Gas before clutch or clutch before gas - moving a manual car from a standstill.

When moving a manual car from a standstill, should you lift the clutch before adding gas or should you add gas before lifting the clutch. In this video I explain and demonstrate the advantages and disadvantages of both methods and which method I recommend. I also touch on the difference between a petrol and a diesel car.

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This video is a guide intended to help people who are learning to drive with a driving instructor in the UK, it is by no means a replacement for driving lessons with an appropriately qualified driving instructor.

Laws and driving rules may be different in your country. The makers of this video cannot be held liable for any consequences caused by any information that is in any way inaccurate, misleading or missing. The makers of this video are not liable for any person's driving other than their own, it is the responsibility of the person driving a vehicle to ensure they drive safely and within the law. The makers of this video are also not liable for any person failing a driving test as a result of the information provided in the video.

00:00 Intro
00:28 Why add gas first?
01:19 Demonstration without gas
02:51 How a diesel compares?
04:04 Most modern cars help
05:37 Demonstrating different methods
07:53 More advice
08:43 Outro

[bramal]

To add gas first before lifting the clutch helped solved the problem of always stalling my car in traffic, and also, restored my confidence of being a good driver and worthy to be on the road and in any lane.
However, I was taught to lift the clutch first before adding gas by my instructor. But, it never helped me at all.
Thanks a great deal by ur wonderful online teachings.
Much appreciated.

[josephinetianza]

I was taught to lift the clutch to biting point first then add gas.

[zionjoseph]

This has happened to me, I passed my driving test but when I got my own car, I stalled a lot more than I did when learning ironically 😂. Then I learned that I needed to set the gas prior to lifting the clutch. Thanks for this reinforcement 🙏🏼

[preussen]

My instructor initially taught me clutch before gas but gas before clutch is just better in every way. Easier to find the biting point, less chance of stalling, basically just lets me be more confident with the use of the clutch. Your videos changed my ways!

[twinkandbob]

I was taught to just only lift the clutch up in the driving school. I just only found out here on youtube to first give gas and then lift the clutch up, because after I had my driving lessen I started to practice with my mom's' car and kept stalling and it was impossible to move off with just only the clutch no matter how slow I moved the clutch up...
So I'm happy I learned the correct way here on youtube

[NamTaleYT]

As an amputee learning to drive manual, this is super useful because I cant feel when the clutch bites, and I was having problems with stalling. Thank you!

[VikramHalderkonVict]

I have been taught the same way, release clutch first and then add gas. Honestly I struggled nearly every time in my first week of lessons. Then I found your suggestion and started adding a little bit of gas sneakily under the nose of my instructor. Now I almost never Stall while starting from a standstill.

[aethro]

I just passed my test in Bulgaria with a small engine diesel, then tried driving my mom's car which is petrol and to my surprise managed to not move a meter without stalling a dozen of times

[hannahirons]

It’s amazing to me how little some driving instructors teach you about how the car actually works. I passed my test finally after 4 tries in September 2020, mainly due to poor teaching & my anxiety/confidence getting worse with each fail. Your YouTube channel has helped me so much! I’m far more confident now as a driver, than I have ever been! I was taught by two different instructors and both said just to reach the bite point on the clutch and come off slowly, without adding gas. Since watching your videos, I have realised why I was stalling so often. The fact I wasn’t adding gas first, meant my moving off was likely to end in stalling. I’m so glad i found your page! I truly believe it’s the reason I passed on my 4th go. 🤞🏼🙌🏼

[collinsmusisi]

i literally would stall at least once every driving lesson and my instructor would still not tell me gas before clutch...i’ll make sure to do it now

[dawngl]

I've learnt in diesel cars and had refresher lessons in a diesel, too. When I then tried to drive a petrol car, I've stalled way more than ever before! Pulling out of junctions, at traffic lights etc - stalling all the time! What I've learnt from your videos is that I'm not alone - and I'm going to try using gas before clutch and see how it goes!

[coolduderules]

I had issues when I got my first car, never realised I needed to add gas to prevent stalling when setting off. I think my neighbors were laughing at me when I stalled 8x at the end of the road 😂

[nic]

Love Richards videos. Precise, easy to follow and best of all these techniques actually work well. Top work sir, I will be sitting my test start of 2021 and feel ready thanks in no small part to yourself. Thank you and keep up the good work.

[siddharthahajra]

Richard, thank you so much for making this very important video. For someone like me who is learning how to drive a car, this is such an important deliberation to understand. I've been watching all your videos in the process of this phase of my own learning. And I must say, even though I'm learning to drive in a city like Delhi, all of this information and demonstrations you so diligently make available for us, I'm feeling like you are truly answering all my ongoing queries as I am learning to grapple with the most gifting skills everyone should ideally have.

[s.a.]

great explanation as always. There are so many careless instructors out there that I do not know how I would have learned without quality youtube videos such as this one.

[ezra]

I learnt to drive in a 2018 Ford Focus, my first car is a 2003 Mercedes A-Class. Needless to say there was a lot to learn (and a few bad habits to un-learn!) and your videos have been super helpful. Thanks Richard!

[pauldavison]

Recently took up driving lessons again after around 50 hours in a diesel several years ago. Now learning in a petrol and was wondering why it felt so much different. My instructor has never realised/addressed it. This explains so much.

[juleso]

Great tip. I’ve been stalling in my Mini petrol on hills during driving practice but did gas first tonight and nailed it. I normally do clutch first in my driving instructor’s car.

[dhruvkaith]

I didn't know I had to add gas first sometimes, stalked alot.
Thank you for teaching the right method.

[ndk]

Very relevant video, I was taught to lift clutch first to find the bite and then add gas, and recently bought a car that I found difficult to start off with. I found this video after realising that I need to add gas first! Thanks for the helpful video.