Parking an automatic on a hill.

[aveatry]

Not auto but I always turn the steering full lock so the wheel is pointing to the curb

 

[carmanmemoranda]

A lot of autos have hill assist or similar, in addition to handbrake.

Much easier in auto than manual regardless

 

[carmanmemoranda]

Not auto but I always turn the steering full lock so the wheel is pointing to the curb

Always a good idea

 

[EFLImpudence]

Some select park and then the handbrake, some the other way round. The latter seems to be the suggested way to stop putting undue stress on the parking pawl and to avoid the clunk when selecting drive or reverse.

Yes, but I think the point you are missing is - it doesn't actually matter which way round you do it because the car will be being held by the footbrake at the time.

 

[EFLImpudence]

I have driven manuals all my life, inc lots of wagons, never even think about it - and they all have had proper handbrakes - modern autos (at least my wifes) have automatic handbrakes which is a ****e idea

the stupidest one we had was an E class, foot operated handbrake, that you could only release in one 'all of a sudden' action

It might not be official teaching but -

you seem to be overlooking the fact that in an automatic you only have two pedals and you have two feet.

In an automatic you don't actually need to use the handbrake for hill starts.

 

[EFLImpudence]

I have always bought automatics since I bought my first car in 1965 - a 1955 Mk1 Zodiac - and noticed the difference.


I cannot understand why they are not the norm.

Imagine automatics had been all there was when cars were invented and then, later on someone said I have invented the manual gearbox where you can now change gear yourself hundreds of times every day.

Do you want one?

 

[johnny2007]

I have always bought automatics since I bought my first car in 1965 - a 1955 Mk1 Zodiac - and noticed the difference.


I cannot understand why they are not the norm.

Imagine automatics had been all there was when cars were invented and then, later on someone said I have invented the manual gearbox where you can now change gear yourself hundreds of times every day.

Do you want one?

Yes!
It's fun!

 

[EFLImpudence]

 

[norseman]

I have driven quite a lot of autos (wifes had them since last century) and they vary quite a lot, some are crap at hill starts and others are great, my wifes (new type) GLA is superb, not a hint of roll back - but the last one, a C Class was awful, if on a steep hill and someone parked close behind it was a worrying balancing act with left foot on the brake

I've zero knowledge of autos in modern cars but the old torque-converter 'boxes prevent the car rolling back, as long as the engine is running & the selector in Drive, without the need for any balancing act.

Progress

 

[Diver Fred]

And with a Manual gearbox car always park the car in 1st or Reverse.
You should always start the car with the clutch fully depressed so the starter motor isn't turning the gearbox over.
I don't understand why driving schools don't teach that!
I've seen several cars damaged by people not leaving their parked car in gear and the parking brake failing so the car has rolled down a slope (1 car ended up in the stream at the bottom of the hill).

 

[robinbanks]

it was a worrying balancing act with left foot on the brake

I'm not sure why;

Your left foot presses the brake, your right foot presses the accelerator, you lift your left foot slowly so the brake pedal comes up, the car begins to move forwards

Compare this with what your feet do in a manual car with the clutch already held on the biting point and the handbrake released:

Your left foot presses the brake clutch, your right foot presses the accelerator, you lift your left foot slowly so the brake clutch pedal comes up, the car begins to move forwards

You already do the technique you needed, in your manual vehicle, post all the biting point/handbrake release bit; hill starting an auto is thus like a manual, without having to find the biting point (just hold the brake pedal firmly), coordinate the handbrake or risk cooking the clutch
If you set off and want to come to a stop again, just press the clutch brake down again, like you would in a manual

modern autos (at least my wifes) have automatic handbrakes which is a ****e idea

Nah, the more we can give over to a computer the better, because people are incompetent. When the computer detects that there is sufficient bite from the clutch to prevent the car rolling back, it releases the handbrake. Brilliance

 

[carmanmemoranda]

Never had the need to use a left foot on the brake.

Edited to add

And I have 2 manuals and 1 auto currently.

Without doubt, autos are easier.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Never had the need to use a left foot on the brake.

That's just silly, it is handy for slowing down or -

doing hill starts without having to bother with the handbrake.


Except for parking on a hill, there is no need for the handbrake at all in an automatic.

 

[carmanmemoranda]

That's just silly, it is handy for slowing down or -

The right foot controls that

doing hill starts without having to bother with the handbrake.

Hill assist, or even the throttle or brake (right foot) does that

Except for parking on a hill, there is no need for the handbrake at all in an automatic.

No need, or just lazy?

Much better to use the handbrake, for efficiency especially

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

And with a Manual gearbox car always park the car in 1st or Reverse.
You should always start the car with the clutch fully depressed so the starter motor isn't turning the gearbox over.
I don't understand why driving schools don't teach that!

Nor me, that is what I have always done, habitually. Some cars will not crank, unless you press the clutch pedal down.

When I bought the mobility scooter, with manual brakes, like a motorbike, I found that applying either front or rear brake, inhibited the drive motor - so impossible to do a hill start. I modified it, so the rear brake could be gently applied, whilst turning the twist grip, to do a properly controlled take-off.