Fastest Acceleration
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- čas přidán 12. 07. 2021
- In this video I look at how you can use your car to increase its acceleration rate. How to Boot It in other words!
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Okay so...
TCS Off; 5k RPM; Dump the clutch
Will give it a go on my next lesson.
I mean you do an emergency stop.....why not an emergency go!
@@mynes120 Haha, nice one.
With your name, I don't think that's a good idea :)
@@markwright3161 Unrelated, but fantastic observation nonetheless.
@@AKAMustang you missed the joke
My Nan bought a 2015 Nissan GTR last August to make sure she had enough acceleration for the local dual carriageway
That should do it! 😁
I hope this is legitimate
I mean, a GTR would certainly do it in that scenario! You'd be up to 50-60-70 before you (or in this case, your Nan) blinked!
Might not be enough. Tell her to fit a nitrous kit to be sure.
Your Nan has good taste!
And in my next video I show you how to feint drift off a roundabout whilst cadence braking into the slight left hander leading up to the Asda car park, and as an added bonus we tackle doughnuts and burnouts in the Maccy D carpark.
This got me! 😂😂🤣
Since I always use both feet to drive automatics , how many others will INSTINCTIVELY cadence brake in a non ABS automatic car ?
I did it once where there was a diesel spill at traffic lights ( in the dark ) and watched the car in the next lane slide right over the stop line and into the junction.
US MAccy D's don't have doughnuts. we have to go to krispy kreme to do doughnuts.
@@derekheeps1244 I tried left foot braking but was so used to pressing the clutch with that foot that I pressed the accelerator and then immediately slammed the brake to the floor, slowing the car to an abrupt halt. My left foot is made of lead.
@@TimpBizkit I decided to try it for first time entering a corner, not a good idea...
Buy a car with a really small engine, you get to drive like that all the time. You're having your Colin McRae moment and the other traffic doesn't suspect a thing.
I used to use a 1.1 metro for commuting and used to pass everything 😉
@@1988dgs and I have an 84bhp Ibiza, and have never passed anything. Not even a cyclist. Can't do it. There isn't a road long enough 😂
@@nathant8951 my 1957 Mercedes 219 has 85bhp but isn’t in any way short of performance - she will , just , touch 100mph and still embarrasses many lesser cars
@@nathant8951 the metro had 60bhp, I kept the revs up, all the power was in the 3k to 5k area
@@nathant8951 oh 84 bhp isn’t so bad : early Beetles had around 34 bhp , and if you want S l o o w then try a W123 Mercedes 200D or any of its ancestors . With a mere 60 bhp in a car weighing 1300 odd Kg acceleration to 60 mph was achieved in a leisurely 30 sec or so , and top speed was around 80 mph , but taxi drivers the world over love them as they never break and there are plenty around which have covered a million miles
I try to encourage my students to accelerate firmly when appropriate by saying “ come on, boot it, it’s a Fiesta not a Ferrari “
I literally drive a fiesta 😆
I just passed my test a week ago and I suffered with this. It wasn't being scared by the engine sounds or going fast for me, it was not wanting the instructor to think that I am a "fast" driver. He kept telling me I had to accelerate a bit quicker but I still didn't want to give the impression that I would zoom about everywhere when I passed. On the plus side, he did tell me I was a very economical driver, he thanked me for saving him petrol money haha.
Imagine if everybody in the world drove like the guy wouldn’t it be such an easy please
Could not agree any more. Everyone would get to their destinations much more relaxed.
@@davidsomething4867 and quicker
@@oscarjesson3867 Lol
Less traffic and less crashes for sure
Very true
When I was a new driver, many moons ago, the best lesson I learned about careful and appropriate acceleration came when I saw the price of tyres 😂
Roundabouts don't exactly help tyres either.
@@marklittler784 If you constantly spend your time on roundabouts yes, but if its the odd one. every so often its not that much different. Simply rotating them should be enough to reduce any uneven wear.
@@marklittler784 Just do a few laps in reverse every now and then :)
Ages ago I was getting a new tyre on my car and the car in front of me was a BMW. The tyres were £240 each. I would have died if I’d had to pay that!
@@eliz_scubavn £240 will get me a full set of four, fitted and balanced, on either of my cars!
There's also a Ford Fiesta in my garage that takes 145R12 tyres, £240 would probably get me two full sets of four tyres. Unfortunately, the car's in bits and a long way from roadworthy.
Many fully licensed drivers should accelerate faster when it's safe and appropriate to do so. Not doing 0-62 in 40 seconds next to someone else also doing 0-62 in 40 seconds.
or doing 0-50 in a week in your Prius while the guy in the lorry behind you is hoping desperately to get out of first gear so he can get his mileage up to a measurable figure.
@@kenbrown2808 Yeah, not a commercial driver so didn't know of that impact and it doesn't need to be a race to the next red light / town / queue of traffic nor an excuse for a F1 style launch.
@@davenz000 general rule of thumb is, the bigger the vehicle, the worst the fuel economy goes to carp at low speeds.
UK fuel prices are too expensive for me to be accelerating quickly all the time.
@@WarrenF getting into high gear promptly is best for fuel economy. Poking along is only efficient in an electric.
The smile on his face when he said he’s going to show us how to accelerate as fast as we can 🤣
"Make progress" was a favourite phrase said by my old instructor, in other words you should be getting up to an appropriate speed asap so as not to hold up other road users.
Andrew Houddcroft
But if you are not going to effect others you can go as slow as you want. At one point in my test I was doing about 8MPH(round some play streets) but it did not affect anyone else so apart from frustrating the examiner he couldn't fail me for it
@@Cheezsoup op
I use "Make an effort" to encourage appropriate acceleration to move with the traffic.
@@Cheezsoup Personally I like to drive at 3mph to really get that fuel economy going (such low speeds means there is no drag to hold back the speed of the vehicle and therefore no compensatory acceleration to make up for the loss) it also means I can cruise along with cyclists and talk about the weather (very important) with them.
My advanced instructor has absolutely drilled into me that it's speed first THEN select the gear! I used to worry about it and use higher gears, not realising you get more power in lower one's etc and that a certain amount of revs is always ideal. But to be honest acceleration sense has completely changed my driving which was never introduced to me when I first learned as has commentary, because you have to actually say why you're doing these things 😅
And the definition of acceleration sense is a great one for passing your test as well! Chuck in a "I'm slowing now using acceleration sense, which Roadcraft defines as the ability of the driver to control the speed of the vehicle in response to changing road and traffic conditions, thereby reducing or negating the need for braking." and you'll impress your examiner nicely! Best of luck with your test!
@@hughraynor8670 thanks Hugh! Am I right in thinking you're in Bristol too? I think I heard about you recently and the thorough cockpit drill you did 😁 I'm not entirely sure when my test will be but I really appreciate the tips. Hopefully 2 in a car is soon again so maybe I could catch a demo drive with you ☺️
I think first gear is an exception, though. Higher acceleration also means higher deceleration (engine braking) and that can cause problems. You don't want to be in first for any extended period of time. My instructor would say aim for second gear, then speed, then other gears.
@@gpk6458 I somewhat agree. It will drink up your fuel and it would be super easy to redline if you just stayed in first 😅 That said... Personally I've been taught again by the advanced observer that it's okay to stay in first for a *little* bit to gain that needed speed before changing up/in slow moving traffic. Or if I'm doing a sharp corner to not worry about the gear until I'm on the straight. But I agree that staying in first isn't the best for the car or much fun haha
Higher gears is better for cruising and for fuel consumption. From a standstill, you can do what Ashley says which is fine. 👍
It's so frustrating to be behind someone who insists on driving 10mph slower than every speed limit on a clear road.
The limit is just that - not an indicated speed or a ‘target’. Now, I agree with you in part. But people who get frustrated at others not going ‘the limit’ cause more issues than the car in front. Just look at the accident rates on the A9 for proof.
@@dmrevis I was always taught to drive up to the limit on a clear road where it is safe to do so. It would be interesting to hear Ashley's take on this.
only half so frustrating as being behind someone who always drives 40 MPH no matter the limit.
@@rampak1 not saying you’re wrong per se, my point was that people don’t *have* to drive at 50 in a 50 zone. If they want to drive at 40 they can. And you as the car behind has to deal with that. Now I do agree that going too slow can be a danger but 40 in a 50 isn’t, neither is 30 in a 40 etc. The trouble is, as Ashley is proving by his responses to some of my other posts, is that while there may be set rules and laws ALL instructors will teach you different techniques or driving styles that they themselves follow. Which is why the comments section is full of ‘my instructor always taught me…..’. Most aren’t wrong and stay within the law but all will think their way of teaching is better than anyone else’s.
@@rampak1 He's said in another video that speed limits are limits, not targets, and that going 5-10mph slower is fine. I can't remember the video exactly, but that's what he said and those are the rules under HC too. Generally speaking, on roads where it matters there will be an overtaking lane anyway if you're unhappy with it.
That end clip is something I see every day when I'm driving; people just won't push it up the slip road and it causes untold problems until in the end they have nowhere left to go and have to stop; and this of course is the cause of many accidents. Luckily not seen it myself but I often find myself thinking "Go, Go Gooooo."
Probably under the fear of being told off for "over revving the engine" and/or driving in an agressive/offensive manner, "muh boy racer" etc
my instructor told me to shift early to save fuel. Also accelerating alot means also braking alot in many situations, also not good for fuel consumption. I'll be accelerating smoothly and only if i'm tired or in a hurry i'll be going the sporty way and the fuel economy be damned ;p
@@AwoudeX same. I was told to change at 2-2.5k rpm. Having now driven a car with a turbo I realise that it's much more comfortable at 3-4krpm as the turbo is spooled then, where as at 2.5k it's only just started and the power is inconsistent.
@@tinyrodent2821 The van i drive for work, accelerates the best between 2200 and 3k. wether it's with cargo or not. Between 1600 and 1800rpm it's a bit noisy, but given the torque it has, it always pulls through in a timely fashion. Best thing i've driven so far.
@@AwoudeX Yeah my little 1Litre Clio isn't exactly high on the torque so it takes some revs to get going comfortably.
My mx5 goes to 7.5k every drive :)
Some pearls of wisdom around 7:40 - I wish more people understood that both the brake and accelerator should be used in largely the same way. With the gas, "squeeze (on) and ease (off)" - two phases. With braking, you want to "feel, firm and feather" - start by just getting the pads rubbing, telling the car what you're asking it to do. Then firm up, progressively, but as hard as you like, and then finally feather off to avoid nodding passengers!
The feather off is something i learnt very quickly when i learnt to drive some years ago - it's more important on most cars built in the last 10 years or so as the majority are over servo'ed so the brake pedal is ultra sensitive. Higher performance models also have much 'grabbier' brake pads, and if you don't feather off you are going to suddenly come to an abrupt hard stop, lurching you and everyone else in the vehicle.
@@blower1 Especially so on models with automatic footbrakes that maintain the last pressure applied, if you don't feather off yourself before they grab on, they grab on WAY too abruptly! Once I'm stationary, I give my foot a good plant as hard as I can, but the feather is definitely critical to a smooth, enjoyable drive.
It is largely taught on chauffeur driving courses where smoothness is one of the main goals
And spilling cups of coffee!
Did anyone ever see Sir Jackie Stewart driving a fast car around a track with a large bowl with a ball inside bolted to the bonnet. Def showed how fast & smooth he could drive by keeping the ball inside the bowl while accelerating, braking & cornering at crazy speeds.
Passed my test today with 2 minors, thanks so much for all your wonderful content and tips Ashley. You helped me so much over the last 2 years :)
Congratulations 👍🏼
Remember kids...the accelerator and brake are not binary switches. they are variable controls.
I've driven things that you treat the throttle as a binary switch. 0-60, maybe if you're going far enough.
Those people you can see 300yrds in front on an empty dual carriageway who constantly tap the brakes for no reason cause me mental anguish
@@timmytwowheels9268 I've seen people who push the gas and regulate speed with the brake.
@@kenbrown2808 RIP brakes and transmission
@@timmytwowheels9268 nah, just the brake pads.
I have a 30-year-old Fiat with 45hp. It's taught me a lot about squeezing as much power out of an engine as possible, especially on short slip roads.
and here i am thinking that my 106 hp Civic is atrociously underpowered, like how can you even manage to drive on the road with only 45 hp if it's not a bike
@@oliviersavard8676 Pretty easily actually. It only weighs 750kg so it keeps up with city traffic just fine. Sits quite comfortably at 70 on the motorway too. (Eventually.)
When you have 64hp you become quite used to putting the accelerator pedal all the way to the floor to build up speed, especially on roads with higher limits.
haha true
Yep 69hp here, almost every acceleration is full throttle almost to the redline
@@gregc9344 Nice.
@@gregc9344 had a 70hp car, definitely was not the case for it
@@gregc9344 don’t quite need to take mine to redline… I use normal revs but just full throttle when accelerating in most cases
slip roads...please please use the accelerator and go up that road like a train. it makes merging so much easier
A real bugbear of mine. I tend to hold back and leave a bigger gap if there's a slower car Infront so I can accelerate and be at the right speed when I join the road.
You want to accelerate a lot faster than a train, 30 seconds to 30 mph. Trains don’t get going quickly, a class 73 light engine however, when you hit weak field, they bloody shift
@@jwalker7567 Not happening with a small car and that's all you can insure once you pass.
I still hear the instructors voice in my sleep
"Gas on, c'mon, like an aeroplane taking off".
Lots of country roads /NSL roads around here
Me too, get up to speed, up to speed. He always said too slow was too dangerous.
Except that aeroplanes generally don't increase power as they're taking off :)
@@danieledwards3376
They don't no, but they (most) accelerate like stabbed rats and as the video was about acceleration felt my story was relatable
Funny because my instructor would say “more gas! put your foot down! You’re not in a plane you’re not going to take flight”
@@Cheezsoup planes take a while to get going but when they do they fly (if you'll pardon the pun)
Man it's so annoying when people merge in high gears, clearly having enough power otherwise, but it's slightly uphill, I go to overtake, it's getting slightly downhill and all for sudden they match my speed and I'm in this awkward situation of blocking the inside lane...
Here in New Zealand, every instructor's car I've been in has both a brake and an accelerator dual control. When I was on my very first lesson, this was helpful for me a there was a totally concealed corner. The instructor was able to also use the joint accelerator pedal to teach me how much pressure to apply when approaching hills.
Hills are great especially steep ones going up as my first time driving in Chesterfield which has very long steep inclines /declines caught me off guard as I didn't really change gear as I thought I'd have enough acceleration already (I really didn't)
Same in Sweden, dual control plus we also have advanced driving on a track on wet tar to simulate slippery and icy conditions, plus night driving and when possible driving at night in rain.
I feel like a lot of people think there is only one correct gear for the speed they are going, not considering what they are actually trying to do, as in stay at their current speed or accelerating. Some people also seam to be scared of downshifting. Say they had to slow down because a car in front of them turned, they just floor it in a way too high gear and end up not going anywhere.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, I am now enjoying my driving again. I've watched a good number of your videos this last week, especially the "drive like a driving instructor", as opposed to Confessions of. It was like sitting a refresher without leaving my room, very informing and well worth more than the time they took to watch. Thank you again
This driving style fits hand in hand with anticipating while driving. Choosing a lower gear not only allows you to pull away from traffic lights faster like in 7:03 but, because of the increased engine braking, also helps you to stop more smoothly if the situation changes at the last second.
Also less wear on your brakes :)
Fine if you are already in a lower gear , but do ask yourself if ( other than in HGVs ) in the habit of using gears to slow down - which is cheaper ? A set of brake pads or a new gearbox ?
Passed my test today Ash, thanks for all the videos. Been a great help, and I'm sure they will continue to be useful in the coming years. All the best
Great job! Congratulations :)
one of the things this is relevant to is also pulling out from laybys, as you need to be going fairly fast by the time you exit them
Or just wait until the road is clear
@@jwalker7567 not helping: moving to the *end* of the lay-by before exiting and accelerating. That is a bus length of less space!
Also slip roads onto dual carriageways which reqiure you to stop before joining. Those are lethal if you dont floor it, especially during traffic.
I was always worried about revving the car because I practiced with my mom and she always nearly lugs the engine because she thinks she’s saving fuel so her progress is a bit lacking at times and she always thought I was being too aggressive. But since I passed the test and got my own car I accelerated as much as I liked and it’s a very useful tool!
I was taught to use the extra torque available in lower gears as a response driver in the Ambulance Service in South Africa where my instructor like you said that use 1st gear normally and then hold the gear change in 2nd and 3rd to get the speed up as quickly as possible. I still do this in heavy traffic, to give myself extra space to do lane changes, etc and also the good use of progressive breaking as it reduces risks of loss of traction of sharp breaking early of the line.
I've been binge watching your videos and many others for over a year now, my test got pushed back so much but I finally passed the other day. Your channel and many others have helped so much with me being attentive on the road - I can't wait to continue the driving learning :)
Great job!
Best advice I was ever given since I started to learn to drive was "Consider every time you get into a car to drive as a new lesson in how to do it better" In other words always be conscious of how you are driving and how you can improve your skills and practices.
Another excellent CZcams episode Ash. Many thanks. Encouraging a learner driver to move off in a 'business-like' manner was exactly the issue I was having earlier this morning! Oh to have an instructor (passenger side) dual accelerator pedal! None of these issues of course when you drive a Tesla, Nissan Leaf, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Porsche Taycan, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Renault Zoe, Kia e-Niro, Volkswagen ID.3, Polestar 2, Jaguar I-Pace and others. They all have instant torque. And why I feel such a fraud teaching learners to drive an ICE when I know that better cars are becoming available that involve next to no noise, no clutch, no gears and no fuss!
Very useful information to learners! Great video Ashley.
12:30 the driver's reaction made me pretty happy to see in this potentially quite dangerous situation... how many idiots would be right up behind that learner flashing their lights, beeping the horn leaving no room for themselves to accelerate for the merge?
Great video. I think far too many people are afraid of hitting the gas when needed. Motorway sliproads or overtaking is a prime example of this.
As a side note i think it's great Ashley uses more powerful cars for his learners as it better prepares them for future driving when the learner may graduate to a bigger/faster car.
Acceleration is related to torque, different engines and vehicles have torque available at different places in the engines speed range. Larger Diesel engines have torque at lower revs and tend to appreciate a gear change sooner, whereas smaller multivalve petrol engines need relatively higher engine speed to develop useful torque. It’s important to know as well for turbodiesel engines at what minimum engine speed the torque assistance from the turbo is available. Knowing this can make all the difference to your progress especially if your vehicle is heavily loaded or you need strong acceleration. Considering Engine braking also for diesels engines typically much less is available because they are not throttled, whereas petrol engines are throttled (letting off the accelerator closes the throttle valve restricting air intake to the engine) you might need one or more gears lower to get the same engine braking from a diesel.
True, but horsepower is also an important factor for acceleration. Also varies with RPM
@@vincentpeeters1157 These are the same thing
@@hisride absolutely not. Look it up, too lazy to type complex explanation 😛. Let's just say that being the strongest (torque), doesn't make you the fastest (HP). That's one way of looking at it
@@vincentpeeters1157 very good, yes! I too simplified my response, meaning that the two are intrinsically linked
Engine braking is much stronger on diesel engines than on gasoline. The thing that creates engine brake is the compression in the cylinders (diesel engines have much greater compression than gasoline ones), the throttle on gasoline engines reduces the braking because the engine struggles to suck in air whereas steuggling to compress the air, the later one needing more energy and being more effective for braking.
optimum gear and acceleration - after 2 years of driving EV's just fond memories. Curious to see to what extent learning to drive on manual is going to decrease over the next few year. EV acceleration is a topic in it's own right because the acceleration tends to be more instantaneous and rapid, but lifting the acceleration results in ever increasing regenerative braking depending how much you lift - my experience is you get to desired speed rapidly but are less likely to overshoot. Might be a good video to demonstrate EV driving differences as they become increasingly popular.
There must be some fancy stuff going on with the speed controllers because in my experience nothing burns up an electric motor like too high a gear ratio. I don't know whether you could eek out a small amount more range with a few speed gearboxes. It certainly improves performance on my electric bike, although with a motor under 1kw it needs it. I would have thought electric motorcycles would be okay with 1 gear and 20 tonne trucks might need a few.
Another great video. I am also fortunate (I think) to be driving the same roads as in your videos which means I get to see things from a different perspective on familiar roads which sometimes familiarity can breed complacency. Cheers!
That little smile at the end of the intro is why we love Ashley! 😆 ace videos bud, keep on instructing
An excellent demonstration yet again. The viewers clip was very pertinent and helps to reinforce the point being made. Great job by the cammer for holding back.
My thoughts? Very little to add in all fairness..... however......
For those who might struggle to work out what Ash demonstrates - consider practicing this using a car with Automatic transmission as it might help you get a "feel" for what's occurring. Also - auto boxes can be manually changed to the 'right' gear once you have mastered the acceleration.
Stay safe out there 👍
Yep, as a lad I was a bit snobby about autos. But you absolutely can control what gear you're in, and it's a lot easier on the left knee in traffic!
Thanks, and although I have been driving a long time you can always learn something or have reinforcement of your driving habits. I'm always open to take advice, and you're never too old either!
Just wanted to mention that a friend of mine many years ago his father was a BSM Driving Instructor in Richmond and he had a Ford Escort Driving School vehicle in which he used to give us lessons back in the last 70's. But his Dual Controls did have an Accelerator Pedal that could be clipped on and off. I gather they don't have that option any longer?
Thanks for the video Ashley.
My fave part of the vid was about managing braking
So many drivers don’t get that braking with the same pressure increases rate of slow as speed reduces.
Releasing pressure as you slow is great for braking smoothly.
Can’t stand the people who brake excessively then stop and have to then drive a bit more to the line :(
Those people who wait until you're stopped behind them and then move up 3 yards. Then 2 yards, then some more. Aargh! Just stop where you need to stop first time!
And it gives you more flexibility if the surface turns out to be a bit 'slippery', or if there is something too close behind with dodgy tyres etc.
I hate that at a set of lights, if a gap develops infront of me because the others keep creeping along, then I just sit there until the lights change and leave the gap be, I can't be bothered to move just a few yards.
People coming to a complete stop too early and then creeping forwards is my pet peeve. If you're sitting in a queue for a traffic light and you have 8 or so cars in front of you, you will never stop. Bye, bye clutch. I usually stop at the appropriate distance, and if the car in front starts creeping, I refuse to move unless they build at least a full car length in front of my. Usually by that time, the lights turn green.
But I don't think they do it cause they don't know how to modulate braking pressure. I think they do it either because they're too scared to get any closer, or they're completely oblivious to their surroundings. Both are equally likely.
@@CristiNeagu the latter, crawling along in queues, coming to a junction or lights is completely unnecessary
"not all cars accelerate the same"
remembering learning to drive in a US model Ford Escort - 65 brake horsepower pulling a car that weighed a bit over a british ton, through a 3 speed automatic gearbox that would shift immediately to third gear as soon as you touched the gas pedal.
just in case you're wondering why Americans have less affection for the Escort than europeans do - our Escort was a completely different car.
Another great video Ashley!
This is something that is covered extensively in emergency response driving when applying “IPSGA”. One good place for learning resources regarding this can be found in “Roadcraft: The Police Driver's Handbook”. Even though the context is very different the practice is very much the same and you mind find it useful as a reference point?
Keep up the good work and I look forward to your next upload! :-)
Great point. It’s another skill that needs to mastered once your past the basics. When the situation warrants it - get the business done and out the road
Thanks for confirming already do all you’ve said. Also when slowing lift off gas and straight to appropriate gear when doing constant speed.
Your example of slow acceleration onto that dual carriageway is one of my biggest pet peeves on the road as it can affect my and others ability to join. My solution being the same as the cammers.
That said, I do remember my first experience on a motorway and it did go exactly like that learner. Having had more than an hour in busy city traffic, it was just a major switch to being able to put your foot down. So I did get that encouragement from my teacher next to me. And it being in the pouring rain, having to slot in behind a lorry didn't make it any simpler. But good coaching had me in the faster lane and past the lorry and its barrage of water quickly. Quite exhilarating for my second time driving a car
Charlie, my old driving instructor got me very early onto drive at the roads limits and I think by second or third lesson he had me on trunk roads - not a complete stranger to them as being a neibour at the time he knew that I used to ride bikes.
Please do a video on driving down steep hills and up hills.
My instructor had installed a heavy spring on the accelerator pedal. It helped avoid the fear of flooring it and the car zooming away, I think more for the instructor than the learner. Though I was told it was to help with pedal control for the very bumpy (almost washboard like) roads common in the area at the time.
Really surprised me you mentioning not having an accelerator pedal as instructor. Here in Germany the instructor is only missing the steering wheel but has all the pedals you'd have in the drivers seat. Was very helpful in my first lesson (some 24 years ago) because the instructor used the pedals and i only steered.
When I first got together with my missus, she had been taught that the redline was to be avoided at all costs as hitting it would result in the engine blowing up. But these days she has an S2000 and frequently takes it all the way to 9,000RPM when the opportunity presents itself.
sounds like she's driving it properly then haha
I have a classic with a hard redline. 2 engine rebuilds taught me not to over rev it.
That’s because it’s an S2000, thing loves to rev out. And whatever you do, do not sell that car as prices are now skyrocketing. Heck, I’d probably divorce her before selling that thing.😳
Great video. As a learner, you tend to fear accelerating quickly. Here where i'm from, it's actally the first task on your exam.
When my sister was learning to drive she used to think when the engine "sounded louder", meaning higher up in the rev range, that this was bad for the engine. This made her always keep the revs relatively low and change up gears at low-ish revs too. This was the same for every gear in almost all situations. I always tried to assure her that revving the engine higher is no issue really (within reason of course) and can be useful for overtaking or getting going faster before changing up gears etc
Thanks for the tip Ashley. My Qashqai 15. DCI Acenta is appalling on acceleration and this will come in handy.
I have a display for engine load... I usually accelerate at 70-80% load between 2000-3000rpm to keep the car in the peak break efficiency zone. Fuel economy is my one of main goals getting from point a to point b.
I've averaged 70mpg over 70,000 miles of driving my 1L petrol Aygo.
You've driven a 1L Aygo for 70,000 miles!? 😳
@@dxnnyk1411 yeah, I got a fairy new car as my first car and promised myself I'd keep it until it's uneconomical to repair. I know pretty much the cars full history and I'm a fully qualified mechanic so do most of the work myself. I think my biggest repair bill was probably £50 for new brake disks and pads although it is needing the brake pipes replacing now. Services don't generally cost more then £30 either and the timing chain should last more or less the lifespan of the engine. To be honest I used to ride a motorbike before I got it and it's luxury in comparison, just a bit slower to accelerate.
@@micheals1992 Oh for sure that Toyota will last pretty much forever. I just couldn't handle something that slow on motorways etc. so your dedication is amazing haha
70mpg in a petrol...!! Wow, that's seriously impressive. Can I ask if you use a particular fuel, like a premium one?
@@dxnnyk1411 I believe that uses a daihatsu engine. They are very reliable engines. Props to the man too for doing 70k miles in one lol
This is why i love auto's, The gearbox asses the RPM and takes over when needed subject to the road conditions, angle of a hill etc. In terms of progress i feel this is something only experience with the car in question can teach as one needs to have that "feel" on how the engine develops its power. For instance a Diesel will normally produce a lot of torque at the lower end of the rev range making progress quite easy. A petrol tends to build its power later in the rev range but of course this all depends on the type of engine and the size of the engine.
depends on the car. my dad's a driving instructor, where I live, auto is in better demand. he teaches in a my17 Mazda 3 cvt, and the gearbox is trash. always slips, doesn't respond, and it'll take so long to drop gears when you need more power, something I'd do naturally in a manual car anyways
Back in the day when most pupils were learning in a Ford Fiesta or a Vauxhall Nova, my driving instructor in 1990/1991 chose a Mark 4 Ford Escort 1.6L XR3i as the vehicle for learning in. It had 115bhp which was a lot at the time. He changed it part-way through my lessons to a Ford Orion 1.6L EFi which was based on the Mark 5 Escort and produced 130bhp. He felt that if you learnt to drive in a more powerful car that you would be able to handle the power when you went a bought a powerful car as your 1st.
My instructor would drill into us to change gear at every 10mph step, so at 10mph, go to 2nd, 20mph to 3rd all the way up to 5th gear at 50mph. From what I gathered at the time, that was how most driving instructors in my area would teach you. I take it that this is no longer the case as cars have changed quite a bit since then.
As a rule, when I used to drive manual gearboxes, for 95% of driving, I would keep the revs below 3000rpm if it had a rev counter and have to judge it if it didn't have one.
Now I drive a VW Golf with a TSi engine and a DSG gearbox, the car changes up at around 2000rpm right the way up to 7th gear.
I thankfully never had an issue with speed/acceleration but now I've passed with a black box I'm afraid of the acceleration more due to the fees xD
Hang on a minute here, could you explain that more pls? How do the fees’ work then?
Get rid of the black box ASAP. Across the board black box users pay more for insurance on average, and it’s just an extra thing to stress about as a new driver.
Not worth it at all if you can skip it.
I never had any incurred fees, drive normally, plan well and you'll be fine
@@Richard_Barnes Harsh acceleration is treated as a sign of more risky driving.
Black boxes are a con get rid asap! You just need to pick the right car and you can keep the price down, when I was 20 a subaru legacy estate was cheaper than a 1litre vauxhall corsa or toyota aygo
Not driven a car like yours but that looks like a lovely short throw on the gearstick, as you shifted from 3rd to 5th.
Ashley, could you do a video on the right way to handle bends, balancing the car etc. Thanks. Really enjoy your videos. 👍
I know a few people who think pressing the pedal harder makes more power and match the gear to the speed. They also slam the gears quickly to avoid dropping the engine out of the power. They are surprised I can get more power and smoother delivery from a lesser car. All I'm doing is following much of what you have explained in this video.
People changing gears too quickly is one of the most uncomfortable things you can experience as a passenger. I wish more people took their time, and acknowledged the fact that they are moving the gear stick from a gear, into neutral, into another gear. This takes time, as does good use of the clutch.
I remember my Dad used to go first, second, fifth. I once commented that he never seemed to use third. He claimed he used it all the time and drove in third all the way home to prove it! Roads were less busy in those days!
Nothing to do with the subject of the video but @ 2:52 our instructor is the only one to do it properly and use the handbrake and into neutral, everyone else is sitting at the lights using their footbrake. So refreshing to see it done right.
There is a sliproad onto a 70 dual carriageway near me that's shorter than most sliproads, but still long enough to build adequate speed in any car. Every time I take it, there's an underpowered car carrying no passengers doing 35 - 40, assumedly due to this fear of working that little engine a bit harder. You don't need to make it scream, just put your foot down and change up briskly.
I used to drive a Kia Picanto with 83hp and bugger all torque. I still had zero issues on all but the very shortest of sliproads - and indeed I often found myself frustrated by the very leisurely manner in which many drivers take slip roads.
I think the problem is simply a lack of focus and practice on using sliproads when people are learning to drive.
Was same by mine onto a motorway. It was shorter and steeper then most, until the HA recognised the issue and redesigned the area. I'd often see cars trying to merge at 30mph onto fast flowing and busy 70. Now its a bit longer and less steep so even the HGVs can reach adequate speed.
So cool to see an analogue watch!
i've watched you a lot, got my test on the 22nd of october, hope for the best. (i'll be back if i've passed or failed) :)
I got told off by my old instructor for accelerating too fast. We were parked on a 40 road with cars flying by us. It would of been safer for me to speed up so i can to keep up with traffic sooner rather than going slow. Among other reasons, i eventually decided to get a new driving instructor , im so glad i did.
Edit: he also didnt let me drive for the first 3 hours of learning with him, since i've switched to a different instructor i've heard bad reviews about him
3 hours?! 10 minutes to get to the local quiet industrial estate, 5 minute talk over the controls/adjusting the seat, then get to it! Hell, my driving instructor had me on a national speed limit road (a notorious accident spot at that) by the end of my first lesson!
@@nowillnoway yeah I thought it was normal at first until I talked to my mates and they said it was a rip off. Glad I switched
I have to say, since I learned not that long ago, me shortshifting came a bit from the car I drove, Kia Rio with the base petrol engine, it sounded like it wanted to explode over 3krpm (where the power was ofc) so I shifted even when overtaking, even when the instructor told me to hold it.
The car I transitioned to (Mazda 6) on the other hand, sounds really healthy, nice and strong if you will, in the higher rev range, it kind of encourages you to use the whole range.
a few miles away from where i live, there is a terrifying road that merges onto a very busy A road with a lot of traffic. this is useful as you always have to fully stop before merging
As HGV drivers, we are taught to use block changes often to get up to speed quicker but we are also told it saves on fuel. I don't know if that's because it's a big lug of a diesel engine. I do know that I regularly get over 12 mpg pulling a loaded trailer.
I change gears more frequently whilst still remaining in the lower rev power band to get a good MPG/acceleration balance. I do also believe in driving with your revs slightly higher though which means that you can accelerate away from hazards quicker. Which one of these two driving styles I do, depends on location and environment
I love this video. There are far too many people who think using the full rev range is bad for the engine or makes you a bad driver. It's so frustrating because usually the people that have this opinion are those who will pull out into a nsl road changing into the enxt gear when they are at 2500 or 3000 revs. 🙄🙃
I used to be one of those until I realised how much easier it is to be in control of where I'm entering the road by accelerating to it where appropriate.
@@middler5 I'm not sure if it was this video that caused you to change the way you drive but I have noticed with Ashley's videos my driving has improved and changed. There's nothing wrong with realising you can do things better and as long as you change and adapt, that is the main thing.
Very useful video 👍
Sounds great... Im a mobile detailer... My work van is also my transport...
I have a 400,000 mile diesel engine carrying the water tank and detailing kit.
Progress is muted to say the least, but I still average 45+mpg even carrying all the kit.
Great to also see Ash demonstrating knowledge of his cars acceleration trait. As it's a diesel, there's no real point going beyond 4000rpm whereas a petrol car would be more likely to need higher revs, unless it's an ecoboost type engine..
I think I can concentrate enough to do that and on dual carriageways
I went out for a spin with my uncle the other day and he tought me how to use the gears 👍
Please can you follow this up with a video about using speed (inertia) rather than acceleration for overtaking?
Love my 435d's Eco Pro function makes such a difference to economy, saving the ol 'Comfort mode' for the east lancs all day long though 🍯-⛳ 😀
Do you not find it Putting itself into neutral a bit strange feeling almost a bit annoying when in traffic where the cars ahead aren't holding a very specific speed ?
Nice bits of Advanced driving there. Block changes up as in the commentary but also down 4th to 2nd at the roundabout. Also good example of 'its quicker to slow down' on approaching the red lights as it gave them time to change. How many times do you see people accelerating toward red lights & having to stop.
I admit my biggest bug bear on the roads is those that do 30-40 on slip roads to motorways and dual carriageways, its dangerous to everyone, holding back to let them finish making a mess of it is a good strategy!
The company I previously worked for fitted vehicle monitoring devices on our vans, every month we’d receive a report highlighting how times the vehicle was travelling in excess of the speed limit, harsh acceleration, harsh braking, passing a red light etc. Disciplinary action would only ever be taken against extreme or persistent offenders and though I was never subject to any disciplinary action, it did make me change my driving style. I’d recommend everyone have one of these devices fitted if you wish to improve your driving behaviour.
I was taught to block change gears, too. So for example, joining a 60mph road from a roundabout, get up to 55-60 mph nice and quickly in 3rd gear and then put it in 5th.
After 30 years of driving many, many manual cars, I now have a 3 series with the ZF 8 speed automatic gearbox, and as good as it is, I REALLY miss a manual gearbox. Thankfully I still have another manual car, and it's so much more of a pleasure to drive.
Hi Ashley. Quick question if you don’t mind. On a slip road with two lanes, is it permissible to accelerate down the right hand lane, indicate and move to the left hand lane if you feel it’s safer by giving more time to join the main carriageway and getting out of the way of drivers putting pressure on even though we’re matching the speed of traffic on the main carriageway. Currently helping to teach my daughter to drive and we have a scenario like this
I am having the opposite problem at the moment with my lad , he has a heavy right foot when accelerating but a slipper when slowing down . A better balance will be found .
As a driver with experience of both cars that would have trouble pulling the skin off a rice pudding and substantially more powerful vehicles, I think it was harder for you to get the message across using your car as the extra power that you have available over that of many driving school cars make it so much more forgiving. I mainly drive an Oktavia VRS and when I use a lower-powered car I find myself having to think so much more about power and gears.
Was definitely scolded for coasting that far when approaching red lights. Was always told to change down to third on approach. Feels weird for me to coast up after twenty odd years.
I've got a 1.0 ecoboost 138bhp and it can pull in 4th gear. Pocket rocket that is nippy and grippy. I love driving it.
Question though, does having old tyres on the back create rolling resistance? There's plenty of tread on them but they are smaller than my new front tyres.
I remember borrowing a girlfriends Pegeot 106 1.5 diesel and I can tell you joining an HGV packed A14 from an uphill sliproad was terrifying!!
Thank god cars have more power these days.
Some foreign instructors somehow do not show/teach/demonstrate this to learners. See them accelerate like a slug. I was not encouraged to shift down for accelerational moves, had to figure it out (1.3 < 1.6 litres).
Making the engine struggle more in higher gears (foot put down fully) is not as good as dropping at least one gear, and giving half the previous throttle.
I know that the lesser the revs, the less fuel is consumed, at least on a theoretical basis .. Does it really take less to push a chassis up a slope like that slip road in a higher gear, when more throttle is given? .. I do not think it is that different.
However a shift downwards to a gear where the engine revs more probably does yield more torque, and less frustration to everyone. Yet, timing it is of the essence.
Interesting .. thank you, Ashley.
One great tip to remember is that your car may actually travel at a higher speed in the 2nd to top gear then your top gear this however comes at the cost of a higher engine speed. So rather then going straight to top gear, use that 2nd to top to get yourself up to the correct speed. As most top gears are over geared it wont allow the car to accelerate as easily.
Do you use these tracks that simulate standing water and iceing conditions in your driver trainng in the UK? The fact that i got to test out the limits of the car, spin out, and hit paper cutouts of moose when i got too cocky.. It was invaluable for my driver development, both in termes of keeping the flow and having experienced how just 5 mph can keep someone out of hospital
My instructor used to tell me to make the engine roar before changing. I did this once coming off a roundabout on a 60 road and left a merc that was going to go round "the slow learner" stuck in the middle of the road after I took off lol
I can just imagine the Merc drivers face. 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Probably a 200D ; a bicycle could leave one behind
@@derekheeps1244 I'm not sure what is was, it was about 8 years ago now. I was in a petrol suzuki swift.
I have a Plug in Hybrid and if I accelerate hard the engine starts so I tend to take it easy and use battery power. I also have a full electric, it just goes as quick as I want whenever.
at 6:15 the fiesta is quicker off the line so I would suggest Ashley could have been quicker off the line. High revs and quick off the clutch to let it fully engage may well lead to wheel spin. Try high revs and slipping the clutch as you pull away not letting it fully engage too soon. That way the "power" is already there but without transferring it too soon the the wheels. Some cars will with enough throttle wheel spin in second as well once you have changed up from first. You may want to do a quick change to second as all you want to do is move "a short distance" quickly
A problem for a learner trying to go quick is wheel spin and that everything then happens quickly, they approach everything quickly or at least it feels quickly due to inexperience and this can panic them.
Please could you do a video on electronic driver aids in the driving test. What can be used and what can't etc.
Like reversing cameras, adaptive cruise control, lane assist etc
My wife is learning to drive (automatic). She is using a driving school, and apparently doing well.
I have a job getting her to go quicker, even in an empty car park we practice in.
I got my license in France a couple of years ago, and we are taught to cycle down gears as we come to a stop (say if you're in 4th, you go to third, then to second, and then to neutral). Any particular reason why you don't seem to do it? Just curious!