What gear should be used when going down a long slope?
2 Answers
If it is a manual transmission, it is generally recommended to use second or third gear. If it is an automatic transmission, the gear should be shifted to the fixed gear behind the D gear. Here is some related information about gears: Concept: Gears are adjustment devices that regulate the speed and traction (torque) of a car. The lower the gear, the slower the speed, but the greater the car's traction (torque). The higher the gear, the faster the speed, but the smaller the car's traction (torque). Gears are generally divided into two main categories: forward gears and reverse gears. When in forward gear, the car moves forward; when in reverse gear, the car moves backward. Common car gears: Generally, common cars have five forward gears and only one reverse gear. The first forward gear is the starting gear, where the speed is the slowest (0-10 km/h), but the torque is the greatest.
As a veteran truck driver with twenty years of experience, I know all the nuances of descending long slopes. After driving on mountain roads for so long, I’ve learned that automatic cars should never coast downhill in D gear—switch to L gear or manual mode (1st or 2nd gear). For manual transmissions, shifting directly to 2nd or 3rd gear is the safest. This raises the engine RPM, using engine braking to control speed, so you don’t have to keep pressing the brake pedal. Last year on the Qinghai-Tibet Highway, I witnessed a rookie with the wrong gear whose brakes smoked and left him stranded halfway down a 50-kilometer continuous descent. Remember: tap the brakes occasionally—don’t hold them down the whole way, or the pads will overheat and fail, causing the car to accelerate uncontrollably. Downshifting early can truly save your life in critical moments.
