Changing gears
Hey all,
So I would class myself as a pretty good driver (as in, I've booked my test!) but I still occasionally change into the wrong gear by mistake. It usually happens when I'm trying to go from third to fourth - I end up in second, and vice versa. I haven't heard of anyone else struggling with this and it's really bugging me. Anyone got any tips?
So I would class myself as a pretty good driver (as in, I've booked my test!) but I still occasionally change into the wrong gear by mistake. It usually happens when I'm trying to go from third to fourth - I end up in second, and vice versa. I haven't heard of anyone else struggling with this and it's really bugging me. Anyone got any tips?
I'm not sure about tips for changing gear in general, but for third to fourth, just slide it into neutral, and then pull it back (keeping the clutch down of course)
In fact that will work for either 3rd or 4th gear
Do the gears in your instructor's car look any different to this?
1st - 3rd - 5th
2nd - 4th - reverse
If not it should be one straight forward/back motion with your hand to switch between 3rd and 4th
In fact that will work for either 3rd or 4th gear
Do the gears in your instructor's car look any different to this?
1st - 3rd - 5th
2nd - 4th - reverse
If not it should be one straight forward/back motion with your hand to switch between 3rd and 4th
(edited 10 years ago)
For third to fourth my instructor always said 'dangly fingers'. If you literally just use the underside of your fingers to slide it backwards, there is no chance of you accidentally pushing it to the side, which sounds like what you are doing.
Original post by UniMastermindBOSS
I'm not sure about tips for changing gear in general, but for third to fourth, just slide it into neutral, and then pull it back (keeping the clutch down of course)
In fact that will work for either 3rd or 4th gear
Do the gears in your instructor's car look any different to this?
1st - 3rd - 5th
2nd - 4th - reverse
If not it should be one straight forward/back motion with your hand to switch between 3rd and 4th
In fact that will work for either 3rd or 4th gear
Do the gears in your instructor's car look any different to this?
1st - 3rd - 5th
2nd - 4th - reverse
If not it should be one straight forward/back motion with your hand to switch between 3rd and 4th
Yeah that's how they look. In my lesson today I didn't have any problem going from third to fourth, but had difficulty going from third to second and second to third. I found I got it stuck in the middle, which never used to happen. Because I'm worried that I might have got the wrong gear by accident I'm looking at the gear stick more often as well
argh, feel like I'm getting worse! Thanks for your help though 
Original post by iridescence.
Yeah that's how they look. In my lesson today I didn't have any problem going from third to fourth, but had difficulty going from third to second and second to third. I found I got it stuck in the middle, which never used to happen. Because I'm worried that I might have got the wrong gear by accident I'm looking at the gear stick more often as well argh, feel like I'm getting worse! Thanks for your help though
argh, feel like I'm getting worse! Thanks for your help though no problem, its quite hard to explain
if it helps, while keeping the clutch down, just put it into neutral and then instead of thinking third to second, think neutral to second
second to third just put it into neutral then push up. it sounds to me like you're not 100% about the gearbox. just think about everything from neutral.
or do you mean you just don't know if it should be in a higher or lower gear? if so you can judge from either the performance or the sound.
if the car is struggling when you accelerate, the gear is too high. if it sounds like the engine is about to explode (or the rev-counter is approaching the red section - usually around 6000rpm) then the gear is too low
Palm left with light pressure and up for first.
Palm left with light pressure and down for second.
Palm right with light pressure and up for third.
Palm right with light pressure and down for fourth.
Palm right and extra pressure for 5th (up) and 6th (down).
If you grab the stick in any way you can put it in any gear, but by using the flat palm to the side of the stick you will find you can only get the desired gear this way. This video illustrates the technique, but I wouldn't bend the fingers over like the person in the vid does as any grab can spoil the action.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyO88eSmMq0
Palm left with light pressure and down for second.
Palm right with light pressure and up for third.
Palm right with light pressure and down for fourth.
Palm right and extra pressure for 5th (up) and 6th (down).
If you grab the stick in any way you can put it in any gear, but by using the flat palm to the side of the stick you will find you can only get the desired gear this way. This video illustrates the technique, but I wouldn't bend the fingers over like the person in the vid does as any grab can spoil the action.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyO88eSmMq0
Original post by Walter Ego
Palm left with light pressure and up for first.
Palm left with light pressure and down for second.
Palm right with light pressure and up for third.
Palm right with light pressure and down for fourth.
Palm right and extra pressure for 5th (up) and 6th (down).
If you grab the stick in any way you can put it in any gear, but by using the flat palm to the side of the stick you will find you can only get the desired gear this way. This video illustrates the technique, but I wouldn't bend the fingers over like the person in the vid does as any grab can spoil the action.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyO88eSmMq0
Palm left with light pressure and down for second.
Palm right with light pressure and up for third.
Palm right with light pressure and down for fourth.
Palm right and extra pressure for 5th (up) and 6th (down).
If you grab the stick in any way you can put it in any gear, but by using the flat palm to the side of the stick you will find you can only get the desired gear this way. This video illustrates the technique, but I wouldn't bend the fingers over like the person in the vid does as any grab can spoil the action.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyO88eSmMq0
I agree with the palming action being crucial. I developed a habit of grabbing the gearstick and twisting my shoulder to go from first to second. It caught up with me and one lesson I actually injured my arm by doing it. I'm not even joking. I had to take 2 weeks off lessons and it happened just before I took delivery of my own car, so I couldn't even drive it when it came
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