WRT the OP, I have a similar 'issue' driving country lanes: On the straights, the Skoda Superb (1.6 diesel) estate is happy at NSL in 4th or 5th (depending on slope), but the bends often don't reveal the required gear until late (due to muckle great cliffs disguising whether it's up or down after the apex). Rather than declutch on the approach in e.g. 5th, I can adopt one of two options:
Introduce an extra 'Gear' option into IPSGA as in:-
Information - bend ahead, looks quite closed
Position - to get best possible view through bend (LP and nearside stationary animals)
Gear - change to a gear that won't stall on the approach
Speed - slow appropriately
Gear - consider whether further gear change needed now the slope of the exit is available
Accelerate out of the bend
This is of course 'breaking' the system, so instead I simply run through it twice:
Information - bend ahead, looks quite closed
Position - to get best possible view through bend (LP and nearside stationary animals)
Speed - still OK at limit
Gear - change to a gear that is ok at this speed but gives more flexibility
Acceleration - none needed.
Information - bend now close enough to need to start adjusting speed
Position - Am I still gettin best possible view through bend (LP and nearside stationary animals), cope with oncoming?
Speed - slow appropriately
Gear - consider whether further gear change needed now the slope of the exit is available
Accelerate out of the bend
This might be adaptable for use when approaching hazards on those urban DCs in an economy gear. Funnily enough, the actions are the same in both cases