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Batch Gear Changing

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  • 17-10-2009 11:44pm
    #1
    NFH
    Registered Users Posts: 293 ✭✭


    Not sure if thats the correct term but I'm reffering to when you change down gears by going 4 to 2 instead of going, 4 to 3 to 2 etc.

    Anyway, have my test in two weeks and just had my first lesson there. Firstly I have to say I friggin hate the way they want you to drive for the test. Its not real, practical and in my eyes not the safest way to drive. My instructer even said he kinda agrees and said the exam is basically a performance, thats mental.

    My main problems were mirrors which is fair enough I can do better there but he said the tester will want me to go from gear to gear and not to batch gear change, he said that is advanced driving. This is annoying cause firstly it feels so wrong changing gears so 'noobishly', but also there is a problem with my car that I wont have fixed by the exam. Everytime I go from 4 to 3 the gear grinds a bit. Going from 2 to 3 is ok cause I can ease into it but this will be a prob for the test cause sounds like a bad gear change. Do ya think I can ask the examiner if I can batch change.


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    #2
    **Timbuk2**
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 7,395 Mod ✭✭✭✭**Timbuk2**


    For test purposes, it's ok to just stop in the gear that you are in. There is no requirement to change down if you know you are coming to a stop.

    If you are slowing down, it's acceptable to slow down to whichever speed you want and then select the gear you need to keep going, e.g. you're in 4th gear, you slow down, you put it in 2nd gear and keep going, rather than going 4-clutch-3-clutch-2.


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    #3
    DriveSkill
    Registered Users Posts: 757 ✭✭✭DriveSkill


    The technique of changing from 4->2 etc is called 'Block Changing' and is perfectly acceptable (when coming the gears) for the test so your instructor is wrong to tell you to only do sequential gear changes.

    There is no need to mention it to the tester.


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    #4
    Richie15
    Registered Users Posts: 475 ✭✭Richie15


    NFH wrote: »
    ...he said the tester will want me to go from gear to gear and not to batch gear change, he said that is advanced driving. This is annoying cause firstly it feels so wrong changing gears so 'noobishly'...
    I used to hate that in school, I'd find some short cut to do a maths equation, for example, but the teacher would say "no, do it this way so I can see you know what you're doing." Surely if I get the right result, it means I know what I'm doing! Did your instructor ever teach maths? :P

    Block gear changing is mentioned in the CPC questions, that says it's fine, or even preferable, to skip intermediate gears. Granted that is in relation to trucks and busses, but sure a car is the same thing only smaller.


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    #5
    brian076
    Registered Users Posts: 495 ✭✭brian076


    NFH wrote: »
    Not sure if thats the correct term but I'm reffering to when you change down gears by going 4 to 2 instead of going, 4 to 3 to 2 etc.

    Firstly I have to say I friggin hate the way they want you to drive for the test. Its not real, practical and in my eyes not the safest way to drive. My instructer even said he kinda agrees and said the exam is basically a performance, thats mental.

    My main problems were mirrors which is fair enough I can do better there but he said the tester will want me to go from gear to gear and not to batch gear change, he said that is advanced driving. This is annoying cause firstly it feels so wrong changing gears so 'noobishly', but also there is a problem with my car that I wont have fixed by the exam. Everytime I go from 4 to 3 the gear grinds a bit. Going from 2 to 3 is ok cause I can ease into it but this will be a prob for the test cause sounds like a bad gear change. Do ya think I can ask the examiner if I can batch change.

    The best thing you can do is change instructor, he clearly doesn't know what he's talking about. As Driveskill said it's perfectly acceptable to block change, and there is absolutely nothing unsafe about the manner in which the tester wants you to drive.

    Before you leave the test centre, the tester will tell you to "drive in your normal manner", now for a lot of people thats probably the last thing they'd want to do, if they want to pass the test, but the tester is not looking for you to do anything special, and any instructor who tells you otherwise is not doing their job properly.


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    #6
    leahyl
    Registered Users Posts: 14,255 ✭✭✭✭leahyl


    **Timbuk2** wrote: »
    For test purposes, it's ok to just stop in the gear that you are in. There is no requirement to change down if you know you are coming to a stop.

    If you are slowing down, it's acceptable to slow down to whichever speed you want and then select the gear you need to keep going, e.g. you're in 4th gear, you slow down, you put it in 2nd gear and keep going, rather than going 4-clutch-3-clutch-2.

    Can i just ask one question - if you are slowing down (as in the light are red ahead and you are going to be stopping) do you need to change down then or can you stop in whatever gear you are in?


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    #7
    Alanstrainor
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 23,157 Mod ✭✭✭✭Alanstrainor


    leahyl wrote: »
    Can i just ask one question - if you are slowing down (as in the light are red ahead and you are going to be stopping) do you need to change down then or can you stop in whatever gear you are in?

    You can just stop in whatever gear you're in, there is no requirement to change down gears if you are coming to a complete stop. Which ever you find more comfortable doing really.


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    #8
    leahyl
    Registered Users Posts: 14,255 ✭✭✭✭leahyl


    Alanstrainor wrote: »
    You can just stop in whatever gear you're in, there is no requirement to change down gears if you are coming to a complete stop. Which ever you find more comfortable doing really.

    Thanks. My instructor insisted that i had to always stop in second gear (?!) which i think is ridiculous cos that's not even possible half the time! I think he said something about failing the test too if i didn't come down the gears (?!) WTF!:confused:


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    #9
    Permabear
    Closed Accounts Posts: 39,022 ✭✭✭✭Permabear


    This post has been deleted.


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    #10
    NFH
    Registered Users Posts: 293 ✭✭NFH


    Maybe the inaccurate information being passed out by some of these instructors is becasue they spend their time instructing and arent actually examiners. I dunno, do they do both? I got the impression the examiner is just an examiner and isnt an instructor aswell.


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    #11
    DriveSkill
    Registered Users Posts: 757 ✭✭✭DriveSkill


    The examiners are not allowed operate as instructors so you can either be one or the other but not both at the same time!


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    #12
    cruizer101
    Registered Users Posts: 3,205 ✭✭✭cruizer101


    Just one the to note, its fine to stop in 5th and clutch the last small bit to stop the engine cutting out.

    But sometimes, situation dependant, rather than coasting along for a good bit I would sometimes pop it into a lower gear.


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