Coasting

VW08

agrajag wrote: »

Thanks for the replies, I do think I'm over-complicating things alright

Can't imagine why anyone would want to have the clutch in while cornering though :P

If there going to fast around the corner, most likely.

Unless, when you say cornering you mean reversing around the corner, in which case you would need the clutch.

Wishbone Ash

Thread merged.

woop

agrajag wrote: »

Thanks for the replies, I do think I'm over-complicating things alright

Can't imagine why anyone would want to have the clutch in while cornering though :P

you would need it but not a lot in a test if at all as you shouldnt be entering a corner at speed in the first place

if you have too high a gear entering a corner youll lack power getting out so you change down before going into a corner to keep revs up and thus power when exiting so smoother but honestly not needed when learning

butterflyer

hi. i was told by my instructor that i coasted when changing down the gears especially when going downhill. so now ive managed to stop myself. at first i found that when i took my foot off the clutch there was jerkiness. i take my foot off it more gradually now but its still a bit jerky. my instructor said its grand and that its only something that i notice myself but i still feel a little anxious about it. maybe it has something to do with my car, its a vw 98 1.4L. anyone else have the same experience?

DancingDaisy

I would think that the jump is something that with practice will stop. I had the same issue in a 98 Renault Megane and it has just about stopped now, because I have become even more accustomed to the clutch!

eoin5

I'm no expert but I found that getting my speed down a lot first before changing the gear made the change much smoother, especially changing from third to second.

DancingDaisy

Going down the gears then that is definitely the way to go, but if I'm changing up the gear, a decrease in speed generally makes my engine grumble at me, cos it no longer requires a gear change!

Alanstrainor

but if I'm changing up the gear, a decrease in speed generally makes my engine grumble at me, cos it no longer requires a gear change!

Why would you slow down while changing up gear?

Cabaal

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Why would you slow down while changing up gear?

I'm also curious about this, this would cause the engine to struggle that bit when you go to the higher gear...surely you should slightly speed up and then change to higher gear

Wishbone Ash

Thread merged.

DancingDaisy

I don't decrease speed, it was just in answer to eoin5, it was what happened in the very beginning when I was first learning gears and I took my foot off the accelerator for too long and speed dropped. The engine struggled. I was making the point that it is a bad idea by using my own experience.

Sorry if I was confusing.

Rowley Birkin QC

Try keeping the cost of a new clutch in mind. Should get rid of that habit pretty quickly.

05D

Put a automatically refillable whoopy cushion on the clutch!

meremortal

Hey, this may make no sense to anyone else and may not be completely true technically - but teach yourself that..... when you change down the gears they do not come in effect until you release the clutch so you need to release the clutch each time to make each gear change count. By going from 5-4-3-2 with the clutch down is the same as going straight from 5 - 2.

Also - let the gears slow you down, as you release the clutch after changing down a gear, by releasing the clutch slowly you will feel the car pull back slightly. Now when I'm on long stretches of road with no one around, or coming to a red light with no one behind me I practice slowing to almost a complete stop without using the brake, simply by using 4 - release, 3 release, then finally, 2 release, brake, clutch, brake. (Or more specifically slight brake, clutch -just as car feels it might begin to shudder, brake.

Test in two weeks eeek!!! Good luck to everyone else too!!

Wishbone Ash

meremortal wrote: »

Also - let the gears slow you down, as you release the clutch after changing down a gear, by releasing the clutch slowly you will feel the car pull back slightly. Now when I'm on long stretches of road with no one around, or coming to a red light with no one behind me I practice slowing to almost a complete stop without using the brake, simply by using 4 - release, 3 release, then finally, 2 release, brake, clutch, brake. (Or more specifically slight brake, clutch -just as car feels it might begin to shudder, brake

Why on earth do you slow down without using the brake? That's what it's for! Gears to go - brakes to slow!

Brakes pads are a lot cheaper than a new clutch.

Try slowing down an articulated vehicle using the engine and you'll find yourself in hospital or laid out.

spaceylou

Wishbone - your not my instructor by any chance are you haha - her mantra is pretty much "brakes to slow - gears to go" was nearly saying it in my sleep after the first few lessons!!!

I'm still learning to drive (applying for test in next week or two) so I'm no expert but after reading the thread - why would anyone keep the clutch in going around a corner?? When the clutch is in, the car isn't in any gear and you have feck all control.....and the same when you are going down the gears if you keep the clutch in while you are moving the gear stick and not letting the clutch out then none of the gears are actually connecting (probably is a more technical term) so why bother wasting your time moving the gear stick around for no reason just go to the gear you are aiming for!

Overature

the most likely reason that they will fail you is
1: not making progress (driving slowely)
2: road position (be on the left hand side of the left lane)

theres more but i cant remember at the moment

daveharnett

spaceylou wrote: »

why would anyone keep the clutch in going around a corner??

Many learners tend to change down too soon when decelerating, causing a little jerk when they release the clutch, as the engine matches it's revs to the wheels.
So, if they approach a corner too fast, they will keep the clutch (and possibly brake) down through the corner, rather than have the car jerk as they enter it.

The solution is to slow down sooner, choose an appropriate gear before starting the turn, and accelerate (gently) into the corner. This makes things smoother and safer.

spaceylou

so essentially what you are saying is that it is a bad habit that learners get into?? In which case I am glad it is not an issue I have - not to say i don't have other bad habits or difficulties with this driving lark!!

meremortal

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Why on earth do you slow down without using the brake? That's what it's for! Gears to go - brakes to slow!

Brakes pads are a lot cheaper than a new clutch.

Try slowing down an articulated vehicle using the engine and you'll find yourself in hospital or laid out.

Wishbone Ash - I do not do it all the time, think you misunderstood me, its just when I'm practicing gearing down - obviously I use the brake the rest of the time! This thread is about coasting - I am just offering some advice on how to avoid it - in my thread I also highlighted what spaceylou said about gears not connecting - alot of learners drive in 5th, brake slowly and coast right along, gearing down, til they stop in 2nd.

Alanstrainor

meremortal wrote: »

Wishbone Ash - I do not do it all the time, think you misunderstood me, its just when I'm practicing gearing down - obviously I use the brake the rest of the time! This thread is about coasting - I am just offering some advice on how to avoid it - in my thread I also highlighted what spaceylou said about gears not connecting - alot of learners drive in 5th, brake slowly and coast right along, gearing down, til they stop in 2nd.

There is nothing wrong with say, stopping in fourth gear when coming to a complete stop, as already mentioned, gears to go, brakes to slow. Obviously There are situations where gearing down is needed, such as slowing before a corner, approaching slow, but moving traffic etc etc. But there's nothing wrong with stopping in a high gear when coming to a complete stop. Modern cars don't need the engine braking effect to assist them, as older cars did.