When I first started I didn’t really think about downshifting when slowing down. As I got more comfortable with the manual, I learned the right speeds to downshift smoothly and do it pretty much all the time now. It just makes driving more active and is more entertaining, specially when you throw in some rev matching.

To be honest, I find myself doing both methods. Just depends where I'm driving and the situation infront I'm in

One thing I truly appreciate about driving manual transmission vehicles, is that there is a great deal of variety in technique, strategy, and discipline. No two people drive manual in precisely the same way.

American here. I usually rev match down a gear at least once, maybe twice when approaching a stop. Sort of a compromise between using my brakes and using engine braking. I was told, on fuel injected cars, engine braking used little to no fuel, so if I find myself going down a steep enough hill, I'll downshift to gear that lets me maintain a steady speed down the hill without using gas or brake. Plus, downshifting like that is the perfect excuse to listen to my straight-piped exhaust.

I do both, it really depends on the situation for me. Like if I am on 4th gear and a red light comes up I will just brake and stop, then put it on 1st for moving off. But if it's like roundabouts or junctions, I'll slow to 2nd gear (and then 1st if it's needed).

Once again, a cracking pair of socks!

As a 20 year old American about to buy their first manual car tomorrow, I found all your videos super helpful!! Definitely the best tutorials on KZfaq. Thanks so much :)

Downshifting through the gears as you slow is definitely pretty complicated for beginners, but I think it's important to do as soon as you learn it. I was taught, here in the states, that you should stay in gear as long as possible so that you have maximum control over the car in case something bad were to happen (brake failure coming to mind, as if you're in gear you can control and decelerate the car to a degree without brakes)

Hello! I’m in the army and we’re taught manual driving. I’ve had issues learning manual but your videos have helped me a lot! I studied using your videos even though I’m driving one of those massive army trucks but everything still applies to it. Just yesterday I did my test and I managed to pass so thanks very much for all the informative content that you put out 🙏🏼

If, when shifting down you are "rev matching" you will likely find you have much less wear on your clutch compared to without rev matching. I tend to slow with the brakes, downshift with rev match and repeat until I'm going slow enough for the situation, I rarely rev match if I'm going into 1st and similarly to this video will only go into 1st if I'm going to be stopping. In the right gear for any situation, minimal wear on synchros, clutch & brakes and not too hard to do if you've been driving for a few years and give it a go. Rev matching properly, there is 0 jerking motion or clutch spinning and it's extremely smooth. The "work" involved is irrelevant once it becomes muscle memory, but I didn't start rev matching for about 2 years of driving experience. When I first started driving, I would still change down the gears when braking as I was taught this way by my instructor and regardless of your rev matching abilities, it will save you a lot of hassle once you get used to the clutch in your car! In my opinion, braking and shifting down with rev matching is the best possible way for slowing down with very little to no disadvantages. In terms of making something "easier", definitely for starting, but the best method should always be the end goal and doing something the "easy" way shouldn't be the end game.

I like to use the engine braking technique when I'm slowing down because I'm a fan of massive stopping zones and also never actually coming to a stop when I can avoid it. Thing is that it's all intuitive for me as I've never actually looked into the actual theory of it

I started driving in 2016 and I can say that my driving drastically improved just by watching your excellent videos. You always make driving a manual so fun and thrilling. If I ever come to the UK, I'll sign up for Conquer Driving to master reverse parking!

Passed my test this morning (2nd attempt). I learned with family, so your videos were immensely helpful. Thank you and keep up the amazing work!

My instructor has never gone into detail about this so I've always wondered! As a learner, simply applying the clutch and then selecting the appropriate gear after coming to a near stop is MUCH easier. Still, as I've gained more driving experience and began to appreciate the benefits of engine braking, I do sometimes go down each gear in turn when I'm coming up to a junction or when the traffic in front of me is having a hard idea deciding what it's doing...Just wanted to say your video on 'stopping in two stages' has helped me a lot here and made a marked difference to my driving!

I had questions in my mind and couldn't find the answers anywhere on the internet, yet they've all been cleared up in just one video! Thanks for being so informative and concise!

Engine braking can be pretty important when towing a large trailer. In my 5 speed pickup truck I would typically downshift from 5th, 4th, then 3rd... after that I would simply shift into neutral and use the brake.

Thanks so much for this video! I'm about to go for a drive with my dad and was just wandering about when to change gears. You're easily one of the best driving channels on youtube!

I am happy to say that I finally passed my driving test with 4 minors. Your videos are very insightful and have helped a lot so I have to say thank you. It still feels surreal that I can drive on my own.

I haven't had lessons for a while because I got overwhelmed and felt I just couldn't do it down shifting was one of my problem areas it stressed me out I had to down shift each gear matching them with the revs Your videos are giving me the confidence to try again you explain everything so clearly thank you for your content

The main advantage of engine breaking is that you use a lot less fuel. 0mph while the engine is breaking while you use maybe 1l/h ideling

It’s refreshing to hear from such an understanding and encouraging instructor. As someone who has had his license for over 15 years I can safely say I use both methods dependent on situation. For smooth daily driving I don’t row down the gears but will jump to second for the last few seconds before coming to a complete stop. That’s just my habit to ensure I’m in a gear and ready to go if needed, like the lights are changing. However if I go for a spirited drive or track day the engine brake method is 100% used and spend as much time with engine and gearbox engaged as possible because you will really feel the benefits of engine braking when at speed and higher up the rev range, but to avoid jerkiness and upsetting the car’s balance when you do I recommend practicing and using heel (side of your foot) and toe technique as well.

I really love your videos. Helped me learn a lot. My current instructor is a nice fellow but didnt teach me a lot of stuffs like engine braking and rev matching. Thanks to you I have learnt a few extra concepts :)

19 year old new Manuel driver here. I am watching these videos now as I am learning how not to stall and just drive around. I will eventually learn downshifting but start small and you will learn everything you needa know.

Phenomenal video as always! Some of the topics you cover provide answers to the things that took me 15 years to find out on my own.

Best thing to do is when you have more experience behind the wheel you can start rev match downshifting by blipping throttle mid downshift - Always ready to go, less wear on brakes, less to none wear on clutch and less fuel consumption

I never thought that was a question. Always better, more controlled, easier on brakes, and faster to down shift. When first learning you can totally just use the brakes though. But definitely learn downshifting and get good at it.

Best videos for learning manual, hands down. Still checking out these videos to analyze my own driving techniques and improve them using these guides

I learned how to drive manual from KZfaq tips and suggestions. I’m so glad I found this channel. I learned how to downshift the hard way 1st. Later I learned how to downshift with less wear on my clutch, which I’m sure already has some wear due to me stalling so many times. I coast so much more often when coming to a complete stop now, after watching many helpful tips from this channel. I would always prefer more wear on my brakes than my clutch. Good luck to those who are learning to drive manual for the first time. It’s a great skill to have that many don’t have. Also, you worry less about someone stealing your car.

You taught me so much from your videos. I bought my first manual car yesterday and it's thanks to your videos that I had the courage to take it out on the road and thanks to the knowledge you shared that I had zero stalls, though it would have been okay even if I did. Thanks so much for sharing such informative videos. I ran into the first gear issue today when I repeatedly tried to engine brake with first gear but it wouldn't engage. I thought something was wrong with the car so when I got back, first thing was look for a video on downshifting/engine braking and in the first 90 seconds you've already talked about why I was experiencing that 'issue'

You always cover the topics which no driver instructor ever talks about. You're a gem❤ Keep it going buddy.... Love from India

You are an incredible instructor! Thank you so so much for making such great videos and sharing them for free

You make such a difference/positive impact to me learning manual, thank you for making it easier to learn.

I’m currently playing American Truck Simulator and it’s amazing how much I’ve learned about driving and changing gears. I’ve never driven manual before but I knew, understood and practiced what this gentlemen is showing in that game! I highly recommend it as a learning tool for ALL drivers.

As a truck driver that drives a 10 speed manual it's always a good thing to downshift. Because that light might turn green as soon as you get to it & you'll be in the right gear or at least near the right gear when it's time to move but cars are different not so many gears & not as heavy

Your videos helped me a lot when I learned how to drive my manual car. One of the things that clicked for me was when you would brake & let off the clutch to go into gear. I used to think you could only downshift if you rev matched. Everything changed when I realized I didn’t need to blip the gas, I could just ease off the clutch while braking. Very simple & makes sense for any experienced manual driver, but it was the “click” moment for me.

My instructor was adamant about shifting down which I couldn't do very well at all and I got scolded for damaging his gearbox. Once I passed my test I just went driving on an empty road to learn this at my place, wanting to know all there's to know about driving. Nice and helpful, thanks

Advanced Driving recommended technique is your second one. Use brakes to slow and then choose the correct gear that matches your speed.

The main atvantage of engine breaking is in a catastrophic scenarios. A truck driver cut me off once and for me to not hit the rear of the truck I switched from 5- the to 3-rd with my foot slamming the break pedal. To have the engine slowing down the rotation of the wheels as a second instrument lowers the stopping distance of the car in high speed situations

Thank you, Richard! Your info is always thorough and clears up misconceptions in a very understandable way.

I’ve been looking for an answer/video for this for such a long time! Thank you for making this video!!!

I feel like there’s implications for both. When you are comfortable enough with the manual transmission: change down gears to put less wear on brakes, especially when going downhill. If you are still a beginner, focus only on foot braking to reduce confusion . And if you have to come to an emergency stop (children or animal randomly dashes across the road, etc) definitely focus on just braking.

I don’t currently drive a car but I’m just so in love with the manual transmission that I can’t stop watching these videos. Will be taking my driver’s test soon, I hope the experience is just as good as I imagined. Thank you for the videos you do!

Your videos are a great help, 3 weeks ago i was just learning standard, scared to even be in traffic, now 3 weeks in i'm 100% confident, rev matching and downshifting now getting into an automatic is weird

great video and it helps to just hear stuff again you've learned already. I've been taught to brake and shift down gears one by one by my driving instructor. My parents don't do it and whenever I'm in their car as a passenger I notice how often they're braking hard instead of using a lower gear. I've also taught myself to rev match in certain situations to avoid braking at all. Like when I see a red light ~100m away I just rev match in the next lower gear and do nothing else. It's quite helpful and the wear on the clutch is definitely lower.

Like just about everything else in life, it depends on the circumstances. Making it easy for a new driver is always a good idea. Once they become familiar with shifting they can learn downshifting. As someone who has been driving manual gearboxes for some 50 years, I usually downshift as I'm slowing, using both the brakes and the transmission to slow the vehicle. There are times where you need to focus on the road and what is happening ahead of you, in those circumstances I rely more heavily on the brakes and downshift when appropriate. I will also say I have only bought one clutch in my life, that was when I swapped a 440 in place of a 383 in my '68 Roadrunner. It just made sense to install a new clutch while I had the engine on the hoist.

I wish my driving instructor had the same mentality as you. He made it seem mandatory that I'd change down the gears when braking and that it'd be dangerous not to, as I'd be "essentially skipping gears". Needless to say it was a difficult technique to learn for a complete beginner and it made me put my whole focus on that one thing instead of other important aspects of driving

Cheers man for the great video. I really appreciate your explanation on when to down shift in realistic driving situations.

Haha i just commented a question on your older engine breaking video only to see you answered it well here. Thank you for the great vid!

Great information as always! Personally I downshift as I slow down because of the advantages you stated as well as to save a little fuel since it keeps the engine in decel fuel cutoff a little longer. Less brake wear means less dust on the wheels too which I like. I just like shifting too. I don't feel that downshifting causes any appreciable wear on the clutch as long as the revs are matched reasonably well, which I have gotten pretty good at lately. And a clutch kit for my car is about $120 and a few hours of my time to change it, so while I certainly don't abuse it if I need to change it a couple weeks sooner that's not the end of the world to me.

a 32 year old American over here learning how to drive manual from Brits because despite the bravado of our car culture, the stats say we prefer automatics haha.

Thanks buddy, I just changed my mitsubishi L200 D. Cab truck from Auto to Manual transmission....Your videos have helped me a lot to adjust.... Manual Rocks.......Kenya

Thank you for doing this video! Got in a whole argument with an acquaintance about me down shifting through the gears to come to a stop. The argument didn't feel right and this simply reconfirms how I feel about it, which is, it comes down to the driver's preference

I think either is fine as part of safer and considerate driving. I think for long or steep descents, or driving older cars with drums all round or when heavily laden/towing a trailer changing down is an essential technique to save braking efficiency.

Honestly, i think both are good. sometimes, i need to slow down quickly, and don't have time to fiddle with the gears one at a time. just select whatever gear i expect to need and slowly lift the clutch while braking. other times, i do it because it's fun and i enjoy being in gear and letting the inertia run the engine (for fuel efficiency).

Let me just say it this probably one of if not the best channels of driving in the whole of KZfaq!!

Tell u what mate ur videos are so helpful, I had 2 lessons so far and I got problems with the clutch and gears, my driver instructor told me to watch a few YT videos about it and tbh he was right. Brilliant.

There's one other major advantage of changing down gears sequentially as opposed to block changing and that's when driving in the snow. If you brake and block change in the snow or ice you'll lock up and slide far more than just letting the gearbox do the work. This is why older automatics without manual shift option slide such a lot when slowing up. Infact, it's possible to drive in the snow without using the brakes at all if you drive at the correct speed with a manual gearbox. I've now had to show my kids this as they were taught to block change. This may well be a major contributor to the amount of accidents we see in this county as soon as we have a bit of snow on the ground. Great video though 👍

Logic would tell me that it's far easier to change the brakes than the gearbox and/or clutch, so I do prefer the second method, but I can understand why it will make people feel like braking early is less important. Ultimately, I think that is just an adjustment one needs to make to the way they drive, though.

I was Taught this on my Driving Lessons.! It certainly Saves Wear & Tear on the Brakes.! 👍

Your videos are honestly so helpful.

I agree with you on most of your points. It's much simpler for new drivers to not have to think about changing the gears. However, once they get used to it, they should practice rowing through each gears because it helps you get comfortable with shifting through the gears and modulating the clutch. You also learn the connections among current speed, revs and gears by shifting through all the gears as well. The once you are completely comfortable with that, it's easier to just skip gears or clutch in and come to a complete stop, then switch into 1st.

Richard, my daughter passed her test in Norwich on Thursday (first time). Your videos were invaluable. Thank you!

Very helpful! Also love the time stamps and commentary!!!

this man is really really helpful istg. keep up the amazing advices.

Personally in my car that has a slipping clutch at full torque, I slow down in the gear I was In and if then I can keep going, I just select the right gear for that speed, but that does take a little practice to figure out which gear for what speed. Its a 1.9 diesel with a dmf so rev matching is imo quite a bit harder, since the lower the rpm, the longer you have blip the throttle for and with the turbo kicking in somewhere in between, i still haven't quite managed to figure it out. I do however almost always hit the 2nd to 3rd and 3rd to 4th in the perfect time and it feels soo smooth and satisfying. Hopefully I figure out the downshift revmatch someday too, because the one in 10 times I hit it perfect its godlike and I completely understand, why you like to shift down gears using rev matching

As someone who own's and loves classic cars, and I mean non-servo assisted drum brakes. Yes, use the gearbox- those brakes aren't doing anything lol. My children (Late teens) were terrified when I let them have a go in my old Humber after having this debate! This is a good video that clears up the argument.

You are a legend mate, wish my old instructor was good as you. My old one fell asleep during my lesson, had to emergency brake to wake him up 😂

It is so relieving to watch your videos. I had a driving instructor that never let me apply gas to move off because it was a diesel, he also would go on about dry steering and all this random nonsense to complicate things. Once I got us stuck on a hill and I had to use gas to move off, he started trying to guilt trip me about eating his clutch the one time I used it, like come on man. xD

if i’m slowing down with intent to stop quickly (emergency braking or stopping into a lay-by) then i’ll just press the clutch in when appropriate, but if i’m slowing down for something temporary like a red light or someone pulling out i’ll do it with changing down gears so then i can go again quickly

If I need to stop or slow down with much room to spare and no one behind me, I just go through the gears down without the disk brakes until I am in 2nd. Of course with Rev matching, as I don't hate my clutch. Great video as always.

That is a very useful technique if go to fast and need to slow down or stop in a very short distance, Fact is brake pads are cheaper than a clutch replacement! Best option, anticipation, try to drive without using the brake pedals.

Interesting video. I've been downshifting while breaking since the first day I got in a drivers seat, the only time I didn't change gear while breaking was on an emergency stop and that's because there isn't time. Most modern cars don't have a gearbox with a syncromesh 1st gear so getting 1st is REALLY hard to do (you can get into 1st while moving if you're going slow enough and use double clutching but that's something which most people don't get taught to do).

If you want, you can brake only with your brakes, but knowing how to brake while changing down the gears is sometimes very important and lifesaving. Mostly when you have rear wheel drive and it's winter and roads are frozen. You definitely won't by able to slow down with brakes only. In this situations is almost necessary to know how to brake with engine. Trust me, I learned this the hard way.

I prefer downshifting because I feel there's more control in all situations and it helps to get familiar with the car. I agree that it's not important for coming to a stop, but it can be helpful when reducing speed to take a turn that could be handled in second gear. Being in second before taking the turn makes the exit and acceleration easier and doesn't require finding the gear and engaging/disengaging the clutch. Another benefit to this, once experienced, is managing speed on a freeway/highway/motorway/carriageway. If you're in the high gear traveling at 75 MPH, then you have to slow down to 55 MPH due to something being in the way, then you have two options: One is to leave in the high gear and bog down the engine to get back up to speed [probably wasting fuel and fouling the spark plugs] and the other is to quickly move down a gear, accelerate to the previous speed, then shift back up and cruise. If you're familiar with the car, then you'll be able to grab the right gear in that situation and have an easier drive. Another example could be more of a slow-down. 75 MPH to 35 MPH, then the lane clears up. Which gear do you need? I wouldn't downshift when doing emergency braking like that, but being accustomed to downshifting in normal traffic would help me select the right gear. If I have a 5-speed, then I slow down to deal with the traffic bottleneck, then know to grab third to get back up to speed. I'd encourage anyone who drives a manual to get familiar with all of it and spend less time on the clutch between shifts. Learn to rev match and make smooth, quick shifts both up and down (once experienced).

I change down gears, there's been countless times that the situation has changed where being in the right gear ready to go have been advantageous. Approaching a red light when it changes to green and I can accelerate away without having the sudden panic of "which gear for this speed"?! It's more work definitely, but it gets me thinking of the road ahead far more than simply braking with clutch down - plus I thought that coasting was an unsafe practice?

Interesting. I used to downshift while braking because it made driving more interesting and 'sporty'. But, it occurred to me the last time I had a clutch fail on the road (i'm 74 and have had four that I remember in the last 50+ years), that 1) clutch breakdowns are always inconvenient and possibly even dangerous, and 2) brakes are cheaper than clutches, and depending on the vehicle, sometimes a LOT cheaper. So now I don't downshift when braking.

Good video. I drive manual cars without shifting down while braking, but when I ride my motorbike, I always shift down while braking. In a car, I don't find engine braking all that useful or effective, whereas on a motorbike, the engine braking effect is huge - I usually don't need to touch my brake at all unless I need to slow down in a hurry. There are also plenty more situations where I need to be ready to get going again on a bike, than in a car. Finally, braking on a bike is sequential, meaning you can't shift straight from 5th to 2nd gear. I don't have any problem finding the right gear to get going again in a car; although I can see why beginners do, they won't for long.

Interesting video, great content. I prefer to slow down with engine braking as well, since I drive and old car without ABS and not modern brakes, it gives me a better braking response.

I'm not sure if it's good or bad, but I've always started braking with the clutch down, rapidly changing to neutral, then braking as much as needed, and then changing back to the gear I need. Any pros and cons on this approach?

What's your take on skipping gears. Like you did at the start of the video. Such as going from 2nd to 6th. Would it be better/more economical to do that instead of going up in sequence?

You guys are so funny with those videos :D Down shifting on a manual is what you learn at the driving school in day 1 in europe :D

This video was really helpful thank you.

You didn't even mention the fact that braking with engine saves on fuel. Braking with clutch consumes fuel to keep up revs.

You could probably add as an advantage to engine braking, that fuel consumption should be better, because the engine won't need fuel while engine braking, but needs fuel when idling / clutch is pressed. But that's also an aspect for when you're comfortable with your car and already have good control.

Mechanically it's way better to just hold down the clutch (or even switch into neutral if you know you'll be coming to a stop or slowly breaking for long time like when approaching red light and slowly reducing speed while waiting for possible green) because pointlessly switching the gears will wear the brass synchros inside the transmission (they are between each gear and are friction-"rammed" onto a tapered surface to match the gear-cog speed with the engine speed) . The amount of friction on the synchros is small but it adds up over time especially if you live in the city. Keep in mind that downshifting with high rev (as done with engine braking) puts MUCH higher wear on the synchros than upshifting (i can explain more about it if anyone is interested). If you NEED to downshift on a downslope , it's always better to switch into neutral , push the gas down to rev the engine slightly higher than you expect the revs to be with your intended gear , then press the clutch again and switch to the gear My car has done 200k 99% of which in city and the first 3 gears synchros are pretty worn (especially first) so i'm at a point where i have to double clutch (even better to learn double clutch before the synchros die if you're experienced and know how to rev-match) Replacing brake pads more often is way cheaper they cost 50$ or less and even the disks are cheap . If you synchros die you can't really replace them as you have to take apart the entire transmission , better off buying another used car as replacing a whole transmission is likely to cost more than a decent used car. Another thing is that in order to get appreciable engine braking , the engine has to rev high 4k+ and that's additional wear on all engine components as it's running 4+ times the speed it (read miles) would if it was idling over the life of the car that can add up to extra thousands or even tens of thousands of effective engine mileage depending how you drive and where you live. Exclusion is when you're going down a long downslope or towing as this will eventually overheat the breakes

Thanks for the video!

You should downshift, as it ensures the engine always matches the road speed and therefore you have better control of the car. Double-declutching helps keep revs and speed matched, as we as protecting the gearbox… I’m amazed that anyone who considers themselves a car enthusiast wouldn’t know this stuff.

Who goes 4 - 3 - 2 lol. I've always gone 4 - 2.

Very informative mate. Thank you so much!

I've been driving manual transmission cars now for about 61 years. I can count on one hand the number of times I've not downshifted when slowing EXCEPT in the case of an emergency stop. I like being in the appropriate gear for the speed the car is travelling, as you never know when you might need to react to some road event. YMMV.

Let's be honest, you downshift sequentially, because the feeling of Formula 1 🤣

You shouldn't because too many gear changes means your muscles will be more developed on your right arm than your left.

Like he said, he would show Rev Match later in the learning stages. I have seen Rev match while down shifting. Making use of both Engine Brake and the cars Brake System together. Take Care!

Your videos are amazing 🙏🏼

I really enjoy your KZfaq postings, so please keep them coming. It’s very rare for me to ever send in any comments, but I just couldn’t resist in this case. Sorry it’s a long one … Just sharing my thoughts which are offered in good faith and are well meant … For the avoidance of doubt, I shamelessly state that I am a, ‘change down on approach’ person and always will be. It’s quite possible to become proficient at matching speed, gear ratio and engine speed, with a slight ‘blip’ on the accelerator prior to change-down (“rev match” as you state), it’s actually quite possible to mesh the gears at the right moment so the ‘additional clutch wear’ doesn’t really figure. In fact, given some practice, it’s quite possible to make a slick change down (as well as up) without even dipping the clutch (not that I’m recommending this of course, but you get the idea). That won’t be possible on day one of a lesson of course, I appreciate that. In well over 40+ years, I can honestly say that I have never worn a clutch out on any car, and on average, I suspect I’ve done something of the order of 100,000 miles in each car. Even if the ‘change down on approach’ technique did shave a few miles off a car’s life, so what? Safety is important and trumps any wear in my view. Feeding into a junction, roundabout etc, there’s no way on this earth that I would ever approach in a high gear with clutch down and brakes applied. I can feel myself panicking right now at the mere thought of it, and I’m just at home typing this! I would argue that this is an uncontrolled approach, puts all the stress on the brakes and also can put needless pressure on the driver at an inappropriate time when the appropriate gear is needed for the next part of the manoeuvre (and by the way, surely it’s more difficult to determine which gear is appropriate if you haven’t stepped down along the way). People should be fully aware of all their surroundings and traffic movement. I’d much rather be in a position to be able to pull away with minimum faff at all times to cover any eventuality. Years ago, driving like this, especially if the clutch is held down for an extended period, is coasting in my eyes and should be very much frowned upon. Perhaps this explains why I feel increasingly vulnerable these days from traffic approaching from the rear. Some people do seem to hurtle towards my tailgate with an alarming speed and obvious last minute heavy braking as their front end dips right down. Let us also think about what might happen if the engine happens to stall. You lose the hydraulics so no power steering or brakes! You are now hurtling towards traffic with nothing but severely compromised brakes with only (perhaps) the handbrake at your disposal. I say ‘perhaps’ becomes some ‘modern’ vehicles don’t always permit the application of the handbrake whilst moving forward! Would someone who has been taught this ‘easy way’ have the sense to let the clutch up (in an appropriate gear) to get the engine turning again to reinstate hydraulics? No, of course not. Also, surely, if someone leaves the gearbox meshed in a high gear and simply applies the brakes without lifting up the clutch in an appropriate time, the engine could well be labouring (or get stalled). I would argue that bad labouring causes stress on the main crank, its bearings, con rods and pistons. An engine re-build is rather expensive, so why on earth has this crazy fad caught on? ‘Making it easy’ in this case isn’t, in my view, commensurate with good practice and it limits people’s skill sets to the instructor’s lower expectations. It might get more people through their tests (which is weird in itself because the ‘no changing down gears’ approach should really be frowned upon in my view), but is that the correct driver (pardon the pun)? The problem is that when one instructor starts such a technique (and pass rates are perceived to increase), others will likely follow and the whole thing then perpetuates. So why not come down the gears properly in a controlled manner, and use the brakes as required. Why is it perceived that learners cannot grasp this? It’s just part of the skill set that is driving, surely. The problem is that people will stick to what they know. By the way, on motorcycles at least, the chances are that the gearbox will complain about the ‘easy approach’ and get a bit stuck when a change of gear is needed. I speak from experience. All of that problem goes away if you change down on the approach. I know we aren’t talking about motorcycles here, but if people apply the, ‘change down on approach solution’ it works for both vehicles and in my view makes the world a little safer. Assuring you of my best intentions.

It's great in the winter time as well for slowing

i was taught to use the gears in braking as all brakes were drum , this included trucks as well ,and stopping distances with drum is incredibly long , which gets longer the faster your going , also saves on break wear increasing their life , braking only, leads to overheated brakes , causing them to lose their efficiency, called brake fade ,

in my country as long as you present your medical checks (and pay the fees) you can apply for the practical test without going to the driving school so I applied as a self/family taught. I remember clearly my driving instructor told me "we aren't in a track" when I started downshifting for the U turn part of the course which was against what my father told me to always approach turns with the gears engaged. I drove that VW Polo like it was some old diesel truck coasting while approaching most turns and got 96/100 only because I used the handbrake for the uphill start instead of the heel-toe method

i learn a lot from you.thanks man.

When I was learning, I was taught to keep the clutch engaged until I was certain I was either stopping, and then to only disengage it when the speed became too slow for the gear it was in. OR when I was certain I'd be speeding up/pulling away again, in which case I'd select the right gear and go.