Back up......No don't back up!

[xlr82xs]

Doesn't automatic transmission just encourage stupidity while driving?
I mean, you don't need to understand much to drive automatic, and it's ineffecient anyway

the driving tests here are actually different depending on if you're going for an automatic or manual license, but the manual one seems to be by far the easier one...

Just drive around for a little while, maybe do a hill start (if it doesn't come up in the course of getting stopped in traffic while on a hill), atleast the automatic test includes things like being able to parallel and reverse park.

not that actually passing the test means that people are able to do these things (atleast based on what i see while driving to/from work and uni)

almost had a car roll back a good 1/2-3/4 of a car length into me while stopped at traffic lights on a hill (there was originally a motorbike between us when i stopped who peeled out to the left when the car started rolling)

[Andara Bledin]

I've actually been bumped by some asshat in a manual who didn't keep his foot on the brake on a hill.

The worst part is that I honked at him before he hit me.

If it weren't for the fact that he was going about .1 mph and I just don't think it's worth bothering over, I could have reported him for a hit and run since he didn't stop.

^-.-^

[Mark Healey]

Just drive around for a little while, maybe do a hill start (if it doesn't come up in the course of getting stopped in traffic while on a hill)

What's a "hill start"? Are you talking about rolling down a hull and poping the clutch to start the carr when the battery is dead or simply starting to move when pointed up a hill without rolling down. I'm surprised that the first would be on a driving test and for the second I just use the hand brake.

[solemnwarning]

What's a "hill start"? Are you talking about rolling down a hull and poping the clutch to start the carr when the battery is dead or simply starting to move when pointed up a hill without rolling down. I'm surprised that the first would be on a driving test and for the second I just use the hand brake.

A hill start is shifting in and starting to drive while on a hill without rolling backwards, I've heard it's not as easy as it sounds.

Its strange how different it is here, everyone I know learnt to drive in a manual car and has a manual license, I think its pretty rare to have just an automatic one. Also everyone I know drives a manual car, I don't think I've been in an automatic for a long time. I think having an automatic would take all the fun out of driving, personally

Same here, the only auto I've seen is my brother's old car and a couple of taxis

[Jadedcarguy]

A hill start is shifting in and starting to drive while on a hill without rolling backwards, I've heard it's not as easy as it sounds.

The trick is to let the clutch out just to the engagement point before you let off the brake. A little practice and it comes naturally.

[Andara Bledin]

A hill start is shifting in and starting to drive while on a hill without rolling backwards, I've heard it's not as easy as it sounds.

I'm actually really, really good at hill starts and the like.

The trick is in knowing how to put on enough gas with the right foot, while letting out the clutch with half of your left foot and also, letting off the brake with the other half of your left foot.

But then, after driving a car that had no 1st gear at all (my mom's clutch was going out), a hill start is easy.

^-.-^

[Nekojin]

My mother taught me how to drive by taking me in her car (a manual) to the local college parking lot on a weekend (this is/was a community college that only had Mon-Fri classes). After tooling around the parking lot for an hour, getting used to the controls and parking, she had me drive up the hill next to the college, and turn onto a residential side street. Since there was oncoming traffic, I had to wait... when it was my turn to go, I pushed the gas, and... stalled the car.

I restarted it and stalled it again a half-dozen times - over 5 minutes of real time - before I figured out what I was doing wrong, and mom didn't say a word. It was probably the best lesson I ever got... I didn't have the car in First Gear. If she'd told me what I was doing wrong, it wouldn't be so firmly planted in my head these days.

Once you're comfortable with a stick shift, though, it takes very little effort and attention to do it - it almost becomes a conditioned response to the engine sounds. It's not as much trouble as some people make it out to be.

[crazylegs]

A hill start is shifting in and starting to drive while on a hill without rolling backwards, I've heard it's not as easy as it sounds.

1) Depress clutch and engage 1st gear
2) Lift clutch to 'Bite Point'
3) increase engine revs to approprite (normal) pulling off amount
4) raise the clutch pedal a little more
5) release handbrake.
6) Pull Off (after MSMM)

Or, go to Stroud UK and learn by trial and error.

(Stroud has NO flat ground, the cricket pitch has a 10 degree slope)

If you are in a manual and on a hill you should engage your handbrake if you're at a stop, and if you're waiting at traffic lights then take the car out of gear.

[Brightglaive]

*blinks* Isn't reverse normally on the left? I've only driven one manual that wasn't.

Yeah... well. My brother and I used to joke about it all the time when we were driving a ford truck stick shift with reverse to the right. Old ford trucks had 3-4 gears with reverse on the right. I've even seen 5-speed manuals with reverse on the right. I always joke about going into 5th or 6th gear (why don't don't you shift into 5th gear? YEAH RIGHT!!! only if I want to shred the transmission.)

Of course I should talk seeing as how I once accidentally shifted my geo prizm automatic into reverse as I was getting on to the freeway at 50MPH. I was lucky I didn't destroy the transmission and the torque converter and cause an accident. I just shifted up 3 gears too many. I only meant shift from 2nd into D)

A big tip my mother gave me that really, really helped is that you push/release the clutch with your whole leg. You don't just tilt your foot at the ankle like you do with the gas or break. The difference in control over how much clutch you're using is amazing.

^-.-^

Unfortunately in those old trucks the clutch travel is a LOT more than in a little toyota (toy) camry. You can't just tilt your ankle. It'd be nice but..... You really HAVE to use your whole leg to push the clutch in. Stomp.... shift.... let the clutch out to the friction point.... release. In town driving is torture in that pickup truck.

In contrast my 2008 Saturn VUE automatic transmission shifts smoother and at lower RPM than I can using the manual shift +/- option.