In gear whilsts engine off?

andrew · Post by **andrew** » Tue Jan 20, 2004 7:32 pm

Ok so if i put the car in gear whilst its switched off and have the handbrake off the car shouldnt move should it? Well I had it on a drive and put it in gear, took the handbrake off and slid down the drive until I braked otherwise id be on the road ???

Yet other times it works fine,,, im confused someone explain why a car thats in gear can roll 1.5m !!

PS guess how many times i had to correct the spelling of brake from break in this post? :rolleyes:

carl · Post by **carl** » Tue Jan 20, 2004 10:14 pm

What gear did you have it in? It needs to be in 1st or reverse.

You didn't have the clutch down, did you?

andrew · Post by **andrew** » Tue Jan 20, 2004 11:44 pm

had it in 1st gear ... and no clutch was up

Vanda · Post by **Vanda** » Tue Jan 20, 2004 11:58 pm

Yeah has happened to me before.....but then I realised if I'm parking down a slope I should leave it in reverse!!!!

ICE DOCTOR · Post by **ICE DOCTOR** » Wed Jan 21, 2004 11:58 am

I f u gonna be parked on a slope shouldnt you put the hand brake on anyway just to avoid such an incident?

toot · Post by **toot** » Wed Jan 21, 2004 3:41 pm

Yes, does it really matter? Handbrake should be on and I still say no need to leave in gear regardless of what others say.

Greenday · Post by **Greenday** » Wed Jan 21, 2004 4:23 pm

I was under the impression the reason for leaving it in gear was in case the handbrake failed while your parked on a hill, don't know about anyone else but if my handbrake failed i'd do anything to avoid coming back to find my car wrapped round a tree at the bottom of the hill

charlieannear · Post by **charlieannear** » Wed Jan 21, 2004 4:32 pm

I normally do both- handbrake on and in gear.
In first if car pointing up hill
In reverse if car pointing down hill

As Greenday says, it's in case the handbrake fails and relies on the mechanical resistance of the engine to stop the car from rolling away. Or something like that...

But as toot says there's no need really, just I'm a bit of a belt and braces sort of person...

But I never leave it gear only... unless the car is on a ramp and I'm adjusting the handbrake!

carl · Post by **carl** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 12:28 am

Also stops it being nicked by someone crawling underneath, cutting the handbrake cable, then towing it away.

And there used to be a lot of problems with trying to lock the handbrake on, on cars with discs all round. Certainly some early efforts (Citroen, notably) resulted in some cars rolling away down hills.

andrew · Post by **andrew** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 12:42 pm

reason im leaving it off is because the brakes are sticking when the handbrake is on ... since i stopped using the handbrake so much my squeeling has stopped !!

Esselle · Post by **Esselle** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 12:46 pm

... since i stopped using the handbrake so much my squeeling has stopped !!

And you had a lucky escape - I think I'll stick to the handbrake.

Alex LS · Post by **Alex LS** » Mon Jan 26, 2004 4:01 pm

I was under the impression the reason for leaving it in gear was in case the handbrake failed while your parked on a hill, don't know about anyone else but if my handbrake failed i'd do anything to avoid coming back to find my car wrapped round a tree at the bottom of the hill

I've never left mine in gear ever since someone rammed into the back of one of my old cars and trashed the engine coz it was in gear.

The best thing to do is to kerb the wheels. Facing uphill, turn them away from the kerb. Downhill, turn them into the kerb.

andrew · Post by **andrew** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 12:04 am

i use the handbrake in public places, just on the drive where its alone i leave it off - anyway discovered what i was doing !! I had my foot resting on the clutch very slightly- say no more ahem

Esselle · Post by **Esselle** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 9:44 am

i use the handbrake in public places, just on the drive where its alone i leave it off - anyway discovered what i was doing !! I had my foot resting on the clutch very slightly- say no more ahem

:rolleyes:

ICE DOCTOR · Post by **ICE DOCTOR** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 12:46 pm

I've never left mine in gear ever since someone rammed into the back of one of my old cars and trashed the engine coz it was in gear.

Just to play devi's advocate here

......But lets say one day your car did start rolling down a hill and smashed into 2 or 3 other cars..now i dont think the Insurance guys are gonna be very accomodating when they find out that your handbreak was down...and i dont think they are gonna buy your logic about the wheel direction either....