Stupid reverse...

[dan1101]

I guess it's all the years of driving 5-speed manuals, but I keep shifting into reverse instead of first. Almost screwed me up last weekend, I was backing out of parking space, stopped, shifted into first (or so I thought), but went backwards instead of forwards when I accelerated. Heard a small crunch. Thinking the worst, I pulled forward and got out, luckily it looked like the "shelf" on the rear black plastic was all that hit the other car, no damage to either of us.

But this is probably the 4th or 5th time I've shifted back into reverse instead of first. Anyone else have this problem/bad habit?

 

[turbobst]

Do you wait for the stick to pop up out of the reverse position before shifting into first?

 

[dan1101]

I don't know, maybe I never let it pop up when I shift to neutral. I guess I should get into the habit of popping it into neutral and then letting go of the shifter for a sec.

 

[USMS3]

Yeah, wait for it to pup up before you jam it in first.

 

[turbobst]

If you put to much pressure on the top of the stick, it will never pop up.

 

[dan1101]

Are we still talkin about the car?

 

[turbobst]

Yes

 

[happy and angry]

Damn

 

[happy and angry]

I don't know, maybe I never let it pop up when I shift to neutral. I guess I should get into the habit of popping it into neutral and then letting go of the shifter for a sec.

Like all things behind the wheel, take your time to make sure you're doing it right. Slow is smooth, smooth if fast, etc etc etc...

 

[Kain]

The point of the reverse lockout (pushing the knob down) is so this doesn't happen. I went from a car with reverse to the right of 6th and no reverse lockout, to this one, reverse to the left of 1st, and never had problems. Why are you pushing down on the knob when shifting into one of the forward gears?

 

[dan1101]

Well I guess I'm the only one this happens to.

 

[happy and angry]

Well, it happened to me a few times early on. It's my first 6 speed, and my first car with reverse on the same side as first. After the second time I started to pull ahead in my parking spot instead of backwards, I just started taking my time and making sure I was in the right gear. After a while I got used to it, and I don't have to pay so much conscious attention to it now.

 

[Kain]

Well I guess I'm the only one this happens to.

Well, don't feel bad. I don't have your particular problem, but a few times already I've tried to pull away from a stop in 3rd by mistake. I've caught it most of the time, but a couple of times I've stalled. Pretty embarrassing since I have a decade's worth of experience driving stick, but I've driven very sparingly since I got the car 1.5 weeks ago.

 

[cosic]

I did the same thing on my driveway as I was backing up in order to go straight out of my driveway (L shape driveway).. perfectly backed up before hitting the grass.. tossed it into first or so I thought. Ended up hitting a potted plant. Shattered the thing, and I'm still looking for the damage it caused my car. Black plastic FTW!

 

[Kindred]

I have a decade's worth of experience driving stick

Reach around? I ruv you rong time.

 

[knowledge007]

Well, don't feel bad. I don't have your particular problem, but a few times already I've tried to pull away from a stop in 3rd by mistake. I've caught it most of the time, but a couple of times I've stalled. Pretty embarrassing since I have a decade's worth of experience driving stick, but I've driven very sparingly since I got the car 1.5 weeks ago.

Thats funny Kain, I have done that quite a few times with probably the same experience behind me as well. But I have never stalled. Always was able to catch it. On another note I have done the same with the reverse. As mentioned, you might be applying to much pressure ontop of the stick when pulling out of reverse into neutral. I myself know that this is the exact reason why it has happened to me before.

 

[turbobst]

Reach around? I ruv you rong time.

(lol)

 

[dan1101]

I did the same thing on my driveway as I was backing up in order to go straight out of my driveway (L shape driveway).. perfectly backed up before hitting the grass.. tossed it into first or so I thought. Ended up hitting a potted plant. Shattered the thing, and I'm still looking for the damage it caused my car. Black plastic FTW!

Aha, I knew it weren't just me! Yeah the black plastic saved me too.

 

[Betelgeuse]

This happened to me once or twice early on, but I always wait for the pop up or repeat the motion to be sure. Sometimes I give a little gas as an extra check. I've noticed with the SS it takes a little more pressure and movement to go into reverse so it's even less likely to occur.

 

[mazdaspeedster3]

Going back to thinking you are in first and are in reverse? That is impossible. As soon as you pull the stick right it pops up SPECIFICALLY so you dont put it back in reverse thinking you are in first... Very strange.