Alan,  (tag & subject changed)

On Thu, 1 Sep 2005 09:15:15 +0100, Alan B. Pearce wrote:

> Memories of having an Austin 1300GT with a failed clutch thrust bearing ;))
> Starting with the car in gear. Once you were moving everything was fine. You
> soon went into defensive driving mode so were anticipating how long traffic
> lights might take to change, and slowly ambling up to them so you didn't
> have to stop ;))


Got it in one!  :-)  I managed it OK except that at one point there were about six cars in each lane in front 
of me, and the lights were showing no sign of changing, so I turned down a sidestreet and made my way round 
and back to the main road - it almost worked except that one junction was effectively blind, with buildings 
right up to the edge (this was in an old industrial area of Birmingham) and I just had to stop.  But the 
starter-motor takeoff worked OK and I got to the client without bumping into anyone, but with adrenaline 
coming out of my ears!

I practice driving without using particular parts of the equipment from time to time, so I'm prepared for 
failures - and over the time since I passed my driving test (34 years at the end of this week!) I have had to 
drive at night without headlights, without being able to disengage the clutch as we're discussing, and 
virtually without brakes (footbrake almost totally ineffective, handbrake not very good!).  Not all at the 
same time, of course :-)  In each case the alternative was being stuck a long way from anywhere, on two 
occasions late at night.  It's surprising what you can do without when the need arises...

Cheers,



Howard Winter
St.Albans, England


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