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Reverse and Drive are backwards.....

teartags

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Just picked up my R1T on Tuesday. Lovin' it.
However, I can't seem to get my head wrapped around Drive being DOWN and Reverse being UP. That's so un-intuitive to me! I parallel parked it last night for the 1st time and came 1/2" away (not exaggerating) from smashing into the BMW behind me because, as you always are, I was "rushed" trying to get in the spot and not hold up traffic. I instinctively pushed up to go forward and....
Yes, I get why they did it. It's the same order as automatics have been for years. From the top P R N D manuals. But having not had a stalk on the tree for gears in decades, it doesn't translate for me. I also know if they would have done it "my way", some other whiner would come on here and complain about the opposite.
Not really complaining actually. Just remarking that it's another thing I need to adapt to. And there are already so many on this technological marvel....
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cohall

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Strange - I've never owned a vehicle where you pushed up on a stalk to go into drive. Always down or backwards (depending on if it was a dash mount or low mount shifter). Even my manual cars reverse was technically "up" and to the left or right.

You'll get used to it I'm sure. Just give it a few days. And take your time if it's confusing. It may not seem like it, but the people stuck behind you won't die if they have to wait 5 extra seconds while you park (even if they don't feel that way)...
 
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teartags

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I've never had a vehicle where reverse was "below" drive either. But, all my automatic vehicles in the last 2 (maybe 3) decades have had shifters on the floor, not the tree. There it makes even LESS sense to have Reverse in front of Drive! I suspect the originator of that came about because you need to have the "manual" gears below drive. Or maybe it's how a transmission is built mechanically, something I know nothing about.
I'm sure I'm in the minority. Heck, I might be the ONLY one! To me, forward is up and reverse is down. But my head tells me all kinds of things that others don't seem to hear as well.
This is all completely moot. It's just me being so excited to finally have this thing that I keep thinking about it and after too much coffee putting up a superfluous post.
 

ThumprMN

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Depends on your definition of “up” or “first”… but Reverse is usually above Drive With Neutral in the middle. May just take a few tries, but you’ll probably adapt quickly and it will feel natural before long.

Rivian R1T R1S Reverse and Drive are backwards..... IMG_4451
 

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ThumprMN

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I will admit that canceling out of Driver + or Cruise Control is a little uncomfortable by tapping upward on the stalk when thats also where Reverse is. Above a certain speed, it wont let you throw it into reverse it just becomes the “cancel” for Driver +.

I just wish “Park” was its own button somewhere else. I sometime forget that it’s the bottom on the top of the stalk. Just personal preference. I even miss the good old days where you mashed your foot down on the parking brake. I also miss having the hand brake to tug on when “whipping shitties” in the snow/ice. ?
 

Dark-Fx

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You're not the first to complain about it but you and that other guy are both wrong :)
 

dleepnw

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nothingburger. you just need to get used to it. you'll be fine in 2 weeks.
 

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R.I.P.

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Just picked up my R1T on Tuesday. Lovin' it.
However, I can't seem to get my head wrapped around Drive being DOWN and Reverse being UP. That's so un-intuitive to me! I parallel parked it last night for the 1st time and came 1/2" away (not exaggerating) from smashing into the BMW behind me because, as you always are, I was "rushed" trying to get in the spot and not hold up traffic. I instinctively pushed up to go forward and....
Yes, I get why they did it. It's the same order as automatics have been for years. From the top P R N D manuals. But having not had a stalk on the tree for gears in decades, it doesn't translate for me. I also know if they would have done it "my way", some other whiner would come on here and complain about the opposite.
Not really complaining actually. Just remarking that it's another thing I need to adapt to. And there are already so many on this technological marvel....
Yeah... No... All modern vehicles it's down for drive and up for reverse. Seriously, literally all of them lol.
 

emoore

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I agree that it's the correct way for an automatic. Although all my 5 speed manual transmissions had reverse all the way to the right and down. Then I got a six speed manual and it was to the left and up. Talk about confusing switching between cars!
 

R1Tkc

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This seems like a non issue to me. Rivian did it correctly. The only “auto” I’ve ever seen where it’s “push forward” to drive is the ID4
 

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