Garp
30-10-2006, 20:34
Got to drive works brand new van today (literally 62 miles on the clock), a VW Transporter.
Its a manual, and I've been driving an automatic for about 18 months. So that was fun. I managed to stall it 4 times, 3 times whilst reversing in the car parks (not quite got the balance sussed for that engine, it'll pull with nigh on no revs in first, but stalls at the drop of a hat in reverse - go figure), and then once embarrassingly at a roundabout.
Handles like a dream, given its relative size. Has an absolutely fantastic stearing lock on it, turns almost as tightly as my Corsa does. I went with the intention of parking it in the middle parking bay and ended up parking it on the nearest bay of the three as it turned so sharply. Steering is nice and light, a well balanced power steering.
The strangest thing for me to get used to, however, is the lack of rear view mirror. I glanced at the same grey stub dozens upon dozens of times on my journey too and from the other data centre. I've never had to be solely reliant on wing mirrors before. The hardest thing was the large three lane roundabout between Blackwall and East India Dock stations; I never realised just how much I use the rear view mirror to tell me how clear I am for changing lanes!
Still t'was good fun, its a pleasant drive and one I'm liable to be doing regularly too. The only previous time I've driven a van it was an old transit on private roads not long after I'd passed my test and that was a pig to steer, had heavy pedals, and all round incredibly hard work for the driver.
Its a manual, and I've been driving an automatic for about 18 months. So that was fun. I managed to stall it 4 times, 3 times whilst reversing in the car parks (not quite got the balance sussed for that engine, it'll pull with nigh on no revs in first, but stalls at the drop of a hat in reverse - go figure), and then once embarrassingly at a roundabout.
Handles like a dream, given its relative size. Has an absolutely fantastic stearing lock on it, turns almost as tightly as my Corsa does. I went with the intention of parking it in the middle parking bay and ended up parking it on the nearest bay of the three as it turned so sharply. Steering is nice and light, a well balanced power steering.
The strangest thing for me to get used to, however, is the lack of rear view mirror. I glanced at the same grey stub dozens upon dozens of times on my journey too and from the other data centre. I've never had to be solely reliant on wing mirrors before. The hardest thing was the large three lane roundabout between Blackwall and East India Dock stations; I never realised just how much I use the rear view mirror to tell me how clear I am for changing lanes!
Still t'was good fun, its a pleasant drive and one I'm liable to be doing regularly too. The only previous time I've driven a van it was an old transit on private roads not long after I'd passed my test and that was a pig to steer, had heavy pedals, and all round incredibly hard work for the driver.