To press the button in on my hand-break before pulling it up to put the break on

[DuelingFanjo]

because I did in my mum's car and she said 'don't push the button in, just pull it up'.

I have always pushed it in.

[KatoPotato]

How strange, I was just thinking that today too! (mumsnet woo)

The official instructions in my handbook say button only to release, but oh the NOISE! It can;t be good for it surely!

[ArthurSixpence]

Button in to pull it up - that noise is metal teeth on metal teeth, and it causes wear. To the teeth and your ears.

[Lamazeroo]

YABU to refer to it as a 'break'.
YANBU to push the button in.

[Fakebook]

I push it down when pulling up but then let go for the last bit so I can hear it's been put up all the way. I think that's what the sound is supposed to be for.

[ifyourehoppyandyouknowit]

You're not meant to push the button to put it on in my car, only to release. Does it matter? You should definitely take the handbrake off before trying to drive away though. My car really doesn't like it when I forget!

[MerryOnMerlot]

Use the button - that's what it's for.

Mums don't actually always know best

[MalenkyRusskyDrakonchik]

Your mum is wrong and she's fucking up her handbrake.

My mum does it too - did they not used to have push buttons or something?

She also hasn't yet adjusted to the fact cars have five (or six) gears these days and doesn't know what fifth is for.

[Thumbwitch]

I was taught by my driving instructor to push the button in on the handbrake, and always do. I agree, it saves wear on the ratchet teeth.

So YANBU to push it in. Your mum may not have been taught the same thing though - my mum always used to just pull it up as well (noisy).

[IvanaCake]

I have no idea whether I press the button or not! I will pay closer attention when I go out later and report back

Knowing me I have been doing it wrong for the last 15 years

[OnTheBottomWithAWomansWeekly]

My driving instructor told me it is the correct thing to do - testers hate hearing the noise of the teeth when you put on the brake. So YANBU
(but it's brake not break!)

[Trazzletoes]

YANBU you should push the button in when putting the brake on.

[DuelingFanjo]

isn't it a break. i said Hand-break too!

hmm, Kato - officially we are supposed to just pull up then

[DuelingFanjo]

doh - sorry - spelling. Brake! Doh (I am a numpty!

[Thumbwitch]

more evidence against your mum

[DuelingFanjo]

see, when I think back the creaking sound is something I remember from my childhood trips in cars - is this perhaps something that the older generation (I am 43 so I mean, like, really old ) do?

Really mortified by the break/brake thing!

[eurozammo]

Yep, I agree with the others - she is wrong and wearing out the teeth on the brake mechanism.

[SoniaGluck]

DH winds me up with this.

He swears you don't need to press the button and he never does. My argument is that my driving instructor told me to do it to reduce wear and tear, as other people have said, and I always do.

His evidence is that on television dramas you always hear the grating when they put the hand brake on. It's true, you do. But that doesn't necessarily mean that it's right.

[DuelingFanjo]

watchdog piece on handbreaks. The car I was driving is a Vauxhall!

Driving standards agency says generally you should push the button in but some manufacturers say you shouldn't.

[DuelingFanjo]

argghh - I did it again. Hand BRAKES I mean. doh.

[RobotBananas]

Agree that you should push it in. Advanced driving instructor told me to. You'll wear it out otherwise

[BrokenBanana]

I do that all the time and am constantly getting told off by my driving instructor! He reckons you should push in every time

[IcingTheCake]

YADNBU My dad does this, because he says he can't be bothered to push the button! He also does it while the car isn't fully stopped. I'm going to be so smug when his handbrake needs replacing!

[FeckOffCup]

I never thought you had to put the button in to apply the handbrake until my husband explained to me that noise when applying it=bad, my dad never ever put the button in to put it on so I thought it was supposed to make that noise.

[OddBoots]

I always used to but now I drive a Prius and it has a foot version with no button so you always get that grating noise.