Learner: Changing Gears Question

Watson

Watson

Watson

Suspended
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
2,083
Location
Leeds
Hi. Yes im a learner, dont punish me yet. :p

Been driving for ages, since jan last year, but had a break then stopped, then got a new instructor, failed my first test due to hesitation.

Anyway, my dad has allowed me to drive his car for practice aswell as me having lessons with BSM.

Anyway, both my parents drive seperate cars, and both go down gears when they stop, come to junctions etc etc.

So they go from 5-4-3-2-1 etc.

But both my instructors, and my m8s instructors tell us to just break and then change to the gear you want.

Say for example 5-break-2 (to turn corner)

/hope i explained this right, if i havent im sorry, just ask me to re-word it and i will.

My instructor sais my parents are doing it that way as thats the way it was done yrs ago.

But my parents say i should be going down a gear.

Who is right ? How do you do it?

Thanks

:)
 
I was taught to do as your instructors say but I find it a lot quicker and safer to go down through the gears

just do as your instructor says until you pass then do it the right way;)
 
Do as your instructor says. Its the way I was taught and continue to drive, its a lot more mechnically sympathetic to the car.

As my Dad always said when I was learning - a set of brake pads is a lot cheaper and easier to fit than a new clutch.
 
Originally posted by blueboy2001
As my Dad always said when I was learning - a set of brake pads is a lot cheaper and easier to fit than a new clutch.
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LOL. yer

Thanks for your guidance ppl :)

Theres a lot of stuff instructors dont teach you really, like someone said once "u dont start learning till after your test"

Like, i live in a house on an estate, but our driveway is on like a v.steep hill, so you have to reverse of it backwards, they dont teach u this, but ive learnt how to do it now thanks to my dad.

I also have my dads habit of keepin one hand on the gearknob and one hand on the stearing wheel, but i dont do this with the instructor :)
 
Originally posted by Watson
I also have my dads habit of keepin one hand on the gearknob and one hand on the stearing wheel, but i dont do this with the instructor :)
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I did that on my test, I got a minor for it. I was a bit too relaxed on my test, I was chatting to the bloke like he was my best mate. I think I got a minor for that too. :)
 
I never go down through the gears, for my daily driving 4th is the highest gear I use, 3rd quite a lot, so I downshift from 4th to 2nd most of the time.
 
Your instructor is trained to get you through your test. Your parents arnt. Who do you think you should listen to? ;)

I personnally go down the gears and use the engine as a break, but once you pass its whatever you feel comfortalble with.


Kan
 
Thanks people.

Rebooked my test, end of month/begin of sept. Im not telling anybody the date this time, then i will just suprise every1 if i do pass it.

My test was going to be next week but ive gota go in2 hospital now, plus i get my a-level results and find out if im movin to leeds
 
Hehe I was taught to use the approprate gear for the current speed and engine revs.

So now as I come to the junction and whilst braking I sequentially change down, blipping the throttle to match engine revs until second gear. First gear on the Saxo VTR is nasty for me of the seat is further back although I can drop to that too but prefer to use second.

However someone said once - Brakes are designed to slow the vehicle down your engine isn't (unless your on a bike).
So basically when your breaking as above the brakes are doing the stopping and the drop sequence through gears should be no worse than a slow gear change. Also if it's done correctly the car will maintain it's weight distribution too (if it's badly done then the car will either push wieght further forward and the revs will increase, or, the car wieght will drop back and the revs will lower - both indicating mis-match of revs).

So do as your instructor says :p
 
My instructor always encouraged me to do what he called 'block changing'.. like you say in your opening post Watson, 5 --> 2 (etc.. whatever for the conditions) directly instead of 5-4-3-2-1 etc :)

I still drive this way now, 3.5 years on - seems to work fine ;)


J
 
Originally posted by JamesRJ
Do as the instructor says, pass you test then do as your parents say.
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pass your test by the way u are tought

then don't do what he say's ^^

do not start changing it and do 4th to 2nd etc. thats not the correct way to drive i passed my test 11 months ago , and i actually did change my gearing style to 4,3,2,1 etc. becuase it feels more natural , and ithat way i dont need to break i let the engine do that :)
 
Engine breaking is highly efficient. Why do you think there are notices on steep hills advising to change to a low gear?

Personally I use engine breaking all the time but then I also put the car into neutral sometimes when going down hills :shrug:
 
Originally posted by MikeTimbers
Engine breaking is highly efficient. Why do you think there are notices on steep hills advising to change to a low gear?

Personally I use engine breaking all the time but then I also put the car into neutral sometimes when going down hills :shrug:
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neutral ?

wont it roll faster ?
 
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