Why do drivers of automatic cars blind drivers behind those behind them?
There is one thing that automatic cars and ordinary cars have in common. They both have handbrakes, but I suggest that automatic cars drivers using two feet forget this at temporary stops. I sat behind a new Volvo estate with three bright brakelights at a road works, and it had the ordinary rear lights on.
Asked on 9 October 2010 by LH, Woking
Answered by
Honest John
Unfortunately they don’t “all have handbrakes”. Increasingly, they have electric parking brakes, some of which work better than handbrakes and some of which don’t. Red rage is nothing to do with left-foot braking either. It’s from leaving automatic cars in D with either foot on the brake. Try pulling on a handbrake and it may not be strong enough. Try using an electric parking brake and it might not release. Try moving the lever from D to N on any VAG car and you have to brake to get back into D, then that sends a message to the ECU cutting power. So manufacturers have encouraged this sloppy driving habit that blinds the driver behind.
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