I'm not stepping on my brake pedal!

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Shadow
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I'm not stepping on my brake pedal!

Post by Shadow »

Yesterday I was driving on a 3-lane highway that goes through my town. The road has lots of traffic lights everywhere. I was stopped at a light when this girl in an Acura TSX pulls up next to me and the following conversation ensues:

Her: "hey...your brake lights aren't working!"

Me: "I'm not stepping on my brake pedal!"

Her: "Then why isn't your car moving?"

Me: "The car is a stick."

Her: "What?"

Me: "A stick shift. Not an automatic."

Her: "An automatic what?"

Me: "Transmission."

Her: "Oh, okay. So you don't have to use your brakes?"

Me: "Not while I'm waiting for the light to turn green."

Her: "But you had to use them to stop?

Me: "Yes. But not to stay stopped. Unless I stop on a hill."

Her: "So why are your brake lights not working?"

Me: "They do work. I don't have my foot on the brake pedal at this very moment."

Her: (with a very confused look on her face) "Oh....okay.


At that point the light turned green and the conversation was over. I laughed a little and then wondered how many people out there are clueless when it comes to manual transmissions. I should probably keep my foot on the brake pedal when I'm stopped, but I've always had a bad habit of releasing the brakes when I'm on level ground. Does anyone else do that often?
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Re: I'm not stepping on my brake pedal!

Post by mad_finn »

If the car isn't moving, I never use brake, but I do keep my foot ready on the brake in case the car starts moving cause the ground wasn't as level as I tought / some1 bumps me wich would cause my car to roll trough red light.
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Shadow
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Re: I'm not stepping on my brake pedal!

Post by Shadow »

Yeah, I think keeping the brakes on is probably the better option, but for whatever reason I usually just sit in neutral without my foot on the brake pedal the majority of the time. It's a habit that I formed long ago and it just seems to be something that I continue to do.

If someone approaching me from behind doesn't realize I'm stopped (because my brake lights aren't on), that wouldn't be a good thing, right?
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Re: I'm not stepping on my brake pedal!

Post by AHTOXA »

Same happened to me a few years back. Lady told me my brake lights were out as she pulled up to we while I was stopped.
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Re: I'm not stepping on my brake pedal!

Post by six »

Shadow wrote:Yeah, I think keeping the brakes on is probably the better option, but for whatever reason I usually just sit in neutral without my foot on the brake pedal the majority of the time. It's a habit that I formed long ago and it just seems to be something that I continue to do.

If someone approaching me from behind doesn't realize I'm stopped (because my brake lights aren't on), that wouldn't be a good thing, right?
No, that wouldn't be a good thing.
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Re: I'm not stepping on my brake pedal!

Post by Warner »

When I first started driving a manual ~7 years ago, I once let my car just roll backwards out of a parking space without putting it in reverse. My friend told me my reverse lights were out and I just told him that I wasn't in reverse. That's when I realized that I should probably put my car in reverse even if I can naturally roll backwards. It's pretty dangerous to reverse with no reverse lights.
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Re: I'm not stepping on my brake pedal!

Post by FDSpirit »

I tend to leave my foot on the brake on the off chance somebody just assumes I'm moving and guns it. I had that happen one time and the light wasn't even green :| .
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Re: I'm not stepping on my brake pedal!

Post by Squint »

I normally have my foot on the brake, but occasionally will do what Shadow did. Usually when there's not much traffic around. But, if someone runs into you just because your brake lights aren't on, they are an idiot. They should be observing closing speed, any applicable lights/signs, and any other traffic on the road. Lights should be the first indicator someone is slowing down, but far from the ONLY indicator.

That being said, the sheeple are just that. So I usually use the brakes... :lol: 8)
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Re: I'm not stepping on my brake pedal!

Post by tankinbeans »

Shadow wrote:If someone approaching me from behind doesn't realize I'm stopped (because my brake lights aren't on), that wouldn't be a good thing, right?
If an approaching motorist doesn't recognize that your car is getting bigger and bigger is that really your problem? There's a reason why the driver behind is usually always assumed to be at fault for an accident.


WRT to the original question; I just sit at the light with the clutch in (not confident in my reaction time to sit it neutral and be able to shift quickly enough) and foot on brake.

Lately I've been working to try and time the lights so I can keep the clutch out until needed. I've been trying to guage when one will change based on oncoming traffic and I've been monitoring the perpendicular streets' lights out of the corner of my eye.
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Re: I'm not stepping on my brake pedal!

Post by bk7794 »

I do the same thing sometimes...but then I get concerned that someone is going to plow into me thinking that I am moving...so I generally keep my foot on the brake.

I did find that conversation funny. Reminds me of when I was at this space museum and this guy that worked there said that people ask him what the Space shuttle was.
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Re: I'm not stepping on my brake pedal!

Post by potownrob »

i usually keep the brake at least part-way down - not just since i'm liable to roll back a little without realizing it at first, but also in case someone comes behind me. there have been times when i thought if anything i was heading downhill at a stop, then i rolled back when i let off the brakes :shock: :) :o 8)
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Re: I'm not stepping on my brake pedal!

Post by Jastreb »

bk7794 wrote: I did find that conversation funny. Reminds me of when I was at this space museum and this guy that worked there said that people ask him what the Space shuttle was.
:cry: :( And that is why the United States is no longer a spacefaring nation.

As far as the topic at hand, I usually hold the brakes for several seconds after stopping and then release. That should hopefully give the people behind me ample notice that I am stopped.
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Re: I'm not stepping on my brake pedal!

Post by Shadow »

tankinbeans wrote: If an approaching motorist doesn't recognize that your car is getting bigger and bigger is that really your problem? There's a reason why the driver behind is usually always assumed to be at fault for an accident.
Yeah, but if I get hit from behind, then it becomes my problem too. Even if I'm not at fault, I still have a wrecked car and the potential for injury. Like I said, it's a bad habit and I should probably make an effort to break it.
WRT to the original question; I just sit at the light with the clutch in (not confident in my reaction time to sit it neutral and be able to shift quickly enough) and foot on brake.
I hardly ever do that. It only takes a half second to engage the clutch and shift to 1st gear.
Lately I've been working to try and time the lights so I can keep the clutch out until needed. I've been trying to guage when one will change based on oncoming traffic and I've been monitoring the perpendicular streets' lights out of the corner of my eye.
If the light turns green and you're sitting in neutral with your foot off the clutch pedal, why does it matter if it takes you a second or two to get your car moving? The people behind you will wait (it's not like they have a choice, right?) until you get moving. And even if you come across someone who is impatient, what will they do? Honk their horn? No big deal....
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Re: I'm not stepping on my brake pedal!

Post by AHTOXA »

I hardly ever keep my foot on the brake while stopped on flat terrain.
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Re: I'm not stepping on my brake pedal!

Post by FDSpirit »

potownrob wrote:i usually keep the brake at least part-way down - not just since i'm liable to roll back a little without realizing it at first, but also in case someone comes behind me. there have been times when i thought if anything i was heading downhill at a stop, then i rolled back when i let off the brakes :shock: :) :o 8)
I remember I rolled back a teeny tiny bit and this woman behind me honked :lol: . The best part was she was like 2 car lengths behind me.
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