Will looking at the gear shift result in penalty in Subject 2?
3 Answers
Looking at the gear shift during the Subject 2 driving test will not result in a penalty, as there is no rule prohibiting it in the Subject 2 test. Subject 2: Subject 2, also known as the small road test, is part of the motor vehicle driver's license examination. It refers to the field driving skills test. For small vehicles (C1/C2), the test includes five mandatory items: reversing into a parking space, parallel parking, stopping and starting on a slope, turning at a right angle, and driving through curves (commonly known as S-turns). Objectives of Subject 2: To master the basic driving operation essentials and possess the fundamental ability to control the vehicle. To proficiently grasp the basic methods of field and on-site road driving, and to have the capability to reasonably use vehicle control components and correctly control the vehicle's spatial position. To accurately control the vehicle's driving position, speed, and route.
I just passed the Subject 2 test recently, and this issue is particularly important. The exam requires you to keep your eyes on the road when shifting gears—looking down at the gearshift will definitely result in a deduction, usually 10 points. My instructor emphasized this repeatedly during practice because gear shifting is actually muscle memory; you should be able to shift accurately without looking down. During practice, I forced myself to only glance at the dashboard peripherally to check the gear position, and as a result, I didn’t look down at all during the exam. If you really can’t remember the gear position, taking a quick one-second glance at a red light isn’t considered a violation, but doing so at high speed will certainly be caught by electronic monitoring. Remembering this detail is crucial—otherwise, failing the test would be such a shame.
As a veteran instructor with over a decade of experience in driving schools, I'm extremely familiar with this rule. The driving test (Subject 2) explicitly prohibits looking down at the gear shift, which results in an immediate 10-point deduction. This is because safe driving requires drivers to maintain constant awareness of road conditions - those split seconds you spend looking down in the exam could cause an accident. I teach my students to place adhesive tape markers on the gear knob - just three days of practice builds muscle memory. My advice: first practice switching between 1st and 3rd gears repeatedly with the engine off at home to get familiar with that resistance feeling. When you actually get behind the wheel for practice, it'll feel much easier. If you're really nervous, chew some gum before the test to relieve stress - don't let anxiety make you commit silly mistakes.
