Learning to Drive.

[ErikCLDR]

I have never driven a standard but I really want to try. The closets thing I've driven is my grandma's Toro lawn tractor and the gimmicky "Tiptronic" in my moms touareg which obviously isn't much like driving a real manual since there is no clutch. It is fun driving in up the street and then popping it down a gear or two.

I hate the transmission in the touareg- its a 6 speed I think. On cold days (even being parked in the garage) for about 3 miles some of the gears make really jerky shifts and is reluctant to go over 4th gear. On a normal day driving on a dippy road it constantly is jumping between 4th and 5th and 6th gears- its just annoying.

 

[RedTomato]

My favorite part of owning a clutch was the downhill start without ignition...

When I were about 12 years old, we went on a school coach trip from the UK to Germany. All packed up, about 60 of us kids got on the large double decker coach.

It wouldn't start. So the driver rolled it about 30m backwards down the hill and did a backwards bump start. With 60 kids onboard.

Being on a double decker coach rolling backwards down a steep hill on a busy road with no engine power was rather memorable.



That's british countryside bus drivers for you.

 

[ErikCLDR]

When I were about 12 years old, we went on a school coach trip from the UK to Germany. All packed up, about 60 of us kids got on the large double decker coach.

It wouldn't start. So the driver rolled it about 30m backwards down the hill and did a backwards bump start. With 60 kids onboard.

Being on a double decker coach rolling backwards down a steep hill on a busy road with no engine power was rather memorable.



That's british countryside bus drivers for you.

On some european field trip my sisters did in high school, they were driving somewhere in a bus and it broke and i guess for one reason or another everyone had to push the bus so it would start.

 

[SkyBell]

As a lot of people have said, you are probably releaseing the clutch too fast. I learned this recently, and finally figured out how long to hold it in. (Keep in mind, I'm 13.)

Keep trying, you'll get it eventually.

 

[swingerofbirch]

Ha ha, joke's on me. Although I can't imagine why anyone would want the extra hassle. I guess it's the same as some people using Terminal instead of a GUI. When I'm out on the road there are enough distractions besides having to consider a clutch. Just the other day an elderly woman crashed into a building in my town because she confused the brake and accelerator pedal. Fortunately no one was hurt, but imagine if she had three pedals to contend with. I drive a 94 corolla and even though it is automatic I can switch it into a lower gear, I think it maybe has 1 or 2 gears if I need to tow something, not that I ever would. You people who like to fiddle with the clutch and gears, I don't see how it's any different from other distractions like text-messaging or shaving in the car. But if you can do it without crashing into me, it's none of my business.

 

[AP_piano295]

cant help u there the nissan truck i learned manual on is nearly impossible to stall.

 

[devilot]

...

I find that I've come to use a manual car as a crutch almost. The last time I drove an automatic I was terrified I wouldn't brake in time. Feels pretty different from manuals that definitely slow down a lot once your foot's off the gas.

 

[Grakkle]

As for the clutch--is that an Australian term?

Do you mean to say you really don't know what a manual transmission is!!

Well, as for taking off, as other's have pointed out it's a matter of coordinating the clutch and accelerator. Give it a bit of juice and SLOWLY release the clutch. How slowly is a matter of trial and experience.

Sounds to me like you may be releasing the clutch all at once, which will cause the jerking.

 

[VicRattlehead]

my car isn't offered in automatic, and i love that.

what car would that be?


i have the opposite problem, my car isnt offered in a manual but i could have put one in it if i wanted. i oppted to stick with the auto but completely rebuilt with high stall torque converter and a trans brake, when racing i just push a button, press the gas to the floor and when the light goes green i let off the button. no need to press on the brake to keep the car still on the startline. the internals of the trans keep the thing in first and reverse at the same time, when you release the button the trans releases reverse and you go forward at high rpm's. its like popping the clutch on a stick car with the gas stuck to the floor.

 

[job]

Ha ha, joke's on me. Although I can't imagine why anyone would want the extra hassle. I guess it's the same as some people using Terminal instead of a GUI. When I'm out on the road there are enough distractions besides having to consider a clutch. You people who like to fiddle with the clutch and gears, I don't see how it's any different from other distractions like text-messaging or shaving in the car. But if you can do it without crashing into me, it's none of my business.

You shift gears on a bike manually don't you? It's not so much of a hassle once you get used to it. It actually gets to the point where you don't even think about it, much like using your turn signals. What's even better, is that if you use a manual enough, you can actually shift faster and more efficiently than an automatic and you can determine how the car drives depending on the road conditions.

For example, the other day there were about 3-4 inches of snow on the ground before the roads were cleared.

Most cars that I saw that were automatics, spun their wheels over and over again. From what I could tell, when the drivers pressed on the gas, the transmission started out in 1st (obviously) but then shifted to 2nd before the tires gained traction. Driving a manual, I could gradually ease off the clutch and apply the appropriate amount of gas and never once spun my tires in the snow.

I honestly think that driving a manual makes you a better driver, primarily because you have to pay more attention to the car and more attention to your surroundings and the road. The things that you listed: eating and text messaging in the car are distractions because they have nothing to do with the road and driving. Shifting has everything to do with driving, and I honestly think that people who drive stick, have a better awareness of the road and their vehicle than those who drive an automatic.

 

[Sun Baked]

I like the manual tranny, because I plan on keeping vehicles for a while.

And for some manufacturers, the automatics seem to be as big a consumable as the brakes if you don't replace the fluid at regular shortened intervals.

 

[siurpeeman]

what car would that be?

honda s2000. six speed manual transmission only.

 

[j26]

Ha ha, joke's on me. Although I can't imagine why anyone would want the extra hassle. I guess it's the same as some people using Terminal instead of a GUI. When I'm out on the road there are enough distractions besides having to consider a clutch. Just the other day an elderly woman crashed into a building in my town because she confused the brake and accelerator pedal. Fortunately no one was hurt, but imagine if she had three pedals to contend with. I drive a 94 corolla and even though it is automatic I can switch it into a lower gear, I think it maybe has 1 or 2 gears if I need to tow something, not that I ever would. You people who like to fiddle with the clutch and gears, I don't see how it's any different from other distractions like text-messaging or shaving in the car. But if you can do it without crashing into me, it's none of my business.

I can see your point, but funnily enough fatality rates in most European countries seem to be lower than the US. The UK which is primarily manual transmission is generally in or about the lowest. I'm not saying automatics are worse, but they're definitely not better.

PS in Ireland a licence to drive an automatic car is not considered a full licence.

 

[RedTomato]

PS in Ireland a licence to drive an automatic car is not considered a full licence.

Same in the UK, if you pass your test with an automatic, it's still illegal for you to drive a manual.

I'm in the process of buying a car jointly with my brother, to practice on before my test (he's an experienced driver) and I'm uncertain whether to go for an automatic or manual.

I have a baby daughter to look after, and I'm not bothered about becoming a hot driver, I just want less complication in my life. I won't be driving it very often anyway.

On the other hand, passing my test on a manual means I have that option open to me in the future whenever I need to rent a car or share driving duties.

 

[j26]

Same in the UK, if you pass your test with an automatic, it's still illegal for you to drive a manual.

I'm in the process of buying a car jointly with my brother, to practice on before my test (he's an experienced driver) and I'm uncertain whether to go for an automatic or manual.

I have a baby daughter to look after, and I'm not bothered about becoming a hot driver, I just want less complication in my life. I won't be driving it very often anyway.

On the other hand, passing my test on a manual means I have that option open to me in the future whenever I need to rent a car or share driving duties.

Go manual - it takes a bit of time to learn the gears, but after a fairly short time they're no bother.

 

[MalcolmJID]

Same in the UK, if you pass your test with an automatic, it's still illegal for you to drive a manual.

I'm in the process of buying a car jointly with my brother, to practice on before my test (he's an experienced driver) and I'm uncertain whether to go for an automatic or manual.

I have a baby daughter to look after, and I'm not bothered about becoming a hot driver, I just want less complication in my life. I won't be driving it very often anyway.

On the other hand, passing my test on a manual means I have that option open to me in the future whenever I need to rent a car or share driving duties.

I'd definately learn on a manual....like you said yourself, you'll have a full license and there'll be a lot of options open for you. I refuse to drive an automatic. I'm sticking to manual!

 

[brokecollegeF04]

In Michigan when you pass the test to drive you can drive either a stick or an automatic.. I prefer stick.. the trick is to give it gas slowly and then let the clutch out slow.. then youll start moving.. after you do that youll soon find it easy to let the clutch out faster.. A stick is fun to drive youll find the car has more balls