Accidental shift into reverse without clutch

In rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled, Chris wrote:

>
>Solution: Turn the engine off. Put the car in 1st gear. When you are
>ready to go, start the car. Not to be used as a regular practice, but
>it'll get you home.

I would suggest second, if you can get started despite bucking. It
lets you go a little faster.

That should work if you are parked on the level or better.

"Brian Running" > wrote in message
om...
> Actually, the trick is to get home without stopping at all :-) -- you've got
> to roll all the stop signs and avoid uphill traffic lights at all costs.

It's surprising, once you don't want to stop, to realize how often you actually
DO have to stop.

> The shifting part is not that hard, you accelerate, let off the gas
> simultaneously with pulling the transmission into neutral, then hold the
> shifter semi-firmly against the next gear's gate, and then blip the
> throttle. At the precise point where the gears match each other in speed,
> it will almost snatch the shifter out of your hand and "suck" it into the
> next gear. Same technique downshifting. Just don't stop rolling!

Nice description. I'd, fortunately, practiced this (at the suggestion of my
mechanic) before I needed it the first time (in a '65 VW beetle), so I knew how
to do it. Needed it again years later in a Rabbit. Again, I'd practiced it
before hand, so no trouble, except that time I *did* have to start on a hill.
The cable broke JUST as I was clutching to go into 1st to pull of the parking
space. I still practice this from time to time to keep my hand in, in case I
need it again.

- Bill

I was downtown on my '71 BMW bike, and broke a clutch cable. Got home
using that method, ok, but definately a little hair-raising in traffic
on a bike! Good thing it's got a huge millstone for a flywheel.......
Any options if you've got a series 4 Golf? Dunno what I could do to
bypass their safety switch. Bill D.
> The shifting part is not that hard, you accelerate, let off the gas
> > simultaneously with pulling the transmission into neutral
Just don't stop rolling!

"Wm Donley" > wrote in message
...
> I was downtown on my '71 BMW bike, and broke a clutch cable. Got home
> using that method, ok, but definately a little hair-raising in traffic
> on a bike! Good thing it's got a huge millstone for a flywheel.......

The very concept of driving a motorcycle in ANY kind of traffic without a clutch
leave me short of breath.

> Any options if you've got a series 4 Golf? Dunno what I could do to
> bypass their safety switch.

Hmmm. I wasn't even aware they had one, but I suppose I should have expected
it. The newest thing I've done this on (shift w/o clutch) is a '90-ish Golf.
My daily driver is an '87 Scirocco 16V, which has no such crud in it. I suppose
if I had one of them, I'd investigate ahead of time how to bypass the
interlock... or make sure my cell phone was always charged so I could call for a
tow.

- Bill

In article >,
"Bill Leary" > wrote:
or make sure my cell phone was always charged so I could call
for a tow.

You're probably right. The ultimate tool kit..........Bill D.