First Stick

[noodles]

My MP5 is the first stick i've driven ever in my life and i'm still getting a hang of all the things i need to remember. But one thing that lingers on my mind is when u're driving is the stick supposed to vibrate? kokOkOkoko

 

[ZoomZoomH]

yup, it's ok for the stick to vibrate when in gear, it's the effect of direct linkage between the engine and the transmission.

btw, when you drive stick, you're NOT suppose to rest your hand on the stick while it's in gear and driving

 

[CharlieP5]

That will minimize if you get a short shifter!

 

[Korey Chaos]

Of course it should vibrate alittle. That lets u know that the car is on but i have heard that the short shifter eliminates alot of that. I'll tell u for sure when mine comes in the mail and is installed.

 

[Cameleon3]

why can't u rest ur hand on the gear shifter when it's in gear??

 

[Dome]

because there are a lot of germs on it. I recommend washing it with Listerine every so often.

 

[ZoomZoomH]

why can't u rest ur hand on the gear shifter when it's in gear??

so you don't accidentally knock the shifter out of gear while driving.... it could happen...

 

[kep0ne]

also i heard resting your hand on the shifter can wear out synchros..dunno if its true, but i dont rest my hand on the shifter anymore cause of that

 

[noodles]

Hey thanks for all the responses. I"m going for a free vacuuming this weekend at the automall (good dealer ) so i'll ask him about the resting hand thing, i mean it's a habit right, where else are you supposed to put your hand?

 

[ZoomZoomH]

i mean it's a habit right, where else are you supposed to put your hand?

on the steering wheel, like what they taught you in driving school?

KEEP BOTH HANDS ON THE STEERING WHEEL, AT 9 AND 3 O'CLOCK POSITION

 

[cjstringer]

When you drove your automatic did you leave your hand on the column shifter? Nope, they go on the wheel. When you shift, you shift. When you drive, you drive. Your hand shouldn't be on the shifter more than a second or two at a time.

 

[CharlieP5]

Noodles,

Soon when you drive stick for a while, it will become natural and you will not pay attention to those things.

Your hands will be shifting and driving and you will be thinking about something else.

 

[trobbins]

Your other hand goes on the handbrake lever and click the button on it.

It seems to annoy who ever is in the passengers seat.

Tim

 

[MidnightP5]

I have an automatic and I even put my hand on the handbrake. I guess it is habit from driving stick. I have another question about stick. I dunno if anyone else does this, but when I am in neutral, i kinda shake the stick a bit, know what I mean? Is that bad? I heard it was but wasn't too sure, considering the person who told me was a 15 year old girl who hadn't gotten her drivers license yet.

 

[cjstringer]

I do it a lot just to remind myself I'm in neutral. If it hurts, nothing I've driven before has shown it. Had a BMW 5 series for 2 years. Put over 115000 miles on it and never had a problem. It was a 5 speed. Also had a Ford Ranger 5 speed and a GTI 5 speed. Never any tranny problems with them either. Sure do miss all those cars though. I'd take any of them back in a second for what I sold them for.

 

[Sir Nuke]

it must be something engrained in our subconscience mind...I think EVERYONE that drives a stick, when they pop it into NEUTRAL shakes it back and forth a little...its how you KNOW its in neutral....since its springloaded to go to the center...if I hop in my car or truck and go to start it...even though I HAVE to have the clutch pushed to the floor to start it...I always check to see that its in Neutral by doing that as well.

OMG....the e-barke button clicking thing....lol that bugs the hell out of my wife....but for her passenger to do it while SHE is driving!!! lol so ya KNOW I gotta do it! lol lol

 

[CharlieP5]

Hey! Everyone I've seen driving stick does the shaking thing in neutral...I do it even when the car is off like Sir Nuke said.

As for the E-brake...lol...I'm going to try that out!...

 

[Racer 5]

Not too sure about the hand on the shifter, but do not rest your foot on the clutch pedal, even a little. The hydraulics will engage during slight load from the clutch. you will wear out your clutch faster. As for the back and forth thing with the shifter, yup, that's how my father taught me to know the car was in neutral. And as for the e-brake button ~~ lol, i do that too, and it drives her crazy, and when I am driving around and I see a POS Civic cruising around, then I press it for my "mental nitrous" LMAO, it's just part of the fun I have when I'm driving it.

 

[cjstringer]

This is sad

I was watching the videos I took from the autocrossing the past 4 events. I noticed I check to make sure I'm in first gear about 6 or 7 times EVERY TIME I get to the start lin/gate. It's kinda funny in the video to see my hand on the wheel, down to the stick, back to the wheel, the stick, the wheel, the stick, then back to the wheel for the start, then about 2 or 3 seconds into the run back down to shift into second for the rest of the run.
Now that I think about it, it's rather annoying!

 

[javy212]

it drives her crazy, and when I am driving around and I see a POS Civic cruising around, then I press it for my "mental nitrous"

HAHA.... I've actually thought this before too... my girl laughs at me when I do it.... I swear it adds 5 HP!