Stopped at lights - brake/handbrake on or off?

[WhoseGeneration]

GW65 said:

One thing nobody has mentioned so far is the potential to warp your discs if you hold the car on the footbrake when they're hot after braking from high speed.

You are correct, in theory.
I doubt that this applies to most in their daily drive.
If it does, then they have been in another world from most of us.
In Road Rallying, then maybe.

[Vipers]

WeirdNeville said:

Whenever the car is stationary for more than a "momentary pause" the hand brake should be applied and neutral selected. I like the idea of the car being "inert" i.e. requiring no input from the driver in order to remain stationary, it's safest state.

Generally I would agree, but some lights at junctions are Green for seconds, not minutes, and unless you are ready to move off immediately, only 2 or 3 cars get away before the lights change again.

This is certainly prevalent in Aberdeen.

[TripleS]

Vipers said:

WeirdNeville said:

Whenever the car is stationary for more than a "momentary pause" the hand brake should be applied and neutral selected. I like the idea of the car being "inert" i.e. requiring no input from the driver in order to remain stationary, it's safest state.

Generally I would agree, but some lights at junctions are Green for seconds, not minutes, and unless you are ready to move off immediately, only 2 or 3 cars get away before the lights change again.

This is certainly prevalent in Aberdeen.

....and with some of the lights in Scarborough. I'm not surprised so many people jump the lights and generally cheat. That's not to say I'm condoning it, merely recognising what happens.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[Tonsko]

GW65 said:

One thing nobody has mentioned so far is the potential to warp your discs if you hold the car on the footbrake when they're hot after braking from high speed.

You'd need to be doing some very *very* spirited driving on the road to put the discs into this state surely? I've only ever been warned about this after taking mine on a track.

[AlVal]

ah...handbrakes... a luxury cerb owners dont have (at least never working!)

[dhutch]

Ive only been driving about two years, but i was taught to use the handbreak when waiting for than a very short time (say 10-15seconds) and release the footbrake. This is what my parents do also. Partiularly in the dark, to prevent dazzling.

However i do notice that this proberbly a minoraty view point?
- From a personal point of view, i stuggle with breaklights at juntions when driving in the dark and often the brightness on modern breaklights is a minor issue to me, so i would be for footbrake off if waiting more than a 10-15 seconds for that reason alone.

I do leave the car in gear, foot on clutch for a little longer however, maybe as long a minutes wait, puting it in netral if i have to, or expect to, wait longer than that.


Daniel

[brum]

Clutch.

[ph123]

I am an angel.
Traffic lights or queues (in C London) out of pure thoughtfulness, if likely stationary for 10 secs +, I do put the new co. DSG car into neutral and hand brake on.
Because I hate being dazzled by all these monster posh car brake lights, particularly the newer ones, during winter months. But so few others do it. (Professional chauffeurs - pah!)
That said, London taxis are great. Lights are little glowy things gently pulsating, likely to extinguish any moment (do they ever stop their engine; they'd never ever start again.)

[ph123]

PS Electronic handbrakes are the greatest invention since sliced bread! (They release when you touch the accelerator, don't allow roll-back.)
Along with that centre little sun visor.
Oh, and lane change 3 flash, one touch indicator.
And heated mirrors.