Using the brake pedal at traffic lights?

andrew-the-cat

I drive an automatic, the only time I ever use the handbrake is when I park the car up and leave it. Normally when I'm waiting in traffic if I know I won't be there long I just sit with my foot on the brake. If I know it's going to be more than a couple of minutes and I'm on relatively level ground I put it in to park and take my foot off the pedal. Putting it in neutral and using the handbrake is stupid in an automatic, because unlike in a manual where you can keep it in first gear with the clutch down and then just drop the handbrake when you're ready to go, in an auto you have to depress the footbrake, select drive, then release the handbrake and go. The parking pawl will hold you still even on a slight gradient and then when you're ready to go quickly stick the footbrake in, pull the selector into drive and away you go.

In the work van (which is also automatic) I'm rarely ever stationary long enough to use the handbrake except when parked. The selector box also isn't a straight line so you have to wiggle the lever from side to side whilst pushing it up to get it into park, which sometimes can lead to the reverse lights staying on for a second or so and worrying the cars behind you. If I do get stuck in traffic I keep it in drive with my foot on the brake but also put the handbrake on too. I know that the engine even at idle can overpower the handbrake but if someone flies into the back of me it will do some thing to reducing how far I end up going. The van also has the automatic hill holder function, so if you're in drive and facing up hill it will hold you for a couple of seconds when you release the foot brake so you don't roll back. It also does the same thing if you're in reverse and facing down hill, which is extremely useful.

As for the gap between you and the car in front, I always leave enough space to be able to get out in a hurry.

Billy-no-Money

As a motorcyclist, I would like to apologise to all drivers for my inability to find my handbrake.

As far as I know, unavoidable use of my brakes at traffic lights has not led to any kittens being harmed.

andrew-the-cat

NBLondon wrote: »

I haven't driven an automatic for years but can't you put the stick in N, handbrake on and foot off?

Is there a standard order? My mental picture says P N 1 2 D R ...

Yes you can put it in N with the handbrake on and take your foot off. But you have to depress the footbrake to select D again, then release the handbrake. The order on an autobox selector is normally:

P
R
N
D

However have a look at some more unusual offerings:

BMW M-DCT


BMW SMG


Smart tiptronic


Mercedes Sprintshift


Prius

Lum

Regarding the hazard light flash, someone on the last page said that it's redefining an existing signal. I disagree.

There is a defined signal for a stationary hazard, which is all the car's indicators flashing on and off periodically.

A single hazard flash is exactly that one flash, it's really hard to confuse the two.


It's like complaining that people shouldn't use a headlight flash for any purpose because it already has a defined meaning of "I need to see in the dark".

StrangelyBrown

Lum wrote: »

It's like complaining that people shouldn't use a headlight flash for any purpose because it already has a defined meaning of "I need to see in the dark".

I hope not - I keep my lights on constantly when I need to see in the dark.

The difference between flashing headlights to convey a message and using hazards is that the latter is illegal - the former is merely a breach of the "code".

Cash-Strapped.T32

Billy-no-Money wrote: »

As a motorcyclist, I would like to apologise to all drivers for my inability to find my handbrake.

I almost jumped right to the end of the thread to make exactly the same point.
As it happens, one of my bikes is an auto and does have a handbrake (no, not a scooter, it's an 850 sports-tourer & just happens to have a cvt tranny), and from time to time I'll use the handbrake just as car drivers are taught to, but point well made; It's certainly a rarity.
However I rather suspect that the sorts of brakelights that wind up car drivers are the insano-bright ones that you only tend to get on more modern cars, and unless the biker has silly lights they wouldn't bother a driver quite so much (happy to be proven wrong)..

I dunno about you, but personally I don't have quite the same problem with cars' brakelights, I guess it's just because when sat on your bike you're higher-up than a driver, and thus they aren't quite as in your face as they might be if you're sat in a reclining driver's seat.

StrangelyBrown wrote: »

I don't - you're missing the point. I have a problem with using something that means "there's a hazard ahead on this motorway/dual carriageway" or "I'm obstructing traffic" and changing it to mean "cheers, mate".

Cool then. It just came across a being a bit of a miserable ole' sod thing to say, phrased as it was; Though I'd say imo it's less about gratitude than acknowledging to the other driver that you've clocked their intention, and that you aren't just "barging in"..

However, I still can't say that it bothers me, and I have been on the other end of it, as it were.
A few years back I was riding down the motorway, 3rd lane in moderate congestion but the traffic was still doing a steady 60.
Car in front of me put it's hazards for 3 little flashes while still travelling at speed. "Ay?" I thought, "What's he playing at?"
I slowed down a bit more, put a bit more distance between us because he seemed to be a bit erratic.
Seconds later a large sheet of cardboard came whizzing up from under his wheels, and his indication while not preventing an accident per-se (I don't tailgate) did have the effect of making the situation that little bit easier to handle, because it made me pay that bit more attention to the car infront, as opposed to checking mirrors, shoulders, etc.. - In short he used the signal exactly as god intended.

I made sure to give him a little thank-you nod & wave when he pulled back into L2 & I passed him. Nice fella.

All that said though, when you've made the concious decision to flash someone from behind to let them move in-front of you (be it while travelling or queued-up by a sliproad) it's pretty obvious why you've received the single haz-flash so I can't really see any room for misinterpretation - thus my position still has to be that I'm (usually) in favour of this way of saying "cheers".

Putting the window down to wave is perfectly ok, and I wouldn't have a problem with it (I got a thumbs-up from a van driver today on a slowish road when I let him into the flow of traffic which is something I've not often seen) but making hand-signals at motorway speeds can often be an "interesting" experience to say the least, and certainly not something I'd make a habit of when your other hand is grabbing a handlebar.

Trebor16

Cash-Strapped.T32 wrote: »

As it happens, one of my bikes is an auto and does have a handbrake (no, not a scooter, it's an 850 sports-tourer & just happens to have a cvt tranny), and from time to time I'll use the handbrake just as car drivers are taught to, but point well made; It's certainly a rarity.
.

Would that be an Aprilia Manos (I think) by any chance? That is a rare beast!

Trebor16

Strider590 wrote: »

Au contraire, the derogatory comments came from the Trolls mouth so to speak....... I'm merely not playing ball

You were certainly playing ball in post 88, or have you forgotten that?

Cash-Strapped.T32

Ayes, that's the one (very close, Mana). Ideal commuter; powerful enough to do anything you'd want from a bike, but the CVT makes it ridiculously easy on things like chain-wear, rear tyres, etc.. and the best part?

No matter how hard you try, you can't sit there & rev the tits off it in neutral!

~Chameleon~

Amanita wrote: »

If you are following me at 6 inches trying to get me to go faster I can guarantee it will have the completely opposite effect.

Are you one of those annoying people who drive at 40-50mph in a 60mph zone, effectively tripping me up as I walk on your heels? Most annoying!

And yes, sitting with your foot on the brakes at lights is terribly annoying as most modern cars also have a brake light on their rear window/tailgate which causes terrible dazzle to the car behind!