Quote:
Originally Posted by rmorrow
 Exactly right. Everyone has their own method/style, and stop and go traffic will wear your leg out, regardless of how relaxed you are. I can still remember my tension and anxiety when I was the first car at the stoplight. I hated being honked at, so I was really nervous about getting started in a timely and smooth manner. It is really embarrassing to stall with folks waiting behind you. Just keep practicing and you will get comfortable and proficient. |
I HATED that feeling when I first started out! I hated sitting at the stop light just waiting and by the time the light turned green I would psych myself out and probably stall because of my own nerves!
And keep in mind, every one stalls every now and then! I learned how to drive manual when I was 13 in one of our supercharged Maxima's and I've driven everything from 150 horsepower cars to 600+ wheel horsepower Ford GT's and I still accidentally stall something as low power as a Kia Soul every now and then...It happens...Don't get frustrated with yourself or hard on yourself...I've even been in the car with Steve when he stalls...No one is perfect!
Whenever I teach any of my friends to drive manual I always take them to an empty parking lot and tell them to simply focus on starting from a dead stop to a full release of the clutch and cruise through first...do that a couple dozen times. Then go from 1st to second a couple dozen times until you get rid of the kangaroo juice, then go from second to third a dozen times...after that you should be fine! I've taught a lot of my friends to drive manual cars this way. Give yourself a couple hours in an empty parking lot.