why no handbrake?

[andharwheel]

I notice on my commute that a lot of motorists sit at traffic lights with their foot on the brake; presumably not using their hand brake. Its something I never do when I drive. I cant understand why they dont use it.

 

[coffeejo]

It's "quicker"?

 

[NormanD]

One of the habits people fall in to as they get older

 

[Soltydog]

Poor practice. It can result in warped brake discs in some cases. I used to own a Mitsubishi FTO & many were automatics, warped brake discs were very common & sitting at junctions, traffic lights etc with foot on brake for a length of time was sited as the main cause

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I sometimes wish that they would learn where their clutch bites when they are on hills. Incompetently rolling backwards before starting to move forwards is surprisingly common and when you're on a bike behind, you get a sudden sense of a shrinking universe...

 

[Mozzy]

Lazy and yet again, only thinking about themselves.

 

[byegad]

Poor dears can't manage to put the brake on and take it off again. It's not an age thing. I'm 60 and always use my handbrake at the lights.

 

[Bicycle]

I think many motorists are unaware of how annoying high-level brake lights can be.

It does strike me as odd, but the majority of drivers seem to hold cars at junctions on the footbrake.

It's a beautifully human mixture of habit, ignorance and a dash of not-very-pernicious thoughtlessness.

We are all guilty of those things - motorists and cyclists.

 

[oldfatfool]

Poor practice. It can result in warped brake discs in some cases. I used to own a Mitsubishi FTO & many were automatics, warped brake discs were very common & sitting at junctions, traffic lights etc with foot on brake for a length of time was sited as the main cause

Unfortunately putting the H/B as the same effect and nothing to do with it being an automatic, sitting in drive with either the foot brake or handbrake on just knacks the clutches. Warping the discs is a result of heat sink after hard braking. It is always interesting sitting in the car park at the 'ring and seeing who as put their hanbrake on straight after a lap or two, they are the ones not moving

 

[fimm]

I have arguments with my boyfriend about this. He reckons that I am wrong to put the handbrake on every time I stop at lights, I am equally adamant that he is wrong to sit with his foot on the brake in the way that people are complaining about in this thread. I am sure that I was taught to put the handbrake on when I learned to drive (in 1990). I've pretty much given up on arguing now. So can anyone explain why it is better to put your handbrake on? I'm not sure that "it is less annoying for the driver/cyclist behind" will convince my boyfriend.

 

[oldfatfool]

I belie

I have arguments with my boyfriend about this. He reckons that I am wrong to put the handbrake on every time I stop at lights, I am equally adamant that he is wrong to sit with his foot on the brake in the way that people are complaining about in this thread. I am sure that I was taught to put the handbrake on when I learned to drive (in 1990). I've pretty much given up on arguing now. So can anyone explain why it is better to put your handbrake on? I'm not sure that "it is less annoying for the driver/cyclist behind" will convince my boyfriend.

'IF' you are smacked from behind the handbrake #should# hold stopping you shooting into traffic, whilst if you are on the foot brake the odds are an impact from behind will jolt your foot off the brake. On the otherhand stopping with your foot on the brake sends an unequivical message to the person behind that you are stopped/ing rather than just parked. and gives you greater visibility especially in poor conditions.

 

[Bicycle]

Well.. that's a pretty good reason.

Another one (that I was taught when learning) is that the car is secure with the handbrake on. If you're holding a car on the footbrake and are hit by another vehicle, your foot may slip off the pedal and things can get hectic.

If you have the handbrake on, a collision will not send your car boodling across a junction or carriageway into (possibly) other road users.

 

[TheSandwichMonster]

On our works driving course we're taught to use both brakes when stationary.

Handbrake on to prevent/try to stop the vehicle shooting forward if hit from behind. In neutral to prevent the gears from being stripped if the same should happen and your foot comes off the clutch. The reasoning behind the footbrake too, is in case someone is driving in a daze behind you and fails to notice you stop (or just not realise it for some reason), then the big, red, glowing lights on the back serve as a further, positive reinforcement that the vehicle is, in fact, stationary.

 

[tyred]

I have to hold my hand up as someone who uses the foot brakes at traffic lights and no handbrake.

I suppose it comes from learning to drive in cars with no working handbrake and it is natural and easier to me not to bother with the handbrake. When taking driving lessons and doing my test, I was told the handbrake wasn't required at a junction (the only exception being when someone is walking past the front of your car) and you do not fail your test unless you let the car run backwards. If you have such little car control that you can't do a hill start without letting a car roll back (with or without a handbrake), you probably shouldn't be on the road.

Virtually every time I go out on the roads at night, I am dazzled by other headlights but I cannot recall a single incident where i have felt dazzled by a red brake light. That is why red was picked as the colour for rear lights.

 

[gentlegreen]

I have a special "use your handbrake" mime - a bit like the "get off the phone" one.
I taught myself to drive in a Reliant, in the era before YouTube, so gawd noze where I learned to find neutral and apply the handbrake - they certainly don't hand handbrakes on motorcycles - thinking about it, that was probably covered in the one trial lesson I had with BSM, before running away in horror.

Though as only a very occasional driver, I have been known to forget to apply the handbrake when parking and only noticed when stepping out of the car.