Why do cars roll backwards before going forwards in traffic?

[Anonymous]

Saw this four times yesterday and then again today. Both on hills and on flat streets. Why do cars do this? Is it beacause they are manual transmissions? Are the drivers doing it on purpose for some reason? Twice I thought the cars in front of me were going to hit me as it rolled backwards down the street. It was very annoying.

[Anonymous]

I'm sure they were manuals.

[Anonymous]

manual transmission. why are you so close to the cars in front of you? you're supposed to leave room in between.

[Anonymous]

If you're worried about someone with a manual rolling back and hitting you, then that's an indication that you're pulled up too close to them.


If it's not a manual, then it's a car with an automatic transmission with a weaker or older torque converter or possibly a failing fluid pump.

[Anonymous]

Manual transmission. There is a short delay as the foot comes off the break and the clutch becomes engaged. I thought most manual cars have a mechanism to prevent that backward drift but I guess some cars don't.

[Anonymous]

By the way, if a car rolls back and hits you while getting started, it's YOUR fault for being too close.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you're worried about someone with a manual rolling back and hitting you, then that's an indication that you're pulled up too close to them.


If it's not a manual, then it's a car with an automatic transmission with a weaker or older torque converter or possibly a failing fluid pump.

+1 I used to drive a manual and especially when first learning to drive, it would make me so nervous how close to my bumper people would get when we were stopped. Now, it makes me nervous that I'm going to get rear ended if they get so much as a tap from the car behind them, they're so close.

[Anonymous]

Newer manual transmissions come with something called "hill-start assist" that's supposed to prevent this.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hill-start_assist

[Anonymous]

Newer manual transmissions have this feature that prevents roll back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:By the way, if a car rolls back and hits you while getting started, it's YOUR fault for being too close.

OP here. So how far do you leave between cars? I know I leave more than other cars do, but maybe not enough. The cars I saw rolled back quite far which is why I noticed it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Newer manual transmissions have this feature that prevents roll back.

Mine is a 2015 and still rolls back? I have a sporty car though, maybe it's different if you have a corolla with a stick shift.

[Anonymous]

I have a crappy old car with an automatic transmission. It will roll back on hills because there is so much slip in the torque converter at idle.

My friend has a Civic with a manual transmission. He gets bored at traffic lights and doesn't use the brake when waiting at a red light on hills; he balances the clutch/throttle to hold his position. I think only men do this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a crappy old car with an automatic transmission. It will roll back on hills because there is so much slip in the torque converter at idle.

My friend has a Civic with a manual transmission. He gets bored at traffic lights and doesn't use the brake when waiting at a red light on hills; he balances the clutch/throttle to hold his position. I think only men do this.

I do this too sometimes. I’m a female.

[Anonymous]

They have a manual transmission without hill assist and are not using the e-brake.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Newer manual transmissions have this feature that prevents roll back.

Mine is a 2015 and still rolls back? I have a sporty car though, maybe it's different if you have a corolla with a stick shift.

My mom’s older BMW (2007) has the clutch assist. My newer car does not. I think it’s a feature in nicer trim levels.