Am I the only one who uses a parking brake?

[Grant Lamontagne]

I always use the handbrake when I park my car or Jeep, but my wife doesn't use it.  In fact I don't know of any of my friends who do use the handbrake.  My mother used to use it, and I suppose that's where I learned it from, but she stopped after an incident when it froze on in the winter.

So, here's a question for all of you- do you drive a standard or automatic, and if so, does it make a difference whether or not you use the handbrake?  And, in case there's a language difference, the parking brake is also called a hand brake or emergency or e-brake as well.

Def

[AHB]

I always use the handbrake.. 

[Mr. Whippy]

Only on a hill.  It's how I roll.

Mostly drive manuals, but we do have an auto in the big truck (Allison transmission).

[AimlessWanderer]

Only on a hill.  It's how I roll.

Mostly drive manuals, but we do have an auto in the big truck (Allison transmission).

You're using it wrong   

Manual car, and always put the handbrake on. I usually remember to take it off when I start driving too 

[Syph007]

I remember taking drivers ed back in highschool, they always said you only needed to use it on manuals, and thats the only time I do.

[theonew]

Auto tranny here, love manuals but they can get wearisome to drive here in NYC. I never use the parking brake but my wife does. I always think she somehow screwed up the car every time I drive it after she parks it, then I look down and the parking break is on I think I got out of the habit after a similar experience to Grant's mother.

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Never rode a bike with one

[Millhouse]

Always park with the handbrake on and the car left in gear just in case.

[sawman]

I never use the parking brake, and when I have in the past, I have forgotten to disengage it and driven with it on!   

[Top-Gear-24]

I only drive manuals, so I always use the handbrake.  Also use it to go around a tight hairpin (just kidding  ).

[Lynn LeFey]

I use the handbrake. We only have an automatic now, but years of driving a standard get you into the habit, I guess.

[Suveges]

Automatic here, always use it no matter what.  Except mine isn't a handbrake as such, it's a pedal on the floor.

One should always use the brake even in an automatic, not doing so causes undue wear on the "parking pin".

From wiki:


Park (P)
This selection mechanically locks the output shaft of transmission, restricting the vehicle from moving in any direction. A parking pawl prevents the transmission from rotating, and therefore the vehicle from moving, although the vehicle's non-driven roadwheels may still rotate freely. For this reason, it is recommended to use the hand brake (or parking brake) because this actually locks (in most cases) the rear wheels and prevents them from moving. This also increases the life of the transmission and the park pin mechanism, because parking on an incline with the transmission in park without the parking brake engaged will cause undue stress on the parking pin.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Good to see I'm not the only one.  Once years ago I was driving a friend's car to the store and back and the brake felt weird and the car kept stalling.  Turns out it was off (he never used it) and I'd put it on... 

Def

[jerseydevil]

An unplowed empty parking lot in winter, get some speed, cut the wheel and pull the e-brake.....does that count?    If not, than the answer is no.

[Stazi]

Always park with the handbrake on and the car left in gear just in case.

Same here , last week a friend had his camper damaged by a car rolling down into him , he then did the same (handbrake not on properly ) a couple of days later , he was lucky, it did not hit anything.

[powerring]

I used to use it all the time until I got married.  My wife never used her parking brake so she would forget to release it on my car.  I stopped using it since I figured if she drove (even for a short distance) while it was engaged it was riskier over time than damaging the parking pin.   

[Nikos]

Always park with the handbrake on and the car left in gear just in case.

+1

[Sazabi]

I only use the parking brake when parking on an incline.

[Gareth]

I didn't realise there was anyone out there who wouldn't use the hand break!  I drive a manual and use the hand break every single time.

[Mr. Whippy]

OK.

I KNOW I should use the parking brake every time, but I'm reckless and carefree.  If I don't perceive a rolling risk, I don't apply it. It's my automotive equivalent of BASE jumping. 

[ryan1835]

I didn't realise there was anyone out there who wouldn't use the hand break!  I drive a manual and use the hand break every single time.

same here, i dont leave it in gear though, aren't you meant to on hills?

[Gareth]

I didn't realise there was anyone out there who wouldn't use the hand break!  I drive a manual and use the hand break every single time.

same here, i dont leave it in gear though, aren't you meant to on hills?

I do if it's properly steep, also I've been know to turn the wheels in to point at the kerb.  That way if it should somehow start moving it'll roll into the kerb stone and not straight down the hill. 

[theonew]

I do if it's properly steep, also I've been know to turn the wheels in to point at the kerb.  That way if it should somehow start moving it'll roll into the kerb stone and not straight down the hill.

They used to give you a ticket here in the city if you didn't turn your wheels towards the curb but that hasn't been the case for many years now. I'm just waiting for the city to start ticketing again for that since they are always looking for new ways to generate revenue

[Pacu]

i use it all the time in the jeep

stick shift

[Ashley]

Only when parking on a hill.

Sent from Ash forum mobile

[Grant Lamontagne]

I'm glad to see other folks using the hand brake as well- now I don't feel quite so alone.  I use mine all the time in both my VW (automatic) and my Jeep (manual) although since I usually park the Jeep on the hill at the side of my house I usually put it in gear and get the tire onto the curb too, just in case.  I'd hate for it to roll down the hill and make a mess of my neighbor's house.

When I'm in a level parking lot or stopped on level ground I usually just put the parking brake on and leave the stick in neutral.  I'm always afraid I am going to forget that I left it in gear and when I start it, it'll lurch forward and hit something, so I don't leave it in gear unless I have to.

Years ago when I had a Chevy Tracker I used to put the transfer case in neutral whenever I left it with the top down in case anyone tried to hotwire it, they wouldn't get far! 

Def

[82brutus]

Manual and I use the handbrake.  In our automatic it's 50/50 if I use it.  There is one vehicle that has what I consider a design flaw so I only set that one on a hill.

Sent from my MB860

[mvyrmnd]

I've seen a number of people (even helped tow one car out of a field) have their car disappear from their drive way of its own accord because they relied on the auto transmission to hold their can in place.

I used to have a manual Saab 9-5 - which the key was in the center console, and was fitted with a mechanism that wouldn't allow you to remove the key until you'd put the transmission in reverse. Using the handbrake is more important that most folks realise!

[Stazi]

I have owned a couple of Saab's , great cars, the gearbox lock is a really good idea , apparently steering locks are very easy to disable . But it did confuse me at first  , only because the previous owner neglected to tell me about it . Key sat in the ignition for two days  .

[Whoey]

since I recently got my license and car which is manual, I was taught to use it... so I do...