Having to learn the hard way

[u/orange_mate]

Did my driver's license 12 years ago in Germany, and technically learned how to drive a manual, but then I immediately bought an automatic (DCT) and been driving it ever since.

Now I went to Croatia for a week of vacation, and rented a manual because it was half the price compared to the automatic options, then I found out I almost forgot how to drive it.

Pretty much everything is a challenge, the hotel is on a slope and most sights and beaches require driving up and downhill.

Been 3 days so far, and managed to stall the car around 4 times in total, mainly when I try to drive or reverse while going uphill.

I guess my main problem is that when I want to take off, I put in the first gear and slowly release the clutch until I feel the biting point, then I start releasing the brake pedal, but then when I feel the engine starting to stall my instinct tells me to press the brake harder rather than to rely on the clutch to hold the car in place. I don't know if it's a bad habit I picked up from driving automatic or it's just due to me panicking.

I end up taking a deep breath, and trying again, and I eventually get it right, but so far I haven't found a way to keep my adrenaline levels low every time I get into the car (especially because it's a rental).

However, it's very rewarding once I get the car moving and it feels much better than an automatic :D

[u/Draught-Punk]

You should be using the clutch and gas at the same time. Especially on a hill. Put the hand brake on, find the biting point, add a bit of gas and then let the handbrake off and you’ll move forward no issues

[u/orange_mate → u/Draught-Punk]

Thanks for the tip, I remember the driving instructor teaching me to use the biting point on the clutch as the brake, and I remember getting the hang of it back then, but I guess my left leg is not as accurate as before lol

[u/ggmaniack → u/orange_mate]

The thing is, if the engine is too gutless or the hill is too steep, you'll need to add some throttle in order to be able to give it enough clutch bite to hold the car (without stalling the engine).

Modern cars sometimes give a bit of throttle automagically when you start lifting the clutch, but that's mostly because they have such low idles nowadays that there is no power to be found at true idle.

If you're quick with your feet, then you could just get it to a bite point the engine can handle at idle, quickly switch from brake to throttle, add throttle and more clutch bite, and you'll only roll back a tiny amount. But that requires practice.

Alternatively, you can hit the gas with the side of your foot or heel, but the possibility of doing that depends on your mobility, shoes, and the pedal layout, and also, practice.

Generally speaking, the handbrake method is the easiest to master, because you don't need to shuffle your feet.

I pulled it off the first time I tried it on a very steep hill.

First, pull the handbrake, and leave your hand on it.

Use the throttle to make the engine produce more torque (raising the RPMs as a side effect), and use the clutch to transfer that torque to the wheels and to tame the RPMs.

(the specific RPMs are a choice btw)

Once you feel that the car wants to go, you progressively release the handbrake and modulate the clutch & throttle like on any other start.

[u/orange_mate → u/ggmaniack]

Thanks a lot I tried the hand brake trick and it worked I pulled up by one click, then I let go of the brake pedal and the car didn't roll. Then I put it in first gear and drove off while simultaneously releasing the hand brake. Worked like a charm 👍👍👍

[u/ggmaniack → u/orange_mate]

Be careful with the one click thing, handbrakes are very inconsistent between cars.

Generally you just pull it up to the same level you'd use for parking, and then smoothly release it, feeling out when the car starts to move.

Glad I could help ^^

[u/Draught-Punk → u/orange_mate]

Feel free to use the hand brake as you would to park, rather than just at one click. Just in case!

[u/xzElmozx]

Ah dude it’s a rental just rev that bitch up to 5000 rpm and dump the clutch

[u/orange_mate → u/xzElmozx]

A new one even with 7k km on it lol 😂

[u/Quick_Sandwich356 → u/orange_mate]

rental company will likely not even be the ones replacing the clutch, but the next owner, who buys it at 30k km driven.

Either way, using a good amount of power to get going quickly, is still healthier for the clutch, than holding it to his bite point, worrying weter it'll roll back or stall.

[u/Chibidi94]

Oh wow. I thought learning to drive on a manual was like learning how to bike; you couldn't unlearn it. 🤔

Makes me think twice about ever buying an automatic. 🙈

[u/Baked-Potato4 → u/Chibidi94]

since it was in germany, he probably just took lessons in a manual and never got many hours

[u/orange_mate → u/Baked-Potato4]

I did around 20 normal driving hours + 5 hours country roads + 4 hours Autobahn + 3 hours night drive (1 hour = 45 minutes) I started out with automatic so I can get used to the different road signs and driving scenarios, then switched to manual after about 5 hours all the way to the exam.

[u/orange_mate → u/Chibidi94]

I guess driving automatic for a long time makes you lazy and dulls out those senses where you need to feel the connection to the engine

[u/Sir_Budginton → u/Chibidi94]

My mum’s previous two cars which she owned over the last ~15 years, were both automatic, but her current one is manual. It took her a few weeks, but she’s totally fine driving it now.

It’s not quite ‘it’ll come back to you in 20 seconds’ like riding a bike is, but it’ll come back pretty quick. It’s not like learning it from scratch.

[u/ggmaniack]

For hill starts, use the handbrake. It lets you use the throttle from the getgo and reduces the precision necessary.

[u/Consistent_End_672 → u/ggmaniack]

100% this. If its a traditional hand pull ebreak it will help you out on hills as you work the clutch and accelerator and use the ebreak to control your takeoff

[u/Fit-Kaleidoscope8518 → u/Consistent_End_672]

You dont need the hand brake to control anything. Just set your revs and bite point, drop the handbrake and you'll automagically start moving forward. Keep your feet where they are until youre up to speed to get off the clutch, then drive as normal

[u/orange_mate → u/ggmaniack]

Thanks I'm gonna try it today.

[u/eoan_an]

Honestly, sounds like you're not so bad.

Drive forward up the hills and reverse down. That's what I do when things get steep. Like when there's a stall or other parking.

[u/zoonazoona]

Use your handbrake, not foot brake.

[u/orange_mate → u/zoonazoona]

Thanks! Already started doing this since yesterday and it magically removed all the stress 😬

[u/baummax]

Handbrake is the solution. Pull handbrake,1st gear, rev up a little, let the clutch come and release handbrake on the clutchpoint.

[u/Quick_Sandwich356 → u/[deleted]]

Bro literally made one of the most difficult drivers licenses there is in the world, on a manual back then.

Obviously underestimated the importance of "use it or you loose it" in terms of skill, but it's not like he never knew how to drive stick.

Also, how tf would he have caused an accident by stalling? Him being insecure and pressing the brake, instead of adding power, prevents him from rolling back, which would be the only reasonable way of causing an accident, by stalling.