Correct way to change down

Correct way to change down

Author
Discussion

Vyse

Original Poster:

1,224 posts

123 months

Saturday 24th October 2015
quotequote all
Say you are going from 1st to 2nd should you push the stick to the left then pull down or just pull down like you do from 3rd to 4th?

finishing touch

808 posts

166 months

Saturday 24th October 2015
quotequote all
1st to 2nd is changing up.

Vyse

Original Poster:

1,224 posts

123 months

Saturday 24th October 2015
quotequote all
Sorry, I was referring to the motion of pulling the stick back/down.

davepoth

29,395 posts

198 months

Saturday 24th October 2015
quotequote all
Vyse said:
Say you are going from 1st to 2nd should you push the stick to the left then pull down or just pull down like you do from 3rd to 4th?
Depends on the car. Some vehicles have springs within the shifter mechanism which will centre the stick between 3 and 4, some don't. The answer then is "do it the way that means that you find second gear."

R0G

4,984 posts

154 months

Saturday 24th October 2015
quotequote all
As most cars have the stick spring set between 3 and 4 then the best way to select 1 or 2 is to face the palm of your hand away from you with the thumb pointing down

finishing touch

808 posts

166 months

Sunday 25th October 2015
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Vyse said:
Sorry, I was referring to the motion of pulling the stick back/down.
It's a good job your not an airline pilot. Pulling the stick back is up.

Err, please tell me your not an airline pilot. yikes


wink

DocJock

8,341 posts

239 months

Sunday 25th October 2015
quotequote all
Vyse said:
Say you are going from 1st to 2nd should you push the stick to the left then pull down or just pull down like you do from 3rd to 4th?
Jesus wept.

Coming soon in 'advanced driving' forum, 'What is the correct way to breathe?'...

RobM77

35,349 posts

233 months

Tuesday 27th October 2015
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As with anything mechanical, I normally use the least amount of force necessary to do it reliably and cleanly.

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

189 months

Tuesday 27th October 2015
quotequote all
Vyse said:
Say you are going from 1st to 2nd should you push the stick to the left then pull down or just pull down like you do from 3rd to 4th?
I find it's not about push or pull, but simply hand orientation.

In a RHD car, if 1st is top left and 2nd bottom right on the gate. Most often if you point your thumb downwards with your little finger at the top and your palm facing the passenger door.

The natural motion of your arm will ensure you move the lever the right direction as you move your hand towards the rear of the car.


Conversely, if you had your thumb point up and your palm facing you, when you move your hand back, the natural tendency would be to pull it towards you.

If you have you hand level, thumb point towards drivers door and palm facing towards the front of the car, you'll have poor grip and as you move your hand backawards you'll likely move you hand up, risking a fumble, or at least an less controlled movement.


Hand position will depend on the exact car and it's shifter. But it works well as a general rule.

Palm towards passenger door for 1st -2nd or 2nd - 1st. Hand either slightly in front cupping for 1st - 2nd and using the ball of you hand, slightly behind the shifter for 2nd - 1st.

titian

55 posts

118 months

Tuesday 27th October 2015
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300bhp/ton said:
In a RHD car, if 1st is top left and 2nd bottom right on the gate.
Sure?

JagerT

455 posts

106 months

Tuesday 27th October 2015
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On the Maser !st was bottom left .

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

189 months

Tuesday 27th October 2015
quotequote all
titian said:
Sure?
Nope... wink But I'm sure you know what I mean biggrin

NDNDNDND

2,001 posts

182 months

Tuesday 27th October 2015
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I honestly thought this thread was going to be about double de-clutch heel n' toeing.

Not someone asking for instruction on how to use their hand.

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

189 months

Tuesday 27th October 2015
quotequote all
NDNDNDND said:
I honestly thought this thread was going to be about double de-clutch heel n' toeing.

Not someone asking for instruction on how to use their hand.
I thought that too, although having witnessed a fair number of drivers, you'd be amazed at how many fail on using their hand correctly on the gear stick. Which usually leads to fluffed changes, excessively aggressive changes and unrefinement.

Mrs Muttleysnoop

1,412 posts

183 months

Thursday 29th October 2015
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finishing touch said:
It's a good job your not an airline pilot. Pulling the stick back is up.

Err, please tell me your not an airline pilot. yikes


wink
"your not ........"


Please, please tell me YOU ARE not an airline pilot !!!!!!!

thebraketester

14,192 posts

137 months

Thursday 29th October 2015
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Have I logged onto mumsnet by accident?

Mrs Muttleysnoop

1,412 posts

183 months

Thursday 29th October 2015
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thebraketester said:
Have I logged onto mumsnet by accident?
What is mumsnet? Sorry, never heard of it.

NuddyRap

218 posts

102 months

Thursday 29th October 2015
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Typically I engage first gear with my right nostril since the cartilage inside acts as a wall for pushing it in to gear. To engage second, I normally sit on it and wiggle. Going from second to first (Changing down...) isn't exactly pleasant as a result but I've yet to find a better way of doing it.

finishing touch

808 posts

166 months

Friday 30th October 2015
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Mrs Muttleysnoop said:
finishing touch said:
It's a good job your not an airline pilot. Pulling the stick back is up.

Err, please tell me your not an airline pilot. yikes


wink
"your not ........"


Please, please tell me YOU ARE not an airline pilot !!!!!!!
I deeply apologise for my stupid mistake.
I put it down to the confusion caused by driving a car with a "four forward and two back" gate.



Paul G

Nigel_O

2,858 posts

218 months

Friday 6th November 2015
quotequote all
the centering spring on a manual gear lever is only strong enough to cause it to self-centre if the driver's hand is removed while the lever is in the cross-plane of the 'H' pattern - therefore, to answer the OP, the simplest way of going from 1st to 2nd is to move the lever from the 1st gear position to the second gear position in a straight line (assuming you haven't got a dog-leg 1st gear...)

I've seen it written that the driver might angle the palm of the left hand towards the passenger side of the car to ensure a little push to the left, but in 35 years of driving, I can't ever remember a gear lever forcing itself to the right while moving from 1st to 2nd due to the self centering effect