Clutch Riders

[Mr Gear]

On my way into work, I often notice people waiting at traffic lights rocking their cars back and forwards. Instead of sitting with the handbrake on and the car in neutral, they have the car in gear and are riding the clutch whist waiting for a red light.

I don't expect there to be any answer to this other than "they are idiots", but I feel sorry for anyone that buys a second-hand car off these people.

[y2blade]

they're idiots

[reggie82]

Are you sure it's not people in automatics edging their foot off the brake. Probably still not great for the car as I guess it should be in park with the handbrake on (although no idea as can't remember the last time I drove an auto).

[Mr Gear]

reggie82 said:

Are you sure it's not people in automatics edging their foot off the brake. Probably still not great for the car as I guess it should be in park with the handbrake on (although no idea as can't remember the last time I drove an auto).

I did think that, but I have been checking recently (I get a good view into the cabin on my motorbike) and most people doing it are driving manuals.

[mnkiboy]

I've noticed that, especially on hills. Their clutches must last half as long as mine. They also worry me as I constantly think the person in front is about to roll back in to my car.

They're from the same gene pool as the 'creepers'. You know, the ones who come to a stop 10 metres from the traffic light, then spend the next 60 seconds creeping up to it, often going over the white line before the lights turn green.

JUST COME TO A STOP AND LEAVE THE fkING CONTROLS ALONE!

Edited by mnkiboy on Friday 3rd September 10:11

Edited by mnkiboy on Friday 3rd September 10:12

[Parrot of Doom]

I've noticed this too. Its odd because I'm always faster off the line than they are.

[Steameh]

Tend to find a lot of private hire cars do this, which is strange because I would think it would increase their costs.

[reggie82]

Mr Gear said:

reggie82 said:

Are you sure it's not people in automatics edging their foot off the brake. Probably still not great for the car as I guess it should be in park with the handbrake on (although no idea as can't remember the last time I drove an auto).

I did think that, but I have been checking recently (I get a good view into the cabin on my motorbike) and most people doing it are driving manuals.

That's really odd behaviour then lol

[Papa Hotel]

I chastised my wife for doing this, she said her instructor told her to if she didn't think she'd be waiting long.

They're getting taught to ruin their clutch FFS!

Next time you get on a car ferry with a steep ramp into it, wind your window down and take a good deep sniff. The smell of burning clutch will cut through your nostrils like a big needle. Idiots the lot of them.

[MC Bodge]

My wife used to do this (qand other things) -before she attended the
"MC Bodge School of Driving Properly".

Now she just rarely drives with me as a passenger

[jardinec]

i always think what if they sneezed / drop lit ciggy / get a stung by a bee or something similar and their foot slips off the clutch...

not that likely but its a pretty dumb thing to do.

[Bohemianesque]

MC Bodge said:

My wife used to do this (qand other things) -before she attended the
"MC Bodge School of Driving Properly".

Now she just rarely drives with me as a passenger

Lol. Same here. She does it and gets proper stroppy when I point it out. Recently she stopped the car, got out and made me drive (it was her car)!

[Mr Gear]

Bohemianesque said:

MC Bodge said:

My wife used to do this (qand other things) -before she attended the
"MC Bodge School of Driving Properly".

Now she just rarely drives with me as a passenger

Lol. Same here. She does it and gets proper stroppy when I point it out. Recently she stopped the car, got out and made me drive (it was her car)!

Result.

[utgjon]

Papa Hotel said:

I chastised my wife for doing this, she said her instructor told her to if she didn't think she'd be waiting long.

They're getting taught to ruin their clutch FFS!

i, too, was taught this...

now obviously if i'm queuing to exit a junction on a steep hill, i'm not going to ride the clutch...but if i'm first person waiting at the give way line and i'm going to be 5 seconds before i pull away....i will balance the car with the clutch and throttle.

[irodger]

I used to do this sometimes if on a steep hill in my old Merc 230K. With its manual 'box and 'foot operated parking brake', it was a bit of a fiddle to be accelerating up the hill, come to a red light, brake, clutch in, into neutral, off clutch then operate parking brake with left foot while still on brake with right foot, off brake with right foot. Sit for half a second, clutch in, first gear, revs, operate parking brake release with right hand, blah blah.....

Admittedly it was slightly lazy and I wouldn't do it unless it was on very steep hills. Also, there must only be a handful of similarly (crap) specc'd cars on the roads!

[8400rpm]

utgjon said:

Papa Hotel said:

I chastised my wife for doing this, she said her instructor told her to if she didn't think she'd be waiting long.

They're getting taught to ruin their clutch FFS!

i, too, was taught this...

now obviously if i'm queuing to exit a junction on a steep hill, i'm not going to ride the clutch...but if i'm first person waiting at the give way line and i'm going to be 5 seconds before i pull away....i will balance the car with the clutch and throttle.

If I pulled up to a red traffic light, I got a major bking for anything other than braking to a stop, handbrake on and then out of gear.

The amount of times she had a go at me for taking it out of gear first, and then handbrake. To be fair, she was a brilliant instructor, and it did me good.

[Papa Hotel]

utgjon said:

Papa Hotel said:

I chastised my wife for doing this, she said her instructor told her to if she didn't think she'd be waiting long.

They're getting taught to ruin their clutch FFS!

i, too, was taught this...

now obviously if i'm queuing to exit a junction on a steep hill, i'm not going to ride the clutch...but if i'm first person waiting at the give way line and i'm going to be 5 seconds before i pull away....i will balance the car with the clutch and throttle.

Oh, I'll do that myself, but her perception of what constitutes a short time is different from mine. 5 seconds, fine. 30 seconds, get that fking handrake on bh and quit riding my clutch.

[ambuletz]

I do this. But I'm never rocking back and forth, car is keep steady/still while on the incline. I only ever really do it when I know I'm only coming to a stop for 7-8 seconds at the most. If it's a little longer I'll use the brake. If it's for a very long time, ill use the handbrake. or if someone has decided to stop right up my bumper on a hill, then I'll use the handbrake then, regardless.

• shrugs*.

[Papa Hotel]

8400rpm said:

To be fair, she was a brilliant instructor

If you can only think of lies to post just don't bother posting. Yeah?

[Kitchski]

mnkiboy said:

I've noticed that, especially on hills. Their clutches must last half as long as mine. They also worry me as I constantly think the person in front is about to roll back in to my car.They're from the same gene pool as the 'creepers'. You know, the ones who come to a stop 10 metres from the traffic light, then spend the next 60 seconds creeping up to it, often going over the white line before the lights turn green.JUST COME TO A STOP AND LEAVE THE fkING CONTROLS ALONE!

Edited by mnkiboy on Friday 3rd September 10:11

Edited by mnkiboy on Friday 3rd September 10:12

Rolling up to lights is idiotic? Which part? The saving wear & tear on the clutch/engine mounts or the keeping the traffic moving? Agree it's dumb if you've got a series of lights in short bursts, but I stand to be educated!