By way of a bit of weekend lightheartedness and prompted by a contributor to another thread. ( Think it was Gordonbennet adjusting the position of his wiper blades which made me smile at my own foibles) I was wondering if others find themselves having car related OCD's or perhaps more kindly, habits.
For my own little obsessions.......
I always try to park with the front wheels in the straight ahead position unless on a steep hill when I will point them to the kerb. ( Looks tidier )
Always turn the radio off prior to turning the engine off even though it would go off automatically ( just in case )
Always turn wipers off prior to turning engine off as I can't bear untidily parked wipers
Always give a door handle a tug even after remote locking ( just to be sure )
and many more.................... ;-)
Edited by Pugugly on 12/04/2008 at 13:12
|
Thanks a bundle Shoespy for bringing to everyone's attention that i'm getting progressively more strange as time goes by...that'll teach me..
I like my wheels to be straight too, thats after i've sent SWMBO up the wall driving all over the car park for the 'less likelyhood of damage' parking space, conveniently forgetting she does exactly the same. I straighten the wheels mainly to stop me and others tripping over the things though, swmbo doesn't at home and i'm always falling over hers.
As already grassed, i flip the wipers over to even out the 'parking lean'.
I can't drive away in the morning till i've squeegy'd all the windows clear, i do swmbo's at the same time..creep.
If i come home in the wet at this time of year, i'll often get the hose out and wash the salt off the underside whilst damp (thats after nipping through the ford to start the process), thank goodness we're secluded, should that be excluded?
Wash both vehicles every weekend and check carefully for any damage to touch up.
Can't drive away from cold till the vehicles been ticking over for several minutes, sgueegy time.
I could go on for several volumes about my driving habits too, but think the damage is already done.
Good thread idea by the way.
All the best.
|
Must admit to checking that the car is locked , handbrake on and left in gear etc at least twice before leaving a car park.
|
|
I am quite enjoying becoming strange GB. I think it is to be celebrated rather than regretted. Another one which occurs to me is always getting the price on a fuel pump to a "round number" despite always paying with a card. Think that must come from a combination of having previously paid for fuel with cash or a cheque and maybe because for years I had company cars and wanted the receipts to be easy to add up. Neither affects me now but I still can't help doing it.
|
than regretted. Another one which occurs to me is always getting the price on a fuel pump to a "round number" despite always paying with a card. Think that must come from a combination of having previously paid for fuel with cash or a cheque and maybe because for years I had company cars and wanted the receipts to be easy to add up. Neither affects me now but I still can't help doing it.
You know, I always do that as well and its only after reading your post that I realise theres no point anymore as I always pay by card as well! I can remember paying by cash so maybe it doesn't afflict the younger generation of drivers who are used to Switch/Maestro etc?
|
>> than regretted. Another one which occurs to me is always getting the price on a >> fuel pump to a "round number" despite always paying with a card.
I can remember paying by cash so maybe it doesn't afflict the younger generation of drivers who are used to Switch/Maestro etc?
Nope, it's not that simple. I use plastic for everything and always have, right down to buying a pint of milk. I've probably paid cash for fuel about twice in my life. But if I'm not filling to the brim, it has to be a round number. I have no idea why...
Another one is my heater control. It doesn't matter that it sweeps round contiuously from cold to hot, I can only have it at precise 45 degree steps from vertical.
GJD
|
|
|
|
Can't drive away from cold till the vehicles been ticking over for several minutes ........
That's not just an idiosyncrasy, it's also bad for the engine. The majority of wear occurs when the engine is cold. The best thing is to drive off straight away, which warms up the engine quicker than idling.
|
I've been tormented by one particular compulsion ever since I was able to walk (it's a toy thing) and now I've got two kids with rooms full of toys it drives me crazy.
In the car though it's the good old trip computer and cruise control, I'm constantly trying to achieve certain figures, beat figures, match figures, comparing figures between empty and occupied vehicle. We've got a place out of the city 96 miles away that we go to most weekends which provides perfect conditions for long-term tests. If something spoils a good run like overtaking a truck, I'll reset and start again. If someone gets under my feet while I'm using cruise, the air goes blue - not because I'm impatient but because they've ruined an experiment. Sometimes I'll set a speed, note the mileage, drive for say... 17 minutes and then check the milage and see if it meets with my calculations of what it should be. Lots of fun to be had with the "miles remaining before refueling" function - I like to prove it wrong.
|
I always leave my car in gear when I park - my wife of 30 years has yet to cotton on to this habit of mine.
|
"If i come home in the wet at this time of year, i'll often get the hose out and wash the salt off the underside whilst damp"
Exactly Gordon Bennet ! and most of the other stuff too. I am starting to think we have a morpho-genetic link or something, as no one else has seemingly done this since 1959.
We came from Staffordshire. traced back to the early 1600`s....
Regards ;)
Edited by oilrag on 12/04/2008 at 12:59
|
"The best thing is to drive off straight away, which warms up the engine quicker than idling."
Tell that to the cam lobes and followers, Mr Snail ;)
|
|
Seems like a "my car / company car thing" I look after an expensive lump of machinery that I have spent my hard earned on, and probably would not be quite so careful with a lease car.
Edited by Old Navy on 12/04/2008 at 13:20
|
|
|
|
We came from Staffordshire. traced back to the early 1600`s....
Ah, my late father hailed from Tarporley, distinct possibility something peculiar in the water in that lovely part of our country. Only round the corner from sunny Staffs.
Strange thing though, i've never lived in Cheshire but i travel through at least twice a week, and have sense of belonging, but don't have that same feeling when in the vicinity of my late mothers home in Co. Clare.
The only good thing about our peculiar things with cars is that they tend to occur when normal persons have locked themselves away from the weather.
As you were in the trade you'd know how to get away with it when the nice chaps in the yellow van turn up, i on the other hand will probably be carted off never to be seen again....was that a goal scored somewhere...
All the best.
|
I always leave the car in gear. Comes from living on a hill for the first 8 years of my driving life. Doesn't affect me because I always start a car with the clutch down, but it's caught a few people out at work when I've moved their cars and left them in gear.
I always waggle the gear lever (having taken it out of gear before starting...) and check the handbrake before starting - this is from being taught to drive when you had to obsessively over exagerate every action for the examiner to prove you knew what you were doing.
In Polo, the volume was measured in numbers, and I had to have it on an even number. In the Golf, it bothers me if the volume knob is not pointing either straight up or straight down - have to make sure it's in the right place before switching on.
I know, I need help.
Oh and I always try and get a random number on the fuel pumps because it helps me match up all my receipts when I do my milage claim.
|
|
|
|
Sorry, L'escargot, I know we've had this spat before.
My handbook says let the engine warm up before moving off - except in Germany, where it's illegal. And I believe it.
I'm still in shock from reading gordonbennet above - it's not every day you discover you have a double...
|
I'm still in shock from reading gordonbennet above - it's not every day you discover you have a double...
Was the shock the realisation you're as potty as i am or that we may have some shared regional history?
Its quite heartwarming reading some of the seemingly daft things we all do and understanding that one is not alone in the journey to eccentric dotage.
I don't care if it is wrong, i'm still going to let my engine warm up, and i lay the blame squarely on the Cheshire water company.
|
|
|
|
|
>I can't drive away in the morning till i've squeegy'd all the windows clear
Like gordonbennet, I always wipe all my windows before driving off, and not just first thing in the morning, I will do it again if it has been raining during the day. I will even do it in the rain (which does indeed provoke some stares from passers-by). I find it makes a huge difference to visibility (when moving, the air flow helps to keep them dry). It not only removes the distorting rain drops and streaks but also cleans the glass of dirt from road spray.
A 20cm window squeegee and a digital tyre pressure gauge are the two pieces of extra equipment I insist are essential in the advanced 4x4 on-road driving course I give.
|
As this is a thread examining obsessive attention to detail, I feel justified in public protest at the removal of my apostrophe in the thread title. It was never intended as a possesive indicator but as a method of abbreviating "disorders". I am prepared to listen to counter argument but will require persuasion based upon academic evidence! :-)
|
Stop worrying and twitching ;-) Acronyms are exceptions to the rule. It's OK to use an apostrophe before an s in this case. Probably because it makes it more clear that the s isn't part of the acronym.
EDIT - that is: I agree with you
Edited by Markoose on 12/04/2008 at 16:33
|
|
|
|
It was me - it indicates a possessive. I will hand down a detailed judgement once I've been out to refuel the Skoda - something I do obsessively every Saturday when I'm home :-)
|
|
Don't worry PU. I've decided I'm at peace with it. I have to remind myself that not everyone has had the benefit of a superior Scottish education. It's not your fault. I forgive you. ;-)
Edited by shoespy on 12/04/2008 at 16:46
|
I'm not sure you need an 's' for any reason - certainly not for inidicating an abbreviation, that's the beauty of the TLA - now a dot is different & could be argued for.
Since you can only have one OCD per person, there's no real call for plurals either!
My OCD-like behaviour manifests itself as a pre-drive walk-around of the car, checking for deflating or deflated tyres (and any incidental damage). This started when I noticed a flat tyre after a motorway rest stop.
|
|
Wodbines by gum you're right !
|
|
|
|
My climate control temperature is in 1 degree steps from 14 to 22 and 26 to 30, and inbetween in 0.5 degree steps.
I cannot have the climate control at x.5 degrees - it has to be a rounded (down if it's just me, up if the wife is with me).
|
Similarly, I had a car radio which could be set for volume at 0-30 numerals on the display. Couldn't bring myself to have it on 13 even though the sound was about right at that point.
Woodbines, a good, if tenuous argument but, more than one person i.e. the collective contributors to the thread could have more than one OCD, thus,"OCD's". ;-)
|
I've got another one.
I park my car right under my window so that I can check it's locked every night by unlocking and relocking it with the central locking plipper thing.
Sorry...
|
|
|
|
OCDs - You wouldn't write disorder's would you (as a plural) ?:- you'd write disorders
|
No, granted, but you might write d'orders or B'roomers.
I'll shut up now !
;-)
|
|
or t'internet - so shall I.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Can't drive away from cold till the vehicles been ticking over for several minutes
Tut tut tut!
|
|
|
|
I always waggle the gear lever to make sure it's not in gear before I start up.
Switch wipers off before switching engine off.
Always reverse into a space as opposed to driving into it, likes to start off going forward rather then starting in reverse.
|
I've started reversing onto my drive since I came to live in Cheshire and letting my engine warm up as well. Maybe there is something in the water!
Pssst Pologirl, you couldn't just slip the old punctuation mark back in while he's not looking could you? ;-)
|
"Pssst Pologirl, you couldn't just slip the old punctuation mark back in while he's not looking could you? ;-) "
All I will say is that if you need an apostrophe to indicate the abbreviation of "Disorders", then you also need them for "Obsessive" and "Compulsive". Therefore it should read O'C'D's. Since you could also argue that an abbreviation requires a full stop after it, as in etc., then how about O.'C.'D.'s?
On the whole, P.'U.' is correct - the apostrophe in OCDs is not necessary since it indicates the possessive rather than an abbrev.(')(?)
Should Pssst have an apostrophe since it is obviously an abbreviation of Pssssst?
Best wishes
Phil' (abbr of Philip)
|
|
Still 'ere.
|
I think I might have an OCD with regard to punctuation, though I suspect it might be more to do with an OCD for the red stuff.
|
|
|
Good to know that there are fellow-travellers with me who still think the apostrophe matters! Years ago my English O-level examiner possessed a glimmer of a sense of humour and asked for the following to be punctuated:
"Our Christmas turkey hadn't arrived so we ate one of our friends."
Less dramatic, if more boring with an apostrophe.
I agree with "OCDs" by the way: MPs, for example, means several Members of Parliament, whereas MP's denotes something belonging to an MP (and probably not declared....).
|
Pleased to see that there are other pedants like me around. I've been known to throw job applications in the bin because of the misuse of apostrophe's.
Edited by Xileno {P} on 12/04/2008 at 22:43
|
Me too. I have a particular hate of CVs where the applicant can't even spell 'curriculum vitae'.
Motoring connection - I did once recommend to a garage owner overwhelmed with applications for an apprenticeship that he turned down all those who spelt apprentice with one 'p'. That knocked the pile down considerably.
|
|
|
"misuse of apostrophe's"
Don't keep us in suspense - apostrophe's what??
|
I've just identified my motoring compulsions.
Fuel up on a Saturday (hate doing it in work time - feels wrong)
Let engine tick over before moving off....
Check door locks before beddie byes.
Depress clutch on start up.
Avoid Terry Wogan in the mornings.
|
|
I suspect there may be others like me who keep going back to the car to check it's locked - even though I know it is. Keyless entry wouldn't suit me, as it would unlock itself every time I went back.
|
|
|
"......depress clutch on start up"
I've always done this, much to the amusement of everyone else. I think it means you turn over just the engine and not the gearbox too or something. Does it matter that much on modern cars?
|
|
Don't know but its compulsory on the hybrid Honda we have in work. (a car I will find any excuse not to use)
|
"......depress clutch on start up" I think it means you turn over just the engine and not the gearbox too or something. Does it matter that much on modern cars?
>>
It's advised in some handbooks - less strain on the starter.
If the battery is a bit marginal, could make the difference between starting and not.
You can feel the difference when cranking when it's really cold because the gearbox oil is thicker and harder to move around.
You might notice a slightly heavier gearchange on a freezing morning for the same reason.
Also, foot on clutch means no shoving the car through the garage wall/door if it was left in gear.
All in favour of risk reduction, me.
|
|
I always push the clutch in on startup. I also have to consciously restrain myself from giving the throttle a little blip as the engine catches. It hasn't been necessary or indeed advisable to do that since the days of carburettors but it is built in to my subliminal start up procedure. Quite difficult to unlearn some things.
|
" I also have to consciously restrain myself from giving the throttle a little blip as the engine catches."
I never start my car from inside it first thing in the morning so resist this particular urge. Always open the door, lean inside, start the car and wander off to get the kids ready.
|
Dave,
I once admitted this practice here and was given a mouthful by a certain ex-moderator from Brazil !
|
BBD,
Start the car and wander off? Don't think your insurance company would be too pleased to hear that.
|
"Don't think your insurance company would be too pleased to hear that."
Gated community matey, you can't get in or out without a blipper or a key code and if you scale the walls you'll be caught on video taking a beating with bike chains from the private security patrol.
|
BBD,
Everyone inside the gate on the side of the angels are they? You sure about that?
Some kid gets in your car, smashes it into a fellow prisoner/prisoner's car.
Sure, kid is dismembered by security guards, but insurance company still won't pay.
You're right, though, my orginal post was wrong.
The insurance company will be delighted you wandered off, because it means they can refuse any claim.
Yours from the outside.
|
"Some kid gets in your car, smashes it into a fellow prisoner/prisoner's car"
Hmm I hadn't thought of that. Or what if a monkey escapes from the local zoo, takes refuge in my garden, upon seeing the open car door notices I've left a packet of opal fruits by the gear selector, jumps in and in his haste to get the bag open accidently knocks it into drive... Or what if a large bolt falls from a passing satelite, bounces off the roof, down a drain pipe and rolls out onto the tail of a sleeping cat which jumps up in alarm because it's still hot from re-entry, leaps through the open car door, knocking it into drive and spilling the opal fruits all over the floor...
Thanks to you, as from tomorrow I'm changing my routine. No more sweets in the car.
|
Dave,
You are hereby honoured with two awards.
1. The Backroom Crime Prevention Suggestion of the Year Award. (Prize ten free postings in Tech)
2. The Enema Award for the best Simpsons Storyline - (2007 Season Ticket to Knowsley Safari Park)
Edited by Pugugly on 15/04/2008 at 21:17
|
Thanks PU
I was going to celebrate with Take Away Pizza but the delivery man couldn't get in.
|
Hmm I hadn't thought of that. Or what if a monkey escapes from the local zoo takes refuge in my garden .....
SNIPQUOTE!
Sarky drivel.
If the car is unattended, someone could get in and drive it.
Simple.
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 15/04/2008 at 21:53
|
He was always a bit highly strung.
I don't like to put buttocks to leather until the heated seats have a few mins to warm up...
|
I don't like to put buttocks to leather until the heated seats have a few mins to warm up...
Have you tried driving with your trousers on?
|
Cracking thread, this. I must admit to some of the above (starting the engine with the clutch down, leaving vehicle in gear) as well as taking the fascia off my radio and putting my anti-theft bar thingy on the steering wheel every time I park. SWMBO gets very cross when I do it outside her house as she sees it as a slight on her environs. So to speak.
I also must always leave a vehicle with the steering wheel pointing straight ahead. This is because I jumped into a bus years ago that was parked close up to a wall. I failed to notice that the steering was at full lock (it's common-place for bus steering wheels not to be centred), started her up and moved off, only for the rear overhang to connect loudly with said wall. All rather embarrasing really.
Cheers.
|
Only thing that bothers is making sure the clock is absolutely spot on. This is somewhat difficult in the Honda, as it does drift alarmingly and can be as much as 2-3 seconds out by the end of the week.
On the other hand, starting a car with the clutch down is common sense, not an OCD, and everyone should do it. :)
|
Park everything outside - in gear, except the three wheeler (dog gearshift, no syncros so you won't get it out of gear to start).
In the garage or motor shed, not in gear, no handbrake.
Clutch down on everything (the new Defender's handbook actually says this).
Oh, and timing arrival at roundabouts so as not to need to stop. Good for your overall looking ahead, and a serious hoot when you can zip past a queue in either the Landrover, or in the three wheeler, neither of which are supposed to be fast cars.
|
|
i have no idea why i started doing this, i have only been doing it since i got my new car but i park next to a wall most days and when i get out i always look to see the gap between the wall and the car. The thing is i have already parked up and turned the engine off etc etc and got out and locked the car without hitting the wall so why on earth do i need to check the gap. Dont worry though i have had a serious word with myself about it
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
