
Slowly begin to release the pressure on the clutch with your left foot.Now comes the part that requires coordinating your feet.Unless you’re in danger of hitting something or someone, no big deal. If you aren’t on a flat surface, you may roll a bit. Moving your right foot releases the brake.Move your right foot to the accelerator but don’t press down on it.Slide your gear shift into the first gear position.Keeping the clutch and brake depressed, release the emergency brake.Turn the ignition key to crank the car.Use your right foot to apply the brake.It will wiggle freely from side to side when you’ve got it in neutral. Put the gear shift stick into the “neutral” position.Use your left foot to push the clutch all the way to the floor.

#STICK SHIFT HOW TO#
You don’t want to learn how to drive a stick in the middle of rush hour. The number of gears may vary and there may be a slight difference in the gear configuration (reverse on the far-left vs on the far-right.) But the mechanics of shifting between the gears are the same.Ī diagram on the top of the stick will show the gear configuration.įind a large, empty parking lot where you can practice. The basics of driving a stick are the same, regardless of the vehicle. It simply means you’ll need a bit of practice. This doesn’t mean you need the agility of an Olympic gymnast to master driving a stick. Successfully changing gears requires coordination between your left and right foot. Your right foot will work the brake and the accelerator, just like it does when driving an automatic transmission. The little skinny pedal on the right is the accelerator.
#STICK SHIFT MANUAL#
The first thing you’ll notice when you get in a car with a manual transmission is the extra foot pedal under the steering wheel. And like riding a bike, once you’ve mastered the skill, you’ll never forget it.

There is some truth to that bit of humor but learning to drive a manual transmission is no big deal.Īll it takes is a little patience and a bit of practice.

Nothing thwarts a young adventurer like a manual transmission. It basically said if you want to stop today’s young people from “borrowing” your car, get one with a stick shift. A joke floated around social media a while back.
