Top Tips for City Driving


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There's a lot you can do, though, to make urban driving easier, both when choosing a car and while out on the road. Here are some tips that will make nasty drives into the city less stressful and more enjoyable.


Get a car that fits: Whether you find street parking is often a direct function of your car's size. Even the paid parking lots seem to have spaces only for "compact" cars. If you do a lot of city driving, having a smaller car — in width as well as length — will not only make parking easier but will help prevent dings, dents and scrapes. You can research a car's exterior dimensions on the "Reviews and Specs" tab in our New Cars section .

Think carefully about manual vs. automatic: Manual-transmission cars are fun, less expensive and often more fuel-efficient, but driving them in stop-and-go traffic can make driving stressful and tiring, particularly in hilly cities like San Francisco. So weigh the trade-offs between the two transmissions if you know you'll be in town frequently.

Look for parking assist technology. No one likes the sound of a truck in reverse ("beep, beep, beep"), but the electronic chime of parking assist will help you squeeze into small spaces with less trouble. (It may also prevent you from running into a person or object behind you.)

Drive with mileage in mind. Don't speed up just to slow down. If you lean on the accelerator when the light turns green, then again on the brake one street down, you're hurting both your car and your gas mileage. Instead, go lightly on the accelerator and coast where possible. If you're bumper-to-bumper, improve your fuel economy by slipping the car into neutral instead of constantly riding the brake.

Pick a lane and stick to it. Believe it or not, changing lanes frequently will get you there only a few seconds earlier, while greatly increasing your chance of a collision.

Remember to replace your cabin's air filter. City driving means smog and soot. Your air filter protects you and your occupants from breathing the worst of the fumes and the particulates they carry.

Make your car crime-resistant. Take it from an ex-Manhattanite: You can't be too careful. Try to park in an area that's well lit and has a lot of pedestrians nearby. Don't leave valuables — including gym or shopping bags — visible in the car. And more importantly, be proactive in securing your car by layering it with anti-theft protection like a starter disable switch, a wheel lock and a car alarm.

Approach with caution. Driving is made exponentially more difficult if you're new to a city. Locals know which roads to avoid, but strangers do not. It pays to check ahead of time to see if construction has turned your chosen path into a virtual parking lot. If your exit sneaks up on you and you're not in the correct lane, don't try to cross several lanes of highway traffic to make it. Let it go. Then get off at the next exit and work your way back if necessary.

Use navigational aids. Good navigational aids are useful at any time, but particularly if you're traveling to a new city (or an unfamiliar part of it). There is a guide for every budget.
 
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Very informative RSM though i cant change the car now these tips can be really useful in improving the mileage of my car and maintenance!!


BTW one doubt sorry for going off-topic:

While driving when i see a signal turning to red far away and am moving at a speed of say 50kmph i engage the gear to neutral immediately and gradually stop my car from the free run. Is it good driving practice?? Any harms??
 
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Nice Article for Beginners RSM. Keep the info pouring [thumbsup]

While driving when i see a signal turning to red far away and am moving at a speed of say 50kmph i engage the gear to neutral immediately and gradually stop my car from the free run. Is it good driving practice?? Any harms??
There is no harm in doing this Buddy!

Make sure you dont press accelerator [in Neutral] at high speeds which tends to touch the Red lines of your tacho !
 
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While driving when i see a signal turning to red far away and am moving at a speed of say 50kmph i engage the gear to neutral immediately and gradually stop my car from the free run. Is it good driving practice?? Any harms??
This kind of practice is really wrong.Why do you do it ? Whats the use ? Never press your clutch or change to neutral when in motion,down slopes,etc.

Technically there is no harm doing it but then technically neutral was never provided to do such stuff.

The car is always in control when in gears rather than neutral.

(My personal view)
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Nice tip's RSM
 
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This kind of practice is really wrong.Why do you do it ? Whats the use ? Never press your clutch or change to neutral when in motion,down slopes,etc.

Technically there is no harm doing it but then technically neutral was never provided to do such stuff.

The car is always in control when in gears rather than neutral.
Well i see , Thanks for the info then!! I will try to change my practice!!
 
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Actually Neil is right, specially in down hill.
For normal traffic, you can a call based on your situation.

One more point, always keep a safe distance from front vehicle. Sometimes its irritating as some taxi or other maniac will try to squeeze in, but this should be practice. It will help to have less brakes and it gives sufficient time to react in case of emergency. I personally always keep very safe distance.
 
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Tailgating is best avoided. It requires frequent use of brakes, unnecessary acceleration(to compensate frequent braking), Poor visibility(you should be able to see the traffic ahead, not only the car).
 
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I have two queries viz (1) is it necessary to get pollution certificate for BSIV vehicles? (2) shall take off my foot from accelerator while changing gears?
 
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1. You need a new PUC taken for every six months here in Bangalore. Need to check for Kolkatta.
2. Yes we need to take off our foot from gas pedal while changing gears, unless you need a quick acceleration on a slope or something. 99% stay away from gas while while you press the clutch.

Experts please correct me, if I'm wrong.
 
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I have two queries viz (1) is it necessary to get pollution certificate for BSIV vehicles? (2) shall take off my foot from accelerator while changing gears?

1)Yes you need to get pollution certificate at every 6 months interval after 1 year purchasing of your car.

Yes, you need to take off your foot from accelarator while changing gear or else, the car sound will be higher mean car will rev freely without in gear.I am assuming that, clutch is fully depressed while changing gear.When you depress the clutch, the engine become free from gear i.e car will be neutral. If this time accelerator also depressed, then car engine will make more noise. As when you accelerate the car when it is in neutral.
 
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Nice Thread, did not see this earlier.

Tip :

Always rotate your eyes between 3 mirrors R-ORVM, L-ORVM, and IRVM. Doing so you can keep a check on vehicles at both sides and back.
 
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1)Yes you need to get pollution certificate at every 6 months interval after 1 year purchasing of your car.

Yes, you need to take off your foot from accelarator while changing gear or else, the car sound will be higher mean car will rev freely without in gear.I am assuming that, clutch is fully depressed while changing gear.When you depress the clutch, the engine become free from gear i.e car will be neutral. If this time accelerator also depressed, then car engine will make more noise. As when you accelerate the car when it is in neutral.
Thanks for your advice. I am taught at school to apply gear in the following manner--0-10km-1st,11-20km-2nd,21-30km-3rd,31-40km-4th,40km above-5th. The problem is at low speed ( 10-20 km) whenever I remove my foot from accelerator speed goes down.
 

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