How to brake properly. Braking on manual and automatic transmission

01.10.2019

Low-quality gasoline and its impact on the condition of the car

Gasoline is the fuel most commonly used in internal combustion engines (ICEs).

This fuel is obtained from oil, by distillation, as well as further chemical processing. The liquid itself should be transparent and have a sharp specific smell.

"Blind spots": description and methods of dealing with them

Blind spots, better known to motorists as the "blind spot", are a major hazard on the roads. But if an experienced driver knows what a “blind zone” is and how to deal with it, then for a person who has just got behind the wheel, this statement does not carry any semantic load.

But all's well that ends well. In our case, when we become road users, it is necessary to pay attention to the slightest change in the situation on the roadway.

Safety for pets while traveling by car

The contented face of a dog riding in the front seat next to the driver always cheers up other road users. We all love to take our four-legged pets with us on the road.

Any trip to the country house or a picnic can turn out to be holidays for your dog, and a trip to the veterinary clinic can be sadness. But regardless of why and where we are taking our furry friends, it is necessary to remember the rules of transportation.

Transportation of small and large animals

Animals such as hamsters, rats, cats, etc. must be transported in a special container or cage. This is due to the fact that a frightened animal may try to jump out of an open window, crawl under the seat or, even worse, under the driver's feet.

Therefore, no matter how you feel sorry for your pet, place it in a cage for the duration of transportation.

Engine failure - repair or buy a new one

Engine failure

Typically, the engine resource for domestic vehicles is about 150 thousand kilometers, and for foreign cars twice as much. With the right approach, the motor will work much more.

The most common mistakes in understanding traffic rules in different countries and the consequences

Every year thousands and even tens of thousands of drivers are fined by traffic police officers. This happens for one simple reason - violation of traffic rules. It would seem that everyone studied at a driving school in the same way and then passed exams, but this is somewhat different.

Oddly enough, even the most exemplary drivers get into curious situations, and not at all because they wanted to violate, but because they misunderstood the interpretation of some points of the traffic rules.

Who is to blame for not knowing?

Oddly enough, one of the key reasons that the driver misunderstands the interpretation of traffic rules is that his teacher at a driving school failed to convey the essence, or rather, convey it in a non-distorted form.

For this simple reason, it can be said with great confidence that a teacher's mistake leads to an emergency on the roadway, fines and other unpleasant events.

How to remember traffic rules tickets before the exam: useful tips and tricks

There are different driving schools where teaching methods can differ significantly from each other. But no matter how different these institutions are, at the final stage of training, everyone takes an exam. This, without any doubt, is a very responsible and important step in the life of every future motorist. Tickets for traffic rules change every year, so no one can simply take and cheat.

Although we can say that there is an alternative way - a bribe. And since a person always follows the path of least resistance, a part does so. But there are several significant nuances here. Firstly, it is quite expensive, and secondly, such drivers are not encouraged on the roads.

Therefore, if you are one of those who are going to pass on the rights on their own, then get ready for the fact that it will not be easy, very difficult.

According to statistics from the American Institute for Highway Traffic Safety, the average driver presses the brake pedal 75,000 times a year. In the city, this figure grows many times, and for drivers who prefer an aggressive driving style, even more. When subjected to a heavy load, the braking system or one of its elements become vulnerable and may fail unexpectedly. And if this happens on the go, it gives a lot of discomfort to the driver and creates a threat both for him and his passengers, and for other road users.

The most common cause of brake failure is loss of brake fluid due to a leak in the system. But regardless of the reasons, the consequence is the same - the car cannot be stopped in the usual way. Therefore, one of the following options must be used.

"Push" the system

Precisely because the brakes are the most important safety system, it is divided into two circuits. If there is a problem in one circuit, then the second one may work. Therefore, it is necessary for some time to continue to intensively press on the pedal (both in the case when it failed, and in the case of its stupor), but not constantly, but with translational movements, creating pressure in the system.

By car with "mechanics"

It is necessary to apply engine braking, that is, gradually downshift one after another. In this case, the clutch pedal must be depressed for a minimum time so that the connection between the engine and the gearbox is not lost. When downshifting, the tachometer needle should not enter the red zone. A sudden shift to 2nd or 1st gear can cause skidding or damage the transmission.

Photo: flickr.com / Latemodel Restoration

By car with automatic

Switch to manual mode and gradually reduce the speed as with a manual gearbox. If this is not possible, you can move the gearshift lever from position "D" to position "1" (range limitation) or into first gear when the mechanism itself makes a decrease.

Parking brake

For more effective braking, you can apply the parking brake. It can be a "handbrake" between the seats or a separate pedal. You need to turn it on smoothly and be ready to let go when the wheels lock.

Engaging first gear or "parking"

If there is no other way out, then you can slow down the car by shifting into first gear and turning off the engine. The key must not be turned all the way so that the steering wheel does not lock. Engaging reverse may be more efficient, but it will be extremely difficult to do so. Many modern boxes are protected from reverse gear on the go, and then they need to turn on the “parking” mode. All three of these methods are very likely to damage the transmission, so it may be cheaper to damage a body part rather than an expensive unit.

contact inhibition

Stopping with obstacles is of two types. The first is when there is no threat to life, and it is possible to slow down the movement. This can be done by pulling onto the side of the road or rubbing against the curb. Such a maneuver must be done very carefully, since a change in grip properties can cause a sharp change in the trajectory of movement.

The second is the most critical situation, when continuing to move can cause irreversible consequences. You need to slow down into an obstacle. Bushes or snowdrifts are optimal for this, fences and fenders are worse, and last but not least, other cars, lampposts, stops, etc. But before you send the car into an obstacle, make sure that there are no people nearby. And it is better to demolish the sides of several cars than to fly into a busy intersection or oncoming traffic.

Photo: flickr.com/Jack Lyons

Object stuck under the pedal

If during a trip a bottle, a can, a child's toy or some other solid object rolls under the brake pedal, then this is no less dangerous than the failure of the brakes due to their breakdown. If possible, try to stop the car with the engine. If there is someone else in the cabin, ask the passenger to remove the object from under the pedal. Do not take your eyes off the road for a long time, otherwise you will not be able to react to a change in the situation. But so that this situation does not arise, keep an eye on the items in the cabin. Keep bottles and cans in cup holders or door pockets. Tie shopping bags or put them in the trunk, as an object that slips out can roll on the floor and end up under the pedal. If the likelihood of such a situation is high (for example, the child dropped a toy), it is better to stop and remove the dangerous object.

If it is impossible to slow down in the usual way, it is important not to panic and not to make very abrupt maneuvers. A sharp change in any vector can lead to a skid, and then the car will no longer be steerable at all.

When trying to stop the car without brakes, you need to be aware of the steering and be constantly ready to adjust the movement. The car can go into a skid due to the blocking of one or more wheels.

In the absence of brakes, try not to turn off the engine. Many elements of the car (electric power steering, lighting, windshield wipers, etc.) will not be able to work without his participation, which will complicate an already difficult situation.

Open doors and a sunroof can slow down movement, creating additional aerodynamic drag (on cars that set speed records, parachutes are even thrown out).

Side-to-side lane changes create additional rolling resistance, which also reduces vehicle speed.

Warn passengers of the problem. They must be fastened and ready for non-standard situations.

In the event of an emergency, try to inform other road users about this with sound signals and high beams.

Prevention

In time, be like MOT, during which the operation of the brake system is checked, among other things.

Pay attention to the "bells" - a change in the length of the pedal stroke, "emptiness" when pressed, which then disappears, the appearance of puddles under the car after stopping, etc.

Before starting an active movement, check the effectiveness of the brakes by stopping at a slight increase in speed.

Smooth driving in quiet mode reduces wear and damage to vehicle parts, and predicting the situation provides more options for action if some kind of failure occurs.

Periodically check the reviews on your car model, even if you are not being serviced by an authorized dealer. Among the companies there may be one in which they fix malfunctions - including the brake system.

Manufacturer's press release

Road conditions are different. It happens that the brakes for one reason or another suddenly fail. Perhaps, all motorists think about the real probability of such an event sooner or later. And the first thing that comes to mind when mentally modeling such a situation is to use the parking, "handbrake". Let's make a reservation right away that it will not be possible to do this on the go in any car. The fact is that in many modern cars, stuffed, as it is now customary, with all kinds of electronics, the parking brake system is activated not with the help of a classic lever between the front seats, but by pressing a special button that has taken its place.

Shibko cars will not allow the driver to activate the parking brake on the go with a button. Therefore, everything said below will be useful only to those car owners whose cars are equipped with a normal “handbrake” - with a lever.

A practical study of the issue revealed the following nuances. In principle, you can slow down using the parking brake. However, this must be done wisely. The fact is that a sharp tightening of the "handbrake" leads to almost instantaneous blocking of the rear wheels. Under certain conditions, this can lead to skidding of the car and a complete loss of controllability with all the ensuing consequences. Therefore, the rear wheels with a “handbrake” must be extremely carefully, carefully - so as not to block them.

But the situations on the road are different and it is not up to tenderness with. Therefore, in order to minimize the risk of skidding on locked rear wheels, with the handbrake tightened, it is absolutely not worth turning the steering wheel, not allowing even a hint of the front wheels deviating from a straight position. Otherwise, an unplanned "police turn" is guaranteed to you.

It is worth mentioning the conditions under which it is worth applying braking using the parking system. So, on a slippery road (damp or snowy), braking is especially risky. At the slightest difference in the grip of the front and rear wheels, events begin to develop according to the above-described "police turn" scenario. Even a bump under the front wheel with the rear wheels locked can provoke such a somersault. In addition, you must always keep in mind the fact that the higher the speed, the faster and more catastrophic events will develop if something goes wrong with the “handbrake”.

Therefore, you can use such an extreme method of stopping a car only on a flat and straight road at the lowest possible speeds in absolutely hopeless situations.

For experienced car owners, it will not be difficult to choose the right braking method in the current situation. At the same time, beginners often get confused in new road conditions, which often leads to traffic accidents. A big advantage for a newbie on the road is that theory comes easily to them. And, keeping in mind the basic requirements of traffic rules, it is much easier to use them in real situations.

Basic braking rules

When looking for the best way to brake, it is necessary to start, first of all, from the gearbox of your car: a manual gearbox or an automatic transmission. All future manipulations of the motorist are directly dependent on the type of transmission of the car.

How to properly brake on the mechanics

For proper braking at a manual transmission in front of a traffic light, it is necessary to take into account both the characteristics of the car, weather conditions, and the condition of the roadbed. Suppose you have to stop at a traffic light on a road with a smooth, dry asphalt surface.

We execute the following sequencing:

The left foot is depressing the clutch.
The left foot remains on the clutch pedal, the right foot depresses the brake pedal.

These actions must be performed smoothly in order to prevent a sudden stop, standing ten meters before the traffic light and not “catch a kiss” from the car behind. When the car comes to a complete stop, it is necessary, while holding the clutch and brake depressed, to turn on the first speed, which will allow you to immediately start moving when the permissive signal lights up.

Proper braking with an automatic transmission

Is it possible to brake with an automatic transmission engine? Certainly! Moreover, it is very easy for a beginner to brake on a car with automatic equipment. In this case, it is necessary to carefully release and again press the brake pedal until the car stops rolling.

We brake urgently

When emergency braking is required, a number of factors must be considered:

1) the possibility of demolition of the machine in the skid and skidding

2) No need to simultaneously taxi and brake. This is very risky, as it will certainly lead to loss of control. An obstacle suddenly appeared ahead - first you need to press the brake, then immediately in front of the obstacle, start turning the steering wheel, while depressing the brake pedal.

Braking in extreme weather conditions

Being able to slow down and stop on a dry road surface in a manual or automatic transmission is not the most important thing. It is much more difficult for a novice driver to prevent skidding or skidding. The most important thing is to learn how to properly brake your car in cold weather on slippery road surfaces.

How is it necessary to brake on a manual gearbox and at the same time prevent skidding and skidding in icy conditions? First of all, it is necessary to drive the car more calmly than in the summer on good and not wet asphalt.

On a wet or icy road, in snow, due to poor adhesion of the vehicle wheel surface to the road surface, the braking distance increases several times.

Even if you have foreseen worsening weather conditions and “dressed” your car in winter “shoes”, be careful, drive your car more smoothly, start braking in advance. Remember: driving in the summer and in the cold season are two completely different styles of driving your car.

Apply engine braking to stop properly on a manual transmission on icy road surfaces. This method can be used not only in icy conditions. But first, let's understand what engine braking is and why you should use it only in limited driving situations.

Engine braking features

This type of braking can be used in a number of situations:

It is necessary to stop or brake on a steep or long descent,
The brake pedal failed.

What does engine braking mean? In fact, this method should be called braking not by the engine, but using the gear lever. Although, if we evaluate it in terms of the impact it has on the mechanisms of the machine, in this case the engine is mentioned here quite rightly.

To start engine braking, you need to release the accelerator pedal, then you need to alternately switch from high speed gears to low ones.

note: You need to perform these actions one by one.

If you go from 5th gear directly to 1st, you will immediately lose control of your vehicle. In this case, the car will go into a skid, in addition, it can disrupt the engine. It will be a great success if on your way in this case there is a flat open field, and not an oncoming lane with rushing cars, or another no less dangerous obstacle.

Automatic engine braking

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To use engine braking on an automatic transmission, you should pay attention to the advice of experienced drivers. There is nothing particularly complicated here. Before driving downhill, downshift to D3, and on steeper descents, feel free to downshift to D2 (L). To apply additional braking, use the Hold button.

Another discovery of modern automotive industry is the anti-lock braking system ABS. With a sharp press on the brake pedal, the wheels of the car will not slip into the skid, but will remain under the control of the car computer.

Under normal road conditions, an ABS-equipped vehicle has a greatly reduced stopping distance. Extreme situations, when the wheels of the car break into a skid or slip, are minimized. A car equipped with ABS does not skid.

If your car has such a system, questions of proper braking with ABS are unnecessary, just start braking. At some points on slippery road surfaces or in other difficult road conditions, the brake pedal begins to tremble and press back on the driver's foot. Don't worry, it's the ABS system, keep braking confidently.

A number of car models are now equipped with a button to turn off the ABS system. Sometimes experienced car owners use this function. But even for them, we do not recommend turning off the system! If your car does not have such a button, and you still need to turn off the ABS, then this can be easily done by removing the fuse responsible for its operation.

There is an opinion that the use of the ABS system leads to an increase in the braking distance. Such an opinion will be true only under the following conditions:

The surface of the road surface is not even, loose. For example, gravel or sand cover, deep snow. Under such conditions, a car not equipped with ABS, with blocked wheels, is more likely to “burrow” and stop moving. It is in such conditions that experienced motorists use the function of disabling the anti-lock braking system.
"Bald" tires. Driving on such tires becomes much more dangerous on a car equipped with ABS.

ABS has a number of undeniable advantages, which facilitate braking in difficult conditions:

There is no need to make a series of fast and intermittent applications on the brake pedal - ABS is activated with 1 long application
The car remains under the complete control of the driver.
Even sharp maneuvering at higher speeds is now possible, as the ABS braking system is more responsive and confident.

What to do in case of brake failure

Warn other drivers! Signal and turn on emergency lights
At low speeds, it makes sense to apply a handbrake. We press the button and smoothly raise the lever, while paying attention to clicks, do not allow sudden braking and blocking of the car's wheels.
Handbraking is not possible for some reason? Brake the engine! In critical conditions, it is necessary to turn off the ignition, turn on the first speed. In this case, a breakdown of the gearbox or engine is guaranteed, but life is much more important.
Can't stop? Then look for items that can serve as a deterrent. The damage from a collision with them should be minimal. Thickets of bushes, snowdrifts, heaps of garbage will do.

Regardless of what gearbox your car is equipped with, on what road surface you are moving, you, first of all, need to be firmly confident in your capabilities. That is why, before you get behind the wheel of a high-risk vehicle and drive onto a busy highway, you have to learn how to brake properly.