Do you always set off in first?

[El Cid]

Is it taught differently these days?

 

I was just taught about hill starts, but do they now teach learners to set off in 2nd gear when on the level. Cars have more gears too.

I tend to set off in 1st gear 98% of the time just because its a habit, and no thinking is involved.

[Hots on]

adjective: first

 

coming before all others in time or order; earliest; 1st.

[Cyclone]

I'm pretty sure that you're still taught to set off using 1st gear. If it wasn't necessary then the ratio's would be changed, surely.

 

I might, on a rare occasion when facing downhill, set off in 2nd, but more through laziness than a conscious decision to do so, and because my car will. I expect it's not good for the clutch though, and the more you have to slip it the worse it is.

[ghost rider]

I was taught it was ok to set off in second if you are facing downhill and also to miss gears if you can, such as 2nd to 4th if going downhill.I still stick to this. Admittedly I learnt to drive 30 years ago and things may have changed now.I have had a minimum of 100,000 miles from a clutch with every car I have owned,i got 170,000 miles out of one clutch so if done in the right conditions it does not harm the clutch.

Edited September 26, 2015 by ghost rider

[El Cid]

I'm pretty sure that you're still taught to set off using 1st gear. If it wasn't necessary then the ratio's would be changed, surely.

 

 

I drive a minibus and a car, 6 and 5 gears. When your vehicle is fully laden, you might require first gear on the flat, but not when its just the driver.

When I passed my test, most cars were mainly 4 gears, is that uncommon these days?

[Harleyman]

Just curious but why still drive manual shift? I've driven manual shift and just find it inconvenient and a nuisance in heavy traffic. The old theory that cars drive better with a manual shift has no validity. The automatic transmissions that cars are equipped with today are the best ever

[Timeh]

Cant speak for anyone else but i drive a manual because i prefer to be more involved with the driving than i am with an auto. Autos can make for lazy drivers as you basically just point and squirt.

[ghost rider]

Cant speak for anyone else but i drive a manual because i prefer to be more involved with the driving than i am with an auto. Autos can make for lazy drivers as you basically just point and squirt.

 

Me too,i think a manual is much better for tackling all the hills round Sheffield.What I hated about an automatic was that it was forever kicking up and down.America is perfect for an automatic with long straight flat roads but not round here.

[El Cid]

The automatic transmissions that cars are equipped with today are the best ever

 

We had computer controlled manual minibuses, they ALL broke down and cost the council lots of money.

[tzijlstra]

I set off in second when facing downhill here and used to set off in second in the Netherlands when I had a diesel for a few years. But our main-car is an automatic and the next one will be too.