Don't leave vehicle running

[Midniteoyl]

You might check with your insurance on the subject of your actions abetting the theft...

Harry K

Being stupid is one thing, making it illegal is another..

 

[Midniteoyl]

That might have been the cause of some of the "runaway acceleration" crashes. IMO that 'button' is one of the dumbest ideas going.

Harry K

I agree.. if I had hit it and ran after them, it would have taken off. IMO it should still shut down.

 

[dmccarty]

The truck was a manual with the shifter on the column. They believe it jumped into gear.

I don't see how a manual transmission can be jumped into gear. :confused3: The clutch has to be operated to get the tranny in gear. Most the manual vehicles I have driven will stall out if put in gear and if the "gas" pedal is not pressed as the clutch is let up. The feathering of the clutch and "gas" pedal is what many find hard to do. My Ford 7.3 has so much torque that I can put the truck in gear, let go the clutch and the truck will drive without stalling IF the truck is not going up hill but it is an exception. In any case, one still has to push in the clutch, select a gear and then release the clutch. That does not happen by mistake and the truck does not just jump into gear.

I can see the manual gear popping OUT of gear if it was never really in gear but I don't understand how a manual tranny can pop INTO gear. That does not make sense to me. Most people stall a manual vehicle because of all of the things that have to be done just right to get the danged thing to drive. I am having "fun" teaching my oldest to drive the manual truck right now. :laughing::laughing::laughing:

Did the truck move forward or backwards? Was it on a hill? This just does not make sense to me.

I learned to drive a manual on a column shifter. I wonder if he caught a sleeve or jacket on the shifter and taken the tranny OUT of gear? I just dont see how a manual tranny can be put into gear by accident. Unless it was a JD PowerReverser tranny, that can be put in foward/reverse by the flip of a lever but if I am off the seat the engine will stall. How do I know this? I have had the lever get snagged by my coat a few times.

Later,
Dan

 

[dave1949]

Well Dan, you never drove my 1974, three on the tree, Nova. In its later years, it had to be held in second gear until it was time for third, or it would pop out of gear. :laughing:

I think it is possible for a manual to pop into gear if isn't completely in neutral. It sounds like an older truck which means there could be a lot slop in the linkage, like my Nova.

 

[dmccarty]

Well Dan, you never drove my 1974, three on the tree, Nova. In its later years, it had to be held in second gear until it was time for third, or it would pop out of gear. :laughing:

I think it is possible for a manual to pop into gear if isn't completely in neutral. It sounds like an older truck which means there could be a lot slop in the linkage, like my Nova.

I can see the tranny popping out of gear but into gear I don't understand. With the exception of my Ford, any manual vehicle I have owned would have stalled with the engine idling and if the tranny suddenly went into gear. Course, no of my vehicles COULD have gone into gear without the clutch being used. I guess maybe it was a real old truck or maybe had a problem it could have gone into gear but then there is the issue of stalling...

If the truck was an auto, then it makes more sense to me that the tranny went into gear compared to a manual.

I learned to drive on a Jeep Wagoneer with a manual three speed on the column. That Jeep was from the late 60's or maybe early 70's and I stalled it many a time by not giving gas.

I really would like to know what happened because it just does not make sense to me.

Later,
Dan

 

[bcp]

Did the truck move forward or backwards? Was it on a hill? This just does not make sense to me.

Doesn't look very hilly:

From:
Worth News Monday - Unfortunate Accident is Fatal | Worth County GA Online NewsWorth County GA Online News



Hard to imagine a truck in neutral having enough force to roll over someone in the terrain in the photo. But 50 yards away may be a hill...???

If it went into gear, with enough energy to not stall and to roll over someone, what finally stopped the truck? The gate?

Bruce

 

[hawkeye08]

If anyone is interested in the Spokane car thief that was shot, this is the article(s)... Gail Gerlach - Topical coverage at Spokesman.com

Regarding the OP, we will probably never know since the only witness is dead... good reminder to always be safe, don't take shortcuts and unnecessary risks.

 

[Hersheyfarm]

never seen anything 'jump out ore gear'.

 

[cqaigy2]

:laughing::laughing::laughing: Well I meant what I said, I always use the parking brake when I get out of the truck. Now, it might have been a weeeee bit clearer if I had added that I use the parking brake when I get out of the truck, or tractor for that matter, and leave the engine running and the tranny in neutral. When I really park the truck, I set the parking brake and leave it in reverse gear per the manual so the truck cannot move. I thought you set the parking brake and then put the truck in gear to keep pressure off the transmission if on a hill. I have been doing that for so long I have forgotten WHY I have been doing it. :laughing::laughing::laughing: I bet you set the brake and then put it gear in case the tranny gets put in neutral.

Later,
Dan

Yes, that's what i learned as well. Keep the pressure off the transmission but also do it in automatic transmission as well for the same reason. The added benefit is if it's not completely in park or gear, if it pops out of gear, hopefully the parking brake will hold. It doesn't hurt to use multiple methods to insure ones safety, just in case...

 

[/pine]

My opinion on this topic is related to another thread "which side of tractor do you mount"...

I don't often get off my machines when running but dis-mounting on the left eliminates the possibility of having my shirt tail or jacket catching the shift lever and knocking into gear when not expected...

 

[turnkey4099]

Being stupid is one thing, making it illegal is another..

And leaving an unattended vehicle running in city is not "stupid"? doing something stupid is one of the things tha falls under "contributory negligence" for insuirance adjusters . One of the reasons for making it a illegal is to cut down on police time due to begin called to 'car theft' when most of them are just "joy rides" (as was the one under discussion - dthat kid had a habit of it.

Some things are made "illegal" for the good of the community.
Harry K

Harry K

 

[turnkey4099]

never seen anything 'jump out ore gear'.

If you mean "out of gear" it was common back in 30s/40s vintage both stick and 3 on tree. I had a couple cars that would do it.

Harry K