Tips On Driving Cars On An Uphill Ground

12 July, 2023

Have you ever seen a car that suddenly moves backwards when queueing in a multilevel parking building? It’s not the same as when driving on a levelled ground, driving cars on an uphill ground is harder and the driver has to be more skillful in driving especially if the car he drives uses manual transmission or the driver is a beginner and just recently know how to drive.

What’s the difference of driving cars on levelled and uphill ground? Of course, they are different. On a levelled ground, you won’t use the clutch, throttle, and brake much. But, that is not the case when driving on an uphill ground. For roads that are not too steep, the position of the gear shift on 2 or 3 is enough. But, when you go on a higher position, the gear shift needs to be lowered to 1. If you push it, the car won’t go up, but instead it will go down.

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When you on an uphill road and it’s stuck. Like it or not, the car must be stopped. For those of you who just learned how to drive, this condition might make you sweaty and feverish. Even sometimes when you’re too panicked, the car will go backward and hit the car behind you. Or there might be a mistake in the driving technique that makes the clutch canvass to smell so foul. Principally, when this happens to you, stay calm. Here are some steps to help you get through it.

Manual transmission cars

1. Using the hand brake

Put your left foot on the clutch pedal and push it deep.
Your right foot stays at the ready to hit the throttle.
While your left hand is at the ready to control the hand brake shaft.
When you stop, pull the hand brake and hit the clutch pedal until the car is anchored on the hill ground, but the engine stays on.
Make sure the gear position is on 1.
When the traffic moves, push the lock on the hand brake shaft and gradually lower it.
At the same time, push the throttle pedal up to approximately 2000 RPM by lifting the clutch pedal halfway (not entirely)
Because we will use the half clutch configuration, we need to keep the engine’s RPM above 2000 RPM with average speed.
When the car in front of you stops, lift the hand brake shaft and press the clutch pedal.
One thing to remember, do the hand brake and clutch configuration altogether to prevent the car from moving backwards.

2. Using the brake pedal

This step is a bit complicated, hence we only recommend it to you who are experts in driving manual.
When the car halts on an uphill ground push the clutch pedal using your left foot and push the brake pedal using your right foot.
When it’s time to move, reposition your right foot to the throttle pedal and push it up to 2000 RPM instantly.
At the same time, lift the clutch pedal halfway to prevent the car from moving backwards.

3. Pushing the brake and clutch pedal at the same time

The third step can only be conducted on cars that provide clutch and brake pedals next to the other.
When the car halts on an uphill ground push both pedals altogether, i.e. brake and clutch pedals.
automatically, the car stops and the engine stays running.
Make sure the transmission on gear 1
When it’s time to move, push the throttle pedal up to 2000 RPM and altogether, lift your left foot to release the clutch pedal and push the brake gradually halfway.
This will also make the half clutch technique, but the brake pedal is on standby. Hence, when the car in front of you stops you can directly push your left foot to stop your own without shutting the engine.

from the above three techniques, the second is the hardest. It takes practice and extra skill to be able to do it. For those of you who are just starting to learn how to drive, it is not recommended. The above techniques are applied for manual transmission cars.

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Automatic Transmission Cars

How about automatic transmission? Driving an automatic transmission on an uphill ground is easier because you only need to control the two pedals, i.e. brake and throttle pedals.

When the uphill is too steep or there’s a traffic there, adjust the gear shaft to the suggested button to get through the steep ground (each automatic car has button code which differs from one another). That position may also be used if you are going through a downhill road, because the braking uses engine braking. You don’t need to push the brake pedal as often.

If you are still not confident with your driving skill on an uphill ground, you better avoid that road. Because the possibility of traffic jam is unavoidable. Not only will you endanger yourself, but you might also endanger other people. For early drivers, practice more on the uphill ground. When you are more confident and braver, then start doing it on the real road.