My prefered manual is the “four over four” gearbox, the slap-over version always got me confused! The four over four just seemed easier to use and remember - only 4 gear ports, whereas the slap-over is all over the place! Always kept on getting curfuddled!
I did notice that where I was so use to driving autos that I had to sequential gear change when slowing down - for example, I’d start slowing down for a red traffic light and half-way through it’d change to green…I’d try to pull away in the gear I was using before braking, so I always had to go 1 cog down all the time as otherwise I wouldn’t have a clue what gear to use!! This caused my instructor to moan at me for using the gearbox to slow down, but then also went on about the good ol’ days when the brakes were weak that you HAD to use the gearbox to slow yourself down! Luckily none of my exams resulted in me even being marked a driving fault for using the gearbox when slowing down, they always mentioned the fact that I didn’t need to - but that the DSA don’t recognise it as a fault because you’re “technically” not doing anything wrong, you’re just simply using the gearbox!
I do the same in my car, strange I know as there’s only 5 gears…but believe me, I pulled up at a roundabout in 4th gear and “Attempted” very unsuccessfully to pull away in 4th gear! Completely forgot to use that 3rd pedal and that weird looking stick in the middle!!
Maybe I’m just losing it!?
Richard
