Can you remember those driving lessons before you became the proud owner of a licence? If you're like many people, it may have been some time ago and this tuition may have faded into oblivion. However, some people think that many of these "rules" were academic anyway and have long since abandoned them as part of their daily routine.
Yet while those "Drive Safe" booklets were primarily designed to avoid anarchy on the roads, some of the rules could help you to prolong the life of your car, by avoiding unnecessary wear and tear. If you cannot remember the details, perhaps it is time for a refresher.
Avoid the Consequence of Bad Habits
If you have a manually-operated car, how often do you use the handbrake? You may have forgotten all about this component and never give it a second thought, but you are supposed to engage it in certain situations.
When you come to a halt on a hill as you wait for a traffic light to turn green, you should pull up the handbrake right away. You should then take the car out of gear and sit patiently while you wait. If you don't, you will probably depress the clutch and keep your other foot on the brake pedal. Certainly, this will achieve your objective, but it will put additional stress on both your transmission and braking system for no reason.
Avoid Overheating the Brakes
The worst thing you can do is apply pressure to the brakes through the foot pedal for an extended period of time, especially if you have just come to a halt after a long journey. The brake discs are likely to be very hot and if you push the pads against them while you wait for the traffic light, you will cause them to overheat. Inevitably, they will wear out far more quickly than they would have otherwise.
Avoid Damaging the Clutch
Likewise, if you are riding the clutch pedal while that light remains stubbornly red, you may be causing additional wear and tear. The clutch plate is also made from friction material and whenever it is engaged — even partially — a bit of it will wear away.
Remember How to Properly Park
Once you are through that traffic light and get on your way, you will eventually get home. You'll park your vehicle on a slight incline outside your house, but once again, you don't think about the handbrake lever. You may simply put the car into gear to stop it from rolling anywhere, but you are putting a lot of stress on the gearbox by doing so. Remember again, the handbrake is there for a reason and it's not simply an ornament.
Perhaps it is time for you to dust off your Drive Safe document, so you can catch up with those rules. In the meantime, take your vehicle into a mechanic so they can check how much car service you'll need for vehicle.
Share20 July 2018
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