Parking

[Diver Fred]

Having had my vehicle damaged for the second time this year when parked by another 'parked' car on a slope I'd love to know why people aren't taught to park their car in gear.
It was one of the first parts of my driving tutelage* - every time I parked the car it had to be in either 1st or Reverse gear as well as the handbrake applied. Having been driven around by family youngsters taught by driving schools they never leave a car in gear - when I 'suggest' that they put the car into gear they really don't understand why, I even asked at a driving school teacher and his thoughts was it wasn't necessary (if not against the law). If you have an Automatic car that has a 'Park' selection on the shifter, that effectively locks the output shaft of the gearbox.

* the other one being always to put foot firmly on the clutch pedal when starting so the gearbox is effectively isolated from the engine when the starter motor is turning the ICE over. Bit I do see that is becoming more common in new cars refusing to start until the clutch is pressed down.

 

[johnny2007]

For some unknown reasons they now teach to leave the car in neutral relying only on handbrake.
I was also taught to turn wheels slightly towards the kerb when leaving the car on an incline.
This is also obsolete advice.
Progress!

 

[norseman]

I confess to not using the handbrake & just select Park, but ONLY if the car is on level ground.
Relying on the parking pawl alone when the car is on a slope can cause drag when subsequently attempting to select a gear/neutral & could damage the gearbox over time.
Parking a manual in gear is a good idea on a slope as some models seem to suffer from less effective handbrakes.

The term 'belt & braces' springs to mind

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Always in gear and handbrake applied, two clicks on the level, three on a slope. Never handbrake alone, because they can fail and some do slacken slightly as the car cools down. No point in learning an habit which only works on some cars. I obsessively double check it is in gear, when closing the door.

When starting - clutch pressed, into N (with the waggle, waggle to be sure) and keep it pressed until started, then into gear to move off. The waggle waggle makes sure that even if the clutch hydraulics fail, it is definitely in N.

Automatics in Park and with handbrake on. The risk is that without the handbrake, if someone nudges it whilst parked, the Park dog could break and without the handbrake it could run away.

All done without any active thought from me - habit. I was taught to also turn the steering so the wheels point into the kerb, but I have ignored that for decades.

My car has discs all round, with a drum just for the handbrake and I am a bit obsessive about having an effective handbrake, though the model has a reputation of having a poor handbrake. I went to considerable trouble to find out why and fixed it - a design error combined with lack of use, plus improper adjustment by mechanics. I now have one of the best, most effective handbrakes on any car I have driven.

 

[norseman]

Poor handbrake, not a BMW by any chance? I've an old E39 & the model is infamous, though fortunately it scrapes through the MOT each year.
My 'P only without handbrake routine' is normally on the driveway.

nb. you can't beat 'waggle-waggle' if you have a stick job

 

[ETAF]

i always leave in gear - and as said, point wheel into curb
But i know they have not teached that for some years, as my son told me when out and about - that it was not practice to leave in gear

 

[carmanmemoranda]

This is obviously an age, and/or mechanical knowledge thing.
Parking in gear on manual, and Park plus handbrake on automatics, gives a 2 system method of operation.
Turning wheels into curb on hills, slopes, also adds to the effectiveness of any parking system. As a side note, it is part of the test in some (if not all) USA states, but not in UK.
Progress in car design has led to more people not understanding how things work and just using a car like any household appliance. No problems with that until something fails or doesn't work as it should.

 

[JobAndKnock]

For some unknown reasons they now teach to leave the car in neutral relying only on handbrake.
I was also taught to turn wheels slightly towards the kerb when leaving the car on an incline.
This is also obsolete advice.
Progress!

I live on a typically steep street in a Pennine village - there's no way on earth that I'd depend on a handbrake alone - the car and the van are always parked at home with the wheels turned in towards the kerb and in 1st gear. In addition I park facing uphill whenever possible, having seen quite a few accidents involving people facing downhill where the car "unexpectedly" jerked forwards when the handbrake was taken off (twice involving my van! - and I was parked on the left side of the road)

Incidentally, the handbrake cable on my van lasts about 15 to 18 months between replacement because of all these hills, but then the roads round here see nearside drop links and track rod ends off in much the same time due to pot holes (Citroen Berlingo)

You're right, though, driving instructors seem to teach these sort of things by rote these days - common sense, logic and intelligence have gone out of the window (especially in light of some recent changes in traffic law, etc)

 

[diy_fun_uk]

Never handbrake alone, because they can fail and some do slacken slightly as the car cools down.

I learnt this the hard way 25-30 years ago. Bought myself a Cavalier GSI, was my pride and joy. We lived at the brow of a hill. I parked up one day, handbrake on, into the house I went. A while later someone knocked at the door. I answered.

Me: Hello.
Neighbour: Do you happen to own a blue Cavalier?
Me: Yes, why?
Neighbour: Because it's currently resting against my garden wall.

Luckily no one was hurt. Also, because the handbrake had been on, the car evidently hadn't gained much pace as it trundled down the street! As you say, discs must have cooled. Finally, the angle it mounted the pavement and hit the wall at meant the only damage was to one edge of the rear bumper. After that, I've always left in gear and turned the wheel so tyres are pointing to the pavement.

I'll also admit to something else. The place I took it to for repair was very tight/difficult to get in and out of. When I went to collect it, I was reversing out and paying so much attention at the front I took my eyes off the back.

Yep, you guessed it, I proceeded to hit a wall, with the other edge of the rear bumper!! So I got out, walked back up to the office and booked it in for a second repair!!!

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Poor handbrake, not a BMW by any chance?

The very same - the compensator deforms, or stretches when people have to heave it on, plus due to the shoes only being operated when parked, the drums rust, plus lazy mechanics are only aware of the front adjustment. Make a just little use of handbrake on the move, reinforce the compensator, slack off at the front, then set properly first at the rear - the handbrake then works as good as any handbrake.

I used to offer a ready modified compensator for a few years.

 

[norseman]

The very same - the compensator deforms, or stretches when people have to heave it on, plus due to the shoes only being operated when parked, the drums rust, plus lazy mechanics are only aware of the front adjustment. Make a just little use of handbrake on the move, reinforce the compensator, slack off at the front, then set properly first at the rear - the handbrake then works as good as any handbrake.

I used to offer a ready modified compensator for a few years.

Yes, this business of handbrake shoes with an all disc set-up puzzles me. We had a mk3 Mondeo that would hold on any incline, even without regular use or having to heave the brake on, whereas the E39 has a similar set-up that is universally known to defy any attempt to improve it's efficiency.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Yes, this business of handbrake shoes with an all disc set-up puzzles me. We had a mk3 Mondeo that would hold on any incline, even without regular use or having to heave the brake on, whereas the E39 has a similar set-up that is universally known to defy any attempt to improve it's efficiency.

Well, I have explained what needs to be done..

 

[norseman]

Well, I have explained what needs to be done..

Appreciate that H. but it seems to be an insurmountable problem caused by poor design. Subscribing to two BM forums I gather that just about everything has been tried, both by mechanics & owners, but no procedure seems to effect a permanent cure.

Thank you for the advice though.

 

[Avocet]

Interesting that nobody has mentioned electric handbrakes yet...?

 

[johnny2007]

Interesting that nobody has mentioned electric handbrakes yet...?

Mine works fine.
I think the simple mechanism operating it makes it difficult to fail.