Over the weekend, I was in an area where empty parking spaces are hard to come by. I finally found a decent sized parking space, but it was between two cars on a fairly steep hill. I parked, finished dinner, and when I came back, I found to my dismay that the two cars that were originally in front and in back had left, and now my parking space was further constricted by two newly-parked cars.

Let me tell you...getting out of that space was definitely not fun. I didn't have much space in front and in back of me, and everytime I let go of the brake (even with the tranny in R), the car would immediately quickly roll forward. (I've been in similar situations with other cars, i.e. facing downward on a slope with tranny in R, but it seems like the G35 easily rolls forwards. I dunno...Maybe it's just my imagination??)

In order not to roll into the car in front of me, after releasing the brake, with the tranny in R, I would have to immediately tap the throttle, but not so much as to lurch in the closely-parked car in back of me! (We all know how quirky the G35's throttle response from a dead stop is.) I've had the car for months now; I can accelerate smoothly from a dead stop 99.9% of the time, but that night, it seemed as if I was driving the car for the first time! In other cars, it's a lot easier to smoothly modulate the throttle from a dead stop.

If the 5AT's had a handbrake like 6MT's, I would've simply modulated my movement with the parking handbrake, but unfortunately, we have a parking footbrake.

Thank goodness, I finally managed to get of the parking space without bumping either car. But affter getting home I realized what I could've done was to use my left foot to modulate braking (and of course, right foot to modulate throttle..).

 

yeah............good ideas they always come to you last.


Well that's cool that everything turned out good for ya.

No airbags blow. No scratches on bumpers.

 

next time, try using your left foot on the brake to help moderate the throttle.

as we have now learned from the auto insurance lobby group, bumper damage would be expensive to fix . . .

 

Just be glad you didn't have a 6mt!

 

My last car had a MT. No problem on slopes because it had a hand brake!

 

Yep - I just keep my left foot on the brake and gradually hit the gas until I feel the tranny "catch", then let off the brake. You got out unscathed tho, so you did good

 

6mt's are easier(assuming you know how to drive/work the clutch).

 

When I lived in SF, I had to use the left braking many times with almost any AT, it's almost as easy as the handbrake, but you have to be used to it. Obviously, handbrake is easier -- if only because you have to use the handbrake on a MT.

 

Just use your left foot and keep it on the brake and use your right foot for the gas, in the future. You don't need to use the e-brake at all. Now I understand why the 6mt has hand e-brake because you can not operated 4 paddles using only two feet. I was so good with my evo doing hill-toe (using 2 feet for 3 paddles) but I have to give up if there are 4 paddles.

 

My driveway at my folks place is a crazy angle downward. So every morning, I go thru this same B.S. The e-brake DOESNT work, I still role forward. So I need to 1) E-brake, 2) left foot in brake, 3) gas. Then when the gas catches, left foot off the brake and release the e-brake. It's some bullsh** to have to do this all the time. My jeep never rolled forward in R.

 

I think everyone should learn to use left foot braking. Not for everyday use, but it does come in mighty handy from time to time.
It was most useful when I had a old turbo. I could keep the RPM's and thus the boost up while braking with the left foot through turns.

 

sound like u had a nerve racking time

 

I witnessed a very irresponsible person trying to leave a tightly parked spot on a flat surface once. He was driving a beat up 1980s Oldsmobile or the like and had two decent cars in front and back of him.

He couldn't get out at all. So? I see him floor the car into the front car's trunk. Just plows into it and at best gives him a few inches. Then? Puts into reverse and slams it into the car behind him. Then he floors it and leaves.

Most of the pedestrians on the street were standing there staring and I had to leave soon after he did. I felt bad for those owners.