How to learn to drive standard
How I did it: I could have done this in a few days if I'd not been so afraid. Instead, it took me about a year because I was so terrified of ruining my husband's car that I kept giving up after every lesson. This reinforced my failures and made it difficult to try again!
A few weekends ago, though, I finally asked my husband if he'd take me out to the flat empty parking lot again. After the umpteenth stall and a lot of frustration and near-giving-up, he exclaimed, "You're popping the clutch! I saw you doing it but it didn't dawn on me that's what was happening until now!" I was so worried about giving it too much gas and peeling out that when I felt it start to engage, I'd release the clutch suddenly, the car would lurch forward, I'd get scared, release the gas, and before I could get the clutch back in, the car would stall. Lovely.
But when I focused on the clutch, that all changed. A few days later my husband pulled over into some gravel on a slight incline and said, "You want to drive the rest of the way home?" Boy, did I!! I was scared, knowing I was on a hill where some traffic might come, but I did it. I didn't peel out, either, even though I was worried about rolling back too much. It was awesome!!
Lessons & tips: 1. Start someplace flat.
2. Put the car in first gear and slowly release the clutch until you feel a slight rumbling, then push it back in. Doing this a few times will give you a sense of where the "sweet spot" is - that's where the clutch is about to engage, and thus, where you need some gas. If you don't give it enough gas at that point, or push the clutch back in, it will stall.
3. Focus on the clutch as you start giving it gas. Peeling out is OK!! Don't worry about giving too much gas at first. Focus instead on SLOWLY releasing the clutch as you start giving it gas. Keep your foot on the gas as you finish releasing the clutch, even if the car lurches forward or you peel out. With practice you can make the transition smooth and seamless.
4. After you can start smoothly on a flat surface, try some slight hills away from nerve-wracking traffic.
5. Also try starting on gravel and other surfaces, because they are different.
6. Remember that different cars have different "sweet spots" and that even the same model will feel different depending on its original driver. Might be best to learn on one vehicle first, not several.
7. Above all else, DON'T GIVE UP!! Just keep practicing. Stop only after successes, not just after a failure, and you'll have it in no time at all!
Resources: My husband's patience and tips.
