2nd gear is often used for driving at slow speeds and is usually the preferred gear for making left or right turns.
If you are not sure on approach whether you can make the turn before the approaching car reaches you, change into 2nd gear. This way if you can make the turn you are already in the correct gear to keep going, however if you decide not to make the turn you can always slow down more and change into 1st gear.
The correct way to turn a corner with a manual gear is: As you approach the corner, reduce speed gradually to a speed at which you can safely negotiate the corner. As you reduce speed, shift down to 2nd gear (as a general rule of thumb) and engage it.
Turning corners whilst in 3rd and 4th gear is never a bad idea if it is a shallow one. However, if it is a tight corner, and you don't switch into 2nd, then you will be at risk of stalling.
Holding the clutch
As we all know, cornering requires speed to get around the curve but not too fast, so we shouldn't hold the clutch while turning corners because it will cause the motorcycle lack of Engine Brake. Also, to slow down the engine while cornering may fall off the curve.
Avoid driving the car in half clutch.
In jams, drivers tend to run the car with the half clutch depressed. A clutch in a vehicle has two functions, to fully engage and fully disengage. If the clutch is half depressed, it will just rub against the flywheel producing heat.
If you're going round a corner, you will need to reduce your speed, so it's likely you'll need to change to a lower gear as well. This will give you much better control around bends in the road—something that might be familiar to you if you've driven much along country lanes.
Alternatively when approaching a corner you may change from 4th or 5th down to 2nd without using the gears in between. Care needs to be exhibited to ensure you have the right speed for the gear.
For one reason or another, there are times were you think it might be beneficial to start off from a stop in second gear rather than first in your manual transmission car. In most cases, though, doing that will cause more wear on your clutch.
It does not harm if you upshift from 3rd to 5th, skipping the 4th, under "right conditions" (you don't lug the engine or put stress on the transmission). Infact, automatic transmissions like the Volvo I-Shift precisely does this by monitoring the vehicle load, speed etc among other vehicle parameters.
Drive Time teaches to slow to 12 mph at an intersection before turning the steering wheel. As the steering wheel is turning, move the foot to hover over the gas pedal while coasting through the corner. Gently accelerate as the steering wheel is straightened. The car should exit the corner at 15 mph.
A: The simple and clear answer on when to downshift for a corner is this: wait as long as you can during the braking zone approaching a corner to downshift, but it must be completed (with the clutch fully engaged and your foot off the pedal) before you begin to turn the steering wheel.
The low gear is the "easy" gear and is primarily used when climbing. The low gear is the smallest chain ring in the front, and the largest cog on the rear cassette. In this position pedaling will be easiest and the least amount of force will be required to push the pedals.
The rule of thumb is to reduce your speed and be off the brakes before turning into the corner, although a slight brake pressure on entry can help to reduce understeer and provide a better turn in (this is known as trail braking).
Gear 2. It is the gear you use when driving at a low speed. You'll use this gear when driving in city traffic or slow-moving traffic on the highway.
Don't leave the car in gear at stoplights.
You also don't want to leave it in first gear while stopped. So, always keep your car in neutral at a light or longer stop and just keep the brake pedal engaged.
Within the engine at that point, an over-rev condition will occur and internal-engine components will momentarily spin far faster than what they were originally designed to do. The valve spring keeps the engine's valves seated, opening and closing following the camshaft lobe.
The proper way to slow down your manual transmission-equipped car is to downshift. When you take your right foot off the brake, you press the clutch with your left foot, shift down a gear.
Signal and slow down or brake before the turn
When making a turn at an intersection without a stop sign or red light, it is not required that you come to a complete stop, but you'll still need to slow down to a safe speed and be aware of other cars coming from all directions.
Second gear is absolutely fine for your average roundabout, and you can go up to third for faster ones on A-roads and dual carriageways. Sticking to these gears is a good way to ensure you keep the right speed.