Driving to Kobe in a Manual

Since my BMW 320i was delivered, I’ve been driving it every day to practice. The first time I drove it, I stalled repeatedly, and I was so nervous that my foot on the clutch and hand on the gear lever were stiff as a board. I thought, “What on earth am I going to do from here…” and felt overwhelmed. But by the second day, I got much more comfortable, stalled less, and by the third day, I barely stalled at all and wasn’t scared of hill starts anymore.

Actually, on delivery day, I thought, “This is no good!” and bought the sticker below on Amazon, but by the time it arrived, I had gotten used to it, so I didn’t need to put it on. Maybe I’ll save it for practicing with the GT3 Touring.

Then on the fifth day, feeling confident, I decided to take the 320i on a roughly 40-minute drive from home to Mosaic at Kobe Harborland. Well, actually, my daughters begged me, “We want to go to the Anpanman Museum!” so I reluctantly went thinking, “It’s definitely going to be crowded, ugh,” but off we went… haha.

Taking the 320i on the Hanshin Expressway

You can get to Harborland from home without using the highway, but the navigation said “It’s better to take the Hanshin Expressway,” so at first I decided to follow the nav’s advice and took the expressway. Come to think of it, this was my first time driving the 320i on the highway.

I confirmed the ETC was set up, passed through the toll gate, and accelerated. With a 2000cc engine, it’s not huge displacement, but because I could control the gears myself, I was able to enjoy smooth, powerful acceleration.

Wow, driving a manual feels so good…!

Once on the highway, I nervously stayed in the slow lane at first, but once I got into the flow, it felt like an automatic, so I changed lanes to the passing lane. As expected of the 320i, lane changes at high speed were stable without any wobbling.

There was a bit of stop-and-go traffic, but I kept a safe distance, used repeated first-gear starts to get through, and after exiting the highway, I safely arrived at Harborland.

What I’ve Learned Since Driving a Manual

After playing hard at the Anpanman Museum and umie, I managed to get the kids home safely, where they fell fast asleep. I haven’t been driving a manual for long, but I’ve noticed a few things since I started driving a manual. I thought I’d jot them down here before I forget.

Keeping a Safe Distance

Since driving a manual, I’ve naturally started keeping a greater distance from the car ahead. It’s scary to think the car in front might suddenly stop, and keeping distance helps me drive smoothly without having to stop the car abruptly. Also, if you’re too close, it becomes a hassle of “stop-start-stop-start” repeatedly, which is annoying, haha.

Watching Traffic Lights Further Ahead

When I drove an automatic, I only focused on whether the light right in front of me was green, yellow, or red. But with a manual, I started looking further ahead at the next traffic light.

If the light ahead is red, I think, “The light in front will probably turn red soon, so I should ease off the speed and downshift.” Conversely, if the light ahead is green, I know “I can safely shift up to around 4th gear from here.” I’ve become more aware of reading the road ahead.

Driving with a “What If” Mindset

I was conscious of this even with an automatic, but with a manual, since I’m not yet at the point where I can operate the clutch and shift gears with my eyes closed, I drive with a “what if” mindset—wondering if someone might suddenly pull out or cut in—and stay ready to react at any moment.

Listening to the Car’s Sounds

When driving an automatic, I rarely paid attention to the car’s sounds or voices while driving. At most, I’d think, “The engine sounds cool,” or “Hmm, did the exhaust get louder than before?”

But since switching to a manual, I’ve started listening carefully to how the engine sound changes when I ease the clutch on a hill start. Also, I notice things like “The car seems to be struggling now, so I should shift up soon,” or “Oops! I accidentally shifted from 4th to 2nd!” (laughs). I try to listen to the car’s “voice” as I drive.

Being Patient with Drivers Who Don’t Move at Green Lights

Sometimes I come across drivers who don’t move when the light turns green. They’re probably looking at their phones or chatting and haven’t noticed the light changed. I used to honk at them, but now I think, “Maybe they’re a beginner manual driver nervously trying to engage the clutch right now,” and I wait patiently until they start moving (laughs).

Well, probably that’s not actually the case.

Driving a Manual Makes You a Safer Driver

In short, I’ve become a safer driver. Because there are fewer things the car can do for me compared to an automatic, and I have to rely more on my own actions, so I drive with more focus and care. Also, I’m still not fully used to driving a manual.

Nowadays, most people get an automatic-only license at driving school, but I think it’s better to get a manual license first, even if forced. That way, you develop the mindset of “driving safely with your own hands and senses.” (…though I myself got an automatic-only license without hesitation)

Maybe because of this kind of driving, the other day while driving normally around the neighborhood, I got overtaken from the side by an old man driving a Lexus LS, which left me with a strange, mixed feeling… haha. But well, nothing beats safe driving, so I’ll keep aiming to drive safely, whether in a manual or automatic.