covering the clutch whilst driving

pog it

Hi folks..

I generally just cover the clutch with my foot when I'm driving (it isn't resting, just hovering). I find it handier than having my foot down under it or back from it, but I had a pre-test yesterday and the instructor told me I would be penalised in my test for doing this.

Is this true? He is probably right, but he didn't give me an explanation about why it makes any difference.

5uspect

Its true. My brother failed his first test on this.

Smellyirishman

Yes. It's to ensure that you're not coasting. Foot flat on the floor if you're not using the clutch.

pog it

Wow, that seems harsh payment. So there's obviously some rationale behind it??

pog it

But surely the tester can see that you are not coasting????

Alanstrainor

pog it wrote: »

But surely the tester can see that you are not coasting????

Is it not annoying having your foot hovering the whole time? you should practice putting your foot on the floor infront of the clutch or on the foot rest to the left if there is one, as it really isn't good practice. The examiner cannot be completely sure whether your foot is on or hovering "just off" the pedal, so i'd say it'd be down to how he sees it. There should be no reason to drive like this. My advice, practice practice practice, pinch yourself when you find your foot hovering, place it directly on the floor and only lift your foot when required.
I can see how this habit could come about when starting out driving, but with experience, as i said, there should be no need to hover your foot above the pedal. Be confident in knowing where the clutch is, and when you need it and you'll be flying.

pog it

Thanks that's really good tip about pinching yourself when you catch yourself doing it! Makes sense, the tester could mistake it if they ain't looking properly and in fairness, I guess it would be hard for them to be sure.

Shame I don't have a foot rest on the left of my clutch but I'll get practicising putting it in front. Yikes,,, this will take getting used to!!
Thanks for the brilliant advice, appreciate it.

Novella

pog it wrote: »

Hi folks..

I generally just cover the clutch with my foot when I'm driving (it isn't resting, just hovering). I find it handier than having my foot down under it or back from it, but I had a pre-test yesterday and the instructor told me I would be penalised in my test for doing this.

Is this true? He is probably right, but he didn't give me an explanation about why it makes any difference.

Generally, people who do that do it out of nervousness. Even if your foot is simply "hovering" over the clutch, a tester may not see it this way and mark you for coasting which is really bad driving. There is no reason at all for you to do this. Put your foot down just beside the clutch, it'll save you leg pain from floating leg!

brian076

Novella wrote: »

Even if your foot is simply "hovering" over the clutch, a tester may not see it this way and mark you for coasting which is really bad driving.

You will not be marked for coasting if you hover your foot over the clutch. As other posters have said it's not good driving practice to keep your foot over the clutch when driving, however unless you're actually pressing it in when driving, (which the tester will know straight away), you will not be marked.

There are a lot of cars where you can't actually see the drivers left foot from the passanger seat, but even if you can, hovering is not a fault in the driving test. However as previously mentioned it'd be better if you could get out of the habit.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

jaffa20

donegalfella wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Isn't it acceptable in case (c) to have keep your foot on the clutch, in first gear with the handbrake secured (if on a hill). I do this if stopped temporarily and i know i will need to move off very shortly.

Also, when at a roundabout or when moving on to a main road from a minor road, i sometimes do the above but do not secure the handbrake and keep my foot on the clutch and brake at the same time and in first gear.

Is the above bad practice if only stopped for a very short period

I do put my handbrake in neutral and rest my feet but only if i would be stopped for longer than 10 seconds or so.

Alanstrainor

jaffa20 wrote: »

Isn't it acceptable in case (c) to have keep your foot on the clutch, in first gear with the handbrake secured (if on a hill). I do this if stopped temporarily and i know i will need to move off very shortly.

Also, when at a roundabout or when moving on to a main road from a minor road, i sometimes do the above but do not secure the handbrake and keep my foot on the clutch and brake at the same time and in first gear.

Is the above bad practice if only stopped for a very short period

I do put my handbrake in neutral and rest my feet but only if i would be stopped for longer than 10 seconds or so.

Yes you're right. There's no need to put the car in neutral if stopped for a short while (under 10 seconds~). This would only create work for yourself. I would tend to use the hand brake when i'm stopped for more than a couple of seconds, regardless of the situation. But using the foot brake would be acceptable in the above situation.

ironclaw

pog it wrote: »

So there's obviously some rationale behind it??

Even depressing the clutch a tad for a long time will eventually burn it out. I've seen someone do it in 6 weeks on a brand new car... :eek:

Burtchaell

Depressing the clutch fully will NOT burn it out. However depressing it slightly while driving or half depressing it while stopped will burn it out. It is perfectly acceptable to sit with your foot on the foot brake in gear ready to go however if you came to a red traffic light for example you would be expected to apply the hand brake as you know you will be waiting in a non moving line of traffic.

not14talk

Is this bad practice?

When coming to a stop I will put my foot on the break then once I am near the white line (about a metre) I will put my foot on the clutch and ease off the break a small bit and let the car roll slightly before bringing the car to a complete stop.

jaffa20

not14talk wrote: »

Is this bad practice?

When coming to a stop I will put my foot on the break then once I am near the white line (about a metre) I will put my foot on the clutch and ease off the break a small bit and let the car roll slightly before bringing the car to a complete stop.

That sounds like coasting. Wouldn't do it during the test.

brian076

jaffa20 wrote: »

That sounds like coasting. Wouldn't do it during the test.

That's not coasting, it's actually the perfect way to stop. When stopping at lights for example you should brake progressively, and as you're almost stopped you depress the clutch, you can do this about 1 car length from when you need to stop.

It's also acceptable to ease of the brake a little, so you don't get a "dip" as you stop.

I'd be intrigued to know what you'd do differently.

jaffa20

brian076 wrote: »

That's not coasting, it's actually the perfect way to stop. When stopping at lights for example you should brake progressively, and as you're almost stopped you depress the clutch, you can do this about 1 car length from when you need to stop.

It's also acceptable to ease of the brake a little, so you don't get a "dip" as you stop.

I'd be intrigued to know what you'd do differently.

Sorry, That's what i do but i thought they meant they keep their foot on the clutch while coming to a stop instead of breaking gently and then depressing the clutch to come to a complete stop so the car doesn't cut out.

How do you mean ease of the break to not get a dip

I haven't tried this.

brian076

jaffa20 wrote: »

Sorry, That's what i do but i thought they meant they keep their foot on the clutch while coming to a stop instead of breaking gently and then depressing the clutch to come to a complete stop so the car doesn't cut out.

How do you mean ease of the break to not get a dip

I haven't tried this.

The idea is that as you're braking to a stop you ease off the brake a fraction and the car should just glide to a stop. What a lot of people do, especially beginners, is press the brake right in as they're stopping, which causes the front of the car to dip down, with the driver and passanger moving forward then backwards in the seat.

forkassed

brian076 wrote: »

The idea is that as you're braking to a stop you ease off the brake a fraction and the car should just glide to a stop. What a lot of people do, especially beginners, is press the brake right in as they're stopping, which causes the front of the car to dip down, with the driver and passanger moving forward then backwards in the seat.

I have a tendency to do that sometimes, can i fail if i do that just once in a test??

brian076

forkassed wrote: »

I have a tendency to do that sometimes, can i fail if i do that just once in a test??

If you brake a little harshly on the test you won't fail it, in fact you probably won't even get a mark if it's not too bad, the method of stopping by releasing the brake a little is probably more of an advanced driving technique so the tester won't be expecting you the execute this perfectly.

However, if your braking is quite harsh on a continouous basis, expect Grade 2 marks under "Footbrake".

forkassed

Thanks Brian

Another question..

My car is acting up a little bit the last couple of weeks. Its cutting out after i turn the ignition on. To keep it ticking over i have to rev lightly a couple of times once i start it up.

Would the tester have a problem with this, and would i be better to explain this to him before i go out for the test?

brian076

forkassed wrote: »

Thanks Brian

Another question..

My car is acting up a little bit the last couple of weeks. Its cutting out after i turn the ignition on. To keep it ticking over i have to rev lightly a couple of times once i start it up.

Would the tester have a problem with this, and would i be better to explain this to him before i go out for the test?

No that shouldn't be a problem, if it only cuts out when you start up, you're only going to have to do it once hopefully, and even at that you'd only be marked if the revving was excessive. If you do have to have to rev it a lot, ie over 3,000 revs you could mention it, but otherwise I wouldn't bother.

Despite what most people may think about testers, they're not out to nail you for every little thing that happens, and they allow quite a bit of leeway for things that you may think are a problem, but which they wouldn't even consider marking you for.

donegalfella

donegalfella wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Really? I always leave it in first at the traffic lights and was never told otherwise, don't think it was ever mentioned in my first test either

Tech3

Burtchaell wrote: »

Depressing the clutch fully will NOT burn it out. However depressing it slightly while driving or half depressing it while stopped will burn it out. It is perfectly acceptable to sit with your foot on the foot brake in gear ready to go however if you came to a red traffic light for example you would be expected to apply the hand brake as you know you will be waiting in a non moving line of traffic.

Also the handbrake needs to be applied when coming to a stop sign on a slope.

Tech3

bluewolf wrote: »

Really? I always leave it in first at the traffic lights and was never told otherwise, don't think it was ever mentioned in my first test either

Same also. I switch it into neutral after the handbrake is pulled up. The put it back into first and be prepared to go for the lights.

Alanstrainor

bluewolf wrote: »

Really? I always leave it in first at the traffic lights and was never told otherwise, don't think it was ever mentioned in my first test either

I can understand learners with little experience, wanting to keep the car in gear at the top of a queue of traffic, to be ready to move off. But i really can't see a reason to stay in first gear if waiting for any amount of time above 10~ seconds, and not first in a queue of traffic. If someone was to crash into you from behind, your foot is likely to come off the clutch causing the car to jump forward further, which could be quite dangerous.

jaffa20

tech2 wrote: »

Also the handbrake needs to be applied when coming to a stop sign on a slope.

Is it better to apply the handbrake on a slope even when you are going to move off soon

would it be the same situation at a yield sign on a slope

My test is in wicklow and there are slopes everywhere.

Also, i've a totally unrelated question if someone can answer.

Is is necessary to go down to 2nd gear at a roundabout or is it ok to stay in 3rd gear if possible.

Thanks.

Tech3

jaffa20 wrote: »

Is it better to apply the handbrake on a slope even when you are going to move off soon

Yes at a stop sign the handbrake is needed on a slope.

would it be the same situation at a yield sign on a slope

No its not.

Is is necessary to go down to 2nd gear at a roundabout or is it ok to stay in 3rd gear if possible.

From my own experience 2nd gear was always required when entering a roundabout in the need of yielding to traffic.

Alanstrainor

jaffa20 wrote: »

Is it better to apply the handbrake on a slope even when you are going to move off soon

would it be the same situation at a yield sign on a slope

My test is in wicklow and there are slopes everywhere.

Also, i've a totally unrelated question if someone can answer.

Is is necessary to go down to 2nd gear at a roundabout or is it ok to stay in 3rd gear if possible.

Thanks.

If you come to a stop on a slope, you can apply the handbrake if you feel it's necessary, no harm in that. A yield sign doesn't necessarily mean you have to stop, it's just something to keep in mind.
As for your second question, it all depends on the roundabout really, but if you feel you can make it through without going down to second then it's perfectly acceptable. Like a lot of things in life there's rarely a "one rule fits all situations" type scenario with driving, even practice different roundabouts and see what how your car handles them.