[jumborat]

I always leave my car in gear at lights so it wouldn't kick in for me which is a good thing as far as I'm concerned. I know that cars have a button on the dash to switch it off but I assume it's one of those things you have to do every time you start the car and can't actually switch off permanently.

I think my next car has it but like I say it's never going to be used. The only useful thing about it is it knocks the official CO2 figures down thus putting it into a lower tax bracket than the previous version.

 

[jumborat]

I'm sure I've read somewhere that learner drivers are taught to leave the car in gear nowadays so that they're ready go when they can. I can't remember what I was taught back in 1991 but I've always left the car in gear.

As for hybrids, no thank you. Certainly not at the moment anyway. The new Mondeo hybrid has worse real life fuel consumption than the new diesels. Free VED saves you a huge £30 a year.

 

[jumborat]

That's the way they're taught now.

 

[jumborat]

Same here. The other day I was approaching a T-junction wanting to turn right when a learner came from the left wanting to turn right into my road. Instead of passing the car in front of me then turning into the road and passing on the right she turned into the wrong side of the road passing the car in front of me on the left side and then cut between the other and mine. Why the instructor didn't grab the wheel and /or hit the brakes I don't know.

I've no doubt standards are dropping.