How to Drive Manual

Have you ever wanted to learn at least the basics of how to drive a manual
transmission? Luckily, the basic concepts of starting to move a manual transmission car
and shifting through the gears is a process anyone can learn. This guide will help you
out.

1
Try to get on level ground. Put your seat belt on once you get in. While learning, it's
better to roll down the windows. This helps to better hear the engine sound and adjust
the gear changes accordingly.

The one on the far left is the clutch , the middle one is the brake, and then the
gas/accelerator is on the far right (CBA). This layout is the same for both left hand drive
and right hand drive vehicles.

1. 2
Learn what the clutch does:
The clutch disengages the spinning engine from the spinning wheels and

allows you to switch gears without grinding the teeth of each separate gear.
Before you switch gears (moving up or down), the clutch must be

o
depressed.

3
Adjust the seat position forward enough to allow you to press the clutch pedal
(the left pedal, next to the brake pedal) fully to the floor with your left foot.

4
Press the clutch pedal and hold it to the floor. This would also be a good time to take
note of how the travel of the clutch pedal differs from that of the brake and gas, and it is
a good idea to get used to slowly and steadily releasing the clutch pedal.

5
Move the gear shift knob to neutral. This is the middle position that feels free when
moved from side to side. The vehicle is considered out of gear when:
o

the gear shift is in the neutral position, or

the clutch pedal is fully depressed.

6
Start the engine with the key, making sure to keep the clutch pedal held to the
floor.

7
Once the engine is started, you can remove your foot from the clutch pedal (as
long as it is in neutral).

8
Press the clutch to the floor again and move the gear shift knob to first gear.It
should be the upper left position, and there should be some kind of visual layout of the
gear pattern on top of the gear shift knob.

9
Slowly lift your foot up from the clutch pedal until you hear the engine speed
begin to drop, then push it back in. Repeat this several times until you can instantly
recognize the sound. This is the friction point.

10
In order to get moving, lift your foot up from the clutch pedal until the RPMs (revs)
drop slightly and apply light pressure to the accelerator (GAS). Balance the light
downward pressure on the accelerator with slowly releasing pressure on the clutch
pedal. You will probably have to do this several times to find the right combination of
pressure up and down. Another way of doing it is to release the clutch until the moment
during which the engine revs down a little and then applying pressure on the accelerator
as the clutch engages. At this point the car will start to move. It is best to have the

engine rev just enough to prevent stalling as the clutch pedal is let up. This process may
be a little difficult at first because you are new to the 3 pedals in manual. Always be
ready to pull the hand brake to stop in emergency till you have learned.
o

If you release the clutch too quickly the car will stall. If the engine sounds
like it is going to stall, then hold the clutch where it is or even push it further in slightly.
Excessive engine speed while the clutch is between fully up and fully depressed will
wear out the clutch parts prematurely resulting in slippage or smoking of the clutch parts
at the transmission.

11
When driving, when your RPM reaches about 2500 to 3000, it is time to shift into
second gear. Remember though that it depends fully on the car you are driving what
RPM the tachometer will reach before you must change gear. Your engine will begin to
race and speed up, and you must learn to recognize this noise. Apply pressure
downward on the clutch pedal and guide the gear shift knob straight down from 1st gear
into the bottom left position.
o

Some cars have a "Shift Light" or indications on the speedometer that will
tell you when you need to shift so you don't rev the engine too fast.

12
Push down on the gas very slightly and slowly release the clutch pedal.

13
Once in gear and on the gas you should completely remove your foot from the
clutch pedal. Resting your foot on the clutch pedal is a bad habit, and applies pressure
to the clutch mechanism the increased pressure could allow the clutch to wear
prematurely.

14
When you have to stop, release right foot off accelerator to the brake pedal and
press down as much as required and as you slow to about 10 mph (16 km/h) you
will feel the car about to start shaking and vibrating. Press the clutch pedal fully
down and move the gear shift to neutral to prevent stalling.

15
Once you have mastered it, driving a manual is fun. You now can rev the engine in
any gear for a sportier feel or for a greener pace choose to shift gears at lower rpms.

Tips

You may want to apply first gear when the car is parked, in addition to the parking brake.

Learn to recognize the sounds of your engine; you should eventually be able to tell when
to change gears without relying on the tachometer.

Make sure you push the clutch all the way in before shifting to the next gear.

If you are having difficulty starting the car from a stop, make sure that you are slowly
letting off the clutch. Pause at the friction point (the part where the engine starts to move the car)
and continue slowly pulling the clutch out.

When you want to go on a bump,you hold down your clutch and press your brake slightly
to slow down and later release the clutch gradually and apply the accelerator gradually to move.

If there is no gear position posted on the shifter, make sure to ask someone who is
familiar with the vehicle how the gears are arranged. The last thing you want is to back into
something (or someone) when you think you've shifted into first gear.

Check the RPM, and shift gears according to the 20 for second, 30 for third, etc until
when at 40 for fourth the sound of the engine is not crying for change in gears. Pay attention to
the engine sound.

Do not get distracted while driving such as by texting. This may cause serious injury or
even death if you accidentally crash.

Make sure not to rest your left foot on the clutch while driving.

If you know ahead of time that you will be parking on a sharp incline, carry a brick or
rock in your car to be placed behind your wheel (carefully). It is not a bad idea to do this all the
time; parking brakes, like all parts of the car, become worn with age and may not be able to
keep your vehicle in place if a hill is too steep.

During sub freezing temperatures, it is not advisable to leave a car for a long time with a
handbrake (parking brake) pulled on. Moisture will freeze, making the release of the parking
brake iffy.

Two other descriptions mean the same thing as "manual transmission"--"stick shift" and
"standard."

To learn immediately, don't drive in the streets until you master the First/Reverse Gear.
Practice driving without applying gas when releasing the clutch. Then practice 100 times with

and without applying the accelerator. Do the same with reverse gear. After that then you will be
ready to go.

If your car seems like it is going to stall, or the engine is sputtering, then push in the
clutch again, wait for the engine to return to idle, and repeat the steps to starting off.
___________________________________________________________________________________

How Road Signs and Markings Save Lives

Every time we hit the road, we see road signs and markings along the way but not all of
us know what they mean. Some think that the white markings and lines on the road are
simply for decoration while others ignore traffic signs. This lack of knowledge about
traffic signs and road markings and/or disregarding them are the most common causes
of the increase in road traffic crashes that kill and injure road users, according to the
World Health Organization. For this reason, non-profit, public service-oriented nongovernment organizations like the Automobile Association Philippines (AAP) are
focused
on
promoting
road
safety.

Over the years, AAP, as a club member of the Federation

Internationale de lAutomobile (FIA) together with other
local private organizations has implemented various road
safety campaigns to reduce road traffic injuries and
fatalities. Among the road safety initiatives that AAP has
taken up is the education of road users motorists, pedestrians, motorcyclists and
bicyclists -- to help them respond effectively to road signs and markings.

Standardizing
Traffic
Signs
To ensure that road traffic signs will be instantly recognized and understood by all road
users and thereby improve road safety, the United Nations requested its member
countries to sign an international treaty that standardized the road traffic system for

international

use.

The Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals was created on November 8, 1968
during the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UNESCO) Conference on
Road Traffic at Vienna, Austria. A total of 52 contracting countries including the
Philippines agreed to accept the system as described in the convention. However, the
Philippines adopted the system only five years later due to the failure of the Congress to
ratify it. Amendments, including new provisions regarding the legibility of signs,
markings, priority at roundabouts and new signs to improve safety in tunnels were
formally adopted by then President Ferdinand Marcos on June 6, 1973 under
Presidential Decree No. 207.

A hybrid road sign translates a traffic rule into the vernacular.

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Department of

Public Works and Highways (DPWH) carry out the
internationally prescribed uniform traffic rules and signs to
facilitate foreign nationals and tourists whose language differences may create barriers.
But since Pilipino/ Tagalog is the countrys national language, the DPWH also posts
hybrid road signs that have a Tagalog translation underneath to achieve the widest
public comprehension. Although hybrid road signs are acceptable, they are not
generally recommended unless absolutely necessary.

Unfortunately, some commercial establishments post road signs that have no traffic
redeeming value since they only advertise products or services and/or show the way to
the commercial enterprises location. These commercial road signs only serve to distract
and confuse motorists, so they do not promote road safety and therefore should be

removed by the pertinent government authorities like the DPWH and Metro Manila
Development Authority.

Road Signs
A commonly seen regulatory road sign.

Going back to international standard road signs, Article 2 of

the Vienna Convention classifies road signs under several
categories. The three most common are regulatory signs,
warning signs and informative signs. The regulatory signs
reinforce traffic laws, regulations or requirements which either
are applied at all times or under circumstances, upon a street
or highway. The warning signs on the other hand, notify road
users about road condition or hazards ahead while the
informative road signs inform road users of directions, distances, routes, location of
services
and
points
of
interest.

The Vienna Convention also specifies the symbols and pictograms that can be used in
these signs. All signs, except for those that are not needed at night, must be
reflectorized enough to be visible in darkness by headlights from a distance.

Precise shapes and sizes for each sign were also provided. The octagon red shape is
exclusively for the STOP sign. The equilateral triangle with one point vertically
downward is especially for the GIVE WAY sign. The circle symbols are reserved for
regulatory signs while the equilateral triangle with one point vertically upward is mainly
for warning signs.

Road Markings
Solid white lines on both edges of the road mean that
parking is prohibited.

Road lane markings also convey important

messages. Like road signs, road lane markings
inform the road user on what action he or she should and should not be taking. They
also indicate regulations for parking and stopping and generate noise to alert drowsy
motorists.

Broken white center lines are the most common type of road surface markings. The
white center line is used to separate traffic movements on the road. If it is solid, drivers
may overtake only if it is safe to do so. If solid white lines are drawn along both edges of
the road, they mean that parking is prohibited. Another type of white line markings is
diagonal stripes or chevrons that are used to keep traffic lanes apart or to protect any
traffic that is turning right.

Crosswalks are white lines that are used to protect pedestrians. Motor vehicles are
advised to slow down when approaching crosswalks and zebra lines except when the
traffic
is
regulated
by
an
officer
or
traffic
lights.

Rumble strips rouse inattentive drivers.

drift

from

Rumble strips or sleeper lines are a series of simple

troughs that is ground out of the asphalt. It is a
series of white lines that when driven over by a
vehicle will generate tactile vibration and audible
rumbling to the wheels, then into the car body.
Rumble strips are used to alert inattentive drivers of
potential danger ahead or signal them when they
their
lane.

A solid yellow line that marks the center of the road separates the traffic travelling in
opposite directions. Overtaking is permitted in one direction only. If the solid yellow line
becomes double, all vehicles must keep right and should not overtake unless entering
or leaving a driveway or private road or to make a permitted "U" turn.

A solid yellow line at the center is used to warn motorists not to overtake while a broken
yellow line means overtaking is allowed if the way ahead and the rear are clear.

An example of double yellow lines at the center equipped with cats eyes.

Some road markings feature cats eyes, a retro

reflective safety device used to enhance lane
visibility especially on roads that lack street lighting
but are subject to high speeds or high volumes of
traffic. Cats eyes are made of reflective glass
spheres or reflective lenses set in a plastic or
polycarbonate
lense
box.

Road signs and lane markings can save lives if only motorists would pay attention to
their purposes and meanings. Ignorance and negligence should not be an excuse for
road users who got involved in road crashes. To be safe on the road, be informed and
follow traffic rules as indicated by road signs and lane markings.