How to Drive a Stick in Ten Easy Steps

Most manual transmissions have four or five forward speeds plus reverse. The clutch pedal is to the far left — used when shifting between gears. Neutral is the absence of a gear, and you'll spend most time in second gear for congested traffic. The gas pedal works with your gears — push gas while out of gear and you'll rev impressively but go nowhere. Make sure your car is in neutral before starting it, and most manuals won't start unless the clutch is pressed down.

• Practice shifting with the car off, pushing the clutch each time — learn the location and feel of each gear
• Don't force the gear stick into place, but make sure you fully engage each gear to avoid grinding
• Monitor your tachometer and shift around 3,000 RPM as a starting point
• Get a feel for the clutch — use your left foot, and avoid excess acceleration when it's partially engaged
• Expect to pop the clutch and stall a few times — it happens to everyone learning manual

For upshifting: clutch in and gas off, shift, then slowly release the clutch while adding gas. For downshifting: move from clutch to brake while in gear — go from fourth to third, third to second, but not from second to first. Reverse can be tricky — release the clutch slowly and use the brake simultaneously. When parking, there's no "park" gear on a manual, so use the parking brake and leave the car in gear for extra safety.