Is it bad to change into first gear while moving?

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Pooky

Garfield's Teddy
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While driving, is it bad to change in to first gear while the car is moving?

???

EDIT: Not from going fast or in a high gear!
 
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Can someone explain why?
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Potential to over-rev the car especially if you are already moving quite fast. Better to move back down through the gears as you slow down, stopping at second gear. Only use first to pull away from a dead stop. Plus you'll "grind" the gears and if you were to do that in my car, you would be making a very fast switch from drivers seat to passenger seat. Smooth gear changes prolong gear box and clutch life
 
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hashbrown99 said:
Potential to over-rev the car especially if you are already moving quite fast. Better to move back down through the gears as you slow down, stopping at second gear. Only use first to pull away from a dead stop. Plus you'll "grind" the gears and if you were to do that in my car, you would be making a very fast switch from drivers seat to passenger seat. Smooth gear changes prolong gear box and clutch life
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Cool thanks. What if you're in traffic and going too slowly for second gear, but the traffic is moving so you can't stop to change down to first?
 
Pooky said:
Cool thanks. What if you're in traffic and going too slowly for second gear, but the traffic is moving so you can't stop to change down to first?
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ALL vehicles made since the seventies have had synchromesh gearboxes as standard equipment. If it goes in, drop the clutch and go! (BTW - are you just learning how to drive?)
 
methinks I needs to find out where he's is attempting to "drive" simply so i can avoid that part of the world...
 
methinks he's already gone for a drive and ground the gears to hell and back and something went "clink" and now he's wondering if he broke it :p
 
me hopes the drive put him far away and he broke it good and proper.... so proper that we can expect him to vanish for good :p
 
Don't confuse Hellothere... he's prob only just gotten his mind around the concept of gears meaning he can go faster...
 
Pixie22 said:
Nothing is too slow for second gear.
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100% correct.

My gear selector broke one day and the car was in second. I could pull away in second (Little bit of clucth needed but not much). The problem is with some inclines. At my complex the driveway is about 60 degree incline. I can drive into the driveway in second but need to change down to first so I can climb out the incline. But appart from that Pixie22 is 100% correct.

It comes with driving for ages I think.

I will reverse, and change to first while the car is still going backwards. Then start letting the clucth go little by little till the car starts moving forward. Not using the brake at all :D

Anyone else do that ?
 
For you..... yes Hellothere, you can use 2nd at any speed you want.

Works best changing from 5th into 2nd, gives the car a serious kick of speed.

Pitbull : I do a very similar thing :)
 
If the car doesn't stall as a result, it's fine. Try slowing down while in second and see how far you can go. You should be able to get to almost a standstill(like 10km/h on an average car) before the car starts jerking as it's revolutions drop beneath the amount needed to generate enough torque to actually manage to reach another point where fuel ignition can take place.

@Pitbull, I do it as well...although, I tend to drop the clutch a bit faster sometimes when I'm feeling naughty, causing a bit of wheelspin ;)
 
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