Driving Stick Shift Cars: Techniques for Manual Transmissions

Driving Stick Shift Cars: Techniques for Manual Transmissions

Learn essential instructions and techniques for how to drive a manual transmission car, master the clutch, and enjoy the ride.

A high school tennis coach once told me that he'd never drive an automatic. His reason? Stick shift keeps the monotony out of driving. I thought he was out of his mind, but over years of growing accustomed to driving a stick shift car myself, I find that there may be truth in his words. When driving my parents' car, I find myself missing the manual controls. If you just started learning to drive stick shift, you probably think I'm out of my mind. Give it a few years... you'll see. Learning how to drive a manual car will make driving more fun.

The following guide will teach you how to drive a stick shift car and understand manual transmissions. When driving manual transmission cars, it is imperative to learn how to master the clutch, as it allows you to shift gears. It is much different than learning how to drive an automatic car. Practice is the key.

1. The control differences.
   • That third pedal... With an automatic, you should never use your left foot for anything. One of the major differences between manual and automatic transmissions is the use of your left leg to work the clutch (the leftmost pedal). That left leg is going to get a workout!
   • No stick shift without the stick. Of course, another major control difference is the stick itself. You'll notice it in place of the boring old gear selector in an automatic (which is used mainly for shifting between Reverse, Park, and Drive). This stick features both Reverse and Drive, too, but that single Drive gear of an automatic has been divided into multiple gears, each meant for driving at specific speed ranges. There is no Park gear, however; parking requires you to slip your car into Neutral, engage your emergency brake, and stop the car.
2. The gears.
   • 1^st gear is mainly for starting your car from a standstill. You'll only be able to accelerate in 1^st gear until somewhere between 10 and 15 mph. Then, you'll have to shift to 2^nd gear, which is very versatile.
   • You'll find 2^nd gear useful because you can drive in it virtually to a crawl or take it up to about 25 mph. In stop-and-go traffic, follow further away from the car in front of you so that you can use 2^nd gear to save your brakes.
   • The higher gears. You'll gradually memorize the speed ranges of each higher gear, though ranges differ slightly from car to car. Much of your town and city driving will be done in 3^rd gear (until you stop and start again). As you enter an interstate highway, you'll shift up to your highest gear and stay in it until you have to slow down or stop.
3. Starting the car in 1^st gear or reverse - the dreaded stall! In order to move your car using the gas pedal, you must first have your car in either 1^st gear or Reverse. To keep the car motionless in 1^st or Reverse (or any gear), you must have your left foot pressed down upon the clutch.

   Now comes the delicate art of balancing gas with clutch—try these driving techniques carefully. When driving a manual, you must press down on the gas as you ease up on the clutch. Letting go of the clutch too quickly (with too little gas) will cause your car to stall (the engine stops and you have to restart the ignition). Easing up on the clutch too slowly (with too much gas) will needlessly cause a noisy revving of your engine.

   Don't be discouraged when you stall at first. Even seasoned stick-shift drivers stall every so often. Don't worry—the more you practice, the easier and more fluid your pedal work will become until it feels like second nature.

4. Accelerating - shifting up according to RPMs. Notice that little gauge next to the speedometer? That measures your RPMs (rotations per minute). Use it as a guide for when to shift up or down. When the RPMs enter the "3" range (which actually means 3,000 rotations), you should shift up a gear. To do this, take your right foot off the gas pedal (keeping it hovering right over it), press your left foot down on the clutch, and shift the stick from its current gear to the next highest one using your right hand. Once shifted, release the clutch while simultaneously pressing your right foot with graduating firmness on the gas pedal. You should ease up on the clutch just as you ease down onto the gas. This synchronization of foot movements is probably the single trickiest part of learning to drive a stick shift.
5. Decelerating - shifting down. By contrast, downshifting is relatively easy. You still have to press the clutch down when downshifting (just like shifting up), but you don't need the same precise choreography of clutch and gas. In fact, downshifting naturally slows your car down; drivers often save their brakes by downshifting, which causes a brief spike in RPMs and decelerates the car. Generally, if your RPMs fall below the 2 mark, you should downshift to keep your car handling well and responsive to your control.
6. Stopping. You can either stop in Neutral (keeping your foot off the clutch) or stop in any gear with your left foot pressing the clutch. You can shift directly to Neutral from any other gear. If you're on the highway and need to stop quickly, you don't need to bother shifting gears; just slam your feet onto the clutch and the brake. When you start moving again, be sure to shift into 1^st gear and proceed as usual.
7. Neutral - the lazy driver's friend. Learning to drive a car involves understanding Neutral. Neutral allows you to coast down hills without using your clutch. You can brake freely and rest your left leg, but you'll have to engage the proper gear to actually use the gas pedal. For that reason, some consider neutral coasting to be an unsafe shortcut, though many enjoy it.
8. Hills - sounds like hell (for a reason). When you first start learning to drive a stick shift, avoid hills entirely and find the flattest ground possible. Hills greatly increase a beginner's apprehension because they introduce drifting while starting the car. Inevitably, there is a tiny lag between releasing the brake and engaging the gas while simultaneously releasing the clutch. During this lag, you deal not only with the fear of stalling, but also the anxiety of feeling your car drift backward down the hill. Once you are comfortable managing the clutch, brake, and gas pedals, you can master hill-driving as well.

One final reason stick shift keeps driving interesting is that you get to know a car on a much more intimate level. You'll find that every car is slightly different, each with its own disposition and quirks. What's more, in some parts of the world, manual transmission may be your only option, so travelers should take the time to learn. With practice (starting in empty parking lots and flat, quiet streets), the intimidating aspects of stick shift will disappear, and you'll come to share the beliefs of that old tennis coach. Then, people will think you're crazy.