Parking on a hill, handbrake?

[SexlessBoulderBelly]

This is a really stupid question, especially as my OH is a bloody mechanic... but I need to pop into town and I know it’s going to be absolutely rammed full of idiots and I’ll struggle to find a parking space. I’m 37 weeks pregnant so I wanna get as close as I can and the only place I can think of is on a very very steep hill a couple minutes walk outside of town.

Now my OH noticed yesterday that I’ve probably been yanking the levee too hard and it travels quite a bit now and looks very high so he thinks it’s starting to go.

Now I know to leave my car in gear, with my wheels point towards the curb just in case.
But does it make a difference if I’m in first gear or reverse? If I’m coming downtown the hill and park facing down wards, will leaving it in reverse be better than first?

It probably won’t go anywhere as I’ve parked on lesser hills and used the handbrake without worrying, but this one is steel and now he’s mentioned my handbrake I suddenly feel very conscious and my anxiety is sending horrible rolling car smashing into building happy Christmas thoughts.

What’s the best way to park it?😂

I forgot to mention OH is currently travelling an hour to a shopping centre to do all his very late Christmas shopping so I won’t get an answer out of him by the time I need it

I don’t think it matters if it’s first or reverse, as long as it’s in gear. However I always put it in reverse if the car is pointing down the hill and first if pointing up, just because it makes me feel better 😂

Hope you get an easy space!

Parking downhill then reverse, uphill then first gear

It doesn’t matter

If it was me I'd text a list to your husband since he is already shopping!!

It makes no difference

If I'm facing downhill I'd leave it in reverse. If I'm facing up hill I'd leave it in first.

It makes no difference, any gear at all will stop the car from rolling.

in gear, any gear, and wheels curbed. It won't go anywhere.

and book it in to get the handbrake looked at in the new year.

It makes absolutely no difference whether in first or reverse. Do make sure you put your handbrake on too though!

Haha thank you all, put the handbrake on, took my foot off the brake and it held, so put it in first aswell, wheels towards the curb.

I text him a list of the things he could get but there are small local businesses I wanted to grab some bits from in my local town so they wasn’t possible for him to get in time unfortunately.

OH will do my handbrake ASAP as he won’t trust me to go anywhere otherwise haha!