Question on moving from a stop in a smaller engine petrol (no handbrake)

Pretty basic question here but thought I'd ask as I learnt in a diesel and they've all I've ever driven. Both cars are pretty hard to stall and I've been taught the not so great method of starting the car moving by raising it slightly above the bite point (so it rolls under it's own steam) and then immediately giving gas.

I may be having to use a small engine petrol car for a trip and I'm under the assumption here if you don't give gas many can't just roll using the clutch and will stall. When you've stopped at a junction say or are in rolling traffic where engaging the handbrake over and over is something I wouldn't do. In a petrol would you put your foot off the foot break (clutch all the way down) and give it some acceleration, then move your clutch up past the bite? Or can most very modern petrols (car will be a 2015 or this years model) move off with clutch slightly above the bite then gas?

hope that makes.

Reply 1

FXX

19

With a bit of practice you'll learn how to balance the throttle and clutch so the power comes in smoothly as the clutch is engaged. It's really something you need to sit in the car and practice with. It soon becomes second nature. Fundamentally you are correct but reading over the internet makes it sound more complicated than it is.

Reply 2

joey11223

OP

20

Original post by FXX

With a bit of practice you'll learn how to balance the throttle and clutch so the power comes in smoothly as the clutch is engaged. It's really something you need to sit in the car and practice with. It soon becomes second nature. Fundamentally you are correct but reading over the internet makes it sound more complicated than it is.

Yeah problem is I might not get the opportunity to give it a go, using a company car for a single trip and although the pool has 2 diesels in it they apparently cannot guarantee which car will be assigned to me and I can't give a quick test drive. In fairness though worst that happens is I stall.

Getting a Toyota Aygo for free anyway, but unfortunately not for a few weeks so won't get to practice lol.

Reply 3

scott125

8

Original post by joey11223

Yeah problem is I might not get the opportunity to give it a go, using a company car for a single trip and although the pool has 2 diesels in it they apparently cannot guarantee which car will be assigned to me and I can't give a quick test drive. In fairness though worst that happens is I stall.

Getting a Toyota Aygo for free anyway, but unfortunately not for a few weeks so won't get to practice lol.

I have driven a toyota aygo and found them easy to stall , hard to find the bite .

Reply 4

joey11223

OP

20

Well did the journey 3hr round trip, stalled once right near the start of the journey and quite a few bumpy starts from lights lol, but could have been worse.

Reply 5

HFBS

11

It will come with time as you get used to controlling a clutch. If you ever are worried, you can always up the revs a bit so it is just above idle before you start lifting the clutch. Just gives the engine a little bit of a jump for when you hit biting point. I didn't really get how a clutch worked until my instructor showed me that you can get your revs really high and still move slowly if you can control the clutch.

Reply 6

The_Stig

10

It doesn't take long to learn how your car drives. You'll be okay with a few days practice and after a few weeks of regular driving you'll practically master clutch control (for that car). Thats how it was for me anyway, probably sooner I don't remember. How I do it now, because I remember from muscle memory, I just take the handbrake off no matter how big the hill and just lift the clutch and apply gas immediately - you sort of know/remember how much you need to be able to hold the car in place / move it / creep forward etc.