How to Drive a Stick Shift: A Guide for Girls

Every girl should know how to drive but, better yet - how to drive a stick-shift. If you already know how to drive a car with an automatic transmission, then read on. If not … well, just take your time in learning and practice in open spaces like parking lots. The most important thing to remember when learning to drive with a clutch pedal, a brake pedal and a gas pedal is that when you are in doubt - stop. Simply stop. Put your foot on the brake and push the clutch to the floor.

If you can apply eyeliner on a cross-town bus, you should be able to learn to drive a stick-shift; it's all about balance. Just as you are holding your purse, balancing the eyeliner, not blinking your eye and also watching where you are going, you should be able to hold the shifter, balance the clutch (left foot), not let go of the gas and most importantly, watch where you are going.

Once you know how a clutch works, you may have an easier time understanding why it's there and how to use it. (Now guys, I know this is not a technically savvy explanation, but remember, this is a guide for girls!) When the clutch is pushed to the floor, it is disengaged. Think of the clutch as a pin that holds the wheels in place. So, when you push the clutch to the floor, the pin comes out of its "holding" place and let's the wheels move freely, which means the car will begin rolling. Make sure your right foot is on the brake.

So, the car is running, your clutch is to the floor and your right foot is on the brake. You can stay in this position as long as you like, so take the time to think about what you are doing. It's time to use the shifter now. On the top of almost every stick shift there is a numbered picture of how the thing works. Number 1 is the lowest gear; this is where you begin. To put the stick shift in any gear, the clutch must be pushed to the floor.

• Clutch down
• Foot on the brake
• Gear #1

With the clutch disengaged (to the floor) the car will not move. As you raise the clutch from the floor, that pin goes closer and closer to the holding point again. Because the car is in gear now, when the clutch pedal is totally raised off of the floor it will engage the wheels. The clutch engages, the wheels want to turn, but they won't go anywhere without gas. Here's where the balancing part comes in.

While you are raising the clutch from the floor gently give the car a little bit of gas. Many beginners push the gas pedal down at the same rate as they are raising the clutch which makes the typical head-smacking-windshield kind of scene that we want to avoid. Once the clutch is raised and you've given the car a little bit of gas you'll be rolling in first gear which should not exceed 10mph or so. You could crawl around the parking lot at this speed while you get accustomed to first gear.

While "cruising" in first gear, you'll naturally want to go faster and in to second gear. Let your foot off the gas (briefly), depress the clutch, pull the shifter down in to second gear, lift the clutch, and again apply the gas. It's like a drum player one-two action. It's a lot easier to do than it is to read here, believe me. Shifting from first, second and in to third gear are much easier than starting out from a dead stop.

Remember, if you get flustered, or forget what to do next - simply stop. Foot on the brake, clutch to the floor. Stop. Second gear can bring you to about 20mph before you shift in to third gear, but there's no need to watch the speedometer, after one day of practice, you'll be able to tell by the high rev sound of the engine when to shift the gear.

• Lift off gas
• Clutch down
• Gear #2
• Lift clutch / Press the gas pedal again

Notice that the Lift clutch / Press gas is on the same line. This should be done simultaneously, just like not blinking and drawing on the eyeliner! Once you have shifted, completely remove your foot from the clutch. Your clutch should never be down while the wheels of the car are rolling and you should not rest your foot on the pedal. Shift, and then put your foot completely on the floor.

When you're done driving - park as usual. With your foot on the brake and your clutch to the floor, put the car in to first gear and turn the key off. Now it's safe to lift your foot off of the clutch and the brake. Always pull up the emergency brake for added safety while parked, especially if you live on even a slight incline or any hill. And that's it! Once you've learned how to drive a stick-shift, you may never go back to automatic.

These tips are just the basic steps in driving a standard transmission. Hopefully, you won't be going it alone and the person who is with you can further explain reverse (which works the same as the forward gears) or any other questions you may have. But, more than simply having the knowledge to drive a stick shift, you can delight in the fact that manual transmission cars are hundreds of dollars cheaper than automatics, they're better on gas, they drive better in the snow, and they're just more fun to drive! Good luck and be careful.