[WSRFan]

I own a 1.4 Renault Clio and the other day was at the lights and when it turned to green everyone it seems was bombing past me.

I was taught to match the gears to the speed. At 10mph to 2nd, 20mph to 3rd, 3omph to 4th and so on. This does not seem to be working. I seem to be very slow.

What do you guys do when going up through the gears after a standing start?

[Beelzebub]

You were taught wrongly! Sorry ;)

The "correct" speed to change gears depends on a number of factors including the power/weight ratio of the car, the load and any incline. The best guide is your ears: listen to the engine.

Simplistically, lower gears are for power and higher gears for speed. When you need a quick getaway, it's actually power you need to get you up to the speed which the higher gears will maintain - stay in the lower gears for a bit longer than you would normally and give it plenty of gas.

I'd suggest you practice this on a quiet road rather than at the lights!

[WSRFan]

Originally Posted by Beelzebub

You were taught wrongly! Sorry ;)

The "correct" speed to change gears depends on a number of factors including the power/weight ratio of the car, the load and any incline. The best guide is your ears: listen to the engine.

Simplistically, lower gears are for power and higher gears for speed. When you need a quick getaway, it's actually power you need to get you up to the speed which the higher gears will maintain - stay in the lower gears for a bit longer than you would normally and give it plenty of gas.

I'd suggest you practice this on a quiet road rather than at the lights!

I don't know if I was taught 'wrongly'. It could just be the way he was taught. Instructors just hand down the skills to their students. I am sure there was a reason for it. Could be to do with wearing something out. I don't know. But that was the way. And I actually entrusted myself with this knowledhe as a car at high rev's in a low gear is something that makes me wince. Makes me think the engine could be about to blow!:D As a first time driver I think it is good to do that because it is a way of getting to grips with the gears. But I have been driving 3 years now and I feel I can perhaps take on board new skills to make me a better driver as I have the experience now to change and not see any ill-effect of a new skill.

So, you would let the rev's mount up to get the car up to speed. Would you then be block changing? Say you are from the lights. You are in 1st gear. Would you then jump over 2nd to a higher gear to keep the speed up?

[smudger]

Aye! I was taught that the gears were for accelerating and the brakes were for slowing you down.

I agree with FJ, there is no set limit for changing gear, no two vehicles are the same, the art of doing it comes with experience and practise, good luck. :D

[Santa]

In a car on level ground I would not block change. I suspect that most of us old timers do it by ear - when it sounds right, change up. In some circumstances you need to push a bit harder, but that is at the expense of extra fuel consumption. If the boy racers leave you standing at the lights, console yourself with the thought of their fuel bills.

[Rolebama]

To me, it depends on the general traffic on the road. i will pull away that bit quicker from the lights in rush hour traffic so as to let the maximum amount of traffic through. If I am on my own, I tend to pull away quite sedately, thinking of my comfort as well as fuel consumption. I also tend to change from third to fifth when I am near or at my cruising speed on dual carriageways and the like.
Unlike Smudger, I was taught to use the engine braking as well as the actual brakes to lose speed, and as far as possible am always in the right gear for the speed which I am doing.

[WSRFan]

Originally Posted by Santa

In a car on level ground I would not block change. I suspect that most of us old timers do it by ear - when it sounds right, change up. In some circumstances you need to push a bit harder, but that is at the expense of extra fuel consumption. If the boy racers leave you standing at the lights, console yourself with the thought of their fuel bills.

That's just it...it wasn't!:D It was a MINI driven by a young blonde woman.

Regarding the block changing and doing it by ear thing, my dad does that seemingly (doing it by ear). He takes the car (a Freelander 2) to the max rev and then changes up through the gears. The car seems to jerk forward when he does change gear.

Do you go by the revs when you listen out for the right moment? If so my car revs between 2500 and 3000 rpm (according to the print out of the test during it's MOT and service). I don't know if the revs have anything to do with it but I am guessing since the engine notes comes from the revs then the limit of the revs for your car is important to listening out for the right moment to change.

Thanks for all the help everyone.

[Santa]

There are girl racers too:)

I have spent some time looking for a video that would be useful for you without success. They are mostly concerned with either very basic stuff, or more advanced techniques that you should learn once you get the basics right.

I doubt that you will get a useful solution from this or any other forum and seriously suggest that you should pay for a couple of hours with a good driving instructor. After you pass your test, there are many things you can go on to learn which make for a better driving experience for you, your passengers and your car. It would be well worth the investment I believe.

[Dennis W]

Originally Posted by WSRFan

I own a 1.4 Renault Clio and the other day was at the lights and when it turned to green everyone it seems was bombing past me.

I was taught to match the gears to the speed. At 10mph to 2nd, 20mph to 3rd, 3omph to 4th and so on. This does not seem to be working. I seem to be very slow.

What do you guys do when going up through the gears after a standing start?

I have an AUTOMATIC gear box and drive an ex police car with a straight six 2.7 litre engine. The boy racers are left standing with miserable looks on their faces. .:p

[WSRFan]

Originally Posted by Santa

There are girl racers too:)

That's the thing that worries me. I don't know if she even was a girl racer!:) The MINI just seemed to be so much faster than me at passing me.

Originally Posted by Santa

I have spent some time looking for a video that would be useful for you without success. They are mostly concerned with either very basic stuff, or more advanced techniques that you should learn once you get the basics right.

Same here. That's why I opened a new thread.

Originally Posted by Santa

I doubt that you will get a useful solution from this or any other forum and seriously suggest that you should pay for a couple of hours with a good driving instructor. After you pass your test, there are many things you can go on to learn which make for a better driving experience for you, your passengers and your car. It would be well worth the investment I believe.

I passed three years ago.;) I just feel I can perhaps take on board new techniques.