Beginner manual drivers and tailgaters
 

I'm learning manual. I'm not sure if this is the same with all manual drivers. But when I'm at a red light, when it turns green, I put it into 1st, shift to 2nd at around 3500 to 4000 RPM.
Maybe my shifting is not fast enough but the driver behind me is always on my back when I shift to 2nd, especially making left turns at intersections. After I shift to second and add gas, they back off.

Does this happen to experienced manual drivers as well? Or maybe they are not tailgating and my 1st to 2nd shifting is too slow?

From 1st to 2nd, I
release gas
clutch all the way in
shift to 2nd
release clutch to friction point and add some gas for clutch engagement
release clutch all the way out while adding more gas

I think you're shifting into 2nd gear too slow... Also, you don't need this step when you shift into 2nd "release clutch to friction point and add some gas for clutch engagement".

After you shift into another gear, you just have to release the clutch all the way, but smoothly and then add some gas. With enough practice, you'll be able to shift in one quick motion pretty much... Hope this helps.

.....just shift lower in 1st... the rate at which the car accelerates in 2nd is quicker on a flat surface. Also release the clutch quicker...quick enough that you don't need to gas first before engagement but slow enough to not jerk is the key.

shift like 2500 or 3000 at most and you'll move away from the stop light more quickly.

yes ur slow
maybe its ur POV? they not tailgating but think they are because ur new driver and cautious
and whats ur speed like while turning, and how long to reach speed limit

I just find that when I'm on a hill, there is ALWAYS some asshole that is super close to me. They may be like 1 foot away from my rear bumper and I always have to be cautious that I don't back up into them. I don't understand why people just don't give others the proper amount of space.

Stupid.

I always watch out for those people when I'm on a hill... But I use my e-brake so don't roll back.

So

From 1st to 2nd

release gas
clutch all the way in
shift to 2nd
release clutch all the way out while adding more gas

like that? that will be faster but it doesn't seem like it will be smooth. It will jerk.
If I shift faster from 1st to 2nd, maybe the rpm wont drop so low so it won't jerk in 2nd, right?

4000rpm shifting is high. I know you probably want to accelerate faster off the red light and before you know it, its at 4000rpm.

Like hk20000 said, shift at 3000 and shift faster.

Also you don't have to "clutch all the way in" to shift. As long as its past your clutch point, I think its good. This way you can learn to shift faster too.

No. Just do what you're doing now. You just need more practice to make this sequence faster.

hate those assholes esp when they do it at that huge hill on boundary/hastings:mad:

no it wont jerk just do it faster... practice and timing is the key

4000RPM may seen high, but accelration also involves /time, so how long it takes to get 4000rpm

when i tried my friends manual a couple times, i always did it really slow, slowly stepping on the pedal while slowly letting off clutch and eventually i would get to 4000rpm but it took me some time compared to driving auto.

if he's part throttling to 4000 then it'll take a long time...Also the long ass time you take to shift your car is not accelerating, the guy behind in the auto car has no concept of that and he just continues to accelerate until he's alerted that he might hit your ass.....so you think he's tailgating you.

not for me i waste so much gas from always blasting off from reds

When you shift into second because you are already rolling, you dont need to wait for the friction point. Unless you are going soo slow that you do need to let the clutch out smoother.. In most cases you do not..

yea .. don't rush try to match with the other car.
for city driving , it always ends at 50 - 60 km/h anyway

1st to 2nd gear on manual is much shorter than on automatics.

so if u drive an auto, and u notice ur following a manual car, you will notice that as you accelerate from a dead stop, you will seem to catch up to the manual car because your auto is still pushing 1st gear, while the driver in front is probably switching into his 2nd gear at that point.

to the manual driver, it will seem like the person behind you is right on your ass.

^the truth.

Unless like other people say, you're shifting quickly and smoothly or accelerating harder, it will always seem like people with automatics are tailing you. Don't worry about it.

I'm an ass to those people. I let my car roll back towards the car behind me just to watch the expression on their faces as they see my car inch towards their precious vehicle. Besides, even if you hit someone rolling back while you try to get your car going, who's to say ICBC will blame you? As far as they're concerned, the car behind you rear ended you. ;) :lol

+1!!!!!!!

I was gonna say there are ALWAYS assholes tailgating me on hills, such as the one on Boundary/Hastings, and then I saw your post! :haha:

the biggest thing that helped me is you don't need to push the clutch ALL the way down into the ground. just push it slightly past the engagement/friction point as you're changing gears, then all you have to do is release the clutch ever so slightly to slip it back into gear.

^ does that really work? im scared to try cause i dont want to mess up my transmission. =/
i heard you could shift without clutch if you match revs or something, i dunno.


For you manual drivers out there. What do you do if you are approaching a red light with no one in front of you and no one is behind you? Or when someone is behind you? Do you guys like to time the light by shifting down and coasting?

Personal preference really. If im far away from the red light I like to just let of the gas, downshift and time the light so im ready to keep going when it changes green...assuming there's no traffic in front of me. If I know its a light where im going to have to stop, and theres no traffic i'll pop it in neutral and coast to the light. I never understood people who like to rip it to a red light, brake hard, and then accelerate hard when the light changes. I suppose they have money to burn and probably think they look cool speeding up and slowing down every light.

You'll get used to it and it'll be second nature as you shift more smoothly and find the right points. Don't worry about what people are thinking in the back and concentrate on the road. :thumbsup:

Is that considered riding the clutch?
I thought you have to push the clutch all the way in to shift.

Shift @ lower RPM so you can use the 2nd gear while turning more? and put a "learning standard stay back" sign on the back