I was never told this when learning
 

I was watching the telly the other night about ways to save fuel. An advanced driver instructor said it was ok to change up gears "in block" eg from 3rd to 5th. :shrug:
I was always told to increase speed smoothly through the gear box.

He also said To stop in what ever gear you are in and not come down the gears into the correct gear for the speed you are doing. :shrug:
I always reduce my speed and slip into the correct gear for that speed.

I'm thinking it wouldn't be good for the engine or gearbox to go from 3rd to 5th etc.

There lay the difference between those who can drive, and the new generation of drivers who are taught incorrectly or have a bad attitude in general.
I learned very early as I was always fascinated by cars, always watching my dad using pedals steering mirrors and all the switchgear. As a boy it seemed a very intensive set of activities, but very often whatched my dear Dad really enjoying driving!
The skills base now seems totally opposite to me, Lack of signalling drives me nuts! If the indicator switch is too hard to operate, can we assume looking in a mirror wont happen due to more muscles and eyes are needed for such operation by comparison? My driving is believed to be ok according to my passengers which include PhilT-4 amongst others, we don't do loads of miles together, but we meet and I drive us to a number of destinations with no white knuckles on Phil's hands, I guess I must be of an old school education, but with humour added to make things fun!

We have a safe driving course at work which I recently attended as I drive over 35.000 miles per year.

Part of this is to teach us "block changing" all drivers are taught this as a standard now. Particularly when changing down, stay in a high gear until the last possible moment and then drop to the appropriate gear for the speed once accelerating again.

6 to 4 to 2 is not unusual. Seems strange but it is what is taught now. :)

Cpc
 

Hi all
Cpc also teaches block changing
Regards
Steve

So how do you do that with a auto box then if this is the Wright way to drive now.

When mine kicks down it can drop two, sometimes three gears ;) :D

I think staying in the gear you are in whilst slowing down to a stop is taught because both hands can stay on the wheel for longer, giving better control of the car.

I applied to be driving instructor with BSM. I was told that I had to forget all what I had been taught and that now I would be shown how to drive properly.
I gave up 'learning' the new way of driving. And I've been out with 'new' drivers and some of the things they have been taught is quite frightening.

I'll stick to the old fashioned way.

I ment jumping up two gears.

Maybe one for old school mechanics. Being told to be in the correct gear for the speed of the car, has this anything to do with carburettor engines and not flooding carburettors? So now that cars are fuel injected, we don't need to worry about flooding carburettors and modern engine are more forgiving when in the wrong gear.