Having started engine as per the recommendations in the 'Owners Manual’
and got the ‘feel’ of its ticking as normal and healthy, you
are now ready to start rolling. Every car has its own ‘feel’, even of the same make/model
and the test of a truly skilled driver lies in the fact as to how quickly
he/she gets the feel of it, for an effortlessly smooth take off and further
maneuvering.To get going from stand-still after having engaged the 1st Gear via the
clutch, the engine should be revved up a little to prevent its stalling
on load, the moment the clutch commences to release. This is something
which can either be demonstrated or ‘felt’, but cannot be
put in as many words.Having got the car gently roling in 1st gear now without any over revving
the engine, which is say generally upto 10 Kph, it’s time now to
get into the 2nd Gear. For this, the accelerator has to be released and
the clutch depressed,
simultaneously, in such a manner that:- The engine does not over-rev freely, which would happen if the clutch
was disengaged a little too early than releasing of throttle.- A jerk in the motion, which would arise if the throttle were let off
a little to soon than the release of the clutch.
Having thus got into the 2nd Gear without a noticeable beak in speed
or engine revvs, you move in second gear say from 10 to 25 Kmph. Now that
the car is moving faster than it was at standstill, you can let go of
the clutch a little faster than what you had to ensure a smooth take off
from standstill.
Having thus accelerated upto 25 Kmph, it is time to get into third gear
upto say 40-50 Kmph for normal driving and into 4th from 40-50 Kmph onwards.
The sequence of engaging or dis-engaging the clutch and the accelerator
remains the same, except that as you progress - both actions become quicker
from the previous one, in order to maintain a smooth motion/transition
and acceleration.
While at it, it’d be worthwhile to bear in mind that the 5th Gear
is essentially a ‘Cruise’ Gear and most Cars would be uncomfortable
if forced into it at speeds < 50 kph and the sub/1000 cc ones preferably
~ 60 kph – especially with the AC on. Besides, regardless of what some of the Owners Manuals say, it makes
no sense whatsoever to keep getting in and out of it which is so inevitable
in our b2b traffic conditions. If indulged in to the contrary, rest assured
one would not only waste more fuel in accelerating/decelerating but also
wear off the Clutch much faster than otherwise. To sum-up presently, the clear objectives of above should be:- No perceptible jerks
- No over or under revving of the engine, either on load or on no load.In Part-2, we shall explore the finer nuances of ‘shifting gears’…. |
