Do you need to press the clutch every time you brake? It's a
common question a lot of new drivers ask. You need to press the clutch if you want to stop
or nearly stop.
Otherwise, the car will stall.
You also need to press the clutch when you want to change gear.
If you need to slow down for something like a bend then you only need to release the gas and
you might need to brake, but no clutch is necessary unless you need to change gear,
as you're not stopping or almost stopping.
You'll have less control if you press the clutch unnecessarily like this. This is called coasting
which means that the car is freewheeling. The car is moving but it isn't being driven by the engine.
Which then reduces your control of the car. It could also lead to the car increasing speed
downhill as you have no engine braking. This means that you might have to brake even more.
For this next bend, I'll come off the gas and brake a little to slow down
but no clutch is necessary as I'm not changing gear, stopping or nearly stopping.
I'm approaching a roundabout. I'll release the gas
and brake as I need to give way to the right. This time I have to press the clutch
as I need to change to first gear and almost stop. Gas and biting point to go.
Anytime you want to drive slower than about five miles per hour, you'll have to press the clutch,
otherwise, there's a good chance the car will stop.
Stopping for the traffic light. Brake
and then clutch down about two car lengths before you want to stop so that the car doesn't stall.
Now I'm waiting. Parking brake on,
select neutral and now I can come off the pedals and rest my feet.
Slowing down for this corner. Release the gas pedal and brake lightly. The clutch isn't needed.
This time I do need to press the clutch as I'm stopping and changing to first gear.
I shouldn't have pressed the clutch here as I wasn't changing gear,
stopping or nearly stopping. I just needed to brake to slow down.
Slow down and change down gears if necessary before turning
but make sure you gently release the clutch before you turn so that you don't coast like this.
Don't forget, if you coast you'll have less control. If I needed to accelerate a little
to turn into this road then I wouldn't have been able to as the clutch was pressed down.
Brake and clutch down as I need to change gear and I'm going to be driving slower
than about five miles per hour. Now gas and biting point to creep slowly.
If you want to know whether to press the brake or clutch
first when stopping or slowing down then watch this video next.
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