[Archived] Driving Manual - Stick Shift

[CapeTownRover]

i have a question.. i do the Automatic cars, but trying to move to a manual transmission. the one question i have though is this, can one move off by releasing the clutch pedal only, without giving a bit of gas? Treat me very much a noob in terms of manual cars.

When releasing the clutch, the RPM drops a bit without stalling, but enough for me to give a bit of gas to move off smoothly or something like that. so no problem. However, having read and checked a few youtube videos, i noticed some are able to move off smoothly by slowly releasing the clutch and no gas at all?

Is this so, and are there any issues in terms of wearing out the clutch etc by doing just this?

Thanks

[Al]

If the tick over is set high enough and the road surface is flat you can set off by slowly releasing the clutch and indeed you can then move forward slowly with both feet off the pedals.

[M-K]

Please don't drive on a road anywhere near me.

[Al]

I'll be careful to avoid that M-K.

[jim mk2]

To translate:

Stick shift = manual gearbox.

Gas = accelerator pedal.

The clutch and accelerator are like a see-saw - as one pedal is released the other is pressed.

Driven properly and depending on the type of car clutches can last up to 100,000 miles in my experience.

The quickest way to wear out a clutch is to do alot of town driving and "riding" the clutch (ie using it more than necessary when stopped).

[Paul]

I drive a diesel and in first or second gear, depending on the road, can let the clutch out without using the accelerator. It's very handy for crawling slowly in traffic jams.

[thenodrog]

i have a question.. i do the Automatic cars, but trying to move to a manual transmission. the one question i have though is this, can one move off by releasing the clutch pedal only, without giving a bit of gas? Treat me very much a noob in terms of manual cars.

When releasing the clutch, the RPM drops a bit without stalling, but enough for me to give a bit of gas to move off smoothly or something like that. so no problem. However, having read and checked a few youtube videos, i noticed some are able to move off smoothly by slowly releasing the clutch and no gas at all?

Is this so, and are there any issues in terms of wearing out the clutch etc by doing just this?

Thanks

What a daft thread. Just try it. Some cars will allow it and some won't and it does depend whether you are going uphill or not.

[adopted scouser]

What a daft thread. Just try it. Some cars will allow it and some won't and it does depend whether you are going uphill or not.

Yeah, but did you now you can change from 2nd to 3rd without using the clutch at all ?!

[AlvinStraight]

Finding your 'biting point' is the 1st that you need to learn when your learning to drive(real cars ) it just becomes 2nd nature once you get used to it(which shouldn't take long if your a good driver in all other aspects of driving already)

You really have to master getting your biting point for when your doing hill starts,stops, coming to a crawl or slow stop at junctions, etc... Forget about wondering whether the car will pull away without being in gear(yes, sometimes its possible, but it isn't the right way to drive a manual car and more often than not you will just stall the engine)

[yoda]

Yeah, but did you now you can change from 2nd to 3rd without using the clutch at all ?!

you can do that with any gear

[adopted scouser]

you can do that with any gear

It only works second to third ?!

[yoda]

It only works second to third ?!

buy a quality car and get the rpm correct for the vehicle speed, easy

[thenodrog]

He's right Nick.