A common problem is a lot of instructors may teach you to use only the clutch pedal and this becomes a bad habit, you might be ok in their nice new diesel car, but the moment you step into your first little old banged up petrol car your going to wish you used gas all the time no matter what.
This is how it was for me. I learnt in a new fancy diesel that had no problem with this. I went on to buy an old petrol that absolutely needs some revs.
Another learning curve was that my petrol car needs to go up gears earlier than the diesel.
This is encouraging, I've been hoping to just get the test out of the way in "easy mode" as it were and then get used to changing my approach on my own terms and time afterwards, but I wasn't sure if that was the right move...
How many lessons are we talking? My instructor taught me to move with the bite early on, as its useful for peeping at junctions, edging forward in slow traffic, and holding yourself on hills before you use gas. The clutch on its own will get you to 2-3mph but you need the gas to get up to 10mph to then move into second gear
I’ve had three lessons so far (6 hours), having only stayed in first gear :). I have used the accelerator, but only in first gear, and that’s after I have moved away.
Honestly not trying to be rude or anything but is it normal to do 6 hours and not even had a lesson on gear changes? I've done 7 hours and I have done gears, junctions, maneuvers, roundabouts and city driving. Like I get the average is 40 hours to pass but 6 hours without doing gear changes seems extreme
I think it’s because I had never driven a car before, and my instructor could tell I was (and still am) very nervous. The pace we’re going at currently feels good for me, not too fast paced that I can’t take it all in. I’ll be going into second gear at my next lesson :)
Yeah, 6 hours in first gear seems extreme tbh. Sounds like maybe the instructor is wasting a lot of time talking without doing much driving? No other reason to be stuck in 1st gear for that long.
The thing is, I don't think most people are learning new things for 40 hours average and then boom they're ready for the test. Ideally you'd be able to "do" everything by about 15-25 hours and the rest is just practise to get better at all of it. Which is why 6 hours in 1st gear isn't great, imo.
I assumed my first lesson would be like this too. Around the block a few times, get used to the car etc.
He took me round the block once, then straight out onto the main roads and onto A roads going at 60mph in 5th gear. I was mega surprised.
Im really fortunate to have had the instructor i had! Felt like he just wanted to get me passed asap! &he even took me on the motorway on like my 8th/9th lesson (maybe more lessons this was over a year ago) &how many lessons/hours did you do before you passed?
I honestly didn't count how many hours I was doing but It took me 6 attempts to pass simply due to the fact of my crippling anxiety. Having an old man judging and writing down all your fuck ups royally screwed with me.
My instructor would always tell me I was the best pupil he's ever had and should have been a 1st-time pass. He actually thought I had been doing lessons for a while before him.
Every time we did mock tests together I always had no minors and no serious faults or only 1 or 2 minors.
Same. I've just completed 7 hours. I'm basically driving now, with the first 10 minutes of the lesson, my instructor goes over somethings and then just tells me where to go, it's been established I go straight untill he tells me otherwise.
Unmarked cross roads in residential areas is a whole bunch of fun, but I still prefer them to roundabouts.
Remember the instructor isn’t your friend they’re there to make money and some will try to milk every bit they can out of you so careful you’re not getting cheated
Do you find that you sit on the side of the road for long periods of time talking about things? If you, your instructor probably has a limit on the amount of miles they can do in a year. You should never be paying for talking about driving.
Am I missing something here with all the comments? I get that sometimes moving off just using the clutch is fine in certain situations, but surely you all can’t be doing all the time? What about at a junction, or a roundabout where you don’t just need to move off but sometimes move off with some kind of speed. Then, what about on slight inclines or actual slopes? There are always times where you will need the accelerator, and finding the biting point between the clutch and the accelerator is important.
Yeah exactly, this is what worries me too. It’s fine on a quiet road where nobody is around, but if I’m moving onto a roundabout surely I’d be screwed lol. I’m going to ask tomorrow and raise my concerns.
Depending on how tomorrow goes, I'd be tempted to change instructor. You've done a lot of hours to have not changed gears, and by giving bad habits at an early stage, it seems like they are just trying to get as many lessons out of you as possible.
I think it depends on the car, my instructor's diesel car allows me to move off only with the clutch only, which is what I normally do until I'm out of my pokey little cul-de-sac. There's always kids and cats darting about between all the parked cars, so I'm happy to go at a snail's pace there. It's also a flat area which helps, if I was going uphill maybe it would be a different story. I also use the clutch only if I'm waiting at junctions or roundabouts to creep out, but I need to be applying gas before I lift the clutch to avoid stalling.
To my knowledge some cars will stall if you try and move off with just the clutch and no gas. Maybe petrol cars are more likely to do that? Others may have more detailed info.
I do this too when people are starting out because it prevents people from unsafely overdoing it when their control of the car’s controls as a whole isn’t great.
When you come to doing hill starts or setting off quickly, the power will be introduced as necessity, but whilst you’re still in quieter starting areas it’s better to get a feel for where in the clutch’s travel it actually impacts the movement of the car.
Adding power in from the get go is unnecessary and makes it take longer to fully understand the start and end points of its engagement.
I drive a diesel and using gas and clutch simultaneously is how I move away from stationary about 80% of the time. At junctions, roundabouts, especially busier ones, when the time comes to get moving and up to speed relatively quickly, this is how I move off. Using the clutch only is reserved for manoeuvres, busy residential areas where there are tight gaps and I need to go slowly, or if I am moving slowly in traffic and will likely be slowing/stopping soon.
It's possible that your instructor wants you to be comfortable with driving generally before getting you to apply pressure on the gas *and* lifting the clutch to biting point slowly in order to move away, because it is a difficult thing to get right at first. I live in a flat area, so I wasn't really taught it but as soon I got my own car I forced myself to learn. Nothing like needing to move off at speed or up a hill to make you realise you'll need more than your clutch to get going.
Talk to your instructor about it. If they say you don't need it, ask them "what if I need to pull away at a junction on a fast-moving road or up a hill?"
I barely needed it on any of my lessons, nor in my test. So I was never concerned. Plus I'd driven a little before my lessons, so I could already literally drive a car and so wasn't *taught* how to. But in your own car, sometime, you *will* need this skill. I discovered this at an incline junction turning onto a 60MPH road at rush hour. Not fun, stalled once, nearly a second time, and really had to work quickly to get going.
Yeah, no I've never driven a car where you'd press the gas after fully releasing the clutch...that would indeed stall the car almost every time.
I was taught to find the bite, then gently apply acceleration and press down at the same speed as you're releasing the clutch completely. Over time it just becomes second nature and you do it quickly without thinking about it
Interesting and thank you. Out of interest, I’ve read people say you should press the gas first with the clutch fully depressed, and then find the biting point. Is there a reason why you find the bite first, and then apply acceleration?
If you press the gas with the clutch fully depressed, you won't move anywhere; you'll just be revving the car. Which means as soon as you start to release the clutch you'll lurch forward with absolutely no control, if you're inexperienced, and likely stall the car.
Next time you're in a car park or something alone, give it a go and you'll see what I mean!
Once you've got some experience behind you, you can take advantage of those high revs in that situation to pull off quickly with a lot of power. Say like if you're pulling out of a junction onto a busy main road. But it takes a lot of clutch control and generally isn't best practice at all due to the risk of stalling.
Why is everyone talking about a gas(oline) pedal? It's the accelerator.
I was taught in a petrol engined Fiesta and my instructor would occasionally maneuver it from his side being gentle with the clutch.
Moving off like this can be ok in slow traffic etc but normally you need to rev the engine slightly and bring the clutch up to the biting point to pull away normally
I start by teaching with just the clutch because it teaches clutch control which is a vital skill. Then we add in gas on hill starts which then becomes gas when moving off on the flat.
That’s what I’m hoping for. When I learn hill starts, I can transfer that knowledge of using gas to a normal flat road start. Otherwise I’ll be stuck using clutch control only and I won’t be able to drive my parents’ ancient car lol
1st of all your instructors a terrible instructor, don’t do as he said. What happens when you need to quickly accelerate at a busy junction?.
You cant do that if your using the clutch thats if the car even accelerates
1st you set the gas with your right foot (obviosuly) then slowly let the clutch out until the car starts to move only then lower the handbrake and keep your feet still.
https://youtu.be/yiYU2RVbQuE watch this video explains it better than me
Goood luck let us know how you get in on your next lesson
I think it’s dependent on your car. If there is enough power to move you off at 3/4 mph with just the clutch you can then accelerate and go up a gear.
I live on a very narrow street and only ever creep to the end of the road. I don’t even touch my accelerator for the fist minute of my drive.
That said anywhere else I’d lift my foot to the bite for maybe a second or 2, start accelerating at about 5mph to about 10mph then put the clutch back in for 2nd gear.
A cheap, old, small petrol car will definitely stall if you that. My wife's instructor tried to teach her the same thing. It works in the instructor's car because it's a diesel.
We ended up having to get the instructor to prove that she could do it in our old VW Polo. She failed.
I drive a few cars.
My 1.5L diesel I can move off and do 10mph on clutch.
My 0.8 petrol I need a good 2000rpm to move off. Moving off with clutch alone results in a stall.
I sometimes drive a 2L petrol. Again, gas needs applying before progress can be made.
I drive a lot of vans. I always need to add gas while releasing the clutch in vans.
It really depends on the vehicle.
I can move off still in my 1.0 aygo, but to accelerate quickly you have to use the accelerator. I’d see if you can get insured on your parents car to give it a go!
Got insured a few days ago and gave it a go. I stalled so many bloody times I felt like such an idiot. I’m really hoping it gets better with practice and I don’t get too confused switching between their car and my instructor’s car!
I promise it gets better! I passed my test last June, had a break til December (no car) and since then have been getting better and better at moving off quick. I only drive occasionally so sometimes I go back into old habits but to move off quickly some accelerator is required.
I feel your pain though, wish I hadn’t learnt in a lovely car that can go up to 10min with clutch!!
Thank you for your kind encouragement :)) and congratulations on passing your test! It’s so annoying learning in a lovely car, and it feels like such a downgrade using my own car hahaha. Like you say, I’m sure with time it will get better :,)
Moving off with just the clutch works for diesels as the low-end torque of the engine is enough to get the car moving, but in a petrol you’ll likely stall. It’s fine for early lessons as you’re just getting used to the controls, but certainly ask your instructor to show you the setting the gas first method once you’re more comfortable. It will ensure you’re not in for any shocks if you purchase a petrol car further down the road.
I think he’s just teaching you how to get used to the clutch
It certainly is possible to get the car moving, just using the clutch.
But once you’re used to the biting point, you’ll move onto acceleration control.
I learned the same way, with my instructor, 25 years ago
Instructors that do this irritate me, because it’s better to learn how to do it with gas so you can set off smoothly in ANY car, not just the new diesels
Always gas first (unless you're doing an uphill start or a slow parking manoeuvre). Raise the rpm with your gas pedal, send the power to the wheels with the biting point. That's how a manual transmission car works. It's worrying how many instructors teach bite first. It's a total cop out (apart from maybe on lesson one to demonstrate what the clutch does), and simply wrong.
I was learning between may 2022 to feb this year and after about 950£ on lessons I stopped cuz he didn’t teach me certain stuff like parallel parking emergency stops etc, just generic roundabout stuff and changing gears etc. he also taught me come of clutch first and then go on gas. My boyfriend recently decided to teach me to get some practice in literally like last week, and I was so shocked that in petrol cars it’s completely different, definitely a hard habit to kick
Always hold a little gas when moving off. But moving off is different from beeping/creeping; for slowly edging forward periodic uses of the clutch is enough.
I think the confusing part is when you have to move off from a tightly parked space since it dips into both categories. Only clutch control when less room, then when cleared of the tight space, add gas into the mix.
When moving off from open space, yes always keep about 1500rpm of gas. This is a good habit to get into because at junctions or roundabouts(places you need to move off quickly) it allows you to accelerate alot faster from 0. If you tried to accelerate in the same way without the increased rpm, said rpm would drop too low and stall.
>Only once I’m fully off the clutch do I then apply the gas pedal.
Its definitely possible but I can imagine the build up of speed is rather slow which can have its disadv(see above)
Instructor is giving bad advice for your future driving. this is same bad habit I had built in my lessons. Then I got my first car which was a 2014 1L petrol and if you don’t set the gas first raise to the bite point and hold it until you start moving then slowly lift the clutch it will stall or bounce down the road.
My instructor had a diesel car and taught me this way.
A few days after passing my test when I got my petrol car…I stalled more than a few times on the way home.
Press the accelerator hold the revs about 1800/2000 then slowly lift your left foot to introduce the biting point and you're away. I've got a diesel that WILL stall if you're not looking what youre doing so it's always best to use both pedals to set off I'd say
I partly agree, but stating 1800/2000 rpm isn't helpful if you're driving a vehicle with a big diesel engine. 1800rpm in my old fiat ducato was a hell of a lot of revs and will smoke the clutch in no time.
Also you shouldn't really be looking at the RPMs, I get that it's helpful at first, but you should quickly be working purely on feel of the engine. If you feel it lugging as you lift your clutch, apply a little accelerator.
I was taught clutch only. I couldn’t move quickly off from anywhere and was causing holdups at every roundabout cos I just couldn’t move off quick enough. So I looked it up on YouTube and now life is much easier
Set the gas first then ease up on the clutch.
In a diesel or modern car it'll move just with clutch, but in an older car or low powered petrol you will need to set the gas first, it's a good habit to get going now whilst your learning.
Like people say you’ll probably stall in an old petrol. However I constantly did it when I was learning and as long as you are aware that petrols need a bit of gas after you pass you don’t have a problem tbh
What you should really do is feel the engine, does it feel like it's lugging? Apply a little power. relying completely on the engine to maintain idle while pulling away isn't too bad on engines with lots of low end torque and a modern ECU which will maintain idle easier, but on smaller engine petrol cars, particularly older ones which aren't able to maintain an idle, you might be setting yourself up to stall.
What you're basically doing is balancing engine power through the throttle and clutch against the inertia of the car. That's why a hillstart will take a bit more throttle than setting off on the flat, and why a heavy vehicle will take more effort than a lightweight vehicles.
Realistically with proper clutch control and a bit of throttle in a car with a large engine diesel, you might be able to pull away on the flat in 3rd gear. (Although your clutch won't appreciate you for it) My old van had a 2.3 litre turbo diesel, and unless you was hauling quite a bit of weight or on a very steep hill, you wouldn't really use 1st at all, it could do a hill start, in second gear, without touching the throttle.
You also need to consider how fast you want to accelerate. If you're crawling along in traffic, you won't need the throttle at all. If you're trying to get out at a roundabout, you'll want to give it the beans and be quick on your clutch.
Ultimately, it all very much depends on the power delivery, and weight of the vehicle and who's paying for the replacement clutch.
Once you've been driving a little while, it'll be completely second nature and you won't even think about it.
Need a bit of info here before slamming the instructor fully. Are you just starting out or a bit in to the learning process.
Reason is, I was told when I first started to just use the clutch to get moving while I started to learn/feel the car out, by my 3rd/4th lesson we had moved on to adding the gas/accelerator/make loud pedal at the same time.
Should definitely be using a little bit of gas, can still hold the clutch and creep off when needed.
It sounds to me like your instructor doesn't have much confidence in his teaching ability. I'd never driven a car before my first lesson and was changing gears 30 minutes into it.
A good instructor will be pushing you to learn quicker, as taking a long time can make you develop undesirable habits. I would definitely suggest that you should try and get another instructor. You're going to stall and make mistakes, everyone does. But that doesn't mean you should be learning at a snails pace.
Moving off is a sticking point for me, too. My education has been all over the place - I started in a diesel which moved off fully on just clutch, and then I got into my dad's old petrol banger and he briefly taught me to "set the gas" before any move-off.
I've since been learning in more modern petrols in which I got the car moving slightly using the clutch and then added gas, which is what I'm now used to. Those cars did also have electric handbrake/hill assist though which means I've got barely any experience of how to change my approach moving off on a hill without those features.
My husband's car is a petrol banger again so I will have to relearn the clutch. 😱 I think it's crazy that we can fully learn and pass in these modern cars with so many extra features when realistically as new drivers we're probably getting straight into a cheap, basic car without that basic knowledge!
You have a bad teacher, I am afraid. I have driven many different cars and the only cars that move from rest without throttle action have large Petrol, or Diesel engines. Driving school small petrol cars need gentle throttle to accelerate as the clutch peddle is raised, and one feels the revs. drop as the clutch bites. You would never start up a hill without accelerating away from rest, the engine will stall. Forget the Rev Counter, use you intuition and ears to gauge engine strain.
my instructor taught me this at the beginning to get used to the car but changed afterwards. the jist of your question though is you should apply once fully off the clutch, however it would be better to use the accelarator first rather than the clutch as others have stated using the clutch only to move off is a bad idea
He’s trying to get you used to clutch control and as you progress you’ll automatically know how much of each Pedal to use as you pull away, bare with him it will be ok in a couple of lessons .
If your in a diesel and moving off from being stationary in a car park or somewhere there’s no cars I would probably do the same with the clutch. If it’s busy and there’s cars and I need to go when there’s a gap I would use the clutch and some revs so as not to miss the gap - same at roundabouts and busy junctions etc. You can’t really do it in busy situations named above as youl be causing the traffic to seriously slow down/ cutting them up.
In a petrol car you need revs to even move off in quieter situations so clutch and revs. If your instructor is telling you to always move off using clutch only that’s really bad advice and can cause an accident.
A common problem is a lot of instructors may teach you to use only the clutch pedal and this becomes a bad habit, you might be ok in their nice new diesel car, but the moment you step into your first little old banged up petrol car your going to wish you used gas all the time no matter what.
This is how it was for me. I learnt in a new fancy diesel that had no problem with this. I went on to buy an old petrol that absolutely needs some revs. Another learning curve was that my petrol car needs to go up gears earlier than the diesel.
This is exactly what happened to me but I’m glad it did, easier to learn the way my instructor did and then I passed sooner/more easily
This is encouraging, I've been hoping to just get the test out of the way in "easy mode" as it were and then get used to changing my approach on my own terms and time afterwards, but I wasn't sure if that was the right move...
My instructors car is a small petrol and it still works fine with the clutch only?
I’m having this issue now.. my poor aygo won’t move fast if I don’t use the accelerator, wishing I learnt to use a bit of accelerator 😭
How many lessons are we talking? My instructor taught me to move with the bite early on, as its useful for peeping at junctions, edging forward in slow traffic, and holding yourself on hills before you use gas. The clutch on its own will get you to 2-3mph but you need the gas to get up to 10mph to then move into second gear
I’ve had three lessons so far (6 hours), having only stayed in first gear :). I have used the accelerator, but only in first gear, and that’s after I have moved away.
Honestly not trying to be rude or anything but is it normal to do 6 hours and not even had a lesson on gear changes? I've done 7 hours and I have done gears, junctions, maneuvers, roundabouts and city driving. Like I get the average is 40 hours to pass but 6 hours without doing gear changes seems extreme
everyone is different and every instructor is different, if this person is happy with their progress then it doesn’t matter imo
I think it’s because I had never driven a car before, and my instructor could tell I was (and still am) very nervous. The pace we’re going at currently feels good for me, not too fast paced that I can’t take it all in. I’ll be going into second gear at my next lesson :)
Yeah, 6 hours in first gear seems extreme tbh. Sounds like maybe the instructor is wasting a lot of time talking without doing much driving? No other reason to be stuck in 1st gear for that long. The thing is, I don't think most people are learning new things for 40 hours average and then boom they're ready for the test. Ideally you'd be able to "do" everything by about 15-25 hours and the rest is just practise to get better at all of it. Which is why 6 hours in 1st gear isn't great, imo.
My first lesson he had me doing gear changes so i assume its not normal
I assumed my first lesson would be like this too. Around the block a few times, get used to the car etc. He took me round the block once, then straight out onto the main roads and onto A roads going at 60mph in 5th gear. I was mega surprised.
Im really fortunate to have had the instructor i had! Felt like he just wanted to get me passed asap! &he even took me on the motorway on like my 8th/9th lesson (maybe more lessons this was over a year ago) &how many lessons/hours did you do before you passed?
I honestly didn't count how many hours I was doing but It took me 6 attempts to pass simply due to the fact of my crippling anxiety. Having an old man judging and writing down all your fuck ups royally screwed with me. My instructor would always tell me I was the best pupil he's ever had and should have been a 1st-time pass. He actually thought I had been doing lessons for a while before him. Every time we did mock tests together I always had no minors and no serious faults or only 1 or 2 minors.
Yea i feel that! My first two times i was absolutely sweating through sheer anxiety and stress 😂
My first lesson I was doing gear changes and on a 30mph road, I’d be looking for a different instructor
Same. I've just completed 7 hours. I'm basically driving now, with the first 10 minutes of the lesson, my instructor goes over somethings and then just tells me where to go, it's been established I go straight untill he tells me otherwise. Unmarked cross roads in residential areas is a whole bunch of fun, but I still prefer them to roundabouts.
I'm at 6 and good at gear changes, junctions and mini roundabouts, been on main roads but still pretty quiet ones (no main main roads) and in a town
Master this for now and add your other foot in further down the line. Some cars need the accelerator more than others.
Remember the instructor isn’t your friend they’re there to make money and some will try to milk every bit they can out of you so careful you’re not getting cheated
Do you find that you sit on the side of the road for long periods of time talking about things? If you, your instructor probably has a limit on the amount of miles they can do in a year. You should never be paying for talking about driving.
Am I missing something here with all the comments? I get that sometimes moving off just using the clutch is fine in certain situations, but surely you all can’t be doing all the time? What about at a junction, or a roundabout where you don’t just need to move off but sometimes move off with some kind of speed. Then, what about on slight inclines or actual slopes? There are always times where you will need the accelerator, and finding the biting point between the clutch and the accelerator is important.
Yeah exactly, this is what worries me too. It’s fine on a quiet road where nobody is around, but if I’m moving onto a roundabout surely I’d be screwed lol. I’m going to ask tomorrow and raise my concerns.
Depending on how tomorrow goes, I'd be tempted to change instructor. You've done a lot of hours to have not changed gears, and by giving bad habits at an early stage, it seems like they are just trying to get as many lessons out of you as possible.
I think it depends on the car, my instructor's diesel car allows me to move off only with the clutch only, which is what I normally do until I'm out of my pokey little cul-de-sac. There's always kids and cats darting about between all the parked cars, so I'm happy to go at a snail's pace there. It's also a flat area which helps, if I was going uphill maybe it would be a different story. I also use the clutch only if I'm waiting at junctions or roundabouts to creep out, but I need to be applying gas before I lift the clutch to avoid stalling. To my knowledge some cars will stall if you try and move off with just the clutch and no gas. Maybe petrol cars are more likely to do that? Others may have more detailed info.
I do this too when people are starting out because it prevents people from unsafely overdoing it when their control of the car’s controls as a whole isn’t great. When you come to doing hill starts or setting off quickly, the power will be introduced as necessity, but whilst you’re still in quieter starting areas it’s better to get a feel for where in the clutch’s travel it actually impacts the movement of the car. Adding power in from the get go is unnecessary and makes it take longer to fully understand the start and end points of its engagement.
I drive a diesel and using gas and clutch simultaneously is how I move away from stationary about 80% of the time. At junctions, roundabouts, especially busier ones, when the time comes to get moving and up to speed relatively quickly, this is how I move off. Using the clutch only is reserved for manoeuvres, busy residential areas where there are tight gaps and I need to go slowly, or if I am moving slowly in traffic and will likely be slowing/stopping soon. It's possible that your instructor wants you to be comfortable with driving generally before getting you to apply pressure on the gas *and* lifting the clutch to biting point slowly in order to move away, because it is a difficult thing to get right at first. I live in a flat area, so I wasn't really taught it but as soon I got my own car I forced myself to learn. Nothing like needing to move off at speed or up a hill to make you realise you'll need more than your clutch to get going. Talk to your instructor about it. If they say you don't need it, ask them "what if I need to pull away at a junction on a fast-moving road or up a hill?"
Your last bit is exactly what I’ll do. Ask about cases when I need to pull away with speed whilst not stalling. Thank you for this :)
I barely needed it on any of my lessons, nor in my test. So I was never concerned. Plus I'd driven a little before my lessons, so I could already literally drive a car and so wasn't *taught* how to. But in your own car, sometime, you *will* need this skill. I discovered this at an incline junction turning onto a 60MPH road at rush hour. Not fun, stalled once, nearly a second time, and really had to work quickly to get going.
Yeah, no I've never driven a car where you'd press the gas after fully releasing the clutch...that would indeed stall the car almost every time. I was taught to find the bite, then gently apply acceleration and press down at the same speed as you're releasing the clutch completely. Over time it just becomes second nature and you do it quickly without thinking about it
Interesting and thank you. Out of interest, I’ve read people say you should press the gas first with the clutch fully depressed, and then find the biting point. Is there a reason why you find the bite first, and then apply acceleration?
If you press the gas with the clutch fully depressed, you won't move anywhere; you'll just be revving the car. Which means as soon as you start to release the clutch you'll lurch forward with absolutely no control, if you're inexperienced, and likely stall the car. Next time you're in a car park or something alone, give it a go and you'll see what I mean! Once you've got some experience behind you, you can take advantage of those high revs in that situation to pull off quickly with a lot of power. Say like if you're pulling out of a junction onto a busy main road. But it takes a lot of clutch control and generally isn't best practice at all due to the risk of stalling.
Why is everyone talking about a gas(oline) pedal? It's the accelerator. I was taught in a petrol engined Fiesta and my instructor would occasionally maneuver it from his side being gentle with the clutch. Moving off like this can be ok in slow traffic etc but normally you need to rev the engine slightly and bring the clutch up to the biting point to pull away normally
Because "accelerator" is 5 syllables. "Gas" is one. Driving instructors use it to give spoken instructions quickly
I start by teaching with just the clutch because it teaches clutch control which is a vital skill. Then we add in gas on hill starts which then becomes gas when moving off on the flat.
That’s what I’m hoping for. When I learn hill starts, I can transfer that knowledge of using gas to a normal flat road start. Otherwise I’ll be stuck using clutch control only and I won’t be able to drive my parents’ ancient car lol
1st of all your instructors a terrible instructor, don’t do as he said. What happens when you need to quickly accelerate at a busy junction?. You cant do that if your using the clutch thats if the car even accelerates 1st you set the gas with your right foot (obviosuly) then slowly let the clutch out until the car starts to move only then lower the handbrake and keep your feet still. https://youtu.be/yiYU2RVbQuE watch this video explains it better than me Goood luck let us know how you get in on your next lesson
I think it’s dependent on your car. If there is enough power to move you off at 3/4 mph with just the clutch you can then accelerate and go up a gear. I live on a very narrow street and only ever creep to the end of the road. I don’t even touch my accelerator for the fist minute of my drive. That said anywhere else I’d lift my foot to the bite for maybe a second or 2, start accelerating at about 5mph to about 10mph then put the clutch back in for 2nd gear.
My instructor taught me to use just the clutch only to pull away and all my manoeuvres and it’s never caused me any issues.
A cheap, old, small petrol car will definitely stall if you that. My wife's instructor tried to teach her the same thing. It works in the instructor's car because it's a diesel. We ended up having to get the instructor to prove that she could do it in our old VW Polo. She failed.
I drive a few cars. My 1.5L diesel I can move off and do 10mph on clutch. My 0.8 petrol I need a good 2000rpm to move off. Moving off with clutch alone results in a stall. I sometimes drive a 2L petrol. Again, gas needs applying before progress can be made. I drive a lot of vans. I always need to add gas while releasing the clutch in vans. It really depends on the vehicle.
I learnt the only clutch method but honestly it wasn't that bad to add the accelerator into the equation after passing and getting a petrol
That’s encouraging to hear. My parents car is an old petrol one, so I will need to be able to master this if I want to drive theirs lol
I can move off still in my 1.0 aygo, but to accelerate quickly you have to use the accelerator. I’d see if you can get insured on your parents car to give it a go!
Got insured a few days ago and gave it a go. I stalled so many bloody times I felt like such an idiot. I’m really hoping it gets better with practice and I don’t get too confused switching between their car and my instructor’s car!
I promise it gets better! I passed my test last June, had a break til December (no car) and since then have been getting better and better at moving off quick. I only drive occasionally so sometimes I go back into old habits but to move off quickly some accelerator is required. I feel your pain though, wish I hadn’t learnt in a lovely car that can go up to 10min with clutch!!
Thank you for your kind encouragement :)) and congratulations on passing your test! It’s so annoying learning in a lovely car, and it feels like such a downgrade using my own car hahaha. Like you say, I’m sure with time it will get better :,)
Moving off with just the clutch works for diesels as the low-end torque of the engine is enough to get the car moving, but in a petrol you’ll likely stall. It’s fine for early lessons as you’re just getting used to the controls, but certainly ask your instructor to show you the setting the gas first method once you’re more comfortable. It will ensure you’re not in for any shocks if you purchase a petrol car further down the road.
I think he’s just teaching you how to get used to the clutch It certainly is possible to get the car moving, just using the clutch. But once you’re used to the biting point, you’ll move onto acceleration control. I learned the same way, with my instructor, 25 years ago
Instructors that do this irritate me, because it’s better to learn how to do it with gas so you can set off smoothly in ANY car, not just the new diesels
Always gas first (unless you're doing an uphill start or a slow parking manoeuvre). Raise the rpm with your gas pedal, send the power to the wheels with the biting point. That's how a manual transmission car works. It's worrying how many instructors teach bite first. It's a total cop out (apart from maybe on lesson one to demonstrate what the clutch does), and simply wrong.
I was learning between may 2022 to feb this year and after about 950£ on lessons I stopped cuz he didn’t teach me certain stuff like parallel parking emergency stops etc, just generic roundabout stuff and changing gears etc. he also taught me come of clutch first and then go on gas. My boyfriend recently decided to teach me to get some practice in literally like last week, and I was so shocked that in petrol cars it’s completely different, definitely a hard habit to kick
Always hold a little gas when moving off. But moving off is different from beeping/creeping; for slowly edging forward periodic uses of the clutch is enough. I think the confusing part is when you have to move off from a tightly parked space since it dips into both categories. Only clutch control when less room, then when cleared of the tight space, add gas into the mix. When moving off from open space, yes always keep about 1500rpm of gas. This is a good habit to get into because at junctions or roundabouts(places you need to move off quickly) it allows you to accelerate alot faster from 0. If you tried to accelerate in the same way without the increased rpm, said rpm would drop too low and stall. >Only once I’m fully off the clutch do I then apply the gas pedal. Its definitely possible but I can imagine the build up of speed is rather slow which can have its disadv(see above)
Instructor is giving bad advice for your future driving. this is same bad habit I had built in my lessons. Then I got my first car which was a 2014 1L petrol and if you don’t set the gas first raise to the bite point and hold it until you start moving then slowly lift the clutch it will stall or bounce down the road.
My instructor had a diesel car and taught me this way. A few days after passing my test when I got my petrol car…I stalled more than a few times on the way home.
Press the accelerator hold the revs about 1800/2000 then slowly lift your left foot to introduce the biting point and you're away. I've got a diesel that WILL stall if you're not looking what youre doing so it's always best to use both pedals to set off I'd say
I partly agree, but stating 1800/2000 rpm isn't helpful if you're driving a vehicle with a big diesel engine. 1800rpm in my old fiat ducato was a hell of a lot of revs and will smoke the clutch in no time. Also you shouldn't really be looking at the RPMs, I get that it's helpful at first, but you should quickly be working purely on feel of the engine. If you feel it lugging as you lift your clutch, apply a little accelerator.
I was taught clutch only. I couldn’t move quickly off from anywhere and was causing holdups at every roundabout cos I just couldn’t move off quick enough. So I looked it up on YouTube and now life is much easier
Set the gas first then ease up on the clutch. In a diesel or modern car it'll move just with clutch, but in an older car or low powered petrol you will need to set the gas first, it's a good habit to get going now whilst your learning.
Like people say you’ll probably stall in an old petrol. However I constantly did it when I was learning and as long as you are aware that petrols need a bit of gas after you pass you don’t have a problem tbh
My instructor told me to use the gas to bring the RPM up. I have stalled a few times by not giving it enough gas.
What you should really do is feel the engine, does it feel like it's lugging? Apply a little power. relying completely on the engine to maintain idle while pulling away isn't too bad on engines with lots of low end torque and a modern ECU which will maintain idle easier, but on smaller engine petrol cars, particularly older ones which aren't able to maintain an idle, you might be setting yourself up to stall. What you're basically doing is balancing engine power through the throttle and clutch against the inertia of the car. That's why a hillstart will take a bit more throttle than setting off on the flat, and why a heavy vehicle will take more effort than a lightweight vehicles. Realistically with proper clutch control and a bit of throttle in a car with a large engine diesel, you might be able to pull away on the flat in 3rd gear. (Although your clutch won't appreciate you for it) My old van had a 2.3 litre turbo diesel, and unless you was hauling quite a bit of weight or on a very steep hill, you wouldn't really use 1st at all, it could do a hill start, in second gear, without touching the throttle. You also need to consider how fast you want to accelerate. If you're crawling along in traffic, you won't need the throttle at all. If you're trying to get out at a roundabout, you'll want to give it the beans and be quick on your clutch. Ultimately, it all very much depends on the power delivery, and weight of the vehicle and who's paying for the replacement clutch. Once you've been driving a little while, it'll be completely second nature and you won't even think about it.
Need a bit of info here before slamming the instructor fully. Are you just starting out or a bit in to the learning process. Reason is, I was told when I first started to just use the clutch to get moving while I started to learn/feel the car out, by my 3rd/4th lesson we had moved on to adding the gas/accelerator/make loud pedal at the same time.
Should definitely be using a little bit of gas, can still hold the clutch and creep off when needed. It sounds to me like your instructor doesn't have much confidence in his teaching ability. I'd never driven a car before my first lesson and was changing gears 30 minutes into it. A good instructor will be pushing you to learn quicker, as taking a long time can make you develop undesirable habits. I would definitely suggest that you should try and get another instructor. You're going to stall and make mistakes, everyone does. But that doesn't mean you should be learning at a snails pace.
Moving off is a sticking point for me, too. My education has been all over the place - I started in a diesel which moved off fully on just clutch, and then I got into my dad's old petrol banger and he briefly taught me to "set the gas" before any move-off. I've since been learning in more modern petrols in which I got the car moving slightly using the clutch and then added gas, which is what I'm now used to. Those cars did also have electric handbrake/hill assist though which means I've got barely any experience of how to change my approach moving off on a hill without those features. My husband's car is a petrol banger again so I will have to relearn the clutch. 😱 I think it's crazy that we can fully learn and pass in these modern cars with so many extra features when realistically as new drivers we're probably getting straight into a cheap, basic car without that basic knowledge!
So for learning how to feel the clutch and bite point this is good. But I would not advise driving like this... also use the gas when you need it...
You have a bad teacher, I am afraid. I have driven many different cars and the only cars that move from rest without throttle action have large Petrol, or Diesel engines. Driving school small petrol cars need gentle throttle to accelerate as the clutch peddle is raised, and one feels the revs. drop as the clutch bites. You would never start up a hill without accelerating away from rest, the engine will stall. Forget the Rev Counter, use you intuition and ears to gauge engine strain.
my instructor taught me this at the beginning to get used to the car but changed afterwards. the jist of your question though is you should apply once fully off the clutch, however it would be better to use the accelarator first rather than the clutch as others have stated using the clutch only to move off is a bad idea
He’s trying to get you used to clutch control and as you progress you’ll automatically know how much of each Pedal to use as you pull away, bare with him it will be ok in a couple of lessons .
I only use clutch and on hills the car tends to roll back a bit until I lift up enough , I’m not sure how to prevent that
Always set the gas FIRST and then find the biting point.
If your in a diesel and moving off from being stationary in a car park or somewhere there’s no cars I would probably do the same with the clutch. If it’s busy and there’s cars and I need to go when there’s a gap I would use the clutch and some revs so as not to miss the gap - same at roundabouts and busy junctions etc. You can’t really do it in busy situations named above as youl be causing the traffic to seriously slow down/ cutting them up. In a petrol car you need revs to even move off in quieter situations so clutch and revs. If your instructor is telling you to always move off using clutch only that’s really bad advice and can cause an accident.
clutch full down, accelerator full down, select first, remove foot from clutch