Mistakes when driving manual transmission

Disengaging the clutch when cornering, shifting to neutral when going downhill, or using the clutch first and the brake later are bad habits of many manual transmission drivers.

With the trend of automatic cars becoming more and more popular, replacing manual cars in all segments, the number of drivers who are proficient in driving manual cars is also gradually decreasing. Driving a manual car is a smooth combination of both hands and feet to accelerate, brake, shift gears, and steer in the most appropriate way. Askmen magazine even wrote that real men must drive manual cars.

There are incorrect habits that many drivers still use when driving a manual transmission car. Here are some common mistakes.

1. Cut the clutch when cornering

When the clutch is released, the car only runs on inertia without being slowed by the engine, so the feeling of the car running smoothly, turning "in one go" when cornering, makes many drivers like it. However, this is a dangerous habit.

When the wheel is only rolling by inertia, the braking system is less effective, requiring a larger braking distance, making it difficult for the driver to control the speed if the steering wheel is over or under steered. In addition, the wheel's grip on the road is reduced, increasing the risk of losing control.

2. Return to N when going downhill

Shifting to N when going downhill is similar to cutting the clutch when cornering, but it is even more dangerous, because the slope causes the gravity to act on the car more, increasing inertia rapidly. Steep roads are often located on mountainous terrain, when constantly winding, requiring a lot of steering. Shifting to N increases the risk more than ever. In this case, it is necessary to shift to a lower gear to brake the car using the engine brake, following the principle of "up which gear, down that gear".

3. Front clutch, rear brake

The habit of clutching first and braking later is most common in new drivers, but sometimes also appears in experienced drivers, the reason is the fear of stalling the engine. At low speeds, the impact of this is not great because the inertia of the vehicle is low. However, if the vehicle is running at high speed and wants to stop but the driver releases the clutch first, the brake will lose its effect and the vehicle will lose traction as in the case of releasing the clutch when cornering.

The correct way to handle this situation is to brake first, and when you feel the car is about to "stutter", press the clutch to disconnect before shifting or continuing. (>>See details)

4. Lazy to change gears

Lazy shifting occurs when drivers encounter situations where they have to slow down, tailgate, or then need momentum to overtake. Many drivers have a "single-gear" style, which means they rarely shift into lower gears and overuse the accelerator.

In case of overtaking, for example, it is recommended to shift to 3rd gear to ensure maximum traction to help the car accelerate quickly, but some drivers still leave it in 5th gear or only shift to 4th gear, making the car sluggish, taking a long time to overtake, and can even lead to danger.

5. More economical than automatic transmission

The notion that manual transmission cars are more fuel-efficient than automatic cars was only true in the past, when automatic cars were not yet popular and the technology was new, so they consumed more gas. But now, automatic cars account for the majority, and technology is constantly improving, making the consumption equal or even less than the corresponding manual car.

Whether a car is fuel efficient or not depends on driving skills. With a manual transmission, you need to drive in the right gear and change gears often to maintain engine durability. If your driving skills are not good, any transmission will consume the same amount of fuel.

According to VnExpress