handbrake

I was reading this Giles Coren bit in the paper about his troubles with a French rental car that didn't have a handbrake.  I thought the reader comment about the the rental company purposely choosing this kid of car in order to collect the cost of bumps from drivers was pretty hilarious.  Then I wondered whether American drivers would have less trouble with this car because they don't use the handbrake so much?  What do you think?

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/giles_coren/article6787982.ece

I doubt Americans would have less trouble since they mostly drive automatic and the clutch I believe remainds engaged in P so that prevents the car from rolling. I don't think many would know how to position the wheels correctly otherwise. (That's what you're supposed to do, right?)

The only time I use the handbrake is when I've finished parking the car and am getting ready to leave it.  I only used the UK-style handbrake technique when I was studying for my UK license, and abandoned it immediately after passing the driving test (oh, happy day!).

As for the Citroen without a handbrake, I think it'd be easy enough to control it in everyday driving, because I'm used to the US-style of driving a manual transmission, where you don't use the handbrake anyway.  I'd just wonder about keeping it from rolling when it's parked.  Do you leave it in gear?  Point the wheels toward the curb so it can't roll?  Chock the wheels with huge blocks of cheese?

I drive a manual, and I shudder to think what would happen if my handbrake suddenly disappeared! I leave the gearshift in neutral when I park, but if I had no handbrake, I would leave it in first gear. Someone once told me I should do that anyways for extra security, but I forget about it when I start the car and end up jerking forward and stalling out.

I doubt Americans would have less trouble since they mostly drive automatic and the clutch I believe remainds engaged in P so that prevents the car from rolling. I don't think many would know how to position the wheels correctly otherwise. (That's what you're supposed to do, right?)

Mort,
I know in San Francisco you would get a fine for not angling your wheels toward the curb when you park your car.

I had the dubious 'pleasure' of renting a car with no handbrake - most likely it was the same car as the author had, this was a few years back - and it was the most bizarre thing ever!

There was, however, a button which engaged the handbrake in order to pull off hill starts and the like though I didn't discover it straight away - not until I'd had it a few days!

It was certainly an experience!!

There was, however, a button which engaged the handbrake in order to pull off hill starts and the like though I didn't discover it straight away - not until I'd had it a few days!

I'm a wuss - if I ever moved to a place with lots of hills, I would be abandoning my manual car in a heartbeat!

It was certainly an experience!!

 

Well done you, for not bending a fender!

I'm a wuss

Me too!  I won't pretend that it wouldn't scare me.  But that isn't saying much.   

 

As for the Citroen without a handbrake, I think it'd be easy enough to control it in everyday driving, because I'm used to the US-style of driving a manual transmission, where you don't use the handbrake anyway.

This is what I was thinking might be true...for other people besides me! 

I drive a manual, and I shudder to think what would happen if my handbrake suddenly disappeared!

Yes, its pretty scary this. It happened to me once (company car) on a hill. The handbrake was very loose, as opposed to failing completely. On a hill it was a nightmare. I had to use the brake pedal and a combination of first gear control to climb. Things get more annoying when you have to move through slow moving traffic on a hill at a snails pace with a faulty/loose handbrake....handed the car to RAC breakdown to get it sorted on reaching my destination. It had got loose, but without good control a handbrake failure can be disastrous...New cars seem fine, the problem occurs more often with not so well maintained or over used cars(company cars).

My husband was due to get a brand new Volkswagen Passat as his new company car last year, and he chose a Vauxhall Astra instead. After driving the Passat the lack of a handbrake really troubled him as he drives up and down hills (I call them mountains, he calls them hills) all day, everyday in his job as a TV Transmitter Engineer, he didn't trust the handbrake button (if you will) he is a handbrake user when he drives also. I think the handbrake is a must with a manual...you could wave bye bye to your car when parking in a hilly area!

As a result of experience and a bit of skill (confidence), now first gear-clutch control technique has become a habit of mine while driving, with little or no reliance on the handbrake...but heyyyyyyyyy i'm not saying you do the same unles you are just as confident. This technique comes in handy when handbrake fails or is faulty, but over doing it can damage your car- the brake discs become hot if used for too long...bla bla bla.

Secondly, I had actually forgotten that you had to put the handbrake on first then put the gear into neutral, untill i read the thread here on learner drivers.. Thanks for reminding, but its one of those instructions i dint see necessary, ie that was only for the test . I always bring the car to a complete halt/brake, then shift gear to neutral, and finally handbrake on. I'd say its safe my way than the instructors way.

There was, however, a button which engaged the handbrake in order to pull off hill starts and the like though I didn't discover it straight away - not until I'd had it a few days!

I'd vaguely heard of these newer electronic parking brakes , but wasn't sure exactly how they were supposed to be triggered into application or release. 

A quick search suggests that after applying with the semi-hidden button, they release automatically when pressing the accelerator:

http://www.channel4.com/4car/road-tests/R/renault/scenic03-/scenic03--factfile-3.html

I wonder if there's a bypass, or a switch on the transmission so that the release only occurs if not in neutral?   I'm thinking of times you start the engine and might want to rev it slightly (e.g. testing/adjusting) without the brake releasing. 

The old vacuum-release units which were used on some U.S. models in the past (when shifting out of park or neutral) are fine, but releasing just by touching the accelerator sounds far too unpredictable. 

The only time I use the handbrake is when I've finished parking the car and am getting ready to leave it. 

Ditto.  Release at start of journey, apply when parking. 

Chock the wheels with huge blocks of cheese?

Well, not French Camembert - Too soft!