Went driving with my Dad

[*mazedsalv**]

What a fail :(
That was crappp!!!

I can do the sterring blah blah. The only problem i have is bloody clucthhhh, grrrr!!! I literally cant put my foot off the clutch gently while eccelerating.

I just cantt :( I have no foot momentum to do it at the same timee

[Ninastar]

the hardest thing to do is changing gears, and thats like one of the most important things. :'(

[King Gizzard]

I might be lazy and get an automatic for now

[*mazedsalv**]

My Dad has now patience though thats why i was getting pissed off.
Its just that ruddy clutch. I just cant have my feet do 2 things at the same time, one goes up one goes down, grrr :(

[Z]

You get the hang of it eventually! I haven't had a lesson since 2008... urgh.

[Captain.Remy]

The first time I did drive with my dad, we got into a fight so he never taught me again lol

It's fine Salv, it sucks the first time and you tend to think you will never get your driver's license, it's too hard etc... but you will, it seems horrible at first, but you will. :thumbs:

[*mazedsalv**]

My friend tells me theres an easier way to do it.

Apparently you can put your foot on teh clutch as normal, lift it up slowly and then when ur foot is completely off put yoru foot down on the accelerator. He drives and says it works.

Does it?? It must be much easier than doing them both at the same time.

[Sophii3x]

Aw, it'll get easier with the more practice you get. Though I've had 16 hours of driving lessons and I'm still struggling to keep the clutch still at the bite and he has to help me.. I hate the clutch so effing much :(

What are you having trouble with, keeping the clutch still at the bite when moving off or using the clutch and accelorator when changing gear?

[Shasown]

My friend tells me theres an easier way to do it.

Apparently you can put your foot on teh clutch as normal, lift it up slowly and then when ur foot is completely off put yoru foot down on the accelerator. He drives and says it works.

Does it?? It must be much easier than doing them both at the same time.

Yeah it works but its not as efficient or as effective during acceleration.

Just practice in the car by yourself without it being switched on, you will soon get into the correct way to do it. You can even make engine noises if you want, no one will know.

[*mazedsalv**]

Aw, it'll get easier with the more practice you get. Though I've had 16 hours of driving lessons and I'm still struggling to keep the clutch still at the bite and he has to help me.. I hate the clutch so effing much :(

What are you having trouble with, keeping the clutch still at the bite when moving off or using the clutch and accelorator when changing gear?

I just cant put it up gently, I always start it gently and then take my foot completely off. And the it stalls.

[Sophii3x]

I just cant put it up gently, I always start it gently and then take my foot completely off. And the it stalls.

So you bring it up too quickly? That's my problem half the time, I panic and bring it straight up without holding it at the bite :/ I think I'm getting a bit better at it each week though!

My friend gave me a tip which I'm gonna try at my next lesson... keep your heel on the floor and just have your toe area on the clutch instead of having the whole foot flat on the clutch, it apparently makes clutch-control a whole lot smother/easier.

How much have you practiced so far?

[*mazedsalv**]

So you bring it up too quickly? That's my problem half the time, I panic and bring it straight up without holding it at the bite :/ I think I'm getting a bit better at it each week though!

My friend gave me a tip which I'm gonna try at my next lesson... keep your heel on the floor and just have your toe area on the clutch instead of having the whole foot flat on the clutch, it apparently makes clutch-control a whole lot smother/easier.

How much have you practiced so far?

Literally only 20 mins today with my Dad. Ive been 17 for 3 months but im going to book a lesson next week or something.

yeah i just bring it up quickly even though i try to do it slowly.

[30stone]

The more you do it the easier.

Driving lessons are crap because you only have one a week and its hard after a week of not driving to just go back to having the biting point perfect when your learning, when your driving every day its simple..

And easier to get the hand of..

[Sophii3x]

Literally only 20 mins today with my Dad. Ive been 17 for 3 months but im going to book a lesson next week or something.

yeah i just bring it up quickly even though i try to do it slowly.

Ahh right, you're lucky you're dad is taking you out :)
If that's all you've had of practice then you shouldn't worry about the clutch-control, with more practice it'll all click eventially.. I've been told it's all about co-ordination and stuff, takes time to get used to. All the best for when you start your lessons though!

[\PJ/]

I took the easy root and im now having automatic lessons.....after 43 manual.

[Shasown]

I just cant put it up gently, I always start it gently and then take my foot completely off. And the it stalls.

There is a way to reduce the possibility of engine stall during gear change, its called doubling the clutch or double declutching. It allows the engine speed to be increased, its normally used to ensure smooth gear transitions during a braking maneouvre particularly with unsynchronised gearboxes. It requires a few more actions but also reduces the need for co-ordination of clutch and accelerator

The clutch pedal is pressed, the throttle is released, and the gearbox is shifted into neutral.

The clutch pedal is then released. As the engine idles with no load, the RPM will decrease until they are at a level suitable for shifting into the next gear.

The accelerator can then, if you need to increase the engine, speed be depressed

The driver then depresses the clutch again and shifts into the next gear. The whole manoeuvre can, with practice, take no more than a fraction of a second, and the result is a very smooth gear change.

When you are next in the car and driving, pay particular attention when you start off, notice where the clutch bites, that is with the handbrake applied and first gear selected the position where the engine starts to slow as you release the clutch and where if the handbrake wasn't applied the vehicle would start to move forward. Once you have this position sussed, this is where during a gear change you should start gently depressing the accelerator to increase engine speed.

[Tom]

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE.

Thats all I can say. Noone gets it straight away, we've all been there stalling at the lights and we all know how much of a dick you feel. Its all good explaining it in theory but the only way to grasp it is just practice. When you're at the lights have your foot on the brake and find the biting point, dip your clutch a tiny bit, then when the lights change take your foot off the brake and as you do that, lift the clutch back up to the bite. Leave it there and step on the gas and then as you're confident you wont stall take your foot off the clutch slowly whilst pressing on the gas. You should do all that in about 2-3 seconds then its speed up until its time to change into 2nd, then 3rd and then 4th. If its a diesel then you don't really need to bother applying much gas, you can get it into first gear and foot off the clutch with no gas at all or very little.

Oh and if you can tell in time you're going to stall, get the clutch down asap and you might stop the car from stalling.

Get some proper driving lessons as well as your dad, but might I suggest learning with a driving school who have petrol cars- diesel cars are much easier to drive and thats no good when its easier to get hold of a cheap petrol car once you've passed and then you're back at square one!

[Smithy]

I was in the car with my friend, and she'd just passed her test.
We were at the top of the hill in pouring rain waiting at the traffic lights, they turned green and we ended up rolling down the hill.
Should I tell her to take her test again

[Christina]

I'm sure after a few goes you'll get the hang of it. I seem to understand quite alot of it except the getting in gear bit.. i don't want to just be able to drive an automatic though haha :'(

[Tom]

I'm sure after a few goes you'll get the hang of it. I seem to understand quite alot of it except the getting in gear bit.. i don't want to just be able to drive an automatic though haha :'(

Getting in gear is easy!

Get the car moving as above, when you hit 10mph or 2000 revs then you put the clutch down, into second, then back up and add gas, when you hit 20mph or 2000 revs you put clutch down and into third, then back up and add gas, when when you hit 30mph or 2000 revs, clutch down and into 4th, add gas if needed.

Nout to it once you get used to it. Plus you can hear when it needs changing as well

[James]

Were you doing kangaroo hops? One way to start out is keep the clutch pedal all the way in and then set the accelerator at a constant engine note (that way you shouldn't stall). Then ease out the clutch pedal until you reach the biting point - the car will begin to feel like it is about to creep forward. Then, slowly, ease the clutch pedal all way out.

Once you get moving you can change straight away into second gear. Further gear changes are easier and can be done quicker.

Practise starting off on a quiet road and once you get used to it you will be able to handle junctions.

Keep practisiong and it will become second nature within a few weeks.