Question for the experienced manual drivers..

[einzlr]

Originally Posted by enjoi23

you're right there aren't hills. but there are highway ramps to get onto other highways that go pretty high and inclined. AND they have traffic at times. I wouldn't need to use it all the time, but I just want to be prepared for when I do.

Very smart!

You've gotten some good tips in this thread. Are you starting to catch on what it is you need to practice?

I learned how to start on a steep slope by watching my father do it in San Francisco (on streets like the one that goes up to Lombard like someone here mentioned lol). Use the handbrake to hold the car. Carefully let out the clutch and get on the gas til just past the engagement point and you can feel the car fighting the handbrake. Then start slowly easing off the handbrake. So you're balancing three things at once: clutch, gas, handbrake. If you can, find a *slightly* sloped empty street to practice, then move on to steeper slopes. That would be the ideal case to learn; unfortunately the world isn't really set up like that so you have to do the best you can lol

[einzlr]

Originally Posted by Gen

Just practice on this.

Where is that?

[BuBlake]

It will come with time. I remember pulling out of certain parking lots here in Houston was terrifying at first. Learning exactly where the clutch grab point is and stopping being afraid of hills kind of go hand and hand.

I just hold the brake with my right and release the clutch until I feel it grab just enough to take the engine rpm down without stalling, then I quickly slide my foot off the brake and onto the gas and accelerate normally. I have never tried the handbrake technique because I haven't needed it here in Houston.

[themadpants]

Originally Posted by einzlr

Very smart!

Use the handbrake to hold the car. Carefully let out the clutch and get on the gas til just past the engagement point and you can feel the car fighting the handbrake. Then start slowly easing off the handbrake. So you're balancing three things at once: clutch, gas, handbrake.

This is actually the technically correct way to hill start. The best kind of correct

I used to instruct drivers in South Africa, where most people drive manuals, and a hill start is actually part of your test (along with alleyway and parallel parking) on a controlled course at the DMV.

ANY rollback is an automatic fail, as it is unsafe and you are not in control of your car.

Oh, and people talking about burning out your clutch? If you are concerned about that on a hill start, your revs are far too high!

Practice makes perfect, and the above method is definitely the textbook method.

Flame suit on!

[Jwong]

you could try using the e brake method

[dori.]

I just 'catch' the car with the clutch (after letting go of the brake) then add RPMs. usually the amount you slip the clutch isn't any more than a normal start on level ground.

[jmaryt]

Originally Posted by enjoi23

I'm pretty good at driving standard, but the slopes still are nervewrecking for me. I was wondering how you guys go about driving up slopes.. and slopes in traffic. I get the whole parking break thing, but I feel like that would burn either my clutch or break if I keep doing that up a slope during traffic. . .

Originally Posted by Vladror

find yourself a quiet uphill road and practice till you get it, that's how my dad taught me 20 years ago...
the concept is quite easy but it really does take a lot of practice: you need to find the spot where the engine 'holds' the car, with the clutch fully engaged.
if your RPMs are too low, the car will stall, if too high, it will lunge forward.
the mistake that most people make is that they try to prevent either by using the clutch to compensate, and that's what will burn it in the long run.
the amount of RPM you need will vary on the steepness of the slope, so that's a matter of experience but in this car 2500 RPM should be more or less all you need in most situations. Once you get the right revs, you can release break and clutch at more of less the same time as the clutch will grip when the handbrakes stops gripping.
So remember, use your throttle to control the car, not the clutch. When done well a hill start requires as much clutch engagement as a normal gear shift.

Originally Posted by frosty86

i'd rather burn the clutch a little bit instead of backing up into someone's car... so i always use the e-brake to be 100% sure. But that's just me.

this is correct! (throw tranny in neutral) learned this 45 years ago! this eliminates "burning" up the clutch,and properly holds the car on the grade,until you are ready to engage first,and move forward!

[jmaryt]

Originally Posted by dori.

I just 'catch' the car with the clutch (after letting go of the brake) then add RPMs. usually the amount you slip the clutch isn't any more than a normal start on level ground.

no need to "slip" the clutch at all!

[raul]

Originally Posted by ML

The absolute first attempt I ever had in a manual at 14 was up a hill in reverse in the grass....sideways....with no shoes on....in the snow....and there was a cougar in the car with me.

How did you do Ricky?

[whaap]

Originally Posted by jmaryt

no need to "slip" the clutch at all!

Maybe it's just a play on words but you can't help but slip the clutch each time you take your foot off the clutch pedal. How much depends on how well you can handle a manual.

[jmaryt]

Originally Posted by dori.

I just 'catch' the car with the clutch (after letting go of the brake) then add RPMs. usually the amount you slip the clutch isn't any more than a normal start on level ground.

Originally Posted by themadpants

This is actually the technically correct way to hill start. The best kind of correct

I used to instruct drivers in South Africa, where most people drive manuals, and a hill start is actually part of your test (along with alleyway and parallel parking) on a controlled course at the DMV.

ANY rollback is an automatic fail, as it is unsafe and you are not in control of your car.

Oh, and people talking about burning out your clutch? If you are concerned about that on a hill start, your revs are far too high!

Practice makes perfect, and the above method is definitely the textbook method.

Flame suit on!

no flame here,as this is "dead nuts" accurate! absolutely correct! no need to slip the clutch,and your revs do NOT need to be high to accomplish this! balancing clutch,gas,and e-brake gets it done!

[00NissanNinja]

I was never told to try the e brake thing when I was learning to drive (I learned on stick). Add to that that it was a truck with a foot ebrake I said forget learning that. So eventually I just got used to timing the release of the brake and clutch and getting on the gas a bit as the clutch starts to engage. When I was starting out I used to look at the revs to see if they were dropping that's when I knew to start adding gas. Just have to practice, I used to practice (and from time to time still do) in our driveway since its a pretty decent incline

[DjDATZ]

Originally Posted by be6sti

One last thing in my state anyway if while driving a manual car if you roll back into someone it's actually the other persons fault for not keeping a safe distance. Check into that

Hitting someone from behind is always the driver's fault behind, but you rolling into their car doesn't apply unless they're RIGHT on your tail. However, if you roll into them, it could be argued that it's still your fault.

I get where you're trying to go with this, but NO ONE should rely on this tidbit of information.

[motofan]

Originally Posted by enjoi23

I'm pretty good at driving standard, but the slopes still are nervewrecking for me. I was wondering how you guys go about driving up slopes.. and slopes in traffic. I get the whole parking break thing, but I feel like that would burn either my clutch or break if I keep doing that up a slope during traffic. . .

Find summer a job in San Francisco or Seattle downtown which includes free parking.