Do you set the PARKING BRAKE / HAND BRAKE on your car when you park it?

[AviatorTom]

It's recommended that drivers set their parking brake (also called hand brake) when parking their car, rather than rely on the vehicle in PARK (automatic) or IN GEAR (manual), which can fail and cause the car to roll away.

Do you use your parking brake? Please vote in the poll and tell us why or why not.

Yes, I ALWAYS use the parking brake when parking

Yes, I SOMETIMES use the parking brake when parking

No, I NEVER use the parking brake when parking

My car doesn't have a parking brake

Something ELSE - please tell

Updates

+1 y

After 31 votes, it's interesting that both guys and girls use it in equal amounts... about 75% of each use it at least some of the time.

Updates

+1 y

I always set the parking brake when I park. I grew up on a manual transmission and had cars with stick shifts for many years, and using the brake with a stick is normal operation. I got so used to it that I do it now out of habit, whether it's a stick or automatic.

[WindAtMyBack]

I have to admit that I don't even know where the parking brake is on my current car. I've had the car over a year, but I only drive less than 100 miles a month.

OK, now I know. I just went and looked. It's obvious. But I have no reason to know where it is. I've been driving over 50 years and I could probably count the number of times I've used a parking brake on my fingers.

The best reason I can think of to even have a parking brake on modern cars isn't for parking. It's redundancy. If the hydraulic brake system goes out, you can use the parking brake in an emergency, which doesn't rely on the hydraulic system. Otherwise it's like spare tires - a thing of the past that's no longer needed.

Modern cars won't even let you take the key out without out it being in park. Or if it's keyless it will yell at you if it's not in park. Parking brakes are not good brakes. They are not nearly as strong as the transmission locked in park. On a manual transmission it makes a lot more sense, but not on an automatic.

[sean1234]

A lady at a parking lot with aslight incline thought that way. Her transmission locked up and her car wouldn't move until it was pushed forward.

[goaded]

Well, duh! There was a Citroen that had disc brakes all round, very powerful and effective brakes, but hot brakes expand, so if you'd parked on a hill and pulled the hand brake, the discs would cool and shrink, and the car would roll down the hill...

Is it San Francisco that requires you to have the brakes on and the wheels facing the curb when you park?

[AviatorTom]

@goaded I don't know if SF legally requires it, but it's always a good idea to turn the wheels into the curb on a hill so that, if the brakes slip and the car starts moving, its tire hits the curb and stops the car... or at least slows it down. To be more specific...
If you're facing uphill, turn the wheels the the left
If you're facing downhill, turn the wheels to the right

[goaded]

[Apple1996]

Yes my driveway is on a bit of a hill. I'm paranoid it might randomly roll back 😅 especially in the snow and bad weather here makes the driveway slippery

[Nikki1989]

Yes, it is a habit.

[OlderAndWiser]

I learned to do that when I took Driver's Ed. in high school (even though I am in flat Florida) and it has ben a habit for the past 53 years.

[sean1234]

Yes and i drive automatic vehicles. I remember the day i was helping a lady with groceries and i thought her vehicle was going to roll off. She was soo oblivious, had no idea. Its very unsafe, from cars rolling off, to cars getting stuck on a incline for not putting the parking brake on. They called it a "emergency brake" to make things worse as if you are never supposed to touch it.

[Fireguy17]

If I am on a hill and don't want the pressure on the parking dog in an automatic, and also if I have a stick so it could not creep down a hill.
Plus, it isn't a bad idea to use it every so often so especially up here in the great white north, so it won't rust up on you.

[Minky17]

I only use it if I'm on a hill. Otherwise I don't use it. I also curve my tires when parked so when I get in the car I readjust straight before driving.

[DeeDeeDeVour]

Except inside the garage and our overflow parking space surrounding our garage, I usually set the parking brake before I egress from our vehicles.

[dustybiker2]

My truck is a foot park/break. Yes. One of my bikes has one too - I forget when dropping it off for service and set it out of habit, they said it took them a min to find what was wrong. lol

[Levin]

Well of course. That is basic safety. Sort of like checking the hobs are off and the doors are locked when you leave the house.

[Kelley1]

Never unless on a slope. Then I use the handbrake before putting the car in park. Otherwise, the tension make it hard to get out of park.

[Lliam]

Never, unless I am driving a stick shift or parking on an incline. I can't see any other reason to.

[Chazmatazz269]

“Hand brake” is inaccurate because not all parking brakes are designed to be operated by hand.
I always use it, if it’s functioning.

[RetroReviews]

I drive a Prius I don't think it has that feature even when I did have cars that did I usually did not do it

[Redstang88]

Usually do now that I live where there’s actually hills. When I still lived in the prairies I never had a vehicle with one that worked and never needed it anyway

[Dargil]

I will use it on a hill. I set it before I put the car in "park" or always with a manual transmission.

[MicroJ]

I still use a hand brake when parking, especially on a incline. Force of habit from when I drove a stick shift.

[RebelinSteel]

Always put the handbrake on and out of gear, never in a gear.

[SaoirseS]

I only when driving a manual, or when parking on a steep slope, otherwise no.

[Bricealan]

When I put the Tesla in park, the parking brake automatically sets.

[Anonymous]

Of course. I think that's just an American thing. When I park and turn my engine off I also will put it in 1st or 2nd gear.

[exitseven]

Sometimes if I park on an incline I will set the brake.

[diversethought]

I drive a manual, so yep. If I were driving a manual or automatic on roads with hills, definitely. An automatic on flat ground, no.

[EstevanMadrid898]

I try to put it on even if I park in my garage now it is whiskey for certain vehicles if it snows and you park it outside and that's because the emergency brake can freeze

[AngryCarl]

I drive a manual so I always put the handbrake on. I don't leave it in gear either.

[AngryCarl]

It always makes me laugh when I see someone park the car and get out, then it runs away down the hill and they chase after it. Judging from the fail videos online that happens A LOT.

[Jupiter1]

Almost always, especially if I parked on a slope. On very level ground, I don’t have to.

[bolverk]

I always set the parking break when I park, and if I park on a slope I'll also leave the car in gear.

[NathanDavis]

with my driveway... I better

[Anonymous]

I Always Set Parking Brake Whether On An Incline Or Flat Street Or In My Garage…

[Alex-Snow]

If I am on a hill I always do. On the flats... just sometimes

[Anonymous]

I old set the parking brake when I park on a sloping surface, because it take pressure off the transmission. There's no need to set the parking break on a flat surface.

[Booklover_90]

No and won’t start. I hate when I take my car in for service and they engage it. 🙄

[susie22]

Always, my car is a manual transmission.

[Siri137]

Yes, always. I never forget to do it.

[OfMiceandMen]

Yes, every time. It keeps it functioning.

[EmmaMary]

@AviatorTom

Absolutely Always.

[purplepoppy]

Always, it's standard practice in the uk

[DJB72]

Yes, I like my car to be where I left it...

[douride2]

Yes I use the park break most times.

[IslaTheWitch]

always

[Surely]

Only if not parked on the level.

[dudeinohio]

Only when parked on a hill.

[BCRanger10]

Yes, always.

[Paul09]

I drive manual. So I always use it.

[DishLady]

Yeah.

[Stiffguy]

Not needed most of the time that simple

[loves2learn]

Yes. Always.

[Galaxyman611]

Nope

[msc545]

Always.