Just got another Yaris

[QuantumIguana]

This spring, I bought an 08 Yaris, that had 7300 miles on it. A week ago, it got totaled. Some idiot was going to fast for the curve, and couldn't stay into his own lane, and crossed into mine. Broke the drivers side mirror, dented both drivers side doors and smashed into the rear driver's side wheel. I hadn't even had it long enough to need an oil change yet. I'm sick of people who think that they are such good drivers that they don't need to drive safely. We didn't miss a head-on collision by much.

Anyway, I got another Yaris. This time, it's an 07 with 40,000 miles on it. It has power locks, power windows and cruise control, which my old one did not. However, it is a stick shift, while the previous one was an automatic. Still getting used to it. I used to drive stick shift, but that was 15 years ago. Still, not too bad, no jerking and stalling like when I learned in the 80's. As the day went on, I got more confortable, shifting without needing to give it much thought.

The only concern that I have is the commute to and from work. If anyone knows Minneapolis, my main route to work is on HWY 62, which tends to be stop and go (emphasis on stop) for about 5 miles. That's a lot of time to spend with the foot on the clutch. Still, I have a couple alternative routes that have stop lights, but don't have the constant go 10 feet and stop that the freeway has. Under ideal conditions, the freeway is a lot faster, but it isn't often ideal.

My old Yaris was black, this one is red. My three year old was said she didn't like red cars: she missled the car she knew. Once she saw the new Yaris, then she liked the "Big Red Car". She had felt the same way when the previous car, a 91 Civic went away. At that age, they really like things to stay the same way.

So, I'm hoping that I get used to the stick shift, I intend on keeping it a long time.

[Revsson]

Glad you didn't get hurt and avoided a head-on collision. I lived in the Minneapolis area
for about a year, Golden Valley to be exact. Traffic was bad then (early 1980's!).
There are times I really wish I didn't have a stick shift, when getting caught in any of
the Milwaukee area rush hour gridlock. Thankfully, my normal route is not on the
freeways or major roads.

Power locks and cruise on an '07. Hmmm. I have that on my '09 and love it!

[QuantumIguana]

Cedar Avenue takes some really bizzare twists around Franklin Avenue. It makes you wonder what they were thinking: Ok, we'll make it unclear which lane you have to be in to stay on Cedar, and then we'll have you make a big curve this way, and then another big one the other way. Plus to exit to I-94, you need to make a sharp right just after having made a very sharp right. No one has any business speeding on that part of Cedar. The worst drivers of all are those who think they are so skilled that they don't have to be safe. They've just gotten lucky.

But anyway, I have a new Yaris to drive, I hope I get used to the stick shift, if I can't adapt to it, I suppose I could sell it and get a Yaris with an automatic. I think I will adapt though. Still, my leg gets tired when I have to have my foot on the clutch for a long time. Maybe when this massive construction project is over the commute will be better.

[DebbyM46227]

My 2010 Yaris is a manual shift, I always put it in neutral at stop lights - it saves the clutch and your left leg! You'll get used to it, although the Yaris clutch/shifting feels a little different than any other I've owned (I've had stick shifts since 1974). Automatics are boring.

I've had my Yaris since June 12 and still goof up sometimes from a dead stop.

Glad you weren't hurt!

Debby

[QuantumIguana]

I still have mixed feelings about the stick shift. If I take the freeway home, I have to drive with the clutch halfway in for about half an hour. Traffic tends to alternate between a dead stop and a crawl.

I'll keep at it, I drove a stick on a 73 Celica in the mid 80's (back then the Celica was cool) and drove a stick on a 87 Chevy Sprint until 1995. And the Chevy Sprint didn't even have second gear for the last couple years. So, I'm not doing badly for not having driven a stick shift for 15 years. Still, the Yaris holds its value, so if it really doesn't work out for me, I can always sell it and buy an automatic Yaris.

[Revsson]

I was out in rush hour traffic yesterday. Man oh man, I swear that some people just
don't get what merging is all about. There are two or three major bottleneck spot on
the Milwaukee freeway system. Part of it is because people don't move over ahead of
time. They don't seem to realize that they actually cause the backup due to trying
to get out of a turn only lane at the last minute! My leg was a little cramped from all
the clutching.
Just not used to it, as I stated earlier, I don't usually have to deal with
rush hour.

So, I hear your pain!

[QuantumIguana]

Ah, there are so many things that are annoying or downright dangerous that drivers do. Speeding up when you try to pass. I've driven behind people who were going 45, and tried to pass them. Then they start speeding up, they can get to over 65 before I just give up and get behind them again. Great fun when there is another car coming the other way, and you had plenty of time to pass, so long as the car you are passing didn't decide to race you! And then they slow right back down again. Some people get offended by a car passing them. I LOVE it. That means I don't have their headlights in my mirror. I'll pull off to the side of the road to let someone pass. Then there are people who for some reason won't pass. I'm in the right lane going the speed limit, and they just tailgate rather than go around. I wish tailgating was taken more seriously.

People who won't merge properly, or who refuse to let people merge. Just adjust your speed very slightly to either fit in with traffic or to let someone else in. Cooperation! Then there are people who wait until the last possible moment or even after to merge when a lane ends. They think they are clever to wait until the last moment, but it causes traffic to back up.

People who won't get into the right line until a few feet before they have to exit are a big problem, because then they want to make multiple lane changes in a very short distance. I've seen people actually back up on the freeway because they missed their exit! That's extremely dangerous. If you miss your exit, take the next exit!

Some things that are really dangerous are people who take corners too fast, they aren't able to do that and pay attention to pedestrians. They have an attitude that if they hit you, it's your fault for being there.

Then there are people who don't stop at the stop sign: they stop right at the intersection. They don't even begin slowing down until they've passed the stop sign. It leaves other drivers very unsure if they will stop at all. This often forces the other driver to stop, so then the driver at the stop sign says "Oh, if you're not going to go, then I will." Drivers who do this wind up blocking the crosswalk for pedestrians, forcing the pedestrians to go around or wait. My wife isn't about to walk into the intersection with a stroller just because some jerk doesn't think that stopping at the stop sign applies to him. You stop at the stop sign. Then, if all is clear, you can proceed forward.

Then there are people who rush around to make a right turn when the car ahead of them is making a left. I contend with this quite often. I'm at the stop light, waiting to take a left. The car going the other way is making a left. I have to be very cautious that the car behind him isn't going to suddenly jump out and make a right. Nothing wrong with making a right turn, but after you move to the right lane, stop at the light to make sure the coast is clear. Too many drivers just move into the right lane and immediately turn right. This is dangerous because another car coming the other way might be making a left.

I find it annoying when people park right in front of my house. I'd like to be able to haul my groceries a minimum distance. Obviously, I don't OWN that spot, but it is just basic courtesy to use some other spot than the one right in front of someone's house if it is available. That's expecially true in winter, when I want to use that cutout that I shoveled. It is no fun trying to take a toddler over the snowbank without a cutout.

As far as the clutch, I have alternatives. If things are ideal, then the freeway is better. The thing is, I never know if things are ideal, heavy traffic on HWY 62 is just taken for granted, not even reported.

[Kioshi]

^ maybe you should move to Japan~
People are very courteous when driving on the streets or expressway (highway). People move out to let fast people pass and only tailgate if you dont move out of there way to let them pass/speed up.
Except taxi drivers, they are assholes, in any country, imo.
Respect throughout the country~

[QuantumIguana]

Got a call from my insurance company, apparently, someone in the other car had some injuries, and they are claiming that I was over the line. So, my insurance company wanted to get a statement. My story will have the advantage of being consistent because it is true. Plus, just looking at the pattern of damage on the vehicles tells who was over the line: had I been over the line, they couldn't have hit me where they did, we would have hit head on. And further, someone from the other vehicle went over and apologized to my wife.