Manual tranny at light/stopped: neutral or in-gear w/ clutch depressed?

[OppositeLocK]

Do you keep it in gear with the clutch depressed in order to have a quicker take off, or do you put it into neutral to save the throw out bearing?

Curious to hear opinions and why. I almost always put in into neutral if I'm going to be sitting for more than 5 seconds because why waste the TOB?

 

[CharlieJ]

Put it in neutral. Never heard of anyone who keeps the clutch depressed at a light or for extended periods.

 

[oldhp]

Depends what the light did as I pulled up. If it's just going to be a couple of seconds, in gear. If it just went yellow as I stopped, neutral, no clutch. Depends on traffic too. I stay off the clutch as much as possible. That's the way my Dad taught me.

 

[OppositeLocK]

Put it in neutral. Never heard of anyone who keeps the clutch depressed at a light or for extended periods.

That's what I've always thought but I guess some people do it for safety as opposed to putting it in neutral and pulling the handbrake (I guess that's how they're taught in Europe?).

 

[Kruse]

Isn’t there a law in some state that mandates that you keep it in gear at a stoplight? (So people get moving quicker?)
BTW, I throw it in neutral.

 

[Hall]

A lot of people are taught to keep it in gear with the clutch pedal depressed. Why I don't know.... Could be for safety, I suppose. On motorcycles, at least when I took a rider safety course, we were taught to keep it in gear "for safety". Motorcycles have a different clutch design that doing this doesn't wear on the clutch (or so I was told).

putting it in neutral and pulling the handbrake (I guess that's how they're taught in Europe?).

My parents are from Europe and my Dad taught me how to drive a manual and I have no idea what you're referring to with using the handbrake while at a stop (unless you are facing uphill and need to not roll backwards when it's time to get moving). When I've been in Europe I've never seen anyone use the handbrake at a stop either.

 

[02SE]

If I'm the first in line at a light, I keep the manual cars and the motorcycles in gear, and watch my 6. I only relax and put the manual cars in neutral, after a line of vehicles are stopped behind. The Motorcycles are always in gear, ready to take off hard, to avoid being mowed down by some brain-dead, texting moron. The technique has saved me a few times over the years, while riding. Of course you need to keep an eye on cross traffic too.

 

[Hall]

Isn’t there a law in some state that mandates that you keep it in gear at a stoplight? (So people get moving quicker?)

Can't imagine that is the case. How would it ever be enforced (realistically) ?

 

[Rmay635703]

If my car isn’t accelerating the motor is off so it doesn’t much matter clutch in or out

Can't imagine that is the case. How would it ever be enforced (realistically) ?

It’s in response to a big rig trend in the 1950’s called Georgia Overdrive

Realistically this old law still on the books is akin to the one requiring women drivers to have a flagman 100’ in front of them

Generally the reason the law was made is less of a thing in the 21st century and the roads and emergency overspeed lanes are in better shape.

 

[wwillson]

I do it either way depending on how long I'm going to be sitting.

 

[CheezWhiz]

i would literally need to pull my hot rod out of the garage and go find a stop light to answer this question, because i don’t remember. i just drive it in the country these days ...

 

[demarpaint]

For the most part at lights I keep a stick shift in neutral clutch up, saving wear on the TOB. If I know for certain the light is going to change quick I'll keep it in first with the clutch down, but more often than not I'm in neutral at lights.

 

[OppositeLocK]

A lot of people are taught to keep it in gear with the clutch pedal depressed. Why I don't know.... Could be for safety, I suppose. On motorcycles, at least when I took a rider safety course, we were taught to keep it in gear "for safety". Motorcycles have a different clutch design that doing this doesn't wear on the clutch (or so I was told).


My parents are from Europe and my Dad taught me how to drive a manual and I have no idea what you're referring to with using the handbrake while at a stop (unless you are facing uphill and need to not roll backwards when it's time to get moving). When I've been in Europe I've never seen anyone use the handbrake at a stop either.

UK driving schools teach their students that way as that's how it's road tested apparently.

When To Use Handbrake

When to use the handbrake or parking brake on manual and automatic cars during a driving test

www.drivingtesttips.biz

 

[vavavroom]

If I expect to be stopped longer than 30 seconds I shift into neutral and keep my right foot on the brake. If I expect a long wait and don't want to turn the engine off because I want the a/c I'll pull the handbrake and take my foot off the brake.

 

[wings&wheels]

Neutral, clutch out. Your throw out bearing and a few other difficult to access components will appreciate it

I was taught to use then handbrake on a hill from early on, cant remember how but I believe it was a Brit kid in my dorm who had an early 70's Capri.

 

[clinebarger]

My last manual trans was quite a few years ago (1997 Ram CTD), I always popped it in neutral & let off the clutch if waiting more than 10 seconds or so.

If you drive the vehicle everyday....It's like second nature & you can press the clutch pedal, shift into gear, & take off really quickly.

 

[OVERKILL]

My last manual trans was quite a few years ago (1997 Ram CTD), I always popped it in neutral & let off the clutch if waiting more than 10 seconds or so.

If you drive the vehicle everyday....It's like second nature & you can press the clutch pedal, shift into gear, & take off really quickly.

Yeah, seems most are this way. If the wait is short, it stays in gear, if you are waiting for a light or something? Neutral, clutch out.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Never sit idling with the clutch pedal pushed in.

 

[HowAboutThis]

Put it in neutral. Never heard of anyone who keeps the clutch depressed at a light or for extended periods.

Yeah, you'll burn through the clutch bearings leaving it in gear. I'd only leave it in gear if I knew the road and knew it should be turning green right after I stopped. Otherwise, shift to neutral, brake to stop. But maybe that's just me.

 

[Motu]

It's many, many decades since there were carbon throwout bearings, and that was the reason you kept your foot off the clutch at lights. These days they are all thrust balls....and yes they do wear out, but it's not an actual wear item like a carbon thrust.
Carbon thrust bearing...