Manual Transmission - Shifting Gears

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I don't even have to give my opinion because Steven shot Charles down. Steve likes to help the pregnant club

Just trying to keep the peace. Lord knows what an angry pregnant woman is like.

[Amby 490]

that kinda looks like the nessa i know

[almaty 19]

i always am nice to the future moms

[Ban Hammer 13,141]

Transmissions general do not have syncronizers for first gear, therefore the wil l"grind" when downshifting while moving.

All other gears have sycronizers to facilitate smooth upshifting which in turn allows smooth downshifting, second to first does not have this.

yes they do, since about 1970.

apparently my personal experience does not count with you, as i've put 110k on that car doing exactly what was described.

back to you!

:bonk: :bonk:

Last I checked 2.25 is more than twice 1.10; let's discuss it after you've done another 1.15!

(the unit I used was lakh--universal-desi for 100,000--miles)

not everyone speaks indian

[Ban Hammer 13,141]

I don't even have to give my opinion because Steven shot Charles down. Steve likes to help the pregnant club

but his post from that auto place didn't address the issue - shifting to 1st when still moving at 5 mph or so. it talked about when coming to a red light. different scenario.......

[Empress of Groovy 373]

Yo, hipsters

I downshift into first after breaking and/or slowing to a crawl (like, when creeping through a parking lot or up a driveway). I've had several cars w/ manual transmission, and all (the oldest was a 1979 Datsun, the newest a 2001 Honda) allow you to shift into first when you're going very slowly. If you're going too fast, the car won't allow you to shift into first. I think it's preferable to either coming to a complete stop to shift into first, or continuing to drive in too high a gear and have the transmission lug because you're in second and going 7 mph.

In Charles's defense, the Car Talk question doesn't address what (I think) Charles & Nessa are in disagreement about. It seems that Mike, the guy w/ the Car Talk question, is asking about downshifting when approaching a red light. If I'm understanding his question, if he's crusing along at 45 mph and is approaching a red light or stop sign, instead of braking and then applying the clutch when the car is about to stop, he downshifts through all the gears (!!) and then stops. Which is pretty silly and obviously involves a lot of pointless shifting. The guy deserves publication humiliation if he drove like that and was instructing tha wife to do the same. This isn't what Charles is suggesting Nessa do.

I asked my (English) husband about this, and he was taught never to downshift into first. Of course, he also applies the parking brake at red lights. I think most people are taught that shifting into first is bad for the car, which it is if you try to force it or if you habitually do it to slow down the car. Listening to the car is probably the best gauge.

Anyway, I take the Charles approach and have never had a problem. But I agree that he could be playing w/ fire in terms of criticizing Nessa's driving at this particular point in time...

Sorry about the tome...

[Nessa 23]

Of course, he also applies the parking brake at red lights.

oh yeah. I've known some people do that. does he do it only when it's uphill? i think that's something people can do while learning how to drive so they won't let the car go backwards, but after you learn how to control the clutch pedal it's unecessary.

[Empress of Groovy 373]

Of course, he also applies the parking brake at red lights.

oh yeah. I've known some people do that. does he do it only when it's uphill? i think that's something people can do while learning how to drive so they won't let the car go backwards, but after you learn how to control the clutch pedal it's unecessary.

I think it might be a British thing. It seems sorta complicated, tho--when you're first learning to drive a manual and trying to locate that magical space between bucking and stalling, why would you want to throw something like releasing the parking brake into the mix? It seems like it would be too easy to have your timing be screwed up and (try to) start moving while the brake is still on. He does it less and less, tho. A friend of ours, a Brit in his 50s who has been here for about 15 years, still does it. I think it's kinda cute. Now that I think of it, they use the term hand brake, not parking brake, which may be significant.

[Ban Hammer 13,141]

Of course, he also applies the parking brake at red lights.

oh yeah. I've known some people do that. does he do it only when it's uphill? i think that's something people can do while learning how to drive so they won't let the car go backwards, but after you learn how to control the clutch pedal it's unecessary.

I think it might be a British thing. It seems sorta complicated, tho--when you're first learning to drive a manual and trying to locate that magical space between bucking and stalling, why would you want to throw something like releasing the parking brake into the mix? It seems like it would be too easy to have your timing be screwed up and (try to) start moving while the brake is still on. He does it less and less, tho. A friend of ours, a Brit in his 50s who has been here for about 15 years, still does it. I think it's kinda cute. Now that I think of it, they use the term hand brake, not parking brake, which may be significant.

i was taught to do that with the hand brake/parking brake when the possibility of rolling back is present.

[Nessa 23]

i was taught to do that with the hand brake/parking brake when the possibility of rolling back is present.

it is present when u don't know how to control the clutch pedal

[Amby 490]

I'm not allowed in this discussion because I can't drive my car since it hurts to shift. I seriously don't know what I do because it's just reflex now. I don't even pay attention to it.

[Empress of Groovy 373]

i was taught to do that with the hand brake/parking brake when the possibility of rolling back is present.

I'd just roll into the mofos behind me--serves 'em right for riding up my a$$ at the intersection.

[~*Maria*~ 1]

Never really driven before i got the States. Ex-hubby did try to teach me once and gave up. I held the steering wheel while he changed gears from the passenger seat. Only know how to drive an automatic, gawd knows wot i'm gonna do when i go back to scotland for a holiday. Hope the car hire places have automatics.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Oh man, I thought I put the smackdown on Charles like pages ago...but the argument continues. Charles, I recommend you listen to Kenny Roger's, The Gambler. Kenny would be saying you should have run after the first post.

[Brit Abroad 166]

Of course, he also applies the parking brake at red lights.

Yes, that's the way Brits are taught to drive. The majority of people who fail their test, although they are competent drivers, are the ones who simply use the footbrake with the clutch in when at a full stop.

I think it might be a British thing. It seems sorta complicated, tho--when you're first learning to drive a manual and trying to locate that magical space between bucking and stalling, why would you want to throw something like releasing the parking brake into the mix? It seems like it would be too easy to have your timing be screwed up and (try to) start moving while the brake is still on. He does it less and less, tho. A friend of ours, a Brit in his 50s who has been here for about 15 years, still does it. I think it's kinda cute. Now that I think of it, they use the term hand brake, not parking brake, which may be significant.

Anytime a manual transmission vehicle is stationary, the hand brake should be applied. Of course, most of us do this for the test and then just fall into sloppy habits somewhere down the line.

The UK is still way up there in the 90+ % of manual transmission vehicles. Our licences are also split into manual and automatic transmission. If the test is taken in an automatic, you only get an automatic licence and are still treated as a learner in a manual transmission.