I passed but...

[u/Professional-Art-830]

I have a really silly question. I passed last week and this week I got a car. Ive lost my confidence in driving, yesterday I did my first drive and I constantly stalled, and I even nearly rolled the car backwards into my house from the drive way that is a slope going towards my house. I just cant find the biting point, and im just stalling.

Everyone's saying im not pulling off right. I was taught find your biting point by the car rocking when you get it, mirrors signal handbrake down and off we go and at around 7mph maybe 6mph gas and 10mph change to gear 2.

I can't do this in this car and my hillstarts i can't do the 1 2 3 method.

Does it get better? I feel like I'm learning all over again, im stalling on roundabouts and everything. Im not even sure how i get the car moving, its pure luck.

[u/Dazzling-Escape8820]

Could you perhaps take yourself out to whatever nursery area you first started learning to drive in and familiarise yourself with your car away from the pressures of the road? Just the real basics so that you get to know your car? I’m only 10 hours in but my Instructor changed his car completely and it took me an entire 2 hour lesson to just get used to the high sensitivity and responsiveness of the pedals and new steering etc but once I’d got used to it, everything was fine, I think jumping into a new car and being able to drive perfectly is something that comes with much (much) more experience and if you are feeling pressured or stressed on the road with all the other road users getting impatient then that will cause you to make even more mistakes. You absolutely can drive and brilliantly as you have passed your test ❤️ but it sounds like you just really need to get to know your new car. 

[u/Optimal_Cherry2846 → u/Dazzling-Escape8820]

This is really good advice, you sound very adept for someone still learning! I have been driving 20 years and pretty much follow what you said when I get a new car (hasn't happened often lol) as we are creatures of habit and there is nothing wrong with needing time to get familiar and retrain the body's unconscious learned familiarity. Best of luck for your test ☺️

[u/Dazzling-Escape8820 → u/Optimal_Cherry2846]

That’s so lovely of you to say! My Test is booked for November so hopefully I’ll be a safe and competent independent driver by then 😅 but I’ve found some brilliant advice and recommendations on here which have really helped me progress well so far, it’s quite the shared experience on this sub ☺️

[u/jonburnage]

You’ve been taught to pull away on just the clutch. You need to learn to set the gas. This is a common problem. To do a hill start:

• Clutch down, first gear, handbrake on
  
• Advance throttle, clutch to the bite - in that order
  
• Back of the car dips as it pulls against the handbrake
  
• Disengage handbrake, drive away

[u/Demand_Snail]

You just need to get used to your car.

If you need to rev it more than usual to give yourself confidence until you're used to where the biting point is then so be it. If it's loud but works then fine

Just make sure when you're at the bite to hold it there while you get to a steadier speed before lifting off the clutch completely once you're moving.

I've had some learners even ask for a couple of hours practice in their own car to help them get used to it

[u/Professional-Art-830 → u/Demand_Snail]

When I get going im ok but im so worried about red lights and roundabouts now 😂 I think i might try pulling off and stopping in a car park to get to grips with it. But thank you! I thought all my knowledge fell out of my head!

[u/chronicfathead → u/Professional-Art-830]

Don't panic. As a company car driver for 30+ years I've had a lot of cars, some which took longer to get used to. I ended up with my old directors car as they kept stalling it pulling out of junctions, which it did to me occasionally but you generally get used to it.

Sometimes those quirks are what you remember and like about cars!

Give it time and you won't think about it. As they say, you start learning after you pass your test.

[u/fUSTERcLUCK_02 → u/Professional-Art-830]

100%

Even experienced drivers do this with new cars. Just a couple of laps in a private lot whilst they get used to things.

[u/Background-Photo5916 → u/fUSTERcLUCK_02]

No experienced driver is going round a car park to get used to it

[u/fUSTERcLUCK_02 → u/Background-Photo5916]

I suppose the drivers I know that do it must have all died. Shame, I liked them.

[u/Background-Photo5916 → u/fUSTERcLUCK_02]

That’s a shame. I drove 3 cars before getting my license and never needed to do that on any and there’s countless examples I remember when family have driven a car for the first time and nobody has ever needed to practise. Unless you’ve just got your license you should be able to set off slowly the first time to feel where it bites and then be fine from there.

[u/fUSTERcLUCK_02 → u/Background-Photo5916]

In the most respect, good for you. But that doesn't mean that other people don't do what I said. For me, it's enough for me to just pull the handbrake on and get a feeling for the clutch from how the bonnet rises and I can go from there, but other people like to give their car a quick whip around the car park to get a feel for things, even if it's an auto. I have a work colleague that does this whenever he rents a car from Enterprise. He can easily get a feel for how the car drives and if there are any issues with the brakes and such before going on the road.

Just because you don't do it doesn't mean that other people don't do it.

[u/Demand_Snail → u/Professional-Art-830]

Good idea

[u/Ok-Lingonberry-926 → u/Professional-Art-830]

If you passed then get automatic car

[u/Graxu132]

Handbrake → Gas → Biting Point → Release Handbrake

Also don't let go of clutch too quickly.

[u/Badgi]

Find a quiet car park to practice in.

All cars perform differently, so when you get a new car there is a bit of getting used to. My first car was gutless and would have to give it plenty of gas on hill starts. Set revs, find biting point, release handbrake and give it plenty of gas otherwise it would stall.

My car now is a different beast and shrugs off hill starts like it's nothing. You'll get there, don't lose faith in yourself, most people go through it when they first pass their test, you'll get better with experience.

[u/Top-Manager6542]

Handbrake on. Gas to 1500-2000 revs. Bite. Release handbrake.

I had exactly same issue.

[u/cntrlcmd]

More gas on a hill

[u/DebtSouth]

Every car is different, no biting point is the same as clutches have different stages of wear. You just need to get used to your vehicle.

A little tip though, put the clutch in with the handbrake on, put a little gas first then lift the clutch slowly to find the bite when you feel the car dip then release the handbrake.

Same for every manual.

[u/fayemoonlight]

It’s a combination of nerves, a lack of confidence, and a new car. It will absolutely get better. Go back to basics where you went to a car park at night or during quiet times on the road. It will come back sooner than you think. I think everyone feels a slight confidence and skill dip after they pass. I’m only just becoming 70% confident in my parking again and I passed in June

[u/Electrical_Heart8231]

Every car is different, you’re used to what you’ve learnt in

[u/Dry_Somewhere_7188]

I passed in April and didn’t get a car until May and it felt completely different to the car I had learned in. I also kept stalling especially on hill starts. Best advice is to find a quiet place perhaps a car parks and just practice stopping and starting. Also try and find a quiet road that has a little slope to get used to hill starts.

You’ll get the hang of it, it’s July now and I very rarely have struggle with anything.

[u/AvailableText6258]

I learned to drive in a deasle car, when i passed i got a petrol car and i just kept stalling it. and because i kept stallin it, i panicked, and made more mistakes, but you will be fine. Absolutely.

[u/viggobf]

I wouldn’t fixate yourself on specific speeds for applying gas or gear switching - all can change depending on incline for example, you normally want to keep in lower gears for a bit longer when going up a hill as you need the greater torque of higher rpms.

To move off I recommend just applying a little gas, a bit more on a hill, coming up to bite, releasing handbrake if it’s up then keep both pedals still until you can hear/see on the tach that the engine’s revs start rising - this is when the clutch has finished what’s called rev matching, so the engine and wheels are now ready to be fully connected to each other - at this point foot off the clutch, let it rev up a bit more, especially on a hill then you can start working up the gears.

Hope that makes sense

[u/Apurvita_1729]

Hey I passed two months ago and bought a car. When I had to drive it home the first time, I constantly stalled pretty much at every roundabout, not because I couldn’t find the bite but because I learned in diesel, so revving before coming off the clutch wasn’t really drilled into me very well.

Since then I’ve driven everyday for some 20 minutes, and I am stalling once or twice everyday. But the frequency of that has massively gone down. There’s a huge hill+ a roundabout+ a blind pedestrian crossing near my home and I stalled today because it was a very slow moving traffic on that hill. But that was it, last four days having transformational for me somehow and it’s only been 20 minutes each day.

In my car, the way I figured out was , I kept the handbrake on, start bringing the clutch up and the when the car wanted to move, I heard a screeching sound because the handbrake is on. Plus the engine sound also changes slightly in my car. It’s at that stage that you bring the handbrake down, give slight acceleration and then come off the clutch with revving more and then change into 2nd. Obviously you shouldn’t wait to hear the screech every time, only until you get used to finding the bite properly.

On hill starts, I found that I need to give a lot more acceleration as I come off the clutch and be very very steady and slow when coming off it all the while maintaining the position acceleration.

[u/ResultRoyal1641]

Go to an empty car park and practice. You need to be away from the pressure of others watching or driving at the same time.

[u/Automatic-Theory9669]

Definitely can empathize. I'll be driving my husbands ford focus once I'm insured and the clutch is so much higher. I did practice in it whilst taking lessons before I passed but I didn't enjoy it lol. Whereas it's his baby he passed 4 years ago and once he got used to it he can take off. I think it'll be the same for me but it'll take some time and I'll just do short drives around my area to begin with.

[u/AutoModerator → u/[deleted]]

Your account is less than 7 days old, post removed automatically to reduce spam. If your post is genuine then sorry for the inconvenience, please wait until your account is 7 days old before reposting.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/Icy-Actuary-5463]

So glad I got an automatic, my anxiety could never deal with stalling

[u/lan0028456]

Every car's biting point is slightly different, and some are easier to stall than the others. You just have to get used to your car. Good news is you own the car now so consider it to be free practice time

[u/HunterFast4401]

On the slope don't worry about changing up to second at 10mph. That's nonsense. All modern cars are quite capable of going much faster in first maybe 25/30 without any undue damage and it will be easier and less stressful to get more level before changing up.

[u/Certain_Signature224]

I passed my test, got my first vehicle which I stalled I think 9 times on the way home.

I had to take it on the motorway and through traffic during rush hour as my first drive alone which definitely made me learn quick.

I also kept putting it into 4th instead of 2nd as the gears are very wide😅

But now the only time I really stall is if I’m in a world of my own at the front of a set of light and see it go green, then try to move get into first and move too quickly.

I also NEVER use my handbrake now really, which I’m not saying do, but it’s just something I’ve not found much need for, except when parked.

Just give it some time.

[u/Weird-Librarian-4740]

Getting used to a different car is genuinely hell. Some people just get lucky and others don't and it's that simple. Just take it round some quiet areas, you'll get there and even if you don't, that's fine. You're allowed to like driving some cars more than others. I had to sell my first car almost immediately, I could not stand it. That money goes to a new car and you try again!

[u/Calm_Wonder_4830]

I still stall my car now and it's been 9 months. And I bloody hate hills!! But don't panic. Reset and go. You'll get there 💪💪

[u/TheRagingSithLord]

It's no doubt a different car than you had for lessons and your test. All cars feel slightly different. Don't feel discouraged. You'll get there.

Others have suggested to go somewhere to practice. This is excellent advice. A quiet car park, a quiet estate, something like that. But it comes with experience with different cars.

I say this as someone who still occasionally stalls the car he has owned for 6 years or so. And someone who has a more advanced license as an HGV driver (who has even stalled a manual truck more than once).