Parking in gear

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Peter
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Re: Parking in gear

Post by Peter » Tue Apr 21, 2009 8:55 pm

Highway code recommends leaving the car in gear when parked on a hill.

iirc reverse gear when facing down and 1st gear when facing up?? or the other way round..

This was commonly quoted by Vauxhall after their series of handbrake failures when people tried to claim for damages due to their crappy vectra handbrake design issue...
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dezzy
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Re: Parking in gear

Post by dezzy » Tue Apr 21, 2009 9:01 pm

The Police and the IAM teach people to leave the car in gear at all times when parked (and handbrake on). That's what I teach people for there IAM test.

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jen
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Re: Parking in gear

Post by jen » Tue Apr 21, 2009 9:16 pm

Im sure when I was learning to drive, my instructor told me to keep the car in neutral at all times but if parking on a hill, to turn the wheels towards the kerb so if the handbrake does fail, it will just roll towards the kerb and (hopefully) nowhere else. Dezzy, is that bit right?
Last edited by jen on Tue Apr 21, 2009 9:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.

rossl
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Re: Parking in gear

Post by rossl » Tue Apr 21, 2009 9:21 pm

tenkfeet wrote:Is its so VX owners do not mount other Vx's when they start their cars ? :lol:

Sorry :oops:
Which idiot did that then?!?!?

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duggiesmith
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Re: Parking in gear

Post by duggiesmith » Tue Apr 21, 2009 9:29 pm

I always park in gear (1st gear if facing uphill and reverse if facing downhill).

I wasn't taught this in my driving test, but took a few advance lessons a number of years ago and they recommened this. They also said you should always start the car with the clutch depressed to protect the engine, which I do out of habit now, but have no idea if it does any good other than stops you accidently starting the car in gear.
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Tom
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Re: Parking in gear

Post by Tom » Tue Apr 21, 2009 9:36 pm

ALWAYS leave the Elise in gear, with the handbrake off. If on a hill handbrake on also. I leave the handbrake off whenever possible so the brakes don't bind on (even a day or two leaves a mark on the disc I can feel through the pedal...). Always double/triple check when about to start(something like: open door. lean in and take out of gear. stick key in. wiggle gear stick. turn key 2 clicks to prime fuel pump. wiggle gear stick. start... :oops: ). Too many skip/VX stories :lol: .

Volvo is an auto. so handbrake only gets used if on a hill :D
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campbell
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Re: Parking in gear

Post by campbell » Tue Apr 21, 2009 9:36 pm

meatball wrote:When on the flat in the garage, handbrake off and in 1st gear.
Out on the road, handbrake on, in 1st gear.
That is how I was taught and how my employers also taught me.
HTH
Absolutely ditto to wot I do.

Also always depress the clutch when starting. 2 benefits:

- decreases load on starter motor

- guarantees no lurching forward from being started in gear

Don't care what's taught, safety first in my view.

You know the biggest reason for this modern problem? Disc brakes on the rear. As cars have become heavier, drums aren't good enough. Don't believe the problem was as prevalent with drums. As Tut says, discs cool and a lightly applied h'brake which would otherwise hold, just lets go and no more. End result = catastrophe in some cases, witness the TVR that rolled across the KH pitlane at a tracknight IIRC.
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Corranga
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Re: Parking in gear

Post by Corranga » Tue Apr 21, 2009 10:04 pm

campbell wrote: Absolutely ditto to wot I do.

Also always depress the clutch when starting. 2 benefits:

- decreases load on starter motor

- guarantees no lurching forward from being started in gear
Exactly what I was going to post. I think I was taught to park in neutral, but then I wasn't explicitly taught not to park in gear if that makes sense.

A friendly auto electrician told me it reduces load on the starter years ago and i've never looked back.

Also park with handbrake off if the car is to be left for a period of a week or more to help prevent binding.

I reckon some cars (Hyundai?) required clutch dipping before they even started. Won't swear to it mind.

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dezzy
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Re: Parking in gear

Post by dezzy » Tue Apr 21, 2009 10:07 pm

jen wrote:Im sure when I was learning to drive, my instructor told me to keep the car in neutral at all times but if parking on a hill, to turn the wheels towards the kerb so if the handbrake does fail, it will just roll towards the kerb and (hopefully) nowhere else. Dezzy, is that bit right?
Yep, that's correct and the IAM also advise that to an extent, but being in gear is the main way of preventing it rolling.

Campbell, I agree on having the clutch down for starting the engine :thumbsup We also teach that in the IAM for the reasons you mention plus the book quotes "bring the clutch up gradually to ensure there is no break in the transmission".

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Lazydonkey
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Re: Parking in gear

Post by Lazydonkey » Tue Apr 21, 2009 10:08 pm

I always park in gear as my first car (Cinq Sporting) had a habit of not being where i'd parked it when i got back. So it's natural for me to leave it in gear and to start every car with my foot on the clutch.

Unfortunately, shelley has recently passed her test and was also told never to leave the car in gear.

Add the two together and everytime she jumps in the panda after i've driven it .......she gets the fright of her life when she starts it with her foot off the clutch.

Currenrly trying to work out if it's less hassle remembering to take it out of gear or teching her to start with her foot on the clutch ! :damnfunny
Last edited by Lazydonkey on Tue Apr 21, 2009 10:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Dominic
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Re: Parking in gear

Post by Dominic » Tue Apr 21, 2009 10:12 pm

Corranga wrote:
campbell wrote: Absolutely ditto to wot I do.

Also always depress the clutch when starting. 2 benefits:

- decreases load on starter motor

- guarantees no lurching forward from being started in gear
Exactly what I was going to post. I think I was taught to park in neutral, but then I wasn't explicitly taught not to park in gear if that makes sense.

A friendly auto electrician told me it reduces load on the starter years ago and i've never looked back.

Also park with handbrake off if the car is to be left for a period of a week or more to help prevent binding.

I reckon some cars (Hyundai?) required clutch dipping before they even started. Won't swear to it mind.

Chris
Some cars now wont start without the clutch depressed... (toyotas I think :? )

Always leave mine in gear. Got out the habit a few years ago, but after the golf going walkies a couple of times (thankfully not far and no damage) I always leave it in gear.
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Bob vanM
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Re: Parking in gear

Post by Bob vanM » Tue Apr 21, 2009 10:14 pm

I always park in reverse gear and never on the handbrake; that is since I owned some SAABS where you had to put the gear in reverse or you could not get the key out !

my technical feeling tells me that parking with handbrake keeps stress on the mechanism, releases when cooling off, rust solid when left longer time, and with thin old disks they could wharp when parked hot.

only thing I have to be carefull about is when I left the car in 1st in stead of reverse, start and drive off instantly --> not back but forward :mrgreen:

always start with the clutch in !
I think SAAB cannot be that idiots to have it all wrong ?

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Lazydonkey
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Re: Parking in gear

Post by Lazydonkey » Tue Apr 21, 2009 10:14 pm

rossl wrote:
tenkfeet wrote:Is its so VX owners do not mount other Vx's when they start their cars ? :lol:

Sorry :oops:
Which idiot did that then?!?!?
I still get flashbacks ever time i park the VX outside jons house :shock:
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Scotty C
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Re: Parking in gear

Post by Scotty C » Tue Apr 21, 2009 10:22 pm

Bob vanM wrote:I always park in reverse gear and never on the handbrake; that is since I owned some SAABS where you had to put the gear in reverse or you could not get the key out !

my technical feeling tells me that parking with handbrake keeps stress on the mechanism, releases when cooling off, rust solid when left longer time, and with thin old disks they could wharp when parked hot.

only thing I have to be carefull about is when I left the car in 1st in stead of reverse, start and drive off instantly --> not back but forward :mrgreen:

always start with the clutch in !
I think SAAB cannot be that idiots to have it all wrong ?
Bob you live in Holland, why do you need handbrakes?
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Bob vanM
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Re: Parking in gear

Post by Bob vanM » Tue Apr 21, 2009 10:42 pm

because the car will roll out the street when the chinese opposit the road park behind and hit my car.....


LOL

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