A few years ago, people gave me a hard time because I usually don't put the hand brake on when I park
I figured it out. I learned to drive in Indiana, which is flat as a pancake in most places There was one hill in town and no one ever parked there. Then I moved to Chicago, which is also flat as a pancake. There were slight hills where I parked in NYC, but after 7 years, I was in a habit.
Might not be a good reason, but that's the truth.
Some of the people from the thread a few years ago are probably gone from herr, so if you see them at the store, please tell them what the reason is.
I never use the handbrake, or parking brake, whatever it's called. If the car has an auto trans, I put it in Park, and if it's a stick I put it in first. Maybe never is too strong, since I'm sure I've used it a few times over the past 55-60 years. I use the horn even less. I think the last time I used a vehicle horn was when I was 14.
You must have the patience of Job. I actually killed my car horn once. On my regular commute, I'd often be behind the same driver who would STOP at the end of a freeway entrance ramp to wait for a hole in traffic. At evening rush hour. He got the horn. Eventually the horn stopped working and I had to replace it.
I used the handbrake when I had a manual transmission, but not with an automatic. Southeast Michigan is flatter than a pancake, but I was taught to drive stick by someone from Vermont and she inculcated the hand brake lesson while she was teaching me.
I learned to drive in northern Wisconsin, where more road salt is used than fertilizer.
Common wisdom back then was to always use the hand brake, on the theory that might keep it from rusting and jamming at an awkward time. Otherwise if you did need it it either wouldn't work, or it would lock up and not release.
It did happen to me once; someone used one that had been neglected, and in subzero weather I was under the car with pliers trying to get the brake to release.
I wish you two had been there when everyone who posted was dummping on me for not using the handbrake. -- I do use it sometimes, if it's a real hill, or if I'm leaving the car running while getting out.
It used to be handbrakes only kept the car from going forward. They still went backwards pretty well, but that changed for me 4, 5 cars ago.
20 or 30 years plus the car was 7 years old.
I use the horn sometimes. Just a couple days ago when I thought the guy next to me was moving sideways into my lane. Also when I pick up my girl at her old man's house and I don't want to get out of the car. :-)
It happened to me too. Didn't inconvenience me, but I found I could not apply the handbrake. It was rusted. Never used it on that car again. In fact maybe never used it at all, if the car came that way. Probably a 50's or 60's car when I lived farther north.
I always use the parking brake except in my own garage. My son never uses his and one year he took his car to get inspected and they put his brake on and he drove out with it hung up. Had to stop and pull the wheel off to unlock it. This is in NC where there is not much snow and ice.
I have heard it is not wise to put an automatic in park without the beake on as it is easy to snap off the parking paw in the auto transmission. I usually put a manual transmission in reverse when parked and the brake on.
After almost getting sideswiped by transports several times in my Ranger I replaced the anemic single "tweeter" with a pair of Fiamm "Freeway Blasters" that make it sound more like a 55 Buick Roadmaster. I don't use it often, but now when I use it I get a bit of respect!!
In my ranger if I use the handbrake it most odten hangs partway on due to a spring that has lost tension and is no longer available from the manufacturer or aftermarket. Getting under the truck and pulling the cable back gets really old, really fast, particularly when wearing decent clothes - - - - Maybe some day I'll fix it but low gear works fine on all but the steepest driveways (which I avoid parking on). Never did work worth a hoot in reverse anyway.
Speaking of getting under the truck/car, I probably said that I got my '65 Pontiac convertible from my brother when he went to Viet Nam. He didn't like it because so often it would not start. The dealer claimed to have replaced the battery, alternator, regulator, and maybe the starter twice each. And still it didn't work. I took it to Sears to replace the battery they fixed it for free in 10 minutes, dirty connectio of the battery cable to the starter.
But it turned out, if I left the lights on overnight or even I think a couple extra hours, again it would not start. At first I crawled underneath, unbolted it, cleaned it, but I learned to just reach my arm in, grab the cable, and twist it on the starter stud, even though it did not twist easily. I remember one time on my way to a date when I did that, and didn't get dirty.
Was there something wrong with the stud or the cable, that made a chemical reaction that caused the connection to go bad? I thought of replacing the positive battery cable but I think instead I got a buzzer that reminded me to turn the lights off when I turned the car off, and after that it didnt' happen. (Plus the battery wasn't dead so that was a double advantage.)
Clare, this changes your whole image. I never thought of you before as wearing decent clothes.
I used to be into horns. I had an air horn (though it was fairly cheap and not nearly as loud as a semi). And I had an aoogah horn, and I had two switches on the dash to change which horn the main horn button would use.
I think when I got the LeBarons there was just no room under the hood for any extra horn. I still have them, in the basement. Maybe the Solara has some empty space.
Cars have come a long way. My car has "auto hold" so when you stop it will hold the brakes on until you touch the gas. When you put the trans in P, it will put the parking brake on.
Nice feature when you are stopped on a hill, the car does not move until you really want it too
That's sort of backwards. If you leave a manual in gear it's not going anywhere unless someone pushes it. With an AT in park without the handbrake if it's pushed the pawl in the transmission can break, or so I was taught.
Of course if you leave the manual in neutral you'd better set the brake. That's mostly if you get out to do something while the engine is running. I suppose you could do the same with an AT.
In upstate NY the common wisdom was to not use it in the winter since it might freeze on.
I've had that pleasant experience with trailers. The trailer brakes are spring loaded to the on position and are held away from the drum by the air pressure, backwards to a passenger car. If the trailer brakes are frozen you're under the trailer with a 5 lb hammer beating on the drums.
Actually not so strange with the design of "self energizing" or "duo-servo" brakes - - AKA "Bendix" brakes when moving forward the brakes "cam into" the drum.
Google "how duo servo brakes work" - the Hemmings article is pretty good.
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