Jimperfections

If you could instantly master any skill, what would it be and why?

It might sound weird to the uninitiated. And admittedly, it isn’t a skill that would prove very useful in everyday life. Nor would it help others. It is just something that I would love to be able to do at will.

That is, heel and toe downshifting a manual car. When I learned to drive a stick, this wasn’t something I even knew about. And if I had begun practicing right then I would have mastered it right along with all the rest of the nuances of manual shifting. Alas, I did not.

For those wondering what I am on about, in a manual shifting vehicle, especially at higher speeds, when you downshift, the rotation of the transmission gets out of sync with the rotation of the engine. Giving the throttle a quick blip with your heel or side of the foot by rotating your right foot while braking and simultaneously using your left foot to activate the clutch pedal puts the revs more inline and makes the shift very smooth. This doesn’t upset the car and can make for faster lap times.

So, that is the skill I want to master. I’ve tried it here and there. I’ve even gotten it right a few times. But until I don’t have to think about it, I won’t consider it mastered. It would help if I had a manual transmission car to practice with of course. But that, too, will have to wait.