learning (teaching) to drive a manual transmission...

[Christ]

I have to agree with TEiN here... It doesn't matter how much HP the vehicle makes when a component can slip, as long as the idle speed is sufficiently powered to make the vehicle move, with that little bit extra necessary to defeat friction holding the vehicle in place.

[Katana]

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.

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by Katana

I understand being able to drive stick shift is a bit of a novelty in USA?

Unfortunately, that's probably an understatement.

Owning a manual transmission has apparently even become a theft-deterrent feature. (As a growing number of would-be car thieves don't know what to do with more than 2 pedals.)

EDIT: I didn't know there were separate driving permit classes based on transmission in the UK. I like that. But then driver training is taken more seriously by you folks in general.

[Katana]

I don't know enough about the American driving tests to comment on their thoroughness or how they are done, care to enlighten me?

I took about 50 lessons before i felt ready to try the practical driving test, which i failed first time and barely passed the second time. Before you can do a practical test you have to pass a driving theory test, which is a series of 35 questions and a hazard awareness section which has a series of videos and you have to click a mouse when you spot a hazard. You have to get at least 30/35 questions right and 59% on the hazard awareness to pass.

The practical test is a 45 minute driving session with a highly experienced instructor, when i did my second test the marking instructor was head of the south west region of instructors who happened to be in town for a few weeks, you are marked on various criteria, you are allowed up to 15 minor faults before being failed, if you get more than 4 minor faults in one area you fail, and if you get a major fault you fail, i'll post the marking sheet for the test i passed so you can see.



Should make clear, the tick marks on the sections are where i got minor faults, you can also see i wasn't tested for the emergency stop (controlled stop) or parallel park (reverse park).
Another odd thing, whether you pass the test or not you aren't allowed to drive home after the test due to your emotional state.

[TEiN]

Originally Posted by Katana

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.

That's an excellent point that hasn't been mentioned yet. The first thing I did with all students was to have them remove their shoes. Barefoot (or in socks, usually) gives the best "feel". Racing shoes have a very thin sole (1/8"?) with no padding, and are rather uncomfortable to walk in, but are great for feel.

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by Katana

I don't know enough about the American driving tests to comment on their thoroughness or how they are done

Neither do I. All I can tell you is the Canadian experts I've followed have always held up UK training/testing as superior.

EDIT: one obvious difference is test length. When I was instructing, the examiners took candidates out for about 15 minutes, tops, vs. your 45 minutes.

The driver's permit system has changed since I last taught, though. Students in Ontario now go through a "graduated" system that grants increasing priveleges based on experience (restrictions include number of passengers, night vs. daytime driving, freeways vs. non-freeway access).

[Katana]

You're a driving instructor yourself Tein?
I only mentioned it as my instructor told me about it when we were driving once, though we talked about a lot of things over those 50 hours.
I personally did all my lessons in my normal trainers (i think they are called sneakers in the US) as i told the instructor "all my future driving will probably be in trainers so i might as well get used to driving the car with them on".

I seen a few posts on here mention using the rev counter as a guide, this is good to start with but shouldn't be relied upon once you are used to the cars rev ranges as it's another distraction. I used to check my all the time when learning to drive but my first car had no rev counter so i had to learn how to get in tune with the car rather than rely on instruments.

MetroMPG
The UK test isn't perfect, looking back i feel it wasn't hard enough, and it has some major flaws.
Learner drivers aren't allowed to drive on motorways, dual-carriageways are fine but not motorways, so you can't learn how to drive on them until AFTER you pass your test.
Night driving isn't compulsory or tested, you can practice if you book night lessons but it doesn't count for anything, same goes for bad weather driving, you'll have to learn it on your own time.
In the practical test only 1/3 of test takers do the emergency stop, and you only get tested on 2 out of the 3 parking maneuvers (parallel park, reverse around a corner and 3 point turn).

[MetroMPG]

Used to be. Part-time gig while I was at university.

There's another difference: 50 hours of training for you! If I recall (rusty, may be off a bit), our regular in-car curriculum was about 12 hours total.

Also, driver training is 100% optional, at least in my province.

[Katana]

Well, me and my instructor felt i was good enough after 50 hours, that isn't compulsory, you can take the driving test even if you've never driven before, so long as you passed the theory test first.
It's done this way so that experienced drivers who've lost their license don't have to take lessons, or you might have been taught by your parents without a qualified instructor training.

One more off-topic question, do you have the points system in the US and Canada?
In the UK when you commit a motoring offense like speeding or dangerous driving you get a fine and points on your license.
For the first 2 years after passing your test, if you get 6 points you lose your license, after 2 years this goes up to 12 points before losing it. Most speeding offenses carry a £60 fine and 3 points, so if you get caught speeding twice in your first 2 years you lose your license, though excessive speed, say 50mph+ in a 30mph zone will get you 6 point and probably see you standing in front of a judge.

[luvit]

in the u.s. you get your license by mail order.