Moving off

With your left foot, press the clutch pedal fully down and hold it there.

Move the gear lever into first gear. If it won’t engage, move the gear lever to neutral, then let out the clutch and repeat the first two steps.

To prepare to move off

• With your right foot, press the accelerator slightly and hold it steady.
• Slowly and smoothly, let up the clutch pedal until you hear the engine noise change slightly. This change means the clutch is at the biting point (see later in this section). With experience, you’ll be able to feel the biting point.
• Hold the clutch steady in this position.
• Now make your final safety checks, use your mirrors and look over your right shoulder to check the blind spot.
• Decide if a signal is necessary. The timing of any signal is crucial. Avoid waiting with the clutch at biting point.
• If it’s safe to move off, be ready to release the parking brake.
• Look round again if necessary and keep an eye on your mirrors.
• When you’re sure it’s safe and convenient to move off, release the parking brake and at the same time, let the clutch pedal come up a little more. The vehicle will begin to move. Tight clutch control is needed, so keep the clutch pedal just above the biting point.
• Gradually depress the accelerator for more speed and let the clutch come up smoothly, then take your left foot off the clutch pedal. Accelerating fiercely wastes fuel.

Biting point

The ‘biting point’ is when the clutch plates start to engage. You must be able to find this point confidently when you bring up the clutch pedal. Although you can press the pedal down quickly, you mustn’t let it come up too fast. Practise finding the biting point until you become familiar with it.

Although this process is the same for all vehicles with manual gearboxes, there can be slight variations in how different vehicles feel, and sound, when at the biting point. If you have to use a different vehicle on occasion while learning, take a few minutes to practise finding its biting point first, before driving on the roads.

This advice also applies after you’ve passed your test, whenever you have to drive an unfamiliar vehicle.

Practice makes perfect

Getting these steps in the right order is difficult at first. Choose a quiet, level road to practise starting, moving off, and stopping.

Don’t

• signal and move out regardless
• sit with the signal showing when you can’t move out safely.

Defensive driving

• Check all round before moving off.
• Signal if necessary.
• Don’t move out into the path of oncoming traffic.
• Don’t rush.