I wonder, do the Brits still do it..

[yellowperil]

Pull on the Hand Brake ever time you park your car. I got used to it myself and still do it now from owning plenty of lovely brit cars. No foot pedal, just a nice hand brake which comes in handy when making 180s. Habit I never gave up,

[yellowperil]

Pull on the Hand Brake ever time you park your car. I got used to it myself and still do it now from owning plenty of lovely brit cars. No foot pedal, just a nice hand brake which comes in handy when making 180s. Habit I never gave up,

I know, silly question.

[stevej37]

I think most of the newer cars have gone to electric e-brakes. My Civic is electric and I like that it makes the center console look cleaner.

[flatbutt]

I set the one in my Taco every time...but...it's a manual trans.

[Steve F]

Everytime, every car:<)

[javadog]

Originally Posted by Steve F

Everytime, every car:<)

Yep. Always.

And there’s a good reason to do it, which many people don’t understand.

[Captain Ahab Jr]

We drive stick shifts over here so hand brakes are used by most people

My hand brake needs adjustment so I leave it in gear too

[masraum]

I think in the UK they are required to use the hand brake at stops even. I think I was in Scotland back in 2006-2008, and had folks tell me that at EVERY stop, even stoplights or something like that, they were required to use the handbrake. I believe I was told that the theory is that if they get rear ended while they are at a stop that it's supposed to keep them from moving.

[GH85Carrera]

In my El Camino I almost never apply the parking brake. With the automatic transmission parking prawl and parking on mostly flat parking lots I just don't see the need.

With the 911, yea, turn off the ignition, yank up the parking brake, and let out the clutch with the transmission in first gear, even in the mostly level garage at home. And I lock the doors, even in the garage.

And personally if I am hit from the rear in any car, I don't want to be an immovable object, I would rather take some of that energy as forward momentum and spread the impact forces to dissipate force. Even if I do end up getting pushed into the car in front of me.

[Alan A]

Originally Posted by masraum

I think in the UK they are required to use the hand brake at stops even. I think I was in Scotland back in 2006-2008, and had folks tell me that at EVERY stop, even stoplights or something like that, they were required to use the handbrake. I believe I was told that the theory is that if they get rear ended while they are at a stop that it's supposed to keep them from moving.

They do it at stops so they don’t roll back. Part of drivers ed is learning how to juggle clutch and handbrake.

It’s all manual transmissions over there - automatics are second class cars.

[jhynesrockmtn]

I still do it and I'm not a Brit, other than according to 23&me I'm Norwegian mostly with about 20% British. I learned quickly living in Seattle and driving my 911 daily to use the handbrake on hills so I didn't roll back or fry the clutch taking off in the middle of a steep hill. I also always set the parking brake on all cars, auto or manual. It is just good insurance.

[Tobra]

The parking brake or the 180s?

A lot of people never drove anything with a standard transmission now.

[vonsmog]

I have two Mercedes W123's one with auto and never use the parking brake, and one with a 5 speed, and use it every time I park it.

[yellowperil]

Originally Posted by Captain Ahab Jr

We drive stick shifts over here so hand brakes are used by most people

My hand brake needs adjustment so I leave it in gear too

I always put mine in neutral ,and mostly the hand brake keeps in good shape. Like this

[masraum]

Originally Posted by yellowperil

I always put mine in neutral ,and mostly the hand brake keeps in good shape. Like this

Interesting. I've never parked any car in neutral, and most of my cars have been manual.

[yellowperil]

Both

[vonsmog]

Originally Posted by masraum

Interesting. I've never parked any car in neutral, and most of my cars have been manual.

Many times I let my Unimog run while parked to warm up the diesel motor. But the hand brake will lock up the rear end when pulled, so I don't have to worry about it going anywhere, even on a hill.

[yellowperil]

Originally Posted by masraum

Interesting. I've never parked any car in neutral, and most of my cars have been manual.

Must be one of my bad habits.

[GH85Carrera]

What have Déjà vu and feel they have seen that before?

[Adrian Thompson]

It's second nature to Brits as the vast majority learn to drive manual. We're taught from day one to use the parking brake. It's not just for parking. Hill starts at traffic lights etc. we are taught to put the hand brake on and take it out of gear. When it's green/time to move, you put it in gear, bring the clutch up to the biting point then release the hand brake.

Having lived here for close to 30 years now I still do it every time driving my manual car, but almost never bother when driving an auto, unless there's a specific reason.