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

Hand break-er here.

I'll just leave this screenshot here and toddle away

"it is more dangerous to have the handbrake on, because if you're shunted, you want to move, not stay still."
This makes sense in that if the back of your car is moving (with the force of another car behind it) and the front of your car is not moving you're going to be in the middle of it, which isn't a good place to be.

Depends what is in front of you. Want to be shunted into a busy cross road? Probably not.

I use handbrake neutral at lights, that's what I was taught to do.

Well done southwinds, thank you.

They're both risks, Gunny - you can't eliminate both of them, because they require exactly the opposite solution, so I suppose you get to pick which one you'd rather not do.

Agreed, look ahead and pick the best. Although I reckon that 9/10 times handbrake is the safer option.

At the end of the day though it's only my opinion

Handbrake and neutral here too - I live in Belgium where the natives all drive like complete tossers, especially those with Audis. They don't have any concept of a safe stopping distance from the car in front, so handbrake and neutral is useful.

It is also useful when on the ramp once on the ferry when there is a logjam ahead of you, and it is far safer than holding it on the clutch at that point.

That screenshot is just the link I posted earlier...

People who sit at lights with their feet on the brake instead of just using the handbrake drive me mental. I don't want to be dazzled by your brake lights for the next few minutes!

(not read the full thread yet)

I nearly failed my second driving test because the examiner had a pet hate (as he later told me) of people sitting on their brake pedals and dazzling him with their brake lights. As part of the test route I had to turn right at a busy junction and we had a wait a minute or so for a gap in the traffic. He told me that if we had been there any longer and I hadn't put on the handbrake then he'd have failed me.

...saving fuel as the engine switches off.

My car has an automatic handbrake and the engine switches on as you go into first gear, so it is very easy to move off. I don't care if loads of people sit on their brakes and in gear, it isn't good driving unless it is momentary. Loads of people can't indicate properly at roundabouts either or park properly: I don't intend to participate in their ignorance.

Kanga59. YABU. How lucky to only have that to get worked up about. It is certainly what I was taught; gives my leg a rest, reduces wear on clutch and stops brake lights annoying the person behind

Another one here who was taught to put the handbrake on and into neutral if you are at traffic lights or meet standstill traffic.

DH says he was taught the same.

If you're watching the lights as you should be, you shouldn't hold anyone up.

OP posts a goady opener and then disappears. Oh, what a surprise

OP, you're a twat, both for your goady posts and for your crap driving.

OP posts a goady opener and then disappears. Oh, what a surprise

OP, you're a twat, both for your goady posts and for your crap driving.

I am a professional driver, and I find it inconsiderate in the extreme for a driver to sit in front of me with their brake lights on. Even worse, to sit in front of me in the dark, when it's raining with their brake lights on. Don't even mention rear fog lights left on!

Those people are usually thoughtless, inconsiderate and maybe a bit dim.

Apart from the fact that it is wrong to sit lazily with feet on brakes.....

I only do handbrake neutral if I want to change a CD/need to refill my ecig/put my phone on charge.

worryingly dd just messaged to say she had been ill, with palpitations, but we hopefully have put it down to the abundance of coffee liqueur

causing me to worry of course

oh dam, wrong thread

YABU , my car is eco motive and saves fuel if I do just this so I do 😂

That's what you're supposed to do, for the many reasons others have mentioned. Drives me mad when stopping on a hill and the person in front is drifting backwards towards me- someone bumped back into me once, got out of the car and started shouting that I'd hit him!

I think the different styles of driving are dependent first on when (as in what year/decade) you were taught to drive and the instructors themselves. I was taught to use both methods as the foot on the brake method means you are ready when the lights change, if that is quickly, but if it goes on for some time I put in neutral and put the hand brake on, for both reasons already quoted, tired foot and leg and to be quick on moving off. You need to use both methods for different lights and reasons