Is it true that on a stick shift you can't put it in reverse if you are driving down the road?

Question

We have a truck and every time I shift into fourth, I feel like I am going to put it in reverse. It has made me very nervous about driving that vehicle. My husband tells me to stop fretting because it isn't possible to put it in reverse because the gearing has a safety feature that wont let you. Is this true or was he misinformed?

Answer 1

they did a mythbusters episode about this.

unless you are very very strong (like superman) you won't be able to do it.  the gears will grind though, which can be very bad for your transmission if you try to force it.  but you should be fine.

one time my husband was trying to teach me stick in his car, his baby, and i was going up a hill and skipped from second to fifth.  yikes, that wasn't so good.  he hasn't let me drive it since.

Answer 2

some cars do have safety features, but most old cars dont.

i.e. nissans have a small circle below the top of the stick that you have to pull up to ge t*t into revers, or you have to push extra hard to the right.

bmw's and vw's(maybe more) you have to push down before you can move the stick to the left where the R is.

but if there is not guard to it, you will definately hear the grind while your car is still movign forward. try to avoid this, as it is obviously not very healthy for your car.

Answer 3

can't do it.

Answer 4

It wont go into reverse......

Answer 5

Let's just say it would be very difficult to put your car in reverse if you are traveling forward in gear.

So quit stressing and just drive. You will be fine!

Answer 6

It will not go into reverse, if for some strange reason you did get it in reverse, you had better start looking for a new tranny.

Answer 7

It won't go in, but you will GRIND the gear.

He is misinformed.  On a AUTOMATIC there is a safety feature but not on a manual (stick) shift.  I've been driving a stick shift since 1983 and I've made plenty of mistakes and it is easy to GRIND the gears going into reverse.

Good Luck...

Answer 8

I drive a 1984 Nissan truck with a 5 speed transmission...

Trust me, unless you have biceps of steel you won't put it into reverse while moving forward. It will grind and ruin the transmission and you'll still be unable to put it into reverse.

Answer 9

most cars now-a-days have trannys that will not allow you to throw the vehicle into reverse while driving. If you are in fourth gear, and LIGHTLY try shifting it straight into first and it does not let you, then your reverse is blocked from use while in motion :)

it does these things for safety precautions

Answer 10

If you really really slammed the shifter into reverse when going forward you Coouuuld (imagine deep thought sound to the word could) get a trans in reverse but the rear wheels would lock up just before all the gears fell out all over the road.  Don't fret if you accidentally went in the reverse area the trans would give you a sharp slap on the hand to tell you its a no no.

I drive all kinds of cars every day and once in a while my mind drifts off and when I want one gear I grind reverse a little. Some cars have little things on the shifter you have to pull up to get into reverse and some you have to press down and a few other od ball things to protect you from going into reverse when going forward.

I like the way BMW places reverse in their cars.  Its up around 1st gear.

Answer 11

In newer vehicles, you will get a definite NOISE if you try to shift into REVERSE while moving FORWARD.

Most manual shift vehicles are geared in an "H" shifting pattern, 1st gear being at the left top of the "H" and 4th gear being at the right lower part of the "H".

REVERSE gear is usually place far off to the right and you usually  need to PRESS down on the gearshift and move it right and towards the back of your car. Sometimes it won't easily shift into REVERSE  until you try it a couple of times from the NEUTRAL position.

So, to shift properly without any problems..........in left hand drive vehicles........

1. cup the shifter with your right hand so that your hand is on the right side of the shifter and gently coax the shifter towards your right leg and then towards the dash and into 1st gear.

2. using the same hand position, gently pull back towards the rear of your car and into 2nd gear.

3. gently coax your shifter straight ahead and it will settle through its "self-centering" NEUTRAL and by coaxing it straight and further ahead towards the dash it will easily shift into 3rd gear.

4gently coax your shifter straight back towards the rear of your car and into 4th gear.

5.If you have a 5th gear, then you would cup the shifter in your hand so that your knuckles are facing your right leg, and gently coax the shifter towards the passenger seat and then towards the dash.

Never force the gears. Get used to shifting on a straight and level surface until you build your skills. You usually won't need to shift higher than 4th gear in urban areas, but if you have a 5th gear, you would use that on higher speed roads.

With practice, you will get better. Be patient.