alphasubzero949
09-16-2003, 02:49 AM
Let's say it was...interesting.
My roommate was nice enough to let me practice in his mid-90's Toyota pickup. Sure enough, like any other stick noob, I stalled out a few times trying to learn the sweet spot between letting off the clutch while on the gas pedal.
At one point we attracted the CSUF fuzz by "loitering" in the parking lot while idling. My roommate was explaining to me what I would do as far as shifting. We were asked what we were doing. When my roommate told him that he was teaching me stick, the officer demanded that I show my license. Then he let us go.
For about 30 minutes I practiced driving in an oval around two parking lot aisles. My roommate left me to drive alone so that I would concentrate more on my own.
Later on, we expanded to driving through the entire parking lot and using 2nd and 3rd.
Then the ultimate test..........the 57 and 91 freeways. At first I was freaking out that I would stall while on the freeway. It was on the 91 where I learned how to shift into 4th, then 5th (finding out its uselessness as far as wanting to accelerate). I negotiated the transitions well; however, I made the mistake of giving the truck gas while applying the clutch and noticed the tach shoot up to 5000 RPMs. So yeah. I learned. =)
Then came the downshift while exiting the freeway. I learned to not shift into 2nd unless I want to chirp the tires.
For a first time noob, I think I have the basics down. Just need lots of practice. For next time, I'm going to learn how to back up in reverse (which is pretty much 1st gear going the other way).
Eventually, I will be kicking myself for not learning/getting stick shift before.
My roommate was nice enough to let me practice in his mid-90's Toyota pickup. Sure enough, like any other stick noob, I stalled out a few times trying to learn the sweet spot between letting off the clutch while on the gas pedal.
At one point we attracted the CSUF fuzz by "loitering" in the parking lot while idling. My roommate was explaining to me what I would do as far as shifting. We were asked what we were doing. When my roommate told him that he was teaching me stick, the officer demanded that I show my license. Then he let us go.
For about 30 minutes I practiced driving in an oval around two parking lot aisles. My roommate left me to drive alone so that I would concentrate more on my own.
Later on, we expanded to driving through the entire parking lot and using 2nd and 3rd.
Then the ultimate test..........the 57 and 91 freeways. At first I was freaking out that I would stall while on the freeway. It was on the 91 where I learned how to shift into 4th, then 5th (finding out its uselessness as far as wanting to accelerate). I negotiated the transitions well; however, I made the mistake of giving the truck gas while applying the clutch and noticed the tach shoot up to 5000 RPMs. So yeah. I learned. =)
Then came the downshift while exiting the freeway. I learned to not shift into 2nd unless I want to chirp the tires.
For a first time noob, I think I have the basics down. Just need lots of practice. For next time, I'm going to learn how to back up in reverse (which is pretty much 1st gear going the other way).
Eventually, I will be kicking myself for not learning/getting stick shift before.