is it illegal to coast in neutral?

is it illegal to coast in neutral or with the clutch depressed?

 

Yes as you are not in control of the vehicle, ie you could not accelerate quickly enough if needed.

 

Yes, unfortunately it is illegal in most if not all states and Canadian Provinces.

 

My answer was of course referring to English law

 

illegal or not, who cares? if you're coming to an easy stop, you might as well throw the car in neutral (manual transmission or auto, you don't want to ride with just your clutch depressed--it will burn it up). gas is expensive; save a bit.

 

If its illegal then its illegal for a reason most probably because it is dangerous
Not only can you not accelerate quickly but if you are coasting then the PAS and brake servos are not receiving the power they need

 

it's only dangerous if the driver is an idiot who shouldn't have a driver's license anyway.

the only downside is that coasting in neutral means no engine braking. that's all.

 

It is only a dangerous driver who try to do it

 

what kind of people have you grown up on the road with? i've grown up in rural america, where you either learn how to drive your car properly or you wrap it around a tree. drafting, coasting to a stop, double-clutching, etc etc are all techniques that, depending on the vehicle, help conserve various resources and are, given a well-learned driver, perfectly safe.

*edit*
remember, kiddies, best judgement is important. if you're on an easy hill, it's no danger to put the car in neutral and coast to a stop. if you're on an incline, of course you want to gear down and engine brake in addition to your regular braking, as this will save wear and tear, and it will help slow your car down more quickly with less chance of losing control.

 

If you think its safe to drive like that then thank God you are in USA and a few thousand miles away from me.

And for the record I have a blemish free driving record haven driven for nearly 30 years. Including emergency ambulance driving and the driving of buses

 

safe driving is driving within the limits of a driver's abilities. driving only becomes unsafe outside of these limits. if a driver doesn't properly know how to operate a vehicle with the transmission in neutral, of course they will be unsafe. but if they are practiced and knowledgeable, there really is no issue.

ambulances and buses are large, heavy vehicles that require engine braking and often have the "jake brake" on diesel models, anyway. my main argument is based on consumer-sized, petrol-based vehicles which can always use a little extra fuel economy.

 

Only coast when youre traveling outside of a city

 

*edit*
remember, kiddies, best judgement is important. if you're on an easy hill, it's no danger to put the car in neutral and coast to a stop. if you're on an incline, of course you want to gear down and engine brake in addition to your regular braking, as this will save wear and tear, and it will help slow your car down more quickly with less chance of losing control.
Remember kiddies only break the law if you are prepared to kill someone and risk prison

 

i've now checked with a police officer here at the college. coasting to a stop in neutral is not illegal in Missouri.

solsunftm, you're being asinine. you sound just like one of those people that think all firearms should be banned and everyone should be required to be politically correct at all times. to hell with that. have you even been listening to yourself?

*edit*
just want to add that you've made the same point multiple times now. people only do that that when they've got nothing left to add. so please, either bring up something new or drop it...i'm sure, somehow...you'll be saving the lives of a dozen innocent bunnies or something.

*re-edit*
it's appropriate

 

well if u got a manual u coast to a stop in neutral. at least i do

 

yupps. unless engine braking is required, there's no reason not too.

 

if you're not a dumb ass and a good driver and if ur coming to a stop than it shouldn't matter even if it is illegal and i agree with whoever said "save a little gas"

 

I'm not aware of running in neutral being illegal anywhere, at least in the U.S. Coasting is one of the chief advantages of a stick (and why even my old 96 Accord gets 35+ MPG).

P.S. And if it is illegal, then the law is wrong, Solsunftm. Laws are rarely created with the best interest of the public in mind, and even when they are, in this case, the cons (fuel wasteage, increased environmental damage, etc.) outweigh the pros, so YES YOU SHOULD COAST!

 

way to show your support, showing up to battle after i already fought the war.

 

It's hard to believe that anyone serious about this is talking about coasting to a stop...??!!! The illegality and DANGER in coasting applies to coasting at speeds...on hills and long inclines....'idiot' folks that think they're saving on gas!! Ironically, it could cost them much more than just a few bucks.... the cost of endangering their life and the lives of others.

Here's info from another site.
http://message.snopes.com/showthread.php?p=212016


"Coasting - having the car in neutral while at speed - is illegal, however. Its dangerous for a number of reasons including the fact that the car is powerless if you have a need to accelerate and there exists the chance of beraking traction by not engaging the transmission correctly."

"Other things to consider include engine braking. When going down hill with a steep grade or on a long hill, engine braking is safer than using your brake system, which is friction oriented and can overheat, wearing brake pads, warping rotors, and in the worst case, boiling the brake fluid to the point it stops being able to apply the brakes. if you live on a mountain (I did), you will be amazed how engine braking extends the life of your brakes and rotors!