Clutch control help

[Sofiathe53rd]

Hi. So I would like to ask all you drivers out there for advice.

I currently have a petrol 1.2 car. Have been driving almost 2 years, in that time I've had to change my car several times due to buying run arounds. Couldn't afford better cars and wanted to be a better driver before getting a decent car.
So I've gone from diesel to petrol and different bite points.
I've struggled initially with each car but then get the hang of it after a week or 2 of stalling etc.
My main point though that scares me and I struggle with is hill starts. I despise them and there is a lot around where I live.
Sometimes I am able to deal with them and sometimes not.
Main time I struggle is when the car is full of people. Now being a 1.2, I understand it does not have much power, any suggestions as to how to cope with it? When I ask IRL , everyone just jokes that I'm not a good driver etc. Maybe not but I'd like to be one so any help appreciated.
Also does/ did anyone struggle parking between 2 cars on a slight incline with a full car? If I press the clutch only, it stalls and I cannot accelerate much as my car will hit car in front.

Please advise.
Ps I have no problem parking when there is only me and the kids, guessing it's lighter then.

Firstly, YABU but I can guess from the wording of your posting that you don’t really care about forum etiquette

Secondly - search on YouTube for conquer driving that channel has specific lessons on biting point and clutch control

Thirdly - consider refresher lessons.

You need to book a couple of lessons with a driving instructor to sort it out and rebuild your confidence.

You need to book some refresher lessons and tell the instructor what you are struggling with. A 1.2 can has plenty of power fully loaded, it wouldn't be road legal if it didn't.

Look for a cheap automatic or a car hill start assist. Automatics are brilliant once you get hang of it, only takes a day or so, all your concerns will vanish.

can you put the handbrake on on the hill start?

I haven’t passed my test yet, but was also struggling with hill starts. My instructor spent an hour with me just practising parking on a hill, getting the bite, driving off, doing a lap of the block, repeat. We also spent some time practising getting it wrong, so when I was in second gear dropping it down into first to make the car struggle (I think this is what we did) so that I could learn how to fix it without panicking.

Book some refresher lessons, and explain exactly what you’re struggling with.

Sounds like you need to do some practice on hill starts - go somewhere on your own and keep doing it until youve got it.

Have you considered buying an automatic car? Much easier with no gears to change and hill starts are easier too - but they are normally a bit more expensive.

you need to practice on a level

Automatic is your answer. Once you try you will never go back to manual. It's so easy to drive an automatic and you don't have to worry about stalling

but I can guess from the wording of your posting that you don’t really care about forum etiquette
Unnecessary and patronising

Op
If you can afford a few confidence / refresher lessons then do get them, they'll help so much.

Hill starts can be unnerving and it can take time to get used to a new clutch in some cars. Keep the handbrake on firmly until you're ready to move on and don't worry about a few loud revs if it means you feel safe to move off.

Buy an automatic. I’d driving manuals for 25 years before I discovered automatics are so easy to drive. I’ve converted my dh and db to drive automatics and will never go back to a manual car.
There’s so much traffic in the Uk, stop/start, sitting in traffic, bottlenecks etc I’m surprised more people don’t drive automatics.

OP, if you've gone from diesel to petrol then you'll be missing the drag of the engine. Most diesels don't need revs on a flat surface, when setting off in 1st, as the engine naturally pulls. Depending on hill, you can sometimes set off without many revs at all.

This isn't the case with a petrol engine and especially not with a 1.2, which will need higher revs to get going. How much you need on a hill start depends on the incline but essentially:

Handbrake on.
Revs (high enough to pull away positively but 1.5k is a good start).
Raise clutch to biting point.
Handbrake down progressively whilst simultaneously lifting the clutch.
More revs to pull away.

Lots of practice should do it but best of luck!

I agree with pp next time buy an automatic or a car with hill start.
My last car parked itself. It got into spaces I'd never have attempted.

Thank you for all the advice. I do actually want to learn how to be a good driver in a manual so do not want to jump on the boat to automatic just yet. Yes I think it is about practice, I think I'll just keep going to hills to practice, somewhere preferably quiet. Usually there are cars around me so I think it is more unnerving and mauve I rush sometimes to get going. I also hate the idea of rolling back so probably need to work on not worrying about that too.

Sell it and buy an automatic. I bought one coming up for 2 years ago after nearly 30 years of driving and I’m never going back!

No, don't buy an auto. Autos are for people who've been driving a bit and now want the convenience.

Manual is a skill and well worth mastering as a beginner. Don't get me wrong, I love my EV, which is head and shoulders above an auto, but love a good manual as it's more fun and you're more in control. I've owned autos and they're ok but there's always something not quite right about them because of the software.

IMO stick with the manual and it won't be long before we're all driving EVs anyway so you can do without needing an auto.

@SavoirFlair I started the thread in AIBU because I find more people respond here than anywhere else and I want as much advice as possible to help me overcome.

Also I have watched Conquer driving videos, he did help alot. Still got some way to go though.
Think it's more me working myself up and then just rushing cos I don't want to hold up the cars behind.
I guess I'll just have to teach myself to go slow and not worry about other drivers.

I used to stall when I was rushing and panicked. My driving instructor pointed out to me that if I stalled I held people up for much longer than taking a few extra seconds to compose myself and pull away cleanly.

I agree with others, try and get out to practice on your own at a quiet time - I used to go out early on Sunday mornings.

Never worry about who's behind you (although you do need to be conscious of your surroundings IYKWIM).

My daughter worries about holding people up too (must be a normal reaction) but this doesn't help your driving and forces errors. Just take it easy and try to relax into it.

The older the car, the less intelligent the clutch is.

In newer cars you barely need to touch the accelerator in low gear, they almost mimic automatic cars. Diesels have always been more forgiving.

In older cars you just need to take a little bit of time learning how much revs your car needs to do stuff. Remember the clutch controls almost all speed in 1st gear so you can over compensate with the revs if you're wary of rolling back, just practice somewhere quiet on the clutch control/revs balance and you'll get it.

My mother has had to downgrade her car and is finding adjusting to the difference between a 2020 built car vs a 2010 built car quite tricky. She's getting there, I'm sure you can too.

Here is a trick that will blow your mind.

1. Turn car on
2. While watching the Odometer take foot off clutch slightly until the odometer needle drops
3. You are now in the magic sweet spot where you are holding the car in position.
4. Apply accelerator gently & car will take off

There is no actually need to remove clutch & apply accelerator at the same time - you can do clutch first, find sweet spot & THEN accelerate only when you are ready to move.

Do this a few times on flat ground to get a feel for this & you will realise that you can actually hold the car on a steep hill this way, with your foot slightly off the clutch & other foot slightly on the accelerator

There is no need to remove clutch & apply accelerator at the same time - you can do clutch first, find sweet spot & THEN accelerate only when you are ready to move.

No driving instructor ever bothered to teach me this & it was a revelation