Electric Parking Brakes (again!)
Discussion
Just had a close shave with wife driving SLK with roof down in slow moving stop start traffic. Wasp flew into her hair and being momentarily distracted she did not notice the car had stopped in front. Only doing about 5 mph so I was able to quickly grab the manual handbrake and we came to a halt with only inches to spare.
Apart from thinking what a good thing it was that we did not have and electronic parking brake it did make me wonder about other issues with the electric ones.
Do learner drivers have to take another test if they pass with an electric parking braked car and wish to move on to conventional?
Surely at one time there was a law saying that there had to be a direct manual mechanical link with separate shoes/discs so when did that change?
Are there problems with flat batteries rendering the car immobile say for pushing it to a place of safety or towing?
Is it possible to have fun with an electric parking brake?
Apart from thinking what a good thing it was that we did not have and electronic parking brake it did make me wonder about other issues with the electric ones.
Do learner drivers have to take another test if they pass with an electric parking braked car and wish to move on to conventional?
Surely at one time there was a law saying that there had to be a direct manual mechanical link with separate shoes/discs so when did that change?
Are there problems with flat batteries rendering the car immobile say for pushing it to a place of safety or towing?
Is it possible to have fun with an electric parking brake?
The Wookie said:
I believe I'm right in saying that most of these systems are now linked to the ABS too and provide a rudimentary anti-lock facility too. On at least two vehicles I've tested it feels as if the EPB button actually triggers the ABS system to apply the foundation brakes although I haven't actually tested it properly.
If either is true then hilariously an EPB would actually be safer in the circumstances the OP describes.
Firstly I would have to reach over to find the switch, and since I do not know where the switch is I think I would have been in the back of the car in front before finding it.If either is true then hilariously an EPB would actually be safer in the circumstances the OP describes.
Edited by The Wookie on Monday 12th October 12:32
Secondly, although the handbrake on the car is strong, I would not want to put full braking on instantly, rather a firm progression.
This would be the case also where say the brakes failed on a snow covered downhill section where full force of the handbrake would cause a spin.
I am still not clear about different PHs saying one the one hand the electric parking brake does not operate when the car is moving and on the other hand some saying it applies full ABS. Would that not be dangerous as somebody said when mistaken by the passenger for the electric window switch
Two other questions have not been answered,
1.Do learners need to pass a separate test with electric parkbrakes as they do with autos?
2.What happens when the battery is flat, does the parking brake lock on or off?
Surely a handbrake hill start is one of the most difficult things to do when you are a learner.
If you pass a test with an electric park brake and then drive a conventional car I would suggest that you are going to have a few roll back shunts which would make you a bit of a liability.
If you pass a test with an electric park brake and then drive a conventional car I would suggest that you are going to have a few roll back shunts which would make you a bit of a liability.
Impasse said:
It seems many of the concerns about electric parking brakes are due to unfamiliarity of their operation.
The potential incident in the OP is nothing to do with the handbrake and something to do with poor driving.
Fair point, but I was not driving and her distraction was understandableThe potential incident in the OP is nothing to do with the handbrake and something to do with poor driving.
Thank you for all your contributions. I had only seen the electric ones operated briefly and I thought that you were just meant to flick the switch and not hold it on.
Do the brake lights come on with an electric parking brake?
Perhaps the emergency stop scenario described by one poster would be unwelcome if there was a heavily laden white van man right up your derriere. I would like a bit more control but as many of you have pointed out I am a Luddite!
TooMany2cvs said:
I've never, ever heard of parking brakes causing the brake lights to come on, on anything.
Don't you think that it might be a good idea if as some posters have said, operating the electric parking brake while moving activates full ABS.Imagine travelling behind when someone mistakes the brake switch for the electricwindow switch!
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