Quote:
Originally Posted by Ultramaroon
A quick flick out of first with immediate fingertip pressure into second usually does the trick.
If not quick enough then I also double clutch to spool up the input side for a second try. I never lean into the gear selector.
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I would like to build on this with my standard knob lecture.
The biggest problem I see whenever teaching people to drive MT is the desire to grab that shift knob with a death grip and hammer it around just like they see in movies and on TV. When you grab that knob firmly some basic physics and psychology combine to make shifting way harder than it needs to be.
Shift gates actually have a fair bit of leeway to them even though they may not seem too. When you grab a shift knob firmly you are negating that leeway. A firm grip on the knob makes your body a fixed part of the shift linkage. If you do not have your hand, arm and even shoulder in exactly the right position throughout the whole action of shifting you can be resisting the gate and where the shift lever want's to go naturally. That is the physics. The psychology comes in when you meet the resistance since the brain's automatic response to this is to tell the body to simply push harder. Sure pushing harder will work but if the lever and gates are allowed to do their thing then that force should not be required.
I only tickle my knob and never grip it for any reason so I have never once had an issue with the gating in any car.
A firm grip on the knob like this means I have to maintain my whole arm in just the right spot throughout the whole shift to hit a gate:
When moving the lever up and away a light yet rapid push, with just the heel of the palm, in the basic direction allows the lever and linkage to find and slide into the gate all on it's own:
When moving the lever down or down and away then just a light touch with the tips of a couple of fingers does again let's the lever find the gate:
Toward you and up or down is just a couple of fingers and the same light pressure.
Doing these things will help with the speed of the shift since you are not losing precious micro seconds finding or fighting the gates and prevent the brain from using the more force corrective action if you are off by a bit.
Caress your knob don't beat on it! Give it a try if you don't already do this. It will feel weird at first but if done right you will quickly see what I mean.