Correct Seating Position

[mustanger]

I was driving in town today and I saw I guy driving a ricer and he had the seat laid back so far ,that when he looked to the right ,he was looking out his rear door window. I thought if he had to break in an emergency,he would have no hope. He literally would have gone under his seatbelt.

Which brings me to my next point . What is the correct driving position?

When I did my high performance driving course at Calder I was taught:

1. Bring the base of the seat forward ,so when you brake hard,you still have flex in your knee,so that it has a bit of give.

2. Bring the back of the seat forward, so that your wrists are touching the top of the steering wheel.

What are your thoughts and experiences ?.......Cheers John

[Boom]

Was taught the same thing years ago when I did my first advanced driving course. Find it works really well.

[Marco]

Yep, that's basically what I've been taught as well - you need to sit so that you can push the brake pedal all the way down if you have to, and so that you can drive with your elbows slightly bent with your wrists touching the top of the steering wheel.

I tend to have a fairly upright seating position as a result, which I find is good for car control.

[Dug]

Laying down will result in your ricer buddy turning into a cube in his footwell.

I sit virtually upright, but with the tilt on my seat base back, so as to raise the support under my thighs. i don't know how accurate this is, but i do believe that as I sit with the seat so far back (to allow for my stupidly long legs that go all the way up and make an arse of themselves), if i had the seat back tilted further back, my seatbelt would not be behind my shoulder line.

[vh-holden]

yep, that's pretty much what we were taught in 2000. they also mentioned about having the arms bent slightly but comfortably.

i dont' have my chair reclined heaps, but my head is inline with the b pillar. i've tipped it forward to a more upright position though to try and fix a pinching nerve.

[vecommo]

I like to have my seat fairly upright so my upper back and shoulders are supported. How these fools drive with their seats so far laid back is beyond me! I find it unbearably uncomfortable! Why on earth would you sacrifice your comfort and safety just to look cool'? It's stupidity!
On the other hand, those people who drive with their seats so close to the steering wheel also amaze me. Main culprits seem to be asian women. I came up alongside an early 90's camry once, the asian woman driving had her seat so far forward that her chest was just about touching the steering wheel and her nose almost touching the windscreen. There was probably 10cm of forward adjustment left in the seat. We sat alongside her for a while pointing and laughing, she just gave us a dopey look as she didn't know what we were laughing at.

[Sonnymad]

I was driving in town today and I saw I guy driving a ricer and he had the seat laid back so far ,that when he looked to the right ,he was looking out his rear door window. I thought if he had to break in an emergency,he would have no hope. He literally would have gone under his seatbelt.

Which brings me to my next point . What is the correct driving position?

When I did my high performance driving course at Calder I was taught:

1. Bring the base of the seat forward ,so when you brake hard,you still have flex in your knee,so that it has a bit of give.

2. Bring the back of the seat forward, so that your wrists are touching the top of the steering wheel.

What are your thoughts and experiences ?.......Cheers John

You know,i once saw a accident,it was real weird as the car was hit up the backside and the driver flew out the back window and eneded up on the bonnet of the car that hit him,i stood there tryin to work out wat exactly happened as the drivers seat was vertually laid back to the point you though someone winded the seat down,wen i asked someone there wat happened,they told me "becuase his seat was so far wound back,wen he was hit he slid out and flew out the back window :lmao: & yes it was a ricer on his p's,luckily he got away with a few briuses.

regards sonny

[Souljah]

Interesting thread. Over the last few weeks i've noticed that i've been getting a sore lower back whilst driving my ute. I dont know what is causing it as its never bothered me since i've owned the car. I've experemented with the seat closer to the wheel, further away, back rest up and back but i can't find a comfortable spot.
I know everyone has a different seating position but where would it be best to place the seat as a starting point?

[GHZ28]

Ya gotta remember that ya need the seat back reclined so that the peak of your cap don't hit the head restraint.

Gee you lot are dum

gh

;)

[Boom]

Interesting thread. Over the last few weeks i've noticed that i've been getting a sore lower back whilst driving my ute. I dont know what is causing it as its never bothered me since i've owned the car. I've experemented with the seat closer to the wheel, further away, back rest up and back but i can't find a comfortable spot.
I know everyone has a different seating position but where would it be best to place the seat as a starting point?

May sound silly but take your wallet out of your back pocket.

[davomcd]

You know,i once saw a accident,it was real weird as the car was hit up the backside and the driver flew out the back window and eneded up on the bonnet of the car that hit him,i stood there tryin to work out wat exactly happened as the drivers seat was vertually laid back to the point you though someone winded the seat down,wen i asked someone there wat happened,they told me "becuase his seat was so far wound back,wen he was hit he slid out and flew out the back window :lmao: & yes it was a ricer on his p's,luckily he got away with a few briuses.

regards sonny

Serves him right. Bet he wasn't stylin' anymore laid out across the bonnet of the other car! :fewl:

[Panelman]

Sorry guys, but, correct me if I'm wrong here.....

I thought the lay-back boys actually bought their seats like that. Aren't they manufactured that way? I always looked and said, "... there's some of those seats the young blokes get....only come so far up, "

Makes me wonder if they, picture this,
sit at the dining table to eat in that position on modified chairs
Obviously watch TV this way
Take a dump on a lay-back dunnie
sleep in a lay-back or fetus position bed
carry cushions around so every chair they sit on can be instantly modified!

Must have a ball at the dentist comparing the comfort and angle of the dentist's chair with their own!

...end of rant.

I sit up straight. Can see, and am comfortably in control of my vehicle.:p

[Sonnymad]

Sorry guys, but, correct me if I'm wrong here.....

I thought the lay-back boys actually bought their seats like that. Aren't they manufactured that way? I always looked and said, "... there's some of those seats the young blokes get....only come so far up, "

Makes me wonder if they, picture this,
sit at the dining table to eat in that position on modified chairs
Obviously watch TV this way
Take a dump on a lay-back dunnie
sleep in a lay-back or fetus position bed
carry cushions around so every chair they sit on can be instantly modified!

Must have a ball at the dentist comparing the comfort and angle of the dentist's chair with their own!

...end of rant.

I sit up straight. Can see, and am comfortably in control of my vehicle.:p

:lmao: :lmao: thats gold !

[Ryzz]

Hands at 10 & 2, elbows bent, should be able to draw an imaginary line from your elbow to your knee to your toes. Correct distance from the wheel is determined by hold arms straight, wrists should be level with side of steering wheel when fully extended.

This is what i learnt from Aaron McGill in a defensive driving course a number of years ago

[davomcd]

Hands at 10 & 2, elbows bent, should be able to draw an imaginary line from your elbow to your knee to your toes. Correct distance from the wheel is determined by hold arms straight, wrists should be level with side of steering wheel when fully extended.

This is what i learnt from Aaron McGill in a defensive driving course a number of years ago

Not saying it's better or anything, just different, but I was tought hands at 9 and 3 at the Holden Performance Driving Centre course I took a few years back.

Works for me personally, anyone else tried/use 9 and 3?

[Dug]

Not saying it's better or anything, just different, but I was tought hands at 9 and 3 at the Holden Performance Driving Centre course I took a few years back.

Works for me personally, anyone else tried/use 9 and 3?

I tend to use my hands for steering no matter what time it is.

[VR304]

Around town ... hands at 9 and 3.

On the highway ... hands at 10 and 2 ... I find the steering less responsive this way so bumps don't move the car around so much.

[555]

I've seen plenty of people suggest 9 and 3 for racing driving. In fact Tiff Nedell on fifth gear tonight, "when I teach performance driving, I say put your thumbs on top of the [9 and 3] spokes and wrap your hand around the wheel" (he was reviewing the new XKR which had silly flappy padel shifts which prevented him from doing just that)

[tim_k]

I was taught 9 and 3 at BMW driver training.

The 10 and 2 was once the way, mainly for cars without power steering (and the way I was taught when on my L's). No power steering meant that a driver would have to do more turns of the wheel to achieve the same turn in the front wheels (meeting hand to hand) .

Cars with power steering generally will turn far enough by turning the wheel 45 degrees (ie: turning left - 9 becomes 6 and 3 become 12 on the wheel) in normal driving conditions. Obviously this doesn't work when doing u-turns etc.

Back on seats for a minute, I have a 2005 Subi Outback with leather. It was bought when I was in Tassie for ploughing thru snow etc. After various adjustments and yes, even taking the wallet out of my back pocket, the seats are still crippling after a 2 hour drive. Any ideas of how to fix this? I'm currently using a foam pad but will be definitely returning to a Commodore (VE ute) in the near future. The seats I has in the VT SS (may she rest in peace) were perfect and I miss that.

[Marco]

Not saying it's better or anything, just different, but I was tought hands at 9 and 3 at the Holden Performance Driving Centre course I took a few years back.

Works for me personally, anyone else tried/use 9 and 3?

Yeah, pretty much - but only because that's the position your hands naturally seem to fall to on the wheel on the VE (and in my previous Astra)

[vh-holden]

Around town ... hands at 9 and 3.

On the highway ... hands at 10 and 2 ... I find the steering less responsive this way so bumps don't move the car around so much.

on the highway i just set the cruise control and sit in the back for a sleep.

[HSVREDSLED]

I always thought it was,

Right elbow on window sill,

Right index finger and thumb on right side of wheel. (very easy to snap in an instant to 'the bird' gesture)

Left hand near jatz crackers (Just in case of sudden itch) occasionally moving left hand to drink holder, to mouth, back to drink holder returning to its favourite position.

Manual drivers can add occasional gear changes in between drinks.

[BigJim]

Ya gotta remember that ya need the seat back reclined so that the peak of your cap don't hit the head restraint.

Gee you lot are dum

gh

;)

You must know this from experience Garry. :booty:

[NickS]

Works for me personally, anyone else tried/use 9 and 3?

Yep ... try and drive around a track at 10 and 2, doesn't work. 9 and 3 is spot on.

:thumbsup:

[elv]

i used to sit with the seat pretty far back... thought it looked cool years ago but my back always hurt!!! now i sit properly with my seat way up and good back support i feel way more in control of the car and i dont care what it looks like!

elv

[ssgirl2]

Another 9 and 3'er here!

This information might be useful for some.
__________________________________________________ _______________

A good steering technique starts with the correct driving position. This should be as low as possible with the seat back upright. You should be sitting close enough to the wheel that you have full control. Too many people sit too far from the wheel and end up with a straight arm driving position which gives very little power to turn the wheel and also very tired arms after long periods of driving.

A good way of judging the correct position is to lay your arm straight out over the wheel with your shoulders in their normal position. When you have done this look at what point the top of the wheel touches your arm. If you are in the correct position your wrist area is resting on the wheel. From this position steering should become far less tiring.

Next are the correct positions of your hands on the wheel. Most people have heard of and use the 10 to 2 position. This is okay, but the 9 to 3 position is much better and is my preferred option. It's logical really, as at this position your hands are opposite each other and at the widest diameter of the wheel, giving you the benefit of less steering effort. This also eliminates the chance of inadvertently steering too acutely, as both hands are never on the same side of the wheel pulling in the same direction. One is always pushing and one pulling. From this position the wheel can be turned freely through nearly 180 degrees without you having to let go of the wheel. This will get you through most corners on a country road and you always know where the wheels are pointing because your hands have never come off the wheel.
By Paul Stokell


SS :)

[seevee8]

I always thought it was,

Right elbow on window sill,

Right index finger and thumb on right side of wheel. (very easy to snap in an instant to 'the bird' gesture)

Left hand near jatz crackers (Just in case of sudden itch) occasionally moving left hand to drink holder, to mouth, back to drink holder returning to its favourite position.

Manual drivers can add occasional gear changes in between drinks.
ha ha ha very funny!
top this.........scoffing a quarter pounder with the right hand on steering wheel and the left hand occasionaly reaching for a sip of coke or some fries.........in between changing gears! lol

[v8e30]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v258/Firestorm11/325e/v8e30/IMGP1888.jpg

One of those helps for a good driving position :p

Atleast you know i'm not one of those young ricers who lays back in the seat!

[HSVREDSLED]

I still reckon youse have got it wrong....


Pasted from a Car journos article on a lap with Brocky.

"...A few seconds later, fear was replaced by sheer wonder as Brocky nonchalantly nerfed the car sideways, setting in train a spectacular rear-wheel drift and slamming us around the bend with inches to spare.

I honestly though we'd shared what race drivers call “a moment” until he did it again, on the next lap. And the lap after that.

It was only on the third time around that I realised he was pulling off this berserk bit of driving with one hand, while the other arm rested, in typical Brock style, on the window sill...."

Get em on the sill people....:hide:

[Y2kGoofball]

Craig Lowndes is known for doing that!

He did it at Indy a few years back and Neil Crompton made comment that as he come out of turn 3 or 4? as he pulled onto that straight that runs directlly paralell to the beach his right arm was on the sill!

I think hes also done it down Conrod once or twice before and been caught on TV

[ABG]

A good steering technique starts with the correct driving position. This should be as low as possible with the seat back upright. You should be sitting close enough to the wheel that you have full control. Too many people sit too far from the wheel and end up with a straight arm driving position which gives very little power to turn the wheel and also very tired arms after long periods of driving.

A good way of judging the correct position is to lay your arm straight out over the wheel with your shoulders in their normal position. When you have done this look at what point the top of the wheel touches your arm. If you are in the correct position your wrist area is resting on the wheel. From this position steering should become far less tiring.

Next are the correct positions of your hands on the wheel. Most people have heard of and use the 10 to 2 position. This is okay, but the 9 to 3 position is much better and is my preferred option. It's logical really, as at this position your hands are opposite each other and at the widest diameter of the wheel, giving you the benefit of less steering effort. This also eliminates the chance of inadvertently steering too acutely, as both hands are never on the same side of the wheel pulling in the same direction. One is always pushing and one pulling. From this position the wheel can be turned freely through nearly 180 degrees without you having to let go of the wheel. This will get you through most corners on a country road and you always know where the wheels are pointing because your hands have never come off the wheel.
By Paul Stokell


SS :)

Absolutely spot on. You'll notice that if you can touch your wrist on the steering wheel at 12 o'clock, your arms will be slightly bent at the elbows when you have your hands in the 9 to 3 position.

Another very important point to note is that you should not be putting your hand inside the steering wheel at any point. I see a lot of people doing this when turning. It's a great recipe for breaking hands and wrists in an accident. Hands stay outside the wheel at all times. :teach:

[vxssgurl]

Not saying it's better or anything, just different, but I was tought hands at 9 and 3 at the Holden Performance Driving Centre course I took a few years back.

Works for me personally, anyone else tried/use 9 and 3?

Yup, I was taught the same...

And wrists should be able to touch the top of the steering wheel, and your left foot should be able to reach the firewall.



As for lower back pain... yep, remove the wallet, and dial in your lumbar support (the top crank on the seat back)... either that or use a small pillow at the small of your back for support.

[mac06]

If you option up the HSVi leather sports steering wheel the design gives you both a comfortable 10/2 and 9/3 holding position. Either position is okay, just what feels more suitable for your driving style.

The 9/3 is what most racing drivers use. The F1 steering wheels aren't round, and the drivers hands remain in one position on the wheel. Different in everyday driving I know, where the steering wheel often has to go beyond 180 degrees on sharp corners, but there is a better control in the 9/3 position. Still, it all comes down to what is most comfortable for each driver. Wrists touching the steering wheel at 12 o'clock is what I was taught, but not too close in case airbags deploy. (for vertically challenged people)