How to drive slowly in reverse?

[Jasp]

@Jasp - most moderately torquey engines will pull away at idle if the clutch control is featherlight.

I think my idle is very low... perhaps 600rpm according to the rev meter. I just tried it and the engine begins to stall before inertia is overcome. A tiny amount of gas and all is well, but definitely no go at idle.

[spurs-442]

Agree - My Punto cannot pull away from idle - though i could do it in my instructors car but it judders if i don't use any gas - and i labour the clutch for a really long time.

[fungus]

spurs - 442. Is your Punto petrol engined? I would hazard a geuss that your instructors car was a diesel, which raises the issue that some instructors do not teach their pupils to use some gas when pulling away in a diesel. The pupil then buys a petrol car, and stalls every time they pull away.

Nigel ADI
IAM trainee observer

[spurs-442]

spurs - 442. Is your Punto petrol engined? I would hazard a geuss that your instructors car was a diesel, which raises the issue that some instructors do not teach their pupils to use some gas when pulling away in a diesel. The pupil then buys a petrol car, and stalls every time they pull away.

Nigel ADI
IAM trainee observer

Hi Nigel,

apologies but my terminology was incorrect - my instructors car was petrol also - a 1.8 Nissan Almera Tino MPV, my punto is a 1.2 ELX i passed 3 months ago but when i first learnt to drive i would raise the clutch up then accelarate, if i try the same in my punto it judders and stalls so i have to overlap gas and clutch to move away smoothley.

hope that helps, btw, when i had a few lessons with the instructor (Dec07-Jan08 time) we were overlapping anyway so i don't really seperate the pedals out now whilst standing still - only time i can get away with seperating the clutch and gas is if i am crawling in traffic at 1-2mph.

which is often the case when driving to work

[jackevans5819]

My instructor has quite an easy way of completing the left reverse turn. As soon as you start moving (with the clutch held down low) keep an eye out in the back corner window. When the kerb is about 4 inches in, turn the wheel three quarters to the left and then as the middle of the rear window hits the kerb, straighten the wheel up. The philosophy that my instructor uses is:

Keep the clutch low, the car goes slow
Raise the clutch high, see the car fly.

Even by reducing pressure on the clutch by a fraction, it can greatly reduce the cars speed. The examiner isn't looking for you to complete it as quick as you can. They are looking for you to do it safely and effectively. If that means going really slow, then so be it.

Remember, clutch low. If you feel the car starting to go fast, press the clutch down by a fraction of a fingernail