Or do you HAVE to switch to neutral. I learned how to drive stick a while back, but I never really mastered it. I'm proud to say I'm buying a manual transmission vehicle this Friday, but I'm having trouble remembering some of the finer details and I don't want to look like an idiot driving it off the lot.

You can have it in gear when at a stop with the clutch down, but causes wear in the throw out bearing. I do both when at a stop. It depends on how long you're gonna be at a stand still. If it's for a minute or less, I have it in 1st but if it's more than 2 min, I have it in neutral. One more thing to think about, if you have it in first at a stand still & you get hit from behind, you won't fly into the intersection or the car in front of you. It's up to how you wanna do it.

Holding the Clutch pedal down causes rapid wear on the thrust bearing which means you will soon need a new bearing. If you are stopped for more that 10 seconds always move the gear stick into Neutral. Your Clutch will last much longer then

Holding the clutch in causes wear on the clutch throw-out bearing, so having it in neutral with the clutch out is slightly better from a maintenance standpoint. However, it will take you longer to get going when the light turns green, so if you are the first or second car in line, keep it in gear.

You should NEVER hold the clutch down ( declutch ) for longer than it takes to change gear. Holding the cluch down while waiting in a queue will cause expensive wear requiring a new replacement eventually, usually to the poor sucker who buys the vehicle later.

It does not take much time and effort to engage neutral and apply the handbrake.

You should never shift to neutral at a light. Hold the clutch in, shift to 1st gear with right foot on brake.

You can stay in first gear at a light with the clutch in all the way and your foot on the brake. If you are going to be stopped longer, put it in neutral, with your food on the brake.

As long as you also depress the clutch so it is not actually in gear; otherwise the car will die in first with just the brake on.

You can stay in gear with the clutch pushed. If you don't want to hold the clutch, put it in neutral.

I like to put it in neutral...because the leg gets tired. You can do one or the other. Personal preference. You learn it within a week.

Either clutch pedal pushed in or gear shifter out of gear.