Is engine braking good or bad?
Discussion
When driving Dads (1960)Land Rover to Tesco in Strood
I go around the one way system in top gear (4th)
Indicate and turn left into the side road after the traffic lights (at McDonalds).
I back nearly all the way off the power to start slowing down and follow the bumpy potholed road around to the right.
I change down into 3rd (still slowing) and indicate right to enter Tesco.
Double de-clutch down into 2nd (no synchro) and make the turn into the carpark.
Double de-clutch into 1st and pootle around to find a parking space.
As I was walking into the store I was stopped by another customer (who followed me in) and was informed he had nearly run into the back of me because 'your brakelights aren't working'.
I didn't brake until I was parked as the speed of travel can be controlled easily with the gears.
Did I do something wrong/illegal or was he just following too close?
I go around the one way system in top gear (4th)
Indicate and turn left into the side road after the traffic lights (at McDonalds).
I back nearly all the way off the power to start slowing down and follow the bumpy potholed road around to the right.
I change down into 3rd (still slowing) and indicate right to enter Tesco.
Double de-clutch down into 2nd (no synchro) and make the turn into the carpark.
Double de-clutch into 1st and pootle around to find a parking space.
As I was walking into the store I was stopped by another customer (who followed me in) and was informed he had nearly run into the back of me because 'your brakelights aren't working'.
I didn't brake until I was parked as the speed of travel can be controlled easily with the gears.
Did I do something wrong/illegal or was he just following too close?
Edited by real4star on Saturday 29th December 03:00
I think there are two different ideas to be explored here. The first is engine braking, and
the other is using your gears to slow down. These are best treated as separate practices.
Engine braking is usually fine. For example, coming off the gas, and allowing the car to
slow down; or selecting a lower gear to prevent the vehicle from gaining speed downhill.
Using your gears to slow down is a different matter. It's not necessarily wrong, but is it
appropriate? You've just experienced one disadvantage of the technique. If you do have
someone behind you, even if they are not too close, I would suggest that making your brake
lights illuminate is a good idea, even if you are not pressing the pedal hard enough to
actually brake.
Try not to surprise other drivers.
the other is using your gears to slow down. These are best treated as separate practices.
Engine braking is usually fine. For example, coming off the gas, and allowing the car to
slow down; or selecting a lower gear to prevent the vehicle from gaining speed downhill.
Using your gears to slow down is a different matter. It's not necessarily wrong, but is it
appropriate? You've just experienced one disadvantage of the technique. If you do have
someone behind you, even if they are not too close, I would suggest that making your brake
lights illuminate is a good idea, even if you are not pressing the pedal hard enough to
actually brake.
Try not to surprise other drivers.
7mike said:
DukeDickson said:
His problem, not yours. No more complicated than that.
Great attitude. Well done.Also in a Series Landy vs Modern Car it's not going to be too much of a hassle if they do bump you at a low speed. It adds character to your car and removes an idiot from the roads.
Current views on best practice would recommend slowing the more conventional way. Use the brakes to slow. That way you do the least work and keep both hands on the wheel until after you have slowed down. You apply retardation in a balanced way to all four wheels. I cannot see why driving your old Landie would require a different approach in the circumstances you describe.
However your approach showed considerable skill and should not have caused any problems to a following vehicle.
However your approach showed considerable skill and should not have caused any problems to a following vehicle.
I haven't read everyone's replies but personally (although you did the right thing and it would be his fault if he went into the back of you) I prefer to show my intention to slow down by using the brake lights. On the motorbike, I slow using engine braking more often than not but always pull the brake lever just enough to active the lights. Much safer IMO.
Your brake lights are a very important communication tool. You are very unwise to not use them. Even if somehow it's the other drivers fault that they mis-read the situation, that's no help when your insurance gets hit after you have been.
Now there's other stuff about gears to go and brakes to slow in the AD vocab which you can apply, but the fact that someone told you they had a problem with what you did should tell you enough.
And where on earth did all the "hah you showed em" brigade come from?
Bert
Now there's other stuff about gears to go and brakes to slow in the AD vocab which you can apply, but the fact that someone told you they had a problem with what you did should tell you enough.
And where on earth did all the "hah you showed em" brigade come from?
Bert
Countdown said:
OP - what are h benefits of using gears to slow the car rather than th brakes?
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?sourceid=navclient&a...Follow 'Commercial road' round to the Tesco and its 'Charles Street' enterance. (Its the turn AFTER the traffic lights, traffic upto McDonalds was slow for the lights so I didn't need to slow down for the left turn)
Accelerating faster than 20mph into the narrower section of 'Commercial road' and then braking for the turn into 'Charles street' seems a little... un-necessary on that section, as there are pedestrians and parked cars on both sides of a not very well maintained road.
I'm not sure there are any benefits to my method (maybe a fuel saving related to controlling momentum
) but I feel I have more control.. Edited by real4star on Saturday 29th December 23:10
jgs82 said:
7mike said:
DukeDickson said:
His problem, not yours. No more complicated than that.
Great attitude. Well done.Also in a Series Landy vs Modern Car it's not going to be too much of a hassle if they do bump you at a low speed. It adds character to your car and removes an idiot from the roads.
I use engine braking when entering a 20mph road from a 30mph road. I find that easing the clutch out brings it nicely to 20.
Although when I did my first track day I did get caught out by the caterhams not having brake lights. But those were at far greater speeds than approaching a retail park
Although when I did my first track day I did get caught out by the caterhams not having brake lights. But those were at far greater speeds than approaching a retail park
7mike said:
jgs82 said:
7mike said:
DukeDickson said:
His problem, not yours. No more complicated than that.
Great attitude. Well done.Also in a Series Landy vs Modern Car it's not going to be too much of a hassle if they do bump you at a low speed. It adds character to your car and removes an idiot from the roads.
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