Can I shift to neutral while waiting during the Subject 2 driving test?
4 Answers
During the entire Subject 2 test, only first gear and reverse gear are used. You can only stop and shift to neutral when returning to the starting point after passing the test. Below is some information about the driving license test: Subject 1: Road traffic safety laws, regulations, and related knowledge test, written exam, computer-based, full score of 100, passing score is 90 or above (including 90). Subject 2: Field driving skills test, conducted in a vehicle on-site, only pass or fail, including reverse parking, parallel parking, S-curve, right-angle turn, and hill start and stop. These five items are mandatory and conducted in sequence, full score of 100, passing score is 80 or above (including 80). Subject 3: Road driving skills test, conducted on actual roads or simulated sites, full score of 100, passing scores are 90 or above for large buses, 80 or above for large trucks, and 70 or above for other vehicle types. Subject 4: Safe and civilized driving-related knowledge, written exam, full score of 100, passing score is 90 or above (including 90).
I'm a manual transmission driving instructor who has trained over a thousand students for the Subject 2 test. It's perfectly fine to shift into neutral while waiting, but you must engage the handbrake. During Subject 2, there are often 30-60 second waits between test items - like after hill-start before moving off, or waiting for the car ahead to finish parallel parking. Neutral allows you to take your foot off the clutch to prevent leg cramps. My rule is anytime the car is stationary for over 5 seconds during the test, students must use neutral + handbrake. I remember one student last year failed because they didn't shift to neutral before reverse parking - their leg shook from holding the clutch too long, causing a stall on takeoff. Special note for hill starts: be quick with gear changes and don't forget to release the handbrake. Using neutral properly reduces stress - no need to stubbornly keep the clutch depressed.
After ten years of running a driving school, I've noticed new students often struggle with this issue. During the Subject 2 test, when waiting at a red light or for the car ahead, shifting to neutral and pulling the handbrake will definitely not result in any penalty. Last week, while accompanying a test-taker, I saw someone hold the clutch for ten minutes while waiting in line for a right-angle turn, which led to a leg cramp during takeoff and crossing the line. For short waits like on a slope within 30 seconds, just keep the brake pressed; for waits exceeding 30 seconds, you must shift to neutral, otherwise the system might penalize you for improper clutch operation. When starting again, always press the clutch first before shifting gears—never push the gear lever directly. Additionally, since test cars are often old, shifting to neutral can reduce transmission wear, and the examiner might even think you know your way around cars.
Having personally taken the Subject 2 driving test three times, I can tell you: shifting to neutral while waiting for reference points is the most reliable method. Once, during parallel parking, the car in front malfunctioned, and I held the clutch down for three minutes—starting up directly caused the engine to stall from shaking. Later, my instructor taught me to shift to neutral and pull the handbrake as soon as I stop, saving my legs from fatigue and preventing the car from rolling. Especially before starting on a slope, shifting to neutral even allows time to check the rearview mirror and adjust position. But remember, after hearing the examiner's instruction, never release the handbrake before shifting into gear—this will definitely stall the engine. For other situations like waiting before reversing into a parking space, use the brake for short waits, but always shift to neutral for longer periods. Make it a habit to stay calm during the test.
