How to Drive a Manual Car for Beginners to Quickly Become Fluent

The existence of manual cars remains a choice for many people who drive four-wheeled vehicles. Although many claim that driving a manual transmission car is more difficult than an automatic transmission car, manual transmission cars have various advantages that their users appreciate. If you are still new to learning, it is important for you to understand how to drive a manual car for beginners so that you can quickly become proficient and safe.

How to Drive a Manual Car for Beginners to Pay Attention To

1. Know All Driving Components

The first thing you need to understand before driving a manual car is to recognize the features present in the car. Important components that must be known are the brake pedal, clutch, and accelerator. In a manual car, both of your feet must work in harmony for a comfortable driving experience. You should also familiarize yourself with the gear positions in a manual car, which consists of 5 positions, each with its own function.

You should also know the position and function of the car pedals. The pedal on the right side of your foot is the accelerator pedal. The pedal in the middle is used to brake the car. Meanwhile, the pedal on the left functions as the clutch.

2. Know How to Start the Car Engine

Do not carelessly start the car engine. Check if the car is in neutral. Once it is in neutral, you can turn the key to start the car. After the engine starts, you can begin to drive the car. Make sure not to misidentify the three pedals at your feet.

3. Adapt to Using the Accelerator and Clutch

The next most important way to drive a manual car for beginners is to get used to using the accelerator and clutch correctly. One common problem often complained about by beginner manual car users is that the car engine suddenly stalls because they are not used to releasing the clutch with the accelerator.

Get used to controlling the clutch and accelerator in harmony. Know the right moment to release the clutch and when to press the accelerator in a manual car. A common mistake made by beginners is pressing the accelerator pedal too hard while releasing the clutch incorrectly. When the accelerator pedal is pressed hard while the clutch is not yet lifted, it can cause a heavy and rough sound. What should be done is to press the accelerator pedal gently while slowly releasing the clutch.

4. Practice Shifting Gears

There are five gear settings in a manual car that you need to understand. You can start by practicing releasing the clutch and accelerator, then practice shifting gears in the car. An important thing to note when shifting gears is to keep the engine RPM low, which is less than 2000 rpm.

The reason for shifting gears when the engine RPM is low is to ensure that the gear shift feels smooth. Getting used to shifting gears at low engine RPM will also make fuel consumption more economical.

5. Know How to Increase and Decrease Speed

Beginners must know how to decrease and increase speed. In a manual transmission car, the clutch must always be used when you want to shift gears, whether downshifting or upshifting. After the gear has been shifted, you can press the accelerator if you want to increase speed while slowly releasing the clutch.

6. Get Used to Steering the Wheel

Practice your ability to control the steering wheel of the car, especially on roads that are not straight or tend to require turning. You can start practicing in a wide area to get used to using every component of the car. Once you feel familiar with each part of the car, then move to a road with several turns. The goal is for you to get used to turning the vehicle and steering the wheel.

7. Practice Lane Changing Skills

After you start to become proficient in shifting gears, releasing the clutch and accelerator, and steering the wheel, the next thing you should learn is lane changing. Many people even claim to be expert drivers but do not understand the proper "etiquette" when changing lanes. They change lanes carelessly without paying attention to the conditions around them.

When changing lanes, you must check the conditions in front, behind, and on both sides. Check through the rearview mirror and side mirrors to see if there are any vehicles approaching. You must also be careful of vehicles in your blind spot. Ensure that no vehicles are about to enter. If you want to ensure the blind spot is safe, you can glance back briefly before changing lanes.

8. Control the Car on Inclines

Whether it’s an automatic or manual car, you must be careful when driving up an incline. This is because if you mistakenly use the brakes and so on, it could cause the vehicle to roll back, especially when the road is congested on an incline. Use the handbrake to hold the car in place and prevent it from rolling back while gently pressing the accelerator.

9. Always Be Ready to Brake

Get used to your foot automatically recognizing the location of the brake. The brake is an important part of controlling the car to keep it safe.

Understand each step of how to drive a manual car for beginners above so that you become more accustomed to using the car. Make it a routine to drive at least every day for a month or two weeks if you feel you can. This is not only to help you memorize the location of each component but also to build the right habits and feel while driving.

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