What about the clutch indeed sir??!!
Yes - so long as your car will travel at 20 mph in 5th without beginning to show signs of stalling. Most cars will do this without difficulty.
The only time you really need to do this with most cars is immediately prior to coming to complete halt.
I mean what I say. Example: You are travelling at 50 mph in 5th. You see a red traffic light up ahead and so you begin to reduce speed by braking. You continue to brake, still in 5th until either you have to stop at the white line (where you would depress the clutch immediately before coming to a complete stop) or until the light changes to green. If the light changes to green before you have come to a complete stop then you cease braking and (depressing the clutch) move directly from 5th into the gear that is most appropriate for the speed you are now travelling at. You then begin to increase speed again. Simple.
You release the brake when it is safe to begin accelerating again. This may be, for example, when the left turning car ahead of you has cleared your path, or the red traffic light has changed to green, or you have reached the correct speed to negotiate the bend you have been slowing down for, etc. etc. The basic rule, however, is that you brake to slow down, *then* when you have finished braking, you change gear to begin increasing speed again. There seems to be a perception amongst some that this procedure somehow introduces unnecessary delay into driving. I can butture you that done properly it does not. Do you think that police traffic officers who have to become involved in pursuits and other high speed driving would be taught this method if it slowed them down?
Kev
