2 additions to this: 1) I have read that you should be able to rest your wrist on top of the steering whee without stretching to far. 2) you should be able to press the pedals (specifically clutch and brake) all the way to the floor with a bend in your knee, reasoning being that in an accident you won’t lock you knee and crush your leg into your hip.
2) also because it's a lot of work to do the pedals with a fully stretched leg, do leg workout at home or in the gym but not in your car, I've had a wobbly left leg before and it doesn't make using the clutch any easier
I like to set the mirrors his so I see a sliver of my car, so I can judge relative distance a little easier. My DD has little blind spot mirrors in the corner of the main mirror...I love that.
One trick/suggestion though that I make is to lean and adjust. It's OK to move your head, so for example move your head as close to the drivers window as would be comfortable while driving then adjust the drivers side mirror to just barely see the side of the vehicle. This way when you need to see down the side edge, backing or something you lean in, but with a straight head you have a wider view.
Dude, I've been driving for a little over 9 years now and I have still learned so much from your videos! love them. keep the good work and content coming.
12:30 I'm a trucker and do not recommend leaning back for long distance driving. It's harder on your back and you are more prone to falling asleep. Your head is heavy and back built to hold you upright. When leaned back often your hips are rotated forward, most seats tend to arch your upper back, and you'll have to hold your head up with is part of the arching. It's MUCH better to sit up straight, hips rotated back, spine straight, etc. Ideally the seat back should not be doing much. 9-3 Ehhh, you ignore hand issues. With your wide turning when you turn that 180deg or more you're then stuck in a horrible position. If you have to turn further you're F'd and with all the pressure on your thumbs if you hit something you're going to break them. I'm much more in favor of 8-4 not only is it much more comfortable for most driving it's a MUCH better position to be in when having to react. Your arm is very good at applying fast force across the body, think a punch. When 8-4 a fast turn simply means punching with the correct hand, the other hand let's go and then starts a one hand over the other turn. Automatic shifter, the biggest reason to not rest a hand on an automatic shifter is accidental shifting. All autos I'm aware of will go somewhere without a strong detent or button push. Most will go into neutral, some will go to sport/autostick, etc. Ya don't want to find yourself suddenly in a situation where you just got hit, bumped it out of gear, etc. Very much agree on mirrors, one trick/suggestion though that I make is to lean and adjust. It's OK to move your head, so for example move your head as close to the drivers window as would be comfortable while driving then adjust the drivers side mirror to just barely see the side of the vehicle. This way when you need to see down the side edge, backing or something you lean in, but with a straight head you have a wider view.
Ergonomics: fitting the environment to the person, not the person to the environment. Great video because you define the ‘why’ for everything clearly. Also, for long trips, if you’re getting fatigued, please consider pulling off the road and taking a stretch break.
Sending this to my brother immediately. I have been echoing these methods to him for years. He is adamant that keeping just one hand at the 12 o'clock position and one hand on the gear selector in his CVT Subaru is best because he is "more comfortable."
thats perfectly fine nobody cares about that what much more important is that he doesnt go into risky situations with a relaxed mind everyone likes to put their hand on the 12 and wear sunglasses with semi loud music but he probably isnt dumb and knows how to handle his car
Done thank you for the video Hands on steering wheel at 3,9 position for maximum turning ability Make sure your hands don’t block your legs moving from throttle to brake Make rear view mirror and side view mirror not overlap, rear view should be pointed to lane behind you, and side view should continue from where the back one cut off
Completely agree on the truths been spoken in this video. Many people 'lean-back, whilst driving completely messing their peripheral vision. This usually ends in T-bone, fender benders and rear-end collisions. This message should be widespread..
I took my driver license almost 5 years ago and I learned all of those things the hard way, thru many long driving sessions. I am quite happy to see that some people make these kind of qualitative videos. I wish I watched this video around the time I took my driver license. Keep up the good work Casey and stay safe on the road guys!
I’m more 50. Have been driving semi for almost 30 years. Best sport car with semi seating position, is a fiat 500 Barth. Very European upright feel, but amazingly well positioned car! Flat bottom wheel, and all. :). Love the video, and very good information, clearly from lots of experience :)
I enjoyed watching this video. I often hear my brother complain to me because I don't have my arms fully stretched out while holding it on a 1:50 position. He complains because I sit too straight... but based on what I heard here, I am actually sitting in my chair with the safest settings
hey you should mention in the next video like this that 10-2 hand position is dangerous in modern vehicles because if the airbag goes off your hands are blown into the ceiling, often breaking every bone in them. My driving instructor taught us that back when I was learning and I never forgot it haha. Your videos are great dude! edit: ope I commented a little early you did mention it!
Your every day tips should really be covered better in drivers ed classes. Even for people that have been driving for decades and have developed some bad habits can truly benefit from these tips. My often drive my wife's car and she is 5'-1" and I'm 6'-0" we are constantly readjusting the driving positions. I have explained to her some of the limitations and possible dangers of sitting to close. I truly enjoy these series.
The way i adjust the mirrors as you described ... is I lean my head against the left window and move the mirror out until I can just barely see the back of my car. then I lean to put my head in the middle by the rearview mirror and adjust the right side the same way. and you are correct it is wonderful, you can see everything just by glancing ... I could never go back to the old way.
I think one good tactic to adjusting your seating position is to do your legs first, since they are only controlled by one setting (your seat position). So set that first, and then use the back rest and steering wheel adjustment to set your hands to the correct position. Also, making sure that your legs aren't straight when cluthing or braking can help save your legs in an accident. If you hit something with your leg out straight (locked), the moment you start sliding or the car starts to crumble your knee will snap the wrong way around
I was never taughy about that seat and pedal positioning where my left leg shouldn't lock when I engage my clutch. Definitely going to adjust my seating now. Still so much more to learn about driving, I love it!
that tip he talked about in 20:30 is the best Advice i heard in a long time.I used to always think about if i should think before shuffling .and he showed how much Important it is👏👏
Glad to know I'm not alone in changing seating position for driving style. Most folks I know set and forget their seats but I adjust often to get just right for what I'm doing. I am leg length challenged though with only a 30 inch inseam so typically when I get the steering wheel perfect I have more clutch reach than I like.
Good basic driving tips from Casey, especially with respect to side mirror adjustments. Basically when driving down the road with a car approaching from the rear in an adjacent lane, its image should move into your side mirror as it is disappearing off the rearview mirror. One aspect of seat adjustment in 3-pedal cars that I think Casey might have mentioned is to consider the reach to the farthest gate on the shifter. I like to be able to engage 5th, which is the longest reach in my 6-speed box without having to lean forward in the seat, and this adds an additional consideration to seat adjustment. I always shoot for the best compromise between, steering, pedals, and shifter, but it's always a compromise.
Very good tips. I would add that an arm at 12:00 has an additional problem....the air bag. Should the air bag deploy, your arm becomes a weapon that hits you in the head and breaks. Also another reason why 9-3 is better than 10-2.
Been through a lot of channels, this is one of the most informative and detailed videos good job man you put alot of effort and time really put down all the aesthetics of a car and how to properly operate safely we need more people to see this video and drive like this. Thank you again for taking the time to make the video and I will be looking out for more I won’t explain my background, but I’m mechanically inclined, and respect the content that you put out because it is useful and not just a truth. It’s a fact.
Talking about pedal position, I drive a 2013 subaru wrx and the pedals are in really awkward spots. The clutch has really far travel and the bite point is right near the bottom, the brake pedal is sat higher at rest than the throttle so i can't heel toe easily without slamming on the brakes unintentionally, and the throttle pedal is further down and also dead for about an inch and then really really sensitive for about half an inch then normal for the rest of the travel. It makes it very awkward to drive since I either have to hover my right foot uncomfortably over the brake and throttle and comfortably push in the clutch, or have to strain and reach for the clutch but comfortably hit the brake and throttle. The other issue is that there is barely any leg room height wise so moving too close actually causes me to bang my knees against the steering column which is annoying and makes it even more difficult to comfortably use all the pedals.
Although I'm confident in my driving abilities there is always room for improvement. I'm looking into getting a hellcat so I want to make sure I learn as much from many people as possible. Thank you for sharing 🥰
"Huskier" haha. Good and thorough explaination. Speaking of seat-back positioning, I have been driving the same car for almost 20 years. When I bought it, I was in my 20s and leaned way back, mostly because I thought it looked cool and sporty. Now in my 40s, I care less about appearances and have gravitated to a more upright position as it allows me a shorter reach to the steering wheel and more foot/knee/legroom without which, advanced shifting and braking techniques are cramped and awkward. It wasn't until I tried left foot braking and heel-and-toe shifting that I realized that my position wasn't optimal. Car: Bugeye Subaru Body Type: 6'4" tall, average leg-torso ratio
I adjust the rear view mirror so it's just past my head (then adjust side mirrors as you suggested) and if the arm has pivots I try to have it look as far behind my head and out the rear window as possible, resulting with no blind spots. With these adjustments, theoretically I only need to look over my shoulder while on roads of three or more lanes (past my mirrors viewing angle), though I have a tendency to look anyway. ;-)
Can't remember where i heard this but is a simple fact. If you hold your hands above you're heart level doing something. You're hands gonna get tired much faster because of gravity, because your heart has to litteraly work harded to pump blood into your muscles. This is why, with no disrespect, i always thought those harley davidson style of bikes with those high up handle bars are just stupid... As i said, no disrespect but always seemed stupid to me to ride a bike like that, maybe there is a secret to it wich i don't know. Position of 9 and 3 on the steering it makes sense, because you're holding the steering bascly from the horizontal like of the center of the steering axle, you get a much more controlable feel when you're turning it. I do drive one hand sometimes, i put my hand under when doing tight turns, even though my car has an airbag. But most of the times i just use one hand and the palm of my hand. I've done this so many times i am confident my hand won't slip and i am only doing it when i want to turn the car 180, at a very low speed, even if my hand slips at that speed i have time to corect. But hardest thing, and the most stupid thing is that on some new cars this won't work is when you learn to let's say after you entered a curve, you steered, now you gotta hold, somtimes adjust my hands back to curent 9 to 3 a clock on the steering, beause is much more confortable and controlable in a curve, and when exititing the curve, i just simply let the steering wheel gently slip in my hands and straight its self back, the car naturaly goes with the road. In racing this is probably not what you want, in drifting this is a must if you wanna controll your car. But in daily street driving, once you get comfortable with your car doing this, is so much easier to take turns especially 90 or 180 turns.
First move the seat until you can push the clutch comfortable as you described, then move the wheel (if you can) and adjust the seat until you can resting your wrist at 12 o'clock on the wheel, but make sure you have perfect pedal control. If both done adjust the mirrors. Pedals are more important, so sacrifice little wheel control if necessary.
Uhhhh I miss my 944, it saved me from a collision with a blown up truck tire on the highway around 80mph, I wasn't paying attention and my friend in the passenger seat got me to look up and I saw the tire maybe 50 ft away, the cars handling was able to get me around the tire an right back in my lane like it was nothing, my friend following behind me in his volvo s40 ran right over the tire and it damaged his car pretty bad.
Good tips as usual! I only disagree about side mirror adjustment, having a little bit of your car in the mirror as a point of reference, can help you a lot when parallel parking, reversing, or assessing the space from the solid line, curb or parked cars, besides, you should always check your blind spot by looking over your shoulder anyway. Although, that might be a bit different in US with wider roads, but for most European roads, it's not the case.
9-3 around town, longer trips on the interstate I do 10-2 for part of the time and one at around 10 to 11 part of the time. I have used the lower holds as well for long trips. As you said, just 9-3 for the whole trip causes a tighter grip which leads to exhausting yourself.
I'm much more in favor of 8-4 not only is it much more comfortable for most driving it's a MUCH better position to be in when having to react. Your arm is very good at applying fast force across the body, think a punch. When 8-4 a fast turn simply means punching with the correct hand, the other hand let's go and then starts a one hand over the other turn.
I'm pretty happy that here the obligatory driving school teaches all of these things. So nothing new learned, but can be rather delighted knowing we got the good stuff going. You also might wanna consider that in case of accident, fully extended and locked limbs you're gonna have some bad experiences. You actually have really, really good comparison examples. The music and visual art ones are easy to understand and make me think you know a thing or two about those subjects not just on the surface.
I actually put my seat angle quite far back as I find it helps negate the G force when cornering. Hoping to get a bucket seat so I can return to a more sensible position however, it is an easy quick solution (it doesn't work as well as a bucket seat but it helps a lot)
There are other ways to solve the problem that don’t increase your likelihood of injury in a crash. Idk how reclined you’re talking, but in frontal collisions you can slide under the belts and crush your legs if you’re reclined quite far. Idk if these are good ideas but you can splay out your legs to brace against the door or the centre console when turning. You can also pin your back to your seat by pushing forward against the steering wheel.
Not many pointers, but you have explained why i do/have learnt somethings naturaly. Personally i've found it best to adjust the side mirrors so that you can see the rear door handles and a mm or 2 of the cars body (bit more if it's a 2/3 door vehicle). I do a most of my driving in the city so yeah. Would be great to learn how people adjust their mirrors for highway driving. Cheers.
One trick/suggestion though that I make is to lean and adjust. It's OK to move your head, so for example move your head as close to the drivers window as would be comfortable while driving then adjust the drivers side mirror to just barely see the side of the vehicle. This way when you need to see down the side edge, backing or something you lean in, but with a straight head you have a wider view.
I thought I’d add to your comment on how older cars are really small. I have a 47’ International pickup, and anyone over 5’11” literally can’t fit in it. And I mean that their legs hit the dash. I even have bucket seats in it that are thinner than the original bench! I’m 5’6”, and when the seats have almost no recline and are touching the back of the cab, I fit in it perfectly! People were just smaller back then I guess.
Just came across this video, and being some always looking to improve upon knowledge and skills, this is bar far the best information I have found for setting up driving position. Thank you! 😎
I personally like to be upright, have a 360 view, pedals within reach but not full extension, and wheel at less than full arms length. Also the steering wheel height has the top of the wheel at or near the top of the dashboard.
Subie does 9 and 3 steering wheels. I prefer being at 8 and 4. On a Subie all the buttons are at 9 and 3, I usually hold the wheel beneath that and reach for the dash buttons.
14:50 - I'd say a better strategy for being able to execute evasive maneuvers is to not be so tuned out of the world around you that you don't have time to put your other hand on the wheel. I'm sure there are some out there, but I've never seen dashcam video of someone getting into that much trouble with so little notice. There are almost always pre-wreck indicators to clue you in that it's time to put both hands on the wheel.
Great video, I love seeing videos with driving tips. It's hard to find driving techniques videos because most people rather create something flashy that baits views. I'd appreciate more videos like this.
Thanks for mentioning seating position, I’ve been driving my civic hatchback sport manual everyday since I got it about a year ago and I still am not sure about my seat position
I have my side mirrors adjusted to see my blind spot. You shouldn’t see your vehicle in your side mirrors! Helps when I’m stiff and unable to fully twist to shoulder check.
When I learnt how to drive, the guy that taught me (he was German) told me that it's a good thing to sit as upright as I can comfortably drive to get better visibility, which according to him is safer. He said it's the way they do it in Germany, do most German guys do that?
Addendum to the side mirrors, they should also be pointed up so that you can see further down the road. I have seen people with them pointed down the car and towards the ground.
An airbag deploying in the middle of a turn during city driving is so exceedingly rare that basing your hand position or steering method around it would make little sense. You do get a greater range when steering around an obstacle with the 9-3 position, which is why it is preferred for highway driving and racing. The 10-2 position, however, is more precise and efficient in city driving, since speeds are low relative the highway and corners are most often 90º
I am guilty of two pretty bad things.. resting foot on clutch and hand on shifter, getting better last few years but when I was a kid, burnt clutches all the time 😑
On a manual tranny, I often keep my hand on the shifter until up to speed...or during a cornering transition. The transitions happen so fast that it seems like a huge hassle to keep moving the right hand back and forth. I think there's a real problem if you can't drive well with one hand, in a manual tranny car. When cornering properly in a manual tranny car, you have to do virtually all of the turn with only one hand on the wheel. Power steering makes it easy. I have a little car and pulled off the power steering pump...and I like the feeling of a stiff wheel. Might not work for someone who is weaker, though...although it also protects from someone unknowingly jolting their steering wheel to one side or another.
If you sit with your shoulders against the backsupport of the seat and you can extend your arm straight while resting your wrist on top of the wheel, that's a good distance to the wheel. At least, that's the 'rule' I use.
I tried to sit in a Ford Model T pickup, and my legs BARELY fit under thr steering wheel. It's a 1919-1925 year model, so the seat's on top of the gas tank. If I buy a Model T, I'm moving the gas tank to the rear so I can make the cab bigger so the seat is more comfortable.
I agree with everything you said, however the mirrors on my car physically will not go our that far so I got fisheye spotter mirrors that cover the blindspots perfectly!
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 🚗 Introduction to driving tips - The video introduces five essential driving tips for both racing and street car drivers. - These tips focus on improving driving skills, safety, and comfort. 01:13 🚦 Seating Position - The importance of finding the right seating position for efficient and comfortable driving. - Factors to consider include reaching the steering wheel, pedals, and visibility. 05:13 🚗 Steering Wheel Position - Emphasis on the ideal hand position on the steering wheel, which is 9-3. - Explains why this position offers better control and maneuverability. 08:58 🏎️ Shifter and Resting Hands - The importance of not resting your hand on the shifter, especially in manual transmission cars. - How resting your hand on the shifter can lead to transmission wear and decreased control. 11:58 🛣️ Adjusting Seat Back - Discusses the benefits of adjusting the seat backrest for different driving situations. - Explains how a slightly reclined position can reduce fatigue during long-distance driving. 17:33 🚗 Proper Driving Position - Avoid resting your hand on the shifter to prevent wear and tear on transmission parts. - The same applies to automatic transmission; there's no need to hold onto the shifter. - Maintain a comfortable and safe hand position on the steering wheel. 18:15 🚗 Pedal Control Tips - Proper pedal control is essential for safe driving. - Avoid sitting too close to the pedals, as it can hinder control and safety. - Keep your heels on the ground for better pedal control and precision. 22:04 🚗 Adjusting Mirrors for Safety - Properly adjust your side view mirrors to eliminate blind spots. - Overlapping visibility between the rearview and side mirrors is not ideal; adjust them to maximize your field of vision. - Adjusting mirrors correctly can significantly enhance your overall visibility and safety while driving. Made with HARPA AI
How do you get out of your car when you’re knees are so past your steering wheel? My seating, the steering wheel lines up with right above my knee joint.
I have a 2004 VW Polo where the dead pedal is a little too near so my leg is bent and it is a lil uncomfortable
5 หลายเดือนก่อน
Yo, quick question: do you have superhuman strength or something or is your car just super loose on the steering rack? Cause for my Polo, dry steering on a dead car needs a lot of force.
well, it looks like collectors are not inflating the Foxbody prices, 20k for a good one, a Cobra is 69k, maybe I'm not looking in the right places but even the 1st gen Miata is like 8k now
Hey pal how are you I've got question for you Do you drive with your both hands on the steering wheel in real life ? Because when I do I feel like I am handcuffed to steering wheel
Theres so much more costs to racing than the car bro. Find the cheepest class thats being driven remotely close to where you live and start off there. A season can easily cost you personally upwards of 50k a year and that is without accidents for any serious racing class. Stuff like rallycross, bangers, possibly hillclimb depending on where you live are much more accecible than circuit racing.
On the topic of steering technique, do you have an opinion on the "push" vs "pull" with respect to where your effort to turn the wheel comes from? (e.g. left turn = either pushing up with your right arm, or pulling down with left arm, obviously with some interplay). I won't lead an answer, but this was a topic among some national-level autocrossers I overheard years ago at this point.
Casey, btw, Corvette C8 steering wheel that you hate so much is actually more clever than you were thinking and it steers right at 9-3 like it supposed to even tho it looks like it shouldn't, they moved the rotation axis off the center hub upwards, so there would be room for a buttons down below and still gave vision of gauge screen. You need to test drive it and see for yourself. Don't get your false assumptions ruin great car for you.
Interesting, my wheel has many of the same issues he complained about on the C8 wheel. It's also off center, the pivot point is about 1/2 low of center so when straight the wheel is about 1" higher than when upside down. I'm not really a 9-3 advocate like Casey is though, I prefer more of an 8-4. However my wheels buttons and paddles are setup for a 9:30-2:30 position, however if I could extend the shift paddles down 8-4 could work better. IDK, thinking out loud I guess, just not sure what the thinking was when designed or if I like the off center thing or not.
Hi Casey, I just got my first manual (2014 Mustang) and your videos have been a game-changer. Thank you! And this one, oh boy changed my driving experience completely for the better! Thank you for all the work you put out here, or really helps a lot. Take care!
i recently drove a mitsubishi it was the worst experience ever for me cause the gas pedal was too close and made my right leg hit the steering wheel ever so slightly but the clutch pedal went so far that i almost had a straight leg so if i had the clutch down and my other leg on the gas pedal i would have a almost fully extended left leg and my right leg has over 90 degree bend on my knee
I know a bloke who had a car restored then had to sell it as he was to short and fat to drive it. Couldn't clear the steering wheel and reach the pedals at the same time 50s yankee ford.
2 additions to this:
1) I have read that you should be able to rest your wrist on top of the steering whee without stretching to far.
2) you should be able to press the pedals (specifically clutch and brake) all the way to the floor with a bend in your knee, reasoning being that in an accident you won’t lock you knee and crush your leg into your hip.
2) also because it's a lot of work to do the pedals with a fully stretched leg, do leg workout at home or in the gym but not in your car, I've had a wobbly left leg before and it doesn't make using the clutch any easier
@@Killbayne go to gym in leg press machine and practice pedals with only one foot🤣🤣🤣
You should try to collab with donut media maybe a bumper to bumper on the omega car
Or a B2B on the bat mobile. I mean that is such a unique build.
Or the King Zero when it is done
We're going bumper to bumper, rear scoop to wheel fairing on the Casey Putsch, OMEGA CARRR!
James: ⚡️LIGHTNING⚡️LIGHTNING⚡️ LIGHTNING⚡️
Casey: •_•
I like to set the mirrors his so I see a sliver of my car, so I can judge relative distance a little easier. My DD has little blind spot mirrors in the corner of the main mirror...I love that.
One trick/suggestion though that I make is to lean and adjust. It's OK to move your head, so for example move your head as close to the drivers window as would be comfortable while driving then adjust the drivers side mirror to just barely see the side of the vehicle. This way when you need to see down the side edge, backing or something you lean in, but with a straight head you have a wider view.
I really really reeally can't stress enough how relaxing and enjoyable it is to watch you and hear your voice and thoughts
Creeper vibes... 🤨
Dude, I've been driving for a little over 9 years now and I have still learned so much from your videos! love them. keep the good work and content coming.
12:30 I'm a trucker and do not recommend leaning back for long distance driving. It's harder on your back and you are more prone to falling asleep. Your head is heavy and back built to hold you upright. When leaned back often your hips are rotated forward, most seats tend to arch your upper back, and you'll have to hold your head up with is part of the arching. It's MUCH better to sit up straight, hips rotated back, spine straight, etc. Ideally the seat back should not be doing much.
9-3 Ehhh, you ignore hand issues. With your wide turning when you turn that 180deg or more you're then stuck in a horrible position. If you have to turn further you're F'd and with all the pressure on your thumbs if you hit something you're going to break them. I'm much more in favor of 8-4 not only is it much more comfortable for most driving it's a MUCH better position to be in when having to react. Your arm is very good at applying fast force across the body, think a punch. When 8-4 a fast turn simply means punching with the correct hand, the other hand let's go and then starts a one hand over the other turn.
Automatic shifter, the biggest reason to not rest a hand on an automatic shifter is accidental shifting. All autos I'm aware of will go somewhere without a strong detent or button push. Most will go into neutral, some will go to sport/autostick, etc. Ya don't want to find yourself suddenly in a situation where you just got hit, bumped it out of gear, etc.
Very much agree on mirrors, one trick/suggestion though that I make is to lean and adjust. It's OK to move your head, so for example move your head as close to the drivers window as would be comfortable while driving then adjust the drivers side mirror to just barely see the side of the vehicle. This way when you need to see down the side edge, backing or something you lean in, but with a straight head you have a wider view.
You know he is talking about the c8 steering wheel lol
he's actually wrong because it steers at 9-3 perfectly. It may look like it's not but it is.
Im learning to drive and i found you're Videos last week. They're honestly such a great help! I want to drive rally cars one day 😍
Me too kid, me too
@@tylermckey8253 yeahh, if i dont get that theres always motorcross in the UK which looks like great fun
@@leumaS_FXoh it is great fun
Ergonomics: fitting the environment to the person, not the person to the environment. Great video because you define the ‘why’ for everything clearly.
Also, for long trips, if you’re getting fatigued, please consider pulling off the road and taking a stretch break.
Sending this to my brother immediately. I have been echoing these methods to him for years. He is adamant that keeping just one hand at the 12 o'clock position and one hand on the gear selector in his CVT Subaru is best because he is "more comfortable."
thats perfectly fine nobody cares about that what much more important is that he doesnt go into risky situations with a relaxed mind everyone likes to put their hand on the 12 and wear sunglasses with semi loud music but he probably isnt dumb and knows how to handle his car
@balisage you should also eco "CVT is garbage" lol.
You don't rest your hand on the gear shift except when you're going through the gears
Love your comment about the side mirrors. Early on a CDL Instructor taught me to angle out so that to eliminate the blind spot.
Done thank you for the video
Hands on steering wheel at 3,9 position for maximum turning ability
Make sure your hands don’t block your legs moving from throttle to brake
Make rear view mirror and side view mirror not overlap, rear view should be pointed to lane behind you, and side view should continue from where the back one cut off
The thumbnail would get casey arrested in germany
Completely agree on the truths been spoken in this video. Many people 'lean-back, whilst driving completely messing their peripheral vision. This usually ends in T-bone, fender benders and rear-end collisions. This message should be widespread..
I took my driver license almost 5 years ago and I learned all of those things the hard way, thru many long driving sessions. I am quite happy to see that some people make these kind of qualitative videos. I wish I watched this video around the time I took my driver license. Keep up the good work Casey and stay safe on the road guys!
I’m more 50. Have been driving semi for almost 30 years. Best sport car with semi seating position, is a fiat 500 Barth. Very European upright feel, but amazingly well positioned car! Flat bottom wheel, and all. :). Love the video, and very good information, clearly from lots of experience :)
I enjoyed watching this video. I often hear my brother complain to me because I don't have my arms fully stretched out while holding it on a 1:50 position. He complains because I sit too straight... but based on what I heard here, I am actually sitting in my chair with the safest settings
hey you should mention in the next video like this that 10-2 hand position is dangerous in modern vehicles because if the airbag goes off your hands are blown into the ceiling, often breaking every bone in them. My driving instructor taught us that back when I was learning and I never forgot it haha. Your videos are great dude!
edit: ope I commented a little early you did mention it!
Your every day tips should really be covered better in drivers ed classes. Even for people that have been driving for decades and have developed some bad habits can truly benefit from these tips. My often drive my wife's car and she is 5'-1" and I'm 6'-0" we are constantly readjusting the driving positions. I have explained to her some of the limitations and possible dangers of sitting to close. I truly enjoy these series.
I don’t know this guy and it’s my first time watching him but he definitely knows what he’s talking about ! Amazing video , I subscribed.
The way i adjust the mirrors as you described ... is I lean my head against the left window and move the mirror out until I can just barely see the back of my car. then I lean to put my head in the middle by the rearview mirror and adjust the right side the same way. and you are correct it is wonderful, you can see everything just by glancing ... I could never go back to the old way.
I think one good tactic to adjusting your seating position is to do your legs first, since they are only controlled by one setting (your seat position). So set that first, and then use the back rest and steering wheel adjustment to set your hands to the correct position.
Also, making sure that your legs aren't straight when cluthing or braking can help save your legs in an accident. If you hit something with your leg out straight (locked), the moment you start sliding or the car starts to crumble your knee will snap the wrong way around
I was never taughy about that seat and pedal positioning where my left leg shouldn't lock when I engage my clutch. Definitely going to adjust my seating now. Still so much more to learn about driving, I love it!
Man TH-cam's notifications on point! 54 seconds!
This has to be the first positive comment about TH-cam's notification system.....ever
that tip he talked about in 20:30 is the best Advice i heard in a long time.I used to always think about if i should think before shuffling .and he showed how much Important it is👏👏
Please look for a 635csi to add to the 80's garage next
Thank you. I was driving with one hand mostly, at 11, and sit close to steering wheel. Gonna try to improve on this
Glad to know I'm not alone in changing seating position for driving style. Most folks I know set and forget their seats but I adjust often to get just right for what I'm doing. I am leg length challenged though with only a 30 inch inseam so typically when I get the steering wheel perfect I have more clutch reach than I like.
Good basic driving tips from Casey, especially with respect to side mirror adjustments. Basically when driving down the road with a car approaching from the rear in an adjacent lane, its image should move into your side mirror as it is disappearing off the rearview mirror.
One aspect of seat adjustment in 3-pedal cars that I think Casey might have mentioned is to consider the reach to the farthest gate on the shifter. I like to be able to engage 5th, which is the longest reach in my 6-speed box without having to lean forward in the seat, and this adds an additional consideration to seat adjustment. I always shoot for the best compromise between, steering, pedals, and shifter, but it's always a compromise.
Very good tips. I would add that an arm at 12:00 has an additional problem....the air bag. Should the air bag deploy, your arm becomes a weapon that hits you in the head and breaks. Also another reason why 9-3 is better than 10-2.
Been through a lot of channels, this is one of the most informative and detailed videos good job man you put alot of effort and time really put down all the aesthetics of a car and how to properly operate safely we need more people to see this video and drive like this. Thank you again for taking the time to make the video and I will be looking out for more I won’t explain my background, but I’m mechanically inclined, and respect the content that you put out because it is useful and not just a truth. It’s a fact.
What an excellent seating position demonstration video! 👍🏻👍🏻
Talking about pedal position, I drive a 2013 subaru wrx and the pedals are in really awkward spots. The clutch has really far travel and the bite point is right near the bottom, the brake pedal is sat higher at rest than the throttle so i can't heel toe easily without slamming on the brakes unintentionally, and the throttle pedal is further down and also dead for about an inch and then really really sensitive for about half an inch then normal for the rest of the travel. It makes it very awkward to drive since I either have to hover my right foot uncomfortably over the brake and throttle and comfortably push in the clutch, or have to strain and reach for the clutch but comfortably hit the brake and throttle. The other issue is that there is barely any leg room height wise so moving too close actually causes me to bang my knees against the steering column which is annoying and makes it even more difficult to comfortably use all the pedals.
Although I'm confident in my driving abilities there is always room for improvement. I'm looking into getting a hellcat so I want to make sure I learn as much from many people as possible. Thank you for sharing 🥰
"Huskier" haha.
Good and thorough explaination. Speaking of seat-back positioning, I have been driving the same car for almost 20 years. When I bought it, I was in my 20s and leaned way back, mostly because I thought it looked cool and sporty. Now in my 40s, I care less about appearances and have gravitated to a more upright position as it allows me a shorter reach to the steering wheel and more foot/knee/legroom without which, advanced shifting and braking techniques are cramped and awkward. It wasn't until I tried left foot braking and heel-and-toe shifting that I realized that my position wasn't optimal.
Car: Bugeye Subaru
Body Type: 6'4" tall, average leg-torso ratio
I adjust the rear view mirror so it's just past my head (then adjust side mirrors as you suggested) and if the arm has pivots I try to have it look as far behind my head and out the rear window as possible, resulting with no blind spots. With these adjustments, theoretically I only need to look over my shoulder while on roads of three or more lanes (past my mirrors viewing angle), though I have a tendency to look anyway. ;-)
Can't remember where i heard this but is a simple fact. If you hold your hands above you're heart level doing something. You're hands gonna get tired much faster because of gravity, because your heart has to litteraly work harded to pump blood into your muscles. This is why, with no disrespect, i always thought those harley davidson style of bikes with those high up handle bars are just stupid... As i said, no disrespect but always seemed stupid to me to ride a bike like that, maybe there is a secret to it wich i don't know. Position of 9 and 3 on the steering it makes sense, because you're holding the steering bascly from the horizontal like of the center of the steering axle, you get a much more controlable feel when you're turning it. I do drive one hand sometimes, i put my hand under when doing tight turns, even though my car has an airbag. But most of the times i just use one hand and the palm of my hand. I've done this so many times i am confident my hand won't slip and i am only doing it when i want to turn the car 180, at a very low speed, even if my hand slips at that speed i have time to corect. But hardest thing, and the most stupid thing is that on some new cars this won't work is when you learn to let's say after you entered a curve, you steered, now you gotta hold, somtimes adjust my hands back to curent 9 to 3 a clock on the steering, beause is much more confortable and controlable in a curve, and when exititing the curve, i just simply let the steering wheel gently slip in my hands and straight its self back, the car naturaly goes with the road. In racing this is probably not what you want, in drifting this is a must if you wanna controll your car. But in daily street driving, once you get comfortable with your car doing this, is so much easier to take turns especially 90 or 180 turns.
First move the seat until you can push the clutch comfortable as you described, then move the wheel (if you can) and adjust the seat until you can resting your wrist at 12 o'clock on the wheel, but make sure you have perfect pedal control. If both done adjust the mirrors.
Pedals are more important, so sacrifice little wheel control if necessary.
Uhhhh I miss my 944, it saved me from a collision with a blown up truck tire on the highway around 80mph, I wasn't paying attention and my friend in the passenger seat got me to look up and I saw the tire maybe 50 ft away, the cars handling was able to get me around the tire an right back in my lane like it was nothing, my friend following behind me in his volvo s40 ran right over the tire and it damaged his car pretty bad.
Good tips as usual! I only disagree about side mirror adjustment, having a little bit of your car in the mirror as a point of reference, can help you a lot when parallel parking, reversing, or assessing the space from the solid line, curb or parked cars, besides, you should always check your blind spot by looking over your shoulder anyway. Although, that might be a bit different in US with wider roads, but for most European roads, it's not the case.
You move the mirror when you park.
My daily driver is an old manual 90s toyota, I like to drive rather spirited. Ive been looking for tips minus formal training, to drive it better
U are doing a great Service to the Automotive Community and To New Drivers and Car Enthusiasts like up
Keep it up ❤️
9-3 around town, longer trips on the interstate I do 10-2 for part of the time and one at around 10 to 11 part of the time. I have used the lower holds as well for long trips. As you said, just 9-3 for the whole trip causes a tighter grip which leads to exhausting yourself.
I'm much more in favor of 8-4 not only is it much more comfortable for most driving it's a MUCH better position to be in when having to react. Your arm is very good at applying fast force across the body, think a punch. When 8-4 a fast turn simply means punching with the correct hand, the other hand let's go and then starts a one hand over the other turn.
I'm pretty happy that here the obligatory driving school teaches all of these things. So nothing new learned, but can be rather delighted knowing we got the good stuff going. You also might wanna consider that in case of accident, fully extended and locked limbs you're gonna have some bad experiences. You actually have really, really good comparison examples. The music and visual art ones are easy to understand and make me think you know a thing or two about those subjects not just on the surface.
I actually put my seat angle quite far back as I find it helps negate the G force when cornering. Hoping to get a bucket seat so I can return to a more sensible position however, it is an easy quick solution (it doesn't work as well as a bucket seat but it helps a lot)
There are other ways to solve the problem that don’t increase your likelihood of injury in a crash. Idk how reclined you’re talking, but in frontal collisions you can slide under the belts and crush your legs if you’re reclined quite far.
Idk if these are good ideas but you can splay out your legs to brace against the door or the centre console when turning. You can also pin your back to your seat by pushing forward against the steering wheel.
Not many pointers, but you have explained why i do/have learnt somethings naturaly. Personally i've found it best to adjust the side mirrors so that you can see the rear door handles and a mm or 2 of the cars body (bit more if it's a 2/3 door vehicle). I do a most of my driving in the city so yeah. Would be great to learn how people adjust their mirrors for highway driving. Cheers.
One trick/suggestion though that I make is to lean and adjust. It's OK to move your head, so for example move your head as close to the drivers window as would be comfortable while driving then adjust the drivers side mirror to just barely see the side of the vehicle. This way when you need to see down the side edge, backing or something you lean in, but with a straight head you have a wider view.
I thought I’d add to your comment on how older cars are really small. I have a 47’ International pickup, and anyone over 5’11” literally can’t fit in it. And I mean that their legs hit the dash. I even have bucket seats in it that are thinner than the original bench! I’m 5’6”, and when the seats have almost no recline and are touching the back of the cab, I fit in it perfectly!
People were just smaller back then I guess.
Just came across this video, and being some always looking to improve upon knowledge and skills, this is bar far the best information I have found for setting up driving position. Thank you! 😎
Awesome Video 👍😎 What do you think about the Porsche 968 🤔
I personally like to be upright, have a 360 view, pedals within reach but not full extension, and wheel at less than full arms length. Also the steering wheel height has the top of the wheel at or near the top of the dashboard.
Subie does 9 and 3 steering wheels. I prefer being at 8 and 4. On a Subie all the buttons are at 9 and 3, I usually hold the wheel beneath that and reach for the dash buttons.
14:50 - I'd say a better strategy for being able to execute evasive maneuvers is to not be so tuned out of the world around you that you don't have time to put your other hand on the wheel. I'm sure there are some out there, but I've never seen dashcam video of someone getting into that much trouble with so little notice. There are almost always pre-wreck indicators to clue you in that it's time to put both hands on the wheel.
sunday mornings are my favourite, cops seems to be more lenient with speed restrictions on wider roads
The farthest I’ve driven my 944 was from Indy to Knoxville. It’s amazing how comfortable it is to drive that long. Porsche really makes great cars.
Great video, I love seeing videos with driving tips. It's hard to find driving techniques videos because most people rather create something flashy that baits views. I'd appreciate more videos like this.
Great video, awesome points and examples!
Can't wait to implement it
Thanks for mentioning seating position, I’ve been driving my civic hatchback sport manual everyday since I got it about a year ago and I still am not sure about my seat position
I have my side mirrors adjusted to see my blind spot. You shouldn’t see your vehicle in your side mirrors! Helps when I’m stiff and unable to fully twist to shoulder check.
When I learnt how to drive, the guy that taught me (he was German) told me that it's a good thing to sit as upright as I can comfortably drive to get better visibility, which according to him is safer.
He said it's the way they do it in Germany, do most German guys do that?
Addendum to the side mirrors, they should also be pointed up so that you can see further down the road. I have seen people with them pointed down the car and towards the ground.
Depends, there's no additional information to be seen up high. But at times seeing low can be helpful.
just got home and started my pc. what a timing
An airbag deploying in the middle of a turn during city driving is so exceedingly rare that basing your hand position or steering method around it would make little sense. You do get a greater range when steering around an obstacle with the 9-3 position, which is why it is preferred for highway driving and racing. The 10-2 position, however, is more precise and efficient in city driving, since speeds are low relative the highway and corners are most often 90º
no power steering. no air bag...
Wow that 9 to 3 I am going to start driving like that thanks man!!!! WELL EXPLAINED
I am guilty of two pretty bad things.. resting foot on clutch and hand on shifter, getting better last few years but when I was a kid, burnt clutches all the time 😑
Great stuff. Gotta' master the basics before taking on the advanced stuff.
On a manual tranny, I often keep my hand on the shifter until up to speed...or during a cornering transition. The transitions happen so fast that it seems like a huge hassle to keep moving the right hand back and forth. I think there's a real problem if you can't drive well with one hand, in a manual tranny car. When cornering properly in a manual tranny car, you have to do virtually all of the turn with only one hand on the wheel. Power steering makes it easy. I have a little car and pulled off the power steering pump...and I like the feeling of a stiff wheel. Might not work for someone who is weaker, though...although it also protects from someone unknowingly jolting their steering wheel to one side or another.
Why the heck doesn't the viper have a dead pedal that would annoying
If you sit with your shoulders against the backsupport of the seat and you can extend your arm straight while resting your wrist on top of the wheel, that's a good distance to the wheel. At least, that's the 'rule' I use.
I tried to sit in a Ford Model T pickup, and my legs BARELY fit under thr steering wheel. It's a 1919-1925 year model, so the seat's on top of the gas tank. If I buy a Model T, I'm moving the gas tank to the rear so I can make the cab bigger so the seat is more comfortable.
I agree with everything you said, however the mirrors on my car physically will not go our that far so I got fisheye spotter mirrors that cover the blindspots perfectly!
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:
00:00 🚗 Introduction to driving tips
- The video introduces five essential driving tips for both racing and street car drivers.
- These tips focus on improving driving skills, safety, and comfort.
01:13 🚦 Seating Position
- The importance of finding the right seating position for efficient and comfortable driving.
- Factors to consider include reaching the steering wheel, pedals, and visibility.
05:13 🚗 Steering Wheel Position
- Emphasis on the ideal hand position on the steering wheel, which is 9-3.
- Explains why this position offers better control and maneuverability.
08:58 🏎️ Shifter and Resting Hands
- The importance of not resting your hand on the shifter, especially in manual transmission cars.
- How resting your hand on the shifter can lead to transmission wear and decreased control.
11:58 🛣️ Adjusting Seat Back
- Discusses the benefits of adjusting the seat backrest for different driving situations.
- Explains how a slightly reclined position can reduce fatigue during long-distance driving.
17:33 🚗 Proper Driving Position
- Avoid resting your hand on the shifter to prevent wear and tear on transmission parts.
- The same applies to automatic transmission; there's no need to hold onto the shifter.
- Maintain a comfortable and safe hand position on the steering wheel.
18:15 🚗 Pedal Control Tips
- Proper pedal control is essential for safe driving.
- Avoid sitting too close to the pedals, as it can hinder control and safety.
- Keep your heels on the ground for better pedal control and precision.
22:04 🚗 Adjusting Mirrors for Safety
- Properly adjust your side view mirrors to eliminate blind spots.
- Overlapping visibility between the rearview and side mirrors is not ideal; adjust them to maximize your field of vision.
- Adjusting mirrors correctly can significantly enhance your overall visibility and safety while driving.
Made with HARPA AI
You da best
Great video. Thank you
most important thing he he why this is so important....your gonna enjoy the drive more
Awesome video
How do you get out of your car when you’re knees are so past your steering wheel?
My seating, the steering wheel lines up with right above my knee joint.
I have a 2004 VW Polo where the dead pedal is a little too near so my leg is bent and it is a lil uncomfortable
Yo, quick question: do you have superhuman strength or something or is your car just super loose on the steering rack? Cause for my Polo, dry steering on a dead car needs a lot of force.
well, it looks like collectors are not inflating the Foxbody prices, 20k for a good one, a Cobra is 69k, maybe I'm not looking in the right places but even the 1st gen Miata is like 8k now
How does lowering or rising your seat influence the balance of the car? does it elevate center of the mass significantly?
Usually not, unless you're in a really light sporty car or you're really heavy
Hey pal how are you
I've got question for you
Do you drive with your both hands on the steering wheel in real life ?
Because when I do I feel like I am handcuffed to steering wheel
thank you, I want to get into car racing. I have a manual ‘04 accord but I’m saving for a much better racing car.
Theres so much more costs to racing than the car bro. Find the cheepest class thats being driven remotely close to where you live and start off there. A season can easily cost you personally upwards of 50k a year and that is without accidents for any serious racing class. Stuff like rallycross, bangers, possibly hillclimb depending on where you live are much more accecible than circuit racing.
Gocarts is also a very fun and "cheap" in racing standards.
my 82 mustang is terrible for me seat all the way forward i can just comfortably use the clutch but i can barely see over the dash
Go to eliminate Blind Spots by AAA. Makes changing lanes a breeze.
Good to know I've been doing it right for 30 plus years👍
On the topic of steering technique, do you have an opinion on the "push" vs "pull" with respect to where your effort to turn the wheel comes from? (e.g. left turn = either pushing up with your right arm, or pulling down with left arm, obviously with some interplay). I won't lead an answer, but this was a topic among some national-level autocrossers I overheard years ago at this point.
IMO fast push slow pull. So for fast reactionary movements push. For precise movements pull.
Casey, btw, Corvette C8 steering wheel that you hate so much is actually more clever than you were thinking and it steers right at 9-3 like it supposed to even tho it looks like it shouldn't, they moved the rotation axis off the center hub upwards, so there would be room for a buttons down below and still gave vision of gauge screen. You need to test drive it and see for yourself. Don't get your false assumptions ruin great car for you.
Interesting, my wheel has many of the same issues he complained about on the C8 wheel. It's also off center, the pivot point is about 1/2 low of center so when straight the wheel is about 1" higher than when upside down. I'm not really a 9-3 advocate like Casey is though, I prefer more of an 8-4. However my wheels buttons and paddles are setup for a 9:30-2:30 position, however if I could extend the shift paddles down 8-4 could work better. IDK, thinking out loud I guess, just not sure what the thinking was when designed or if I like the off center thing or not.
@@snek9353 oh, I see, hmm.
Hi Casey,
I just got my first manual (2014 Mustang) and your videos have been a game-changer. Thank you!
And this one, oh boy changed my driving experience completely for the better!
Thank you for all the work you put out here, or really helps a lot.
Take care!
Thank you
Thank you. :)
Ya Mon!! Let's your wisdom speak 👍🙌
what about 11-1 hand position, is that fine?
Wouldn't it be smart to have driver-adjustable steering trim in Nascar? Just like rudder trim in high power aircraft.
it's built into the car for the track.
i recently drove a mitsubishi it was the worst experience ever for me cause the gas pedal was too close and made my right leg hit the steering wheel ever so slightly but the clutch pedal went so far that i almost had a straight leg so if i had the clutch down and my other leg on the gas pedal i would have a almost fully extended left leg and my right leg has over 90 degree bend on my knee
Are you going to straight pipe the 944
What VW is it??!
23:19 *laughs in 2003 ford expedition*
Why
Steering wheel spacer would cure that 944 seating position.
Where did you purchase your 944 at? Sorry, I know its off-topic.
Also great video!
Michigan
@@CaseyPutsch ok, I've been browsing online at 944s and was just curious where you got yours. Thanks for the response.
I know a bloke who had a car restored then had to sell it as he was to short and fat to drive it.
Couldn't clear the steering wheel and reach the pedals at the same time 50s yankee ford.
7:07 clutch foot position