How To Drive A Manual Car In Nigeria

Although automatic gearboxes are becoming more and more common, manual gearboxes are still widely used. As a result, the skill of driving a stick shift, as most would say, may soon become extinct. But, most older models of cars have manual gearboxes and even some automakers do keep them just for those who love driving manually.

The clutch, brake, and accelerator pedals are typically found in manual automobiles. The brake and accelerator pedals are rather straightforward and are used as speed indicators. For instance, the harder you depress, the car will ultimately slow down. The clutch pedal is the part of a manual car that makes it harder to drive than an automatic.

Without going into great detail, the clutch is primarily made up of two metal plates that link the drive wheels to the engine. Therefore, by depressing the clutch pedal, you detach the engine from the wheels, creating a means for speed. If you have such details in mind, read this simple tutorial to find out how to drive a manual car in a few simple steps if you want to learn how to.

Check That You Are In Neutral

By shifting the gear selector into the centre of the shift boot, you can put your car into neutral. Verify that your automobile is indeed in neutral by fidgeting with the stick shifter to check if it shifts easily. Check to see if the gear selector is actually in the middle if it doesn’t move very freely.

Place Your Feet Gently On The Clutch Pedal

Ensure your car is in neutral so you can move on to the next stage and engage the manual transmission.
A manual-transmission car must be started by depressing the clutch pedal all the way to the floor with the left foot. Most current vehicles include this safety function to help prevent accidents. Now proceed to the next step by fully depressing the clutch pedal.

Safety Check

After making sure the car is in neutral by putting the gear selector in the middle of the stick shift boot, jiggling it back and forth to test if the stick shifter operates easily, and making sure the clutch pedal is fully depressed,

Find The Ignition

You need to find the ignition in order to start the car. They are typically found immediately adjacent to the steering wheel. You should read your owner’s handbook if you’re unsure where your vehicle’s ignition is located because some vehicles include push-to-start features.

Half-turn The Ignition

You must switch the key to the halfway position before you can start the car in order to give the sensors time to take data.

Turn The Vehicle On

You may switch the engine on and start the car by completely depressing the clutch pedal and putting the gear selector in neutral.

Disengage The Parking Brake or Handbrake

You must release the handbrake in your manual gearbox car to start going forward. If the vehicle you’re driving doesn’t appear to have a handbrake, check your owner’s manual to see if it has an electronic handbrake. Due to the heat it generates, driving with the handbrake engaged is not only risky but is also highly terrible for your car. As you release the handbrake, be sure you are standing on a level surface. If not, release the handbrake/e-brake while covering the brake pedal with your right foot.

Prepare Yourself to Move Forward

After starting the car, you can proceed to the subsequent phases of learning how to drive a manual. Now would be a good time to take a deep breath, count to ten, and let your muscles relax. As you start to attempt our first manual transmission driving challenges, If you haven’t already, fasten your seatbelt, and make sure your seat is in the most comfortable position you can find.

Completely Place Your Foot On The Clutch

You need to fully depress the clutch before we can start moving forward. Since this will be the method we employ to advance the vehicles with manual transmissions.

Place The Gear Selector In First Gear

Put the gear selector in the first gear while the clutch is fully depressed. Refer to the stick shift pattern found at the top of the shifter itself to do this. It’s acceptable if you can’t locate a shift pattern on your stick-shift car. Most automobiles’ first gear is often found in the upper left corner of your gear selector.

Now that you know this, you may move your gear selector light up. Remember that some automobiles could make this procedure a little challenging. Trial and error is the only way to learn about this.

Start Moving Forward

You can start going ahead once the clutch is fully depressed and the gear selection is in first gear. You must gradually lift your foot off the clutch pedal to start moving your manual gearbox car. The likelihood that you will stall decreases with speed, whereas the likelihood that you will start going forward increases. Keep in mind that stalling 50-100 times in your first 100 attempts to drive a manual is completely normal. The majority of modern cars were built with novice drivers in mind, so do not be afraid to stall out the engine or slam on the brakes at any time. Dropping the clutch and stalling out won’t harm your car.

How To Protect The Clutch From Harm

• With practice, you’ll become accustomed to a car’s clutch and develop a solid grasp of its bite point and the required number of revs for it to move off. Although it seems difficult, practice will help you get a natural feel for it.

• However, if you’re not careful, it can be simple to prematurely wear out the clutch, which will likely cost you an additional fee and possibly more for some automobiles. If you adhere to the following advice, your clutch will last a long time.

• It’s tempting to hold the car at the bite point of the clutch when you’re stuck in traffic, at a roundabout, or at a crossroads to provide yourself with a short escape when you can move. But if you do this often, it may wear you out prematurely.

• When you are ready to start moving again, stop, engage the handbrake, and then engage the clutch. When you stop, don’t hold the clutch down. Again, while you’re stuck in traffic, it’s tempting to keep the clutch engaged and leave the car in gear. However, doing this frequently could cause the clutch release bearing to quickly wear out because it puts a lot of strain on it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

The process of learning to drive in manual mode can be very challenging. More than a few people have tried and failed to do this in the past. Don’t give up; many people who learned to drive a manual vehicle struggled on their first few attempts. You’ll be rewarded for your perseverance with the ability to drive a manual car, a fading art.