Gearchange video

[bramley]

Tomasz said:

Obviously your youtube fella has found pistonheads and decided to register and give some abuse. Of course, he's a perfect driver, passed the L test and everything!

There's a test?

[mybrainhurts]

Bet the spies from BRAKE are loving this.....

[R_U_LOCAL]

WilliBetz said:

R_U_LOCAL said:

I'm always interested in other people's opinions. So tell me - how could I improve my gearchanges?

A few thoughts:

- Change your seating position, to give yourself more room to work (I know - I'm too long in the leg and arm for some MX5 as well)

I'm short in the leg and long in the body. The seating position in the Mazda is always a compromise.

WilliBetz said:

- DDC

As I've mentioned previously, if your timing is correct, DDC is totally unnecessary in modern manual cars. You wouldn't want me to do something I've already argued is unnecessary, would you?

WilliBetz said:

- Avoid BGOL on downchanges (when turning right off the main road?)

There's no overlap.

WilliBetz said:

- Try to time gearchanges to coincide with gaps in opposing traffic

Why? In all my years of advanced driving, no-one has ever suggested this before.

WilliBetz said:

- Avoid non-changes (1:53 in).

You've got me.

WilliBetz said:

- Consider the benefits of using less revs in first. It's not progressive when, as you rightly demonstrate, you are tapering on and off the throttle to ensure smoothness.

I don't understand this sentence. How is it not progressive? Many people seem to think that 1st gear should be used only for moving off from stationary, followed by an immediate change up to 2nd.

I'm not one of them.

WilliBetz said:

FWIW, I'm a big fan of your writing. But I don't think this video does justice to your obvious ability, nor demonstrates the points that you are trying to convey particularly well.

WilliBetz

I'm very new to all of this. I'd never written anything along these lines before I started submitting to PH, and sometimes I find it difficult to fully express a concept in writing. At the moment, I'm just toying with videos as a method of getting ideas across.

Of course some people will find them boring - that's because they're viewing them on their own, rather than as an accompaniment to the article on the subject.

[R_U_LOCAL]

bramley said:

R_U_LOCAL said:

bramley said:

Interesting assumption. My gearchanges are just fine ta. If I didn't have a life I'd film a few of them to share on the internet.

You seem to have little enough life to want to spend the time slating people on the internet though.

Fair enough though, I'm always interested in other people's opinions. So tell me - how could I improve my gearchanges?

I felt motivated to post simply because I am at a loss to understand why anyone with a full set of marbles would post such a video. Perhaps to a group of soon-to-be learner drivers, but to a group of so called driving enthusiasts I can only assume the vast majority of people reading this topic with (genuine) interest have the co-ordination of a newborn foal and therefore find your video in some way useful.

I enjoy driving, I enjoy driving smoothly, I enjoy H&T'ing, you just won't find me filming myself in a self-congratulatory way carrying out one of driving's most basic tasks as if I am some sort of god.

You're surely aware that changing gear really isn't that difficult aren't you? I see from another thread someone has requested a video of you positioning your seat and mirrors

Could we see one of you checking your tyre pressures too just for good measure. And perhaps doffing your cap at a passing pedestrian and bidding them a good day?

I'll be sure to drop into this forum more often, it beats any comedy on tv that's for sure.

Can I politely suggest you read some more of my articles before commenting further?

Just search under my username and read two posts that I've started in this thread.

If you do that, and you don't learn at least one useful thing, then I'll take your criticism on board and I'll stop posting.

But you have to be honest in your reply.

[dudearoo]

So do I pull the numbered stick before or after pressing the left pedal?

Still confused

[MrSmooth]

That gear changing technique is very impressive but i must admit i am a little confused by your steering. Why do you keep feeding the steering wheel through your hands instead of keeping a secure grip on the wheel? Surely that would offer much better control.

MrSmooth

[SJobson]

Quick query Mr Local. If gearchanging is such an important part of driving to you, why is your other car a BMW M3 with SMG gearbox?

[Bagman]

bramley said:

R_U_LOCAL said:

bramley said:

Interesting assumption. My gearchanges are just fine ta. If I didn't have a life I'd film a few of them to share on the internet.

You seem to have little enough life to want to spend the time slating people on the internet though.

Fair enough though, I'm always interested in other people's opinions. So tell me - how could I improve my gearchanges?

I felt motivated to post simply because I am at a loss to understand why anyone with a full set of marbles would post such a video. Perhaps to a group of soon-to-be learner drivers, but to a group of so called driving enthusiasts I can only assume the vast majority of people reading this topic with (genuine) interest have the co-ordination of a newborn foal and therefore find your video in some way useful.

I enjoy driving, I enjoy driving smoothly, I enjoy H&T'ing, you just won't find me filming myself in a self-congratulatory way carrying out one of driving's most basic tasks as if I am some sort of god.

You're surely aware that changing gear really isn't that difficult aren't you? I see from another thread someone has requested a video of you positioning your seat and mirrors

Could we see one of you checking your tyre pressures too just for good measure. And perhaps doffing your cap at a passing pedestrian and bidding them a good day?

I'll be sure to drop into this forum more often, it beats any comedy on tv that's for sure.

Here's an idea. Why don't you go out and drive like an absolute loon then see how long it takes some of Mr Local's deciples to catch up with you. Then see if you can loose them without trashing your car or hurting an innocent bystander.

Reg's posts are normally about refining processes that we all do when driving and I for one think it's great. You could go and blow a small fortune on instruction or just read Reg's posts for nowt and see if they benefit you. If they don't and you want to improve more, get out your chequebook.

Safe Motoring.

[Bagman]

SJobson said:

Quick query Mr Local. If gearchanging is such an important part of driving to you, why is your other car a BMW M3 with SMG gearbox?

He has a thread called making better use of your semi.


I kid you not.

[R_U_LOCAL]

SJobson said:

Quick query Mr Local. If gearchanging is such an important part of driving to you, why is your other car a BMW M3 with SMG gearbox?

Did I say it was an important part of driving to me? It's no more or less important than any other aspect of driving, but getting it right does help to transfer weight around the car smoothly and keep it settled. However, I'll answer your question...

I wanted a manual M3, but finding a good M3 with the right history is getting more and more difficult. Mine was the right condition with the right history and in a colour combination I liked, but with the SMG. I decided to give it a go and I quite like it.

Plus, I've always got the Mazda when I want to change gear properly.

[mybrainhurts]

Beware the Trolls of Doom.....

[R_U_LOCAL]

mybrainhurts said:

Beware the Trolls of Doom.....

It's either this or a Dirty Harry film.

[SJobson]

mybrainhurts said:

Beware the Trolls of Doom.....

500-odd trolling posts, or 29,000?

[mybrainhurts]

Don't you start, I'm already being stalked...

[KB_S1]

I don't get this.
Someone has gone out of their way to write some informative posts, made comments that could potentially land him in trouble at work, make some videos to help demonstrate their points and we get people going out of their way to criticise.
Actually criticise is an inappropriate statement as that would require some input on their behalf.
RuL has always been open to discussion and has never held himself up as the ultimate driver.

This video is not exciting or awe inspiring. It demonstrates the principles that were previously discussed that some readers suggested they were not fully understanding.

Every driver I know can change gear. However only a handful can do it reasonably well. The advice and principles offered in the video and the accompanying posts are something I wish many would try.

[Vaux]

R_U_LOCAL said:

WilliBetz said:

- Try to time gearchanges to coincide with gaps in opposing traffic

Why? In all my years of advanced driving, no-one has ever suggested this before.

WilliBetz said:

- Avoid non-changes (1:53 in).

You've got me.

My RoSPA Observer/Tutor always preferred not changing gear with an oncoming vehicle near - something to do with having two hands steering.
At 1:53 you go for the gear lever but don't do anything with it - very picky WB! (But I've been pulled up for this too, by AD purists!)

I've read your stuff from day one and it's excellent and has helped me, but I can see why some cocky lads might start off with this video and not understand what's behind it.....

[GreenV8S]

I think quite a few of tonight's critics have missed the point of the video, which was to demonstrate one particular technique. Could they even say what the technique was, I wonder?


One thing that I noticed during the first few seconds of the video was in the change up from first to second, it sounded as if the engine revs were too high for the road speed and pulled down by the clutch as it was engaged. Nit picking, but I felt it stood out against the other gear changes, which all seemed spot on.

[R_U_LOCAL]

Vaux said:

My RoSPA Observer/Tutor always preferred not changing gear with an oncoming vehicle near - something to do with having two hands steering.

It's honestly not something that I've ever come across before. On todays roads, it doesn't really leave much scope for changing gear, does it? I understand the theory, but practically speaking, I find that wholly unecessary. It's certainly not something that I've come across being taught at any Police driving schools. *Awaits correction by VH*

Vaux said:

At 1:53 you go for the gear lever but don't do anything with it - very picky WB! (But I've been pulled up for this too, by AD purists!)

Yes, you're right, I did. But in reality, all the gearchanges towards the end of the video were unecessary - it was a little excersise that I get students to do. Change gear randomly whilst maintaining a given road speed. I was merely demonstrating a smooth third to third gearchange.

Vaux said:

I've read your stuff from day one and it's excellent and has helped me, but I can see why some cocky lads might start off with this video and not understand what's behind it.....

So can I. Like I said, I'm fairly new to this internet video thing, and I'm bound to get things wrong along the way.

Besides, the trolls are keeping me entertained tonight.

[GreenV8S]

R_U_LOCAL said:

I was merely demonstrating a smooth third to third gearchange.

[advanceddriver]

R_U_LOCAL said:

Can I politely suggest you read some more of my articles before commenting further?

Just search under my username and read two posts that I've started in this thread.

If you do that, and you don't learn at least one useful thing, then I'll take your criticism on board and I'll stop posting.

But you have to be honest in your reply.

I've read the previous "Zen art of gear changing"........for those with less time than me I will sumarise

If you match the engine revs to appropriate road speed you too could be a police driving god!