Got Promoted

[lain13ego]

For the last six months i've been working as a grooming associate/dog bather at PetsMart. We lost our manager (although it was due to her own action) so we have an opening to get another groomer. I'll be sent away for a month to another PetsMart store where I will be trained on site to groom dogs. Once I come back I get to do a 100 dog appreticeship with the new manager and a portfolio of specific cuts, and then I can make commision! I can also decide if I want to shave cats or not...a lot of money, a lot of trips to the hospital. I'm very excited(not about the cats). This should make managing my finances a whole lot easier.

The only thing is I have to get to a place that is a two hour drive from my home, where i will be living in a hotel...but i'm just barely getting the hang of driving a manual, and its the los angeles freeways.... :shifty: I do have a few more weeks to master the art of the manual though...

just thought i'd share

anyone else terrified of driving a manual?

[Deidre]

Originally posted by lain13ego@Aug 26 2005, 07:49 AM
anyone else terrified of driving a manual?
No. I had to master manual gears the first day of driving class.

There is absolutely nothing to it. You only have to know how it works. In case you didn't: the clutch pedal works on the clutch plates which connect the engine to the driving (usually back) wheels. If you press down the clutch pedal, the plates seperate and sever the connection so that you can change gears without problems. When you lift your foot again, the plates re-connect and you're in a new gear.

The only problem is when you're in 1 or 2. You have to be more gentle with the clutch or, because of your low speed, it'll be shaky. Starting up the engine you have to be very gentle with the clutch. You can try this yourself: start up your engine (handbreak on), hold down the clutch and gently give some gas (to about 1500 revs). Now, slowly lift the clutch and listen to the engine. At one point the engine noise drops a bit, but the car shouldn't be moving. That's the biting point. That is all you need to move without stalling the engine. To start moving from there (with the handbreak off), you'd just lift the clutch gently. Now, normally when you'd change gears you'd do so fairly quickly, and without pressing on the gas, but when changing into 2nd from 1st, that can make for a bumpy ride, so be gentle on the clutch, and give a little gas as the biting point is reached.

Just remember to change up a gear before your engine gets to 3000 revs. Also remember that you don't have to go into lower gears as you slow down, but as soon as you put gas on again, you need to be in a suitable gear. Thirdly, don't steer with the clutch pedal down... it's going to force your car to take a bigger turn. Fourthly, drive on as high a gear you can for the speed you're at to save fuel and the environment. :P

[sunfrost]

Originally posted by Deidre@Aug 26 2005, 07:39 AM
Just remember to change up a gear before your engine gets to 3000 revs. Also remember that you don't have to go into lower gears as you slow down, but as soon as you put gas on again, you need to be in a suitable gear. Thirdly, don't steer with the clutch pedal down... it's going to force your car to take a bigger turn. Fourthly, drive on as high a gear you can for the speed you're at to save fuel and the environment. :P
Most people learn to shift gear at 2500 to 3000 revs, but as deidre said... do it before 3000 revs or better on 2500 or 2000 revs once you mastered to drive smoothly. High revs only burns fuel and indeed harms the environment without you moving a bit faster.

Ah, if you live in an area with uneven terrain or mountains, note that putting your car in a lower gear then it usually would at the given speed when comming down, makes the car brake on its engine and not on the brakes itself. This prevent the brakes from going up in smoke and gives you more controle over the car when comming down.

[Don Simeone]

wow, i usually shift between 4000-5000, i mean, if you're merging onto a highway, you want to be driving as fast as the other cars, right ?

for city driving, well i guess 3000 could be about right...

also, i just like acceleration :)

[lemmi]

4000-5000? christ, only if you need to pick up speed fast (ie overtaking someone)!
Can you not hear the engine growling away!?
I only get up to 4000 revs in fifth when on the morotrway doing about 90mph!

[Nonny]

Originally posted by Deidre@Aug 26 2005, 07:39 AM
No. I had to master manual gears the first day of driving class.
Me too. I learned on a 74 Volkswagen Beetle and a 91 Jetta Diesel. 1st and 2nd gears are the most difficult to learn; especially starting the car into 1st without stalling it! After that, though, you're pretty much home free.

[sunfrost]

On high octane benzine you could go higher up to 4000 but on a Diesel you shift at 2000 and if you don't have a 6th gear you drive 80miles/h at 3500 revs.

[JHXMT]

Originally posted by Nonny@Aug 26 2005, 02:35 PM
I learned on a 74 Volkswagen Beetle
My God, somebody else owns/owned one too? :lol:

But doesn't it count as a simpler car to drive if you don't have a 5th gear? ;)

[Barefoot Matt]

I don't quite agree with Deidre's advice. For one thing, it's not always true that you can slow down without downshifting. Unless the clutch is engaged, going too slow for a gear (regardless of whether or not you're giving it gas) will make you stall. It's the same as if you take your foot off the clutch in first when you're not moving and don't put your foot on the gas.

One thing to be wary of is something called "riding the clutch". It's easier to drive if you ride the clutch, but it's horrible for the transmission, and will lead to you spending ridiculous amounts of money to replace the clutch. Basically, try not to have the clutch in when you don't need to. Try not to have the clutch halfway in when you don't need to (sometimes it's necessary when you're going too slow for first gear, like in a parking lot). When you're stopped at a light, or you're slowing down over a long distance (if you would normally be putting the clutch in while slowing down rather than engine braking), shift into neutral instead of riding the clutch. Trust me, you'll be glad you did. The more you ride the clutch, the harder it gets to use, and when you have to replace it, ours was $4000, and it's more for larger vehicles.

[lain13ego]

i've done it a little bit already, and i'm okay, but i'm already not comfortable driving. its been a long time and the last time ended in an accident. working on it though

[Lone_Raider]

I learned how to drive on a manual 95 Saturn. It was my parents car and I mastered it pretty well, but ever since then every car I have had for myself has been an automatic. I'm sure I haven't forgotten how to drive a standard, but it's been 6 or so years since I've driven one!

[HurleyGirlie]

Congrats on the promotion :)

manuals are scary at first, but it gets better with practice as others have said.

[MuthaFranka]

Now you must go around screaming "I drive a Dodge Stratus...People are afraid of me!"

[Bravehearter]

Its downshifting that I have problems with.

[lain13ego]

well the original plan was to send me up north to palmdale, but that isn't where the school is being held...i wouldn't be nearly as afraid to drive up there, but los angeles traffic is scary enough without me driving. i'm hoping with the new job i'll have enough money to get a different car pretty soon anyway.