For a moment you wouldn’t think of the manual gear in a car to be a subject of great importance. While this article is not intented to debate on manual gear versus automatic(although I am in support of the manual option), it will give you few tips on how you can uses your gear better.
While the primary function of the gears is to shift from one mode(higher/lower) to the other( lower/higher), here are few things your gear can do to safeguard the gear and your vehicle.
Gears are the driving element of a vehicle. But often, the gears are not cared of. Here are some of my views, that will enhance your vehicles health.
1) Never give full push accleration in 1st gear in an effort to change gear.
2) Approaching a speed-braker at good speed and suddenly slowing down is not a good practice. Also never change gear on a speed-braker change before you reach it.
3) Leaving the clutch suddenly after puting it in 2nd gear is a bad practice.
4) While your vehicle is in motion, there are only two gears you must never fall into, reverse and 1st. If the vehicle is moving very slowly, drive it in 2nd; dont bring down to 1st until you desire to stop or are compelled to stop.
5) Remember if you are approaching a slope, say in 4th gear, its a good practice to slow a bit, put in 3rd and climb the slope. Also remember descent the slope in the same gear as in which you climbed it.
6) Ocassional use of handbrake should be eliminated. Those are only for emergencies or halting at slopes. For emergencies, dont just rely on the handbrake, a right combination of brakes and gear shifts before the final handbrake is a much effective combination and safer for the car too.
7) During signal halts, make it an habit to halt and put it in nuetral. Keeping the clutch pressed for a long period of time causes clutch plate damage and engine damage. Also remember to switch off the engine at long halts and traffic jams.
8) Remember if you intend to park on an ascending slope, put the car in 1st gear and the handbrake too. If you park on a descending slope, put the car in the reverse gear and the handbrake.
9) If your routine includes first reversing and then taking off, make sure you comepletely halt after finishing reversing. Only then you must take off. Do not put the vehicle in first gear, while the vehicle is still impending motion in the reverse.
IMPORTANT: What if your brake fails in the middle of the highway? Firstly do not panic. Use the blinkers. Then warn people around you if you can. Keep the vehicle moving. Take your leg off the accelerator. Consider you were in the 4th gear, after the speed comes down, bring it to the 3rd, again after the speed comes down, bring to 2nd, now incase you are not wearing the seat-belt, wear them now. Now turn off the engine, press the clutch, put it in 1st and suddenly leave the clutch, your gearbox might break but the car stops with few jerks.
DRIVING IS A PRIVILEGE, NOT A RIGHT
DRIVE SAFELY AND SAFE SHOULD OTHERS BE.
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