Transmission
Learning to drive a car with a manual transmission is much easier than you think. Come here and check it out!
how to drive a car with a manual gearbox and you start to tremble. It is that that single lever is accompanied by a harmonious use of not two, but behind pedals, and a way of driving completely different from what you know.
Keep calm! Just educate yourself with these tips for driving a manual car, and practice in a safe place before you hit the road. You will see that it is much easier than you think.
pedals and gears
The first thing you need to do is get to know the vehicle. Sit behind the wheel and observe what is around you, for example, the box. Let’s talk about your feet first: so far you’ve used the left foot for the brake and the right for the accelerator (normally), but now you’ll use the right foot for braking and accelerating (and never simultaneously), and the left foot exclusively for the gas pedal. clutch , which is the one you press to put gears with the gear lever.
Now practice the placement of the gears. Put your right hand on the lever, gripping it firmly but not forcing it, wrapping your palm around it so it doesn’t slip from your hand. The car rolls freely, so if you are going to park in this gear make sure you apply the parking or handbrake.
The neutral point, in a car with a manual gearbox, is at the center of the speeds, and it is the one you use to push the vehicle, or to remove the gears when, for example, you are at a red light. But keep in mind that you must brake with the pedal when doing this, otherwise it would move according to the incline of the road.
Using the gears in a manual car
Press the clutch pedal as hard as you can, as it must go all the way, and never be pressed halfway as you could with the brake and accelerator. With the pedal pressed, bring the lever into first gear : gently push it towards your leg (to its left) and then towards the front of the vehicle. It’s a simple move that shouldn’t be expensive or forceful, as it will be with all gears.
To engage 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th gear (and 6th, on some vehicles) repeat the procedure: press the clutch pedal all the way down and move the lever from first gear to second gear (pull gently to the left and down). ), third gear (to the center and forward), fourth (to the center and backward), fifth (to the right and up). These positions may vary by gear – look at the lever and you will be able to see the locations of each gear .
On flywheel boxes, you should pull the lever toward your body and up for first gear, down for second gear, and forward and up for third gear, normally.
The reverse gear is located at different points, depending on the car. Again: watch it to verify it. In many 5-speed gearboxes it is located to the right and down, while in others it is located to the left and up, similar to the first speed, but you have to activate a mechanism to place it (by pressing down or pulling up the upper part). lever top).
How to drive a manual transmission car
Sit behind the wheel, put on your seat belt, and adjust mirrors and systems to your needs. Familiarize yourself with what’s around you, push in the clutch, and practice gear placement if you’re still feeling uneasy about it.
Now, press the brake pedal with your right foot, press the clutch with your left foot, and put the transmission in neutral gear. Put the key in the drum, turn it and gently accelerate to start the car; or put the gear in neutral (or in gear, holding down the clutch pedal) and press the ignition button.
With the clutch pedal fully depressed, shift into first gear. Start accelerating slowly, while slowly removing the clutch so that the car starts to move (if it is the first time you do it, you will surely need to practice because you must find the balance between both actions so that the car runs harmoniously).
When you feel the engine need it (either by sound or by the RPMs on the dash), fully depress the clutch as you back off the throttle, bring the lever into second gear. Pull out the clutch again while pressing on the throttle, this time with a little more speed. Go placing gears as the engine needs it, practicing it in a large parking lot or on a deserted street several times until you get the hang of it.
When braking at a traffic light or place, remember that the car cannot stay in gear without being accelerated, or else press the clutch and bring the gear to neutral, pressing the brake so that the car does not move on its own. Once you park, apply the handbrake (parking), and always verify that you have released it completely before starting the march again .
Regarding the reverse, remember that you must completely stop walking before putting it on, as well as when you need to take it off.
With some practice you will learn to drive a car with a manual transmission very easily, achieving the muscle memory that allows you to do it without even thinking about it.
