parking in gear

miss no stars

decided to brush up on the rules of the road. I went onto rulesoftheroad.ie and noticed one that I hadn't before - leave your car in first gear or reverse when parked (or P if automatic).

I'm really curious to hear the reasoning on this one. I'm guessing it has something to do with how far the car can roll if it's hit whilst parked, but surely there's a statistically higher likelihood that a person will forget to de-clutch or put it out of gear before starting and the car would jump than the small chance that the car will be hit with sufficient force to completely destroy the handbrake.

So if I pulled up to the test and the tester got in and saw it was in neutral, would I immediately get a mark against me?

NeVeR

I think it's in case the hand break fails the car won't roll. -- Not sure.

I remember I was moving a co-workers car one day.. She was heavily pregnant and he car was parked out the back of the job so i said i'd move it closer, I get in and started up.. Someone ( not her ) left it in rev gear... scared the sh!t out of me and i got out to check and I was about 2-3 mm from the back wall ( after the car jumped ) --- sooo close to messing up the car's bumper and god knows what else.. I never leave a car in park

Alanstrainor

The problem in the above scenario was not checking whether or not the car was in gear before starting the engine.

Always, always always start the car with the clutch depressed, a lot of new cars wont let you start unless the clutch is depressed fully.

The logic behind leaving the car in gear is in case the handbrake/parking brake fails. The car will never roll when left in gear.

Will you lose marks if the car is in neutral when they sit in? Of course not. I would consider it good practise to leave the car in gear however, and as above always depress the clutch before starting the car. I always do it, and I'm the only one who drives my car.

Tommytwotimes

A car in gear will never roll, purely for safety reasons I would think.

arleitiss

My problem with this is forgetting that I left car in gear, usually I leave it in neutral then when I come back next morning/night before taking coat off or putting stuff like keys in car I just turn ignition so it sort of pre-warms, then just walk around car check tyres, mirrors etc.. when I forget about it, it goes bad, car stalls (obviously)

Alanstrainor

arleitiss wrote: »

...I just turn ignition so it sort of pre-warms, then just walk around car check tyres, mirrors etc.. when I forget about it, it goes bad, car stalls (obviously)

I'm sorry, but that is just silly practise.

I've seen cars where the handbrake fails, all it takes is the ratchet mechanism not to catch, or for it to come loose and the car is liable to roll. It doesn't even have to be on much of a hill.

biko

There's a video in the main Motors forum of a burning car where the handbrake cable snaps and the car starts rolling. Almost hit a bus.

In colder countries everyone always park in gear, and no handbrake. This makes sure the cable won't freeze and immobilise car. Regulars in Motors will know every cold winter's morning there's a thread about handbrakes getting stuck

Parking in gear just makes more sense and you can always add handbrake if required.
Pressing clutch and foot brake also is good practise when starting car up. Some cars won't brake properly until engine is on and hydraulics is working so then handbrake can be engaged before you start, to keep car from rolling if on a hill.

Or use this simple diagram I put in this thread about hill parking
Point is that wheels should be turned toward kerb so if car moves it moves into kerb, away from traffic.

J_R

Hi,

I had a pupil who parked her car, put on the handbrake, and as usual put the car in neutral. She grabbed her handbag from the front passenger seat and exited.

As she was getting out, the handbag got stuck so she freed it with a jerk. She continued, slammed the door shut and walked off.

Minute or so later she looked back and saw her car 100 odd yards away driving down the road. She ran after it but it crashed into a street light before she reached it.

The car was a complete write-off. She obviously knocked off the handbrake with the bag strap

Regarding the above diagram, could be slightly misleading. Most people would park on the left. They might not notice that the car above facing uphill is parked on the right hand side of the road.

Simpler way to remember, courtesy Highway Code

Parking on hills. If you park on a hill you should

park close to the kerb and apply the handbrake firmly
select a forward gear and turn your steering wheel away from the kerb when facing uphill
select reverse gear and turn your steering wheel towards the kerb when facing downhill

Power Cord of Justice

I was taught by my Dad to shift the car into gear with the handbrake up before getting out. And when I get in, I change to neutral, leave the clutch in and start the car.
I don't see why everyone doesn't do this , it doesn't take much effort

thesimpsons

I live on a bit of a hill and parked outside my house one day got out and around to lift my kids out of their seat. In that couple of seconds a neighbours car rolled backwards about the lenght of 6 houses into my car at quite a force. She had only just exited her car and in slamming the car door closed, it must have dislodged or failed the handbrake, she always parked her car in neutral. thankfully my kids were ok but nice bit of damage to both cars.

areyawell

I dont understand how parking a car in gear will stop is rolling back. If I have a car in first gear on a hill and let the handbreak off it stills roll back? Am I missing something here.
Say if the engine was on isnt that not what you use hill starts for

Pomplamousse

I was taught to park in neutral, had no idea parking in gear would stop the car from rolling if the handbrake fails:eek: Change of habit for me methinks!

areyawell

I really dont get this thread, could someone explain how putting a car in gear will stop it rolling backward when parked if the handbrake fails? How could it? If you put the car in first gear and let off the handbreak it rolls back. Even when your driving this happens so where are people getting this information from? Maybe this is just a piss take thread haha

Red Crow

areyawell wrote: »

I really dont get this thread, could someone explain how putting a car in gear will stop it rolling backward when parked if the handbrake fails? How could it? If you put the car in first gear and let off the handbreak it rolls back. Even when your driving this happens so where are people getting this information from? Maybe this is just a piss take thread haha

It'll roll a little bit then it will stop due to the car being in gear.

challengemaster

areyawell wrote: »

I really dont get this thread, could someone explain how putting a car in gear will stop it rolling backward when parked if the handbrake fails? How could it? If you put the car in first gear and let off the handbreak it rolls back. Even when your driving this happens so where are people getting this information from? Maybe this is just a piss take thread haha

Try it yourself. Park the car on a slight incline, put it in first, turn the car off and let off the handbrake. It won't budge past a few inches.

johnmcdnl

areyawell wrote: »

I really dont get this thread, could someone explain how putting a car in gear will stop it rolling backward when parked if the handbrake fails? How could it? If you put the car in first gear and let off the handbreak it rolls back. Even when your driving this happens so where are people getting this information from? Maybe this is just a piss take thread haha

When the car is in gear it won't roll backwards actually - it'll roll back if it's in neutral - ie when you have your foot on the clutch.. once your foot is off the clutch it'll go up the hill

In some pretty old tractors that don't have handbrakes it's the only form of brake you have actually - yeah there "VERY" old tractors but works every time for them.

For normal day to day driving though when parking up just turn the car off and knock it into gear. Doesn't take any extra effort and gives that extra bit of security. And as for the car jumping off when it starts - make putting the car into neutral part of your routine just like putting on your seat belt.

I don't know why cars are designed to be able to turn on when in gear though. Going back to tractors if the tractor is in gear you physically can't turn it on which is a great safety feature imo. Can't see any reason why it wouldn't be implemented in cars as well tbh. I know some cars do make you press the clutch in which is something similar which isn't so bad but still makes sense that the car shouldn't be able to be turned on unless it is in neutral.



Also in very cold weather water that may get into the handbrake cable can freeze up which is a right pain in the arse so it's worth considering only using the gears to hold the car to try to avoid this. Happened to me last winter actually. Was a right pain trying to get it released but learned a lesson from it anyways.

rab!dmonkey

It's very easy to remember to check the gearstick before starting if you make it part of a simple routine. I always check my mirrors from right to left (check that they're correctly adjusted, that is, not for things in them) then go down the centre console - gear stick, handbrake, seatbelt - then depress clutch and start the engine.