Here in the UK, cars with manual gearboxes are far more popular than autos. Not really sure why with all the stop and go traffic jams.
In a manual, the driver decides when to change gear to make the car go. Most cars have five gears + reverse and some of the newer ones have six + reverse.
Here follows a few really easy tips on handling that 'stick shift'.

On stating the car, the gear lever must be in 'neutral' position. This is the middle of the 'gate' where the gears are not selected and the engine can run without trying to go anywhere.

There is generally a pattern of where each gear is on the top of the gear stick. Having said that, depress the clutch pedal with your left foot all the way down and move the lever gently in to first.Keep the clutch down at this point. Now give the car some revs - fast tick over speed. Lift the clutch pedal up slowly until you feel the car want to move, the point at which the clutch 'bites' (the revs will go down slightly and the nose of the car will raise a fraction). Keep both feet STILL. Next release the hand brake and your pride and joy will move forward, nice and slow, no drama. As it gathers speed let the clutch come fully up. And you're away !

As the car gathers speed the revs increase to a point where the next gear should be selected. The engine will start to sound 'busy' and if you have a rev counter this will be steadily rising. So, off the accelerator or 'gas' pedal, depress the clutch, select second gear, clutch up slowly and smoothly while applying a little gas. And so on up the gears. Stopping is really just the same only you are now comming down the gears.

Manual cars take some getting used to, and in the UK if you passed you driving test in an auto, you need to pass another test in a manual. But if you passed in a manual then you can drive both without further testing of ability.

Hope this helps.

Learn more about this author, Ian Clewer.
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