Should I put it in neutral or hold the clutch in stop-and-go traffic?
If you will be stopped for more than about 3 seconds, shift into neutral, take your foot off the clutch and hold the brake. Holding the clutch down tires your leg and wears the release bearing. In stop-and-go traffic, pull away in first, move as far as you can and stop again; do not ride the clutch to creep forward a few centimetres.
How to drive in stop-and-go traffic
- Stopped: neutral, foot off the clutch, brake on.
- Traffic moves: clutch, first gear, normal pull-off.
- Roll up near the car in front, without tailgating.
- Clutch, brake, stop, back to neutral.
Stopped for more than 3 seconds, neutral: what the RAC and most driving schools recommend. Source: RAC
FAQ
Is holding the clutch at lights bad?
It wears the release bearing and tires your leg. On long stops, neutral.
Is it safer to stay in gear?
In gear you go a second faster. While learning, neutral and the brake are safer.
What about a queue on a hill?
Same rule, with the handbrake holding the car as you pull away.