Can the throttle be used in Subject 2 uphill driving?
3 Answers
There are two versions of the hill start in Subject 2, as detailed below: 1. No-throttle version: After stopping at the designated point, turn on the turn signal, slowly release the clutch with your left foot (to the semi-engaged state), at which point the car body will shake. Hold the clutch steady without releasing it further, and once stabilized, directly release the foot brake, allowing the car to move uphill. 2. Throttle version: Similarly, first press the clutch with one foot and the brake with the other, then slowly release the clutch with your left foot until the car body shakes and reaches the semi-engagement point, pausing the clutch release action. After evenly releasing the brake with your right foot, lightly press the throttle. When the tachometer shows around 1000 RPM, release the handbrake, gently press the throttle, and you can directly drive to the top of the slope before fully releasing the clutch.
I've been teaching Subject 2 at driving schools for several years. For hill starts, we generally don't use the throttle because the test is designed to assess clutch control skills. By slowly releasing the clutch, the car can start smoothly; using the throttle may cause excessively high RPMs, resulting in jerky starts or stalling, which increases the risk of failing the exam. Examiners prioritize stability over speed. I advise students to practice the half-clutch state more to feel the clutch's engagement point. Repeated practice in the driving school's training area will help them master it. If the car rolls backward during a hill start, examiners deduct points strictly, so focusing on clutch operation is the best strategy. This approach is also beginner-friendly and quick to learn.
I just got my driver's license last year. During the hill start, I was so nervous that my palms were sweating. The instructor repeatedly reminded me not to use the accelerator and to rely solely on clutch control. In that test, by slowly releasing the clutch, the car started smoothly without rolling back, while some classmates who pressed the accelerator ended up stalling or overshooting and failed. In practical experience, using the accelerator makes the car respond too aggressively, making it difficult to finely adjust the position on a narrow slope and increasing the chance of mistakes. Looking back, the focus of Subject 2 is to develop basic control skills, so it's normal not to involve accelerator operation. I recommend candidates to practice the clutch's semi-engaged state more on simulated slopes to get familiar with that smooth starting feeling, which makes passing the test much easier.
