Who is correct: Learning Driving and gear down

Elysium7 SG

My driving instructor always forces me to stop in 2nd gear, and lower the car into 3rd gear if I was in a higher gear when approaching a traffic light, regardless if it's red amber or green. I get quite annoyed because he is often angry when sometimes I forget to lower into 2nd and stop in 3rd gear, because I always read people saying that stopping in 3rd gear is fine, and I always see taxi drivers doing it Confused

Ponders SG

me don't care...

me clutch in. brake and stop then neutral.

ditzy SG

My colleague lagi best, shift to neutral and freewheel all the way to red lights. Laughing

FERRARIman SG

What i remember when we learn at driving ctrs, hmm letme trigger.. yea.. while driving at near traffic lights, when about to stop (travellin at gear 4).. always drop to gear 3 (let the car run and the engine brake activates).. den gear two... and let it roll.. brake lightly and clutch in... brake again and stop. While the car stops, then push down to gear 1.. and HOLD UR CLUTCH & Brake there untill the traffic lights turn green. den... byting point den co-ordinate (step on the accelarator) .. and there u go...

But as for now... my style or commonly our style.. (after u pass) from gear 5... when the traffic light turn yellow.. IS EITHER U SPEED OR U slow down.. judge ur distance.. lol!... but when u are about to stop.. (from gear 5) what i do is.. straight away...brake lightly(see the situation)... (DUN LET UR CAR STALL) .. and clutch in... den continue to press the brake deeply again.. and about to stop...and fully stop (continue to clutch in and KEEP THE BRAKES ON) and its ur choice either u want to put to neutral or 1st gear. But for me.. i always put to 1st gear.. for fast pick up.. when light turn green...

Drive safely though.... Wink

monoslayer SG

ermmmmm.... tats wat i usually do... Rolling Eyes

ditzy SG

You don't own a nokia n73 do you? Laughing

freakass SG

Seasoned manual drivers will know that it's plain stupidity to change down their gears just before they stop... Like I say before, we don't use engine break... Ponders and ditzy's friend are probably manual drivers for quite some time already...

Normally, I will clutch in, brake, then stop and neutral.... but if the red light becomes green while i'm still braking, i will change to a lower gear and then carry on.... The only time i change my gear down is when the traffic goes slower or going up a steep slope....

sngyze SG

Haha all the driving pros already gave their comments. anyway if you wanna pass just shift down to gear two to make the tester happy. once you have your license you can stop at whatever gear you want.

ETboy SG

eh for me if i see traffic light just turn red, i will clutch in, foot brake slow down to stop den neutral or gear 1 (with clutch down).

i did all the same from lesson 1 to TP to now still same leh instructor nv say anything... and of coz pass tp

kopiosatu SG

i use engine brake to stop faster...

anyway its a habit for me already. been using engine brake whether driving or riding.

its all about habits, not stupidity or whatever mental reason anyone gives.

Gedanken SG

If one has to explain how coasting in netural is both stupid and potentially dangerous, the point is lost. There's a difference between seasoned and lazy. Rolling Eyes

freakass SG

Well, no one said that we should cruise in neutral gear... But the thing is very few people do use engine break... It's unnecessary.... As long as you know how to react accordingly and fast enough to possible traffic changes ahead, what is wrong with clutching in when you are about to stop? What are the potential dangers that you are referring to?

Gasfene SG

You are wrong. down to gear 3 then stop can le. After you stop, shift to gear 1 to get ready to move off.

Even during driving test, stopping at gear 3 is allowed. Gear 4 and above not allowed.

markzz SG

What has Nokia n73 got to do with driving? Laughing

Gedanken SG

Your field of awareness covers only 180 degrees at most, and you don't seem to know about using power to get out of a tight spot if you have to ask. Never mind - that stuff's for seasoned drivers. Maybe you'd want to think about why they teach engine braking if it's as unnecessary as you say, though.

sgboy2004 SG

too bad, at any one moment, one's sphere of awareness can never be 180, even at most oso cannot. haiz...

tofushop193 SG

dont shift to gear two…the engine brake will be so strong that the tester will be very annoyed

freakass SG

You see red lights. You are at 4th gear. You clutch in. Brake gradually. Suddenly the lights become green. You engage a lower gear, say 2 or 3. Then move on. The same applies if you need power. Just engage the appropriate gears lah. What's the big problem here? And for your info, I have been a driver for 3 years and I have been driving both manual and automatic cars at the same time.

The reason why they teach engine break is because it is required. There a lot of things taught in schools that are unnecessary also, but why do they teach it? Beacuse it's part of the entire education package, just like learning to drive. It's part of understanding the car and how the gears work...

And in case you havent realised due to your very limited driving experience (maybe your experience ended after you got your licence), engine brake causes the car to go jerky if it is not properly executed, as one of the forumers has pointed out.. It is a fact that many drivers who drive manual cars do not use engine brake... I have never seen a taxi driver use engine brake before all my life...

And lastly, if you're one of those who only have access to auto cars after you got your licence, please do not comment because you lack the experience in manual cars...

SBS9828X SG

croco car use paddles thats why must downshift all the way Laughing

Gedanken SG

Whoa - a whole three years?! I'm so impressed. Laughing

How you clocked over 250,000 km behind the wheel? Have you driven in different seasons? Have you driven left-hand drive? Have you ever had to double clutch? Dealt with a punctured tyre on a curve at 140 km/h? Suffered a wheel-bearing collapse at 100? Encountered a Somali cab driver?

If you can tick off half of the above list, maybe, just maybe, you can try telling me you're a seasoned driver.

Let's take your scenario. You see red lights. You are at 4th gear. You clutch in. Brake gradually. Some dickhead going the opposite way decides he wants to run through and stomps on it. He loses the car and drifts into your lane, heading right for you and you need to move forward right quick to get out of his way. You let the clutch back in but you're in third at 15 km/h and the car's sluggish because you really should have been in second, but you were just too complacent.

Next thing you know, you're sitting in a broken car with your dick in your hands. Congratulations.

Yeah, you're a real seasoned driver. Laughing

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