People who don't bother with handbrakes in car parks...

[Jonny M]

Lots of Mercs have them, with some weird handle on the dash to release it.

[iMc]

Whats the point? I can't see any advantages of it...

[rajagra]

Mines an old Lexus. Reason for foot-operated brake? Either for people not strong enough to use a handbrake, or maybe it's an American influence. Either way I think it's dumb. It isn't practical to use at traffic lights (I have to lean forward to pull the lever to release the parking brake!) and putting an auto into park/neutral causes unnecessary wear and tear. So the "correct" thing for me to do is sit there with my foot on the brake. No big problem, except at night I'm dazzling the guy behind me with the brake lights.
A proper hand brake ... just gives you more control. It feels right. It IS right!

[Tumble]

I like frightening people with my handbrake.... on a steep hill I stop, lash on the handbrake, and because it's on the transmission rather than the wheels, all 2 tonnes of my car has to roll back and take up the slack in the gearbox... graeat fun, espesh if someone has pulled up too close behind - watching a tow ball just at radiator height coming towards them it only rolls back inches or so.. but looks like it's never gonna stop

[Howard]

If I don't pull my handbrake up hard enough, it won't hold it on a hill, you've gotta give it a bit of a yank. When I was learning to drive, I used to suck at hill starts, and it was always entertaining watching the faces of the driver of the car behind me in my rear view mirror almost crap themselves as I go slowly rolling toward them while I "get my bearings" and either stall or move off

[herulach]

I like frightening people with my handbrake.... on a steep hill I stop, lash on the handbrake, and because it's on the transmission rather than the wheels, all 2 tonnes of my car has to roll back and take up the slack in the gearbox... graeat fun, espesh if someone has pulled up too close behind - watching a tow ball just at radiator height coming towards them it only rolls back inches or so.. but looks like it's never gonna stop

Completley ot, but do you have to chock the wheels if you ever need to jack it up? Surely the diff will let it roll if 1 wheel is off the floor? Or does it break at the axle side of it?

[Emzay]

My handbrake only holds on hills if I pull it right up as far as poss... the concerning thing is I can drive at full speeds with it on :/ (no i do not make a habbit of this, I did it once! ONCE!)

[Howard]

My handbrake only holds on hills if I pull it right up as far as poss... the concerning thing is I can drive at full speeds with it on :/ (no i do not make a habbit of this, I did it once! ONCE!)

Me too. I've done it a couple of times and it's quite embarassing when you sit at lights and see the (!) symbol

[Konan555]

The only thing the leaver does if I leave it up is get in the way of my arm! I do hope it just needs a tension up. I hate changeing rear pads.

Now a couple of guys at work forgot the handbrake on the trailer and worse the tyres down to the wire! Not good.

[Tumble]

Completley ot, but do you have to chock the wheels if you ever need to jack it up? Surely the diff will let it roll if 1 wheel is off the floor? Or does it break at the axle side of it?

yeah you do.. you gotta chock at least the opposite corner to the one you're lifting... I tend to chock all three wheels cos I'm scared of the thing falling off the jack The hand brake is a big old drum brake on the rear prop shaft. if you jack it up, you have to engage the central diff lock AND chock the wheels... so although the wheel that's in the air can spin freely, at least have the torque is taken up by whichever axle's firmly on the deck, and the chocks under the other wheel.

[oshta]

Now a couple of guys at work forgot the handbrake on the trailer and worse the tyres down to the wire! Not good.

Ouch!
- At our school one of the techers drove the 806 and a kid all the way to the hospital an back with the HBrake on! Got back to school and left it in the Carpark, and 10mins later she got phoned to say there was clouds of smoke coming out of the rear wheels!!
- Now we have an 806 our selfs, and the Hbrecks are good, you would deffonatly notice! - I ccould see how she could have not found the HB, as its on the wrong side. but still, she must have noticed?


Daniel

[Tarffie]

All true, but still sooooo many.

Especialy around a big dealer, like T.C Harrisons in Derby.

You're garunteed to find one every 5 minutes. I'm starting to thing they're being given out on the NHS.

We got ours from a box of Frosties iirc.

[Konan555]

We got ours from a box of Frosties iirc.

I'd laugh if I thought you where joking.

[Emzay]

Me too. I've done it a couple of times and it's quite embarassing when you sit at lights and see the (!) symbol

Lol I didn't even notice it - i thought the lack of 'oomph' in my acceleration was a bit odd but put it down to having three people in the car. I felt such an idiot when I parked n found my handbrake was allready on!! It seems to still work ok tho so I can't have had it on full whack

[Howard]

Yeah, the first time I did it I was coming out of work and only noticed at some traffic lights. Didn't really notice any lack of accel. The second time I had a mate in the car and put it initially down to the extra weight too! That time I did actually check though after moving off

[chrisuk]

Quite a while ago my dad told me at one place he worked, him and a mate watched there boss's new company car roll down an inclined car park and smash straight into a concrete bollard. Needless to say, the car came of worse than the bollard.