Of course, don't ride the clutch. But sitting at lights or a stop sign or traffic then foot on clutch and car in 1st is fine.
Riding the clutch is keeping it at or around friction point and using the 'go fast' pedal at the same time
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Driving manual: a few questions
- Thread starter Joel Was Right
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Of course, don't ride the clutch. But sitting at lights or a stop sign or traffic then foot on clutch and car in 1st is fine.
Riding the clutch is keeping it at or around friction point and using the 'go fast' pedal at the same time
moka
Member
This would work in a diesel where bringing up the clutch in first gear provides some acceleration. In most petrol (unleaded) cars you need to press the accelerator and bringing up the clutch would make the engine stall.
You keep saying this and it is absolutely not true. But yes, coasting in neutral is generally illegal.
No. It's called feathering the clutch. All standard transmission vehicles.
That seems absurd to me. Complete waste of time if you aren't going to be stopped for minutes.. Just keep your foot on the clutch while stopped unless you are driving something with the clutch out of a tractor.
As for people giving different advice, it's because there is no one 'correct' way to do any of this. Everything depends on the car you are driving, the speed you are travelling, how quickly you need to stop, etc. Even then a lot of the exact order of doing things is based on what flows best to you.
For me, if I'm doing surface street level speeds, 3rd gear, and hit a red light, I just put the clutch in and stop, and put it in first once I'm stopped. If it takes me like 50-60 feet to stop, I'm not going to downshift halfway through that if I'm going to have to stop anyway.
If you are slowing to make a turn, obviously you downshift to match your speeds as you slow before the turn.
that's called riding the clutch and you shouldn't do it, it can put unnecessary strain on the clutch and wear it out but depending on the car and how much you drive it may not be an issue
easterislandhead
Member
I only handbrake when parked on a incline/decline. I rarely ever shift down from second, just slow creep on 2nd then neutral it and brake.
Seems like since you're doing this for a driving test you have to find out what way they like. Because this thread clearly proves there's different methods.
Seems like since you're doing this for a driving test you have to find out what way they like. Because this thread clearly proves there's different methods.
Scousefury
Member
Im sure doing this fails a UK driving test as you are seen as not in control of the car as no gear is engaged whilst moving.
Edit: ahh only put the clutch in when near stopping.. not ideal as you will still have to change gear if get the chance to pull away without stopping
Don't roll on the street in neutral
(you will use gas. If you keep a gear in you will use no gas at all. And keeping a gear in will slow you down some what without actually stepping on the break)
Don't stand still with a gear in.
(if it takes longer, go into neutral and take your foot of the clutch. Standing on the clutch for a longer period of time damages it)
(you will use gas. If you keep a gear in you will use no gas at all. And keeping a gear in will slow you down some what without actually stepping on the break)
Don't stand still with a gear in.
(if it takes longer, go into neutral and take your foot of the clutch. Standing on the clutch for a longer period of time damages it)
Coasting is only if you depress the clutch too early. You can brake while staying in 3rd for example and only need to depress the clutch just before you stop. At least you can in my car.
No. Why would you do that? Coasting is not something you should be doing.
Brake to reduce speed. If you want shift down the second, then first (if you want at really low speed). Clutch in late before revs drop to low (around 1300 rpm, doesn't really matter it's feel). Handbrake if you want. I don't bother usually.
Clutch in completely at 30mph? Tsssk
No it's not
http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/hybrid-electric/a5977/coasting-in-neutral-fuel-economy/
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=226400
http://www.drivingtesttips.biz/what-is-coasting.html
Happy to see you prove me wrong though. Be contrary to everything I've read on modern engines.
Well, technically, it's also for safety reasons that 1. gets recommended: Having a gear in means you can reaccelerate immediately if needed, compared to having to shift again if you're in neutral.
I always do 2. however.
Scousefury
Member
As i said earlier in the thread its a product of inner city driving, its a lazy habit of constant stopping and starting every few hundread yards at best. I'll be honest if i can see i will be stopping at a red a light and i have a good distance to slow down, i will just lash it neutral and release the clutch and slow down using the brake. After years of driving i've learnt left leg comfort if more important than saving fuel.
Joel Was Right
If you smell burning, it's probably the generators acting up. Report it anyway.
So I shift to 2nd gear and come to a full stop. Clutch in. Car comes to a complete stop. I'll need to shift into 1st gear now won't I? I suppose the reason I'm asking is because, going from 3rd to 2nd to 1st seems like a lot of stops.
I was just hoping I could brake, clutch, shift to 1st gear (block shifting I think this term is called), brake.
I was just hoping I could brake, clutch, shift to 1st gear (block shifting I think this term is called), brake.
Scousefury
Member
Unless you are going slow enough you will not be able to engage first gear, thats why you go down each one
Depends on the car and the situation. If I'm coming up to a bunch of traffic/lights where I know 100% I won't need to accelerate again, I'll "angel gear" it from 4th sometimes until I stop. If the situation means that I may need to drive/accelerate, I'll downshift all the way down to 2nd then clutch in and either put it in neutral or pop it in first when I'm at a full stop or very close to a full stop (this varies by car).
Well, I see what they are saying, but this is highly dependent on the vehicle. The compression drives the engine, a la engine braking. It uses very little fuel, but not zero. My daily is a 1985 CJ-7 which definitely does not have the ECU and optimization that I'm sure newer Fuel Injected vehicles have.
Your original quote "coasting in gear" to me implied that you were holding the clutch in and coasting while staying in gear. Comparing that to being in neutral and there is no difference and uses just as much fuel as idling. The millisecond the clutch plate releases, the transmission is separated from the engine and the engine doesn't care if you are holding in the clutch or letting it ride in neutral.
If you know you're going to stop, there's no reason to shift to 2nd while braking. Stay in 3rd, brake, clutch down when you're about to stop and not too early (you'll know by feel when to do this eventually). Then you can go to 1st when stopped.
If you're not going to stop and just end up in slow moving traffic, it depends on the speed of the traffic really. if it's at a crawl you can brake in 3rd, clutch, then shift down to 1 when you match the speed, foot off brake, foot slowly off clutch and just let the engine power carry you along with feet over the pedals. If the traffic is too fast for 1st, then just do the above with 2nd.
Aside from putting less strain on those brakes.
This is coasting and should be avoided. Called the Angel Gear
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/angel+gear
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=angel gear
It doesn't save petrol at all either.
Neutral is only there to go between gears. If you must use neutral only use it when stopped, never while the car is moving
Jezbollah
Member
You should never be in first when stopping. Its not needed and leads to a rough ride for those in the car. First should only be used for pulling away.
As it is, in manuals in most cases the car wont let you go into first until you're almost at a stop anyway.
Dependent on car yes but it's true for any modern car. Anything from the mid 90s onward are making use of overrun cut-off. Keeping her in-gear without pushing the accelerator means the remaining flywheel mass (as the vehicle is still moving) is pushing the crank shaft on its own thus the entire system stays alive as long as you hit a minimum RPM. The reason I made such a blanket statement is because there's barely a car on the road here in the UK that won't have. It's very rare to see anything pre 1990s on the road. Hell anything pre 2000s. Most old cars were scrapped as part of a trade in deal the government did years ago.
My original quote I assumed since I mentioned engine braking that it'd be obvious you'd be coasting with the clutch engaged. I didn't think I had to clarify.
xDUMPWEEDx
Banned
What's with all this handbrake shit? Fire your instructor, immediately.
Joel Was Right
If you smell burning, it's probably the generators acting up. Report it anyway.
I'll test this tomorrow. I'll shift to 2nd, then brake, clutch, N*, 1st gear to take off.
*Do I even need to put it into N? Could I not just hold the clutch down?
*Do I even need to put it into N? Could I not just hold the clutch down?
To pass your test in the UK you need to use the handbrake a lot. If you come to a complete stop you have to engage it.
Stallion Dan
Member
Who the hell downshifts to 1st while still moving?
No, you don't need to go into neutral.
You'll only be able to get into 1st when you're speed is low enough, it'll give you a faster get away and the car won't struggle
Scousefury
Member
? Thats what i said i think you just miss understood me
chadderbox77
Member
You don't ever need the handbrake unless you are stopped on an upward slope. When you come to a stop you should be in neutral with your foot on the brake only. Then you just press in clutch and shift into first and go - when it's time to drive.
There is a difference between what you need to do (to keep the engine running or not upset the flow of the ride) and what will get you to pass your exam. Ask your instructor.
Joel Was Right
If you smell burning, it's probably the generators acting up. Report it anyway.
Lol, I would love to take a GoPro and record my lesson tomorrow to share it with you guys.
Coasting is if you drop to neutral and "coast" to a stop. You dont want to do that, leave the car in a suitable gear that will allow you to get close to stopping before you have to press the clutch to avoid stalling the engine. If 3rd is too high, downshift to 2nd. When you come to a complete stop if you plan on waiting a light or something prolonged, shift to neutral and release the clutch so you dont strain transmission components unnecessarily.
The handbrake business is only for stopping on an uphill section, where people who are not used to performing a quick takeoff on a hill must use the handbrake to prevent rolling back into the car behind you. The correct approach for a beginner would be to start with the e-brake engaged, press clutch and shift into first, release clutch slowly while feeding gas pedal until car begins to hunch down and then release the e-brake while mantaining gas and clutch pedals steady until motion is achieved and then release clutch.
Don't hold the clutch down or rest your foot on the pedal. That's called riding the clutch. You only have so many presses of the clutch until it goes out so don't waste them if you don't have to.
Unless you're on a lesson like Meus, when it's going to be drilled into him to use it as you need to for the UK driving test. Whenever you're stationery the car should be in neutral and the handbrake applied.
Me.
chadderbox77
Member
That's asinine, especially if you get caught in a long stretch of stop and go traffic. If that's the rules though, that's the rules. Good luck on the test!
Jezbollah
Member
johancruijff
Banned
do what the instructor tells you
in 2 months you will unlearn it
in 2 months you will unlearn it
The idea of using the handbrake when stopped is to protect you and others if someone runs into the back of you when you are at the junction, making it less likely you will be pushed out into the junction and passing traffic.
If you are riding the clutch, or just using your foot brake, then you could lift off either with the impact and move forwards.
If you are riding the clutch, or just using your foot brake, then you could lift off either with the impact and move forwards.
Sadly so. So is always holding the wheel at ten to two and feeding it as you turn. None of which you'll do in the real world, especially the latter as it's bloody dangerous.
Damn, is that what is taught over there? That's a pain in the ass.
Stallion Dan
Member
You're better off just stopping, 1st is for pulling away.
If you fully depress the clutch and leave it depressed while the car is moving does no damage to the clutch.
The damage is done, and is also called riding the clutch, when you keep the clutch at or around friction point while hitting the accelerator. Often used when trying to do burnouts or hold the car from rolling back because you don't want to use the foot or hand brake.
Keeping your foot on the clutch and having it fully depressed is not called riding the clutch and it does no damage to the clutch
Yep. Dems the rules https://www.carthrottle.com/post/6-things-to-unlearn-from-your-driving-test/
I prefer the engine brake and creep along if I know I'm coming up to a stop at a red light rather than coming to a complete stop.
John Kowalski
Banned
A good way to stop quickly is to find a tree and drive into it.
Stallion Dan
Member
Yep, this is the reason and is a good one. Stops an accident turning into a bigger one.
Having the pedal depressed definitely wears the throw out bearing.
Scousefury
Member
Its the way i was taught 18 years ago. But it seems the rules have relaxed these days according to guide sites.
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