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AIBU?

Engine braking question

62 replies

Distractotron · 27/10/2017 19:01

sorry, I know there's another car one today but it reminded me of something I wanted to ask!

A colleague told me that she uses engine braking instead of the brake pedal "so the driver behind doesn't panic and suddenly brake".
Is this absolute bollocks (as me and DP think it is)? She's normally a very sensible person, who is more senior than me at work despite being quite a bit younger.
Surely your brake lights are there to warn the person behind that you're braking? I can't think why she would believe this.

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CardsforKittens · 28/10/2017 01:08

I was taught engine braking. Mind you, in those days my car also required me to learn double declutching. These days I drive an automatic, so I just let the car decide what gear to be in. I like engine braking when I occasionally drive a manual, but you have to hope that the person behind you is paying attention. I was also taught to avoid braking on the motorway if possible, but that seems to have changed as well. I find it baffling that the sight of brake lights might cause other drivers to panic!

RandallFloyd · 28/10/2017 01:13

Exactlly! It does make sense as to why random tailbacks happen if everyone's panicking every time they see a brake light though eh?

I really worry about this type of logic. Am I meant to stay in 6th gear and just break til I stop? In what world is that safe driving?

hiddenmnetter · 28/10/2017 07:12

Am I meant to stay in 6th gear and just break til I stop?

Your car will stall long before a safe stop is possible. You will either have to go into neutral or change down gears.

blacksax · 29/10/2017 00:27

I find it baffling that the sight of brake lights might cause other drivers to panic!
Me too, I guess it puts the wind up tailgaters. If they weren't driving so close they wouldn't have to panic!

thenightsky · 29/10/2017 00:38

LOL at panic at the sight of brake light

WingsofNylon · 29/10/2017 05:37

I don't find it funny, there are a lot of shit drivers out there who do instantly break if they see the car ahead do so.

OldWitch00 · 29/10/2017 05:56

I have a new small truck and when going down hill if I tap the breaks it gears down so I don’t have to ride my breaks the whole way. If I approach a car ahead of me too quickly I get a red flashing light up my front window screen...so if they don’t have their tail lights going my car has it’s own set :) to warn me.

Bringbackpublicfloggings · 29/10/2017 07:15

I failed my motorcycle test because I used engine braking when I was making a right turn, which was clear, he said just a light use of the brakes to warn the drivers behind I was slowing down and I would have passed.

GunnyHighway · 29/10/2017 08:18

Bringbackpublicfloggings do you mean that was a major and your only mistake? Or that it contributed to your fail?

LittleBearPad · 29/10/2017 08:22

On a similar note, do you all always use your clutch when changing gear? My bf never uses his clutch and says it's unnecessary if you're at the right speed changing gear. I've never heard of anyone else doing this though and am not willing to try it myself!

I don’t believe this is possible without a grinding sound and ruining your gearbox. He is driving a manual car?

GunnyHighway · 29/10/2017 08:27

If you match engine and road speed then it is possible. As you go up the gears you go out of the lower gear push gently into the upper gear as the engine speed slows you'll slip into gear.

Going down just slip into neutural and rev the engine. I wouldn't recommend it though, nothing to do with grinding or wear just not really necessary a the clutch does all the work for you.

Lokisglowstickofdestiny · 29/10/2017 08:28

You can drive a manual without the clutch but you need to know what you are doing and only use it for emergencies, such as your clutch failing.

Bourdic · 29/10/2017 08:31

I remember my first time on a European motorway with multi lingual signs telling me in English to ‘ use engine braking’ . I had no idea what it meant

Bringbackpublicfloggings · 29/10/2017 08:32

Gunner highway it was marked down as a major.

Pantah630 · 29/10/2017 08:32

What Show said...if you’ve mechanical
Sympathy engine braking is fine, if you’re just crashing down through the gears, then no.

I clutchless change on my bike sometimes and it’s necessary when the cable snaps

CatastropheKate · 29/10/2017 08:34

You can change gear without a clutch, going up is easier than coming down - I drove 50 miles with no clutch (at night, remote and before mobile phones) as it was preferable to sleeping in the car overnight.

Don't really know why anyone would do it routinely though.

Notevilstepmother · 29/10/2017 08:37

www.matfoundrygroup.com/News%20and%20Blog/What_is_Engine_Braking_and_Why_you_Should_do_it

ferrier · 29/10/2017 08:41

Drivers braking on motorways are either driving too close to the vehicle in front or are avoiding another careless driver. Both situations would make me alert (not panicking) to possible danger.

ferrier · 29/10/2017 08:44

If I see someone braking ahead I know to ease off the accelerator and prepare to change down gears.
If there's a numpty around then obviously I have to brake.

Fiona1984 · 29/10/2017 08:44

On a similar note, do you all always use your clutch when changing gear? My bf never uses his clutch and says it's unnecessary if you're at the right speed changing gear. I've never heard of anyone else doing this though and am not willing to try it myself!

My partner tried to teach me how to do this in case the clutch went in my car (it was already dodgy) . Lo and behold it did, but it was just around the corner from home so I didn't try it.
He then drove it home like that and another 20 miles to get it fixed.

CurlyhairedAssassin · 29/10/2017 08:46

I read recently on some driving website that engine braking made sense years ago when brake pedals were much more difficult to push on. These days with cars having assisted braking there really is no need to use the gears to slow you down; the gears are supposed to be used to match the speed at which you’re going. NOT to slow the car down.

Of course, in a situation where you’ve got dangerous brakes then engine braking is a good idea!

squirre1 · 29/10/2017 08:47

I’m intrigued. How do you change gear without using the clutch? I thought that was the whole point of the clutch. Does it not just make a terrible noise if you don’t use the clutch?

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c3pu · 29/10/2017 09:06

Just match the engine revs and it will slip in nicely... I did it all the time when I had s bad knee!

VelvetSpoon · 29/10/2017 09:08

His car is a manual- he rarely uses the clutch. If you're at the exactly right speed to change gear it doesn't make a noise. Very occasionally he misjudges it and it makes a noise - I'm in a car with him most days, and its fairly rare to hear the noise. I only learnt to drive myself recently which is why this fascinated me, it's not something they teach you in driving lessons!

WinnerWinnerChickenDinner0 · 29/10/2017 09:15

That drives me nut!

I have an uncle, he is American and has driven automatics all his life and has some strange notion that a good driver doesn’t need to use his brakes. I have tried to explain that that is a historical thing from old gear boxes that isn’t relevant to modern cars. Driving with him is a very traumatic experience

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