People of Lemmy that take more than 5 seconds to start your car and drive, what are you doing?

peskywarrior@lemmy.world to Ask Lemmy@lemmy.world – 49 points –

As the title says...what are you all doing?

127

People who tear out of their parking space within a few seconds of getting in, wtf?

Because it’s a crowded parking lot. People are getting pissy and frustrated because they can’t find a spot to do this stupid shopping…they didn’t even want to come now, but that stupid BBQ is later, so they have to come when it’s super busy. And that freakin guy went the wrong way and got that spot they were trying to get…

A little moment of kindness and acknowledgement is sometimes enough to reset the spiral of negativity and anger.

Or I’ve really got to poop, as previously mentioned.

Letting the oil circulate before putting load on the engine. Only needs an extra 10-15 seconds, or the time it takes me to scrape during the winter months. No time needed if it was recently running.

Is your engine >30 years old?

No. What modern marvel keeps oil from pooling in the lowest level after hours of disuse?

Oil pumps? Seriously though 10-15 seconds doesn't sound excessive at all. I would be surprised if anyone is actually in gear and putting serious load on their engine/trans in under 10 seconds.

15 sec is plenty. After 15 sec all of your engine's oil has traveled through the pump and through the whole system 1 - 1.5 times.

Bonding with the vehicle on a spiritual level so that we can move as one.

How many times does the judge have to tell you? Stop masturbating in the car.

Moya is not yet ready to leave the Applebee's parking lot.

Waiting for Bluetooth to connect, putting on seatbelt, fixing Bluetooth, putting drinks in drink holders, waiting for Bluetooth, turning on lights, fixing Bluetooth.

And people wonder why I care so much about my phone having an analog headphone jack.

I'm just pleased to see so many comments talking about dealing with your phone before you drive. Thank you all.

In many places, if your car has started - even if you're in park - it's illegal to use your phone. (I think it's insane, but best remind people)

Like that ever stops anyone. Georgia is a hands-free state (not really because people eat, do makeup, and whatever else), but I always see people on their phones while they drive.

Letting oil warm up for a bit. Why do you care?

They need the spot. They need it. RIGHT NOW! CAN'T YOU SEE THEIR BLINKER ON AS THEY BLOCK THE ISLE?! BEEP..... BEEP BEEP BEEP THEY NEED IT NOOOOOOOWWWWWWWE WHY AREN'T YOU MOVIIIIIIINNNNNNGGGGGG BEEEEEEEEP

“People of Lemmy that are not the same way as me: Why are you the way that you are? Any answers must come with justification.”

I fucking hate bad-faith questions like this. OP doesn't care about an answer, they are just ranting.

Perhaps it’s more of a “hey, parking is hard to come by in this neighborhood.. I’ve been circling for a while and noticed that you got into your car and now I’m sitting here with my blinker on, blocking traffic, waiting for the spot to free up so I can park and get on with my day… what’s going on in there?”

You're the asshole in that situation. Don't expect that any parking place is yours until it's empty, especially when you have no idea when the people actually parked in the space are leaving. You should never be blocking traffic waiting to park in an occupied space because you assume they're leaving.

I understand this. At work parking is hella bad, so I routinely get to work over an hour early just for parking, and then most days I bring lunch or don't eat because I don't want to lose my parking during the day.

That being said, because I know parking sucks there, I'm extra quick when I do have to leave because I know the feeling of driving around looking for parking, becoming hopeless, and resigning to the quarter mile walk from the next closest available parking.

I've never understood the people who purposefully just sit there and stare at the person needing a parking spot in their rear view mirror waiting for them to leave. My dad does this, and I'm always just like "Aren't you taking more time away from yourself now too just to stick it to someone else?"

Questions like these is why this community exists though.

It's interesting to read because I'm always quick in the car myself, I enjoy being quick to start and drive out.

Don't care if others are different. Maybe they want to sit and watch their phone for a while. But it's interesting to read about it.

-> Seatbelt

-> Phone in holder + plug

-> Vape out + plug

-> Select destination in GPS

-> Stare into the void and contemplate the utter futility of existence

-> Select Music or podcast

-> Prepare any drinks or snacks for the trip

-> Drive off

Stare into the void and contemplate the utter futility of existence

Yea this one is pretty much it for me.

Defrosting my windows so that I can actually see to drive

Also, connecting my phone via bluetooth to play music or podcasts

Well I get in, plug in my phone and put on my belt. That’s maybe 15 seconds. Then I turn the key and wait for the glow* plugs to warm up, so that’s another 5-10 seconds.

Flow plugs? lol you mean glow plugs? Should get them warmed the moment you get in and save some time.

Ha! Yes, glow plugs. That’ll be my fat fingers getting in the way again.

Putting on spotify and getting a Playlist so I don't mess with my phone when I start driving. Possibly GPSing.

Telling someone that I'm on my way. Finding music to listen to. Figuring out what my next errand is or checking if I have anymore errands.

  • get in
  • put things in place
  • seat belt
  • lock the door
  • unfold side mirror
  • start engine
  • check dashboard
  • wait a while if engine is cold

Seeing how many serious commenters omitted seatbelts, I'm thinking the seatbelt part comes for them when the car starts bitching about it.

More like seatbelt is muscle memory they don't actively think about. Nobody is mentioning closing the door or aligning their foot to the pedals either.

In my country, people who fasten the seatbelt are aliens. You have to explain yourself why you are fastening the seatbelt.

Waiting for my windows to defrost mostly.

I could scrape them clear, but when it's -15 with 10 mph wind I'm good waiting for 10 mins.

  • get in
  • get keys into hand
  • the abyss gazes also into me

My car is old and has a display for Android auto that is powered by the cigarette lighter. I'm waiting for it to turn on, then I'm picking some music on Spotify to play during my drive.

Queue podcasts, reply to txt/email, or anything else that needs to be taken care of on the phone so that it can be put away while driving.

Seatbelt on, plug phone in, get sunglasses, put on radio, put in gear, examine surrounding area to ensure it's safe to go

Letting the oil circulate for a bit, adjusting fan-settings, A/C, selecting music etc. If it’s wintertime I let the car warm up for a while while I scrape the windows.

Waiting for my kid to put on his seatbelt.

Making sure all the kids are buckled.

Is your seatbelt done up?

Leave your brother alone and do up your seatbelt please.

You need to do up your seatbelt now.

Do up your seatbelt now, please.

DO UP YOUR SEATBELT

DON'T MAKE ME TURN THIS CAR AROUND I SWEAR WE WILL NOT GET GROCERIES AND YOU WILL HAVE PEANUT BUTTER ON LETTUCE WITH RELISH FOR DINNER AGAIN THAT'S IT GET IN THE HOUSE I'M ORDERING A PIZZA GODDAMN IT NOT AGAIN

Waiting for the oil pressure to protect the timing chain.

Or, in the winter, waiting for the CVT to warm up.

Putting away the windshield shade, plugging my phone in to charge, choosing what to listen to on my drive, setting the heat/AC/defrost, making sure no one is walking in front of me, and letting the oil circulate in the engine before I get going.

Seatbelt too, but I can't think of where that fits in the lineup. It's so automatic, I don't notice that I have the seatbelt on until I park and take unclick it.

Waiting for the engine to warm up a bit? Centering myself and dealing with distractions before I drive. Mapping out my egress routes and bailout locations after eliminating the parties specified in the verbal contract? All normal things you are supposed to do before you drive.

I gotta find the perfect song. What is the perfect song? I don't know, but I gotta sit here and hit the skip button over and over until I find it.

Checking my mirrors, checking tire pressure, waiting for the on-screen button to become responsive so I can ok the dumb EULA on screen so I can use the infotainment unit, reconnecting bluetooth a few times because the phone and infotainment unit randomly choose to connect.

Waiting for everyone to buckle in. Even that one person in the back.

This. So often, folks feel too busy for even the easiest safety steps that keep everywait who are these people in my car it was empty a second ago

well, I usually roll a few cigarettes for the road, put directions on Google maps, and adjust my seating/coffee/whatever else I need to be comfortable. In total it takes a minute or two.

Brushing off the snow and scraping off the ice from my windows

Waiting for the will to live to kick back in after that brief pause when you're alone in a quiet space

Starting car Putting on seatbelt Backing out of carport without hitting house hopefully Backing out of driveway without hitting a neighbor dogwslking or biking Looking at the the neighbor’s house wondering what is going on over there Pushing gas to move to next exit trying to remember where I am going.

okay but I think you misunderstood the assignment. He's asking what are you doing BEFORE you start the car?

Oh sorry. I guess I am trying to adjust the seat or eat a piece of cookie I dropped the previous day if it is big enuf chunk.

  • Get in
  • Start car
  • Connect up bluetooth for tunes
  • Wait for startup high-idle to finish warming the cats or whatever
  • Drive

if it's winter and really cold I'll let the car run for a bit before going. also have to clear ice/snow off the car sometimes too.

Waiting for my old phone to get ready to navigate and play music

My mother will sit in the car and watch at least three tiktoks before starting the car and before getting out .

Transmission is slow on startup (especially when cold) so the first shift always takes a while to engage, and I have to watch the lights to see if I still have enough coolant (fun leak)

Checking pbone, eating food, looking for cord, checking pockets, enjoying the view, making sure mirrors are adjusted properly, adjusting chair, adjusting steering wheel. Could be any number of things.

Reflecting on how ironic it would be for a deer to crash a car into a human crossing the road for a change.

Responding to this post, can't comment and drive

I get in:

  • seat belt
  • turn on car
  • fix phone stuff
  • fix temperature and/or windows open/close
  • make sure seat/mirrors are good to go
  • jam to music
  • then cautiously head out and drive

Leaning in, starting the car, hitting the garage door button, putting stuff in, grabbing ice scraper, begrudgingly pondering why I had to get another car that's currently in the garage, parked where if my running one was it would not need scraping.

Not often this is the case, but when it is; it's always "fuck my seatbelt got stuck, let me pull it slowly"

I wait for my car to idle for a few seconds because the dealer told me to. The “cold engine” light turns off and then I’m good to go.

Depends. I drive a hybrid and live on top of a hill so my routine is set up to try and keep the engine off until I hit flat land and go above 30 mph. Typically that means plug in and set up my phone, buckle in, turn car in, and slowly cruise out of there with no delay. I don't really want the engine warming up until it actually needs to run.

Buckle up and check the dashboard to see if any unwanted indicator lights up...

...Then proceed to doom scroll for 2 min.

uConnect sucks. It will literally take 10 to 15 seconds to finalize the connection in my wife's van. Sometimes I wait for it and sometimes I just have Bluetooth off and listen to my phone through its own speakers.