Haha, thanks all - at the risk of telling folks how to suck eggs and all that, "drive through the brakes (DTT" is an accepted and still-taught technique for driving autos on undulating or rough terrain and steep descents. You use your left foot on the brake and release it just to the point of the car moving, then use the accelerator to overcome the brakes. It takes a careful left foot but the sensation is the same as HDC, whereby you can release the accelerator and the brakes will still be stopping the car from running on, rather than having to quickly and heavily apply the brake, risking losing traction or just going too fast. And yep, it's all but redundant in cars with HDC, although it's useful on erosion bars etc for not launching off the back of them, without having to change turn on and off the HDC all the time. And hey, maybe one day your HDC decides to pack it in at an inconvenient time, or you need to get your mate's old Patrol down a hill.
I actually first learned the technique doing a Range Rover Club training day - always happy to learn new/old stuff and get my bad habits ironed out. That was in my L320, where it worked just fine, though I think on reflection I only ever used it in low range.
I'm a big fan of HDC especially in the L319s and highly recommend it over DTTB (otherwise I'd still be driving manuals), I was just not going to be bovvered changing modes and getting in to low range to carefully get up on a curb and not shoot backward into the waiting tree, and was a bit surprised to find my wish was not the car's command!
Now 2016 D4 HSE 'Leo' and Steve the Triumph Speed Twin
Then 2010 D4 3.0 HSE 'James'
Then 2010 RRS TDV8 'Roger' w traxide DBS, UHF, Cooper Zeons, Superchips remap
Then 2010 D4 TDV6 'Jumbo' w traxide DBS
First love 2002 D2 TD5 'Disco Stu'
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