Driving a Standard—help me please?

Question

My dad is teaching me how to drive a standard car. All of his tips seem to be going over my head, though! I would appreciate some pointers for all of you standard drivers out there
thanks!

Going along with what eggman said, I agree that starting the car is my biggest problem. Also, the coordination of downshifting and making a turn at the same time. I get so frustrated

Answer 1

Start the car with the clutch down all the time and it won't matter if the car is in gear or not.

Getting the car to move is usually the hardest. Most people make the mistake of not giving the car enough gas. Don't be afraid to rev it up a little (1500-2000 RPM if you have a Tach) and then slowly let out the clutch.

Don't drive a stick with the radio on. Listen to the engine and feel the vibrations of the car.

When turning slow to 15-20mph a little before the turn and shift down into second, when you complete the turn you will already be in gear, only experienced drivers should shift while in a turn.

Find a big empty parking lot (Schools are good in evening/weekends) and practice, practice, practice! Stick with it and you will soon find yourself enjoying it. Good Luck!

Answer 2

The others are right. I would say have a little confidence. You'll get the hang of it. Don't worry. Here's a little trick, too: Practice just letting the clutch out until the car starts moving a little bit, then push the clutch back down, without fully engaging it. Do that about 30 times in a big, empty parking lot. Then give it a little more, little more, until you've found that you have fully engaged the clutch and done it!!

Caution, though (as your dad will surely tell you...), don't try to do that too many times too fast or you'll get the clutch/pressure plate too hot and damage it. Let it cool a minute after doing that 4 or 5 times.

Answer 3

What might help you is this, let the clutch out until the engine starts to lug down, then give it alittle bit of fuel, and slowly let the clutch out the rest of the way. Once it's moving, you'll be okay, just push in the clutch, and don't shift to fast, it'll screw ya up. The way I used to do it was push in the clutch, say the word "one" then put it in the next gear. Once you get proficient enough, then when upshifting, (i.e. going from 3rd to 4rth), don't use the clutch, it's alittle slower, but more fun in a car, and also makes your friends say, "WOW!!!" In a tractor trailer, drivers rarely EVER use the clutch, so it's no so bad. When downshifting, just do it backwards, and take your time, give the transmission time to spin alittle bit. You'll be alright.

Answer 4

When you get on first gear, you have to feel the clutch pedal at the point it will start to move, if you are in a plain terrain you will notice you don't have to accel that much, the key is always in the clutch, and if you are up hill you will notice you have to give more power to the motor so you accel more and always release the clutch pedal slowly at the point you have felt the car starts to move.
The rest of the gears (2,3,4 and 5) are almost the same you push the clutch and simply change the gear, the best point to change it is when you feel (or hear) the motor is having to much rpms and you want more speed.
When you are going to make a corner: before you reach the corner start to break, and before you reach the crossing street you must have down-shifted already, so you can use both of your hands for the steering wheel.

Answer 5

For me, the most difficult thing about driving a standard T is the take off... All the rest is pretty simple. On take off you must balance the amount of gas you give with how quickly the clutch lets the gears mesh. It is not uncommon to kill the motor by letting the clutch out too quickly, or over-rev the engine by letting the clutch out too slowly. Keep practicing and you'll shift like a pro before you know it.

Answer 6

No amount of coaching by your dad will help. You have to do it yourself. That way you don't have a nervous dad sitting next to you making you crazy. I swear, my dad tried to teach me for weeks, and all I did was stall and grind the gears. Only when I drove myself for a couple of hours did I figure it out. And for that couple of hours, miraculously I never stalled once. Someone here said try starting from a dead stop in first gear on level ground over and over. I would add that you should try to get going from a dead stop in first gear using only the clutch and never touching the gas pedal. It can be done, and you'll learn quickly how to use the clutch. The rest is easy. It's just timing your shifts for when you have the clutch depressed. I cannot stress how important it is to learn to drive a stick alone and not with an "instructor".

Answer 7

RELAX!!! Listen to your dad and as you get more used to driving what he is telling you will make sense. In all of life when you know how to do something it is very easy,and if you don't know it is very hard no matter how simple it seems to the one who is trying to teach you. The best thing to do when you are downshifting and turning is to down shift before you come to the turn. if you need 2 gears lower to make the turn shift down one gear then right away down another before the turn that way you have both hands on the steering wheel. like several of the guys and gals said,get in a big empty parking lot or out in the country and practice,practice and practice. most of all RELAX and left foot for clutch only,right foot for brake and gas.

Answer 8

Just take you time to learn it well. The reason that you dad is going over you head is because he doesn't think about driving a standard anymore. I've become that way also.

I see that you are having trouble co-ordinating your downshifts with going around a corner. Push the clutch in and brake like you are going around the corner driving an automatic. Go around the corner with the clutch still in and shift as you are straightening out.

Answer 9

Take it slow. Take the clutch out only a little bit at a time while pressing the gas. Don't worry it takes a lot of practice. You'll get it down eventually. And it's fun to have something to do while you're driving!!

Answer 10

My advice, since I learned same as you is to just go out to an area where there is no traffic and learn to use the clutch over and over until you feel comfortable. Sure, you'll kill the engine many times until you get it right. It won't take long though!
My mother always told me that if a woman can drive a stick shift, she can conquer alot in life.
--Gotta' love mom!