To ease off the accelerator when I'm coming up to a stop rather than going straight from the accelerator to brake

[DyslexicScientist]

When I'm driving and need to slow down rather than going straight from accelerator to brake I often just ease of the accelerator. Especially when I'm going from a 40 to a 30.

This seems to annoy some drivers, seeing a small gap in front. Someone today must of sped massively to overtake me. And started to brake sharpy he moment they overtook me. It was quite dangerous. I was doing about 42mph and letting the car slow a bit naturally in a 50mph zone. All that happened is the Car in front got to the traffic lights that were red a few seconds earlier.

Mittens - I don't drive

And yes I know it decreases, but not always that noticeably to start with and when your distance has decreased you then no longer have a safe distance do you.

I really don't think there was any need to be so rude either.

I always do this; I have an 8 mile twisty country road to get down and generally I can do it without brakes despite changing speed from 55mph on the straight to about 40mph on the rest. I think it's much better for the car.

But if you don't use your brakes how do people behind you know you are slowing? That's seems dangerous to me

Because people should be watching what the car in front is doing. They shouldn't be so close that they can't react safely.

If it really was dangerous to just ease of the accelerator without any lights showing the EU would of put a law in I guess. Like they did with those horid daylight lights.

I only tap the breaks if there is a tailgating idiot behind me. I tend to break hard, then proceed at the spead in want. Same for pedestrian crossings. Break hard and then let the car move on a bit before stopping. That's to prevent them from running into my back and then me onto the pedestrian.

But normally I just ease off the accelerator and coast along (and often manage to get to the lights as they cross back to green and don't need to even stop.)

YANBU at all. It's much better for fuel consumption. If have someone right up my tail I might tap the brakes instead of just letting inertia do its job, but not as a matter of course.

My DB lent me a book by the guy who used to be the Stig that explains really interesting stuff about steering, braking, etc. Something he advises (which I think is instinctive but which he explained really well) is that you should brake in advance of the bend but not whilst you're taking a corner, as in effect cornering and braking are both causing forces to act on the tyres, but in different directions.

I was taught that you look as far ahead as possible when driving and effectively watch the car in front of the one you are following.

With the increase in stupidly large vehicles this is becoming impossible. Most of the time my view is just the back of the car in front. If that car then starts slowing without using brakes 50 yards or so before it needs to that is just dangerous. My particular pet hate is when people do that approaching green traffic lights. They then speed up at the last minute and nip through as they go orange, when we'd have all got through on green had they not slowed right down.

And it's brakes in a car

Aren't you supposed to do this. If I've got a long time I try and slow down with my gears as well by changing down. My driving instructor told me this was safest in case your brakes fail.

But if you don't use your brakes how do people behind you know you are slowing? That's seems dangerous to me

Because when driving you're looking at the road ahead, and unless you happen to be tailgating a HGV, you also can clearly see the signs for change in speed limit.

DyslexicScientist
Great, actually I didn't like the idea of taping the brake.

I don't know if other people meant differently by 'tapping', but putting a very slight pressure on the brake pedal will illuminate the brake lights without causing any significant deceleration - this is sometimes recommended to let the car behind know what you're doing. I only do this if someone is close behind though.

WeeseKeysAreThese
Aren't you supposed to do this. If I've got a long time I try and slow down with my gears as well by changing down. My driving instructor told me this was safest in case your brakes fail.

"Gears for go, brakes to slow." Slowing down using the clutch will increase wear, and clutches are a lot more expensive to replace than brake pads. Advanced driving usually (AFAIK) state to set your speed and then select an appropriate gear. Roadcraft (police driver's handbook) also recomends this as part of their system of car control.

I do this. Better for fuel consumption, better for anticipating the road ahead, better for traffic flow. I even let people out of side roads while doing so which REALLY irritates the drivers behind me careering towards the red traffic light I am breaking for.

Rinoachicken
And yes I know it decreases, but not always that noticeably to start with and when your distance has decreased you then no longer have a safe distance do you.

I really don't think there was any need to be so rude either.

I'm not having a go (and I can't control what you deem rude) but it seems odd that you don't drive but feel qualified to judge what is and isn't dangerous in terms of car control.

If the decrease in distance is not noticeable, the speed differential between the two cars is low and not of concern. In any case, the following driver should be constantly aware of the distance to the car in front (only a fool breaks the two-second rule, when it starts to pour, double it to four) and adjust their speed/position accordingly to maintain an adequate stopping distance.

Also as BluePancakes posted, if they're looking ahead of the car in front they can see hazards that would make that car slow down.

howabout
I even let people out of side roads while doing so which REALLY irritates the drivers behind me careering towards the red traffic light I am breaking for.

CCC - courtesy causes confusion

But yes, I do the same depending on traffic conditions.

I do this, and have also noticed people behind me sometimes get annoyed with it.

The trouble is, some people are dicks. Who don't know how to drive, have short tempers or basically just don't know to drive properly.

So in certain circumstances I will use the brakes (eg motorway driving where any mistake by a third party could have truly awful consequences) and in others (quiet suburban streets, slow moving traffic) I will let the engine do the work.

bloody obviously the correct way to do it, who are those who dont and where do they get their free fuel, brake pads and so on?

anticipation is a major part of safe driving.

if dopey behind (usually on their phone) is too close, switch on headlamps and fog lights. That scares them off without you actually slowing suddenly.

if you are so close that you cannot see that the person in front is slowing without brake lights (bearing in mind many people only fix them when the car fails the MoT) then you are too close and a dangerous driver. Do us all a favour and take some lessons.

I tend to engine break using my gears to slow down - if you are driving you should be aware of the car in front, maintain a safe distance (so you notice they are slowing when the gap decreases - and slow down) - be aware of hazards and be aware of junctions

people who break constantly get on my tits - especially on motorways where they cause tail backs!

Its perfectly logical to drive as you do. But! You have to consider arseholes behind you. So it's not necessarily the safest way to drive.
I was taught to gently use brakes and gradually change down through gears.

specialsubject
bloody obviously the correct way to do it,

if dopey behind (usually on their phone) is too close, switch on headlamps and fog lights. That scares them off without you actually slowing suddenly.

That certainly isn't the correct way of doing it! Impairing the vision of someone who is too close (especially if dangerously so) is certainly not recommended. The correct way to deal with someone driving too close is to gently slow down to give you more time/space ahead of you, so if a hazard does develop, you have more time to slow down progressively to avoid numbnuts driving into the back of you.

If that person decides they want to go faster than you then they can overtake into the space that is now in front of you, all's well and good. Even better that a dickhead is now in front of you where you can keep an eye on them and better control the distance between the two of you.

provision yes, the Stig does what I was taught in advanced driving. Read the road and slow down before the corner.

that car then starts slowing without using brakes 50 yards or so before it needs to that is just dangerous.

No it isn't. If you are finding that dangerous, your driving is unsafe.

Indantherene
With the increase in stupidly large vehicles this is becoming impossible. Most of the time my view is just the back of the car in front.

That probably means you are too close - if you increase the gap, your view of the road and what is ahead will increase.

If that car then starts slowing without using brakes 50 yards or so before it needs to that is just dangerous.

How do you know when that car "needs" to slow down? That is for that driver to decide. As per your previous statement, you can't see what's up ahead so are not in a position to know when that driver should begin braking.

I was taught to gently brake! While changing down gears. If you don't use the brakes, someone will be up your arse!

Most of the time my view is just the back of the car in front. If that car then starts slowing without using brakes 50 yards or so before it needs to that is just dangerous.

No it isn't, as you will automatically slow down to maintain the distance. The car is slowing down very gradually if not using brakes, so you have plenty of time to react.