelerator and the brake at the same time, afaik.

I would try and stay away from it, as it would be a bad habit to get into if you ever plan on driving a manual later on in life.

It's very useful in tight spaces where the natural tendency for an automatic car to creep when unrestrained could be a liability, especially when mouvering on slopes.
It's even more useful on hill starts, as it allows the driver to keep both hands on the steering wheel while making a smooth start. On a significant hill, it may take a fair amount of throttle to get the car moving, and that 'fair amount of throttle' may be very well balanced with a nice bit of left-foot braking.

It takes a while to educate the left foot to have the same feel and sensitivity on the brake as the right, but it's perfectly possible.
I do it all the time in cars, off-roaders, dumptrucks, and industrial loaders.

Switching between manual and automatic driving becomes second nature after a while too.