My dh tells me I need to count to ten from the time I start the engine until I put it in gear and drive. He gets very angry if I forget to do this and start the car moving quickly. How important is this? I do try to remember, but I don’t always, and I’m tired of being yelled at.
If the engine is cold, it’s slightly better to wait at least a few seconds if you can instead of racing off immediately. However, I suspect very few people wait as long as ten seconds.
More important, I’m concerned by the wording you used here. Getting very angry and yelling is not at all reasonable over such a minor matter. For your sake, I hope these aren’t red flags about your “dh” (whatever that means) being an emotional abuser.
For the sake of keeping the peace ;
One thing to do that will facilitate his desire ( demand 
) is to slightly change your routine and still get under way in exactly the same amount of time.
When you first sit down in the seat…start the engine.
– That’s key for this to work ----
Then put your items on the rear floor or seat.
Then get your sun glasses fron the rear view mirror or compartment.
Then adjust anything like seat, mirrors, radio, and a/c
Then fasten your seat belt.
And NOW enough time has elapsed for the engine and hubby AND the same time has elapsed from entering the car to driving. ( but the very first thing you do , whatever things you do, is start the engine. )
Then put it in gear and go.
Think of an empty garden hose…when you first turn on the tap there is no water coming out yet, but in a couple seconds ther is. Your engine oil drains to the bottom when parked and that same miniscule time is what he’s concerned with at start-up. getting the oil up and moving while the engine is not working hard.
– but it’s just a second or two, not ten.
I say, overkill on his part…yet use my method to satisfy you both.
dh means dear husband but it could very well mean dumb husband in this case.
Unless it’s really cold, you can start the car and drive off. Jut drive gently for a while to let the car worm up. You aren’t hurting it. By really cold, I mean below zero.
I was wondering why a designated hitter was yelling at her.
It could also mean d . . k head
I’m going with @Proacfan here. You have a dumb husband that knows very little about vehicles.
Probably genetic - I bet dh’s dd (d*&# dad) did the same thing to him…
Right or wrong he shouldn’t be yelling at you.
There’s better ways to deal with disagreements.
Although most people seem to agree that you can take off right away, it shouldn’t be difficult to wait ten seconds.
It takes me much longer than that to get ready to take off. I have to stir my mocha latte with non-fat cream, unwrap my sandwich, answer all my texts, listen to my voice mail, light a cigarette and find the right rap station on my radio.
In most of my vehicles, I start the engine, then fasten the seatbelt, but in my Saturn, the chime is earsplitting loud so I belt up first, start the engine and put it into gear immediately and drive off, no matter the temperature. At 256k miles, it hasn’t hurt it yet.
Your dh has anger issues.
It takes me that long to back out of the driveway…and THAT is plenty of time AND the engine is not working hard at all backing down hill.