Is it your first time behind the wheel of a car with a manual transmission and you don’t know how to even start driving? Don't know how to change gears on a manual transmission in time? You can find answers to all these, as well as other questions that very often interest novice drivers, in our article today.

Why you need to be able to drive a manual car

You never know what situation you will find yourself in in the near future. You may have to borrow someone else's car, which will be equipped manual transmission transmission Or will your friend want to drink and ask you to take him home in his own car with a manual transmission? What about car rental abroad? Manual cars are much more common than cars with automatic transmission.

If you learn to drive a manual, nothing will take you by surprise. A person who understands how to drive a car with a manual transmission can easily drive a car with an automatic transmission, but not vice versa.

Cars with manual transmission, in most cases, cost less than similar versions with automatic transmission. You will save money not only when buying a car. Driving with a manual is a significant cost savings over many years of using the vehicle, since the fuel consumption of such cars is often lower than that of automatic transmissions. As fuel prices rise inexorably, the benefits will be obvious.

If your manual car's battery is dead, you can start driving. One option is to use cigarette lighter wires. If you don’t have them at hand, you can always push start the car. Forget about this idea if you are using a car with automatic transmission.

Many sports cars are available exclusively with a manual transmission. This is especially true for many models released several decades ago. In most cases, manufacturers of such cars understand that getting real pleasure from driving powerful car only possible with a manual transmission.

Driving a manual car is much more fun! If you drive an automatic transmission your whole life, you will never know what real control over a car is. Driving a car with an automatic transmission is very artificial and passive. But the mechanics allow you to become one with the car.

How to drive a manual car correctly: the basics

First: get to know the driver's seat

Pedals: clutch, brake, gas. The clutch pedal is located on the left, it is not on cars with automatic transmission transmission It must be pressed when shifting gears up or down. More information will follow.

The brake pedal is located in the center. As you probably understand, it is designed for braking.

The far right pedal is gas. It functions on the same principle as the gas pedal in a car with automatic transmission.

People who get into a manual car for the first time find it difficult to get used to the fact that they now also have to use their left foot. After all, in cars with an automatic transmission, only the right leg is used. The left foot will press the clutch pedal, and the right foot will be responsible for the brake and gas.

Gearbox shift lever. It is with the help of it that we will change gears; it shifts the gears in the car’s transmission. Many new manual cars come with six gears. As a rule, there is a hint on the gearshift knob that will help you understand which lever positions are responsible for a particular gear. This will help you drive your manual car correctly.

Tachometer. This is one of the elements dashboard car, which displays the number of revolutions per minute of the engine crankshaft. When you first start driving a manual transmission car, the tachometer will help you determine when to shift up or down. In most cases, it is necessary to shift into a higher gear when the tachometer needle reaches “3” or 3000 rpm. If it drops to the “1” mark or 1000 rpm, you need to switch down. After gaining some experience driving a manual, you will be able to easily determine when exactly to shift, reacting to the sound of the engine. Read more about this below.

Changing gears and pressing the clutch and gas pedals with the engine turned off

Before you start putting further tips into practice, we recommend that you practice doing everything with the engine off and the parking brake on. This will help you feel the engagement and disengagement of the transmission gears. You can also learn to press the clutch pedal smoothly.

How to start driving a car with a manual transmission

Probably the most intimidating part of learning to drive a manual car is starting to drive in first gear. It will take you some time to figure out how best to release the clutch and press the gas to catch that optimal moment and start moving.

It's best to practice in an empty parking lot. The surface must be smooth; the presence of any other vehicles nearby is highly undesirable. It is advisable that in the front passenger seat there is a person who clearly understands and knows how to drive mechanics correctly.

Press the clutch and brake pedals, then start the engine. To start a manual car, always press the clutch before turning on the ignition. Although it is not necessary to keep your right foot on the brake pedal when starting the engine in a manual car (as you do in cars with an automatic transmission), this habit will not hurt you.

The left foot fully depresses the clutch pedal and the right foot presses the brake. We start the car.

Engaging 1st gear. Move the gearshift lever to the position corresponding to first gear.

Never change gears until the clutch pedal is fully depressed!

If you don't stick to it simple rule, you will hear a very unpleasant grinding noise. If the situation repeats repeatedly, you will have to go to a car mechanic. Make sure that your left foot is still pressing the clutch pedal all the way down, then engage 1st gear.

To do this, use your right hand and move the gear lever up and to the left.

Make sure the transmission is actually engaged. This can be easily felt and also seen. The lever should remain in place after you remove your hand from it.

Keep your feet fully depressed on the clutch and brake pedals. Do not remove your left foot from the pedal, otherwise the car will stall. Move your right foot from the brake pedal to the gas pedal. At approximately the same moment, you need to begin to slowly release the clutch pedal with your left foot.

This is the most difficult stage for beginners who want to drive a manual properly. Once again: move your right foot from the brake pedal to the gas pedal and slowly press the gas... At the same time, slowly release the clutch pedal with your left foot. Try to lightly press the gas pedal and hold it so that the tachometer needle shows about 1500-2000 rpm. At this time, you must gradually release the clutch pedal with your left foot.

If done correctly, you will begin to feel the transmission gears engage with the engine, causing the car to slowly move forward. When the speed increases a little, you can release the clutch. Congratulations! Now you have learned to start and drive in first gear. If the engine stalls, start over.

Let's move on to the stop. You need to not only learn how to drive a manual car, but also stop in time. To stop a car with a manual transmission, you simply press the clutch pedal with your left foot and the brake pedal with your right foot at the same time.

Exercise until you learn to start driving and drive in first gear without any hiccups. If nothing works out, don't be disappointed, you just need to start the process again.

Starting in first gear is no different from starting in reverse gear. However, in the latter case, you will need to select the appropriate position of the gearshift lever. In areas with a slope, you can start driving even without pressing the gas pedal, you just have to slowly release the clutch.

Find a slide and practice on it. After gaining some experience on flat ground, be sure to practice on a hill. Starting off on a hill is much more difficult than on a flat section, so give this moment enough time and effort. Very often, novice drivers who have just gotten behind the wheel of a manual car find themselves in trouble when they are forced to stop and start driving in a traffic jam on a section of road with a slope.

Upshift

Click on the picture to enlarge

As mentioned earlier, a person who has learned to start and drive in first gear has already mastered about 90% of manual driving techniques. Upshifting is very easy. In most cases, it is necessary to switch to increased speed after the tachometer needle has reached 3000 rpm. The figure may vary depending on the specific car, but this information will not hurt you. If you shift too early, the car will jerk a little and you will have to downshift to keep it from stalling.

When you are ready to upshift, you need to do everything in the following order:

• remove your right foot from the gas pedal, fully depress the clutch with your left foot and move the gearshift lever to the desired position in one motion;
• release the clutch pedal and simultaneously press the gas with your right foot;
• Remove your left foot completely from the clutch pedal after shifting into a higher gear and continue to keep your right foot on the gas pedal.

Downshifting

Although include downshift When stopping a car, it is not necessary to use the mechanics; in some situations you need to be able to do this. For example, you need to switch to a lower gear when driving in traffic jams. It is necessary to switch in situations where the driving speed decreases and the tachometer needle drops to 1000 rpm. and below.

It is also recommended to engage lower gears when driving along dangerous roads, especially on slippery surfaces. Application emergency braking will lead to a skid, and you will not be able to stop the car. It's much better to use lower gears instead. If the road is really slippery, it is better not to shift above 2-3 gears.

Changing gears without tachometer readings

Not all cars are equipped with this wonderful device. Although at first it is very difficult to change gears on a manual transmission in a timely manner without a tachometer, with the development of certain skills, you will learn to drive a car with a manual transmission by the sound of the engine.

If the engine makes a high-pitched noise and you feel that adding gas is not producing the desired result, it's time to shift to a higher gear. If the motor makes low-frequency noise and begins to vibrate, this is a sign that the gear is too high, so you should choose a lower one.

You can't drive a manual with the clutch depressed.

Many beginners make the mistake of constantly keeping their foot on the clutch pedal. As a result, the left leg does not rest. Although light pressure on the clutch pedal is not enough to completely disengage the mechanism, it is quite enough to partially disengage. This leads to premature wear clutch.

Conclusion: After successfully shifting into the selected gear (or engaging neutral), remove your left foot from the clutch pedal.

How to stop correctly

There are two ways to stop a car manually.

1. To slow down the car, you need to switch to lower gears down to second, and then press the brake pedal.
2. Press the clutch pedal and move the gearshift lever to the neutral position, then remove your left foot from the clutch pedal and apply the brake pedal as necessary.

While the first method can indeed be used, it will cause much more wear and tear on the transmission and clutch. It is much easier to use the second option. Shifting to neutral and applying the brakes. If you cannot engage neutral, do not forget that you need to press not only the brake, but also the clutch to stop the car.

Parking

When parking your car in a manual parking area, always use hand brake. You need to learn how to use it every time you leave your car, regardless of the slope of the surface. For additional security It is recommended to leave the car in first gear.

If you park on a slope, move the gearshift lever to the “R” position. Be sure to turn the front wheels so that if you suddenly start moving, the vehicle will not end up on the road.

IN recent years The demand for cars with manual transmission has become slightly lower. Drivers increasingly prefer cars with automatic transmission, citing the fact that they are much easier to drive.

However, no one is going to give up classical mechanics yet, since it is still superior to automatic transmissions in several ways. Firstly, the mechanics are much more reliable and durable, and in the event of a breakdown, its repair will cost less than repairing an automatic transmission.

Secondly, driving a car with a manual transmission in winter is much safer than driving a car with an automatic transmission. Thirdly, cars with manual transmission are somewhat cheaper than their counterparts with automatic transmission, and during operation they are more economical in terms of fuel consumption.

So, you've decided to buy a car with a manual transmission, but you have no idea how to drive a manual transmission. In this article we will tell you step by step about the main nuances of driving a manual car.

Step one: manual transmission

When driving a car with a manual transmission, the driver is required to independently change gears at the most appropriate moment. Most manual transmissions have 4 or 5 speeds (rarely 6 or even 7) and one reverse gear. To correctly switch between them, the driver needs to know the following:

• Clutch pedal. By squeezing this pedal all the way, the gearbox triggers special mechanism, after which the driver can safely switch from one speed to another using the gear shift knob. If you press the clutch pedal somehow, the gears will be switched with a characteristic grinding and crunching noise, which can subsequently lead to a breakdown of the manual transmission.
• Neutral gear. If you turn on the neutral gear while the engine is running, the torque from the latter will not be transmitted to the wheels, which means the car will not move. After moving the lever to the neutral position, you can easily switch to any gear.
• Second gear. In most cases, the first gear is used exclusively for starting, but the second is a kind of “workhorse”. By activating it, you can easily slide down a steep slope or confidently maneuver in a dense stream of city traffic.
• Reverse gear. This gear is different from other speeds in a manual transmission. It has the greatest range of operation. By selecting it, you will be able to accelerate faster than in first gear. However, driving in reverse for a long time is not recommended, as this can lead to breakdown of the manual transmission.

Note that each speed has its own maximum torque, which can be achieved using the gas pedal. When driving a car with a manual transmission, you will feel every speed, which not only adds drive, but also promotes better control over the car.

Step Two: Positioning Gear Speeds

Since while driving you need to be completely focused on the road, when changing to a manual, the driver needs to remember the location of all the gears indicated on the shift knob.

For beginners, it is recommended to turn to experienced drivers and, sitting in the front passenger seat, observe from the side how to synchronously press the clutch pedal and change gears. It is also worth paying attention at what speeds the driver switches from one gear to another.

It is likely that during the first days of driving a manual car, you will still be looking for the gear lever with your eyes and remembering which position corresponds to a particular speed. Over time, this will pass and you will learn to change gears automatically.

Also, beginners tend to make mistakes when choosing the optimal speed for switching from one gear to another. It’s important not to fuss here, trying to focus on the sound of the engine. So, if you engage a gear that is too high, the engine speed will be low, and the car will not want to pick up speed.

In this case, you need to switch to a lower gear. If the engine speed is very high, then you are driving in a low gear, and to unload the transmission it is worth switching to a higher one.

If the car has a tachometer (indicates the number of engine revolutions), the driver can switch speeds based on its indicators. Of course, each model is individual and requires a special gear shift order, but in most cases you can switch from one speed to another when you reach 3,000 rpm.

You can also switch from one speed to another using the speedometer. So, first gear is suitable for driving at speeds from 1 to 25 km/h, second - from 25 to 50 km/h, third - from 50 to 70 km/h, etc. However, this is far from exact values, and the more powerful your car is, the more these ranges will differ upward.

Step three: starting the engine

Before starting the engine of a car with a manual transmission, you must first depress the clutch pedal and move the gear lever to neutral. It is strictly forbidden to turn on the vehicle's engine while the gear is engaged, as this will lead to uncontrolled movement of the vehicle, which will create a potentially dangerous situation.

After starting the engine, give it time to warm up. Note that in the cold season, in order to warm up the oil frozen in the transmission, it is recommended to hold the clutch pedal for several minutes after engaging the neutral gear.

Step Four: Proper Use of the Clutch Pedal

The clutch is the most important mechanism that allows you to smoothly change from one gear to another. As noted above, in order to prevent damage to the manual transmission, the clutch pedal must always be fully depressed. You should press the pedal exclusively with your left foot, and use your right foot to press the gas and brake pedals.

At first, it is difficult for novice drivers to release the clutch perfectly after changing gears, but over time you will gain the necessary experience. Well, at first, beginners are advised to release the clutch smoothly. This will allow you to feel when the torque begins to be transmitted from the engine to the wheels.

If the clutch pedal is not fully pressed, it is recommended to avoid unnecessary acceleration. Also, you should not leave the clutch pedal pressed for more than two seconds, so even at traffic lights, use neutral gear.

Step five: competent coordination of actions

To learn how to drive a mechanic, well-coordinated and well-coordinated actions are required. For example, let's look at the switching process for 1st and 2nd gears. To begin, you must depress the clutch pedal all the way, and then switch the gear stick to first speed.

Then you need to smoothly release the clutch pedal while slowly pressing the gas pedal. When the clutch pedal is somewhere in the middle of its travel, you will feel the torque begin to be transmitted from the engine to the wheels.

By fully releasing the clutch pedal, you can accelerate to about 25 km/h, after which you will need to switch to second gear. To do this, you will need to depress the clutch pedal all the way again, shift the gear stick to second gear and smoothly, without releasing the clutch pedal, add gas.

Step Six: Downshifting

Downshifting (from the English downshifting) is a transition to a lower gear. With its help, you can not only slow down the car, but also choose the most suitable speed for driving.

Downshifting can be used in situations where you need to reduce speed without using the brake pedal (for example, on wet or icy road surfaces). In this regard manual transmission much safer than an automatic, as it gives the driver full control over vehicle.

For example, let’s look at a situation where using downshifting you can stop a car moving at a speed of 70 km/h:

1. You need to press the clutch pedal and shift the gearbox to 3rd speed, while moving your right foot from the gas pedal to the brake pedal.
2. To avoid running the engine at high speed, you should smoothly release the clutch pedal.
3. Before stopping the car, you must depress the clutch again.
4. You should not use first gear as a downshift.

Using this method, you can stop the car much faster and safer than using the brake pedal.

Step Seven: Reverse Gear

You should be especially careful when engaging reverse gear. If engaged incorrectly, the gear shift lever may jump out, so it is strictly forbidden to engage reverse gear until the vehicle comes to a complete stop.

Note that for some cars with a manual transmission, to engage reverse gear you must first press a special button on the gearbox lever. It's also worth remembering that reverse gear designed for a fairly high operating range, which means to avoid sharp dialing speed, the gas pedal must be pressed smoothly, without unnecessary effort.

Step eight: we start up the hill on the mechanics

Due to the terrain in the world, there is practically no ideal smooth roads, so the motorist has to drive up the slopes over and over again, and then go down from them. If you do not use the brakes, then when stopping in such places the car will simply roll downhill or downhill. It is also noticeably more difficult to start on inclined roads, so it is better to practice in advance in an area that is familiar to you.

When you stop while climbing a slope and put the car on the hand parking brake, shift to neutral gear. Next, you need to depress the clutch pedal and engage first gear.

Smoothly releasing the clutch and pressing the gas pedal, at some point you will feel that the car is trying to move. At this moment, you need to remove the handbrake and add a little more gas in order to begin a confident upward movement.

In the future, you will need to stop using the handbrake when starting uphill by quickly moving your foot from the brake pedal to the accelerator.

Step Nine: Parking

After parking and turning off the car engine, you need to depress the clutch pedal and engage first gear. This will prevent your car from rolling away. As additional insurance you can also raise the lever parking brake(if the handbrake is electronic, then you need to press the button).

Remember that when you return to the car, you must first shift the gear to neutral and only then start the engine.

Step Ten: Practice

Many newcomers who have just received their license are afraid to get behind the wheel of manual cars, considering their operation difficult and confusing. To overcome this fear, it is recommended to practice on special sites. The absence of other cars will allow you to slowly understand the nuances of driving a car with a manual transmission.

After just a couple of such lessons you will feel confident, after which you can try to practice on public roads. It is recommended to do this in the early morning or late evening, when traffic on the roads is not so intense.

Conclusion

At the moment, there is an opinion among the younger generation of motorists that a manual transmission is outdated and not as comfortable as an automatic transmission. This is not entirely true.

The manual is still one of the most reliable transmissions, and despite some reduction in driving comfort, in return it provides complete control of the car. That's why many sports models are still equipped exclusively with manual transmission.

The safety and comfort of your driving depends on the landing. The back of the chair should have the correct slope: not completely vertical, but not tilted back. The position of the chair should be such that when full press on the clutch pedal, your leg would have a 120-degree bend, and your hands would be slightly bent on the steering wheel.

Working with pedals

Left foot: clutch, right foot: brake and gas. Pressing the pedal should always be smooth. To change gears we use the clutch pedal. To gain speed and brake, we use the gas and brake pedals, respectively.

Cornering

The trajectory should be as smooth and visible as possible. Before turning, we slow down and switch to 2nd gear. When exiting a turn, press on the gas and take the required trajectory.

Braking

First, remove your foot from the gas pedal and move it to the brake pedal. We reduce the speed. Then we release the clutch, switch to neutral gear and brake the car until it comes to a complete stop. When braking, it is necessary to take into account the condition of the road surface, because The braking distance depends on this.

Steering

The grip must be closed, because this allows you to fully control the safety of the vehicle. When turning the steering wheel, your hands should not intertwine; movements should be smooth, but if necessary, fast.

Smooth ride

You need to operate the clutch and gas pedals smoothly. When changing from one gear to another, it is necessary to take into account the engine speed and where to increase it. In such cases, the movement of the car will be smooth and pleasant.

In our country there are a huge number of vehicles equipped with a manual transmission. According to statistics for 2016, only 30% of all cars in Russia are equipped with automatic transmission. All other motorists use mechanics.

Well, in America it’s the other way around, but the numbers are even lower. There are only about 6% of cars with manual transmission; the rest of the drivers prefer cars equipped with an automatic transmission. This makes it very difficult for Americans to drive vehicles equipped with a conventional manual transmission. Despite the fact that in Russia there are many more vehicles with manual transmission, driving a car with a manual transmission also causes a lot of problems for novice drivers.

Controlling a mechanical vehicle requires excellent reaction and coordination, because you need to work with both your hands and feet, and also look around. Also, driving a vehicle with a conventional gearbox is carried out by three pedals, while in cars with an automatic transmission there are only two. Yes, there are models with 3 pedals, but the leftmost pedal is most often the second hand brake.

In our article I would like to tell you some tricks and rules that will help improve your driving skills in a car with a manual transmission.

The main advantages of cars with a manual transmission

Vehicles with manual transmission are much lower in cost than vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission of the same type and brand. However, driving a car with a manual not only saves you money on maintenance, but also difficult situations There are much fewer problems on the road with this gearbox.

Despite all the comfort of using an automatic transmission, most sports cars still use mechanics. But even an ordinary manual car with average data and characteristics engine compartment will allow you to save a lot on refueling, since consumption is significantly reduced when compared with an automatic machine. A manual gearbox is much more reliable and easier to repair. You can also repair it yourself, and the cost of repairing automatic transmissions and manual transmissions differs significantly. Also drive a car with a manual transmission winter period much safer than using an automatic machine.

Where should new car enthusiasts start?

Of course, it is better to start learning to drive a vehicle in a safe area from the very beginning. simple exercises, moving on to the most difficult ones. Ideal option, is to start driving a manual car for beginners with an experienced driver by your side. He will suggest the right solution in problematic situations and point out shortcomings when driving.

Of course, if you want to get a license and fully learn all the nuances of driving a car with a manual transmission, then it is better to contact good specialists at a driving school. The driving instructor will explain the structure and basic operating principle of the mechanics, explain how to change gears correctly, and give advice on caring for the gearbox and the vehicle in general. Will teach you how to drive in icy conditions and on various road surfaces. And it will also help to work out everything technical elements, which cause difficulties when driving a manual car.

Why do you need a manual transmission and speed?

First of all, we should tell you a little about the manual transmission itself. And it’s called mechanics because you yourself have to turn on the necessary speed limit. The gearbox is used to change gears while the car is moving. Most often, a manual transmission has 5 or 6 forward driving modes and one reverse mode. The required speeds are activated using the shift lever. There is also a neutral position, in which torque is not transmitted to the wheels of your car.

Beginners should carefully study the location of the gears so as not to get confused, as well as for safety reasons. A hint for the location of speeds is located at the top, above the shift lever. While driving in busy areas, it is not permissible to look at the lever. But at first, when learning, you will still do this, there is nothing to worry about. However, try as soon as possible to get used to turning on the desired speed without looking, and not to be distracted while the car is moving.

Clutch pedal and some secrets

Don't forget that the clutch pedal (far left) allows you to engage the desired speed. To change gears, you must press the clutch all the way. Otherwise, the new speed will not engage or will engage with a strong crunch, which will damage the gearbox. Squeeze the clutch carefully and your car will last longer.

A novice motorist should remember that the left foot only presses the clutch and that’s it. The right foot controls the gas and brake pedals. Also, do not keep the clutch depressed in traffic jams or at traffic lights, turn on the neutral speed. The longer you hold the clutch, the more your left leg gets tired, and the pressure on the pedal still partially wears out the transmission mechanism.

To avoid damage, we advise you to first monitor the movements experienced driver. Observe the movement of your legs, how the required speeds are activated synchronously with the clutch being depressed. Time will pass, you will gain experience and hone your actions to the point of automaticity, and you will not remember where to press, how to turn on, where to switch.

Watch the video on how to properly release the clutch and operate the pedals:

Don't be discouraged when at first you are unable to properly depress the clutch when shifting or driving off. Many novice motorists suddenly drop the clutch. Try not to make such mistakes. Remember, experience is our best teacher, over time you will learn everything.

Start the engine

Before starting the engine for the first time, you need to:

• Fully depress the clutch pedal;
• Set the gear lever in neutral position;
• And only then start the car.

Never start the car without making sure the gearshift lever is in neutral! If any gear is engaged, the vehicle will begin to move, and this may lead to a collision with an obstacle.

During winter cold, it is better to hold the clutch depressed for the first minute after starting - this will make the engine easier to operate. Also, in winter, you should always warm up the engine before driving, this way you can avoid many problems with the engine in the future.

Learn to start the movement correctly

When learning to drive a manual transmission car, this is the most difficult job. It will take a lot of time for a beginner to understand how to interact with the pedals.

To start driving, depress the clutch and brake pedal and start the engine, leaving your left foot on the pedal. Move the lever to the first gear position (gears are activated with your right hand).

Remember that first gear only serves to start the car moving. And when driving around the city, most of the time we move in second speed.

Make sure you have enabled the desired gear, and the lever is locked in its position. Also, before starting to drive, do not forget to release the handbrake. Next begins the most difficult moment for newcomers. Without taking your foot off the brake pedal, slowly begin to release the clutch. As soon as you feel that the engine sound has changed a little (the load on the engine has increased), you can release the brake pedal, thus protecting you from unwanted backward movement.

If the car is on a flat surface, then even without pressing the accelerator pedal the car will smoothly start moving. Next, all you have to do is slowly press the gas pedal and smoothly continue to release the clutch. Try to keep the tachometer reading about 1500 rpm. This way you will feel the car begin to accelerate. As soon as you fully depress the clutch and the tachometer needle shows over 2000 rpm, you can engage second gear!

Let's watch a useful video, three ways to get going with a manual transmission:

It's okay if you don't succeed the first time, try again. And when you go, congratulations! Now you know how to start moving. Anyone who has learned to move away with a manual transmission has learned almost 90% of the skills required to drive a given transmission.

How to start up a hill?

Many beginners often face the problem of starting to move on a hill or knoll. If you manage incorrectly, you can slide backwards, which will lead to dire consequences. Without a doubt, starting to move on such a surface is much more difficult. To avoid difficulties, all driving schools at the circuit have an exercise on an overpass. Its essence is as follows:

• Drive the car up the hill;
• Put it on the handbrake;
• Engage neutral gear.

To start moving from this position, you need to engage first gear and slowly release the clutch pedal. As soon as the car starts to squat, release the handbrake and increase the gas to move away and go over the hill. Often beginners immediately release the clutch - this is not necessary, release the clutch gradually as the vehicle speed increases. This exercise needs to be performed dozens of times so that such a situation on the road does not cause problems.

Be sure to watch another video on how to drive uphill without a handbrake and without rolling back:

Choosing the moment to change gear

Gas (the farthest pedal on the right) allows you to accelerate the car to the required speed. This also has its pitfalls. A beginner often does not know when and which gear to engage. Either the car barely moves, or the engine growls too loudly. It is important to be able to focus on sound. If the engine is very quiet and the car does not want to accelerate when you press the gas, shift the gear down. If, on the contrary, the engine “growls” and adding gas does not accelerate your car, turn up the speed.

Of course, now every car has a tachometer, which makes changing gears easier. Basically, the following rule applies to almost every vehicle:

• If the readings on the device have reached 3200 rpm, you should increase the gear;
• When the tachometer needle drops below 1500 rpm, you should shift down.

Correct stopping of the car

It is important not only to be able to simply drive a manual, you also need to be able to stop correctly. To stop the car, you should depress the clutch pedal and smoothly begin to press the brake. The car will eventually come to a complete stop.

Also, in addition to the brake pedal, you can use engine braking. Essentially, this is switching car speeds from higher to lower gears, but without using the gas pedal, which helps slow down the car. This type of braking can help you on a steep descent or slippery road, when slowing down with the brakes is unsafe, while engine braking makes the car resistant to skidding.

Automatics and manuals work differently in this situation, so when driving a car with a manual transmission you need to remember some rules. To perform engine braking, release the gas pedal while depressing the clutch and engage a lower gear. When you reach the desired speed, slowly release the clutch.

It should be remembered that you should not immediately switch to first gear or to too low when high speed movements. Since this may cause the engine to overheat or break down, it may even cause the engine to seize.

Learning how to properly park a car

Another unpleasant moment is parking. It doesn’t matter whether it’s parallel or straight, if you need to drive somewhere backwards, there will always be some problems. However, having arrived at the right place, it is necessary to turn on the first speed after stopping the engine. If the automatic has a parking mode that locks the wheels, then the manual requires the above steps. This will save the car from unwanted movement.

Many motorists park their iron horses only on the handbrake. However, it is still not a good idea to leave the vehicle with only the handbrake on, as the brake cable may break, fluid may leak out, and the vehicle will start moving spontaneously. And the engaged first gear reliably fixes the car even on an inclined surface.

Conclusion

Of course, driving a car with a manual transmission for beginners will cause a lot of difficulties at first. Some maneuvers and actions will be difficult even after a year of driving experience. Remember, no one is immune from various situations, never lose your composure. The more you drive a car, the faster you will begin to feel good on the road. Study the routes, practice - this will give you confidence.

There are many who are afraid or do not know how to drive a vehicle with a manual transmission, many who will say that this past is inconvenient and not comfortable. Don't you dare listen to these people. Classic is one of the most reliable transmissions in the world. IN modern world situations are different, you may have to get behind the wheel of someone else, and there will be a mechanic there. Therefore, having learned to ride regular box, nothing will unsettle you.

Now, if you look at it, for every beginner, a car is an object that he has already encountered in one way or another: at least, he has ridden as a passenger. And there are no such geniuses who just got behind the wheel and immediately drove around a busy city, following the rules traffic. If the decision to master driving skills has been made, then you should start with the basics - take a closer look at how experienced drivers do it, sitting in the same car with them. Where and when they slow down, how they drive in reverse, before which traffic lights they change to the left lane, and so on. This kind of attention training will be useful in the future, and the responses of the person performing a certain maneuver can be simply priceless.

If you want to learn how to drive quickly, practice automatic skills

No matter how hackneyed it may sound, but still: if you have a desire to drive a car, it will be much easier to learn than to do it just because you have to. For a beginner, the main thing is not to be afraid of the machine and understand the basic principles.

It’s better to practice automatic skills before your first trip:

• Squeezing the clutch, smoothly releasing this pedal and pressing the gas. It won’t be easy right away, but it’s quite possible to learn. The main thing is not to be nervous and everything will work out. And, of course, remember once and for all where the brake pedal is located.
• Turns on. It’s easy to remember that a right turn is up, a left turn is down, that is, in the direction of movement of the steering wheel. Low beam - turn the same lever along the axis, push it towards you, high beam - away from you.
• Use of rear view mirrors. Immediately, it is likely that anything will be visible, just not what is needed. But first, you should at least accustom yourself to the idea that you need to look at them periodically.

In general, quickly learn to drive a car, meaning doing it while driving technical functions, it is possible if:

1. there is a certain idea that the car moves by pressing the gas pedal by the driver, switching gears and turning the steering wheel in the desired direction;
2. It is known that there is a thick book under the strict title “Road Rules” and that ignorance of these is fraught with, at a minimum, unpleasant communication with traffic police inspectors.

New to driving? Probably the car is new? Find out everything about running in a new car from our article.

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Learning to drive a car well

Any road user will tell you, it's better to learn slower, but learn to drive well. As a rule, children of professional drivers know how to drive a car with early years. Such a person acquires his first driving skills in early childhood, and then, even if unconsciously, the rules of the road are mastered. When the time comes, you just need to clearly repeat everything after your parent and do what you have been watching for many years.

But this doesn't always happen. Not every dad wants to explain something to his beloved child when he is maneuvering in traffic at rush hour, when he is tired, in a hurry and... the list goes on and on. In short, if you didn’t have such a dad as a child, you need to learn to drive a car well in adulthood on your own. No one has canceled driving schools yet. There, in principle, the training program is compiled correctly: alternating theory and practice.

Beginners usually start learning to drive from scratch at closed training grounds; some advanced institutions have simulators that are close to reality. In general, in order to become a good driver, you first need to master the theory, practice various aspects of driving on flashcards, simulators, and on special websites on the Internet: intersections, complex turns, traffic lights, overtaking.

As a rule, it is much easier to learn driving skills. They also need to be practiced until they become automatic. When you have a little experience in changing gears correctly and an idea of ​​how to behave on the road, you can try, definitely with an instructor, a trip through less busy areas of the city.

Learn to drive manually

The manual transmission is a true classic of the genre. Most drivers, as they say from God, respect the mechanics from good manufacturer(Japanese, Germans, Koreans). A manual transmission will allow you to slow down faster in icy conditions, while the car, unless, of course, you randomly turn the steering wheel, will remain controllable. And in principle, if you learn to drive with a manual transmission, then driving with an automatic transmission will not be difficult. But on the contrary, retraining can be almost impossible.

I still advise you to learn the basics of driving only in a car with a manual transmission. It will allow you to feel the car and hear it. When you need to switch to the next speed, the engine starts to work more aggressively, which means, say, from the second you need to switch to the first. When the car is moving, to put it in driver’s language, “at a stretch” you need to slow down.

When teaching mechanics, any instructor focuses on the fact that there is no neutral speed when the car is moving. Big gas savings when going downhill in neutral are a myth. But if you train yourself to drive like this, in winter you can end up in a very bad situation.

In icy conditions, the driver of a car with a manual transmission must forget about the existence of brakes. You can and should only brake using the gearbox. This means that when driving around the city, before performing the maneuver, you need to release the gas pedal and smoothly shift to a lower gear. The brake should be applied only at low engine speeds - first, second speed, maximum third.

Car instructors say that anyone who learns to drive a manual car in winter is guaranteed to become cool driver. Modern cars have ABS and EBD - these functions significantly help with emergency braking, and you can drive more confidently on our roads in winter with them. But an inexperienced driver must drive at low speed and extremely carefully in bad weather conditions.

Learning to drive an automatic transmission

It’s not for nothing that I wrote such a title. With an automatic transmission, the driving becomes truly automatic over time. The driver does not need to listen to the engine; there is no need to think through winter maneuvers in advance. You just need to get into the car, start it and go.

Learning to drive a car well with an automatic transmission is much easier than with a manual transmission. You need to learn the rules of the road in any case. And with an automatic transmission, you need to select a certain mode for driving around the city.
When learning to drive a car with an automatic transmission:

1. no need to be afraid that she will go backwards at the intersection,
2. no need to use the handbrake on inclines when stopping,
3. after all, you don’t need to learn how to squeeze the clutch, release it smoothly while simultaneously pressing on the gas pedal.

But learning to drive a car with an automatic transmission can lead to the fact that another type of car will simply no longer be accessible to control; the car does a lot on its own, especially a sophisticated one, which has a lot of different functions, such as cruise control, when you even press the pedal There is no need to press gas.

You can understand the principles of driving a car with an automatic transmission from this video:

In general, my opinion is that if you want to become a good driver who can easily change from car to car, it is better to learn how to drive a manual car. An automatic transmission should be offered for training only to those who prefer not to strain too much while driving.

First self-driving car

It’s scary not to get behind the wheel for the first time, but to go out into the city for the first time on your own, without an instructor, without an experienced driver, on your own. The main thing in such a situation is calm, a cool mind and at least a little confidence that it is not the Gods who burn the pots - everything will work out.

For a newcomer on the road, dangers lurk everywhere: pedestrians are too active, and fellow drivers often do not respect timid cars on the road, they try to overtake them, cut them off, push them to the side of the road, it is important to remember: there are plenty of fools everywhere, if you drive carefully, not fast and rules, there will be much fewer bad moments.

When traveling on your own for the first time, it is best to:

1. Drive along a route that is very familiar.
2. Park so that you can then leave without hitting other people's cars. You can walk a little more for the first time, but stand in such a way that the machine does not create emergency situation.
3. If suddenly an unforeseen situation arises while driving - the car stalled at a traffic light, you can’t move off when climbing, it turned across the traffic, you need to turn on the emergency lights, gather your mental strength, wait, if possible, for those who are especially nervous to go around and still bring the maneuver to its logical conclusion. In such situations, invaluable experience is gained.

How difficult is it for a woman to learn to drive?

It’s not difficult at all, or rather no more difficult than for a man. The stereotype that a woman driving is worse than a monkey with a grenade is not confirmed by statistics, which say that women get into road accidents much less often than representatives of the stronger half of humanity.

Of course, it is more difficult for a woman to understand the principle of operation of the engine internal combustion and learn how to change the oil, but now this is not necessary. From a woman, as from any participant in the movement, the following is required:

• knowledge of traffic rules;
• ability to think logically;
• driving carefully;
• respect for all traffic participants.

As a driver with 8 years of experience (of course, not just how much experience, but during this time I have driven 300,000 kilometers in my three cars, including abroad), I advise: girls, don’t be afraid.

If your husband teaches you, and, in my opinion, this is the worst option, try to find out more on your own before driving with your husband, read on the Internet, watch videos, try changing gears yourself. Then your husband will have fewer reasons to consider you a complete fool and incompetent.

Under no circumstances should you stop studying. Even if it doesn’t work out, you want to cry and feel sorry for yourself. Everything will work out. You are not the only one, all the girls who learned to drive from scratch went through this.

Still not confident in your abilities? Watch the video of how a journalist (namely a girl!) learned to drive a car from scratch in the “Risk Zone” program:

Try not to buy the rights, but to get them yourself. So you will feel more confident on the road, you will be able to prove something to the traffic police inspector, and you will wipe your husband’s nose.

Never lose your cool. Men, and women too, are afraid when a lady is driving in the next car, so most likely they will try not to create an emergency situation on the road.

Once the skills are acquired, the car at least obeys the steering wheel; it is better to spend the first independent trip without children, who can distract from the road.

Having learned to drive, drive constantly, only then will you have the necessary experience and that desired freedom of movement.

Author's personal experience

Personally, I was taught to drive by a certain friend named Yura (a good friend of my husband). He thought that I had started this case in vain, he shouted at any reason, he was very nervous, upset, and every time he said that that’s it, I caused irreparable damage to the car. I couldn’t concentrate, I was worried, I mixed up the speed and I was already thinking that I was really superfluous in the car.

Then, I got incredibly angry and told Yura that I would become a great driver and drive everywhere. I went to a regular driving school, asked my dad to go with me and explain, three months later I went abroad with my father. The entire journey was 400 kilometers. For me, this forced march became an excellent school of life on the road.

So I advise everyone to study and not be afraid, to try and analyze. And everything will be fine!