Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com - View Single Post - learning (teaching) to drive a manual transmission...

Katana · 01-13-2010, 12:32 PM

95%+ of drivers here in the UK can drive manual because if you have an automatic only license you can't legally drive a manual car, but someone with a manual license can drive both. Manual cars are in the vast majority, i've only sat in 2 auto cars my entire life but dozens of manual ones.
I understand being able to drive stick shift is a bit of a novelty in USA?

Anyway, learning manual does take a bit of time, i remember when i started my lessons i was very flustered and uncoordinated, i had one hand on the stick, one of the wheel, one foot on the gas, one on the clutch leaning forward looking for a gap to turn right on to the road, it's very weird at first but feels perfectly natural now and requires barely any thought, it didn't really all click till my 10th lesson.

My instructor explained it to me this way, the clutch separates the engine from the wheels, when you lift the clutch you are connecting the wheels to the engine, only the engine and wheels are going at different speeds. When you lift the clutch apply a little gas and then feel for the "bite" where the engine starts to connect to the wheels, when the car starts to pull away from standing slowly lift the clutch up so the car moves smoothly forward and apply more gas to keep the revs up and prevent stalling. When the car gets to about 10mph gently lift off the gas and press on the clutch and gently shift in to the next gear, you can lift the clutch a little faster than before, but still gently feel for the bite and smoothly apply gas when the clutch is up, as you go up the gears you can be less smooth with the clutch as there is more inertia to overcome the wheel/engine speed difference.

Those were the basics he gave me, being able to do the gears and drive competently didn't click till about 10 hours in, but i'd got the hang of gears/clutch/gas after about 5 hours. If your son wears shoe with thick soles try ones with thinner soles (my instructor said people often did lessons in dress shoes) or even do it in socks/barefoot so he can get a real feel for the bite on the clutch.

01-13-2010, 12:32 PM	#52 (permalink)
Katana Interested Newbie Join Date: May 2008 Location: Bournemouth, England Posts: 83 Silver Citroen Saxo - '02 Citroen Saxo 1.4i Furio Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	95%+ of drivers here in the UK can drive manual because if you have an automatic only license you can't legally drive a manual car, but someone with a manual license can drive both. Manual cars are in the vast majority, i've only sat in 2 auto cars my entire life but dozens of manual ones. I understand being able to drive stick shift is a bit of a novelty in USA? Anyway, learning manual does take a bit of time, i remember when i started my lessons i was very flustered and uncoordinated, i had one hand on the stick, one of the wheel, one foot on the gas, one on the clutch leaning forward looking for a gap to turn right on to the road, it's very weird at first but feels perfectly natural now and requires barely any thought, it didn't really all click till my 10th lesson. My instructor explained it to me this way, the clutch separates the engine from the wheels, when you lift the clutch you are connecting the wheels to the engine, only the engine and wheels are going at different speeds. When you lift the clutch apply a little gas and then feel for the "bite" where the engine starts to connect to the wheels, when the car starts to pull away from standing slowly lift the clutch up so the car moves smoothly forward and apply more gas to keep the revs up and prevent stalling. When the car gets to about 10mph gently lift off the gas and press on the clutch and gently shift in to the next gear, you can lift the clutch a little faster than before, but still gently feel for the bite and smoothly apply gas when the clutch is up, as you go up the gears you can be less smooth with the clutch as there is more inertia to overcome the wheel/engine speed difference. Those were the basics he gave me, being able to do the gears and drive competently didn't click till about 10 hours in, but i'd got the hang of gears/clutch/gas after about 5 hours. If your son wears shoe with thick soles try ones with thinner soles (my instructor said people often did lessons in dress shoes) or even do it in socks/barefoot so he can get a real feel for the bite on the clutch. __________________ Crooked toothed, tea swilling crumpet eater!