Comments on: How to Drive a Stick Shift (Manual Transmission)

By: Rapid Roy

Rapid Roy — Sun, 29 May 2011 08:08:53 +0000

I likes to drive fast.

By: Anyone else over 18 here?

Anyone else over 18 here? — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 20:43:07 +0000

Replacement brake pads or shoes can be cheap, but labor never is. Also, replacing a warped rotor or drum is never cheap. Third, down-shifting gives you better control on deceleration, making it less likely for tires to lock out.

Also, keep your transmission in neutral with your foot off the clutch at lights. Depressing the clutch separates the clutch plates, which is when wear happens, not when your foot is off the clutch pedal and the clutch is engaged.

Go spend some time in Europe and you will see that 95% of cars are stick and they have wimpy brakes, making downshifting a neccesity.

By: Jimmy

Jimmy — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 04:40:43 +0000

C’mon. Seriously? You can argue the law if you want, but the fact is that it exists. The person relayed the information regarding the law and all he received in return are snide comments?

To make it simpler than need be, it refers to coasting while your gear is in neutral. Not when you have the clutch depressed, or whatever other alternatives you can conjure. Asshats.

Good write up.

By: Weekend Mechanic

Weekend Mechanic — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 15:48:14 +0000

“What does pressing in the clutch have to do with neutral coasting?”

Pressing in the clutch pedal disengages the clutch from the engine’s flywheel, effectively putting the car in neutral. Technically, you could “neutral coast” by just pressing in the clutch pedal and leaving the transmission in any gear.

Anyway, how are the cops going to prove you were “neutral coasting” in order to ticket you?? I realize this wasn’t the point of the above discussion, the law is the law, but that one seems pretty unenforceable…

By: Quantum Flux

Quantum Flux — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 03:08:54 +0000

There are plenty of states where neutral coasting is illegal. Try using Google before claiming someone else should think before posting.

What does pressing in the clutch have to do with neutral coasting? The guy presented the exact reasons why neutral coasting is illegal. In an emergency situation you arent in gear and able to respond, and the car will roll rather than stall and stop if you are hit and let off the clutch pedal.

You can argue with the law itself, but its pretty stupid to argue with the person who is just relaying that the law exists and the rationale behind it.

By: Tom

Tom — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:18:28 +0000

I personally love driving manual and i can’t think of living with a car with an automatic transmission after learning.

Though, there is one dent in your article, by shifting to neutral when stopping. The reason this is bad is that you are making unnecessary wear on your brake pads. By down-shifting while slowing down the engine actually helps stop the car (safer and faster) when paired with brakes and it’s easier on the break pads and extends the life of them.

If you’re really good you’ll end up in first gear when you finish stopping, ready to take off when the light turns green.

Best of luck and drive safe,

- Tom

By: kimberly

kimberly — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 04:33:55 +0000

When my parents surprised me with my first car (09 Scion tC, standard) I was scared to drive it. I’m a 17 year old girl and the last thing I wanted to do was learn to drive stick. Now all I can say is: I will never go back to automatic.