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Clutch control on hill starts

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You seem surprised. From my observations, it seems like a good portion of people on the road don't use the parking brake except for when they park.

Hmm admittedly I don't ALWAYS use it when stopped at a light unless I'm on a slant where the car could roll back but I'd say I'll mostly pull it up more often that not. I was just always taught to do so tbh and thought this was standard. I thought not doing so would cause you to fail the test..

Reply 21

LeMansClivey

Original post by TheMcSame

You seem surprised. From my observations, it seems like a good portion of people on the road don't use the parking brake except for when they park.

A good portion of people on the road don't know how to drive. :wink:

Reply 22

iiilly

I live on the mountains between Lake Como and Switzerland, so we have tons of hill/mountain roads and we are taught that the handbrake should be used at red lights either when it's an emergency or when you still aren't able to use the clutch, but just as a temporary solution (and you fail your exam if you do it during it)

Reply 23

LeMansClivey

Original post by iiilly

For clarity, are you saying that you should use the handbrake if you have to wait at a junction on a gradient?

Reply 24

iiilly

Original post by LeMansClivey

For clarity, are you saying that you should use the handbrake if you have to wait at a junction on a gradient?

Never used it

(sorry if my previous post wasn't clear)

Reply 25

LeMansClivey

Original post by iiilly

Never used it

(sorry if my previous post wasn't clear)

See, then that is wrong. You should not hold the clutch at it's bite point for any longer than absolutely necessary, as all you're doing is burning-out the clutch plate. It's car abuse, plain and simple...and the car enthusiast in me is wincing just thinking about it.

You should apply the handbrake as you come to a stop and release it as you find the bite point when you're ready to move off.

Reply 26

iiilly

But I don't keep the clutch at the bite point. While I am waiting I have both the brake and the clutch all down. When it becomes green/free I simply put my clutch at the bite point and I gas
Easy peasy :smile:

Reply 27

LeMansClivey

Original post by iiilly

Oh I see, haha!

Well that's much, much less of a problem but still, all the time you're sitting with your foot on the clutch is just wearing-out the release bearing. It's OK if you're just pausing for say 5 seconds at a junction...but for a full traffic light cycle the "proper" way is to put the handbrake on, gearbox in neutral and take both feet off the pedals. The only time this might not work is if the hill is extremely steep and your handbrake's not very good...in which case you can always use both the handbrake and the footbrake.

My Dad is a retired driving instructor and the mantra was always "If a pause becomes a wait, put the gearbox in neutral". :smile:

Reply 28

iiilly

Original post by LeMansClivey

I see.. Anyway most of the time on mountain/hill roads there aren't traffic light but just junctions with the stop signal so it never last too much, but I'll keep it in mind for the future! :smile:

Reply 29

Nuffles

Original post by Dunya

I was never taught it either.

Passed my test without doing it :confused:

You shouldn't have passed your test then. Any time you're waiting for more than literally a couple of seconds it should be applied to secure the vehicle. IIRC it's a minor point every time you fail to apply it and a major if failing to apply it allows the vehicle to move when it shouldn't.

My instructor (going on ten years ago now) made me apply the handbrake when going from first to reverse during a turn in the road. Yes it was tedious. Passed first time with three minors though so he did something right.

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 30

TheMcSame

Original post by J0n3zviper

Yes and no. You only need to use it in specific scenarios like pulling up to the side of the road and possibly after finishing a manoeuvre, in other words, anything that involves parking. As far as the actual driving part of the test goes, it's a myth that you have to use the handbrake, much like the whole 'don't cross your arms' lark. As long as you are controlling the car in a safe manner (in the case of not using the handbrake that literally just means not letting the car roll), you can't be marked down.

Though it's probably in the learner's best interest to use the handbrake.

Original post by LeMansClivey

A good portion of people on the road don't know how to drive. :wink:

Fair point 🤣

Reply 31

Pigster

Just buy an automatic.

Reply 32

Aky786UK

Thanks for the replies 👍🏽

I've tried to start applying my handbrake more in my driving generally, not just uphill to avoid wearing out my clutch.

Driving uphill in a few situations when I've had to briefly stop, I've gone brake > clutch down into first > risen clutch to biting point and then onto gas to keep it moving very slightly so I can go. I still need to work on finding the biting point perfectly as the car has creeped back and annoyingly, I've ended up revving the car which is not ideal.

I've yet to be involved in a scenario of stopping and moving up a steeper hill I sometimes frequent and that will prove more challenging but it's just about combining the handbrake, gas and clutch but easier said than done, for me perhaos