Should the Brake Be Released Slowly During Hill Start?

[SanKevin]

During a hill start, the brake should be released slowly. The correct procedure for a hill start involves maintaining the proper driving posture, paying attention to various traffic conditions ahead, and avoiding looking down. When starting, the right foot should press the accelerator pedal, while the left foot slightly presses the accelerator pedal and slowly releases the clutch. At the point of semi-engagement, the right foot should gently press the throttle to follow through, while the right heel must not release the brake pedal. Hill start is part of the field test in the second subject of the driver's license examination, which involves starting a vehicle parked on a steep slope. Other test items in the second subject include parallel parking, curve driving, right-angle turns, and reverse parking into a garage.

[Harris]

Friends who drive manual transmissions surely understand this awkward situation: when starting on a slope, the car rolls back as you release the brake! The trick I've figured out is to lift the clutch to the biting point (when the car starts to shake), keep the left foot steady, and quickly move the right foot from the brake to the gas pedal while lightly pressing the gas to add power. Releasing the brake too slowly at this point can actually cause the car to roll back, so you need to be decisive. The key is to practice finding the biting point with your left foot—when you get it right, it feels like someone is giving you a push up the slope. When I first started practicing, I tried it over a dozen times on the ramp in my apartment complex's underground garage, and now I don't panic even on steep slopes like those at mall exits. Another small tip is to watch the rear wheels of the car in front—applying gas when the tires flatten against the road surface is the most stable.

[CamilaAnn]

It depends on whether you're driving manual or automatic. Automatic is much simpler - cars with hill-start assist will trigger automatic parking for a few seconds when you press the brake pedal hard. Then you can just step on the accelerator to go, as the brake releases automatically without you worrying. For cars without this feature, it's all about foot speed: give gas immediately when releasing the brake. I drive on suburban mountain roads to work every day, and practical tests show that too much gas causes wheel spin, while too little leads to rolling back. For beginners, I recommend pressing the accelerator half a second early to raise the RPM to around 1500 before releasing the brake for the safest start. If your tires are heavily worn, remember to replace them in advance - tires with poor grip are more prone to rolling back.

[KathrynDella]

In my experience, braking isn't the core skill—the clutch-throttle coordination is key! When driving manual, the moment your right foot releases the brake, your left foot must magnetically hold the clutch at the bite point while your right hand simultaneously releases the handbrake for maximum stability. Once, my instructor demonstrated: on a slope, lift the clutch until the engine sound dulls, hold the handbrake button down with your right hand, give gas until the tachometer hits 2000 RPM, then slowly release the clutch and handbrake as the car's nose lifts slightly to move off smoothly. This entire motion must be completed within one second, requiring practice to build muscle memory. I recommend beginners find a gentle slope to practice for 20 minutes—far more effective than just studying braking techniques.