Ramps and gear

Little Bo Peep

I just want to check this one out. I was told by an instructor that you must get into second gear and slow right down for a ramp. So I have been trying my best to do all the driving test driving 100% of the time even though I think it would be grand to be in third going over ramps. I was giving someone a lift (a person who doesn't drive at all) and she asked me why I was changing gear for every ramp and she said it seemed weird! So I was wondering does it seem a bit weird and unnecessary maybe even in a test?? I was slowing down to about 15- 20km an hour. Would I get done for failure to make progress or just come across as inexperienced???? I've done the test twice already and would prefer not to have to do more than three!

charba

From what my instructor is telling me it all depends on the type of ramp what kind of speed you hit them at. But in general third gear and just below 40 is fine for ramps.
Just remember not to accelerate over the ramp. Take your foot off on approach and then seed up as you come off.If its one of the red brick long ramps slow down on approach speed up when on the ramp and then slow down when you are coming to the end of the ramp.

Your not slowing down and reducing your progression so it feels okay. I stand to be corrected though

Stark

I took every ramp on my test in 3rd and it was fine. There weren't many severe ramps in my area though. I think if your passengers are making "wtf?" comments, then you're probably safe to take your ramps in 3rd

Little Bo Peep

Thanks, yeah, it is very annoying though when an instructor tells you one thing and others disagree. My common sense tells me its safe to go over the low enough ramps in three and not slow down to 15-20kph. I think testers seem to differ in what they think though!

unreggd

L

my friend always tells me that but i never go into second

I stay in 3rd, slow on approach, then lightly accelerate back as the cars comin off the ramp

I still havent grasped goin down the gears

Same with stoppping, my friends go down through all the gears

I just come to a stop then go back into 1st/neutral

I prob shouldnt talk tho, my cars a piece o crap!


g'luck!

Jrad

I passed my test first time cause my instructor was very good. Golden rule is dont drive in such a way that the tester gets thrown around, i would defo fo to 2nd gear for all ramps as third gear could cause the engine to start knocking when you go to accelerate again.

dudara

Just covered this last night with my instructor. It all depends on the ramp. If they're spaced far apart, allowing you to progress between them, then you should drop down to 2nd in order to be able to accelerate away from them.

If they're close together, stay in 3rd and go over them nice and steady. It's all about adjusting to the road in front of you.

Wertz

A lot would depend on your car's engine too; a smaller engine will perhaps have a slightly higher revolution so will be able to proceed across the ramp slowly enough (depending on ramp type of course) in 3rd that the car isn't juddering...if you have a larger engine then 2nd is probably better.
I did a pretest yesterday (out tomorrow ) and one of the routes goes through an estate with a joyriding problem where the ramps are pretty sharp mounds of tarmac, I dropped to 2nd and braked for each, getting 3rd between them if distance allowed, no high revs, no failure to progress. Instructor said it was fine.
I find going over the ramps in my own estate in 3rd with braking is fine, although sometimes if I brake a little too hard the car will judder on acceleration, in which case I drop to 2nd momentarily.
Gearing down shows good car control, once you're not struggling to find gears or coasting
It's situation specific; I think the good rule of thumb is not to have the tester bouncing about in the passenger seat...

givyjoe81

Well it does depend on the ramp and whether you can get over it comfortably without jolting the occupants. Bit of a grey area but i took one ramp too fast in nass, was only about 20kmph but enough to move both of us slightly in our seats, it goes down under reaction to hazards.

Now if i had been in a merc with nice suspension and not a fiat punto, perhaps we would have taken it more smoothly and i woudlnt have been marked for it.

So id say forget what your friend says, ramps are there to slow you down anyway!! Some you can get away with barely slowing down but the ones on the test route in naas, no way, and even in walkinstown where i live, no way can you get away with staying 3rd gear, think of bunting road and along limekiln by tymon park.

Mad_Max

Just make sure you never go over one at nearly 30mph unless you have a sunroof :D Didn't see one in Ballyfermot the other day, i really wish i was in 2nd

Stark

There are quite a few ramps on the Finglas test route that you can over at 30mph. The black ramps on Tolka Valley Road and Old Finglas Road and the bus cushions on Ballygall Road can all be taken at 30mph. There are two reddish ramps on Old Finglas Road that you need to slow down for, but they can still be taken in 3rd gear. And then there are some fiendish ramps on a little road off the Tolka valley road that must definitely be taken in 2nd.

the_syco

What I do is slow down before it, so that I go over it not so fast. Most people I know break about 3 meters before the ramp, and let the foot off the break as you get to the ramp, so that the front of the car goes up (so it doesn't hit the ramp).

Wishbone Ash

the_syco wrote: »

What I do is slow down before it.... ..........let the foot off the break as you get to the ramp

As the man says^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^.

The amount of people who are braking as they hit the ramp never ceases to amaze me. Do they not realise that the centre of gravity is then forward and therefore increases the effect of the ramp onto the vehicle and passengers.

NumberEight

"Just make sure you never go over one at nearly 30mph unless you have a sunroof Didn't see one in Ballyfermot the other day, i really wish i was in 2nd"

Just passed my C test in an eighteen-ton Volvo FL6 truck today, dont talk to me about ramps!!! I was taking them at 20kph in 3rd gear (a very low gear for a truck) and I thought the box on the back was going to come off with the thuds and slam noises it was making as the back wheels went over it, all that was going on while myself and the tester found out what an ejector seat felt like... thank christ for the seatbelt holding me to the seat!!

Can't recommend Churchtown School of Motoring (Dublin 14) enough... great instructors and their truck is fab to drive, straight-6 gearbox, no 16-speed split gearboxes for me thank you!! Their number is 01-2989219 for anyone thinking of going for the full C licence

chris85

charba wrote: »

From what my instructor is telling me it all depends on the type of ramp what kind of speed you hit them at. But in general third gear and just below 40 is fine for ramps.
Just remember not to accelerate over the ramp. Take your foot off on approach and then seed up as you come off.If its one of the red brick long ramps slow down on approach speed up when on the ramp and then slow down when you are coming to the end of the ramp.

Your not slowing down and reducing your progression so it feels okay. I stand to be corrected though

40 over a ramp, are you mad. You must be living in an area with gentle ramps. As a rule of thumb for tests always take the ramp in 2nd. You brake before the ramp, into second (about 20 kph), as your front wheels go over accelerate gently to bring the rest of the car with you.

if its a normal ramp and you go over in 3rd your car will struggle a little, and if the instructor notices you will get a mark for progression.

charba

Well you're not doing 40 by the time you reach the ramp.
I sat my test in Finglas last week and did this. I didn't get a grade two on ramps and it was fine going over them in 3rd gear. (Unfortunately I messed up other things).
And like I posted before it really does depend on the ramp. If you are unsure do slow down and see what feels comfortable.

chris85

charba wrote: »

Well you're not doing 40 by the time you reach the ramp.
I sat my test in Finglas last week and did this. I didn't get a grade two on ramps and it was fine going over them in 3rd gear. (Unfortunately I messed up other things).
And like I posted before it really does depend on the ramp. If you are unsure do slow down and see what feels comfortable.

Ok well then dont say doing 40, gives the impression that this is the speed going over the ramp. 3rd might do on really soft ramp but 2nd is what should be used as there is no chance of the engine struggling.

if you are going 20 on a normal road, you would do it in 2nd gear, why would you do it in 3rd over a ramp?

charba

I did say just below 40 and take your foot off the accelerator before you hit the
ramp in my first post.

I'm sorry if i was misleading to the OP I didn't mean to hit the ramps at 40 Kph.
But I was trying to get across that you don't need to go down to second for all ramps which is what the OP was asking

SmashingPilot

Just received my letter now, on my way in from school. My test is in Wicklow, 19th Februaury.

Funny how this is the first thing I thought of when taking the test. I'm never sure whether to take a ramp in second or third. I'll be sure to ask my instructor all my exceptional questions. :rolleyes:

Hopefully I'll have time to do the test on that date as I think its in the middle of my mock exams for the auld Leaving Cert.