Opinions on placing car in neutral at stop lights. Options

[Cuda911]

Some people claim that if you are a a stop light with the car in gear, but clutch pushed all the way in, that it wears out the throwout bearing faster.

I had a lengthy discussion about this with one of our 914World member and a 914 guru of the highest Grand Master level (Mugsy). He convinced me that it is fine to idle at a stop light with the car in gear and clutch pushed in. So, that's what I usually do. Every once in awhile it's tough to get the car in 1st, and I don't want some F150 riding over me when the light turns green and I'm on an easter egg gear hunt.

Yesterday I was driving a friend's '71 911, and he started giving me crap for not putting into neutral at lights (Mugsy, you guys got the motor sounding great!).

Just thought it would be interesting to solicit the group and see what your thoughts are on this topic.

[mbseto]

Yeah, bikes are a little different.

Different from my Subaru, not so different from my 914. I know you're talking mainly about mechanical differences, but speaking in terms of being able to get out of someone's way quickly... My bike is almost always in gear. Being able to move quick saved my bacon at least once in a VW when a dump truck coming up from behind misjudged his stop. He hit the last car in the left turn lane, which would have been me.

I ride BMW's, so dry clutches with a throwout bearing, and I never leave it in gear at lights. I think the IDEA of being able to move is good, but am skeptical. In practice the only place you're going to be able to go is forward, and there's a good chance that will be out into cross-traffic or left into oncoming traffic. So when you see someone coming up behind you in the split-second you have to decide will you look both ways to be sure there aren't cars coming? It's possible, sure, but extremely unlikely, and if you can see it coming it doesn't take THAT long to put it in gear if you need to. Plus we're dealing in hypotheticals so what happens when it's in gear and your clutch cable breaks? Or something hits your hand, a bee stings you (which has happened to me), whatever, forcing you to release the clutch and you lurch out into traffic? Sure it's all hypothetical, but accidents happen and that's no different than a "what if" someone rear-ends you.

I do a number of things to increase my chances, e.g. when I pull up behind someone, I leave enough room to pull out if I need to. A geeky way to drive maybe, but like I say, it's paid off. And I can take a bee sting without flinching. :-) I stay out of hypotheticals- if a meteor hits you, then what?
As far as the bike is concerned, if you ride too, you know that if the bike is in gear, you move where you want to almost as fast as you can think it. That's a double edged sword for sure- it's gotten me into and out of trouble more than anyone wants to listen to. In the end, I'm not telling anyone how to drive, just sharing how I drive.