Block shifting. Is it okay?

wayne0308

Hi,

I was reading another thread and a question came into my mind but I didn't want to hijack their thread.

Basically I wanted to know if it is fine to block shift all the time or do you have to go through the gears sequentially when it is safe to do so?

I've only started driving and have just 7 or 8 hours at the wheel. So, when I'm driving along and I see a sign for a roundabout on a major road I find it difficult sometimes to get down through all the gears from fifth gear down to second in time before entering the roundabout. It seems so much easier to slow down in 4th and once my speed is slow enough change into 2nd and enter the roundabout.

Is this acceptable in a driving test?

I understand that if you need to stop suddenly or rapidly for some reason then it's okay but in everyday driving is it okay? (It seems everyone does it)

Permabear

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wayne0308

Thanks donegalfella, thats grand, I kind of got the impression from my driving instructor that this was the way I was to drive but I think he was just making me do this so that I would always slow down early enough and in a controlled manner.

This makes thinks so much easier!

Vegeta

donegalfella wrote: »

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Yup it is perfectly fine to do so.

Didn't know and don't think it should be the approved method, but that's a different story

TwoShedsJackson

Vegeta wrote: »

Yup it is perfectly fine to do so.

Didn't know and don't think it should be the approved method, but that's a different story

You needed to shift down gear by gear in older cars where the brakes aren't as good and you needed engine breaking to help slow down. Totally unneccesary in any reasonably recent car.

Permabear

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af_thefragile

TwoShedsJackson wrote: »

You needed to shift down gear by gear in older cars where the brakes aren't as good and you needed engine breaking to help slow down. Totally unneccesary in any reasonably recent car.

Doesn't engine breaking wreck your car's transmission and clutch?

Alanstrainor

af_thefragile wrote: »

Doesn't engine breaking wreck your car's transmission and clutch?

I wouldn't say "wreck" but it's not good for it! I guess it was a good compromise 30 years ago when brakes were rubbish, and every little helped!

af_thefragile

Alanstrainor wrote: »

I wouldn't say "wreck" but it's not good for it! I guess it was a good compromise 30 years ago when brakes were rubbish, and every little helped!

Its like when racing drivers do the "heel and toe" thing to match the revs to the gear for the speed every time they downshift so that its the brakes slowing the car down rather than the transmission.

But guess thats not that significant on the road where the gearshifts aren't as aggressive as in racing.
You use the engine to slow bikes down all the time...

Nephilim Wolf

I use it all the time on my VW Polo, and it's fine.:)

GTE

Twas gonna ask this myself.
I got used to doing the 4th to 2nd after my driving instructor said that its best to do that now and that you can then spend a little more time and effort looking at the roundabout instead of changing down more then you really need to. Anywhere else though I go 5, 4, 3 ,2, 1.

Cookie_Monster

what about up though?

I find myslef going from 3rd to 5th quite often these days

GTE

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

what about up though?

I find myslef going from 3rd to 5th quite often these days

I can only go by what my instructor said, but the fact that he didnt recommend going up like that means it shouldnt really be done "technically". So in a test situation. Id imagine if your engine can take it with out lugging it then it should be ok?

DriveSkill

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

what about up though?

I find myslef going from 3rd to 5th quite often these days

Block changing from 3rd to 5th is typically only used where you have dropped a gear before an overtaking maneover and then accelerate reasonably quickly at which point it may make sense to come from 3rd to 5th. This is acceptable driving practice (assuming the speed was correct for 3rd gear initially and the overtake was legal ).

However, in the case of the driving test it is highly unlikely that you would perform that type of overtaking. In fact, during the driving test you will be unlikely to use 5th gear at all unless you have a section of 100 km/hr dual-carriageway. Therefore I would not recommend anyone learning to drive to use block changing going up the gears - you should use them sequentially with smooth acceleration between each gear change.

Cookie_Monster

DriveSkill wrote: »

Block changing from 3rd to 5th is typically only used where you have dropped a gear before an overtaking maneover and then accelerate reasonably quickly at which point it may make sense to come from 3rd to 5th. This is acceptable driving practice (assuming the speed was correct for 3rd gear initially and the overtake was legal ).

However, in the case of the driving test it is highly unlikely that you would perform that type of overtaking. In fact, during the driving test you will be unlikely to use 5th gear at all unless you have a section of 100 km/hr dual-carriageway. Therefore I would not recommend anyone learning to drive to use block changing going up the gears - you should use them sequentially with smooth acceleration between each gear change.

I've had my licence for 2 year so do think the test issue will come up:D Just saw the topic and thought I'd jump in.

I'm in 5th by 55/60 usually and often slower these day, 100 is way way to fast to be only in fifth then. (it a 1.5 almera btw)

Outkast_IRE

as my instructor told me
" Choose the gear to suit the situation"