1.3L

I agree, but the scope of this thread is about the pros and cons of putting your manual transmission in neutral when sitting at a red light.

1.3L

pcimino

Two problems with this. First, if you're behind the stop line waiting for a light, you shouldn't start your turn until you get out into the intersection. And if you DID get pushed out into the intersection, you'll be at some oblique angle, pretty vulnerable to cross traffic from either direction.

The second case: you've pulled into the intersection waiting to make a left. Now if your wheels are turned and you get pushed into oncoming traffic, again, the front (or full front) is not going to bear the impact, but only the corner.

I had an accident a few years ago, approaching an intersection and someone on the oncoming direction decided to jump out to make a left turn in front of me. The front of my 626 protected me, but their ford taurus took it on the corner panel, you could see that the frame was twisted just by looking at the hood. Can't imagine the whip lash potential getting whipped side to side.

Astral

I think there's confusion over the two different cases: 1) waiting at the stop light line before entering the intersection, and 2) waiting to make a left in the middle of an intersection.

In the case of 1), you will rarely sit with the wheels cranked to the left, since you typically have to move a few feet forward before making the left motion (e.g. cross the crosswalk in front of you, clear the curb on the left side, or not make an insanely wide turn). And in this case, having wheels cranked to the left is better, I suppose. However, you typically have to uncrank them back to straight before moving anyway. This is not the case that people were referring to.

Instead, the "keep your wheels straight" defensive driving advice refers to 2: you have entered the intersection and are waiting for the oncoming lane traffic to clear, so you can make the left. Here, you have a choice between: A) keeping your wheels straight as long as possible, so if you get rear-ended, you a sent into the median in front and take mostly rear-end damage, or B) keeping your wheels turned left, so if you get rear-ended, you are thrusted into the full-speed oncoming traffic. Defensive driving suggests choice A

Krankor

Aha! Yes, I was thinking of case 1. Thanks for clearing it up! Now it makes sense.

Krankor
05 Shinka 6MT

Y&Y

I for one don't like having my foot on the clutch at a full stop. If the car manual says don't do it. I think its safe to say not to do it in the first place. And I've also noticed that I start faster than most automatic tranny cars anyways. Why do I start faster than automatic tranny cars, well to my belief is that most drivers around me have ADD and don't pay attention to the light.

One of my pet peeves is when I'm like say about 7+ car from the light, that when the light turns green, the cars don't move for about 15 seconds. 15 seconds!!! By the time I get to the line it turns red. Now that doesn't help when that happens at almost every light.

I've never taken any defensive driving courses, but all that have been mentioned about being a safe habit of driving (keeping wheels straight at left turn lane while waiting for clear traffic) sounds like common sense to me. And I've always use my common sense when it comes to driving.

Astral

I find that it's not as easy to do that (keep wheels straight while waiting for clear traffic), because often I find myself creeping a little forward, like just ready to get on it, and that makes it really tempting to have the wheel already cranked, so all you have to do is gas and get out.