how do you guys drive stick in traffic?

[BlahBlahYouToo]

Originally posted by: Don Vito Corleone
I don't know what you mean by the parking brake being "inefficient." That is clearly the appropriate way to handle situations like what you're describing unless you have a car like a modern 3-series BMW, which is equipped with a hill-holder feature.

inefficient for my right arm, lol.

and what do you do for cars with a foot parking brake?

 

[arch113]

Originally posted by: Don Vito Corleone
I don't know what you mean by the parking brake being "inefficient." That is clearly the appropriate way to handle situations like what you're describing unless you have a car like a modern 3-series BMW, which is equipped with a hill-holder feature.

In High School, I had a 1983 Subaru Wagon that had a hill-holder feature, which was nice to have as a first manual car

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth
If traffic is going 5MPH on average, I'll just let it idle in 1st. (torque FTW!)

i wish my car had torque.

 

[JTsyo]

Originally posted by: evident
there are hills in NJ?

Maybe not much down south but check out the terrain on Google maps for NW Jersey.

 

[npoe1]

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth
If traffic is going 5MPH on average, I'll just let it idle in 1st. (torque FTW!)

What car do you drive?

 

[LTC8K6]

My Jeep has HSA, Hill Start Assist. It holds the brake pressure on for you for for a few seconds after you release the brake pedal, or until you touch the gas pedal. Great for preventing rollback.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Originally posted by: npoe1

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth
If traffic is going 5MPH on average, I'll just let it idle in 1st. (torque FTW!)

What car do you drive?

'02 Dodge Dakota, 4.7+5 speed

 

[EightySix Four]

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth

Originally posted by: npoe1

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth
If traffic is going 5MPH on average, I'll just let it idle in 1st. (torque FTW!)

What car do you drive?

'02 Dodge Dakota, 4.7+5 speed

I have tons of torque at around 2200rpm... but the turbo has to be spinning to make it

 

[bruceb]

What hill or road are you referring to ? ? ? Where do you commute from / to ? ? I also live in NJ and know most (not all) of the roads in the northern part. A friend of mine lives in Livingston, so I also know RT280 somewhat. And I used to commute from
Wayne and Wanaque all the way to NYC just outside the Holland Tunnel.

 

[KentState]

I'm just proud of you for not ramming cars after doing that drive for a month.

I do know that when I had my GTO, just letting the clutch out a little on a hill was enough to hold even on a steep incline. I think that you are doing all that you can, but unfortunately you don't have much to work with.

 

[PricklyPete]

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth
If traffic is going 5MPH on average, I'll just let it idle in 1st. (torque FTW!)

My truck has VERY low gearing...so I usually do this as well.

 

[Arkaign]

Step 1 : Pull handbrake
Step 2 : Hold clutch in fully, put in 1st gear
Step 3 : Rev to 8000rpm
Step 4 : Release clutch, floor it, drop handbrake, and turn wheel violently to one side
Step 5 : Profit?

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

Originally posted by: bruceb
What hill or road are you referring to ? ? ? Where do you commute from / to ? ? I also live in NJ and know most (not all) of the roads in the northern part. A friend of mine lives in Livingston, so I also know RT280 somewhat. And I used to commute from
Wayne and Wanaque all the way to NYC just outside the Holland Tunnel.

who said anything about this being in nj?
this is up the helix ramp to the GWB from the major deagan.

 

[Kirby]

Originally posted by: Arkaign
Step 1 : Pull handbrake
Step 2 : Hold clutch in fully, put in 1st gear
Step 3 : Rev to 8000rpm
Step 4 : Release clutch, floor it, drop handbrake, and turn wheel violently to one side
Step 5 : Profit?

You forget flipping the bird out the window and laughing hysterically.

 

[zerocool84]

Handbrake on a hill??? You guys need to learn the position of your clutch engagement more. I drive in LA traffic and never have a problem driving on hills or on freeways with multiple cars that are stick.

 

[JulesMaximus]

You get used to it. I'd say that sitting in stop and go traffic is one of my least favorite activities in the world. Sitting in stop and go traffic in a manual transmission car is even worse...getting gang ass-raped would probably be slightly higher up there on the list but only slightly.

Just give it more throttle when starting out on a hill and try to minimize clutch slip by doing everything a little faster. If you're going up a hill for 20 minutes in stop and go traffic you'll get good at this real quick. Either that or you'll burn out your clutch in 20k miles.

I would also leave more of a gap and try to minimize the amount of clutch in/clutch out that you're doing. Don't bother moving up it there is only a car length in front of you.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Spicedaddy

roll a foot back due to steep hill, slip clutch and go 10 feet and brake when car in front of me stops

That's pretty much the only way, LOL. And yes, it'll wear your clutch faster, not much you can do except get an automatic.

And using the e-brake will stop you from rolling back, but it's just as bad for the clutch since it'll be slipping while the brake is engaged, and you'd be wearing the rear brakes also.

Usually the problem is not the car in front, it's the idiot behind you (with an automatic) that stops 3 inches from your bumper...

I've found that almost rolling backwards into them is enough to discourage that sort of behavior.

 

[npoe1]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: Spicedaddy

roll a foot back due to steep hill, slip clutch and go 10 feet and brake when car in front of me stops

That's pretty much the only way, LOL. And yes, it'll wear your clutch faster, not much you can do except get an automatic.

And using the e-brake will stop you from rolling back, but it's just as bad for the clutch since it'll be slipping while the brake is engaged, and you'd be wearing the rear brakes also.

Usually the problem is not the car in front, it's the idiot behind you (with an automatic) that stops 3 inches from your bumper...

I've found that almost rolling backwards into them is enough to discourage that sort of behavior.

Some people are slow learners.

 

[TehMac]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: Spicedaddy

roll a foot back due to steep hill, slip clutch and go 10 feet and brake when car in front of me stops

That's pretty much the only way, LOL. And yes, it'll wear your clutch faster, not much you can do except get an automatic.

And using the e-brake will stop you from rolling back, but it's just as bad for the clutch since it'll be slipping while the brake is engaged, and you'd be wearing the rear brakes also.

Usually the problem is not the car in front, it's the idiot behind you (with an automatic) that stops 3 inches from your bumper...

I've found that almost rolling backwards into them is enough to discourage that sort of behavior.

yeah, I find the reaction amusing.

 

[thedarkwolf]

Just make sure you have a nice big hitch on the back of your car if you are going to do that.

My 89 mustang was a bitch on steep hills but only when they were wet. It had crappy tires and on a steep hill it was nearly impossible to take off without spinning the tires . Lots of torque and no weight in the rear.

 

[blahblah99]

E-brake.

 

[NAC]

OP, I think you are doing things correctly. Ideally you'd try to wait until there is more than 5-10 feet to drive, but if you can't then you can't.

Some people learned to avoid rolling back on a hill using a hand brake. I've tried it before - but never really needed to. I just don't release the (regular) brake until the clutch is just about to engage. I then have enough time to press on the gas if needed while still releasing the clutch. More often than not, though, I think I let the clutch out at idle.

I've driven from the Major Deagan to 95/GWB. If I recall correctly - there is or was space on the shoulder and people would race up the shoulder to cut in front of people. I've never been happier to see a cop than when he was waiting in the area where the shoulder ends giving tickets. Maybe I'm remembering incorrectly and that is a different area. Or it may have changed since it could have been 10 years ago. Jeez... I'm getting old.

 

[exdeath]

Originally posted by: crazySOB297
My parking garage is what gets me, it's a very steeply inclined spiral and going to fast the front of my car scrapes and going to slow I start to stall out, it's a nasty balancing act especially coming up from the bottom as there is a gate that sometimes you have to stop and wait for. Sucks.

I have a similar problem. Driveway is very steep, but my car is low enough that I have to make a complete stop before starting up the driveway to not scrape something.

Let's just saying it's quite challenging with a Spec stage 3+ clutch and solid driveline mounts all throughout (no give or slip anywhere save for the tires)... I think half my tire lifespan ends up on my driveway.

As for driving in stop and go traffic like that, watch the cars in front of the car you are behind and know that you will actually be moving, and don't just tunnel vision on the car in front of who is on their cell phone not paying attention and keeps jumping the gun and braking and isn't going anywhere.

 

[Arkaign]

Originally posted by: exdeath

Originally posted by: crazySOB297
My parking garage is what gets me, it's a very steeply inclined spiral and going to fast the front of my car scrapes and going to slow I start to stall out, it's a nasty balancing act especially coming up from the bottom as there is a gate that sometimes you have to stop and wait for. Sucks.

I have a similar problem. Driveway is very steep, but my car is low enough that I have to make a complete stop before starting up the driveway to not scrape something.

Let's just saying it's quite challenging with a Spec stage 3+ clutch and solid driveline mounts all throughout (no give or slip anywhere save for the tires)... I think half my tire lifespan ends up on my driveway.

As for driving in stop and go traffic like that, watch the cars in front of the car you are behind and know that you will actually be moving, and don't just tunnel vision on the car in front of who is keeps jumping the gun and isn't going anywhere.

Lol, are you the guy who frequently inadvertently chirps his tires? Driving cars like you describe is fun but tiring.

 

[exdeath]

Originally posted by: Arkaign

Originally posted by: exdeath

Originally posted by: crazySOB297
My parking garage is what gets me, it's a very steeply inclined spiral and going to fast the front of my car scrapes and going to slow I start to stall out, it's a nasty balancing act especially coming up from the bottom as there is a gate that sometimes you have to stop and wait for. Sucks.

I have a similar problem. Driveway is very steep, but my car is low enough that I have to make a complete stop before starting up the driveway to not scrape something.

Let's just saying it's quite challenging with a Spec stage 3+ clutch and solid driveline mounts all throughout (no give or slip anywhere save for the tires)... I think half my tire lifespan ends up on my driveway.

As for driving in stop and go traffic like that, watch the cars in front of the car you are behind and know that you will actually be moving, and don't just tunnel vision on the car in front of who is keeps jumping the gun and isn't going anywhere.

Lol, are you the guy who frequently inadvertently chirps his tires? Driving cars like you describe is fun but tiring.

It's mostly stab the gas a bit and bump the revs up so as not to stall, then on-off pulse width modulate the clutch pedal very very quickly to "bump" the car rolling so you can let out without any shock, since you cant slip the clutch. The Spec 3+ is marketed as a streetable clutch that holds as much as a all out "race" clutch, but it's still a full face metallic disc, there is no hiding that.