Alot of people have told me to do this although I dont understand why as I have a perfectly good handbrake. Can anyone shed some light on this please?
2006-07-29 08:07:27 · 27 answers · asked by vic 4 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Other - Cars & Transportation
Depends which way the car is pointed.
If the car is pointing forwards up the hill, put it in first
If it is pointing forwards down the hill, put it in reverse
And apply the handbrake of course.
If the handbrake fails with the car being in gear the gearbox will "lock in position" and prevent it moving down the hill.
2006-07-29 08:13:44 · answer #1 · answered by cornwall_seo 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Puttiong a car in first gear means that the engine has to turn several times for the wheels to turn once. Therefore if the handbrake doesn't hold, for the car to roll it would have to be a lot of people pushing to overcome the latent resistance of the engine.
So, if you are worried about your handbrake, do put the car in first gear. Remember to put it in neutral (or put foot on clutch) when you start engine, though. Also, it does not matter whether you are pointing up or down hill, the resistance in the engine will still stop the roll.
2006-07-29 15:15:04 · answer #2 · answered by izzieere 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes - as you may have found (when forgetting to take the handbrake off), the car can actually move with the handbrake on. It also relies on the integrity of the handbrake cable(s). Conversely, when the car is in gear, to move, the engine has to actually turn which requires an enormous effort (forces at ninety degrees to one another, pressure build-up in the cylinders etc.).
This is where one good idea from the US of A comes in. The American cars I have driven will not allow you start without depressing the clutch, thereby avoiding the risk of starting the car when the drive-train is engaged. By the way this does not stop my wife telling me off for leaving the car in gear when she comes to drive it !!
2006-07-30 00:32:32 · answer #3 · answered by Mike B 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends which way the car is pointed If the car is pointing forwards up the hill put it in first If it is pointing forwards down the hill put it in reverse And apply the handbrake of course If the handbrake fails with the car being in gear the gearbox will lock in position and prevent it moving down the hill
2006-07-29 17:28:49 · answer #4 · answered by JOHN R 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you were getting taught by an ADI (approved driving instructor) they would teach you to turn the steering wheel to the left so the wheels are facing the kerb handbrake on and leave in reverse gear if you engage the handbrake first then put in your clutch the car will be held by the handbrake only,engaging reverse gear is purely precautionary in case your handbrake cable were to snap but even then with your wheels facing towards the kerb it shouldnt move (this of course is if your facing down hill) if facing up hill leave car in first gear with wheels facing away from kerb. The bottom line is leaving in gear is for safety reasons belts and braces you might say. car is facing down hill
2006-07-29 15:26:22 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Everyone's ignoring the automatic transmissions which need to be shifted to Park before the key can be removed.
This essentially engages the engine to prevent rolling; so it would seem that keeping in gear is the safest way to prevent rolling.......Of course use the emergency brake too; it functions as a back-up when the brakes slip / fail.
A driver who's been trained well will angle the downhill end of the car -i.e., either front or back - toward the curb.
Also, truck drivers know their weight and whether to place chucks behind the downhill wheels as another safety precaution.
2006-07-29 15:29:59 · answer #6 · answered by nelly 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
One day you will return home with a flue and in your drowsy state forget to lift the hand break fully. If you get into the habit of putting it in first gear the car will not end up down the end of the road or worse. This exact thing happened to me and we had the police visit in the morning. Very embarrassing. The reason for the first gear as opposed to the 5th gear is the engine braking is more powerful in 1st and should stop most cars on even very steep hills. .
2006-07-29 15:19:08 · answer #7 · answered by j_emmans 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The brakes can sometimes slip even if the handbrake is on. But if this happens and the car is in first, the engine will prevent the car from running down the hill. Incidentally, reverse usually has a lower ratio than first, so leaving it in reverse is even better. Better safe than sorry! (All this, however, applies only to a manual gearbox.)
2006-07-29 15:22:34 · answer #8 · answered by Homeboy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends which way your cars facing.
If its facing uphill then yes, if its facing downhill leave it in reverse.
I've always done this on the advice of both my driving instructor & Dad (who was a mechanic for over 40 years).
Basically its so that if your handbrake cable fails the car will roll down the hill unless its in the opposite gear to the direction its facing (ie if its facing uphill, 1st gear will prevent it rolling backwards) & therefore stopping it hitting anything on its way down.
It doesnt damage the car either.
2006-07-29 15:16:22 · answer #9 · answered by Lisa 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you are parking facing downhill you should put your car in reverse and turn the wheels toward the curb. The reason is in reverse your car is less likely to roll forward, and if it does the wheels pointing toward the curb will only let the car roll into the curb.
If facing uphill you do the opposite, park in first gear with the tires pointing away from the curb. It will be less likely to roll backward, and if it does it will stop at the curb.
Always set the hand brake though.
2006-07-29 15:15:26 · answer #10 · answered by GKFTAF 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋