Handbrake turns ?
Discussion
Ok, who will admit to having done one ? I was on a private land yesterday, nobody about (appreciate it is a bit anti social), was driving the shopping car and needed to turn round so thought why not, so, bit of a flick left, then some lock right, yanked the handbrake and round it comes, leaves the car facing perfectly in the the other direction it isn't something I do often (unless I have a snowy car park) and not normally with passengers but had my youngest with me and he loved it, just told him not to tell his mum and not to try it when he learns.
Most cars handbrakes don't allow a handbrake turn nowadays unless its on snow as it wont brake the rears hard enough and even then it is down to whether they have one of those crappy electronic ones.
As cars move to electronic handbrakes was wondering how those involved in driving those in need of protection will manage, surely a functional handbrake is key the driving they need to do or are there other methods ?
Most cars handbrakes don't allow a handbrake turn nowadays unless its on snow as it wont brake the rears hard enough and even then it is down to whether they have one of those crappy electronic ones.
As cars move to electronic handbrakes was wondering how those involved in driving those in need of protection will manage, surely a functional handbrake is key the driving they need to do or are there other methods ?
AndySpecD said:
You hooligan!
The electronic handbrake on a rented Astra seemed to brake all wheels, was like an emergency stop.
On the latest cars, if you pull the "handbrake button" at any speed above about 5mph, the car will first use the service brakes to slow you to nearly a stop before applying the parking brake system.......The electronic handbrake on a rented Astra seemed to brake all wheels, was like an emergency stop.
Max_Torque said:
AndySpecD said:
You hooligan!
The electronic handbrake on a rented Astra seemed to brake all wheels, was like an emergency stop.
On the latest cars, if you pull the "handbrake button" at any speed above about 5mph, the car will first use the service brakes to slow you to nearly a stop before applying the parking brake system.......The electronic handbrake on a rented Astra seemed to brake all wheels, was like an emergency stop.
The new electronic handbrake set up raises an interesting point of what does a passenger use if the driver gets into difficulties?
I understand there is always a possibility that the passenger could yank the handle up, and Ive been a victim to this by having to queue until the early hours of the morning trying to get back onto Hayling Island because some silly pissed tart decided to pull on the handbrake whilst driving over the bridge!
But in a genuine case where the driver collapses...how does the passenger apply the brake to slow down? Ours on the Volvo is well out of the way by the drivers kicker panel almost!
I understand there is always a possibility that the passenger could yank the handle up, and Ive been a victim to this by having to queue until the early hours of the morning trying to get back onto Hayling Island because some silly pissed tart decided to pull on the handbrake whilst driving over the bridge!
But in a genuine case where the driver collapses...how does the passenger apply the brake to slow down? Ours on the Volvo is well out of the way by the drivers kicker panel almost!
100's of times, in fact probably 1000's. I used to park the car at home with the aid of a handbrake turn on the gravel drive. I used go find quiet places when it was snowing and spend hours doing them, great experience and massive fun. I do them less since having rwd cars, they just go sideways with the aid of a different control 
Sensibleboy said:
I always remember a TV programme that showed an E36 BMW 3 series Touring doing a HBT...it rolled over! So beware! Maybe a freak accident but it showed what could happen to what most would think is a stable car.
No clue as to how they managed that, the one on my Touring is an absolute shocker- even if I tried, it wouldn't slide... just slow down slightly!croyde said:
My E36 is the same even with the basic traction thingy turned off. In the 80s I drove for a courier firm that supplied us with Citroen C15 vans. The turning circle was so bad that you had to handbrake it all the time. Great fun 
Those C15s were still being built in a pretty much identical guise until 2002!Not for a long time - but I recall some fun on snowy fields and even just some damp ones in long distance past. Then I got an XM, and even if you could manage to operate the foot operated parking brake, they operated on the front wheels.
Then I started getting more expensive cars - and this one has electronic brake!
When I think bank - I wonder whether the "playing" made it easier to cope in snow/ice as you at least have a clue about what car is likely to do.
Then I started getting more expensive cars - and this one has electronic brake!
When I think bank - I wonder whether the "playing" made it easier to cope in snow/ice as you at least have a clue about what car is likely to do.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff