Do you love driving? And do you love everything about cars? Are you eager to learn even more about cars?
If that sounds like you, you may want to learn to drive stick. Not only will you feel accomplished, but you’ll also impress others and be the designated driver when it comes to renting cars that only come in stick shift.
Read on to learn all about driving stick shift and what you need to know!
Practice
Learning to drive stick doesn’t happen overnight. You’ll need to practice a lot, but you’ll also want to make sure that you practice on roads where it isn’t busy since it can be difficult to get the hang of a manual shift at first.
You’ll want to start off slow and get comfortable behind the wheel before you take it on busier roads.
You may even want to try out some of these DMV practice tests before you hit the road.
You’ll Use Both Feet
If you’ve been driving for years, this seems way out of the ordinary.
However, this isn’t something to worry too much about! You’ll still use your right foot to brake and accelerate. The only thing you’ll need your left foot for is the clutch, which helps you change gears more smoothly.
Memorize When to Change Gears
One of the most important parts of driving stick shift is knowing when to change gears. There are many different gears that you will need to pair with different speeds. As you accelerate or decelerate, you’ll shift the gears when you reach these different speeds.
Always Check Your Gear Before Starting
When starting a normal car (without a stick shift), all you have to do is stick the key in and start the ignition. You know your car is in park and that’s all that really matters.
But with a stick shift, it’s a bit different. You’ll want to hold down the clutch (with your left foot) and check to make sure that your gear is in neutral gear. If it is, you’re good to start the car.
You May Stall at First – But Don’t Worry
It happens to almost everyone. When you’re first starting out, stalling is really easy to do because you may end up hitting the clutch a bit too early.
If this happens, there’s no need to panic! It will just take a bit more practice to know when to hit the clutch and switch gears while driving. This is why it’s so important to practice where it isn’t busy.
Use These Tips to Learn to Drive Stick
Hopefully, after reading these tips you’re ready to hit the road and learn to drive stick (just remember to hit a road that isn’t busy!).
You’ll be impressing all of your friends in no time, and they may even want you to teach them how to drive manual!
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