<p>I only stay in 1st gear when traffic is REALLY slow, like if a pedestrian can walk past me. I can also agree that you can go up to 10 mph on 1st gear but that’s really pushing it because my car makes a high whining sound when it stays like that. However, I drive a '98 civic. Better performance cars have higher gear ratios which allows them to stay in 1st gear longer.</p>
<p>my idea is that if its moving at any low speed (0.5to15 mph), you should have enough hand/foot coordination to keep it in second gear</p>
<p>No, not me</p>
<p>Probably because you don’t have enough hand/foot coordination. It’s okay. No worries.</p>
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<p>What are you talking about? It doesn’t take any more hand/foot coordination to keep it in second gear.</p>
<p>The guy in the Youtube video says to give gas before letting out the clutch when starting from a stopped position. Makes me think he is really not such a good person to teach driving a stick shift.<br>
Try [Getting</a> Moving: Learn How to Drive a Stick Shift: Manual Transmission Lessons: How To Drive A Stick Shift Car | eHow.com](<a href=“http://www.ehow.com/video_2327201_getting-moving-learn-how-drive.html]Getting”>http://www.ehow.com/video_2327201_getting-moving-learn-how-drive.html)</p>
<p>so i guess you lose redsox</p>
<p>Yeah he seems very unreliable, too bad he has helped many people on YouTube. Maybe he does it in a different method than you, but that does not necessarily mean it’s wrong. I push off the clutch half way and then push on the gas a little bit to get going.</p>
<p>And alright cs12345, I just tried it right now, and it worked fine! I got the car yesterday and have been practicing, and on a main road today it was going really slow in the afternoon since people were doing errands. Put it in 1st gear and the car was fine and it was not that bad at all. But it’s probably smarter just to put it into 2nd gear, or if you like shifting back and forth, then that’s fine too. This is not a competition cs, you were wrong that 1st gear goes up to 3mph, I never said you were wrong that you cannot be in 1st gear while in traffic. So, I guess you look like an idiot in the end.</p>
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<p>Wait, how else are you supposed to start? You can’t just let the clutch out with no gas.</p>
<p>By the way, what method do you guys use to stop the car? Do you either shift it to neutral or keep it in gear?</p>
<p>"Get Moving!
The method that has been most successful here at Standardshift has been the no-gas method. Not using the gas pedal at all while engaging the clutch in first gear seems to help people clue in more quickly to the friction point of the clutch, the all important point in which most of the engine power goes from idling freely to transferring through the transmission and then to the wheels. This varies from car to car. The friction point can be felt with the car starts moving, and engine RPMs drop usually along with the noise of the engine. This is also the point that many beginners let the clutch out too quickly, resulting in the engine lugging and the car bucking. Don’t worry, at such a slow speed, no serious damage will occur to the car, just a nick to your pride.</p>
<p>Congratulations! You just did the toughest part of driving a manual, starting from a standing stop!" (from Question and Answer Session with Race Driver Gary Sheehan at [Learn</a> How to Drive a Manual Transmission](<a href=“http://www.standardshift.com/faq.html]Learn”>Learn How to Drive a Manual Transmission))</p>
<p>redsox2002, Another problem with the 1st gear in traffic video is that what works for his car will not work for all cars – it depends on how they are geared. A lot of cars will drive better in 2nd gear in traffic. Please accept that there might be a better source out there somewhere other than your guy.</p>
<p>Here’s something about driving in traffic from edmunds car space:
"Note - this is different than how you drive an automatic vehicle. The goal isn’t to retain a close distance at all costs but to shift less and maintain a steady speed within a specific gear. This means that gaps open up and you tend to stay at higher RPMs than in an automatic. If you try to drive a manual in a traffic jam like an automatic, you’ll end up tired and frustrated. Sometimes people jump in front of you and that just happens.(see a typical Semi in traffic for a reference). Though, usually, because I’m running at higher rpms, I am the one who usually gets the jump on people. I’ve driven several miles in heavy traffic every day for years and I usually only shift maybe 5-6 times during the entire 3-4 mile section where it’s bad. Usually between 2nd and 3rd, because 3rd is roughly good for 20mph-60mph on my vehicle. 2nd I can keep in as long as it’s over ~2-3 mph. Technically I could start it in 2nd but the thing starts to get jerky below about 2mph… "</p>
<p>I’ve been driving a stick for only 2 years, but you can leave the car in 1st gear while in traffic. i’ve done it a few times, and my car has been fine, and it’s been much easier than shifting. but, i do agree, it’s smarter to put it into 2nd, which i do more often now. i drive a 2004 acura rsx type-s, it’s a blast!!</p>
<p>btw mrs. weasley, how can you say learning from a person who has another method is not reliable? maybe some people think putting some gas before taking your foot off the clutch is easier. i saw a few of his videos after redsox posted it, and he seems pretty good at driving a manual.</p>
<p>and yes, it depends on the type of car, mine does it in 1st gear fine. redsox2002 is not 100% wrong.</p>
<p>Mrs. Weasley, of course putting into 2nd gear is the better option. But, you can put the car in 1st gear. Also, you have to accept that just because that guy in the video does it a different method, that doesn’t mean he isn’t reliable. I said in my previous comment, it’s smarter to put it into 2nd gear, or shift back and forth.</p>
<p>So in conclusion, you CAN be in 1st gear in traffic, is it the best gear to be in while in traffic? No, not necessarily. But, can you put it in 1st and be okay? Yes!</p>
<p>Everyone drives a manual transmission car differently. So just because I said you can put it into 1st gear, don’t immediately say that’s wrong, because you can for many cars.</p>
<p>BTW, StepIntoTheArena, NICE Car!!!</p>
<p>It seems like people on CC like to start an argument over nothing.</p>
<p>redsox just said that you can keep the car in 1st while in traffic. that doesnt mean that we have to agree with him. maybe, from his experience, putting the car into 1st while in traffic has worked out. maybe for some of you, your cars just can’t handle being in 1st while in traffic. </p>
<p>so, to point out everyones flaws:
redsox2002: it’s better to be in 2nd gear while in traffic. it’s better because if you’re in 1st and going like 10 mph, you’re probably at a really high RPM, which is not good for the engine or gas mileage. </p>
<p>cs12345: “i guess you lose redsox” redsox is right, 1st gear can go over 3 mph easily. you were wrong there. </p>
<p>mrs. weasley: hahahaha…that’s all</p>
<p>and thanks redsox, it’s a great car. good gas mpg too for a powerful motor.</p>
<p>Actually, StepIntoTheArena, you and redsox are the only ones who have said anything about the Youtube guy’s reliability one way or another (coincidence?). Nor did I say anyone was “wrong”. I said that I didn’t think he was that good, obviously because I think that race car driver Gary Sheehan is a better driver than Youtube guy and I think Sheehan’s advice is better too. I offered a different view than yours, sorry it bothers you, but please let people make up their own minds.</p>
<p>LOL good for you mrs weasley. good for you. </p>
<p>glad you can think for yourself. </p>
<p>i agree with you for the most point. you’re right because 2nd gear in traffic is obviously better and more fuel efficient, and i did not know gary sheehan was a race car driver, maybe he is more reliable. i just agreed with red sox (it’s no coincidence, i read redsox’s comment, and i agreed with what he was saying) that s0ggyrice’s method is alright too.</p>
<p>Okay, after we got that out of the way. I will keep the car in 2nd if needed in traffic from now on. Gas mileage is more important than keeping it in one gear, so I’ll just change to 2nd. </p>
<p>But, if I keep it at 2nd, do I have to shift back into first when I want to come to complete halt or can 2nd gear bring me to 0? Sorry, I am still learning, I am not great at the methods yet.</p>
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<p>If you’re in 2nd and you want to stop you’ll need to put the clutch in (you’d need to do that in any gear). This means clutch in + brake pedal (to stop). If you leave it in 2nd and you slow down to the point that the car starts sputtering and gets jerky, just put the clutch in and if you feel like it, give it a little gas to clear off the spark plugs (depending on how much fuel you just unloaded on the plugs). Not necessary by any means, but if you have a performance car and have modded the carburetor so that it gets more fuel at the top end, but more than it needs at the low end, the spark plugs will foul if they get too much fuel.</p>
<p>I race cars (drag race and oval track) - and my drag car is street legal (heavily modded with performance engine parts & tires, but it’s still legal - has lights, wipers, is licensed, etc). And I have a Ford 9" rear end in it with 6.20 gears. A normal street car is geared considerably less (maybe 2.5-3.0 gears). So 1st gear in my car is very short…it’s less than 5 MPH. I ALWAYS start from a dead stop in 2nd gear because 1st gear lasts about 3 feet before I need to shift. It’s pointless and a waste of time for me to start out in 1st.</p>
<p>You’ll get the hang of it and finds what works best for you. Everybody is different. Trust me on that. I’ve been racing for 4 years, so I have a little bit of knowledge of what I’m talking about.</p>
<p>I could not use any gas when starting from a stop too, but it’s much easier to just give it a few revs when you reach the friction point.</p>