Should You Press the Brake When Shifting Gears in a Manual Transmission?
2 Answers
You should not press the brake when shifting gears in a manual transmission. Here is an introduction to whether you should press the brake when shifting gears in a manual transmission: 1. Risks: When shifting gears, the clutch and throttle must be coordinated properly. Press the clutch pedal all the way down, then immediately release the throttle pedal, and quickly shift to the appropriate gear. After shifting, release your hand immediately and avoid keeping it on the gear lever for too long, as this can easily damage the gear lever. 2. Shifting: It is also important to master the correct hand position when shifting. Many drivers often neglect the hand position for shifting, sometimes casually using two or three fingers to flick the gear lever, which is neither standard nor safe. The correct hand position for shifting is to cover the gear lever head with your palm facing downward and then perform the shift.
As a veteran driver with over a decade of manual transmission experience, I'd say you generally don't need to press the brake when shifting gears. The standard procedure is to press the clutch, shift gears, release the clutch while gently applying the accelerator - that's all there is to it. The entire process isn't directly related to braking, which is specifically used for slowing down or stopping. For instance, you might need to lightly brake while downshifting when approaching a red light. But if you're simply accelerating and upshifting on a straight road, like moving from third to fourth gear to gain speed, pressing the brake is completely unnecessary. It would only waste fuel, wear out brake pads, and cause uncomfortable jerking. When going downhill, using lower gears for engine braking is safer to avoid overheating brakes from frequent use. In short, keep your operations smooth and confident without unnecessary actions. Once you develop good habits, shifting gears will become second nature and this question won't even arise.
