How do you slow down?

[toString]

I was thinking about this the other day, not sure why..

My driving instructor (who also taught the police) told me to change down through the gears while breaking to slow.
However, I did a 'driver improvement course' a few years later (oops!) and he told me "use breaks to slow, gears to go". i.e. break until you don't need to any more, and then change gear to the one you need.

So which is best and why?

 

[needmorespeed]

I change down the gears as i slow down as you'll normally be in the right gear for the siuation instead of having to change after you have slowed

 

[Nozzer]

I believe IAM don't teach the 'down the box' method, as in theory an average driver spends more time coasting than in gear, during a fairly rapid stop.

I usually come down the gears casually, 'cos it sounds good

 

[Adz]

I change down the gears as i slow down

Same. It's much better for 'progressive' driving in my limited experience.

 

[SKILL]

Personally I use the gears, I engine brake quite a lot quite often not even touching the brakes for ages, I was taught the same as you though, brake and go down the gears, that way i'd always be in the 'right' gear is basically what my driving instructor said.

Currently driving an auto though, very odd not being able to engine brake to the same extent...

 

[kaiowas]

Rightly or wrongly I tend to use engine braking quite a lot, in some cases I'll drop a gear instead of using the brakes.

 

[siztenboots]

Brake pads are a lot cheaper to replace than a clutch/gearbox

 

[Nozzer]

Brake pads are a lot cheaper to replace than a clutch/gearbox

If you're matching the revs correctly as you move down the gears, the wear on the drivetrain should be minimal. I realise that's tricky to do in most cars, though.

 

[Tesla]

I use the brakes to stop/slow the car.

So if I am in 4th doing 40mph and approach a set of traffic lights I will slow down using the brake, then just before the car starts to go all lumpy slowly depress the clutch whilst still slowing, say i get to 10mph and the lights go green then change to 2nd and accelerate away.

I don't see how changing down through the box makes you more ready to go?

 

[arcamalpha]

I think for day to day driving, for most people, it's best to use the brakes to slow, then change to appropriate gear to accelerate again.

This puts the force on the brakes which are cheap to replace as against the engine which obviously isn't. Also braking whilst changing down requires heel and toe to achieve consistent braking force whilst using the brakes alone does not.

Personally, I decide based on circumstances. If I know that I'm only going to need to drop one or two cogs, then I'll change prior to or during the braking and then carry on in the new gear. Otherwise I tend to use the brakes and then change ready to accelerate again.

I think Nozzer is right, than most of us coast quite a bit when we brake. On normal roads it shouldn't be necessary to brake then immediately accelerate so the delay whilst selecting the correct gear doesn't matter. Those who claim that they need to be able to immediately accelerate (as you would do on a race track) clearly aren't thinking far enough ahead (IMO).

 

[rare]

Clutch in, rev, down a gear. If you time it right you can pretty much get away with out having to touch the brakes in a lot of incidents, ie coming up to a roundabout.

 

[Nitro_Junkie]

instructor up to september last year told me to use engine braking by going through the gears, new instructor when I get back from uni this summer said brake and shift straight into the gear you want, so go figure

school of thought seems to change regularly on this (btoh were turbo diesels btw)

 

[Nozzer]

I use the brakes to stop/slow the car.

So if I am in 4th doing 40mph and approach a set of traffic lights I will slow down using the brake, then just before the car starts to go all lumpy slowly depress the clutch whilst still slowing, say i get to 10mph and the lights go green then change to 2nd and accelerate away.

I don't see how changing down through the box makes you more ready to go?

Say you had, for whatever reason, to suddenly accelerate as you were slowing down. Had you changed down to 3rd, instead of being in 4th at low revs, you'd accelerate a lot faster. With 4th, you'll struggle to pull away as fast. Unless you drive an RS6 or something.

 

[GlasgowTitan]

My instructor taught me to slow in the gear you are in, and when the revs drop low, clutch in. "brakes to slow gears to go" is familiar for me also.

 

[NickXX]

I use the brakes to stop/slow the car.

So if I am in 4th doing 40mph and approach a set of traffic lights I will slow down using the brake, then just before the car starts to go all lumpy slowly depress the clutch whilst still slowing, say i get to 10mph and the lights go green then change to 2nd and accelerate away.

I don't see how changing down through the box makes you more ready to go?

I do this. Don't see the point in changing down.

 

[Gilly]

My various instructors all told me I'd fail by using engine braking on my test.

 

[Mr_Sukebe]

In normal day to day, plan ahead, and back off the accelerator a lot earlier than most, meaning that even braking isn't required as much. Post that, use the brakes to get down to the required speed, followed by changing to the appropriate gear. Saves a whole lot of widdling around with the gearstick and clutch.

If I'm in more of a rush, heal and toe through the gears to ensure that the car is balanced in the bendy bits.

 

[Tesla]

Say you had, for whatever reason, to suddenly accelerate as you were slowing down. Had you changed down to 3rd, instead of being in 4th at low revs, you'd accelerate a lot faster. With 4th, you'll struggle to pull away as fast. Unless you drive an RS6 or something.

I cannot really think of a reason I would need to accelerate stupidly fast.

Although my Mondeo is no power house I could probably change down a gear or two and accelerate back up to 40 or 50mph much quicker than most of the cars on our roads.

 

[monkeyspank]

My misses brakes, and goes down through all the gears but with the clutch pressed in the whole time

I just use my breaks to slow, and select which gear I want, match the engine speed and engage clutch. + speed off into the sunset

 

[Nathan]

I do this. Don't see the point in changing down.

same. All this about "matching revs on the down change to slow down" sounds like excessive bs to me. Just plan ahead and slow down accordingly lifting off the go pedel.