AIBU to leave my car parked in 1st facing down on a hill?

[CordeliaGoode]

How long before it starts to roll downhill?

Normally you would leave it in reverse but no reason why it will be too much of a issue

Much quicker if you took the handbrake off too.

It won’t go anywhere in gear and the handbrake on. Even in first.

If it's in gear it's not going to move, I presume the handbrake is on though.

Don't think it matters if it's in reverse or first, once it's in gear? Handbrake would definitely be useful though.

YABVU

I live in a hilly area and the bottom of the hills is a total mess of cars, lorries and he occasional bus having slid down the hills.

They should really think of a way to stop it happening

Wheels turned into the curb will stop it rolling down hill if all else fails. We had to park like that in San Fran.

Have you only left it in gear, no handbrake?

Anyway, if it's in gear (any gear*), it won't roll away. I always leave my car in gear when it's parked.

• I tested this on my sloping driveway.

I always park in gear. Why anyone wouldn’t I have no idea. If on a decent slope in gear and tyres to the kerb. If parking for a day or two handbrake on also, if I won’t drive for a week or more handbrake off.

If you’re facing downhill it should be parked in reverse, facing uphill parked in 1st gear. As a PP said, turn your wheels into the curb too.

Having been run over as a toddler resulting in fractured skull and femur, I thoroughly recommend parking in gear, wheels turned in and handbrake on.

If you’re facing downhill it should be parked in reverse, facing uphill parked in 1st gear

It makes no difference.

Any gear will do.

It makes no difference.

But it feelz right

If it's in any gear then it's connected to the engine so you'd have to turn the whole engine to make the car move which is unlikely as you'd have to overcome the vacuum created by closing off the air intake and also overcome the weight of the flywheel.

Asdf12345

I always park in gear. Why anyone wouldn’t I have no idea. If on a decent slope in gear and tyres to the kerb. If parking for a day or two handbrake on also, if I won’t drive for a week or more handbrake off.

Do you not always park with the handbrake on? Dh has an automatic handbrake in his car so jeeps forgetting to put mine on, but our drive is completely flat so generally the only impact is to annoy me.

I've never parked in gear. Nobody I know does apart from older people. Maybe it's something that was taught a while ago but not anymore? I passed my test 6 years ago.

It makes no difference.

But it feelz right

Oh, I agree 😂 which is why I had to try it out to see if it mattered.

Mother for...

No, it won’t hold on a decent slope by itself and has a tendency for the shoes to stick on if left for more than a few days. In first gear however it stays rock solid on anything tarmac will stick to.

Do you not always park with the handbrake on?

Yes but I have come back to find my car has rolled when I forgot to leave it in gear. I think someone once told me that it can happen if the car is hot and then cools 🤔 That might be nonsense though!

I never understand these threads. I don't do this. Dd1 learnt to drive in Dundee and she wasn't taught this either.

I've had my car for 12 years and the bloody handbrake has never worked properly. Posh car, gets serviced, handbrake gets tightened, goes slack again a couple of weeks later. None of my other cars have ever had this problem So anyway leaving it in gear (forward for up, back for down ) is second nature now and probably always will be.

end of story

Well, it's not "taught" as it isn't part of the test. It's just good practice in case the handbrake fails. Belt and braces!

I have also found that only the older generation park in gear, I learnt 10 years ago, parking in gear was never mentioned.

It's in the highway code that you should leave it in gear when parked on a hill. I think it's just a good habit to get into whenever you park.