How to learn to drive a manual car

When you get behind the wheel for the first time, even a confident person gets nervous. Therefore, it is important to know theoretically how to properly learn to drive a manual car. Then the instructor’s explanations will not seem like something supernatural. The SAI Driving School will talk about how to learn to drive a manual car, and we will study all stages of movement and braking.

Important Notes

Before you get behind the wheel, you need to study the structure of the car, the traffic rules, and find out where the controls are located. Information about possible malfunctions and rules for providing first aid will not be superfluous. Anything can happen on the road. After studying the topic of driving, you can begin practical lessons.

How to start a car for beginners: step by step

Before moving off, the driver must do the following:

Visually inspect the vehicle, check the wheels, headlights, dimensions, and eliminate oil and fuel leaks.
Place the seat in a comfortable position and adjust the side mirrors.
Fasten your seat belt and check the seat belts of passengers.

After this, you can further learn the basics of driving for beginners using mechanics. Learn the pedals and their locations. For beginners, the car often stalls, because... they don't sense the vehicle. The pedals are arranged in the following order:

clutch;
brake;
gas.

The right foot presses the gas and brake, the left foot presses the clutch. The clutch must be pressed all the way, and the gas and brake must be pressed carefully, because they are sensitive to influence. Next we will talk in detail about how to properly use a manual clutch.

Exam in the city

The last test on the way to a driver's license will be driving on a city route. This part determines most of all whether the student will get a license or not.

There are some recommendations for driving a training car along the city route:

the student must first adjust all the mirrors so that he feels comfortable driving;
the seat is additionally adjusted so that the entire road and mirrors are in view;
It is not recommended to be nervous during the exam, as this can cause mistakes;
it is required to comply with the established speed limit (students are not allowed to travel along the route faster than 40 kilometers per hour);
you need to concentrate as much as possible on the road, since inspectors often provoke mistakes;
it is necessary to carefully monitor road signs, since failure to comply with them is a serious mistake;
stopping is allowed only in places that are intended for this, and do not have permanent or temporary restrictions.

Taking into account all these recommendations, an applicant for a driver’s license will not have any significant difficulties during the test when passing the exam part in the city.

To avoid any difficulties during the traffic police exam, you should follow a number of recommendations that are regularly used by driving school instructors with extensive work experience.

How to get moving

Before moving off, you need to go through all the points written above. Perhaps you want to know how to quickly learn to drive a manual car, and it seems to you that you don’t need to waste time on the little things. In the future, preparation will not take much time. But a beginner should develop the right habits.

After preparation, follow the following algorithm of actions:

Press the clutch pedal;
Remove the car from the handbrake;
Engage neutral if the lever is not in the desired position, and the indicator on the control panel will go out;
Release the clutch;
Press the clutch pedal all the way down;
Engage first gear;
Smoothly press the gas pedal and after a couple of meters, simultaneously release the clutch.

If the car stalls, start starting the car from the first point. Driving for beginners with a manual from scratch does not always go smoothly and that’s normal. It is advisable to conduct the first lessons on a special platform so that you can stop the car without damage. Repeat the exercise until the movement becomes smooth and the engine stops stalling.

Theoretical part

Passing the traffic police exam, which includes theory, site and city driving, begins with exam tickets. The first stage begins with a visit to the executive body. Testing takes place here in a special room.

In this case, moving to the next stage involves the following algorithm of actions:

the examinee is allowed to access a computer on which a special theoretical test is already open;
after pressing the corresponding button, a limited period of time is allotted for the test;
the examinee is given a ticket that includes 20 questions, which are displayed on the screen in stages;
here it is allowed to make two mistakes, as well as answer additional questions if necessary;
Based on the test results, the result is displayed on the screen, where the person taking the theoretical part sees his mistakes.

Only after passing this stage, the applicant for a driver’s license is allowed to enter another part of the event - the site.

In practice, there is a video on the Internet where you can figure out how to pass your driving test at the traffic police (site) the first time, so as not to make mistakes, you can use the appropriate guide.

How to brake

Gradually learning how to learn to drive a manual car, you should not only be able to start, but also brake. The brake pedal is sensitive, so you need to press it smoothly. To brake, go through the following steps:

With your left foot, press the clutch pedal all the way;
Press the brake pedal with your right foot;
After stopping the car, put the gearshift lever in the neutral position;
Release the clutch pedal;
Raise the brake handle;
Take your foot off the brake pedal.

If circumstances force you to brake sharply, do not depress the clutch.

Clothes, anxiety, sedatives

For the practical exam, it is more rational to choose clothes that do not restrict movement and comfortable shoes. How can you tell if you're properly equipped? If nothing interferes, it means your choice was correct.

It is better not to take sedatives before getting behind the wheel, as they slow down the reaction. But what if you feel that strong anxiety can prevent you from successfully completing the race track? To reduce stress, you should learn at least 2-3 relaxation exercises in advance. And in general, there is no need to worry! Although it’s easy to talk about this, not everyone is able to control their emotions. Just know that the test is at the racetrack

It is considered a stage of medium difficulty, which most beginners pass on the first try.

Gear shift

The gearbox for beginners seems somewhat complicated, although shifting is easy to understand under the guidance of an instructor. Gears should be changed with the clutch pedal depressed. You can tell when to upshift or downshift by looking at the engine sound, speed, or rpm on the tachometer.

To determine the need to switch by sound, you need to spend a lot of time driving. Only experienced drivers with many years of experience can change gears using it. For beginners, it is better to focus on speed. There are 5 gears, switching between them occurs depending on the speed of the car. It is important to ensure that the lower speed limit matches the gear.

1 - up to 20 km/h;
2 - 20-40 km/h;
3 - 40-60 km/h;
4 - 60-90 km/h;
5 - 90 km/h or more.

After the car has started moving, put it in first gear, then switch to second. At the same time, press the clutch pedal, take your foot off the gas pedal and engage second gear. After this you can release the clutch. When moving from one gear to another, pressing the pedals must be repeated step by step each time, as described above.

Gradually, driving a manual car will become commonplace for beginners, and all movements will be performed automatically.

Maximum time for delivery of the circuit

The driver has 2 minutes to complete each exercise. Plus, additional time is given to move between exercises at a speed of 10 km/h.

Please note that the maximum time for passing the exam for each circuit is calculated in advance.

For example, the exam is taken at a regular (non-automated) race track. The length of the route between exercises is 250 meters. Design speed 10 km/h = 166.7 m/min.

Time is given to complete 5 exercises: 5 * 2 = 10 minutes.

Allowed for movement between exercises: t = S/V = 250/166.7 = 1.5 minutes.

Those. 11.5 minutes are allotted for the delivery of the specified circuit.

During the exam, only the total time taken to complete the exam is monitored.

For example, if you complete 4 exercises in 4 minutes, then you will have 6 minutes left for the last (most difficult) exercise.

How to drive in reverse

Controlling mechanics for beginners will not be difficult if you practice each skill repeatedly. The same rule applies to mastering reverse gear. Before reversing, select a gear, depending on your vehicle. The algorithm of actions is as follows:

Depress the clutch, start the engine;
Engage reverse gear;
Lower the brake lever;
Smoothly press the gas and release the clutch.

After performing these steps, the car will go backwards. The driver should control the direction of travel. Some look in mirrors, others prefer to turn around their whole body. The first option is safer, although it is more difficult to master. In the course we learn how to drive a car with a manual transmission and control reverse movement using two methods.

Basic exercises

The driver must be able to perform on the race track:

Turns . Examiners may require you to demonstrate first the right, then the left, or vice versa, this depends on the characteristics of the race track. You need to change the trajectory of movement strictly by 90 degrees.
Overpass . This is a hill on which you need to stop at the stop line at the beginning of the journey so that the vehicle rolls back no more than 0.3 m. Then there will be another border, in front of it you should stop moving and resume it on command. Then they drive downhill and stop in front of the third stop line.

Overpass

U-turn . The maneuver is performed in a limited space using reverse gear and the appropriate method of movement. Moreover, you can enable it only once.
"Snake" . It is made by precisely following a segment bounded by cones. This means you will have to turn either right or left. The organizers can set the order of changing the route at the site arbitrarily.
Entry into boxing . The car is placed between the racks so that you can get out of there without using reverse gear. And the front clearance of the car should overlap the control markings. That is, you need to follow into this narrow “pocket” in reverse gear, using it once.

Entry into boxing

Parallel parking . Before starting the maneuver, you must stop when the control line is crossed. Then they drive into place using reverse gear (it can also only be engaged once). The car is positioned so that the projection of the left side of the car is beyond the control line.

How to park

A car parking exercise is offered at the end of the lesson. Parking your car is not difficult, but you need to remember about the possibility of rolling back. To avoid this, follow the following algorithm:

Press the clutch pedal and then the brake pedal;
Move the gear lever to neutral, release the clutch;
Turn off the engine;
Put the vehicle on the handbrake;
Take your foot off the brake pedal.

To avoid rolling back, especially in winter, we recommend putting the car in first gear. On a slope, turn the wheels so that if you accidentally move, they hit the curb or bring the car to the side of the road.

New schemes and exercises

New exercises that have been added since 2016 are straight turns and driving through a signalized intersection. The latter should only be performed on an automated site. That is, tracking sensors, traffic lights, markings, pedestrian crossings, and signs are required. Travel is carried out in accordance with clauses 13.4-13.8 of the traffic rules.

There was a “snake” before, but the movement pattern during the maneuver changed slightly. Now organizers can alternate zigzags in any order - right after left or vice versa. The same rule applies to 90 degree turns. They can also alternate in accordance with the site layout.

Emergency maneuverability

Typically, manual driving lessons for beginners are conducted in a calm environment and on a flat surface. However, on a real road, surprises occur after every turn. Therefore, a beginner should practice emergency maneuverability skills so as not to lose his head in a dangerous situation. The exercises are as follows:

braking - the driver accelerates and brakes sharply;
avoiding obstacles - tires are laid out on the site and the driver must go around them at the last moment;
recovery from a skid - the driver brakes sharply on a slippery surface.

While doing the exercises, remember how the car behaved in a critical situation. Manual driving training takes place at the SAI driving school in Yekaterinburg. We offer in-person and distance learning for driver's licenses. Visiting hours are morning and evening. Call and fill out an application for driving courses!

Choosing driving equipment

Let's look at the features of choosing the right equipment for the racetrack. The fact is that the right clothes can make passing the exam much easier, while the “wrong” clothes can create additional difficulties when driving.

Shoes for the racing track

Let's start with choosing shoes for the racetrack. I recommend wearing sneakers or boots with thin soles when driving. The thinner the better. Such shoes allow you to smoothly adjust the force of pressing the pedals in the car, this will come in handy.

Shoes should not be too wide, because... otherwise, your foot will hit adjacent pedals when pressed. I recommend wearing shoes without heels. Believe me, it will be more convenient.

If the weather outside is not suitable (cold, wet, hot, snowing, etc.) and you cannot walk to the race track in shoes that are comfortable for driving, then take them with you and change your shoes. Comfortable shoes will go unnoticed in the car, but uncomfortable ones will cause a lot of problems.

Note. In driving schools you can find instructors who are skeptical about changing shoes before getting into a car. They motivate this by the fact that a candidate driver must be able to drive in any shoes. Don't pay any attention to them.

Your task is to complete the training and pass the exam the first time. After driving school, you will have many more years ahead of you and, if you wish, you can learn to drive in both felt boots and flip-flops.

Clothing for the racing track

For the racetrack, you should choose clothes in which you will feel most comfortable. I recommend taking off your outerwear before getting into the car, especially since you can always put a jacket or coat in the back seat. Never wear clothes with wide sleeves when driving! If you put it on, you will get confused when turning the steering wheel, I guarantee it.

To successfully pass the exam, you need to learn to perform all the exercises very well, one might say, with your eyes closed. This will be discussed in the following articles in the series.

To take a little break from studying, I advise you to watch a fun video about passing the traffic police exam:

See you in the next article “Overpass (Gorka)”.

How to pass the site to the traffic police the first time? First, you should familiarize yourself in detail with the entire procedure for the driver's license exam. Attention must be paid to all key points of the exam, as well as preparation and emotional state. Additionally, attention is paid to proper rest before the exam at the traffic police department. Passing the driving test at the test track is the second part of the test. An applicant for a driver's license is allowed to apply for it after successfully passing the theoretical part. If you fail to pass the theory the first time, then a second attempt is available, but the applicant for a driver’s license being examined is not allowed to the site.