[thstone]

I also commute in traffic of varying speeds. I shift to neutral when coming up on slow traffic and let the car coast. I don't care at all about fuel mileage but idle is easier and if you do care about mileage, idle is much more fuel efficient than 3K rpms. And yes, I also drive in 1st gear and depress the clutch when speeds drop too low to maintain sufficient rpms. Cooling system will be fine, if the temp climbs the fans will turn on automatically. The primary thing to remember is to be kind to your clutch and avoid slipping it - engage and go - smoothly and efficiently. Prolonged slipping of the clutch will wear it prematurely.