T.T. --

Here's how I've done it, but always with gas engines:

• Warm up the engine and shut it off.
  
  
• Put the car in gear -- first to go forward, reverse to back up.
  
  
• Start the engine. Obviously, if you backed out of a spot, you either yank it to neutral or shut the engine off.
  
  
• If in first headed down the road, accelerate.
  
  
• When you decide it's time to shift to second, pull back gently on the gear shift and then release the accelerator -- as soon as the torque reverses, the tranny'll slide out of first.
  
  
• Immediately push the gear shift gently against second gear -- as the revs drop, the speed will match, and the transmission will slide into second.
  
  
• Step on pedal, accelerate, and repeat for third and fourth.
  
  
• You need to watch stops, and remember to nudge the shifter toward neutral when you're about to release the accelerator.
  
  
• At every stop, you must shut the engine off, put it in gear, and start the engine.

Why don't you go for a spin and practice? At least try going from first to second, to third, to fourth, and coming to a stop.