T-Junction Scenario - Opinions Please

PremierDeise

So I have some conflicting information in relation to gear work approaching tjunction from 2 different instructors.

I am driving down the street in 4th gear and I am going to turn right.

Opinion 1: Slow down to 40k-ish , drop to 3rd gear, slow down and come to a complete stop in 3rd, when at a standstill at junction go to neutral then 1st ready for moving off again.

Opinion 2: Slow down to 40k-ish, drop to 3rd, slow to 20k-ish , drop to 2nd and come to a complete stop in 2nd. When at a standstill place into 1st ready for moving off again.

Which one of these is right? Personally I would have thought opinion 2 is technically correct?

MascotDec85

Both are correct. My personal preference is the 2nd

Craftylee

Agreed with the second option. Stopping in second and then dropping to 1st gear when stopped is what I've always done. There's no need to change down to 1st as you're coming to a stop. Also stopping in third means you will be coasting for a fair amount of time, plus if a gap opens and your in 3rd and you're going too slowly for the gear you will need to change down to second anyways.

GvidoR

I'd pick the 2nd option.

seoirsem

PremierDeise wrote: »

So I have some conflicting information in relation to gear work approaching tjunction from 2 different instructors.

I am driving down the street in 4th gear and I am going to turn right.

Opinion 1: Slow down to 40k-ish , drop to 3rd gear, slow down and come to a complete stop in 3rd, when at a standstill at junction go to neutral then 1st ready for moving off again.

Opinion 2: Slow down to 40k-ish, drop to 3rd, slow to 20k-ish , drop to 2nd and come to a complete stop in 2nd. When at a standstill place into 1st ready for moving off again.

Which one of these is right? Personally I would have thought opinion 2 is technically correct?

I actually failed my driving test for doing it as in Opinion 1. I had a lesson before and my 'instructor' stopped me half-way through the lesson and told me not to be coming down the gears as this was 'ghost-changing'. He said bring the car to a halt in third and cling the clutch to the floor. Put the car into 1st and wait to move. I did this and failed for doing exactly that. Asked the fellow at the Test centre would he not consider that 'ghost-changing' and he said he never heard of it!!! Second time out I came down the gears, as I would normally do, and passed without a problem.

pat1981

I adopt eco driving so personally would follow option 1 if I was stopping at a stop line/sign at a t junction, however if it was a open junction I would emerge on second if under 20k/ph or 1st if under 10k/ph.

Where a previous poster may have been marked for following option 1 might have been they were too slow in approaching the t junction in 3rd and maybe the car was laboring a little or there could have been other reasons like a hazard etc on the road before the junction. I dont see why it is necessary to change down to 2 when your stopping at a line only of course if your going too slow then a change of gear would be warranted.

The only thing I would do differently would be when stopped in 3rd then straight into 1st, remember if you are ever in neutral the handbrake should be applied so in this case wouldn't be necessary unless you were waiting for a while. I hope this helps.