Your Letters

Readers sound off.

Regarding Martin Keating’s letter in the January 2018 issue of Car Mechanics, I also learned to drive in the early 1970s and was taught to approach red lights in second gear. Twenty-three years ago, I passed the advanced driving test with the Institute of Advanced Motorists and was taught to stop at traffic lights in whatever gear you were in, even if it was fifth. There’s no need to use the gears to slow down in a modern car because the brakes are good enough on their own, unlike in cars built in the 1950s and 1960s, with drum brakes all around. When stopped at traffic lights, I put the gears in neutral and apply the handbrake. A lot of people tend to sit with their foot on the brake pedal these days, probably because the average driver ‘forgets’ to apply the handbrake, but as Martin says, it puts both car and driver under avoidable strain. Ken Chadwick

In the January issue, Martin Keating asked about the advice from the Institute of Advanced Motorists regarding road etiquette at red traffic lights.

I am a member of Iamroadsmart and our book for advanced drivers says: “When approaching traffic lights, stop at the stop line, then apply the handbrake and select neutral”. It further advises: “Never pull up close behind other traffic so room is available to manoeuvre around the car in front should it break down”. Normal IAM training is to approach the traffic light and stop in the gear you have selected, unless you have to change down. Iamroadsmart also suggests that you look at the lights on the other side to see when they are about to go red, which gives you a little extra time to select gear, ready to move off.

The Police Drivers’ Handbook adds further recommendations about using the parking brake. It suggests only using the handbrake when stationary and that new drivers are usually taught to apply the brake every time you stop. With experience, it says that you can judge whether you need to apply the handbrake if the stop is only for a short time. It also suggests that you should apply the handbrake and release the footbrake if it will reduce the glare of the brake lights on the driver behind you.

I have been driving for many years and was taught to never sit with the car in gear in case your foot slips and the car jumps forward. My personal feelings about whether or not to change down, put car in neutral and apply the handbrake depends on the confidence and experience of the driver in question. Ray Shirley

I totally agree with Martin Keating’s comments in the January issue. As a keen DIY mechanic, I think anyone who sits in gear at traffic lights should spend a few hours in freezing weather taking a gearbox out to replace a clutch that has worn out prematurely. This might make them think twice about poor use of the clutch!

I was always taught to use the handbrake when stationary, as well as to put the car into neutral. I think some important safety points are overlooked with newer drivers. If you are sitting at a junction and are unfortunate enough to get hit by the vehicle behind, a driver with the handbrake applied and the gears in neutral is going to fare better than one in first gear and covering the footbrake. I imagine any impact would tend to jolt your feet off the pedals and the car would then ‘drive’ into whatever was in front.

I’m also a cyclist and there is nothing more disconcerting than pedalling past a vehicle waiting at a junction and seeing it creep forward, knowing that one slip of the clutch foot and I could be wiped out! Danny Slinger