Honda wants you to #GiveAShift. And so do we, because driving a vehicle with a manual transmission is a rewarding endeavor that's transitioning into the realm of lost art.
To help those of you who are afraid to jump into a three-pedal vehicle, Honda has prepared a video that offers up a clear explanation of the basic action that is driving a car with a manual.
This is essentially a 101-level course into manual transmission operation. The host walks through the items you'll be working with; which include the shift lever and all three pedals. Additionally, there's some great insight into what the car is actually doing during the process of driving such a vehicle. Although the graphic being used shows a rear-wheel-drive setup and the video features a front-wheel-drive Honda Accord.
Honda's host does a great job of showing just how easy it is to get rolling. Add in some revs, roll the clutch back until it starts to grab, and you'll soon be on your way. Treat reverse like first gear, and you now have two directions at your disposal. After the Accord in the video begins to pick up pace, it's time to move on to shifting gears. This is even easier than when you initially pull away from a stop. Let off the gas, clutch in, shift to the next gear, let the clutch out, and get back on the throttle.
Many of you reading this will know all about this process. But you might have a friend or family member curious about shifting his or her own gears. Share this video with them. Then you could even take the next step of lending a helping hand and teaching them how to drive a manual car in real life.
You might wind up turning an on-the-fence enthusiast into a full blown lover of rowing their own gears.
