Do you know how to get ready to shift gear?

[sawadee]

'Your adrenine took over!' My hubby barked.

 

Well, I knew my adrenine was up then, that made me hit the gas pedal so hard that it roared angrily.

 

I am driving a stick shift, I have no choice, that is the only motor vehicle we have now other than a Harley. Not ready to learn down-shifting on a motocycle yet so the Toyota is my only choice.

 

Never learned driving before, after 1 month coaching from my hubby, I am doing okay with the 1st gear, turning around, start and stop.(even got to know how to start on a up-hill)

 

But the switching gear thing just freak me out: clutch in,1st gear---let go---clutch off---gas---speed up---gas off---cltuch in,2nd gear---clutch off---gas---gas off---clutch in---neutral---clutch off---break little, slow down---clutch in---1st gear---turn. The parking lot is that big enough, so I have to finished all the above in about 15 seconds. I really dont know how to handle that.

 

Frustrated. Maybe I never can pass the test.

 

Any tips on learning how to drive on a stick shift?

Edited August 2, 2007 by sawadee (see edit history)

[Randy W]

Yes - practice in 1st gear from a stop on a level surface.

 

From a stop, push on the gas (only - no brake, no clutch) until the engine is going around 2000 RPM.

 

If you don't have a tachometer to show the engine speed, just push on the gas until it's going about twice as fast as with the gas pedal off.

 

Hold the gas at this speed. Let the clutch out SLOWLY. If the engine speed slows, push a little more on the gas. Keep going this way until the car is going around 20 MPH with the clutch out.

 

Take your foot off the gas, let the clutch out, and brake.

 

Do this one step at a time, until you can coordinate the gas, the clutch, and the brake all together.

 

Keep practicing like this until you can always get the car moving without killing the engine.

 

The rest is easy.

[Joanne]

After a while you won't even be able to describe the procedure. You just DRIVE it.

[Dennis143]

Those are some really good tips, so far.

 

I will try with mine...

 

40 years ago when stick shift autos were more common than automatics, my father gave up trying to teach my twin sister how to drive his 56 Chevy 3 speed stick shift (3 on the tree). I decided that I would try to teach her. I had her let out on the clutch very slow without giving the car gas. If the car seemed like it was going to stall, she would put the clutch back in and then try again. She finally got the feel of the clutch... She finally did learn...

 

It seems you must have the basics down about shifting without stalling the car. So, most cars today have RPM guages...

 

Look in your owners manual. It should tell you at what RPM to shift gears.

 

As you are driving and wondering when to shift, watch the RPM guage and shift into the next gear when the car reaches the recommended RPM shifting speed that the manual tells you.

 

RPM = Revolutions Per Minute (this is mechanical speak for how fast your engine is "turning over" or spinning). Don't worry about it. It is just a guage that tells you what your engine is doing.

 

The great (or nice) thing about having a stick shift is that it allows you to become 'one' with your automobile and its engine...you will see.

 

You seem to have the basics down, soon you will understand that when you know how to drive a 'stick' you will know how to drive ANYTHING ANYWHERE.

 

When or if someone tosses you keys you will never hesitate what to do and that's even with the Harley.

Edited August 2, 2007 by Dennis143 (see edit history)

[hakkamike]

Why dont you rent a small car that has automatic, get the license and practice more on the standard shift?

[eeyore]

Mike, thats good advise to rent an automatic, we plan to do that for the driving test. My wife is doing better than she thinks (and of course I have told her so) but its taking a little longer than she expected. I'm sure she will be driving soon enough.

 

T

[tonado]

Why dont you rent a small car that has automatic, get the license and practice more on the standard shift?

 

She should attend driving lessons from an professional instructor.

[dnoblett]

Yu is learning on my 5 speed S10 pickup, she had an ah-ha moment when she learned about slipping the clutch to get the truck rolling.

 

I have always preferred manual transmissions in my vehicles.

 

I have driven 4, 5, 9, 10 and 18 speed transmissions. The 9,10 and 18 speed ones required double clutching when shifting gears, more fun than a barrel of monkeys!

[sawadee]

Thanks for the tips, will work on some of the practice mentioned above.

 

My husband thinks driving a stick is more safe, esp. in winter times when it snows. I plan to learn how to drive first, and will take some driving courses to ge prepared for the test, and I will rent an auto one(a very small one good for the maneuvering part). I think the biggest problem is a psychological one.

 

BTW, my husband learned how to ride his Harley within 2 weeks, I had to ask him: how can you learn to ride the bike so quickly? Now he commutes to work riding on the bike. And it is a great saving on the gas. Too bad, I have to wait for 1 year before I can hop on behind him. (New drivers are not allowed to have passenger for 1 year)

 

Thanks again for the great tips.

[Joanne]

Sawadee - It was a lot easier with the stick shift on my tractor, so I taught my youngest son how to drive the tractor first. I am guessing that isn't a likely option for you.

 

This might be a good idea. I learned to drive a tractor before I tried the stick shift little truck.

[sawadee]

Yes I forgot to mention that I was really tempting to drive a tractor cause you dont need a license to drive tractor here!.

[Joanne]

Yes I forgot to mention that I was really tempting to drive a tractor cause you dont need a license to drive tractor here!.

 

Except you can't go very far.

 

I drove the tractor round and round in the pasture to smooth out the cow pie. I was happy, and father-in-law was happy.

[tywy_99]

I remember the old "3 on the column" I used to have. Then it was "4 on the floor" with a Hurst shifter. Remember those?

Or how about the "his and hers" shifter which I guess were also called a "slapstick". Yep, those were the times!

[Tony_onrock]

Just ask your husband to buy you a new car, automatic shift one. Cars in the U.S. are so cheap. I would suggest a Lexus SUV, or a SAAB convertible or a Jaguar, they are cool for ladies to drive around depending on your taste.

[sawadee]

Thanks for your tips Tony, that might be a sound solution. Jaguar is cool, and my dream car would be a yellow Hummer~~