Why? 2nd Gear

[SKY 34]

heys,

when I started to learn how to drive, my istructor told me to turn only in 2nd gear. Is there a specific reasoning behind this? or is it only because he wants me to turn real slow?

[sammus]

for 90 degree corners, on the street where the limit is 60, the ratio of 2nd gear is usually right for exiting the corner. imagine putting it in 5th and trying to accelerate back up to 60

after a month or so of practice, you'll probably look back at this question and just think "because".

[SECURITY]

my cars auto and i still throw it into 2nd when im doing corners.

[frankxinyu]

its actually all about your speed when you turn. the reason y your instructor told u to turn in 2rd is becoz the 2nd gear would be more suitable for you when u come out of the corner, u are on your right gear and ready to accelerate.

if u can handle turnin a lot faster, of course u can turn in your 3rd gear but for a beginner, it is not safe to do it.

[SKY 34]

Oo...I was under the impression if I turn on 3rd gear it'll damage the car....also I was adviced to change gear only after I exit the corner completely..is this necessary?

[Big Rizza]

As long as the engine isn't labouring too low in the rev range, or screaming its tits off on the rev limiter, the choice of gear is entirely up to you. Having speciffic gears for speciffic occasions is good when you first start learning to drive as you haven't developed good gear selection judgement.

But with today's 5 and 6 speed gearboxes, there are often more than one than one ratio to suit a given occasion. On a 50km/h back street, I may choose 3rd, 4th or 5th gear depending on situation, gradient and mood. Going through corners and roundabouts I might choose 1st, 2nd or 3rd again, depending on mood, radius and situation (or 4th gear if I'm in Mum's Alfa Romeo - man that things torquey for an atmo 2 litre!).

Oo...I was under the impression if I turn on 3rd gear it'll damage the car....also I was adviced to change gear only after I exit the corner completely..is this necessary?

Won't damage the car in 3rd gear unless the engine is labouring (which you will feel and hear). Changing gear only after exiting the corner completely is about keeping your driving smooth. A mid corner gear change can be difficult to get smooth without practice.

Edited January 30, 2006 by Big Rizza

[Dee 33]

How to turn a perfect 90 degree corner:

- Slow down from 100km/h to about 30km/h by the time you reach the corner.

-Turm the steering wheel in the selected direction (left or right) as you push the clutch all the way in.

- Rev the engine up to 5000rpm as you enter the corner and then dump the clutch.

- As the ass slides outwards and you car overcorners, spin the wheel back in the opposite direction and slowly let of the revs letting the wheels regain traction while maintaining the car in a forwards direction.

- Check for cops.

- Stick your hand out the window and give a thumbs up to the school girls you almost cleaned up.

- Continue accelerating back up to 100km/h as you bask in glory.

[supadan]

nice nice

that sounds like a better way off doing that

[knore]

How to turn a perfect 90 degree corner:

- Slow down from 100km/h to about 30km/h by the time you reach the corner.

-Turm the steering wheel in the selected direction (left or right) as you push the clutch all the way in.

- Rev the engine up to 5000rpm as you enter the corner and then dump the clutch.

- As the ass slides outwards and you car overcorners, spin the wheel back in the opposite direction and slowly let of the revs letting the wheels regain traction while maintaining the car in a forwards direction.

- Check for cops.

- Stick your hand out the window and give a thumbs up to the school girls you almost cleaned up.

- Continue accelerating back up to 100km/h as you bask in glory.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

haha love it :lol:

i mean no, bad influence!

[Triskillion]

even going fast enuff to be in 3rd gear ill still go second if i fell like speeding fast out of the corner

[The_Paladin]

your instructor wants you to go slow around corners so you dont crash. going fast around corners = pain

my cars auto and i still throw it into 2nd when im doing corners.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

that's not cool, you'll stuff the gearbox doing that. it's undue stress. those auto gearboxes are designed to be driven in Drive gear. 1 and 2 (or more if you're lucky) are mainly for hills. do you see a clutch on that thing?? just a heads up

[ctjet]

ring ur instructor back and tell 'em to shut the f*k up... its ur car and u can take the corner at wateva speed u god damn feel like

just dont say the same thing to the cops if they pull u over

[r34_skyline]

your car would likely stall in 3rd gear. u exit a corner around 20ish KM so 3rd gear isnt gonna cut it in terms of accleration etc.

its all about the ratios. ratios = friend

[FATGTS-R]

....also I was adviced to change gear only after I exit the corner completely..is this necessary?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I guess you wouldnt call it "necessary" for driving when licensed but for a driving test yes it is. He would of also told you to make sure you have selected second gear before you start to turn.

It's to do with "vehicle control". They (testers) want you to have full control of the vehicle during a turn, meaning both hands are to be on the steering wheel during the whole of the turning manouvre i.e dont up/downshift during the turn as you will be driving with one hand for a moment.

Dont remember back to my P plate test but on the numerous heavy vehicle tests I have done it was an immediate failure to down or upshift during a turning manouvre.

[ossie_21]

Cornering? Piss easy. As already said & is true is that 2nd for the speeds you "should" be doing the correct speeds for that gear to be on suitable rpm. Brake in a straight line, finish your gear change before your turn, slow in fast out etc etc.........

ctjet, grow up.

[scathing]

Oo...I was under the impression if I turn on 3rd gear it'll damage the car....also I was adviced to change gear only after I exit the corner completely..is this necessary?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As other people have said, it'll only damage the engine if you're so low in the rev range that you make the engine lug.

But, as a learner, you shouldn't be screaming around corners so second gear should be the "right" one for a novice.

With a bit of experience, for street use its not dangerous to change gear mid corner. If you're at the limit its not exactly smart to go changing gears (since it really messes with the balance of the car), and for a novice it might be asking you to do a few too many things at once.

Don't forget, the driving instructor is there to each people who have little to no driving experience what is the "best practice". Once you start driving, you'll find out which best practices aren't mandatory for commuting (stuff like push/pull steering, which is good to learn but almost useless in a modern passenger car).

[SKY 34]

thanks for the advice..so now I can turn in 3rd gear..muahhahaha

but still when exiting the corner..it's gonna be slow to accelerate if at 3rd gear~~ I'll stick with 2nd I guess...unless insanely fast

[Rednisr31]

just use 2nd

unless ur driving something with 3.9 or 4.11 gears i dont see using 3rd being the best idea

[09ONE_32]

Your instructor told you to go around the corner in second gear because this is the 4th step in the system of vehicle control.

First is identify the hazard.

Then check your road position and adjust accordingly.

Check your mirrors.

Gears/brakes.

Indicate for the relevant hazard

After completing the driving task continue on at the speed limit/with traffic flow.

(I am doing a driving instructors course at the moment, and couldn't help)

[JnJ]

How to turn a perfect 90 degree corner:

- Slow down from 100km/h to about 30km/h by the time you reach the corner.

-Turm the steering wheel in the selected direction (left or right) as you push the clutch all the way in.

- Rev the engine up to 5000rpm as you enter the corner and then dump the clutch.

- As the ass slides outwards and you car overcorners, spin the wheel back in the opposite direction and slowly let of the revs letting the wheels regain traction while maintaining the car in a forwards direction.

- Check for cops.

- Stick your hand out the window and give a thumbs up to the school girls you almost cleaned up.

- Continue accelerating back up to 100km/h as you bask in glory.

i did what he states and i got some cheers and almost a ticket from the cops

its recommended if ur a beginner =)