Driving a manual/stick shift uphill without your hand/e-brake?
I've seen multiple different techniques on how to propel one's vehicle forward from a hill start, with you're hand/e-brake already engaged (as if you're parked on a hill on the side of the road). What I can't seem to find the answer to, is how to specifically engage your vehicle from like an intersection that's facing uphill. You don't have the luxury of having your emergency brake already engaged, because you're stopping at a stop sign (unless you immediately engage it at your stop, which is unorthodox). You drive up to your stop, engage the clutch with your left foot and brake with the right, signal whichever direction you're going, and do your intersection searches. Then it's your time to go. What do you do? How I think it may be done: Keep your right foot on the brake, and slightly let off the clutch to find the "sweet spot" where the engine dies down? Then quickly take your foot off the brake and engage the gas and raise your rpm's slightly until the car/truck engages forward, so you don't roll backwards/stall? Is that the correct way, or is there a more proficient one? I struggle with stopping at uphill stops or intersections, and having to start up again, when I don't have the luxury of an e-brake already holding you, so you have to work with two feet on 3 pedals, not two feet on your clutch/gas, and a hand to control the breaking. I stall a lot, and I guess I just need to practice more, in a safe area.
How do you drive uphill in traffic (manual/stick car)?
Everyone says using the handbrake is the easiest but I find it difficult to get it down with one hand. Plus isn't it time consuming pulling it up and down if you're in traffic with vehicles moving forward and stopping for say 2-3 seconds? Or if you have to move away quickly? My instructor showed me how to use the half clutch but it's not easy. So what I do is depress the clutch fully and brake and when I have to move I raise the clutch a bit and slowly leave the Brake to check if it rolls behind or moves ahead. I adjust and it does take me a few seconds but I manage to drive without stalling at least. What are your opinions on these methods??
How should one drive downhill in slow moving traffic in a manual transmission car?
This answer is based upon my driving experience which i use when i drive in ghat roads. When you are going downhill always stop near hairpin bends if you hear horns from other side. Preference to be given for vehicles climbing up always. Never put your vehicle in Neutral while going downhill. Always use 3rd or 4th gear which ever is comfortable for you to make sudden changes. This helps in controlling the speed of vehicle and if you are in neutral this speed limiting will not happen and there are chances that you will lose control. Do not take frequent hard braking. Brake heating over and over will deteorite braking performance. Do not brake hard unless you need to. Maintain max speed of 60kmph while going downhill if you are familiar with the road. Always an average of 40-50kmph should be ideal.Do not overtake if you don't find a long enough straight which is visible for you. Else you may endup on the wrong side in last minute. PATIENCE is utomost needed.Always know how dehumidifier works. Many people just turn the a/c blower knob around while driving and end up in accident. Use your indicators propely.These are the MANTRAS that i personally follow.Ghat roads are the best ones you can cherish your life with. So think about the safety of yourself and other road users. Happy driving. \U0001f60a
How do I drive uphill without stalling a car?
I hate to say it but the answer is practice. I have taught hundreds of people to use a manual transmission but they don't get really good unless they use one every day.You don't stall on a level road because you most often start out on one. But come to a stop on a hill and things change. The same combination of gas and clutch release no longer work because your car got 'heavier'! Gravity is pulling your car backward instead of just down. Add your concern about rolling backward and impatient drivers blowing horns an inch from your back bumper and it's easy to make a mistake.It's an easy fix so don't lose heart. Find a slight hill with little or no traffic and practice! Notice that the car feels heavier (darn gravity) so you need a combination of more gas and a slightly (very slightly) slower release of the clutch. It's exactly how you learned in the first place. Take a break if you don't get it right away. That's a good idea for your clutch too. But try to practice without the pressure of traffic.Most new cars now have hill holders. When you first take your foot of the brake to get to the gas pedal, the brakes delay their release by a second or two. That gives folks time to get on the gas and release the clutch without rolling back. I drove my new car for three months before I realised it had a hill holder. But I've had 50 years of practice with manuals. Let practice build muscle memory and you'll be amazed how quickly stalling on hills becomes a thing of the past.
Which do you prefer to drive, an automatic or a stick shift (manual)? Why?
I prefer driving with manual rather than automatic. Here is why: With a manual, you actually get more control over the car. There is something called engine braking which means using the gears to slow down the car. For instance, when you are making a curve with an automatic, the only way to really slow down is to press on the brake pedals. With a manual, you can actually shift to a lower gear and use the engine to slow down the car. Of course, with a manual, you also have the option of using the brakes. Now, in certain inclement weather or certain driving situations, it is actually better to slow down the car with the engine rather than brake. Going downhill is another example where it is better with a manual. With a manual, you can again use the combination of lowering the gear and intermittent pressing on the brakes to slow down the car. With an automatic, you can use the gears to slow down the car but in most automatic, the gears WILL NOT shift to a lower gear until a certain speed is reached. Thus, you will need to first slow down the car to a certain speed by pressing on the brakes before the car will allow you to shift into D1 or D2. Overall, there is more control using a manual shift than automatic. There is one area where automatic shines and that is in stop-and-go traffic. In those situations, it is much easier on the legs to use an automatic than a manual. In a manual during stop-and-go traffic, you will need to have good clutch control. It is not that hard, but you do need to have that. Another area where it is also easier with automatic is in moving a car from a stop when in a steep uphill. In those situations, a car with a manual stick will need to use a combination of clutch control and hand brake action. In an automatic, usually the hand brake action is not needed.
How do I drive my manual transmission downhill?
Normally people would consider keeping the car on neutral and using the brakes for slowing down, but this is very detrimental to the life of brake pads or wheel assembly.Rather one should use lower gears (2nd or 3rd max) while driving downhill. This will slow down the car upto the maximum rpm of that particular gear without the need of applying brake pressure. Engine paramters must be monitored because in case of low oil in the system the engine may get over heated if engine is taken to maximum rpm limits.The problem I face with larger engines is that even on 2nd gear my car does a 40kmph, which is too much while taking a turn on hilly areas. In such conditions I use brakes along with that. This will distribute the load between the brake pads and engine, and the stress will not be focused on one component only.It should be kept in mind that engine should never be truned off while travelling downhill, because hydraulic components are powered with engine driven pumps and if engine is shut down, then hydraulic components will not work. Braking is a major mechanism that is controlled by hydraulic functions.
How to drive stick shift on ice?
I have some experience in driving on ice with an automatic, but my own car is standard. I'm not sure what to do if I start sliding on the ice while driving. Do you depress the clutch and shift to neutral?