Approaching junctions - Gear / Clutch

[woodyTVR]

What's the advanced method for stopping at a junction in say a 60mph limit?

My car has six gears, assuming I'm in anything above 4th I will drop to 4th when approaching a junction - If I stayed higher the engine would complain when I started to brake - see below. If I dropped to 3rd the engine would be reving quite high and would turn an calm drive into something else at every junction.

I brake for the junction and if I have to come to a complete halt (a stop sign) I have to put the clutch in at least two car lengths before the junction otherwise the engine revs up (a diesel) and drives the car against the brakes and tries to speed up.

I'm guessing this is the right way to do it as you wouldn't want to come off the brakes drop to second and start breaking again.

So is this coasting the accepted approach? How much coasting time is acceptable?

[woodyTVR]

R_U_LOCAL said:

If you're driving to the Roadcraft system, the accepted method is just to leave it in whatever gear you are in whilst you brake to a stop and then dip the clutch just as the engine reaches tickover speed.

It isn't "coasting" in the accepted sense and allows you to keep your options open (by, for instance, coming off the brakes and taking 2nd gear whilst still moving if your view improves) whilst minimising drivetrain wear.

Nice one, that's what I figured but it seemed like a good chunk of distance to have the clutch in, more so if you're going slower in the first place as the % of speed drop is less harsh, you reach a speed much sooner where the clutch needs to go in.

[woodyTVR]

SK425 said:

So what?

Personally it doesn't really bother me. I just put the clutch down when I need to put the clutch down. But if it bothers you, you've already identified a solution (and it's one that's often suggested): take a lower gear before you start braking. Job done

I went through the whole roadcraft thing when I first started to drive and like to think I have a good grasp of it. However I don't think it's the be all and end all of driving. I have my own interpretation of it and perhaps a more relaxed approach to it's use. However after reading the thread R_U_Local I happened to drive home that night consciously thinking roadcraft and what would an observer make of my driving - I'd like to think there wouldn't be much they could say. However on approaching a junction in 60 that I pass through several times a week when I was conscious of my actions (rather than naturally driving) I wondered how it would be seen in the eyes of an 'expert'. From my point of view my way is perfectly safe and I would think from a normal passengers point of view they wouldn't have any feelings about it either way, I was just curious as to whether it's the 'right' way. Had there been a more appropriate solution I'd have given some consideration but it seems there isn't.