HELP How do you get in a car?

[BCAC]

I knew there had to be a reason why Brits drive on the wrong side of the road!!!

Does that mean that in the US we should be pleating in the other direction???

Hey, it's not the Brits that drive on the wrong side of the road, but you lot!

[Phillip1114]

I'm fairly sure this dilemma has been discussed here before, and I bow to the experts before adding my tuppence...

After 50 years of regular kilt wearing this is how I address the matter. I begin by standing with my back to the open car door and the backs of my calves touching door sill. I sweep the pleats down from bum to knee on both sides simultaneously whilst lowering said bum down onto the seat. Once down I pivot and swing my legs up into the car. The pleats usually hold their flattened position under said bum during this maneuver. Settle and adjust, as necessary once a comfortable forward position is achieved.

I have always found the kilt to be an exceptionally comfortable garment to drive in. Especially on hot summer days with the AC on full blast and directed to it's most advantageous location.

Well it looks like I have been doing it right all along, I've wondered if there was a special way to do it.

[Creag]

I drive a mid-size SUV and I'm short, so the seat more or less lines up with my bum in a standing position rather than being lower so that I could sit down into it. I haven't found any difficulty getting the kilt situated. I climb in as normal, lift my bum after I'm seated, and straighten the pleats. I also have leather seats and I'm pretty sure that helps. I've noticed that even jeans will bunch uncomfortably if I'm driving a car with cloth seats for any distance.

[tpa]

I also have leather seats and I'm pretty sure that helps.

Sure does.

[MacGumerait]

Douggie M , I agree with all the responses , good information .

I have also noticed that it depends on the type of kilt one is wearing , some require a little more attention when taking a seat in the car .

If I am wearing a full 8 yd 16 oz wool kilt , then a simple sweep of the pleats as I turn and set generally works just fine . An 8 yd kilt with knife pleats in a 16 oz fabric works quite well , smaller pleats are easy to sweep and the weight of the fabric helps . Usually no problem , although I'm only speaking for myself .

On the other hand , if I am wearing a lighter weight PV or an acrylic fabric kilt with a lot less yardage and larger pleats , then it becomes a bit more fussy as the fabric does tend to crease and the pleats are a bit more unruly when trying to set in a vehicle due to the size pleats and the lighter weight of the fabric . In this case , I use the sweep and towel in the seat method .

I'm not criticizing one type of kilt over the other ( I own all three types ) , just saying that I use different methods depending on what I'm wearing .

Cheers , Mike

[Douggie M]

Thanks Holocombe,
I tried your suggestion over the weekend and found it so easy and so much more comfortable sitting in the car.
Douggie

[Father Bill]

*snip*

You might profitably watch how a lady in a skirt enters a car.

Holcombe

Profitable... and fun too!

[Liam]

Profitable... and fun too!

A true gentleman knows how to avert his eyes while still catching a glimpse out of the corner of one.

[OC Richard]

Does that mean that in the US we should be pleating in the other direction???

Interesting point!

This entire thread is offering yet another reason why pipers around here usually change into their uniform after they arrive at the event. Or, drive to the event wearing their hose, ghillies, band shirt, and board shorts and pop on the kilt and sporran after they arrive.

There's a general dislike of wearing the uniform amongst pipe band people and they'll delay putting it on as long as possible.

Plus, when they do put on the kilt the pleats are perfect! Yes the heavyweight wool kilts favoured by pipe bands can look fine after being worn in the car, but even better if always kept perfectly straight and never worn whilst riding in a car or coach.

If my gig is close, or if I know beforehand that there's no place to change at the gig, I will drive in my kilt. I just sweep my hand under the pleats as I sit but the pleats are always all ahoo and I have to straighten myself in the seat and do a two handed sweep to fix it.

BTW not having a place to change doesn't stop most pipers around here! A common sight is to see an entire band putting on their kilts in the car park... we're quite good at doing this without ever exposing anything.

[WillowEstate]

I knew there had to be a reason why Brits drive on the wrong side of the road!!!

Does that mean that in the US we should be pleating in the other direction???

Fighting talk, Good Sir, or rather quite the contrary! Since the British had been riding horses and driving carts on the left for centuries before modern day America existed, I would suggest that it was the USA that was out of step. I don't know which side of the trail the Native Americans rode, I can't comment on times before the invasion!

There is actually a reason for riding on the left. Since most people in the northern hemisphere are right handed, by riding on the left, approaching riders would pass sword arm to sword arm and thus better able to defend themselves. Just tradition, you say but isn't our attraction to the kilt "Just tradition"?