this is neither a technical problem nor a  legal safety one - just personal preference


in some countries it is required that you  apply the hand brake  when stopped at an intersection to prevent the vehicle from behind you pushing your car into the intersection

in some places drivers dim their lights so as to not blind facing traffic

ps - riding the clutch is never a good idea and using your gears to brake is a waste of mechanical energy - brakes are cheap to replace - transmissions not so much