Hill stop/handbrake?

Ed D.

When doing the hill stop on the test is it okay to use the handbrake? Is the testee expected to move off from a depressed clutch and foot brake position or is it okay to engage the handbrake, and when ready to go, use accelerator and clutch to get the first gear bite and then just release the handbrake for a smooth take off?

Delirium

Yes. I used my handbrake for the hill start and got no marks against me in the test for the hill start. Hope that helps.:)

SeanW

You are supposed to use the handbrake.

When the tester tells you to stop on the hill, here is the procedure.

Check your left mirror and signal left.
Check your left mirror again, left hand side blind spot, and pull over on the hill.
Bring the car to a complete stop and apply the handbrake hard on. Go into neutral if there's a pause in the instructions.
When instructed to move off, look in the right mirror, signal right (as you're rejoining the main line of the road)
Go into first gear, press the accelerator if necessary (if you're driving a petrol or low engine cc car you'll need to use accelerator) and bring the clutch to the "bite." You'll see the bonnet of your car rise vis-a-vis your surroundings when the clutch is at that "bite" point, but the engine will not cut out.
Check your right hand mirror again and check over your right shoulder.
Disengage the handbrake and continue driving forward.

chris85

SeanW wrote: »

You are supposed to use the handbrake.

When the tester tells you to stop on the hill, here is the procedure.

Check your left mirror and signal left.
Check your left mirror again, left hand side blind spot, and pull over on the hill.
Bring the car to a complete stop and apply the handbrake hard on. Go into neutral if there's a pause in the instructions.
When instructed to move off, look in the right mirror, signal right (as you're rejoining the main line of the road)
Go into first gear, press the accelerator if necessary (if you're driving a petrol or low engine cc car you'll need to use accelerator) and bring the clutch to the "bite." You'll see the bonnet of your car rise vis-a-vis your surroundings when the clutch is at that "bite" point, but the engine will not cut out.
Check your right hand mirror again and check over your right shoulder.
Disengage the handbrake and continue driving forward.

+1

handbrake must be used, you will roll back a bit if you dont and thats a no no.

Wishbone Ash

SeanW wrote: »

You are supposed to use the handbrake

+1

chris85 wrote: »

handbrake must be used, you will roll back a bit if you dont

Not using the parking brake doesn't necessarily mean one will roll back. It's quite easy to do a hill start without using it (but it safer to use it and is expected in a test).

Overature

you gotta use the handbrake to move of. you have to show that you have control of the vehicle

Posy

Would you get marked down in the test for not using the handbrake?

sd123

SeanW wrote: »

You'll see the bonnet of your car rise vis-a-vis your surroundings when the clutch is at that "bite" point, but the engine will not cut out.

I know what getting the bite with the clutch means, and I can do a hill start quite easily, but what do you mean by this? bonnet of you car rising????

Wishbone Ash

sd123 wrote: »

but what do you mean by this? bonnet of you car rising????

When an engine is attempting to propel a vehicle forward and uphill but the parking brake is engaged, the front of the car rises slightly and the rear dips slightly.

sd123

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

When an engine is attempting to propel a vehicle forward and uphill but the parking brake is engaged, the front of the car rises slightly and the rear dips slightly.

Interesting, never noticed it before, and my instructor never mentioned it to me. I'll keep an eye out for that one.

Overature

yeah proberly, i hate having to use the handbrake when im only stoped for a short period of time, but you gotta do it.

Seth Brundle

I think the most important thing when doing hillstarts (like any starting manouvre) is to listen to your engine. Your engine should not be low on power but neither should you over-rev the engine. It takes practice but once you have it then it becomes second nature.

Alanstrainor

kbannon wrote: »

I think the most important thing when doing hillstarts (like any starting manouvre) is to listen to your engine. Your engine should not be low on power but neither should you over-rev the engine. It takes practice but once you have it then it becomes second nature.

All very true, the most important thing is practise. Go out with an instructor so they can give you the correct advise, and if you're only starting to learn you will have the benefit of practising in a dual control car.

P.C.

SeanW wrote: »

You are supposed to use the handbrake.

When the tester tells you to stop on the hill, here is the procedure.

Check your left mirror and signal left.
Check your left mirror again, left hand side blind spot, and pull over on the hill.
Bring the car to a complete stop and apply the handbrake hard on. Go into neutral if there's a pause in the instructions.
When instructed to move off, look in the right mirror, signal right (as you're rejoining the main line of the road)
Go into first gear, press the accelerator if necessary (if you're driving a petrol or low engine cc car you'll need to use accelerator) and bring the clutch to the "bite." You'll see the bonnet of your car rise vis-a-vis your surroundings when the clutch is at that "bite" point, but the engine will not cut out.
Check your right hand mirror again and check over your right shoulder.
Disengage the handbrake and continue driving forward.

Yes. And you are supposed use your hadbrake when you stop at a red light.
Bring the car to a complete stop and apply the handbrake. Put the car into neutral.
When the lights go green, put the car into gear, release the hanbrake as you move off.

Do NOT sit at the red light with your foot on the brake peadal!

Enda89

Whats wrong with sitting at a red light on a brake pedal?

I do it all the time, and did it in my test also and got no faults for it.

Only time I'd use a handbrake is if I'm on a hill or am 9 or 10 cars back at a red light and am going to be sitting there for a few mins.

Alanstrainor

Okay, just to clarify, there is nothing wrong with leaving your foot on the foot break pedal as such, you wont get marked down for it on a test. But i would always advise drivers, when stopped for any length of time, ie greater than 5 seconds, to apply the handbrake and to put the car in neutral. If you wish you can then apply the foot break as an addition.
My reasoning behind this is:
1. It lets you rest your feet
2. In a situation where by you were rear ended while stopped, there is a significant chance, with the sudden jolt, that you could release the foot break, sending your car forward into a junction/other motorist etc. With the handbrake on the car isn't going to move far, and there is little chance of it suddenly releasing.

SeanW

+1

Wishbone Ash

Enda89 wrote: »

Whats wrong with sitting at a red light on a brake pedal?

During lighting up hours, it's very annoying for the driver behind.

Posy

Do your brake lights go off if you have the handbrake but not the footbrake on?

Dont be at yourself

Using the foot-brake as opposed to the handbrake when stopped at lights also aids you in taking off more quickly, which is imperative if you're first or second at the lights.

Wishbone Ash

Caderyn wrote: »

Do your brake lights go off if you have the handbrake but not the footbrake on?

Yes.

ec18

NekkidBibleMan wrote: »

Using the foot-brake as opposed to the handbrake when stopped at lights also aids you in taking off more quickly, which is imperative if you're first or second at the lights.

not during the test though and a hill you should always use the handbrake

Posy

I'm only learning but I find it as quick to start the car when the handbrake is on as when it's not. If I'm first in the queue of traffic I'll have my 'biting point' ready so I can take off pretty quickly.
Would it hurt the car to have it 'biting' for long? (y'know, in first gear with the clutch up but handbrake still on..)

Alanstrainor

Leaving the car at/on the biting point for prolonged periods would indeed wear out the clutch plate, and clutch cable unnecessarily. I would agree with the handbrake no matter where you are in the cue, as with some practise it should be just as quick as using the foot break. However, I can understand the reason a learner driver my be more comfortable with the foot break at the top of a cue of traffic.