Accelerate Brake Clutch — Now, it is a time to change the gear — Day 4
Pass into your seat belt, this ride is getting FASTER
This story is DAY 4 of the series that I am writing in order to document my learning to drive a car experience. I believe that when I read these stories after some months, I can relive the thrill, fear, and excitement again and again. You can read the previous story in the series here:
On Day 4, on reaching my driving school, the owner of the driving school (instead of the regular teacher) was there waiting for me. Seems like today he is going to teach me since the teacher who teaches me regularly seems busy teaching some other student.
Owner: “Good morning. How is it going?”
Me: “I am trying. If you can ask the regular teacher who teaches me, then you get a better idea of my progress”
Owner: “No need to ask him. I will see myself. Take the car key. Go start it.”
Me: “Ok. Are you going to teach today?”
Owner: “Yes”
I reach for the car, unlock it, settled in, seat and mirror adjusted, seat belt on, keyed in, and get the car in ignition mode.
Me: “When should I pull off the hand brake?”
Owner: “The best practice is, to put the car on neutral gear, then press the full clutch, brake, start the car from the ignition mode, put the car on 1st gear, then release the hand brake. This way, when your car is parked on slop, and you try starting it, and you pull off the hand brake, immediately it would start running forward, but you can still control the car with the clutch and brake since the car is started and brake can work.”
It sounded too technical, but you know what, I understood it. 😃
I started driving the car, of course in 1st gear.
Me: “Should I accelerate a little?”
Owner: “Have you learned to change gear to 2nd?”
Me: “No, not yet. But can we just not practice on being 1st gear and driving?”
Owner: “You already got the first gear right. Now it is time to change to 2nd gear”
I was wondering: “Why need to hurry, why can’t I just practice being on 1st gear?” 😟 Maybe I was a little scared to progress and want to practice what I have learned.
Owner: “First let me check if you can stop the car and then keep running it again. Keep on the left side and stop it”
Me: “OK. But there is a pedestrian on the side” 😟
Owner: “Slow down the car with the half clutch pressed, meanwhile the pedestrian will pass, then take the car bit left side then stop”.
I did as said. I got it right. Then the owner asked me to stop and start the car 2 or 3 times to check if I can do it.
Owner: “You seem to get it right. Now it is time to learn to change the gear. To go in second gear we have to accelerate a little till the speed line crosses the 10. Then press the full clutch and immediately, change to 2nd gear.”
Me: “I didn't get it, it is confusing.” 😕
Owner: “No problem, will do it along the way and you will understand it. But first, show me how you change the gear?”
Me: “From neutral to a bit left up it is 1st gear, then straight bottom it is 2nd gear”
Owner: “Ohh, you did it correctly. Now let's change to 2nd gear.”
But I was still not confident and felt a bit worried. Will I be able to do it? I was wondering “No, I am not ready yet”.😟
Owner: “Now the road is clear ahead, accelerate a little till it is up above 10 in speedometer”
Me: “Ok did it.”
Owner: “Now press the full clutch and change the gear from 1st to 2nd”.
I get that right.
Owner: “Now, keep driving the car at speed of 10 to 20 do not accelerate more than that. If you need to slow down then press the half clutch and then again can accelerate from that till 20. If the speed goes below 10 or the road is not clear then be ready to change to 1st gear.”
Me: “Okey…it is too technical. I doubt if I can do it”. 😟
Owner: “Don’t worry, you do as I say, you will automatically get it right in the next 30 minutes”
After that I was getting continuous instructions from my new teacher, feeling like it is a running commentary based on road traffic. 😄 I was following my new teacher’s instructions.
Sometimes on a busy road, if I am not able to manage to change gear on time, or might change the gear without pressing the full clutch, my new teacher’s voice and pressure raise a little. 😟
Sitting there in the driving seat, I am so much nervous, that I feel nothing when my new teacher raises a voice when I do any mistake. I have the same feeling as my son has when I raise my voice a little in front of him to make him understand his mistake, but he is totally in his play and ignores what I say. 😆
Sometimes I even feel that I am too much nervous handling the car in traffic and pedestrian, I miss some of the talks that he says to explain something. 😟
On completing a class, I just said Thank you and was about to leave.
The owner said: “You are doing it right, don’t worry, you will start driving it perfectly very soon”
I was wondering if he was kind enough to motivate me with those kind words. But I know it is going to take time for me to get it right. 😆
Till that time HAPPY LEARNING TO ME!
I can’t earn from the medium partner programme, since my country is not supported. But if you like this story, then you can support me by buying me a book at BuyMeABook.
Click the link below, to read the next story in the series:
I am an avid reader, blogger and author of the book GOAL TO SUCCESS.
