So who is this Stam anyway?

Hooboy

Driving Lesson #1.

I'm 26 years old and this was the first time I've gotten into a car behind the wheel with intent to try and drive it.

Worse, I decided to make things difficult on myself and learn how to drive stick (a.k.a manual). The complexity of the task rises as you add not one, but three or four extra variables.

Fortunately, I went with a professional driving teacher, but it was still the most harrowing 45 minutes I've had in a long, long time. In fact, when I walked back into the house afterwards, I quipped, "People do this for transport?"

There was the stubborn 1st gear and its slow-halfway-out-clutch necessary to engage the gearbox. Fast clutch results in stalled engine (did that once or twice, can't recall exactly); that's so far on my list of hardest thing to get the hang of. There's pushing the clutch in quickly yet going easy on the brake while slowing for a stop. And there's the brakes versus handbrake while stopped at a light and needing to be able to shift the foot to the accellerator without the car slipping backwards. Let's not forget the feather-sensitive accellerator and brake, either.

All that? That's just inside the car! On top of that, I had to try and keep track of everything around me as well! *takes a deep, calming breath just writing about it a day later*

Still...I didn't hit anything (despite appearances of trying at least once) and I didn't run up on the curb. Getting the hang of the first clutch-engage while getting the car going in 1st is going to take quite a bit of practice, though...as is the fast-clutch-easy-brake while stopping.

Posted by adam at March 1, 2006 09:14 PM