Give yourself extra space between you and the car ahead Stop-and-go traffic will likely be best navigated in first or second gear, depending on your engine and how these gears handle in your manual transmission vehicle.
Use the lower gears to improve your engine efficiency; lower gears will brake quicker because of "engine braking". These are usually marked on your gearstick by the letter 'D' followed by a number, like 'D2' or 'D3'.
The 1st gear has the most amount of torque which helps the vehicle in crawling forward easily. The 2nd gear can be used for moving where there is some traffic but still, the speed is above single digit. The third gear can be used when there is an open stretch of road ahead or the speed is more than 40-45 kmph.
If you rode around town a lot, then something equivalent to 2nd or 3rd gear would be good to have so you can take-off from stop signs and accelerate quickly through traffic, but if you are going to be riding long distances along the highway, then something like 6th or 7th gear would be a better choice.
Leave your car in gear at a red light
It's much better to put your car in neutral and apply the handbrake to keep it stationary.
2. Avoid Using Neutral while the car is at a stop light/traffic. Automatic vehicles that are on neutral while on neutral doesn't save on fuel, use hand break instead so that you don't wear out your transmission. Damage happens when if the gear is in N when the light turns green.
To avoid wearing out the clutch and transmission, you don't want to rock back and forth by disengaging the clutch and engaging the gear off and on. You also don't want to leave it in first gear while stopped. So, always keep your car in neutral at a light or longer stop and just keep the brake pedal engaged.
Within the engine at that point, an over-rev condition will occur and internal-engine components will momentarily spin far faster than what they were originally designed to do.
Remember each car will be geared slightly differently, but a good rule of thumb for changing gears is that first gear is for speeds up to 10 mph, second gear is for speeds up to 15 mph, third gear is for speeds up to 35 mph, fourth gear is for speeds up to 55 mph, fifth gear is for speeds up to 65 mph, and sixth gear ...
Alternatively when approaching a corner you may change from 4th or 5th down to 2nd without using the gears in between. Care needs to be exhibited to ensure you have the right speed for the gear.
Engage first gear and slowly release the clutch fully, and the car will keep crawling along. Don't rev up the car ahead and then slam on your brakes. The car behind you may not be able to stop as fast as you can. Drive gently and smoothly if you can.
The best way to maintain the engine in low speed and high torque mode is to select the highest speed ratio. Engine consumes less fuel in 3rd gear than in 1st gear, and less in 5th gear than in 4th gear.
Low Gear = Easy = Good for Climbing: The “low” gear on your bike is the smallest chain ring in the front and the largest cog on your cassette (rear gears). In this position, the pedaling will be the easiest and you'll be able to pedal uphill with the smallest amount of resistance.
If you're using a manual transmission, use second or third gear when you head up a steep incline – and don't change gears once you've committed to the climb. Failed Climb: Put the vehicle in reverse to allow for natural engine braking and keep tires turning.
Third gear—20 to 30 mph. Fourth gear—30-40 mph. Fifth gear—40 and above if you drive a five-speed. If you drive a six-speed, remain in fifth until you no longer need to accelerate.
The problem is that the difference in ratios between second and first is large. So considering the job of a synchromesh is to bridge this gap, the synchromesh for first gear has to work a lot harder than in the rest of the transmission.
For one reason or another, there are times were you think it might be beneficial to start off from a stop in second gear rather than first in your manual transmission car. In most cases, though, doing that will cause more wear on your clutch.
The maximum recommended speed in 1st gear is: 31 mph (50 km/h). CAUTION: Shift into or out of reverse only after the car has come to a complete stop; the transmission may be damaged if you shift while the car is moving.
At High Speeds: First brake then clutch
Brake is first used when you are travelling at decent speed and you need to slow down a bit. Now, if you decide to stop or the speed of your car reaches the lowest speed of the gear then you would need to use the brakes so that your car does not stall.
When bringing your car to a stop, press the clutch down just a few metres before braking to a stop. If you're braking whilst also changing down to a lower gear, ensure you bring the clutch up once you have completed the gear change. Other than the two examples above, you should avoid pressing the clutch when braking.
Don't leave the car in gear on a traffic light.
Moreover, one can also lose their concentration which might lead to stalling the car as the gear is engaged. One should keep the car in neutral with the parking brake engages, this would be the safest bet.
The neutral gear isn't used often, but it's always a great idea to know the best times to engage it. The neutral gear should primarily be used during emergencies and mechanical failure. If you find your vehicle stuck or pedals not working, neutral would be a safe decision.
But shifting to neutral won't help you stop faster in a modern car – and it could make you lose control, driving experts say. "In today's world of Front Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive and ABS, putting the car into neutral has no effect on braking distance," said Ian Law, chief instructor with ILR Car Control School.