Can I shift to first gear after stopping when pulling over?

[LondynAnn]

You can stop in second gear and then shift to first gear to start aligning. However, it is recommended to shift to first gear before stopping when pulling over. Additional information: 1. Distance: During the Subject 3 test, once the vehicle enters the parking area, the student needs to use the reference points taught by the instructor to park, keeping the distance between the car body and the roadside edge line at about 30cm for a perfect operation. If the distance exceeds 30cm but is less than 50cm, 10 points will be deducted. 2. Reference points: Generally, certain protruding points inside the car are used to judge the distance between the car body and the edge line. There are three common reference points: the protruding part of the wiper, the right one-third of the front of the car, and the right front door handle. Students can choose any one of them as a reference point. When the car aligns with the right edge line, the distance between the car body and the road edge line is exactly 30cm.

[OVera]

I've been driving for over twenty years, and you definitely shouldn't stop first and then shift into first gear when pulling over—getting the sequence wrong is really dangerous. The correct procedure is: signal early with your turn indicator, slow down, stop about 30 centimeters from the curb by pressing the clutch and brake, and immediately shift into neutral and engage the handbrake. If you leave it in first gear after stopping, the car will lurch forward the next time you start it. If the handbrake isn't tight enough or the car rolls on a slope, the consequences are unthinkable. Last month, my neighbor parked in a low gear, forgot to shift back to neutral when getting out to shop, and the car lurched forward and hit a fire hydrant when started. With a manual transmission, parking should always involve the double safety of neutral gear + handbrake—don't cut corners for convenience.

[DiEdward]

As a driving instructor, I must emphasize that shifting into first gear while pulling over is a major mistake. When the vehicle comes to a stop, the engine is still delivering power. Shifting into a lower gear at this moment is like suddenly braking a galloping horse, subjecting the transmission gears to severe impact. Last year, a student did this while pulling over, resulting in a burnt clutch smell and an 800-yuan repair bill. The correct procedure is: turn the steering wheel 15 degrees to the right and gradually pull over. When the wheels are about a fist's distance from the curb, firmly press the brake, depress the clutch fully while shifting into neutral, and finally engage the handbrake. Especially for automatic transmission vehicles, always shift into P (Park) before turning off the engine, otherwise the transmission locking mechanism will wear out prematurely.

[LaLawson]

I remember making this mistake the first time I drove. An old driver taught me a folk method saying that putting it in first gear could prevent rolling. As a result, once after parking on a slope in first gear, I stalled three times trying to start again, nearly killing the battery. In fact, modern vehicle handbrakes are perfectly adequate—shifting to neutral after parking completely disengages the drivetrain. If you're worried about rolling on a slope, what you should do is turn the steering wheel 45 degrees toward the curb after stopping, using the front wheels to brace against the roadside. Don’t believe those unorthodox tricks. I later developed a habit: four steps for parking—stop in gear, shift to neutral, engage handbrake, then turn off the engine.

[McErin]

Transmission damage from incorrect gear shifting is commonly seen in repair shops. Coming to a stop and then shifting into first gear is equivalent to forcing stationary gears to engage with a rotating clutch. Manual transmissions will grind gears, while automatics may trigger fault codes. Last week, a Sagitar was brought in after being parked in D gear, causing transmission fluid temperature to soar to 120°C. The correct procedure is similar to waiting at a red light: after coming to a complete stop, depress the clutch pedal fully with your left foot, quickly shift to neutral with your right hand, then release the clutch pedal to rest your left leg. For automatic transmissions, it's even simpler - just shift to P after braking to a stop; there's no need to deliberately engage the parking brake.

[Judy]

Novice drivers often struggle with whether to shift gears when parking. During my driving test, the instructor demonstrated: after coming to a complete stop, shifting into first gear, and releasing the brake, the car would jerk as if kicked—proof that the engine power wasn't cut off. Especially on rainy days with slippery roads, parking like this could cause the rear wheels to spin out. The correct method is similar to operating an elevator: pulling over is like reaching a floor, coming to a stop is the elevator being in position, and at this point, you must shift to neutral, equivalent to cutting the power. Now, my muscle memory for the operation is: come to a stop with the foot brake → sweep the right hand to neutral → pull the handbrake with the left hand → finally release the brake. The entire process takes no more than two seconds.