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General Has Anyone Ever Done This Before?

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General Has Anyone Ever Done This Before?

Andysan

Andysan

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Always thought that the driving position in the Bravo (knees under my chin) due to the fact that if I set the seat so that my legs are in the right position I can't reach the steering wheel was a typical Italian car problem. It's long annoyed me as it prevents me from heel & toe-ing.

Anyway, driving down my local high street today and went over a slight bump, so much so that I turned off the ignition at 30MPH! Wondered if anyone else has ever done this before? I'm sure I'm gonna be swamped with people telling me to adjust my seat, but I can't sit any farther back from the wheel. Everyone else who's ever driven my car comments on a similar experience.
 
Sorry - as in, my knees are so close to the ignition barrel that when I went over a bump today my knee pushed against the key and shut everything off - I was doing 30MPH at the time and had to flick her back on. The problem I've always had with the car is that to reach the wheel I have to sit far too close to the pedals - this seems to be a common thread among many Italian cars. Gangster lean would mean that for my arms to reach the wheel I'd need to sit even closer to the pedals - thanks anyway.

Would be a little concerned if it happened in the outside lane of the motorway...
 
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Most Easterly Pandas said:
Well the key is in the same place on most of the Fiat range.....just saying.
Click to expand...

I think that was largely my point - Italian driving position of longer arms and shorter legs doesn't suit those who outside of Italy! :bang:

I mean, I can only compare to the few cars I have driven in my life - a couple of Fords, an Astra, a DB9 - all of these allow me to sit far more naturally.
 
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Is the steering wheel as far out as it would go?
Try moving the back of the seat to a more vertical position..

I've got long legs so i can understand what you are saying, and to be fair i do hate how my knees scrape against the plastic covering the steering column underneath. But if i adjust my seat in all directions i do sometimes manage to get a comfortable driving position; and then my short girlfriend drives the car and moves everything around :(
 
wegi said:
Can't heel-toe in the Bravo anyway ;)
Click to expand...
I can't heel-n-toe in any car. I'd probably dislocate my artificial hip!

I'm sure in the B1 the height-adjustable seat was just that - height, up and down.
The B2, raising the seat also sends it forwards at about a 20 degree angle.
If I wanted to go forwards I'd slide the squab forwards.
 
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Well I have to agree with you. The 'Italian' driving position is uncomfortable if you have long legs (i am 6ft). Luckily the car has cruise control so on long journeys I can relax a bit. However I have never managed to switch off the ignition with my knee. That must be a first.
 
Hi I am 5.11 or 180cm without shoes on and all I can saz regarding the position behind the wheel is that I find it mch better than golf or bmw1. I do more than 3300km per month with just my car and am never tired in bravo, compared to companys bmw or golf 6
 
I'm 6'1" and didn't kit the ignition but I did keep hitting the cruise control stalk with me knee :( In end I traded the Bravo in - a bit extreme but much more comfy now!

I had gone to the Bravo from a Grande Punto. While I was well used to the Italian driving position in the GP, I found the Bravo to be much worse despite it being a bigger car. The lack of a foot rest next to the clutch didn't help either.
 
carlorff said:
how tall are you? In centimeters if possible... :) isn't your seat hight adjustable?
Click to expand...

I think I'm just shy of 6ft - so 170 - 180cm in new money. That's why it's particularly frustrating, I'm not really that tall - when learning to drive my instructor often remarked that I sat too far back from the pedals, so maybe that's why I notice the forward seating position so much.

I have the seat as low as possible as the weird slightly forwards attitude that you get when you lean the seat forwards as mentioned by Charnwood Fox annoys me also.

I've lowered the wheel a notch (thereby bringing it closer) and moved my seat back slightly, and I'm a little better off, but it ain't great.
 
So we are kind of the same hight, if it would help, I could measure my driving position...so you could see what I find comfortable? My instructor was as yours, and every few years I go visit the safety driving school and they always insist on some racing position...which is uncomfortable... I drove all the tracks with the way I sit in my car with racing instructor and I could perform all the maneuvers...it depends on the individuals performance I guess...I do not recommend sitting too far from the steering wheel, but I do not recommend or want to sit as near as they recommend. I have my own reasons. I found a middle point. Also I have my sit as far to the ground as possible.
 
I'm around 5'10"-5'11" myself, and I have to say I find the driving position in the bravo is extremely comfortable. I certainly don't have any issues with my knees getting in the way of the key, cruise control or any other controls, or any issues reaching the steering wheel

My only gripe with the bravo is not being able to slip my clutch foot down the side of the clutch pedal when I'm not using it. Could do with a footrest there to be honest.
 
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