Driving an automatic car

On a slightly different topic, I drive a car with an automatic 6 speed gearbox. I understand that it is a standard 6 speed gearbox, with an automated clutch.

When I am stopped for more than a few seconds, I put the gear in neutral and press the brake (the car doesn't have an electric handbrake).

The reason I feel I should do that is that the car would creep forward if I left it in "D" & I would have to press the brake to stop this. Surely this would cause premature clutch wear?

Friends of mine say that there is no need to put in neutral. But I think it could lead to premature clutch wear.

Who is right?

Left foot braking? in normal driving conditions? Errr, no.

Aren't some of the new EV's one pedal only? Will this catch on I wonder.

I think N is only for when you use an automatic car wash or if being towed or situations like that. I'm driving autos since 2005 and never once used N.

No. They have regenerative braking so that you can in some cases come to a halt without the brake pedal, but you still get two pedals for use when you need to brake hard.

Everyone?

Have been automatic now for 7 years, 5 different cars in the household and I've never once even touched the brake on any of them with my left foot 🤷‍♂️

switched to an automatic 6 years ago - much prefer it to manual and I've never once left-foot braked. It seems to be people who've been driving autos for decades who do this.

Recently got a second car which is a manual, no bother switching between the 2 and the manual muscle-memory comes back pretty quickly. Prefer the auto though.

If using the left foot on the brake, it's going to apply pressure on the pedal, turning on the brake lights. Drivers behind won't know when you are actually slowing down.

Altogether a bad idea and no driving instructor would teach this method.

There would be no clutch wear if, when stopped, you leave it in Drive and keep your foot on the brake. In this scenario the clutch isn't slipping.

There's no need to be putting it into Neutral every time you stop briefly. In an automated manual like yours, I'd only put it into Neutral and apply the handbrake if I was waiting a while and wanted to rest my foot.

This post is giving me serious symptoms of deja vu and not that long ago either.

I've parked on plenty of slopes where the parking pawl isn't sufficient to hold the car. Even in the US!

Pavement in Ireland and the UK, yes. Sidewalk in North America.

In 20-30 years there'll be no pedals, or steering wheel. Humans will be deemed too dangerous to be allowed control a vehicle on public roads. It will be auto pilot only. The tech is already there.

I changed to automatic this year and I'm sorry I didn't do it years ago. Very easy to transition from manual. Just keep your left foot out of the equation.