I passed in 2004 and was taught that if you’re first in the queue then foot on clutch, first gear and handbrake applied, ready to go. Any other position in the queue, then out of gear, feet on floor and handbrake applied.
Welshman:
toby1234abc:
I was told that they are taught now to keep the car in gear and clutch engaged while waiting at lights,as i was taught to take it out of gear,handbrake on,if a car hit you from you behind,there is no control with it in gear.The trouble with that is by the time every car selects 1st gear and releases the hand brake the boody lights have turned red again
This.
I passed my test November 9th 2010, so coming up in a year and we were taught handbrake of and in neutral. You can sit with it in gear however if you don’t expect to be stationary long (ie approaching a que of traffic while the lights change to green again).
Also, my car has an electronic handbrake, you pull a button up and it engages the handbrake, you lift the clutch slightly and give it a rev and it will disengage the h/brake.
I thought the new thinking was if you are first car at the lights you should be in gear and handbrake on, ready to go as soon as the lights turn green, instead of where is first gear then where is the handbrake the lights have been at green for a few seconds before some get going,
Correct Gardun, h/brake then neutral.
Its even more important these days with most cars having high level brake lights and especially in the wet, that you should not sit with your foot on the brake for any amount of time when there is anything behind you.
Its extremely irritating when you are the one behind and very selfish. Auto box no excuse.
Correct 1st car waits in gear… for novice drivers. More experienced should be in neutral & watching for the cross lights to change to red.
ROG:
On the advanced it is frowned upon to have brake lights on with another behind if for more than 2 or 3 secondsFirst in queue at lights out of gear, handbrake on, feet on floor and arms folded - lights go red/amber so engage first/look in n/s mirror then release handbrake/look in o/s mirror - GO (if safe) and a lights have been on green for half a second … sorted
Rog, are you IAM by any chance?
toby1234abc:
I was told that they are taught now to keep the car in gear and clutch engaged while waiting at lights,as i was taught to take it out of gear,handbrake on,if a car hit you from you behind,there is no control with it in gear.
ADI states that you approach a red light, handbrake on and in neutral. Rog has stated what I presume to be IAM, In RoSpA we would try not to stop at a red light but keep the car moving and time our approach so that the lights change to green as we approach, if we NEED (RoSpa), to stop then we would apply the hand brake then neutral but we would keep our foot on the foot brake until the approaching vehicle from behind us HAS STOPPED! Once we are sure it has stopped we release the foot brake. I take the inference that you are talking about learning to drive, in this case the ADI approach is applicable, all the others are used in advanced driving.
@ lee mc67
I agree! Also with Driver1UK!
I believe that RoSpA and IAM are much the same - Roadcraft. In fact I know from examiners and observers/trainers/police class1 that they are with the exception of RoSpA’s grading system. The same thinking would apply to your scenario, but it is not always possible to keep moving. Sometimes you know the sequence of the lights and are aware that you may be some time waiting. In this case just approach the stop line and stop as above!
General advice - if you have time to wonder whether or not to apply the handbrake then the answer is probably yes!!
Out of gear, handbrake on for me.
Imagine the amout of clutch wear with foot down on the clutch!
rambo19- having your foot on the clutch doesn’t do any thing to the clutch plate it’s self, as that iis fully disconnected from the fly wheel and pressure plate, what dose get stressed is the clutch cable/hydralic’s (slave and master cylinder), the relases fork and the relases bearing. but doing what some one said what they do rock the car on the clutch put’s very large load on ever componaint, and also build’s up a hell of a lot of heat.
lee mc67:
ROG:
On the advanced it is frowned upon to have brake lights on with another behind if for more than 2 or 3 secondsFirst in queue at lights out of gear, handbrake on, feet on floor and arms folded - lights go red/amber so engage first/look in n/s mirror then release handbrake/look in o/s mirror - GO (if safe) and a lights have been on green for half a second … sorted
Rog, are you IAM by any chance?
YUP
Senior observer with the Leicester group
Handbrake on and in neutral. If you put it in neutral before handbrake on you are no longer in control surely? At least that’s what I was taught.
Sitting for ages at a junction with your foot on the brake and in gear is a definite no no for me. Especially if you’re a new driver and facing uphill. Lots would roll straight into the car behind when the lights change/road clears! Soon as you release the brake - back you would go.
It takes practise to be able to catch it without!! 
gardun:
@ lee mc67I agree! Also with Driver1UK!
I believe that RoSpA and IAM are much the same - Roadcraft. In fact I know from examiners and observers/trainers/police class1 that they are with the exception of RoSpA’s grading system.
Somehow I’ve managed to lul them into a false sense of security to give me a RoSPA Gold 3 times now. 
(You have to retake every 3 years).
Driveroneuk:
gardun:
@ lee mc67I agree! Also with Driver1UK!
I believe that RoSpA and IAM are much the same - Roadcraft. In fact I know from examiners and observers/trainers/police class1 that they are with the exception of RoSpA’s grading system.
Somehow I’ve managed to lul them into a false sense of security to give me a RoSPA Gold 3 times now.
(You have to retake every 3 years).
I get my driving assessed every year either by another senior observer(FREE), an examiner(£35), a staff examiner in my area(GROUP PAY) or by taking the special assessment and travelling to a staff examiner outside my area(£65)
My take on it and what I took car test again back in '06
First in queue, first gear, clutch down, handbrake on, unless you can see cross lights and going to be sat for a bit.
Second back or more, neutral, feet off, handbrake on, get ready when cross lights/traffic change/stop if you can see, or get ready on red & amber.
This is more or less what I still do today, in the car or truck, I never hold on the clutch/footbrake, let the handbrake do the work.
I presume some people have never had proper lessons if they wait at lights with the clutch in as they couldn’t have been told to drive that way, but it’s (I hope) their car they’re wearing out. “They won’t get there any quicker”. Thoughtless, lazy and uncaring about people possibly being dazzled behind though.
Am I the only one that doesn’t have a problem with the alleged “glare” from the brake lights in front?
Depends how I feel whether I’ll use handbrake or foot brake. I’ll always use handbrake on a steep uphill incline and usually for same downhill, but depends on the junction as well and how fast/slow the lights usually change. If the people behind can’t deal with red lights “blinding” them then may I suggest they put their DLs in an envelope and send them to Swansea to be cancelled and leave those of us that can actually drive from A to B without moaning about everything to get on with it. It makes no sense to moan about this anyway seeing as most modern traffic light sets have red lights which are far brighter than anything you’d find on the back of a car/truck. Do you want them all turned off as well to protect your poor hurt peepers? PATHETIC. 
Snudger:
I presume some people have never had proper lessons if they wait at lights with the clutch in as they couldn’t have been told to drive that way, but it’s (I hope) their car they’re wearing out. “They won’t get there any quicker”. Thoughtless, lazy and uncaring about people possibly being dazzled behind though.
Are you saying that with the clutch in (disengaged) that the car wears out quicker?
If so then that is quite correct as the input shaft on the gearbox is not spinning therefore the clutch plate takes a little longer to catch up with the flywheel when released (engaged). But that extra wear is negligible, and possibly offset by the fact the gearbox aint spinning. Oh and I do get away from the lights a little quicker than those who sit in neutral, not that I’m bothered, cos they’ll catch me at the next set of red lights/roundabout/pedestrian crossing/junction/queue etc etc.
Oh and I was definitely taught that way and passed twice using this method, and the 2 assessments I’ve had since haven’t picked up on it, although I did get some extra brown nose points for excellent use of the handbrake. Maybe Pete Smythe should be given the heads up when I abuse his vehicle next year.
toby1234abc:
I was told that they are taught now to keep the car in gear and clutch engaged while waiting at lights,as i was taught to take it out of gear,handbrake on,if a car hit you from you behind,there is no control with it in gear.
so from this post toby i would think you don’t like keeping the car in gear
toby1234abc:
Lights change,they just sit there,by the time they have worked out where the foot pedals and gear is,it is too late,the lights change,and i have moved a metre,they fidget,stroke the hair,adjust the rear view mirror,check their text message in box,water the flower if driving a yellow VW Beatle,it is so tempting to let a few rounds off from the audible warning device to wake them up.
Some will leave a gap,the size of the Titanic,so when the lights change,they are too far away to make it through the orange light,and then have to haul anchors up,as they won`t make it though
and from this post of yours in september you seem to think it would be better to keep it in gear
make your mind up toby 
Rob K:
Am I the only one that doesn’t have a problem with the alleged “glare” from the brake lights in front?Depends how I feel whether I’ll use handbrake or foot brake. I’ll always use handbrake on a steep uphill incline and usually for same downhill, but depends on the junction as well and how fast/slow the lights usually change. If the people behind can’t deal with red lights “blinding” them then may I suggest they put their DLs in an envelope and send them to Swansea to be cancelled and leave those of us that can actually drive from A to B without moaning about everything to get on with it. It makes no sense to moan about this anyway seeing as most modern traffic light sets have red lights which are far brighter than anything you’d find on the back of a car/truck. Do you want them all turned off as well to protect your poor hurt peepers? PATHETIC.
Well I was sat behind a white van the other night and he kept his foot on the brake every time the queue stopped…okay it happens…
…but this [zb] had a busted lens on his offside rear light so I got a nice 21w white light in my face all the time 
TC
You are all wrong! 
Overtake every vehicle 100 yds before crossing or lights, skid to a halt, turn music up louder and turn bass up, sit with foot on brake and accelerator, the new heel and toe method, check texts, pass a spliff round, make a phone call, when lights turn to red / amber, stall engine. wave at passing motorists with middle finger while attempting to restart engine.