[freebeard]

Give it a try on some deserted road, and see how you feel about it.

There just aren't as many deserted roads around as there were when I was a teenager.

Put the transmission in neutral as well, then you don't need to constantly pull the clutchplates apart.

Now this is what I was looking for; the part that I hadn't considered. But frankly, I've flogged some cars pretty badly over the years and never had to replace a clutch. The #3 exhaust valve always goes sooner.

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So I guess you poke the brake once in a while to make sure it's working?

Why would they not work on an unassisted brake circuit ?

That was me being sarcastic (and paranoid).

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In town I use a closed throttle to respond to lights and changes in traffic, while reserving the brake.

That's good, but try to go one step better and coast instead of engine braking.
It means you'll have to look and plan even further ahead, and keep your initial speed low(er) as you'll coast a lot further.

Being a Vet, I've got the thousand-yard stare down pretty well, but there're lights on demand and lane changes to contend with.

So if my initial speed is low(er) how do I coast farther?

The amount of friction braking I've seen in the Cali hills, was worrying to me.
I may be a flatlander, but I hardly touch the brakes going downhill

I always wondered about drivers ahead of me that would tap the brakes *for no reason at all*. Then I drove something with an automatic transmission and realized they are doing it to rein those ponies in.