Print these tips off and keep or give to your friends
Use of gears
So why does a car need to have gears? So it can go from 1mph to 70mph and any speed in between without straining the engine.
I bet you’ve ridden a bicycle with gears? Why do you change gear? So you can ride at higher or lower speeds without having to pedal too fast or slow. Well it’s the same for a car. Your instructor will have shown you how to change gears, this is a guide to the correct use of your gears.
The most important thing to remember is that the car has to be able to pull and accelerate without straining. If you have a rev counter fitted to your car then you can use this as a guide. A modern car will be able to pull from around 1500rpm and continue to operate comfortably up to 3000rpm. Beyond these boundaries you will risk straining the engine. If you need an extra amount of power for going up a hill or to briefly overtake then you can allow the revs to increase to 4000rpm but you should never have to exceed that.
The rev counter will show a range of revs available from 0-6000rpm but you will eventually damage the engine if you regularly exceed 4000rpm and you will have no power to accelerate below 1500rpm, slightly less in a diesel. If you don’t have a rev counter fitted then the engine’s noise will tell you when you need to change gear. If your revs are too low then the engine will sound deep and sluggish. If your revs are too high you will hear the engine roaring and it will start to scream “change up”.
Here’s a guide as to which gears to use when:
Note, always use the accelerator or the brake to reach the desired speed FIRST, then select the correct gear
1st gear: 0-10mph Moving away when stopped, very slow moving traffic
2nd gear: 5-20mph Give way situations when not stopping completely e.g. roundabouts & open junctions, also turning into side roads
3rd gear: 20-30mph Most town driving especially on hazardous roads
4th gear: 30-40mph Town driving on clearer, faster roads where speed limits allow
5th gear: 40mph+ Driving out of town on main roads or on dual carriageways or motorways
Note also, when accelerating you should always change up through the gears one by one sequentially. But when slowing down you may block change directly to the gear you need ONCE you have reached the correct speed. E,g, approaching a roundabout in 5th gear you may change directly to 3rd or 2nd without having to select each gear in between, provided you have slowed to the correct speed first.
About us | Contact us | Terms and conditions
Website design and hosting by Driving School Services
