AgaBoogaBoo
Lifer
- Feb 16, 2003
- 26,108
- 5
- 81
Perhaps it would make an interesting reading for you:
California Driving Code:
Coasting Prohibited
21710. The driver of a motor vehicle when traveling on down grade upon any highway shall not coast with the gears of such vehicle in neutral.
I can assure you, every state has the similiar code. The reason behind it is that when a car is coasting in neutral you have much less control over it. If the road situationc hanges abruptly, you will lose precious time trying to pop in the right gear and rev match it, then stepping on the gas and driving away. If you are in the right gear -> you just press on the gas. Modern cars do not suffer from poor brake performance while teh car is in neutral, but old cars do. Yet another reason. If you need to coast down the hill - do so in the fifth gear.
When I had a standard car, I always left my car in 1st gear when it was parked so I never had a reason to do that.
I really dont see how it makes you have less control. If theres suddenly a crash ahead, you just slam on your brakes, its going to stop in the same distance as if you were in gear. If youre coasting down a hill what kind of situation calls for you to suddenly accelerate... and it take about half a second to put the car in gear.
Coasting reduces driver control because
- engine braking is eliminated
- vehicle speed downhill will increase quickly
- increased use of the footbrake can reduce its effectiveness. Ask truckers how some of them die on steep downhills when they fry their brakes and scream for help into the radio)
- steering response will be affected particularly on bends and corners. Cops know this and set up traps at the bottom of the gusty hills. They can easily spot out coasters, because under gusty winds their cars sway like drunks in the lane.
- it may be more difficult to select the appropriate gear when needed. Do you drive an M3 with 300 hp where you can pop in 5th and still accelerate fairly rapidly? Didn't think so.
Yep, I do it. Sorta like a baseball player who wiggles the bat, I Do it in anticipation of the greenlight then I swing for the fences.
Well, not always, sometimes I just try to move the runners.
Well, not always, sometimes I just try to move the runners.
DrPizza
Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
*wiggle wiggle* oh ever so hard! 
More of a habit than anything else. And to make sure that before I release the clutch the car's not in gear, otherwise I may hit the fella stopped in front of me, or the car choking to a dead stall. I hate that feeling.
More of a habit than anything else. And to make sure that before I release the clutch the car's not in gear, otherwise I may hit the fella stopped in front of me, or the car choking to a dead stall. I hate that feeling.
DrPizza
Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
1. You must not drive very often, because you sound like your driving skills, quite honestly, suck. Seriously. (or, you've only driven a standard a month or so). "difficult to select the appropriate gear" = lack of driving experience.
2. The difference between trucks and cars is a LOT more energy that needs to be dissipated as heat in the brakes. Kinetic Energy = 1/2 *mass*velocity squared.
3. I don't know about your car, but on my car and everyone's I know, the braking ability is limited by the amount of traction the tires can provide. If I can lock my tires with my brakes, engine braking isn't going to provide me with one iota of improvement in stopping ability.
4. I do agree with you in some regards... if the slope of the hill is steep enough that the car accelerates to a speed beyond what is desired, "riding the brakes" could cause them to overheat, especially on very long slopes, and especially if you have a car with poor quality rotors. In that case, downshifting may allow engine braking. But, the degree to which that's necessary and or effective will vary by vehicle. ex. My wife's car easily hits (unknown > 65 speed) on a nearby hill (in neutral). My pathfinder maxes out at around 62 or 63 mph when in neutral on that hill.
5. Just because it's a law in California doesn't mean that even a majority of other states have a similar law. - wtf would they have a law in Kansas controlling what you can and can't do on hills?!
edit:
and
6. Why would a car sway because it was coasting?! That doesn't make any sense to me at all. Perhaps you could explain it to me. Furthermore, how could a cop prove it?? My old car used to sway in the wind gusts, I think it was because of worn shocks.
Now that I think about it I do, although I dont know if its to make sure I'mm in neutral. More of a habit that I have for no reason.
Don Vito Corleone
Elite
- Feb 10, 2000
- 30,029
- 67
- 91
That might fly if there are no major hills where you live, but it's dangerous not to use engine braking on long, steep hills. Your brakes won't work well once the brake fluid starts to boil (and it will), not to mention that your brake grease can eventually catch fire.
p.s. - you should really edit your post as a courtesy - it makes for a LOT of scrolling.
masterxfob
Diamond Member
- May 20, 2001
- 7,366
- 5
- 81
masterxfob
Diamond Member
- May 20, 2001
- 7,366
- 5
- 81
IGBT
Lifer
- Jul 16, 2001
- 17,976
- 141
- 106
When I drove a stick I did..then let the clutch out in neutral and listen for thrust bearing and throwout bearing noise..put your ear to the stick and listen...If the trans is shot you'll hear internal noise as well..fuggen Toyogoyo boxes in the Toyotas and Ford Ranger (early) were notorious for neutral noise when things started to trash out in them...
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