All I ask is for the brakes to work and a star to drive by.
- Thread starter Bluesteel
- Start date
I learned to drive a standard one day when I was 24. The company I worked for needed some stuff taken down to the stocking location in Pocasset and the guy who drove the truck was out sick. I generously volunteered to make the trip; I figured a nice relaxing drive down the Cape listening to music was better than working. Unfortunately, when I sat in the truck I quickly realized that something was missing from the steering column and there was something extra on the floor-- yup, it was a standard. So my nice relaxing drive down the Cape became a nightmare of stalling out at every light, every time traffic slowed down and every two inches while trying to back into the loading dock. 
I gave my Sister one driving lesson when she was a teenager. First we stopped for gas, and when we finished she drove out into the street over the sidewalk. It's been over twenty years and I still don't like being in the same car with her.
I had an another lesson yesterday. This time i moved up to Gear 2. But I'm confused on somethings can you guys clarify them for me?
Here is the list of order of things I do to start the car and drive it.
1: Push the clutch hard to the max
2: Use the car keys to start the car
3: Check if Gear is neutral. If it is move it to Gear 1.
4: Push Handbrake down
5: Slowly ease up on the clutch until the car starts.
6: Use the Gas to make the car move faster.
7: Push the clutch to the max and move to gear 2
8: Get off the clutch and Use the Gas to make the car go faster.
Ok I got some questions. Do I always have to push the clutch to the max? My feet hurt after a doing it sometime.
Also when Do i get off the clutch? If I am at Gear 1 and driving do I always have my feet on the clutch at all times? I know I can get off it when I'm on Gear 2.
How do you know how much to press the pedals or get off them. If I get off the clutch to fast the car stops. If I don't the car will be still for a few seconds putting me at risk. How can I maintain the same speed while pressing the gas pedal. At the moment I press it kinda hard and then ease up on it to achieve 10 mph.
Here is the list of order of things I do to start the car and drive it.
1: Push the clutch hard to the max
2: Use the car keys to start the car
3: Check if Gear is neutral. If it is move it to Gear 1.
4: Push Handbrake down
5: Slowly ease up on the clutch until the car starts.
6: Use the Gas to make the car move faster.
7: Push the clutch to the max and move to gear 2
8: Get off the clutch and Use the Gas to make the car go faster.
Ok I got some questions. Do I always have to push the clutch to the max? My feet hurt after a doing it sometime.
Also when Do i get off the clutch? If I am at Gear 1 and driving do I always have my feet on the clutch at all times? I know I can get off it when I'm on Gear 2.
How do you know how much to press the pedals or get off them. If I get off the clutch to fast the car stops. If I don't the car will be still for a few seconds putting me at risk. How can I maintain the same speed while pressing the gas pedal. At the moment I press it kinda hard and then ease up on it to achieve 10 mph.
For the good, and safety, of all of those living in London:
Take the bus.
Take the bus.
I prefer a manual, but haven't had one for around 10 years, because they're hard to find in the US.
The 5th gear on the highway is the nuts.
I will admit a manual is a hassle in the city, though.
The 5th gear on the highway is the nuts.
I will admit a manual is a hassle in the city, though.
Well, not necessarily. I'll start in second in poor conditions, since it probably doubles the traction your drive wheels have on the road. In snow and ice I find that starting in second can be the difference between skidding sideways and a nice smooth forward motion. Hell, I've even started in third the odd time, though it's always been by accident, and I don't recommend it unless you like accelerating very, VERY slowly.
Of course, you need to be pretty familiar with how to drive a standard, and even how your specific vehicle reacts before you can do that sort of thing without stalling. Still, it can be handy to know should you find yourself in adverse conditions.
I'll second this because I do it a lot on snow or ice. It's just a matter of feathering the clutch a little more to prevent stalling.
I don't start in Gear 1. I start with the gear in neutral and then move it to . Whats this about tachometer. I've never heard of it and I haven't moved on to the lesson about looking at the circly things. My Uncle is concentrating on learning the basics of driving first.
Oh and I don't have a user manual. All I got was the car,two keys some legal documents I can't make heads or tails.
I've been using the Bus for 10 years now. I'm really annoyed at how long it takes to get somewhere. A journey that can take a car 5 minutes will take me 30 minutes+. It's also indirect and half the buses in my area come like once every 20/30 minutes or are so late and useless that they end up coming two at a time every 30 minutes.
Last edited by a moderator:
Your posts scare me about your ability to drive. It shouldn't have taken you days to master this stuff and to call the insturments "gauges" rather than "circle things" or to even know what the tach is.
Stick with the bus.
Stick with the bus.
Plecostomus
Commodore
I'm starting to think this is a put-on myself. Learning to drive isn't that difficult even with stick shift.
My best-friend taught me how to drive a standard inside of a couple of hours.
Ok you're right. I forgot about that. But she shouldn't be doing it until she gets a lot more experience.
Well, not necessarily. I'll start in second in poor conditions, since it probably doubles the traction your drive wheels have on the road. In snow and ice I find that starting in second can be the difference between skidding sideways and a nice smooth forward motion. Hell, I've even started in third the odd time, though it's always been by accident, and I don't recommend it unless you like accelerating very, VERY slowly.
Of course, you need to be pretty familiar with how to drive a standard, and even how your specific vehicle reacts before you can do that sort of thing without stalling. Still, it can be handy to know should you find yourself in adverse conditions.
Bluesteel, then download the manual. You should always be intimatly familiar with the content of any vehicle you are driving so that you are aware of any peculiarities to that specific vehicle. Also note that I said to start the car in neutral and then move into 1st gear. A tachometer tells you how fast the engine is turning and tells you when you need to shift and when the engine is running too fast (and you need to shift up) or when the engine is running too slow (and you need to downshift)
The thought has crossed my mind as well
This concerns me more than a little bit. I've only been driving for a little over a year now...but being able to read those "circly things" should be in the first lesson, before you even are allowed to drive the vehicle, no matter what type of car you're driving. Knowing how fast you're going, how much gas you have left in the tank, and how hard your engine is working should be on the top of the "Things I Need to Know Before I'm allowed on a Public Road" list.
To me, the fact that you refer to the gauges as "those circly things" and have no idea what the do illustrates that you aren't ready to take on the responsibility of driving a car. Not trying to be rude or anything, but you don't really seem to be taking it seriously. When you drive, it's not only your life that you need to protect.
If you're going to learn to drive, do it right. Go to a professional school. Unlike some of my friends, I didn't go to one, but only because my dad, as an ambulance driver, has a very solid understanding of safe driving. You mentioned that you stomp on the brakes earlier. Don't do that. Its not good for the car, or the passengers. When he tests new ambulance drivers for their certification tests, the first thing my father does is have them go to a local McDonalds, and order 2 coffees. He drinks one, and places the other one on the dash board, right next to the driver. The idea is to keep the coffee in the cup at all times, especially when braking. If any of the coffee spills, not only does the driver have a nice wet spot on his pants, and a mess in the bus to clean up, but he also fails the test, because by stopping hard and spilling the coffee, he may have caused more damage to any patient that would be riding in the back. I'm not suggesting you attempt to drive as smoothly as an ambulance driver, but you should really concentrate on smooth braking, and smooth accelerating. Heck, try the "coffee technique"...maybe it will...encourage you to try harder.
The "circly things" will help you to know when you need to shift the car. Eventually you won't need them for that purpose, at least not usually, because the sound of the engine will tell you pretty much everything you need to know. But I have to agree with the Andorian and Trekker that for a beginner, the gauges are giving you some crucial information. And frankly, it's horrifying that nobody's informed you of that.
But let's back up just a bit, and let me tell you that when you push in the clutch, you have put the car in neutral no matter what gear you're actually in. So you don't have to shift into neutral first.
Yes, you do have to push in the clutch all the way - if it's making your foot hurt, might I suggest moving the seat up slightly? That might make you feel more comfortable. But you shouldn't have to press the pedal with all your might. You just push it in all the way. It's the difference between putting your hand on a table and applying firm pressure, vs. pressing down as hard as you can. You should be aiming for the first option - firm pressure.
Something that might encourage you a bit is that driving in first or second gear is actually much more difficult for a beginner than driving in the higher gears. I realize this seems counterintuitive - slower ought to be easier. But it's not. The reason is that shifting into first and getting the car moving, and then shifting from first to second are actually the most difficult gear changes. Second to third is much easier, and third to fourth is easier still, and fourth to fifth is a piece of cake.
I think Andorian might be on to something with his suggestion that you go to a driving school. You seem to have, or to be rapidly acquiring, a whole LOT of insecurities and near-phobias about driving. And you are also acquiring, somehow or other, a lot of misinformation and bad driving habits. A professional driving teacher might help you lose some of that. It's much better, and in the long run easier (not to mention safer for you and the people you share the road with), to learn to drive properly at the beginning, rather than learning to drive badly and then have to unlearn bad habits.
But let's back up just a bit, and let me tell you that when you push in the clutch, you have put the car in neutral no matter what gear you're actually in. So you don't have to shift into neutral first.
Yes, you do have to push in the clutch all the way - if it's making your foot hurt, might I suggest moving the seat up slightly? That might make you feel more comfortable. But you shouldn't have to press the pedal with all your might. You just push it in all the way. It's the difference between putting your hand on a table and applying firm pressure, vs. pressing down as hard as you can. You should be aiming for the first option - firm pressure.
Something that might encourage you a bit is that driving in first or second gear is actually much more difficult for a beginner than driving in the higher gears. I realize this seems counterintuitive - slower ought to be easier. But it's not. The reason is that shifting into first and getting the car moving, and then shifting from first to second are actually the most difficult gear changes. Second to third is much easier, and third to fourth is easier still, and fourth to fifth is a piece of cake.
I think Andorian might be on to something with his suggestion that you go to a driving school. You seem to have, or to be rapidly acquiring, a whole LOT of insecurities and near-phobias about driving. And you are also acquiring, somehow or other, a lot of misinformation and bad driving habits. A professional driving teacher might help you lose some of that. It's much better, and in the long run easier (not to mention safer for you and the people you share the road with), to learn to drive properly at the beginning, rather than learning to drive badly and then have to unlearn bad habits.
Last edited:
I see people dissing me. Well you know people. I've never ever had any interest in cars. Nor have I had any experience. How am I supposed to know they are called Gauge? I've only had 90 minutes of experience on Cars.
Personally I'm going to stay away as far has possible form Driving Schools. While they do teach you properly it doesn't make up for how much they rip you off. So far I can drive around my "block" (is that correct?) in Gear 1. I know not to go into Gear 2 when I'm near Houses or schools or anywhere were pedestrians and vulnerable people like Oldies and kids are common. A mate of mine has had 5 lessons and He can't do that. He knows what a biting point is but he doesn't know how to get it or what ever you do to reach that point.
At the present I press the clutch and check if the gear is neutral. Then move it on to Gear 1.
[QUOTE
Yes, you do have to push in the clutch all the way - if it's making your foot hurt, might I suggest moving the seat up slightly? That might make you feel more comfortable. But you shouldn't have to press the pedal with all your might. You just push it in all the way. It's the difference between putting your hand on a table and applying firm pressure, vs. pressing down as hard as you can. You should be aiming for the first option - firm pressure.][/QUOTE]
The question is though. How do I know when enough is enough? When it comes to accelerating I know because the car is moving. How ever when I'm told vague terms like press the clutch or get off the clutch slowly to get the car moving. It doesn't help. Anything I should look out for like engine noise?
Well so far I've found driving in Gear 2 easier. I've only had 20 minutes experience but it was so much easier to learn. Hopefully it will continue like that.
Maybe but i'd rather not be ripped off. With my uncle all I have to do is pay for the fuel and deal with his road rage/homophobic/misogynistic rants about other drivers. It's a price worth paying for in my opinion. I've met countless of people who had spent a lot in lessons and don't have much to show for.
I haven't been in car for more then 2 hours. I've only had two lesson. The fact that I can drive at gear 2 at 10 mphs is good enough for me so far. Better then my friends.
Days? I don't do days. All I've had so far was two lessons and which were each 30-45 minutes long.
It's very easy to say something like that when you have had 20 or 30 years experience. But when your just starting out at the bottom of the ladder. Putting in the first stone in the pyramid. It's very very hard.
Personally I'm going to stay away as far has possible form Driving Schools. While they do teach you properly it doesn't make up for how much they rip you off. So far I can drive around my "block" (is that correct?) in Gear 1. I know not to go into Gear 2 when I'm near Houses or schools or anywhere were pedestrians and vulnerable people like Oldies and kids are common. A mate of mine has had 5 lessons and He can't do that. He knows what a biting point is but he doesn't know how to get it or what ever you do to reach that point.
At the present I press the clutch and check if the gear is neutral. Then move it on to Gear 1.
[QUOTE
Yes, you do have to push in the clutch all the way - if it's making your foot hurt, might I suggest moving the seat up slightly? That might make you feel more comfortable. But you shouldn't have to press the pedal with all your might. You just push it in all the way. It's the difference between putting your hand on a table and applying firm pressure, vs. pressing down as hard as you can. You should be aiming for the first option - firm pressure.][/QUOTE]
The question is though. How do I know when enough is enough? When it comes to accelerating I know because the car is moving. How ever when I'm told vague terms like press the clutch or get off the clutch slowly to get the car moving. It doesn't help. Anything I should look out for like engine noise?
Well so far I've found driving in Gear 2 easier. I've only had 20 minutes experience but it was so much easier to learn. Hopefully it will continue like that.
Maybe but i'd rather not be ripped off. With my uncle all I have to do is pay for the fuel and deal with his road rage/homophobic/misogynistic rants about other drivers. It's a price worth paying for in my opinion. I've met countless of people who had spent a lot in lessons and don't have much to show for.
I haven't been in car for more then 2 hours. I've only had two lesson. The fact that I can drive at gear 2 at 10 mphs is good enough for me so far. Better then my friends.
Days? I don't do days. All I've had so far was two lessons and which were each 30-45 minutes long.
It's very easy to say something like that when you have had 20 or 30 years experience. But when your just starting out at the bottom of the ladder. Putting in the first stone in the pyramid. It's very very hard.
Look, if this is what you've been told, then you're plainly not being taught very well. I don't know what driving schools are like in the UK, but here in Ontario they're all regulated by the government and, as such, are not a "rip off", expensive or not. I would guess that British driving schools are similarly regulated, which means that you're getting good value for your money—in other words, you're being taught how to properly and safely operate a very powerful and potentially dangerous piece of machinery.
Now, maybe this is all a put-on, but if not then you should seriously consider driving school. You plainly don't have a grip on the basics of driving, things that you should know even before getting behind the wheel. Right now it sounds like you're just creating a dangerous situation for yourself and the people around you.
Similar threads
