How to Drive a Standard Transmission Vehicle
The United States is filled with countless automobiles, each driven by individuals. However, automatic cars have overtaken the vehicle production industry, leaving the standard or manual vehicles in ancient history. Vehicles are a necessity today. A mere 18% of Americans do not know how to operate a standard transmission vehicle. There are many benefits to a standard transmission car. The lessened chance the car will be stolen, increased fuel efficiency, and overall thrill to drive are a few of the many benefits of driving a standard transmission. Listed below are the tips and processes that are required to drive a standard transmission vehicle.
Become familiar with the car on level ground with the engine turned off. After buckling the seatbelt, familiarize yourself with the pedals and the shifter. The pedal on the far left is the clutch. This pedal engages and disengages the transmission, making the vehicle roll forward or stop. The middle pedal is the brake. This pedal slows the car down when it is pushed. The pedal on the far right is the gas pedal. It is used to accelerate the vehicle. Many automatic cars utilize a gas and brake pedal, but they do not require a clutch pedal.
Learn how the clutch works. Press the clutch pedal down and release it slowly a few times. This motion is essential because it allows each gear to engage in the transmission. If the pedal is not fully engaged, the gears will grind, causing harm to the drive train. It is crucial to slowly release the clutch and press the gas pedal enough so that the motor will have enough power to move the vehicle without stalling the engine.
Starting the vehicle can be difficult. First, make sure the transmission is in the neutral position (in the middle position and feels free) and the emergency brake is set. Most standard transmission gearing placement is in an ‘H’ pattern, going from left to right, up to down: 1,2,3,4,5, and Reverse. Once the vehicle is in the neutral position, press the clutch pedal and turn the engine’s key.
Driving the vehicle takes practice. With the clutch still engaged, place the shifter into first gear (upper-left position). Slowly release the clutch until the engine speed drops. After this is repeated, release the clutch slowly and gently press the accelerator (enough to keep the engine speed up, but not too much that the engine revs high). As the clutch engages further, the vehicle will start to move. Expect to stall the car a few times while learning how to drive a standard transmission. Note: If the engine stalls, press the clutch pedal down fully, pull the emergency brake, turn the key to the off position, and restart the vehicle. Try again.
Shifting requires focus and skill. As the engine speed increases between 2500 and 3000 RPM in the first gear, release the gas pedal and press the clutch fully. Shift the transmission into second gear (straight below first) and slowly release the clutch pedal. The same process is used to shift through the remaining gears. Note: some gears, at a lower speed, require acceleration from the gas pedal as the clutch is released to prevent stalling.
Learning to drive a manual transmission can be useful. When a person knows how to ‘drive a stick,’ they qualify to be placed into the 18% category of individuals in the United States that can operate a manual transmission vehicle.
