Losing the Micro Second Drag Race

Neil Choi · January 10, 2015, 10:21:43 PM

It's killing me.
Losing the micro second drag race and being abused, all caused by the Giulietta with start/stop function.
Stopped at the lights, start/stop kicks in, engine stops, saving fuel and enjoying the early morning silence. Foot on brake.
Lights change to green, foot ease off brake and before the micro second was over for the engine to start and ready to go, I get this abusive honk, gesture and look from the Ford Whatever behind driven by some pretty thing, telling me that I have lost the green light drag race.
I wasn't unattentive such as checking phone, shaving, picking my ear or doing my lippy, just the start/stop was still kicking in.
The reaction time of the Green Light Drag Race is certainly getting rather competitive.
I reckon the time between the green light to the honk beats any of the reaction times of the best ANDRA or NHRA drag racers.

Mick A · January 11, 2015, 01:05:10 AM

I was beeped at today also at a Green light, however the Alfa I was driving was broken and I had hazard lights on.

Neil Choi · January 11, 2015, 07:40:33 AM

Interesting.
Your hazards are wired wrong then.
I always thought that Alfa hazard lights are permanently ON (much like DRL) and you switch them OFF once the Alfa is going. Gives others plenty of warning as not to follow behind. Hence why the battery always goes flat.

Potsie · January 14, 2015, 02:08:36 PM

Neil,
So you did get a Giulietta after all. I'm surprised what comes out in this forum - not only do you keep stockings in your glove box, but now you admit to doing your lippie at the lights !!
I find that when driving the good wife's Giulietta a small release of the brake pedal just prior to the light changing green will re-start the engine, or I could also point out that a quick flick of the start-stop function switch will turn it off (but that wouldn't be in the tongue-in-cheek flavour of this posting - but then, I am a boring sod). Potsie

Cool Jesus · January 14, 2015, 02:30:25 PM

Oh good, so we don't have the monopoly on life clocks ticking away here in Sydney. I've been doing a lot of woosaa de-stressing on our roads. Just the other day, some numb nuts felt it was appropriate to do a 3 point turn at a t intersection, the calamity that unfolded was entertaining.

Neil Choi · January 14, 2015, 03:54:42 PM

Ahh, Potsie, what I did "forget" to mention that the micro second drag race lost was more importantly caused by not wearing my usual Puma Ferrari racing shoes but these.

Potsie · January 14, 2015, 04:21:14 PM

Ah.. I have just realised from all this talk of stilettos and lipstick you are obviously talking about a different kind of 'Drag' race to the kind I had in mind. You shall now be known as 'Pricilla Choi - Queen of the Alfas'

giulia_veloce · January 14, 2015, 07:04:58 PM

Not another name Neil.
We all like the current one

VeeSix · May 05, 2015, 09:52:13 AM

aggie57 · May 05, 2015, 06:56:47 PM

Hey Neil - two thoughts. First, it's Melbourne so you should expect to get aggression for no good reason. Second, I had a Chevy Malibu renter last week which had the stop start. Found that if you let the brake 1/2 off then on again, the engine would restart and stay alive. Still a crap car but.

Paul Gulliver · May 06, 2015, 11:15:47 AM

Bloody annoying that start stop. At least driving my daughter's Mito when I'm required to go and fill it with petrol you can turn the start /stop function off . But then you keep looking at the stop / start warning light on the dash. On UK models it is a 50 quid delete option which Jeremy Clarkson highly recommends.