Another one about... Driving...

[cpjitservices]

Seems to be if the vehicle can handle it do what the vehicle is comfortable with.

[Ant]

And the constabulary train their drivers not to use engine braking. Their cars are on the road near enough 24/7; much easier and cheaper to replace brake pads/discs than clutches and gearboxes.

 

To add to this, I can thoroughly recommend reading Roadcraft as well as joining your local IAM or RoPSA group.

 

Amazon Link

[truebluesteve]

Well yes, but wheras we were taught to go down through the gears, all my children were taught that 4th to 2nd was fine

 

I have done a couple of driving courses over the last 3 years and was told by the instructor to skip gears and use engine breaking where possible.

 

I did this quite a lot anyway but I had been originally taught to use all the gears. a friend and colleague of mine still does and I find it a bit weird !

[Oaktech]

I spent a long time riding sequential boxes on motorbikes... No true skipping of gears there!

 

In my car I go 4-2 a lot. When I used to drive vans I used to basically just bung it in 3rd and drive around town like an semi-auto!

[Tesla]

Some 40 roads i miss out 4th gear.

[arh1a]

I find driving is about feeling, the car will tell you if it is comfortable to shift gears.

 

Just don't do silly things like shifting to a lower gear at high speed cause it will hate you for it, and even make you pay for it

 

Totally agree with this every car is different. My old 205 1.9GTi had a long first gear so you could take it to 3.5/4k in 1st then go straight into 5th happily and would still have pull (not that I did this all the time mind). My mate's v8 M5 would go from 1 to 6th quite happily and would do 20mph in 6th even on a slight incline without worrying about it. I would say a lot of it would be how much low down torque the engine has to how many gears you can skip.

Edited December 9, 2014 by arh1a

[IT_Ninja]

Did this by accident during a driving lesson (many, many years ago now). Was doing 70 and coming up to a roundabout, began to slow via the brakes then changed down from 5th, missed 4th and went into 2nd. Once we peeled our faces off the windscreen my instructors informed me about the importance of finding the right gears.

 

Lol! ... Ahhh, I feel the car's pain This being said I too have been the culprit once or twice a long time ago.

 

A good gear change is seamless and just feels natural, it's all natural instinct. I think after a while you just know and shift into the right gear without even concentrating, at least I do.

[Oaktech]

I find driving is about feeling, the car will tell you if it is comfortable to shift gears.

 

Just don't do silly things like shifting to a lower gear at high speed cause it will hate you for it, and even make you pay for it

 

Or reverse...

 

Some time ago a friend of mine who runs a garage leant his peugeot 205 courtesy car to a chap and then got a phone call about 30 minutes later to "Come and get me, your car has blown up..." When probed a little harder about what happened was told "I was driving down the dual carriageway went for 5th and it blew up"

 

205 only had a 4 speed box.

[cpjitservices]

Or reverse...

 

Some time ago a friend of mine who runs a garage leant his peugeot 205 courtesy car to a chap and then got a phone call about 30 minutes later to "Come and get me, your car has blown up..." When probed a little harder about what happened was told "I was driving down the dual carriageway went for 5th and it blew up"

 

205 only had a 4 speed box.

 

Whoops

[IT_Ninja]

Or reverse...

 

Some time ago a friend of mine who runs a garage leant his peugeot 205 courtesy car to a chap and then got a phone call about 30 minutes later to "Come and get me, your car has blown up..." When probed a little harder about what happened was told "I was driving down the dual carriageway went for 5th and it blew up"

 

205 only had a 4 speed box.

 

Lol damn, there's one for the grand-kids - we used to only have 4 gears

 

Also... Shabang!!

[Ant]

I have done a couple of driving courses over the last 3 years and was told by the instructor to skip gears and use engine breaking where possible.

 

That's interesting as I've been told the opposite by the advanced instructors I've been out with.

 

I guess in the grand scheme of things, it doesn't really matter as long as you're aware of what your car is doing, your driving smooth and systematic and that you're fully aware of your surroundings and any potential hazards.

Edited December 9, 2014 by Ant

[difinity]

I drive turbo diesel so missing gears on the way up results in a loss of power.

 

Back in the day, my friend undid an afternoons graft after i had manually adjusted the tappets in his Nova, by going from 4th to 1st during an overtake maneuver.

Red faces, chest bruises from the seatbelts and tappety tappety tap all the way home.

[ChickenDhansak]

This thread reminded me of this;

Edited December 9, 2014 by ChickenDhansak

[Andrew_C]

I drive turbo diesel so missing gears on the way up results in a loss of power.

Sort of the point really isn't it? I have a TD* too. Example - joining m-way. Up to sort of 60 along the slip in 3rd, join carriageway, no real need to accelerate in a meaning full way, change up to 5th. If I feel that I might need some more grunt to get up to 70 quicker, then I select 4th.

 

* In fact two. My wife's is manual, mine is an auto; just point & squirt.

Edited December 9, 2014 by Andrew_C

[3s-gtech]

It is worth noting that if your car has a DMF (as most modern petrol and diesels do) that skipping too many gears and labouring the engine while under load (say trying to drive up hill at less than 1500rpm in top) can shorten the life of your DMF. This is especially tru if you try to rev through from 1500rpm up to high revs.

[cpjitservices]

All useful information folks.

[sted]

You love your Focus - buy an ST170 and you'll get a six speed (plus a bit of poke). They're cheap now.

 

Aye Focus int bad at all, cheap to run and cheap on insurance etc. ST170... not a chance will anyone insure me on one of those.

 

aye used to have one great car fun to drive and if driven without a lead right foot mid 30s mpg and even managed over a run (tank and a bit ) 41mpg

 

As to block shifting yes esp as others have said in 6 speed cars used to be in the st170 accelerating from 0 to motorway 1st 2nd 6th (just make sure you dont hit 70 in 2nd as you then hit the limiter and its like someone slammed on the brakes lol)

[SovietRussia]

I dont skip gears #aloneinthethread

[CHR1S]

Automatic all the way - I used to drive zillions of miles for work - and after the first automatic, I'd never go back to manual.

 

Snap, 8 speed auto, like driving a go-cart

[CHR1S]

I dont skip gears #aloneinthethread

 

Im guessing "Gears Skip You?"

[arh1a]

Snap, 8 speed auto, like driving a go-cart

 

Must admit I cant stand autos but I am warming up to these newer autos with twin clutches which make the car feel like it has one massive gear and constant acceleration!

[MatthewL]

I was taught to skip where appropriate when I learnt to drive nearly 10 years ago. When I am driving a manual I do this but my daily ride is an auto now, well when its back from being fixed from where someone hit me on Thursday.

[teejay]

Love to see some of you who skip from 2nd to 5th/6th try that up where I live, you obviously don't live anywhere with proper hills:p

[Andrew_C]

But surely, with proper hills, you'll be missing on the way down?

[teejay]

If you brake, yes, certainly wouldn't miss gears without braking to the appropriate speed for the gear you're going into. We have big stone walls with no grass verges so you need to ensure you have full control. It's not an uncommon sight to see the arse end of an Audi/BMW rep mobil sticking out from a wall when the driver has tried to break the laws of physics:rolleyes: