Failed Road Test

[UPS WORKHORSE]

If you google image" man grinding big stick" some neat results popup.

I just bookmarked it. Thanks. Lol.

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[OptimusPrime]

Some dumb supes will tell you to take off in "first" gear. They are wrong. "First" isn't truly first. It's a "granny" gear. And it really breaks their "rule" of not shifting in intersections. It's too damn short. The only time I use it is when the wash guys park the trucks way too close together. For that, you use no throttle. Just ease the clutch out, and idle out of your parking space. Starting in 2nd, just wind that bitch out. Use plenty of throttle. Eliminates guess work.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

My best advice, is to shift slowly and deliberately. Take your time. Don't try to be fast and pro if you aren't capable of it, and don't get frazzled if you stall it or miss. I drove a stick for nine years prior to taking the road test in 2005. The road test went well and I passed, but also missed a few gears during the test and wasn't perfect at all. That's to be expected, though...most people are not going to be perfect on the test, so keeping that in mind, should take a little pressure off for next time.

It takes years to be able to smoothly operate every type of package car transmission, and (key point) practicing perfect makes perfect.

And I think of gas pedal and clutch like a balancing act. You must be able to find the balance, especially starting from a stop. Don't release the clutch quickly, that is a mistake. If you feel yourself stalling at any point, clutch always. Same concept with the gas; don't put it to the floor when starting out. Find the exact spot where the throttle kicks in and vanishes, program your foot to recognize that point in muscle memory.

 

[sortaisle]

For God's sake, don't tell him to keep his foot on the clutch...that will cause clutch chatter and burn it out. Even a little pressure on the clutch with the gears engaged will start to burn it out. I learned by watching my pops drive an old Chevy Cheyenne. I noticed he went by the sound of the RPM's. It was smooth, he didn't wait for the gear to top out. Keep the truck in the power band so you don't stall. And by all means, try to learn to time the e brake release and letting your clutch out so you don't do rolling starts. Nothing will tighten your sphincter faster than rolling backwards on a hill with vehicles on your tailgate. Practice bud. YouTube is your friend.

 

[Tough Guy]

I would agree with the person who said to start in 2nd gear. I would however, ask the sup BEFORE you start the test, if they object to you using 2nd instead of first. The sup I toed with said to "do whatever you have to do to demonstrate you can drive this thing" (safely of course) .

However at driving school, they wanted us to demonstrate proper shifting through all the gears. So I would practice in the yard, coming out of a stop from 2nd gear instead of first, and try applying that to your next road test, if you're sup doesn't mind.

Naturally, if you're at a stop, and you're on any kind of upward hill or incline, you HAVE to come out of a stop in 1st gear, since 2nd won't let you get enough momentum, and you'll stall. Never forget that.

 

[Tough Guy]

And to paraphrase Neil young, " it's better to burn out, then it is to stall..."

 

[oldngray]

You seldom need 1st gear if you are in an empty package car but need that "granny" gear when you have a heavily loaded package car. And some of old trucks were dogs without enough power to get out of their own way and you frequently needed to use 1st.

 

[Pooter]

Remember the clutch doesn't need to be pushed to the floor either. It will make it hard to put it in gear.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

This is why parents should buy their teenagers POS stick shift trucks or cars for their first vehicle. That skill carries over into many different things. However if I was you I would borrow a friends vehicle and practice on that. I went from a truck to a package car and I did it perfectly. Now a tractor is a different story, I still grind every now and then.

I both agree and disagree with this. I disagree on buying them a manual transmission car but agree 100% that part of their "training" should be on a stick. I had a Colorado with a stick and made sure both of my kids knew how to drive it. We used to go to the UPS parking lot on the weekends to practice and used this one particular hill for their "final exam".

 

[soberups]

I know its getting harder to find, but rent a vehicle for a day that is a manual. By the end of the day you will be able to drive a stick.

I seriously doubt that there are any rental vehicles anywhere with a manual transmission.

I predict that in 10 years you wont even be able to purchase a vehicle with one.

 

[bumped]

I seriously doubt that there are any rental vehicles anywhere with a manual transmission.

I predict that in 10 years you wont even be able to purchase a vehicle with one.

There may not be. That is how I learned, and I haven't needed to even rent a vehicle in 9 years.

 

[Catatonic]

I both agree and disagree with this. I disagree on buying them a manual transmission car but agree 100% that part of their "training" should be on a stick. I had a Colorado with a stick and made sure both of my kids knew how to drive it. We used to go to the UPS parking lot on the weekends to practice and used this one particular hill for their "final exam".

My daughter was taught on a standard and her husband does not know how to drive one.
She ribs him about it occasionally.

 

[cosmo1]

My daughter was taught on a standard and her husband does not know how to drive one.
She ribs him about it occasionally.

My wife won't own an automatic.

 

[Tough Guy]

I seriously doubt that there are any rental vehicles anywhere with a manual transmission.

I predict that in 10 years you wont even be able to purchase a vehicle with one.

This is true. I wanted to rent one before my road test to practice and there were none to be found. I learned by a supervisor graciously takin me out to teach me, and a friend who happened to have an old clunker.