Hello I'm Chris. In this video we're going to have a look at how to drive a manual car
smoothly. I'll show you how to move off...
brake...
change gear and steer in a smooth way. Your passengers will definitely appreciate it.
Before we get started, don't forget to subscribe if you haven't already
so that you get our latest videos and it really helps us out.
It's important to have your seat and steering wheel adjusted correctly. If you're sitting too
close to the steering wheel or too far away then it can affect how you use the controls.
With both hands on the steering wheel, your elbows should be slightly bent.
You should also be able to fully press the clutch down comfortably without stretching
and have a slight bend in the knee. Let's first have a look at how to move off smoothly.
Raising the clutch too soon can make the car move off in a jerky way or even stall.
Holding the clutch at the biting point for a couple of seconds as you move off
can definitely help and don't raise the clutch too suddenly.
I'll show you it again. Hold the biting point until you're faster than a walking speed
and then raise the clutch slowly.
If you can, once you have the biting point, try resting the heel of your left foot on the floor.
This will really help you control the clutch.
Try not to let your foot hover in the air.
But only rest your heel on the floor once you have the biting point but not before.
Or otherwise as you dip and raise the clutch in traffic for example,
your foot might slide up the pedal and you'll have less control.
You might even end up having to wiggle your foot back down to gain control again. Not great.
To avoid this, don't rest your heel on the floor when you fully press the clutch down.
Only when you get the biting point. But not everyone is comfortable with
resting their heel on the floor, so just do what works for you.
It is possible in a modern car to move off without any gas, although again it could still
stall or move off in a jerky way. Especially if it's an older car or one with a small engine.
You'll also move off very slowly, which you might want. But if you're trying to move off quickly
like at a busy roundabout and you raise the clutch too fast without any gas then the car will stall.
When emerging onto a busy road, as long as it's safe, don't be afraid to give a little
gas. It will be smoother, there's less chances of slowing someone down and less risk of stalling.
On this flat road I'll get the revs towards one and a half. More when moving off uphill.
No gas needed downhill.
But extra gas needed when you want to move off quickly like at a busy roundabout or junction.
You won't move off smoothly if you're in the wrong gear. The car will either be jerky or just stall.
Braking. Smooth progressive braking uses less fuel and smooth stops are nice for your passengers too.
Some new drivers stop like this. They increase pressure on the brake until they stop. Abruptly.
So let's have a look at how to brake smoothly.
Releasing the gas pedal slows the car down straight away. Gently press the brake pedal
at first. Gradually increase pressure depending on how fast you want to stop.
Once the car's almost stopped, ease off the brake so that there's hardly any pressure on
the brake as it stops. This will make your stops really smooth but it does take a bit of practice.
I'll show you again so brake and then just before stopping ease off the brake slightly
so you have hardly any pressure on the brake pedal. You've got to time it right
though because if you ease off the brake too early then you might not stop in time.
Your footwear can also make a difference. Try driving in shoes with a thin sole to help you
feel the pedals better. How you position your right foot can help too. If you can, position
your right foot between the brake and accelerator and pivot on your heel between the two pedals.
Don't do this.
Pressing the clutch down too late when you're stopping can make the car shake or even stall.
To avoid this, press the clutch down about two car lengths before you want to stop completely.
Braking too late will always result in a hard stop.
Plan ahead so you can slow down in time and smooth out your braking.
Driving too close to the vehicle in front and constantly having to brake or press the gas
really makes for a jerky, stressful drive.
The car in front occasionally brakes as you can see by their brake lights,
but by keeping my distance it means that I don't always need to brake as well
but just releasing the gas pedal is enough to slow down. But of course, always be ready to brake.
Try and anticipate what's going to happen next so that you're ready and don't have to brake harshly.
Let's now have a look at how to change gear smoothly.
Make sure that you increase speed before you change up a gear.
If you change gear too early then the car will feel sluggish, it might shake and possibly stall.
If you move off in any other gear apart from first then it could stall. Although you can move
off downhill in second and you can also move off in second if the car will spins in snow.
Some drivers experience a jerky gear change, mostly when changing down to a lower gear.
Releasing the clutch pedal too quickly can make the car bump, so always release
it smoothly. Changing down to the wrong gear for your speed can also cause the car to jerk.
There's a couple of things we can do to smooth out any jerkiness when you change down.
Try pressing the gas pedal lightly before you fully release a clutch.
Also when you raise the clutch, try holding it at the biting point for a second,
then with a slight amount of gas, smoothly raise it all the way.
It all happens so quick. Let me show you again in slow motion.
To change down gear, off gas, clutch down, change gear, raise the clutch to the biting
point with a little gas, hold the clutch for a second, then raise it smoothly all the way.
But remember that you might need to brake as you change down rather than pressing
the gas depending on the situation.
Although the simplest way to change down gear is to make sure that you
choose the correct gear that matches your speed and just raise the clutch smoothly
and not suddenly. For more information on an advanced technique called rev matching
have a look at our other video, there's a link in the description.
Thinking and planning ahead can help to keep it all smooth
whether you're changing up or down gear. Don't rush it and always release the clutch smoothly.
Of course it all takes a bit of practice and getting used
to your car and the engine sound will all help.
Steering. You don't need to hold the steering wheel tightly.
To steer smoothly try to avoid any sudden jerky movements. Keep the steering smooth
and steady with both hands on the wheel unless using another control.
For small little adjustments to the steering, you can keep both hands fixed on the steering wheel.
If I was driving faster here then I'd also have to make quicker more sudden movements
with the steering. My passengers wouldn't be happy as they'd be swaying left and right
plus I could lose control. It's much better to make these smoother gradual movements.
For larger turns you can feed the steering wheel through your hands using the pull-push method.
Have a look at our other video for more details on this, there's a link in the description.
if you mistime your steering and straighten the wheels too late
then you might panic and your steering might end up being erratic and jerky.
As always planning ahead and being ready for what's coming up next will help prevent
having to do any sudden jerky movements which could also affect the stability of the car.
For more driving tips have a look at our free online how-to modules. We don't want your credit
card details and you don't even need to register. Thanks a lot for watching! I really hope it
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then please do as it really helps us make more videos. It's highly recommended that you
practice driving with a fully qualified driving instructor. Keep safe on the road and bye for now.