What does 'Shift up at 5 and down at 0' mean?
2 Answers
The meaning of 'Shift up at 5 and down at 0' is: shift to 2nd gear above 15km/h, 3rd gear above 25km/h, 4th gear above 35km/h, and 5th gear above 45km/h; shift to 4th gear below 40km/h, 3rd gear below 30km/h, 2nd gear below 20km/h, and 1st gear below 10km/h. The details are as follows: Shifting method: The neutral position is exactly in the middle of all 6 gears. Only by finding the neutral position can you accurately locate other gears. For example, when shifting from 5th to 3rd gear, do not apply force when releasing 5th gear. Let the gear lever automatically return to the neutral position, and then push it directly upward to engage 3rd gear. If you grip the gear lever tightly with your hand, you may not accurately find the neutral position, and pushing it directly upward may result in 1st gear instead. The function of gear shifting in cars: It allows the car to drive at a very low and stable speed, which would be difficult to achieve solely relying on the engine's minimum stable RPM. The reverse gear in the transmission enables the car to move backward, while the neutral gear allows the engine to be separated from the drivetrain for extended periods during engine startup, parking, and coasting.
This rhyme is quite interesting. I remember when I was first learning manual transmission, I couldn't remember when to shift gears. My instructor taught me 'shift up at multiples of 5'—meaning when the speed reaches multiples of 5, like 15, 25, 35 km/h, quickly shift up a gear to avoid straining the engine. 'Shift down at multiples of 0' means when the speed drops to multiples of 10, like 10, 20 km/h, you should downshift to prevent the engine from struggling. Driving this way is smoother and less bumpy. I still follow this habit—it's not only fuel-efficient but also safer. Especially in city driving with frequent traffic jams, this rule is super practical for preventing the car from jerking. New drivers should really try it—it makes driving feel more effortless.
