If you look at the top of the gear stick, you will see a small ball.  This ball is designed so that you only need to guide the stick into position.  If you have the palm of your hand facing, where you want the gear stick to go – it will go there. 

On the ball you will see the numbers 1 to 5 and the letter R.  These are the gears.  First gear gives a lot of power and little speed.  Fifth gear gives a lot of speed and little power.  The numbers are set out on an extended H.  This H tells you where to aim the gear stick to choose that gear.

How to Change Gears

Clutch down and off gas at the same time

Hand on gear stick

Move the stick into the new gear

Hand on steering wheel

More gas less clutch

When to change gear

Set off in first gear.  Into second as soon as you can.  If the car sounds fast and high-pitched, use a higher gear.  If the car is struggling, use a lower gear.  Ask your instructor for the speed ranges for each gear.

You may need a lower gear going up or down hill

Try block gear changing.  This is missing out gears to make the car work more efficiently.  You know you will have to stop at the lights – so slow down into gear and change straight to first just before you stop.

Using the Clutch

The clutch is the pedal on the left.  You operate it with your left foot.  It operates two plates in the gearbox.  These plates join the power and drive parts of the engine together.  When you press the pedal down, the clutch plates move apart allowing you to change gear.

1.    The Clutch allows you to change gear – look again at Changing Gears

2.    It allows you to control the speed of the car.  This is useful when travelling in slow moving traffic or in manoeuvres.  Ask your instructor to let you try moving and stopping the car using the clutch.

3.    It allows you to move the car when you are on a steep hill.  Have a look at the section on Hill Starts

Which gear do I use?

There is no right or wrong answer to this question.  Each gear covers a range of speeds. 

Older cars have a narrower range.  That is why older drivers will tell you that third covers twenty to thirty.  In older cars you may have to change gear to assist with braking.   The gearing in modern cars covers a wider range of speeds.  Third might cover from 15 to 40.

There are two things to think about when changing gear. 

Listen and feel the engine.  If the car sounds and feels as though it is straining change up a gear.  The engine will have a higher tone.  If the car is sluggish, change down a gear.

You must balance the engines needs with the road ahead.    Try to select the right gear for the road conditions.   There is little point changing up a gear as you approach traffic lights that have been green for some time.

Rule number one sates “Everybody else on the road is a complete and utter fool.  Treat them as such.  Stay well away and tell them what you are going to do”.   Staying away from foolish drivers is easy.  You need to develop the habit of good hazard awareness.  Try to see what the other driver is about to do well before they become a problem.

Even the best drivers are caught out occasionally.  They will have to react quickly to prevent an accident.  This article explains how to stop in an emergency.

Ask your driving instructor if you can practice the emergency stop.  You should practice it with in a driving school car.  Other drivers expect you to stop suddenly.  The driving instructor knows when it is safe to stop suddenly.

You should only use this technique to prevent injury to yourself or another road user. 

You are driving along a country road and a small bird flies out of a hedge six feet from you.  You would not carry out an emergency stop, it is not going to hurt you or damage the car.  If a sheep ran out six feet from you then you would need the emergency stop.  The impact will hurt you and the car. 

You are driving in town and a little Scottie dog runs into the road a few feet ahead.  You would not do the emergency stop.  It is not likely to hurt you or the car.  A German Shepherd Dog would need an emergency stop because that impact will hurt you and the car.

This does not mean that you should run over dogs or birds.  If you can stop in time then stop. 

What if a child runs out in front of you?  What if a car pulls out in front of you? 

You will need to practice the manoeuvre.  Only your driving instructor or driving examiner can insist on you doing this exercise.  We are trained to decide if it safe.  If you are practising with a relative, you both must decide if it is safe.

The Controlled Stop

The emergency stop is best described as the controlled stop.  You want to stop quickly and under control.

Do not check your mirrors.  There is no time.

Hold the steering wheel firmly.

Brake followed straight away by the clutch

Firm fast breaking to a halt

Secure the car and check no one is hurt. 

Move off as you normally would.

Skids

Skids are caused by driver error.  The driver was not driving to the road and traffic conditions.

If you are skidding, lift your feet off the pedals

If you are skidding in a straight line just keep the steering wheel straight.

If you are skidding to the right steer to the left until the car is straight.

If you are skidding to the left, steer to the right.

ABS

Most modern cars are equipped with ABS.  This is a system of sensors.  If the wheels are locking under hard braking, the sensors make the car take over braking.  The car will pump the breaks faster than any human can.

ABS allows you to steer in an emergency.  IT DOES NOT PREVENT SKIDDING.

If, when braking in an emergency, you feel a ‘thump thump’ under the pedals it is the ABS.  Just keep braking.