This terrifies the American

This terrifies the American.

most americans can only afford old cars so we're actually pretty used to manual gears

I've never driven one, but let me guess how it works. Tell me if I'm right.

>Press accelerator
>Once engine hits about 4,000 or so RPMs, unless you're flooring it (Then you wait until about 7,000 or 8,000), take foot off of gas and place foot on clutch pedal
>switch up a gear
>resume acceleration

Did I get it right?

no, your eyes should be on the road and not on the rpm gauge, trust your eyes, if it screams you are doing it wrong, different cars shift at different rems

Yes exactly. Remember to check the mirrors every time you do this, too.

trust your ears*

I wasn't suggesting that you stare at the thing.
Anyways, though, how do you "feel" when it's time to shift, then?

you'll hear it

So, then it's just common sense?
Seems like it could be fun to drive, honestly.
I bet if you showed it to most americans, they'd probably be able to figure it out just by looking at it and thinking about it for a moment like I did.

and feel it, when it gets above the shifting rpms you waste gas, ie, rpm acceleration ratio decreases

Yes, after all it was Americans who invented the automatic gearbox, so they should be familiar with how gears work.

yes but if your at a stop you have to push the clutch pedal, set 1st gear and then release the clutch ( not too fast or the engine will derp and die)

Fair enough.
Keep in mind that I know absolutely nothing about cars. I just bought my first car a month ago and I'm only 18.
But, with that in mind, I'm fairly certain that RPMs are in relation to rotations of the timing belt, and as you accelerate/decelerate, that timing is shifting. I know that, when I was little, when I switched gears, I could look down and see the chains sliding up or down onto larger or smaller gears. My logic is that if the belt is changing speed as the chain is freely sliding onto a larger gear, the belt will end up pulling those gears farther along than the chain is moving, and it'll grind a bit or damage something. So, again, keep in mind that this is probably what stoners do when they try to talk astrophysics, but I'm guessing that the clutch pedal disconnects/raises part of the chain from the timing belt so that when the mechanism that makes the chain favor a larger gear does its thing, it keeps it safe from grinding as it slides over, so that then when you release the clutch pedal, I'm guessing it then lowers the raised part of the chain onto the higher gear or whatnot where it can catch and rotate in time again? And that would explain why it's imperative that you don't hit the accelerator as you do this, that way the chain doesn't rotate at a different speed to the gears, because I'm sure that would cause a mess.

Did any of that make sense? I literally know nothing about cars and I'm trying to explain what I'm seeing in my head when I think about switching gears and why each mechanism must be so important.

-clutch down and select 1st
-apply gas while lifting the clutch
-either you're now moving or you've stalled the engine
-when the engine is going sanic enough for you, take the gas off, press the clutch down and set gear to 2nd
-repeat from 2 with other gears until you've reached desired speed

You can also skip gears when they're not necessary.

When I was little, when I switched gears *on my bike* I meant to say

>owns two

Yeah. I figured as much. I assume that it takes too much torque for an engine to go from 0 at a high gear.

Also, what about driving downhill in a manual? Is one able to coast in first/second gear?

Thank God. I was imagining something like this

Oh, no. Americans aren't allowed to drive tanks until they're 14 with a learner's permit and a licensed adult 21 or over in the vehicle next to them or until they're 16 and have a valid driver's license. If it has a functional cannon, I believe you'll need a firearms permit too if you live in a commie state like California.

You're thinking of unsunchronized transmission. Modern cars have syncronized transmission so that the box synchs the rpm between the gear and the engine without having to synch it manually with accelerator.

With low gear in you're engine braking, which is a good way to keep the car in control on steep hills, but try to engage a low gear when already going fast for a surprise

>VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVMMMMMMMMMMMMMMFFFFFFFFF

use low gear same as uphill
same as automatics

>first car was an RX8 when I was 16
I had the coolest ride at school. Too bad I tore up the transmission the first year I had it.

So... am I supposed to follow your advice there or not? It sounds facetious.

Wow. So what I described actually exists?
Again, I know nothing about cars, so that's still pretty cool.

>am I supposed to follow your advice there or not
clearly not, you'll damage the car

Doesn't have chains though. And the timing belt is not where you measure RPM. RPM is always measured at the flywheel/crankshaft assembly.

he told you not to put it in lower gear if you are already zooming down in a higher gear

so start low from the top

Really no reason to have one unless you require a lot of torque. All yuros have is shitty rice burners so I don't see the point.

I have this tiny Honda Accord that seems to be way more powerful than a Honda should be, and I'm going to have to be careful or I'm going to end up doing the same thing

>electronically limited to 135
>supposed to go 0-60 in 5.8 seconds
>242 HP
>6 cylinders

I bought it with 200,000 miles on it, so I need to baby it. But I did get on a dark, empty road at night and floor it just to see what it could do, and I'm pretty sure it still hits that 5.8 seconds that are advertised.

>before I got my license I drove like a grandma
>now that I have my license I drive like Speed Racer's older brother
:(

Pic related isn't my car, but it is the same year, make, model, and color (Sapphire '04 Accord Ex V6 Coupe)

I just meant when you downshift the revs are going to jump up

I know, Amigo. I was kidding.
Ah. Thanks. Sad thing is, my grandfather's fantastic with cars, but he never once told me a darned thing about them.

Now I know you aren't supposed to touch the accelerator when shifting up, but what about the brakes when shifting down?

I assume that you aren't supposed to touch the brakes, either?

If you feel like it. The mass of the car rolling onwards will keep the engine from stalling as long as the car moves.

On big vehicles I rev up once I've disengaged gears to slide it into gear. Don't know about small cars

it's in their heritage genes

the thing beginners find difficult is releasing the clutch at the right pace, also starting to move after stopping on a slope, takes practice rather than figuring it out

Also your left foot is for clutch right for accelerator.

>tfw tanks are legal in your state

I figured as much.
Thanks.
So then, you limies actually use the right foot for acceleration/braking, too?
Even with the rest of the car mirrored?

>this entire thread

Its amazing that USA is just a few years away from self-driving cars and Europe is still using manual gearboxes. They are like 50 years behind us in culture and technology.

Yes

I've always wondered why automatics don't have the pedals spread apart so left leg for brake and right for go

Because that would teach some very bad habits to people who might some day sit down behind the wheel of a real car.

True story, i started working as a courier recently and all the cars are automatic-transmission. A lot of packages hit the separator wall the first three days when I hit the "clutch" at intersections
>mfw

Isn't automatic easier though?

I actually knew it was a Brazilian invention when I posted
The easiest thing is not driving. Why don't everyone just get someone else to drive them around? It's much easier, or at least that's what my sister told me. She haven't passed the driver's exam to this date.

Yes, press accelerator or break, that's it.

No this gives us bonus bonner!!!!111!!!! Now to cruise the coastline with this bad babby!!!
Bitch you dont know me.

>mfw having to drive an automatic and I've tried to roll smoothly to a halt by declutching

>Once engine hits about 4,000 or so RPMs

Ideally you're supposed to listen for the revs as opposed to looking at the gauge.