Pulling away when not quite stopped

[pistonheadforum]

Assuming a torquey diesel manual car.

You are approaching a set of lights and braking to roll to a stop just behind other traffic. The lights turn green just as you are easing off the brakes and gracefully rolling to a stop.

You have not quite stopped - still rolling at approx 3mph

To pull away, do you:

1. Put it into second and engage the clutch swiftly - WHEN THE CLUTCH IS IN in you probably need to give a bit more revs to pull away.

2. Put it into first and pull away even though you are not quite stopped.

What is the most mechanically sympathetic to the car (lower bills)?

Many thanks,

[pistonheadforum]

Thanks very helpful.

It's a big diesel tourer and it does feel as though dropping to second and pulling away is a lot more mechanically sympathetic to first where you can feel it stand on it's nose if the revs are not matched and first is selected.

Of course the secret is to never let the car completely stop! Keeping the moveing momentum the secret to a reasonable MPG when hypermiling in a large barge!

I was always told (rightly or wrongly) that you should only select first when stopped. A pet gripe other than pulling on the handbrake without pressing the button (shooting offence!) is people who slow down for a junction and have already rammed it into first before coming to a stop - ie getting ready to pull away.