Dumb handbrake advice?

[jberks]

This doesn't affect us auto drivers but has been bugging me..
I was watching Watchdog last week and they had a feature on the way some Vauxhalls had rolled off down the road with the handbrake on. They interviewed various people, one of whom claimed that had happened to him 7 times! They interviewed a Rospa guy who was 'concerned' and even found an engineer with a possible theory. Ok I accept the latching mechanism is clearly suspect but "so what?" I found myself shouting at the screen.

I was taught from day1 that you NEVER trust a handbrake. Aside from the fact that few are efficient enought to hold the weight of a modern car for any length of time, (note the merc have gone as far as to design a beep when you're moving with it still applied!) their mechanical design means that they are fundamentally unreliable.

I remember walking down my drive one day and hearing a gunshot behind. Looking back I saw my Ford lurch forward slightly. The handbrake cable had snapped.
However, as I'd been taught to always leave the car in the gear opposing the direction of possible travel, I didn't get run over. (plus the point the wheels to the kerb rule). I always thought this was basic, obvious and taught to all drivers since the car was invented, but at no point did anyone, from the guy that got dragged through a hedge, the presenter, engineer that complete moron who presents it, or even the rospa guy ever mention this basic piece of road safety advice. It happened to one guy 7 times, has no one mentioned to him that he's a complete idiot and this simple procedure would save him endless aggravation?

Have they rejected this principle for some reason now, or are 50% of the population just completly stupid?

 

[television]

Highway code page 57 number 226

When parking on a hill you should.
*Park close to the kerb and apply handbrake
*select a forward gear and turn the steering wheel away from the kerb when facing up hill
*Select reverse gear and turn your steering wheel towards the kerb when facing down hill
*Use park if you have a automatic gearbox

 

[Blobcat]

I agree completely, last time this was an issue was with the Xantias with handbrakes on the front disks. Quite a few of those rolled away when the disks had cooled down. I didn't remember the "experts" at the time advocating leaving the car in gear then either.
Like you I have always turned into the curb and leave it in gear and never had a run away.

 

[M6AJJ]

As Jberks, I thought that was part of learning to drive, even my wife does it, and that is saying something. Don't they teach it anymore?

 

[Myros]

I used to teach it, all three variations

uphill with kerb, without kerb, down hill with and without. and I use to teach downhill starts properly. The industry must be missing me.

 

[television]

uphill with kerb, without kerb, down hill with and without. and I use to teach downhill starts properly. The industry must be missing me.

The industry does not miss anything that is done in the correct manner, sad isnt it

 

[Mr Teddy Bear]

The MOT I think calls it a secondary braking system and the system should attain a prescribed level of retardation on the rollers...............I was told (more than on one occasion) that the h/brake mechanism on my old Rover 216 r/disks wasnt up to it.
Anyway sod hand brakes, what about that sexy temptress Julia Bradbury
teasing us all in the swimming pool or are u orl deeeeeeeeeeeeed huh?

Teddy

 

[Phil D]

oh the memories - all those bangers - leave in gear, wheels facing the kerb - oh and downhill too in case the battery goes flat and you need to jump start the thing (again) - MB have taken all the fun out of motoring
Phil

 

[television]

MB have taken all the fun out of motoring
Phil

You mean that they break down so that no one can fix them :roll:

 

[JEZ.S320L]

This doesn't affect us auto drivers but has been bugging me..
I was watching Watchdog last week and they had a feature on the way some Vauxhalls had rolled off down the road with the handbrake on. They interviewed various people, one of whom claimed that had happened to him 7 times! They interviewed a Rospa guy who was 'concerned' and even found an engineer with a possible theory. Ok I accept the latching mechanism is clearly suspect but "so what?" I found myself shouting at the screen.

I was taught from day1 that you NEVER trust a handbrake. Aside from the fact that few are efficient enought to hold the weight of a modern car for any length of time, (note the merc have gone as far as to design a beep when you're moving with it still applied!) their mechanical design means that they are fundamentally unreliable.

I remember walking down my drive one day and hearing a gunshot behind. Looking back I saw my Ford lurch forward slightly. The handbrake cable had snapped.
However, as I'd been taught to always leave the car in the gear opposing the direction of possible travel, I didn't get run over. (plus the point the wheels to the kerb rule). I always thought this was basic, obvious and taught to all drivers since the car was invented, but at no point did anyone, from the guy that got dragged through a hedge, the presenter, engineer that complete moron who presents it, or even the rospa guy ever mention this basic piece of road safety advice. It happened to one guy 7 times, has no one mentioned to him that he's a complete idiot and this simple procedure would save him endless aggravation?

Have they rejected this principle for some reason now, or are 50% of the population just completly stupid?

The latter, I suspect - evidence: The lack of knowledge as to WHAT THE FRIGGING INSIDE LANE IS FOR..!!!

Posted after yet ANOTHER M6 (Northbound) crawl along the M6 Dual Carriageway.

 

[Phil D]

You mean that they break down so that no one can fix them :roll:

bit of irony there Malcolm - quite the reverse in fact - all my early cars were absolute heaps - eg Morris Minor with a mechanical clutch linkage which broke at regular intervals - no big deal - kept a few spares in the glove box - a 7/16 & 1/2 spanner, five minutes on the invariably wet floor, fit a replacement & off you go -
now I get into my cooking w203, wave the key anywhere in the general direction of the ignition & it simply works -
long may it continue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[television]

bit of irony there Malcolm - quite the reverse in fact - all my early cars were absolute heaps - eg Morris Minor with a mechanical clutch linkage which broke at regular intervals - no big deal - kept a few spares in the glove box - a 7/16 & 1/2 spanner, five minutes on the invariably wet floor, fit a replacement & off you go -
now I get into my cooking w203, wave the key anywhere in the general direction of the ignition & it simply works -
long may it continue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes I can remember the morris 1000 where the front wheels would go out sideways.

In all fairness I cant complain about any MB that I have had, I was being a little flippant with my earlier answer

 

[kelbenz]

I saw the programme in question. I also turn the steering and park in gear, but then I'm an "older" driver.
I wasn't impressed with the so called possible fault though. Even if the teeth of the pawl were on top of the quadrant as they showed it, then if the handle slipped it would simply engage the pawl in its next position(half a tooth). If the brake had been applied correctly then its unlikely that releasing it by one click would allow a car to roll as freely as these seem to be doing.
If the ratchet pawl was sticking in its up position then you would have assumed that the engineers would spot this.
As a point of interest does anyone know of any reliability issues with the electronic parking brakes as fitted to cars like Citroens C4 Picasso's? I guess they are a bit new to be seizing yet.

 

[JEZ.S320L]

I saw the programme in question. I also turn the steering and park in gear, but then I'm an "older" driver.
I wasn't impressed with the so called possible fault though. Even if the teeth of the pawl were on top of the quadrant as they showed it, then if the handle slipped it would simply engage the pawl in its next position(half a tooth). If the brake had been applied correctly then its unlikely that releasing it by one click would allow a car to roll as freely as these seem to be doing.
If the ratchet pawl was sticking in its up position then you would have assumed that the engineers would spot this.
As a point of interest does anyone know of any reliability issues with the electronic parking brakes as fitted to cars like Citroens C4 Picasso's? I guess they are a bit new to be seizing yet.

I saw the programme too. What came across, was most certainly a case of seizure and non-engagement - of the owners brain..!

 

[stevesey]

Another in gear, wheels to the curb fan here.

Another one I do is always start the car before turning the lights on - you never know when the battery's going to be on it's last legs and it just might make that that important difference. Despite 24 years of me telling her the wife always turns the lights on, put her seat belt on, adjusts seat, mirror and then starts the car. Grrr!!

 

[mlc]

Another in gear, wheels to the curb fan here.

Another one I do is always start the car before turning the lights on - you never know when the battery's going to be on it's last legs and it just might make that that important difference. Despite 24 years of me telling her the wife always turns the lights on, put her seat belt on, adjusts seat, mirror and then starts the car. Grrr!!

I also always start the engine before putting on all the power draining items, it always seems so obvious.

With three children that have learnt to drive in the last 5 years I can confirm that they were not taught to leave the car in gear. All three of them still think that Dad always leaves their cars in gear as some sort of test to make sure they remember to check before starting the engine.

Mark.

 

[JEZ.S320L]

I also always start the engine before putting on all the power draining items, it always seems so obvious.

With three children that have learnt to drive in the last 5 years I can confirm that they were not taught to leave the car in gear. All three of them still think that Dad always leaves their cars in gear as some sort of test to make sure they remember to check before starting the engine.

Mark.

I will add to the 'start engine first' club - commonsense, really.

 

[television]

commonsense, really.

Where can I buy some please Tesco are fresh out of stock

 

[JEZ.S320L]

Where can I buy some please Tesco are fresh out of stock

As indeed are ALL Universities..!!

 

[Phil D]

the biggest misnomer on the planet - the more you go through life the more you realise that "common" sense just ain't that common !