Bill and Penny
Answering your first, when driving straight my hands are generally at 9 and 3
o'clock or thereabouts. Thus in a turn my left hand is either at 12 or 6 and
the dimmer isn't at either. Shifting is generally at or near the beginning of
the curve, or at slower portions. Clutch time is very short for my left foot
but during the singlehanded steering wheel time nobody gets dims if I don't
have a floor shift. Just never noticed shifting to be a problem.
On the other hand the column switch has almost killed me. About 2 years ago I
was driving home in a Corvette I had just purchased and my friend was cruising
in the lane beside me on a freeway. We entered a two lane sweeping ariel link
from west to south. I decided to pass on the outside. He had his brights on and
I did not. As I got in front of him he dimed and I was suddenly overdriving my
dims by a lot. My hands were as above in a turn and I couldn't find the switch
without diverting some concentration from the road. And at the near 3 digit
speed in a long curve between 2 amorphus appearing concrete walls with only
what seemed like 20 foot visibiliy I decided my concentration was already well
placed. Only thing that really helped was my memory that this curve was a
constant radius. I froze that wheel. the speed, and my hands until the curve
straightened out.
On the dead peddle, I've driven on short ovals where you put the accelerator on
the other side of the car for support, a good idea in a 32 Stude, but never
felt the need for one in an MG.
When I bought my first MGA in the 60's my brother and I drove it non-stop from
San Diego to Michigan (51 hours) He is right at your height and I am 6'1.
Neither of us complained about either the driving or the sleeping
accomodations. Well, except for the flooding in the Panhandle when we found out
the car had wooden floorboards that weren't water tight.
We have a 35 mile stretch of old 2 lane road through the mountains from here to
the coast called the Ortega Highway. One of my greatest driving sports is to
negotate this road without touching my breaks and keeping my average speed
above 55. I've done it in MG's, a '78 Corvette, Camaro, and 3 different
TransAms. Can't maintain the speed in my old Dodge pick-up. I can adjust easily
to stick or automatic, Detroit or British, but I can't get used to a column
dimmer.
But then if you are safer with it, do it.
Regards
Ernest
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From: "bill and penny meyer" <pplusb@northlink.com>
Sent: Saturday, November 02, 1996 9:53 AM
To: mgs@autx.team.net
Cc: "Ernest E. Gilbert" <barrister@lawref.com>
Subject: dimmer switch alteration
When used to it, the stalk switch is much more convenient. It falls
righ to hand..its where you go for turn signals. Given your
scenario, what do you do when a shift change is added to the
equation? Also, I can highly recommend a dead pedal installed on the
frame member, placed roughly even with the clutch pedal (personal
preference can come into play in determining exact location). I have
found this pedal a comfortable footrest on long drives, but, more
importantly, use it to brace yourself during hard cornering.
Unfortunately, you can't hit the floor dimmer with a dead pedal in
place. On top of all this, at 6' 6" tall, I need all the room down
there I can find.
Bill Meyer
67n rdstr
74 gt
77 rdstr
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