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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To believe that 'feeding the wheel' is actually dangerous, a waste of time etc...

139 replies

Feminine · 13/09/2012 09:19

I hold a driving licence from abroad, so does my DH. We are allowed to drive on it for one year , then we must sit the entire UK test again...

I've been driving for 7 years and him since 1977!

As we know the UK is obsessed with this feeding the wheel crap, we have been practicing.

It actually makes things more dangerous, stopping the car from doing what it does naturally.

I am not suggesting that crossing your hands is great, we don't do that...but not letting the wheel run through ones hands is, (imo) plan daft.

Worrying really, as its a fail here isn't it?

OP posts:

Peetle · 13/09/2012 12:04

If you don't like "feeding the wheel" through both hands, try just using the palm of one hand to rotate it. I bet your instructor will be impressed, or as least think you learned in a white van.

Original poster

Feminine · 13/09/2012 12:04

Well all the rest of your post was silly then.

I don't care you knew the traffic light sequence at 8 or whatever You had the nerve to tell me the driving conditions I have driven in were not important.

because I had "driven on ice" did you read that back? driving in icy conditions is very, very difficult. I didn't need to feed the wheel.

Anyway after watching bus drivers in London for 30 odd years, I don't think the 'training' the bus drivers get is all that.

~ sorry and all that!

OP posts:

Original poster

Feminine · 13/09/2012 12:05

peetle

OP posts:

LRDtheFeministDragon · 13/09/2012 12:08

fem, you do know you're not going to be driving in the US, when you're in the UK? So why is it relevant? We do have ice and snow over here. You may be a brilliant driver in the US, but learning to drive the UK way isn't going to do you a massive amount of harm, just grit your teeth, learn it, do the test, and see how you get on.

What do you want people to say? 'Oh, my god, yes, now you've insulted my country and implied we're all crap drivers, I totally agree!'

Brits are reputedly self deprecating, but perhaps not quite that self deprecating!

autumnlights12 · 13/09/2012 12:08

I was taught how to feed the wheel and it's definitely the safest way to use the steering wheel. When I've tried the other way, it feels very unsafe. You have less control of the car the other way, regardless of having your feet on the pedals or not. Who wouldn't want to use the best, safest method? No wonder car accident stats are so depressingly high.

Kayano · 13/09/2012 12:09

It just astounds me the bad practices people do. The thing is your diving where you have is irrelevant. It doesn't matter a jot

Feeding the wheel isn't dangerous. I just think its lazy not to do it. You aren't going to get to your destination any quicker regardless
Of the conditions by not doing it.

Kayano · 13/09/2012 12:10

London bus drivers are considerably worse than in other uk areas from my experience. One made me cry and I was about to write to Boris about it lol

autumnlights12 · 13/09/2012 12:13

bus drivers can ve very scary. I was on a bus in Oxford once when the bus I was in took off the rear bumper of a car. And he carried on driving. It was only the actions of the people on the bus, who all jumped up and asked him why he hadn't stopped to pass on his details, that prompted him to do the right thing.

drjohnsonscat · 13/09/2012 12:19

Agree that London bus drivers are not great.

but feeding the wheel is best practice whether you like it or not.

Why not try it for 25 years like me and then you'll become an awesome driver

spoonsspoonsspoons · 13/09/2012 12:20

I learnt to drive in the midwest, i've driven there in winter. It doesn't change the fact that the driving test i did over there and the one i did over here are not in anyway comparable

Original poster

Feminine · 13/09/2012 12:34

LRD I'm a Brit

My point spoon, was that I managed to drive in some pretty dangerous conditions despite not feeding the wheel.

I totally get that the tests are different, hence my post. :)

OP posts:

Tee2072 · 13/09/2012 12:58

IsIt I personally used to commute about 60 miles, one way, every day for work. It was all super highway, but never very fast thanks to San Francisco Bay Area traffic.

So that's 120 a day, 600 miles a week on just my commute. Never mind what I might do on the weekends.

And that's very common around the US, to do hundreds of miles a day of driving.

valiumredhead · 13/09/2012 13:05

I have just been out to the shop in the car. I tried not to feed the wheel and just let it spin albeit slowly, flipping 'eck it felt really unsafe!

Tee2072 · 13/09/2012 13:08

I really think it comes down to what you are used to doing. Or so I would imagine, as I've never driven in the UK. I'm hoping to take some lessons after the first of the year, although I may never buy a car.

valiumredhead · 13/09/2012 13:08

But you would have to be used to the car ring out of control!

valiumredhead · 13/09/2012 13:09

being not ring - stupid keyboard!

Tee2072 · 13/09/2012 13:10

But it's never been, or felt, out of control to me or, I presume, Fem.

Because it's not actually out of control. My hands never leave the wheel. I also never drive with one hand, which I've seen my British FIL do a lot and I don't just mean when he's shifting gears!

Tee2072 · 13/09/2012 13:11

I think we need to agree to disagree on this one.

I'm out anyway as I'm actually feeling horrid and need to take advantage of my husband being home to go have a lie down!

Good luck with your test Fem!

valiumredhead · 13/09/2012 13:11

Oh yeah,really makes me nervous when people drive with one hand on the gear stick and one on the wheel! I knew someone who did that!

spoonsspoonsspoons · 13/09/2012 13:12

My driving instructor used to make me drive with one hand

valiumredhead · 13/09/2012 13:12

Hope you feel better after a lie down Tee

valiumredhead · 13/09/2012 13:13

Mine used to cover up the rear view mirror so I just had to use side mirrors!

WowOoo · 13/09/2012 13:15

Yes, old habits die hard.

I tried doing this when I had a newly passed driver as a passenger.
For me, it was hard. I see the logic in why it is safer and I do it to a certain extent. But on all manouvers...tricky. How she laughed at me!

I sympathise with you Op. You will re-learn, it's just one thing you need to sort out! Good luck with test.

NeverKnowinglyUnderstood · 13/09/2012 13:22

i have been driving for 20 years, I feed the wheel and have my hands and 10-2 most of the time.
having just had a driving holiday in the US I can see that driving there would be very different if the standard of driving required to pass your test were higher.

Kayano · 13/09/2012 13:27

Oh no but your opinion won't count if you haven't driven in the Midwest

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