It's that time of year again

[Marcia]

Siting at traffic lights the other night and some inconsiderate sat with their foot on the brake pedal instead of putting the handbrake on,it's my biggest pet hate when on the road

[apguy]

Marcia said:

Siting at traffic lights the other night and some inconsiderate sat with their foot on the brake pedal instead of putting the handbrake on,it's my biggest pet hate when on the road

So how would you suggest I keep my automatic vehicle stationary at the lights?

If I shift to Park, then 2 things will happen.

1. I'll pass through Reverse which means my reverse lights will come on (for a brief moment) and scare the crap out of the person behind, who thinks I've hit reverse gear.

2. I'll be extremely slow off the lights as I shift from Park->Drive, which entails me having to put my foot on the brake again.

Edited by apguy on Friday 3rd September 23:25

[Garlick]

Can't say that this has ever bothered me.

[pilchardthecat]

Marcia said:

Siting at traffic lights the other night and some inconsiderate sat with their foot on the brake pedal instead of putting the handbrake on,it's my biggest pet hate when on the road

Just out of curiosity, what exactly is it that bothers you about it?

[carreauchompeur]

musclecarmad said:

Garlick said:

Can't say that this has ever bothered me.

Nor me Garlick, the whole point of having an auto is so you don't have to change gears and touch the gearstick.

indeed. My A8 would be the perfect town vehicle for this very reason, apart from it's prodigious girth and thirst.

What, you can get SMALL cars with autos? Odd.

Besides, the handbrake only just holds mine. Sometimes put the hb on and into neutral if it's a long wait, but the others are right, it's a faff to put into park.

Edited by carreauchompeur on Friday 3rd September 23:30

[-crookedtail-]

brickwall said:

apguy said:

So how would you suggest I keep my automatic vehicle stationary at the lights?

Edited by apguy on Friday 3rd September 23:25

Put it into neutral and apply the parking brake?

I don't get worked up about it. Though it's always nice to see drivers (especially at night in cities) aware that their brake lights can be quite dazzling when stationary behind them at lights - handbrake and neutral. I think applying the parking brake and going into neutral when waiting for longer than a momentary period is outlined in roadcraft?

This.

I wouldnt say it annoys me that much but it is much nicer when the cars in front are not all lit up with super bright led brake lights. I dont drive an auto so cant comment on the faffing around with the lever, but I do think it is courteous to put it on the hand brake when there are cars queuing behind.

[apguy]

Chaps,

Please don't selectively quote. The next few lines explained about putting it in Park and why that's not sensible (for me). And you can't use the parking brake with an auto still in drive.

Edited by apguy on Friday 3rd September 23:44

[Defcon5]

Do people drive autos more at certain times of the year or something?

[Marcia]

brickwall said:

apguy said:

So how would you suggest I keep my automatic vehicle stationary at the lights?

Edited by apguy on Friday 3rd September 23:25

Put it into neutral and apply the parking brake?

I don't get worked up about it. Though it's always nice to see drivers (especially at night in cities) aware that their brake lights can be quite dazzling when stationary behind them at lights - handbrake and neutral. I think applying the parking brake and going into neutral when waiting for longer than a momentary period is outlined in roadcraft?

Thankyou Brickwall.But unlike you i get very annoyed,especially when the car in front has a high level brake light,it's very dazzling and in your face!

[micky g]

I'm fine with brake lights, I know what the driver in front is doing. Rear fog lights however, should be illegal.

[andyroo]

Marcia said:

Siting at traffic lights the other night and some inconsiderate sat with their foot on the brake pedal instead of putting the handbrake on,it's my biggest pet hate when on the road

You've stopped too close to the car in front.

[R1 Loon]

So you'd prefer to be stuck behind sommeoe who then spends 5 minutes pissing about when the lights change before moving?

[apguy]

brickwall said:

apguy said:

Chaps,

Please don't selectively quote. The next few lines explained about putting it in Park and why that's not sensible (for me). And you can't use the parking brake with an auto still in drive.

Edited by apguy on Friday 3rd September 23:44

I don't suggest putting into park. I never put an auto into park unless I'm parking it. I suggest putting it into neutral.

In which case you know nothing about auto boxes.

You still have to pass through Reverse to get to Neutral, and Neutral is one notch away from Park. And all these operations only work if your foot is on the brake. ie. you can't shift an auto from Drive to anything else without your foot on the brake.

Hopefully this enlightens you as to why the auto in front of you is sat with their foot on the brake for the 30 second red light.

[apguy]

brickwall said:

apguy said:

brickwall said:

apguy said:

Chaps,

Please don't selectively quote. The next few lines explained about putting it in Park and why that's not sensible (for me). And you can't use the parking brake with an auto still in drive.

Edited by apguy on Friday 3rd September 23:44

I don't suggest putting into park. I never put an auto into park unless I'm parking it. I suggest putting it into neutral.

In which case you know nothing about auto boxes.

You still have to pass through Reverse to get to Neutral, and Neutral is one notch away from Park. And all these operations only work if your foot is on the brake. ie. you can't shift an auto from Drive to anything else without your foot on the brake.

Hopefully this enlightens you as to why the auto in front of you is sat with their foot on the brake for the 30 second red light.

In which case I am mistaken. The auto in the car I drive (Discovery 3) the sequence is park (big gap) reverse, neutral, drive. Shifting from drive to neutral can be done without depressing the shift release button. This also allows for smoother brake-feathering when pulling to a stop.

Actually I have to apologise. I'm wrong and Neutral is indeed next to Drive, although I did have to step outside to check

[cmackay81]

Marcia said:

Siting at traffic lights the other night and some inconsiderate sat with their foot on the brake pedal instead of putting the handbrake on,it's my biggest pet hate when on the road

french cars wind me up something chronic, but you don't see me whining about it... (jk)

[R1 Loon]

brickwall said:

R1 Loon said:

So you'd prefer to be stuck behind sommeoe who then spends 5 minutes pissing about when the lights change before moving?

It's exactly the same as going into neutral in a manual. It takes almost no time at all to put the car into gear, release the parking brake and move off. Indeed the amber light is quite useful for this.

It takes me no time at all to do either approach, but not applying the handbrake gets me away quicker.

I get frustrated by the duffers who insist on using the handbrake all the time and then spend forever trying to pull away limiting the traffic flow due to their incompetence.

If brake lights dazzle the OP so much, then he should get an eye test.

[Biker's Nemesis]

Marcia said:

brickwall said:

apguy said:

So how would you suggest I keep my automatic vehicle stationary at the lights?

Edited by apguy on Friday 3rd September 23:25

Put it into neutral and apply the parking brake?

I don't get worked up about it. Though it's always nice to see drivers (especially at night in cities) aware that their brake lights can be quite dazzling when stationary behind them at lights - handbrake and neutral. I think applying the parking brake and going into neutral when waiting for longer than a momentary period is outlined in roadcraft?

Thankyou Brickwall.But unlike you i get very annoyed,especially when the car in front has a high level brake light,it's very dazzling and in your face!

I bet you're the life and soul at parties.

[carter711]

musclecarmad said:

don't let it worry you.

my dad just got the all clear from the hospital today and as he said when we were in the pub when someone asked him how much it cost, he said, "I don't care, I'd pay a hundred grand if that's what they want" obviously tongue in cheek, but I can't believe you get worked up over so little as a person in a car going about their business.

Does it matter if you have a ferrari or a fiesta, does it matter if you live in a £5m house or a £50,000 house as long as you have your health and your mates then do not worry.

Next time you see it happen, just smile and think about what poor kids in sierra leone have to worry about, think about the poor guy in the hospital that needs two nurses to use a crane to turn him over to change him, and then think back to how you are getting worked up about someone just sat at traffic lights.

Look out the side window, talk to your passenger, admire their car, change your radio station or look at something else, just don't let it worry you

This is absolutley top advice, and very true.

[Mattygooner]

Does it only happen in Autumn? Is it something to do with the leaves?

[Marcia]

R1 Loon said:

brickwall said:

R1 Loon said:

So you'd prefer to be stuck behind sommeoe who then spends 5 minutes pissing about when the lights change before moving?

It's exactly the same as going into neutral in a manual. It takes almost no time at all to put the car into gear, release the parking brake and move off. Indeed the amber light is quite useful for this.

It takes me no time at all to do either approach, but not applying the handbrake gets me away quicker.

I get frustrated by the duffers who insist on using the handbrake all the time and then spend forever trying to pull away limiting the traffic flow due to their incompetence.

If brake lights dazzle the OP so much, then he should get an eye test.

She doesn't need an eye test thankyou
It's not so much regular brake lights that are a problem,it's the high level brake lights that blind you.

Edited by Marcia on Saturday 4th September 01:05