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Gears are fitted to motor cars so that the driver can use the engine as efficiently as possible. The gears allow the car to be easily controlled in a range of situations, at a range of speeds.
Anyone who has ridden a bicycle will know that gears help you use your energy efficiently. The gears in a car help us to get maximum efficiency from our engines in different situations. The best way to understand the gears is to go out and practise using them!
The basic rule: change up through the gears as the speed increases, down through the gears when you need more power from the engine and there is not enough power in your current gear.
At this stage in your training you will just be learning the basics of gear changing, however, the more you understand about the gears the better. This section considers how and when to change gear. It also has information about 'skipping' gears and automatic transmission.
Gears The information listed below covers the basics of gear use.
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Click the forward arrow to find out when to change gear ...
