3rd & 4th gears are actually the easiest gears to select. Students who learn the palming technique consistently select these gears with no problems whatever.
Whichever gear you are in currently, press the clutch down and ease the gearstick gently into neutral. From this point, use the heel of your hand to ease the gearstick straight forward into 3rd gear. To select 4th gear, push the clutch down and pull the gearstick straight back with NO SIDEWAYS pressure.
Because your car will already be moving when you select either of these gears, there is plenty of time to perform the gear change in 2 distinct movements without losing momentum: nudge the gearstick into neutral, then straight forward into 3rd or straight backwards into 4th.
At no point should you be actually grabbing the gear knob at the top of the gearstick.
Be sure to check tomorrow’s installment where we look at 5th & Reverse gears.
