Clutch and Brake control when braking and slowing down

starlit

Hi, just a quick question about clutch and brake control when slowing down and stopping say at a junction or in traffic. I am getting a small bit confused on the issue and if anyone could help me and give me some tips on it I be most grateful thanks.

I recently had a driving lesson and all went well just keep having problems with the clutch and brake control.

My question is how do you proceed with clutch and brake control when slowing down and stopping at a junction or in traffic without stalling?

What are the steps, if I got this right or wrong I’d like some feedback:

1. Drop down a gear say from 3rd to 2nd by down-shifting with clutch fully down
2. Foot off clutch (or do I need to keep foot on the clutch?)
3. First press brake gently
4. Press clutch fully down (or can I bring the clutch up a bit?)
5. Keep left foot on clutch and right foot on brake (until handbrake down, get into neutral depending on situation)

This is where I get confused, do I have the clutch fully down the whole time I’m pressing the brake after having pressed brake gently first and then press clutch fully down continuously until handbrake is down or do I bring the clutch up a bit at some point to gradually release it while still have foot on brake?

Where I am getting confused is do I have the clutch fully down while braking or do I need to bring the clutch up a bit at some point while braking?

What is the right procedure?

briano

The way I was taught was like this

"B comes before C" - Brake before clutch

If you downshift without breaking the car will slow, but your brake lights won't be on, which is potentially dangerous for cars following you.

WRT to the downshifting, after you change a gear (in this case down to third and then to second) your foot should come completely off the clutch after the gear change. Then, as you are about to stop, put your foot back on the clutch and press it as the car slows so that it is fully depressed as the car comes to a halt.

I was always under the impression that if you kept your foot on the clutch between gear changes you could be marked down for clutch control as, even if you are not pressing it, it might look to the tester that you are coasting

**Timbuk2**

If you are definitely coming to a stop (e.g. a stop line or a light that has gone red), then there is no requirement to downshift the gears - you can stop in whatever gear you are in. In fact this is the recommended method. However, you won't be faulted for downshifting provided you did it correctly. I did an extra driving test (an ignition assessment with Aviva, for the purposes of cheaper insurance) and left it in whatever gear it was in while stopping, but at the end the tester told me that while this is fine, dropping it to at least 3rd is better as the car doesn't labour as much while slowing down, meaning you have more control.

So when slowing down, use the brakes only at first. Then move it down into a lower gear when you are at the speed to do so (if you wish, you won't be marked for leaving it in the gear you are in, even if it is 5th). Take your foot fully off the clutch, and continue slowing down using the brakes (remember, you can change down gears while you are braking). About 2-3 car lengths before you come to a stop, you should hear the engine just about to labour. This is when you should put the clutch fully in.

In stop-start traffic, you may find that you are almost simultaneously pressing the clutch and brake, but that's just because of the slow speeds involved - at higher speeds, it's definitely brake before clutch!

As above, you can stop in high gears, I was taught to drop from 4th to 3rd while braking gently and then stay in 3rd, clutch before the car labours as your speed slows down. Brake before clutch.

To answer your question re clutch, once new gear is engaged foot off clutch, lower the gear the slower you are coming off clutch, do not coast with foot to floor on clutch.

gman2k

'Gears to go, brakes to slow' that's the new motto!

cosmic

If I'm approaching a red light, I'll brake gently to drop my speed below 30km/h, clutch in and drop to second gear, foot gently off clutch. Then I'll roll slowly, in second gear, towards the lights. The majority of the time, by the time I have rolled to the lights they have gone green again so I can just accelerate, move up the gears and keep going. No need to fully stop, handbrake, and all that if you don't have to. Nice and easy!

spiraleye

If you are stopping at junctions always try to stop in first gear
unless it is unsafe to do so. When pulling in you can stop in
the gear you are in.

(1) Stopping

Check your rear view mirror before you brake. Start
braking gently (firmly if needed) 5 metres back from where
you think you will stop clutch down and finish braking to
a stop. Once you have stopped put the handbrake on, go
from the higher into 1st gear and prepare the car to move
off or into neutral if you will be waiting a while.

(2) Stopping

in a higher gear.

by working down the gears. If stopped longer
than 3 seconds apply the handbrake.

If there are vehicles in front employ the two second rule.
Check your rear view mirror before you brake. At about 4
car lengths away from where you will stop, start braking
gently down to 20 km/h and clutch down and go into 2nd
gear once you have changed gear clutch gently back up.
Continue breaking down gently to a crawl at about 1 cars
length away from where you will stop change into 1st gear
and clutch gently up to your bite-point and edge forward.
When ready clutch down and break to a stop. Once you
have stopped fine the bite point and release the footbrake
when it is clear to go, if waiting longer than 3 seconds
apply the hand brake, hold the bite point and set the gas.