People who do handbrake-neutral at the lights are..

[Kanga59]

..annoying. AIBU?

Why can't you just put your foot on the foot brake like normal people. Tsk

Lweji actually it is. If you hit another car/person even as a result of being shunted it is your fault and you are liable

I passed my test 11 years ago and I was taught to keep my foot on the clutch as I had shocking clutch control and it was a good way to practise. I still just use my clutch now but tbh my knee is starting to get a bit jippy and im not that old!!! I use the handbrake occasionally now. Fwiw in all those 11 years and only 2 cars I have never had to fix anything clutch related though

Squabbles do you have any evidence to confirm that? Would you still be to blame if you were about to move off so was in gear? I'd love to know if anyone has actually been made liable because they went into someone after being shunted themselves.

...allowing their stop start system to kick in...

Dh was shunted into another car (while in a stationary queue) - he was not held liable by the insurance company, the original shuntee was.

When I was learning I was told that if you hit someone as a result of being shunted it was your fault for not allowing a safe stopping distance and/or not using e.g. the handbrake effectively. Don't know how enforceable that is but it is scary how many people don't leave a safe stopping distance.

If somebody drives into the back of your car at the traffic lights and you have your handbrake on then you are less likely to be shunted into the car in front. If you have your foot on the footbrake then it can slip off when the car hits your car.

Obviously waiting at traffic lights you are stopped so safe stopping distance is a weird term to use... I mean a safe distance from the car in front to allow for shunting, them rolling back, general shitty driving.

handbrake and neutral are what are taught in driving lessons today.

I have twice been crashed into from the rear - neither time, was I held to be responsible.

Adnerb were you shunted into the car in front?

BertieBotts Correct its not the clutch plates but the clutch release bearing takes a hammering and if you replace one the garage will do the whistle thru the teeth bit and say "we'll ave to do yer clutch while we're at it mate".

Seeing s as its usually a job to get that far the cost of the plate isnt that great .

i was passenger in a car who was shunted into a police car at traffic lights

my driver wasn't held responsible, but the car who shunted him was

Ticktacktock FWIW if you read up on some old railway accident reports they used the word "Break" quite sometime before the word "Brake" was spelt that way;)

Lweji actually it is. If you hit another car/person even as a result of being shunted it is your fault and you are liable

Bollocks.

And thanks to the pp who pointed about about the break/brake.

Ticktacktock

BTW, when your Portuguese is as good as my English, then you can call me whatever you want, darling.

The clutch shouldn't be depressed for long periods while in gear. It will prematurely wear the clutch release bearings which are an expensive and completely avoidable problem. Neutral and foot break is ok though

I handbrake neutral if the lights have just turned red and I know I'll be sat there a while but get into gear when the lights turn amber. You're more likely to be held up at a mini roundabout cos so many people really haven't got a fucking clue how to use them. It's the one thing that irritates me on the road when the cars coming from each direction are all sat there thinking are they gonna go? shall I go? Yes you fucking go if they're just going to sit there.

Sorry bit of a rant there!

YABVU. Handbrake on at crossings and at junctions makes travel safer for everyone. If you are shunted from behind the first thing to happen will be your foot coming off the foot brake pedal and your vehicle will charge forwards either running into those crossing in front of you or pushing you into oncoming traffic. Perhaps some driver refresher training...?

BertieBotts Correct its not the clutch plates but the clutch release bearing takes a hammering and if you replace one the garage will do the whistle thru the teeth bit and say "we'll ave to do yer clutch while we're at it mate".

Depending on the car and the way they get to the bearings this may well be correct. My car manufacturer inly sells the bearings as a job lot with a clutch. If I pay for it it's bloody well going in my car! Bearings are just starting to go and it's 13 years old. They will cost £900 vs car value of £2500. Going to leave it a few months and see.

kanga OP, yes I know you're just commenting for effect.
However, as many others have pointed out, if you are suddenly and unexpectedly hit you are very, very unlikely to be able to KEEP your foot on the foot brake, the shock of the impact will jolt you forward and almost guarantee your feet will move off the pedals. The handbrake is recommended for this reason. Is that really so hard for you to comprehend? You are coming across as ignorant and dangerously smug. Maybe after you've been hit, you'll get it but sadly it might be at the cost of someone else's life - hope you can live with that.
Now, back under your bridge.

Bertie, it's not only in Germany, I can confirm that in Spain most people just use the footbrake as well, unless you are on a hill or it is obvious that the stop is going to be particularly long.

I had driving lessons here at 2 different cities less than 5 years ago and was taught to use the hand brake for hill stops only. That was a lot of fun when British DH took me out to practice and started freaking out on me that I don't even know the basics because I wasn't using the handbrake at the lights!

I got my license in Australia (on an auto) about 20 years ago and I've never heard of this handbrake-at-traffic-lights rule! I've been driving in the UK for about 10 years now. Obviously I've missed something.

Are automatic car drives meant to be doing this too?

Thank you for the post.

*drivers