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No more 'ten and two' - here's the right way to put your hands on the wheel

Nowadays it’s all about nine and three.

FOR YEARS WE’VE all been told that the way to hold a steering wheel is at ‘ten and two’. That is, you picture the steering wheel as a clock face and you place your left hand where the number ten would be and you place your right hand where the two would be.

But times have changed. Cars are different. Steering wheels are different. Hands are diff… ok, maybe not, but what is different is the correct position for hands on the wheel. Nowadays, ‘nine and three’ is the new ‘ten and two’.

Yup, that’s right. You move both hands down the wheel until your left is at the ‘nine’ position and the right is at the ‘three’ position.

Placing your hands on the wheel at the nine and three position is far safer as you do not obstruct the driver’s airbag. This position also gives you more control when steering making maneuvering the car easier, which makes you look like a parking pro.

It’s also important that you places your thumbs along the rim or the wheel and not looped around the wheel. Again, this is safer for you if the airbag deploys or you are in an accident.

Another top tip is to place your wrists on the top of the steering wheel and if your shoulders move away from the seat back then you need to adjust the seat and steering wheel so that you can comfortably rest your wrists on the top of the wheel and still have your shoulders against the back of the seat.

Most steering wheels nowadays have at least rake adjustment and most have reach and rake. Rake adjustment means you can lift the steering wheel up and down, higher and lower – for examples you may need to move the wheel higher if you have long legs. Lucky you.

Reach adjustment means the steering wheel can be moved towards you and away from you. It helps you reach the wheel better, for example if you have short arms like me.

The adjustment can be done very easily as most cars have a lever on the steering column below the wheel. Other more fancy-pants cars can be done electronically with a small joystick switch.

If you have never adjusted your steering wheel now is the time to do it as it makes such a difference to your driving position, safety and the control you have over the vehicle.

READ: Review – the Peugeot 5008 is a seven-seater built for families>

READ: Stress less: 4 tips to reduce your rage behind the wheel >

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    Mute Sean O'Dhubhghaill
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    Jul 16th 2024, 8:41 PM

    #COYGIG!! Fantastic evening for soccer in Ireland.

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    Mute Richard Ford
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    Jul 16th 2024, 8:42 PM

    @Sean O’Dhubhghaill: Really great win.

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    Mute Setanta O'Toole
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    Jul 16th 2024, 9:31 PM

    @Sean O’Dhubhghaill: you are right, amazing performance. You kind of wonder why they couldnt pull it out for the other games though. Still it will give them great confidence going to the playoffs.

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    Mute S Suilleabhain
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    Jul 16th 2024, 11:56 PM

    @Sean O’Dhubhghaill: its a shame you’re not very consistent AND you think FG have overseen some massive recovery in Ireland that they havent

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    Mute Injustice Cop
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    Jul 17th 2024, 10:08 AM

    @S Suilleabhain: What has that got to do with his COYGIG comment and this article? Was a comment of his deleted from this page?

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    Mute Stanley Marsh
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    Jul 17th 2024, 10:23 AM

    @Setanta O’Toole: For the same reason probably that the Ireland’s men’s team would be lucky to win any match if they were in the same group as the 2nd, 3rd and 6th raned teams in the world i.e. France, Belguim and Portugal.

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    Mute S Suilleabhain
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    Jul 17th 2024, 9:00 PM

    @Injustice Cop: he was odious to me & nasty and is routinely. I’ll say what I like and dont regard him as anything like a decent Irishman

    strange username you have there, ironic.

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    Mute Paul A Kane
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    Jul 16th 2024, 8:44 PM

    Well done indeed ladies .

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    Mute john kenny
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    Jul 16th 2024, 8:54 PM

    Brilliant result. Really attacked today and that goal v England gave them the emputis to push on in this game. Super venue also.

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    Mute Shelley Keary
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    Jul 16th 2024, 9:09 PM

    Brilliant! Well done everyone – delighted for you all

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    Mute Dermot Blaine
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    Jul 16th 2024, 9:37 PM

    Great result for Mna na hEireann

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    Mute hans vos
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    Jul 16th 2024, 10:11 PM

    To be fair. This was a great win against a top women’s team. Maybe now they realise that they are better then they think and give them a boost for the next time. Well done ladies.

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    Mute did you every wonder
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    Jul 17th 2024, 7:52 AM

    Well done, great to see them finally getting a well-deserved win. Hope sign of things to come for them.

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    Mute Sun Rise
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    Jul 17th 2024, 2:37 AM

    @ S Suilleabhain: You are pathetic. On an article concerning a great victory for our Women’s National Team you somehow have to bring completely unrelated politics into. How does it feel to have failed so miserable in life? There ar3 people all around you, from every part of the country have successfully made a decent life for themselves under the same circumstances you had to live under. You are a bitter failure. The soo wrong you take responsibility for your life the sooner things will improve for you. As long as you bitterly whinge and moan you will always be a miserable failure. Wise up.

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    Mute Robert Halvey
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    Jul 17th 2024, 6:39 AM

    Coolaboola

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    Mute Padraig O'Brien
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    Jul 17th 2024, 1:16 PM

    Great performance. I’m having a piece of humble pie for lunch!

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