How to Shift Gears in a Car
Driving a shift stick offers many benefits especially for drivers who don’t like monotony on the road. First-timers are recommended to practice driving using a shift stick since you can get to know the car on a much more intimate level and in the future, you may need to drive a car that offers only manual transmission. Here are some tips on how to shift gears in a car:
Get to know the parts first.
Upon observing a car with an automatic transmission and one with a manual transmission, you may notice some key differences. In a vehicle with manual transmission, you may notice a third pedal situated at the left-most area just beside the brake pedal. That third pedal is called the clutch which you will use to shift gears and increase or decrease speed.
You may also notice some differences on how the shift stick looks like. Automatic transmission mostly just entails the driver to use it to shift between park, drive and reverse. For manual shift sticks, there is a need for the driver to employ multiple gears for different speed ranges. While it also has both reverse and drive functions, it doesn’t have a park function since you only need to slip your car into neutral gear and pull your hand brake to park your car safely.
Master the gears.
shifting gearsIf you want to move your car, you must first have your car either in first gear or in reverse. To do this, you must master the art of balancing clutch with gas. Step on the clutch gently and and as you press down on the gas, gently ease up on the clutch. Be careful though since letting go of the clutch too quickly will simply stall your car while puring in too much gas and easing up on the clutch too slowly will just pointlessly rev up your engine.
Use the first gear to move your car from a standstill. You can use the 1st gear as you travel somewhere between 10 and 15 mph. The second gear allows you to go as fast as 25 mph. You can then slowly overtake a car infront of you or use this gear in stop-and-go situations. You can use the higher gears such as the the third, forth and sometimes fifth gear for highways and major thoroughfares. You can shift to a higher gear depending on the road and traffic you are experiencing or slow down to stop.
Take note of the RPMs.
Your RPMs or “rotations per minute” can be seen next to your speedometer. Use it to guide you as you shift either up or down. If and when you notice that your RPMs enter the “3″ range, you have to shift up a gear. To shift up, take you right foot off the gas pedal. Just make sure it is within “stepping distance.”
Use your left foot to press down on the clutch and while you are stepping on it, shift the stick from its current gear to the next highest one to go faster. Once you have made the right shift, release the clutch while steadily stepping anew on the gas pedal. It may take a while before you get used to this “balancing act” but once you practice enough, everything else will be second nature.
If you are slowing down and you notice that your RPMs fall below the two mark, you should downshift to help the engine function properly. Use the same techniques for gearing up and downshifting.
Find a car with a manual transmission now and start practicing in empty parking lots, cemetery roads and sleepy streets. With some practice, you will master this key driving skill in no time. If you enjoy learning this article, you’ll surely be delighted in reading how to learn driving.