Facepalm!

[Dunclane]

Wife rings me at work telling me her MG TF has rolled from the place she parked it, missed 3 cars in front of her and hit a lamppost! How it didn't carry on into the 3 lane carriageway at the bottom of the road I do not know!

I get there and the handbrake has obviously failed. Now whenever I borrow her car I always get told off for leaving it in gear, I keep saying "it's safer that way" and all I got back from her was "well it's my car blah blah".

Stupidly I mentioned this at the scene of the accident.... you can guess the response!



Needless to say this is now in my hands to sort out!

[10 Pence Short]

I don't think I've ever left my car parked without leaving it in gear. It just wouldn't feel right!

[Steamer]

You are doing well if only the handbrake has failed so far.

[ShadownINja]

So you're in the doghouse tonight?

[Steamer]

For some reason its not just your car going backwards in the post!! Why are the post going backwards too!?

[TonyHetherington]

My girlfriend parks her car on a (slight) hill every night.

I tell her every time to leave it in gear. But no, she must leave it in neutral but pull it really tight.

I've gone past telling her, and am simply waiting for the phonecall. The handbrake works fine. But one day it wont.

[308mate]

Handbrake failed -

"Of course it did poppet."

[snowy slopes]

How long before blindswelledrat comes along to say this isnt a facepalm moment?

[Dr_Gonzo]

What is it with women and being unable to leave a car in gear? My other half just cannot cope with the concept; if I ever leave her car in gear and tell her several times I have done so she'll still start it with it in gear - with associated consequences.

[Dunclane]

Steamer said:

For some reason its not just your car going backwards in the post!! Why are the post going backwards too!?

I don't follow.

[Dunclane]

308mate said:

Handbrake failed -

"Of course it did poppet."

I did wonder! When I pulled up and saw the car face on into the post I thought she's lost it and ran into it, when I got into the car the handbrake pulls up nearly vertical which it didn't do when I drove it the other day so I guess she isn't guilty.... of that at least!

[WorAl]

As above, I just cannot leave my car out of gear, mainly because the handbrake doesn't work, but it also doesn't feel right even if it did.

Also when starting a car up, it doesn't feel right to start the car without right foot on brake pedal and left foot pressing the clutch down. Even when i put the gearbox into neutral I still have to press the clutch, just in case.

[tonyvid]

Dr_Gonzo said:

What is it with women and being unable to leave a car in gear? My other half just cannot cope with the concept; if I ever leave her car in gear and tell her several times I have done so she'll still start it with it in gear - with associated consequences.

Best not let her near a SAAB then...

[Dupont666]

I used to leave mine in gear and wheels pointing away from the curb so if the handbrake and the gears failed it would roll back slightly and rest against the curb rather than rolling straight downhill...

[Cupramax]

Lol, this brings back memories of a girl where I work a few years ago, she took her MGF in for a service, picked it up at the end of the day, went home and parked on her steep drive, applied handbrake, went indoors only to return later to find the car stoved into her garage door Apparently they'd adjusted her handbrake at the service and she hadn't taken this into account.

[Pesty]

When I leave her car in gear, without fail it will learch forward the next time she starts it and I will get a nagging.

Too much hassle to check its in gear first.

[Dunclane]

Anyone know of a good body shop around Birmingham then??

[gtdc]

May as well just change women.

[NiceCupOfTea]

Just start the car with the clutch in

[Reload]

WorAl said:

Also when starting a car up, it doesn't feel right to start the car without right foot on brake pedal and left foot pressing the clutch down. Even when i put the gearbox into neutral I still have to press the clutch, just in case.

I'm the same. I usually leave mine parked in neutral when it's on the drive, or anywhere flat really. But I'll still press the clutch when starting it through habit, just in case.