[Vocabulary] The driver at the traffic lights was 'riding his clutch'

[nyota]

The driver at the traffic lights was riding his clutch. (I once jotted the sentence down but I don't remember where it's from.)

I know riding the clutch means keeping it between full engagement and disengagement and that people sometimes do it in slow traffic, or when they let out the clutch too slowly when changing gears, but I don't quite get how you can ride it at the traffic lights? The way I see it is that you basically wait at the lights.

Or is it that somebody spotted a driver at the lights and 'heard' the roaring sound you make when you are slow with the clutch and use too many revs to pull away?

 

[emsr2d2]

The driver at the traffic lights was riding his clutch. (I once jotted the sentence down but I don't remember where it's from.)

I know riding the clutch means keeping it between full engagement and disengagement and that people sometimes do it in slow traffic, or when they let out the clutch too slowly when changing gears, but I don't quite get how you can ride it at the traffic lights? The way I see it is that you basically wait at the lights.

Or is it that somebody spotted a driver at the lights and 'heard' the roaring sound you make when you are slow with the clutch and use too many revs to pull away?

You can ride the clutch when the car is stationary too. Basically, it means that you are holding the car still without using either the footbrake or the handbrake. Even if you're not on a hill, you can do this by, as you say, keeping the clutch at the exact mid-point between being engaged and being disengaged. Obviously, this would not work if you were pointing downhill at a set of traffic lights, but uphill or on the level it would work.

 

[nyota]

You can ride the clutch when the car is stationary too. Basically, it means that you are holding the car still without using either the footbrake or the handbrake. Even if you're not on a hill, you can do this by, as you say, keeping the clutch at the exact mid-point between being engaged and being disengaged. Obviously, this would not work if you were pointing downhill at a set of traffic lights, but uphill or on the level it would work.

I'd say it often/sometimes grabs on the level when at the mid-point position?

PS. Ah, alright, before it bites.

 

[5jj]

Basically, it means that you are holding the car still without using either the footbrake or the handbrake. Even if you're not on a hill, you can do this by, as you say, keeping the clutch at the exact mid-point between being engaged and being disengaged

In one of my many incarnations, I was an ADI ([Department of Transport] Approved Driving Instructor). One of my pet hates was young male learners who insisted on riding the clutch, once they'd learnt how to do it, at traffic lights instead of using the parking brake.

It is, or was, the correct procedure for a hill start. You click the parking brake (to make instant release quicker) and gently raise the clutch to biting point. That is when you are, very briefly, riding the clutch. You can then release the parking brake with no fear of rolling back, and simultaneously let the clutch pedal gently up and increase pressure on gas; hey presto - you move off.

 

[emsr2d2]

I didn't say it was a recommended driving manoeuvre or position! I just know it's possible.

Having said that, it's not just young male drivers who do it. I'm afraid I'm as guilty of it as they are, especially when waiting at traffic lights facing uphill!

 

[nyota]

Oh I'm liking this thread. I get answers and everybody's throwing in very nice vocab. Please, do go on.

 

[5jj]

Oh I'm liking this thread. I get answers and everybody's throwing in very nice vocab. Please, do go on.

I'll go on then, though it's not relevant to your original question.

It is commonly believed, by males at least, that 'women drivers' are inferior to men. I found the reverse - with a few exceptions. Immediately after my pupils had passed their test, I used to tell them to drive around on their own for ten minutes, and then come back to collect me. With most of my female pupils, I had no qualms about this; with some of the males, I had an anxious ten minutes.

When a female started to learn to drive, she normally wanted to, guess what? - learn to drive, safely. Some males, however, were interested only in getting their driving licence so that they were free to show what they could do with a car.

 

[birdeen's call]

You can ride the clutch when the car is stationary too. Basically, it means that you are holding the car still without using either the footbrake or the handbrake. Even if you're not on a hill, you can do this by, as you say, keeping the clutch at the exact mid-point between being engaged and being disengaged. Obviously, this would not work if you were pointing downhill at a set of traffic lights, but uphill or on the level it would work.

Isn't it called "slipping the clutch"? I tried to find out what the difference between them is on the internet and if I understand it correctly, riding the clutch is what you do when you ride a car and thoughtlessly press the clutch pedal. I think that would make what I do on a hill too, slipping. However, Wikipedia says that slipping the clutch is alternately pressing and releasing the pedal, which is not what I do then...

 

[nyota]

I'll go on then, though it's not relevant to your original question.

It is commonly believed, by males at least, that 'women drivers' are inferior to men. I found the reverse - with a few exceptions. Immediately after my pupils had passed their test, I used to tell them to drive around on their own for ten mintes, and then come back to collect me. With most of my female pupils, I had no qualms about this; with some of the males, I had an anxious ten minutes.

When a female started to learn to drive, she normally wanted to, guess what? - learn to drive, safely. Some males, however, were interested only in getting their driving licence so that they were free to show what they could do with a car.

I think it has something to do with evolution and women's need to nest and men's urge to conquer. Anyhow, there's a lot of truth in what you're saying. I remember my dad's words when I asked if I could take the car soon after I've passed my exam: you're lucky you're a girl, otherwise there's no chance I'd be giving you the keys.

 

[5jj]

Isn't it called "slipping the clutch"?

These are not universally recognised terms. All I can say here is that in my ADI experience in southern England (c 1989-1998), some of my colleagues used 'slipping' and some 'riding' when speaking of holding the clutch at biting point - whether correctly or incorrectly.

 

[nyota]

From another, beyond.ca, forum:

I was thought [sic] that riding the clutch meant your foot only comes off the clutch pedal partially (i.e., with slipping your foot comes off to the engagement point then immediately clutches in; with riding your foot comes to the engagement point,t hen sits there)

This is what I thought, too. Could I get a verification on that?

 

[emsr2d2]

I think I agree with the above if I've understood it correctly.

Riding the clutch - holding your foot in the same position for a period of time, with the clutch midway between engaged and disengaged, with the car stationary.

Slipping the clutch - moving the foot so that the clutch is alternately engaged and disengaged.

By the way, in the original post, note that we normally just say "riding the clutch" not "riding his/her clutch".

 

[nyota]

Birdeen, so slipping the clutch would probably be 'jazda na półsprzęgle'.

 

[birdeen's call]

Birdeen, so slipping the clutch would probably be 'jazda na półsprzęgle'.

Yes, that's what the dictionary says too. But, from what has been said, I understand that "riding the clutch" can mean that too. And Wikipedia says:

Slipping the clutch [...] is a term used by automotive enthusiasts to describe when the driver alternately applies and releases the clutch to achieve some movement of the car. [...] Drivers can frequently be observed slipping the clutch when they are trying to stay stationary on a hill without using neutral and the brake.

I don't understand this. When I'm on a hill, I don't need to alternately apply and release the clutch to stay stationary. It's enough to keep the clutch at biting point (thanks to 5jj for the term). I don't have to do any alternating... Also, when I do the jazda na półsprzęgle, I don't need to alternate anything either...

5jj said there weren't clear definitions, but apparently some people do make the distinction. I'm quoting Wikipedia all the time without linking to it, sorry. Here's the article: Clutch control - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

 

[nyota]

But then there's a follow-up (underlined):

[...] Drivers can frequently be observed slipping the clutch when they are trying to stay stationary on a hill without using neutral and the brake.They apply the clutch to climb a bit, then release to roll back, then apply again, etc. so that the car stays in about the same place. Clutch control - wikipedia

This is how they meant "stationary". You can also do it your way.

But terminology does seem to be a big vague (and so, the Polish equivalent). For example, here in turn, what we'd call jazda na półsprzęgle (when you let out the clutch to the point when the car starts crawling and you keep it this way) is called 'riding the clutch':

[...] but others will not and will count premature wear as evidence of abuse, abuse such as riding the clutch in slow traffic and slipping the clutch to hold the vehicle stationary on a hill without using the brake. Yahoo answers

 

[birdeen's call]

Oh, thanks. I didn't notice the underlined sentence. Now I understand what was meant by alternating. I thought they were talking about pressing the pedal right down to the floor and then releasing it completely, which seemed like nonsense. Right, of course you need to balance the car on a slope.

 

[SoothingDave]

I don't understand this. When I'm on a hill, I don't need to alternately apply and release the clutch to stay stationary. It's enough to keep the clutch at biting point (thanks to 5jj for the term). I don't have to do any alternating... Also, when I do the jazda na półsprzęgle, I don't need to alternate anything either...

My car has a pedal in the middle called the "brake." If I'm stopped on a hill (like waiting for a light to change), I put it in neutral and step on the brake. I only "ride the clutch" momentarily when I put it in gear and head off from the stop.

Now, being stuck in stop-and-go traffic on an interstate going uphill is the time when you have no choice but to ride the clutch as you creep along.