Is it only me?

[pad58]

The missus spotted me aways putting my foot on the clutch when i get in a vehicle,

before starting the engine.

I thought everyone did this!

[Mag1calTrev0r]

I always do it and cars force you to do it. Helps put less wear on the mechanical parts of the engine when you start it (or so I'm told)

[WhoseGeneration]

pad58 said:

The missus spotted me aways putting my foot on the clutch when i get in a vehicle,

before starting the engine.

I thought everyone did this!

I do this and so does my wife.
Now, we both will have ensured that the gearbox is in neutral but there might be a time, for whatever reason, when that is missed.
Extra safety, is the reason.
Potentially avoiding bills.

[dugt]

Clutch down everytime, after once starting the car in gear when i first passed my test, and the car jumping forwards about 6 feet, I always do it.

I press the brake pedal aswell, even though the handbreak is still on. I also test the brakes by driving 6 inches and stopping the car, I find it strange that other people don't use/know their brakes are working untill the come to press them when they are backing out into the road.

[GravelBen]

My Legacy won't start without the clutch in so no choice there! You do get into the habit of it though.

[doodles19]

I think its an advanced driving thing tbh, everyone I know who doesn't do advanced driving just starts it after checking its not in gear, whereas others who do advanced driving or have done in the past always make sure the clutch is down, force of habit really.

[ymwoods]

I always press the clutch in but it was more a force a habit than to protect the car. Now I have a reason for when the GF has a go at me for it again

[pad58]

dugt said:

Clutch down everytime, after once starting the car in gear when i first passed my test, and the car jumping forwards about 6 feet, I always do it.

I press the brake pedal aswell, even though the handbreak is still on. I also test the brakes by driving 6 inches and stopping the car, I find it strange that other people don't use/know their brakes are working untill the come to press them when they are backing out into the road.

"backing out into the road" you say, I wouldn't have thought this was a good thing to do.

Aways reverse into a drive/parking position then when it comes to leaving said parking position
drive out into the road. no danger,yeah?

[Medic-one]

My first car was a Plymouth Laser (US Import) which would only start with the clutch depressed so i'm so used to it i do it all the time now, in my own cars and at work as i don't really want a 5 ton ambulance to judder forward if someone's left it in gear and i haven't noticed.

[bluetone]

pad58 said:

"backing out into the road" you say, I wouldn't have thought this was a good thing to do.

Aways reverse into a drive/parking position then when it comes to leaving said parking position
drive out into the road. no danger,yeah?

Depends; the rear of my MX5 is shorter than the front so I have to put less of the car into the road before getting a decent view between the parked cars that bracket my driveway.

Top-tip = wind the drivers window down when doing this to better hear approaching vehicles (though note that cyclists don't make noise...)

[dugt]

pad58 said:

dugt said:

Clutch down everytime, after once starting the car in gear when i first passed my test, and the car jumping forwards about 6 feet, I always do it.

I press the brake pedal aswell, even though the handbreak is still on. I also test the brakes by driving 6 inches and stopping the car, I find it strange that other people don't use/know their brakes are working untill the come to press them when they are backing out into the road.

"backing out into the road" you say, I wouldn't have thought this was a good thing to do.

Aways reverse into a drive/parking position then when it comes to leaving said parking position
drive out into the road. no danger,yeah?

Well what me and my neighbours do is reverese onto the pavement, then drive down the pavement away from the blind bend and then pull onto the road, but I didnt want to say that incase the "must not drive on the pavement nazis" came along.

[PeteG]

bluetone said:

(though note that cyclists don't make noise...)

...until you hit them

[Zeonalarm]

My car won't start with out the clutch being pressed down.

But I do it on all cars with a clutch pedal out of habit. And have done since day 1.

[jaf01uk]

Medic-one said:

My first car was a Plymouth Laser (US Import) which would only start with the clutch depressed so i'm so used to it i do it all the time now, in my own cars and at work as i don't really want a 5 ton ambulance to judder forward if someone's left it in gear and i haven't noticed.

More surprised that an American car actually had a clutch but yeah I always put the clutch in and leave the car in gear when parked also,
Gary

[ScoobyChris]

I was always taught to do this by my driving instructor when I learnt to drive although I don't ever recall being told why - I found that out later

Chris

[VadMan]

PeteG said:

bluetone said:

(though note that cyclists don't make noise...)

...until you hit them

Ha. Was about to say the same


I always make sure the car is in neutral, but never press the clutch, didn't realise it made much of a difference!

[The Black Flash]

Not normally, just a wiggle of the stick to check that it's out of gear. It's surprising (to me) how many people don't do either, "because I always park it out of gear".

I don't buy the "reduced wear" argument of having the clutch down. I can't imagine that it would make any measureable difference.

[bluetone]

The Black Flash said:

I don't buy the "reduced wear" argument of having the clutch down. I can't imagine that it would make any measureable difference.

I am minded to agree, though presumably is less wear/strain on the starter motor? I suspect this is one of those procedures that made sense years and years a go when cars were a lot less reliable..?

[crisisjez]

doodles19 said:

I think its an advanced driving thing tbh, everyone I know who doesn't do advanced driving just starts it after checking its not in gear, whereas others who do advanced driving or have done in the past always make sure the clutch is down, force of habit really.

Not at all.

[The Black Flash]

bluetone said:

The Black Flash said:

I don't buy the "reduced wear" argument of having the clutch down. I can't imagine that it would make any measureable difference.

I am minded to agree, though presumably is less wear/strain on the starter motor? I suspect this is one of those procedures that made sense years and years a go when cars were a lot less reliable..?

Yeah, but the force required to turn a gearbox input shaft when the box is in neutral is tiny, especially when compared to the force required to turn the engine over. So I can't see it actually making the blindest bit of difference.