# Stopped at a red light in a Manual transmission do you... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 12, 2011, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stopped-at-a-red-light-in-a-manual-transmission-do-you/578109 "2011-04-12T16:43:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stopped-at-a-red-light-in-a-manual-transmission-do-you/578109/21 "2011-04-12T18:04:32Z")
When I drove a stick, I kept it in first with the clutch down. I did, in fact, end up burning out a clutch from riding it too much. ---
**Author:** ![Marc\_Xenos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@Marc\_Xenos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marc_Xenos)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stopped-at-a-red-light-in-a-manual-transmission-do-you/578109/22 "2011-04-12T18:09:05Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > When I drove a stick, I kept it in first with the clutch down. I did, in fact, end up burning out a clutch from riding it too much. The only time I ever burned out a clutch was when I blew it out, from popping it too much in a souped up Barracuda. The only other time I had a problem was when the manual transmission on a Neon blew out, but the CLUTCH remained intact (!). Even my mechanic was dazzled by THAT one. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stopped-at-a-red-light-in-a-manual-transmission-do-you/578109/23 "2011-04-12T18:11:41Z")
Depends. If there’s already someone stopped behind me and I don’t expect the light to change quickly, I’ll put it into neutral and let off the brake completely. If there’s no one behind me, I keep the brake lights lit up. Just before I expect the light to change, I’ll disengage the clutch and shift into first gear. ---
**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stopped-at-a-red-light-in-a-manual-transmission-do-you/578109/24 "2011-04-12T18:19:32Z")
My last car was a manual – I chose other, because it depends, as some others have said. If it’s a long light (that I’d know from experience), I’d throw it in neutral, otherwise, just jam the clutch down. The guy who sold me his car taught me to drive stick, though, and he wasn’t too good at it – and my first solo drive with passengers I was wasted drunk. Cum grano salis. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stopped-at-a-red-light-in-a-manual-transmission-do-you/578109/25 "2011-04-12T18:28:38Z")
I leave the car in whatever gear it was in, clutch in, feel slightly guilty about it because I’ve heard the warnings about being in neutral, and shift to first when the light changes. Really, on a hill, I’d rather be in a gear. Any gear. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stopped-at-a-red-light-in-a-manual-transmission-do-you/578109/26 "2011-04-12T18:32:22Z")
> [@Enginerd](#): > > Depends how long I’m going to be sitting there. If it’s a quick light, I’ll keep the car in first with the clutch in; if it generally takes a while for the light to cycle, I’ll put it in neutral until it’s my turn to go. Yup. I know the lights where I drive; I know the couple of them that take two minutes to cycle. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stopped-at-a-red-light-in-a-manual-transmission-do-you/578109/27 "2011-04-12T18:36:19Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > I leave the car in whatever gear it was in, clutch in, feel slightly guilty about it because I’ve heard the warnings about being in neutral, and shift to first when the light changes. > > Really, on a hill, I’d rather be in a gear. Any gear. Why wouldn’t you just put it in the gear you’ll need when you start driving again? Also, a car will stall out if the gear is too high when it’s stopped (maybe not every car, but I have had this happen to me). ---
**Author:** ![jayarrell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@jayarrell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayarrell)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stopped-at-a-red-light-in-a-manual-transmission-do-you/578109/28 "2011-04-12T18:59:38Z")
It varies for me depending upon my mood and nature of the stop. Most stops in neutral, brake on and shift to first when the light changes. Expecting a short light? Then in gear, clutch down. On a hill? Either in gear, clutch and brake or I’ll balance clutch and gas like Alessan. Never learned the handbrake on a slope thing. The few times I’ve tried it haven’t gone well. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stopped-at-a-red-light-in-a-manual-transmission-do-you/578109/29 "2011-04-12T19:00:55Z")
In my car, I put it in neutral unless I’m getting ready to launch (e.g. right turn on red). Several reasons: - reduces wear on the throwout bearing - reduces wear on the clutch (it wears, albeit only slightly, whenever there is relative motion between friction plate and pressure plates) -removes the possibility of accidentally launching/lurching into the vehicle in front of me, or into any pedestrians who may be crossing in front of me, or into cross traffic (e.g. if my foot slips off of the clutch) On a motorcycle, the advice is slightly different for safety reasons. Because you are vulnerable to impacts from behind by distracted drivers, you come to a stop near one edge of your lane, and keep the transmission in first with the clutch pulled in until you’ve got one or two cars stopped behind you; only then do you put it in neutral and relax your clutch hand. Keeping it in gear gives you an opportunity to scoot out of the way if you notice in your mirrors (you _were_ watching your mirrors, right?) that someone’s about to crush you from behind. If you’re in your six-foot-wide car, there’s really nowhere for you to go to escape such an imact even if you see it coming, so there’s no particular safety advantage to keeping it in gear at a stoplight. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stopped-at-a-red-light-in-a-manual-transmission-do-you/578109/30 "2011-04-12T19:03:44Z")
> [@Pitchmeister](#): > > Other - shift to neutral and don’t do anything. Why would I need to stay on the brake for minutes if I’m not standing on an incline? I understand all of the words individually, but the sentence isn’t making sense. I don’t think I’ve ever driven where there wasn’t an incline. > [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Why wouldn’t you just put it in the gear you’ll need when you start driving again? Also, a car will stall out if the gear is too high when it’s stopped (maybe not every car, but I have had this happen to me). Bad habit. Possibly because one of the cars I first learned to drive on was ancient, dying, and didn’t reliably go into first gear for anyone. Possibly just because. I’ve never had a car stall out when I did it, though I have had the unpleasant moment of realizing that I was trying to start from third. I’d never teach someone to drive like that - but the question was “what do you do” not “what should you do” ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stopped-at-a-red-light-in-a-manual-transmission-do-you/578109/31 "2011-04-12T19:31:34Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > That was passed down from my grandfather who used to race in the Indy 500. Indy fan checking in. Who’s your grandfather? ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stopped-at-a-red-light-in-a-manual-transmission-do-you/578109/32 "2011-04-12T19:41:54Z")
Depends on the length of the stop. ---
**Author:** ![BDoors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BDoors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BDoors)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stopped-at-a-red-light-in-a-manual-transmission-do-you/578109/33 "2011-04-12T20:05:02Z")
In the UK driving test it used to be the case, and as far as I know still is, that you would fail the test in such circumstances if you did not put the car into neutral and apply the handbrake. In real life, people don’t follow that rule of course, but if it’s a long red light I personally do use neutral + handbrake, even if the ground is perfectly level. The rationale I was given was that if somebody nudges you from behind and your feet slip off the pedals you won’t shoot forward into oncoming traffic. Also, you can give your feet a nice little rest ;). And the “hill start”, i.e. proper use of the handbrake to pull away on an incline rather than balancing the clutch vs. the throttle, is part of learning to drive. Riding the clutch like that is just bad driving. ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stopped-at-a-red-light-in-a-manual-transmission-do-you/578109/34 "2011-04-12T20:52:08Z")
In addition to wear on the throwout bearing, it wears the thrust bearings on the crank. Yes, they are sized to take it, but idle is exactly the low speed, low oil pressure condition where oil film bearings work worst. ---
**Author:** ![FordTaurusSHO94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f07891/32.png) [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stopped-at-a-red-light-in-a-manual-transmission-do-you/578109/35 "2011-04-12T21:23:31Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > \*\* Other \*\* > I was always taught to shift it into 2nd gear and then 1st when moving from neutral. That was passed down from my grandfather who used to race in the Indy 500. I was told that it meshed the transmission better to do it that way. Now I’m curious about that wisdom. First wasn’t always synchronized, so sometimes you had to move the shifter around before it would go in. Most modern vehicles have fully synchronized tranmissions, but you occasionally come across one with Reverse that isn’t. To get into Reverse, you might have to shift into first or fifth gear first. With a modern transmission, you can easily get into any gear at a stop, as long as no synchros are damaged. At a light, I put it in neutral and rest my foot on the brake. Depending on the vehicle, I may not even use the clutch to put it in neutral as I’m coming to a stop. ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stopped-at-a-red-light-in-a-manual-transmission-do-you/578109/36 "2011-04-12T21:51:17Z")
> [@Enginerd](#): > > Depends how long I’m going to be sitting there. If it’s a quick light, I’ll keep the car in first with the clutch in; if it generally takes a while for the light to cycle, I’ll put it in neutral until it’s my turn to go. This, exactly. Although I haven’t driven a manual in about 10 years. ---
**Author:** ![Chopper9760](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cdc98d/32.png) [@Chopper9760](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chopper9760)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stopped-at-a-red-light-in-a-manual-transmission-do-you/578109/37 "2011-04-12T21:56:33Z")
Voted option two but I’m with **Pitchmeister** , why would I ride my brake any more than my clutch? I hate driving automatics because I always feel like I have to stand on the brake to prevent the car from lunging ahead. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stopped-at-a-red-light-in-a-manual-transmission-do-you/578109/38 "2011-04-12T22:03:24Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I learned how to dive in Haifa, Israel, a city with a topography similar to that of San Francisco, only hillier. If we bothered to pull the handbrake every time we stopped, we’d never get anywhere. > > In Haifa, clutches are considered disposable accessories. To each his own I guess, but is it really that hard to clutch with the left foot & brake with the right; then when it’s time to go you find your friction point and move the right foot to the gas? I can’t recall losing more than a couple inches on really steep hills before taking off. But maybe if I get to Israel someday I’ll change my mind. But for now I’m all about coddling my throwout bearing. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stopped-at-a-red-light-in-a-manual-transmission-do-you/578109/39 "2011-04-12T23:56:56Z")
> [@Hakuna\_Matata](#): > > what do you do with a car with a manual tranmission at a light? This is also my first attempt at a poll–so if it doesn’t show up, just type out your answer. Hmm, I had to actually close my eyes and think about this… Pulling up to a red light, I depress the clutch, shift into neutral, release the clutch, coast until I’m near the light, slowly depress the break and clutch simultaneously until I’ve stopped, push the shifter into first and wait. ETA: I chose ‘Other’ as none of your choices apply to how I drive or brake at all. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2011, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stopped-at-a-red-light-in-a-manual-transmission-do-you/578109/40 "2011-04-13T00:11:06Z")
Missed the edit window. Rereading the options, choice 1 does, in fact, apply to me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stopped-at-a-red-light-in-a-manual-transmission-do-you/578109.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stopped-at-a-red-light-in-a-manual-transmission-do-you/578109.md?page=3)