How To Drive A Manual Car

👉 Manual driving terms
👉 The pedals: what's what
👉 The handbrake
👉 How to start the car
👉 Driving uphill
👉 Reversing
👉 Avoiding clutch burnout
👉 How is a manual different from an automatic?
👉 Driving with a disability
👉 Conclusion

Driving a manual car is the bread and butter of driving. Most people tend to learn in a manual and stick with them for their whole car journey. Learning to drive a manual car is a great way to gain a deeper understanding of driving. It's like mastering a new skill – with practice and patience, you'll be cruising in no time!

Let’s take a look at everything you need to know about driving a manual car.

Manual Driving Terms

Welcome to your car glossary! Here, you'll find definitions for many car-related terms that you might encounter. We'll likely use these terms throughout this blog.

Gears – Car gears help control how fast a car goes and how powerful it is. If you want to go quicker, you will tend to increase the gear number. A higher gear tends to equal a higher speed.

Handbrake – This helps you secure your car in place. Pulling the handbrake every time you leave your car is a must… you don’t want to be chasing your car down a hill!

Clutch – This is the left pedal in a manual car. It connects and disconnects the engine from the transmission, allowing you to change gears and start or stop the car. You will need to have the clutch down when changing gears or releasing the handbrake. Make sure you slowly release the clutch, as a quick release can lead to you stalling.

Stall – A car stall happens when the engine suddenly stops working. This can happen if you’ve released the clutch too quickly or if the car is in the wrong gear.

Brake – This is responsible for bringing the car to a stop; the harder you press, the quicker a car comes to a stop. When you are coming to a stationary stop, your brake will need to be fully pressed down.

Accelerator — Another pedal, the accelerator, is responsible for getting you moving. Pressing down on the accelerator will increase your speed, but you don’t need to fully press it down.

Biting point – The biting point is the moment when the clutch and the engine start to work together to move the car. In a manual car, when you slowly lift your foot off the clutch pedal while pressing the accelerator, you reach a point where the car begins to move forward—this is the biting point.

The Pedals: What's What

In a manual car you have three pedals. From right to left these are:

• Accelerator: As the name suggests, this helps you get going. Press the accelerator down, and your car's speed increases.
• Brake: Next to your accelerator is the brake, which is responsible for helping you stop. Again, pressing down will bring your car to a stop, although the amount you need to push the pedal down differs from the accelerator. When you come to a stop, your foot will need to be fully pressed down on the brake. You don’t need to do this for the accelerator; a little press can get you moving forward.
• Clutch: The clutch is your go-to for changing gears. Whenever you want to change gears, your clutch must be fully down. Once the gear is in place, slowly walk the clutch up until you aren’t pressing it anymore. If you are stationary and the handbrake is on, you again will need to drop the clutch to unlock the handbrake.

The Handbrake

You might have heard the phrase ‘putting the handbrake on things’. The handbrake is a really important part of the car that must be used properly. The handbrake secures your car when you are stationary and stops it rolling when you turn the engine off. In a manual, the handbrake should always go on when you are leaving the car. The handbrake can also be helpful in giving you a couple of seconds to get your biting point. Your biting point is the point you need to reach to get the car moving and involves lifting the clutch to a point where you feel the car moving. If you are on a hill, putting the handbrake on can give you time to get your biting point and accelerate instead of going backwards.

How To Start The Car

You know the basics of a manual; now it’s time to start the car. The RAC has developed a fantastic step-by-step guide to starting a manual car. We’ve summarised this guide below:

1. Seatbelt up.
2. Start the ignition.
3. Press the clutch to the floor.
4. Shift the gear stick left, then up into first gear.
5. Gently press the accelerator whilst still pressing the clutch fully down.
6. Lift the clutch until it vibrates, indicating that you have your biting point.
7. Release your handbrake.
8. Lift the clutch and press more into the accelerator, and you’re off. (don’t take your foot off the clutch too quickly, or you’ll stall)

Driving Uphill

As we briefly mentioned before, driving uphill in a manual can be tough. Getting your biting point right is tricky, and with the pressure of other cars around you, this can sometimes be too much for manual drivers. Let’s look at how to drive a manual car uphill and help you avoid getting stranded. If you are stationary on a hill, apply the handbrake. This helps secure the car in place and gives your legs a rest! When it comes to getting going again, take the time to find your biting point (this will likely be higher on a hill) and only release the handbrake when you feel a vibration in the clutch. In some cases, you might need to press the accelerator down a bit firmer than normal, but otherwise, you should be good to go on a hill. You can sit on a hill by just applying the clutch and getting a biting point, but this isn’t recommended. You will only do more harm than good to your clutch here, and so you’re best applying the handbrake.

Reversing

Reversing might sound tricky, but in reality, it’s really simple. To move your car into reverse, depress the clutch fully and move the gear down and to the left (most reverse gears are located here, but check yours before attempting to reverse). Now, simply walk the clutch up like you would in any gear, and the car should start moving. You can reverse the car by gently lifting the clutch, but this will damage the clutch over time, so you’re best off using the accelerator. Once you are happy with the reverse, either secure the car or get it in a forward gear and drive away! Be aware that you won’t need to press the accelerator down much, as you are unlikely to be reversing at any real speed.

Avoiding Clutch Burnout

Your clutch can burn out over time if it isn’t cared for. This happens when the clutch overheats and slowly breaks down. Here are some of the most common reasons for the clutch burning out.

• Driving in slow-moving traffic often.
• Changing gears too slowly.
• Driving aggressively.
• Resting your hand on the gearstick.
• Keeping the car in gear at traffic lights.

Avoid these bad habits and help your clutch stand the test of time.

How Is A Manual Different From An Automatic?

A manual car is very different to an automatic car. If you are looking to get yourself a car and are not sure which is better, this list of differences could come in handy.

• A manual car has a clutch pedal, whereas automatics don’t.
• A manual car has a physical gearstick that you need to operate to change gears. An automatic does this for you.
• A manual car requires a lot more physical effort than an automatic.
• The handbrake in a manual car is located between the driver and the passenger. In some automatics this is still the case, but many have the handbrake on the steering wheel, with the touch of a button all you need to engage the car.
• Manual cars tend to be cheaper than automatics.

Are you interested in getting an automatic car? Take a look at our blog covering all things automatic driving.

Driving With A Disability

If you have a disability, your driving experience may be slightly different to other people. For advice on how to learn to drive with a disability, visit our dedicated blog ‘learning to drive with a disability’.

Conclusion

When it comes to driving a manual car, you can easily become overwhelmed by everything. However, if you work through the steps in this guide and take your time, driving a manual car should become a doddle.

Driving a manual car definitely requires more effort compared to an automatic car, but this is a massive positive for many people. They feel closer to the road and more involved when driving a manual.

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