Quick Driving Question

ib88

I have my test coming up soon and just want to be sure...after parking my car should the car be left in 1st/reverse gear or put into neutral? TIA

javaboy

I was always taught not to but the rules of the road say you should put the car in a low gear/reverse especially if parked on a hill.

I didn't put it in gear after parking at the end of my test and no problems but you should probably follow the ROTR to be safe.

ib88

ttt

ib88

thanks javaboy. Anybody else get marked in their test for not leaving in gear after parking. I usually leave it in neutral and was only told today that I shouldn't. Do you think the examiner would even take note of it?

Font22

i was always told to leave the car in neutral. my dad leaves my car in gear if he parks it and the amount of times i have nearly gone through the window of my living room is ridiculous, then again i should have my foot down on the clutch the whole way but STILL!!

ib88

ttt

redcar

I left mine in neutral at the end of my test, still passed.

Alanstrainor

I doubt you'd be marked down for it, but i mean it's good practice. When ever i park i leave it in 1st or reverse and when i start the engine i ALWAYS put my foot on the clutch and so should every driver tbh. Last week i saw one of my neighbors cars out in the middle of the road with nobody in it, i was baffled, it was literally smack bang on the middle of the road, it turns out she handn't ut the hand break on, now if it had been left in gear the car woundn't have gone anywhere. The moral of the story is, leave the car in gear!
Alan.

javaboy

Alanstrainor wrote: »

I doubt you'd be marked down for it, but i mean it's good practice. When ever i park i leave it in 1st or reverse and when i start the engine i ALWAYS put my foot on the clutch and so should every driver tbh. Last week i saw one of my neighbors cars out in the middle of the road with nobody in it, i was baffled, it was literally smack bang on the middle of the road, it turns out she handn't ut the hand break on, now if it had been left in gear the car woundn't have gone anywhere. The moral of the story is, leave the car in gear!
Alan.

Two morals here...... put the bloody handbrake on! lol

SeanW

redcar wrote: »

I left mine in neutral at the end of my test, still passed.

Me too. Handbrake up + neutral, should be ok.

Alanstrainor

I dont understand the topic to be honest, if you're worried about it, why not leave it in gear anyway, 99% of the time you'll be grand but you could get that one gob****e who's having a bad day just looking for things to mark against you. If it were me, like i said above, i'd leave the thing in gear, i did it for my test.
Alan

LuckyStar

Font22 wrote: »

i was always told to leave the car in neutral. my dad leaves my car in gear if he parks it and the amount of times i have nearly gone through the window of my living room is ridiculous, then again i should have my foot down on the clutch the whole way but STILL!!

Exactly the same as me, I was taught to always leave it in neutral.

Say if I was parked on a hill and left the handbrake on with the car in neutral, is there any chance the car could move with the handbrake on? Obviously it could while in motion but if I left it parked?

J_R

Hi,

Why not check out the "Bible" for road users, namely the Rules of the Road,

Section 10: Parking

General rules

* Where possible, park in the direction of traffic flow.
* Park close to and parallel with the kerb or edge of the road except at any location where perpendicular or angled parking bays are marked out on the surface of the road.
* Where a parking bay is marked out on a road you must park your vehicle fully within the parking space.
* Apply the handbrake.
* Switch off the engine.
* Leave the vehicle in first gear or reverse, or in the case of an automatic, select P.
* Before opening any doors, check for other road users nearby, in particular motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians.
* Open your doors only when you need to and keep them open only for as long as necessary.
* Get out of your vehicle only when it is safe and you and your passengers are not blocking other road users.
* Passengers should exit on the kerbside.
* Lock your vehicle as you leave it.

Available here:- Rules of the Road Section 10

Cookie_Monster

I always leave the car in second, regardless. First gear spins too freely but the car will barely move if left in second, even on a slope.

Try it and see the difference, N, 1, 2.

Leaving it in neutral is just asking for trouble IMO.