If you’re a driving enthusiast or movie buff, you’re likely to have instant recall of some of the most memorable silver screen car scenes: the chase through Turin in The Italian Job, Steve McQueen’s car ricocheting through the San Francisco hills in Bullitt and, of course, the street races and stunt driving in the Fast and Furious series.
It’s all a thrill to watch on screen, but in real life even the tamer moves taken from the movies can damage your car. Here are three bad driving habits from the movies that shouldn’t be replicated in real life.
In the 2014 film Kingsman: The Secret Service, Taron Egerton’s character Eggsy steals a yellow Subaru Impreza WRX before embarking on a high-speed chase in reverse, nose-to-nose with a police car.
Back in real life, no matter how capable you are at daredevil driving in reverse, keep in mind that the WRX in this memorable scene was modified and driven by renowned stunt driver Ben Collins. Switching from drive to reverse without coming to a full stop will cause wear and tear to your car’s transmission band - which is expensive and labor intensive to repair. And most cars won’t let you shift into reverse while still moving forward. Regardless, it’s always best to stop completely and check for obstacles and other vehicles or pedestrians behind you before proceeding in reverse.
To help ensure your safety, and the safety of others, Subaru’s Rear Cross-Traffic Alert safety feature uses sensors to warn drivers of traffic approaching the rear of the car from either side, so that you can react faster and more safely when reversing — which is particularly useful when backing into a busy street or out of a spot in a busy parking lot.
If you tend to make hard stops, no matter how skilfully you execute them, slamming on the brakes is simply putting you on the road to the auto-repair shop. Coming to a sudden stop wears out your brake pads, shortens the lifespan of your brake rotors and puts stress on your suspension. Habitually slamming on the brakes may also be putting you at a higher risk of collision, so be mindful of using a lighter touch and giving yourself enough time to brake smoothly.
To add an essential layer of safety, Subaru’s all-around ventilated disc brakes are designed to provide progressive and reliable stopping power. And if you do have to brake hard in an emergency situation, Subaru’s 4-sensor 4-channel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) will help prevent your car from skidding out of control.
The opening sequence of 2017’s Baby Driver, featuring a 2006 Subaru Impreza WRX, is one of the most impressive car chase scenes to date, featuring high-speed turns and a lot of screeching tires. In real life, however, we all know burning rubber is never good for a car’s tires — cornering too quickly places extra strain on your suspension, steering. and brakes as well.
And while the WRX is proving to be a popular getaway car on film, Subaru is focused on ensuring drivers can negotiate corners safely in real-life scenarios — even on slippery roads during rainy season. Key safety features include Active Torque Vectoring, which improves cornering performance when driving around bends at speed, and Vehicle Dynamics Control to prevent skidding, effectively preventing the car from slipping sideways when cornering.
Of course, not everyone fancies themselves a stunt person. But just in case you drive like one, Subaru keeps you safe on the road, so that you can focus on your driving and let your car be the star.
