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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to not park my car in gear?

368 replies

CrazylazyJane · 18/04/2023 04:54

DH and I are at odds on whether you are supposed to park your car in gear or not, so settle the argument for us.

He maintains that he was taught to always leave your car in first gear when you park it incase the hand break fails

I was taught to leave the car in neutral when parking. The only exception being when you're parked on a steep hill, you may consider leaving your car in gear to prevent it from rolling.

I drive DG's car a few times a year and today jumped in it and bunny hopped as I turned on the ignition. Yes, yes, one should always check the gear stick before turning the engine on but I don't routinely as I would always leave a manual car in neutral. So AIBU for being annoyed that he keeps doing this?

OP posts:
ChocChipHandbag · 18/04/2023 23:59

angelikacpickles · 18/04/2023 23:05

What's the disadvantage of leaving it in gear? It's a fallback in the unlikely event your handbrake fails. So why would you not just do it? I don't see why people feel so strongly about parking in neutral.

I think because we were all taught by our instructors to park in neutral so it feels like there is some solid reason for it. I can't believe that not a single instructor or examiner has come on this thread to explain what parking procedure is taught/ examined and why.

FurAndFeathers · 19/04/2023 05:37

i asked in the first page why someone wouldn’t park in gear. The stories on this thread make it clear it’s the safer option.
why wouldn’t you?

i find it odd folk are clinging on to ‘what I was taught 29 years ago’ rather than using their brains!

I wonder if they’re the same golf who hog the middle lane if the motorway cos they still think the left lane is a slow lane?
and I say that as someone who also passed their test 20 years ago

QuinkWashable · 19/04/2023 05:50

Neutral (with hill exception as noted) - always wiggle the gear stick before I turn the keys.

This is after a colleague started his car, which his housemate had moved for some reason, and it jumped forward into their garage door, which fell off, causing a lot of damage to the car (and the door I suppose!)

knittingaddict · 19/04/2023 07:13

I don't really understand the comments about only putting into gear on a hill. It's not always possible to tell whether there is a slight incline, so what's the cut off point? I would argue that a completely flat road is not the default and that many places are a "hill" for rolling purposes.

taxguru · 19/04/2023 07:20

knittingaddict · 19/04/2023 07:13

I don't really understand the comments about only putting into gear on a hill. It's not always possible to tell whether there is a slight incline, so what's the cut off point? I would argue that a completely flat road is not the default and that many places are a "hill" for rolling purposes.

Me neither. Surely it's safer to do it all the time rather than having to think whether you're on an incline or not. If you're in the habit of doing it every time, you're not going to get caught out when you forget or don't realise you're on a light slope. After all there is no downside to parking in gear at all.

Timeforachangeisitnot · 19/04/2023 07:41

I learned before most Mumsnetters were born I suspect. My driving instructor always had me park in neutral. My Dad always had me park in gear.

I suspect my driving instructor had seen more kangaroo starts than my Dad, and I think that’s where the neutral thing comes in.

But both of them had me depress the clutch and check the gear stick before starting off.

If i am driving annual car, I leave it in gear, as that’s how I always found the family car when learning. I think we all do what is habitual.

HelpMeGetThrough · 19/04/2023 07:49

I suspect my driving instructor had seen more kangaroo starts than my Dad, and I think that’s where the neutral thing comes in.

The instructor should have been drumming the cockpit drill into their students and not let them drive until done.

QueenoftheNimbleFlyingCat · 19/04/2023 07:51

FurAndFeathers · 19/04/2023 05:37

i asked in the first page why someone wouldn’t park in gear. The stories on this thread make it clear it’s the safer option.
why wouldn’t you?

i find it odd folk are clinging on to ‘what I was taught 29 years ago’ rather than using their brains!

I wonder if they’re the same golf who hog the middle lane if the motorway cos they still think the left lane is a slow lane?
and I say that as someone who also passed their test 20 years ago

I honestly didn't know this was a thing people did. I was not taught to park in gear 3 years ago and so it's not something that ever occurred to me until I read this thread yesterday.

HisOliveTree · 19/04/2023 08:05

It's in the highway code, when parking on hills.

BlackeyedSusan · 19/04/2023 08:11

I've know three hand brake failures. So always park in gear.

Hankunamatata · 19/04/2023 08:13

Neutral on flat. Any kind of incline I park in gear

Original poster
CrazylazyJane · 19/04/2023 08:22

Just to clarify a few bits. Of course I should have jiggled the gear stick before starting the car but my car is an automatic, so I guess I'm out of the habit and was taken by surprise.

Also, I fully acknowledge that DH can park his car any which way he likes. To be honest, I really thought I'd come on here and be able to say to DH "ha! Mumsnets has spoken, you're the weirdo" but it seems like its quite a split on 'to gear or not to gear'.

Can I suggest there may be a north / south divide? DH and his friends and family all seem to park in gear where as me, my best friend and my family all park in neutral. DH says that it was because he always lived in hilly areas.

OP posts:
TheDogsMother · 19/04/2023 08:28

Always park in gear but that's probably my age and a the quality of my first car so it became habit. It's also habit to give the gearstick a little wiggle before I start the engine though.

ChocChipHandbag · 19/04/2023 08:32

FurAndFeathers · 19/04/2023 05:37

i asked in the first page why someone wouldn’t park in gear. The stories on this thread make it clear it’s the safer option.
why wouldn’t you?

i find it odd folk are clinging on to ‘what I was taught 29 years ago’ rather than using their brains!

I wonder if they’re the same golf who hog the middle lane if the motorway cos they still think the left lane is a slow lane?
and I say that as someone who also passed their test 20 years ago

Surely most people would still be more inclined to continue to do what they were taught by their driving instructor rather than suddenly just change what they do on the basis of a thread on Mumsnet?

lifesabitchandthenyoudie · 19/04/2023 08:34

We always just park in gear, then there's no fear of forgetting when it's needed (on a slope etc) or worry about the handbrake failing, or of bunny hopping because you forgot to check; it's just habit.

I once didn't put the handbrake on properly while opening a gate and the car rolled back into a post; now I even turn off and pop in gear for doing that gate (on a slope). Cheaper than the crash!

EL8888 · 19/04/2023 08:36

BusterGonad · 18/04/2023 05:01

I think this is an age thing. My dad parks in gear, my husband and I park in neutral. You are taught during lessons to park in neutral.

@BusterGonad l also think it’s an age thing. Husband and l both park in neutral

SoupDragon · 19/04/2023 08:42

CrazylazyJane · 19/04/2023 08:22

Just to clarify a few bits. Of course I should have jiggled the gear stick before starting the car but my car is an automatic, so I guess I'm out of the habit and was taken by surprise.

Also, I fully acknowledge that DH can park his car any which way he likes. To be honest, I really thought I'd come on here and be able to say to DH "ha! Mumsnets has spoken, you're the weirdo" but it seems like its quite a split on 'to gear or not to gear'.

Can I suggest there may be a north / south divide? DH and his friends and family all seem to park in gear where as me, my best friend and my family all park in neutral. DH says that it was because he always lived in hilly areas.

Which out of north/south are you saying has no hills then?

Oakbeam · 19/04/2023 08:45

l also think it’s an age thing.

I agree. As you get older, you realise that leaving it parked in gear is actually a good idea.

Original poster
CrazylazyJane · 19/04/2023 09:00

SoupDragon · 19/04/2023 08:42

Which out of north/south are you saying has no hills then?

Show quote history

Well I'm a Londoner, as are all my family members and best friend. Obviously we have hills in London but DH reckons he was taught to leave his car in gear because of the steep hills he grew up around and learnt to drive in. There doesn't seem to be a concensus or any continuity between driving instructions so I assume it's up to individual instructors and their locations.

OP posts:
Handsnotwands · 19/04/2023 09:01

OliviaPark · 18/04/2023 06:18

Just out of interest, how many people here have had their hand brake fail? (Personally, not their mum’s cousin’s neighbour).

I have never known anyone it happened to or seen the aftermath of an incident where it has happened.

in our town the main parking is on a slope and almost weekly someone’s car rolls into the shops behind

VisionsOfSplendour · 19/04/2023 09:08

EL8888 · 19/04/2023 08:36

@BusterGonad l also think it’s an age thing. Husband and l both park in neutral

Show quote history

My equally (in)valid anecdata is that my driving age child always parks in gear. I have no idea what the driving instructor said but common sense prevails to avoid an unnecessary accident

Maharajah20 · 19/04/2023 09:53

Always park in gear. Either in first or reverse when at home.
First thing I automatically do without even thinking about it is put the car into neutral when I get into it.
I've had plenty of crappy handbrakes!!

SoupDragon · 19/04/2023 11:14

CrazylazyJane · 19/04/2023 09:00

Well I'm a Londoner, as are all my family members and best friend. Obviously we have hills in London but DH reckons he was taught to leave his car in gear because of the steep hills he grew up around and learnt to drive in. There doesn't seem to be a concensus or any continuity between driving instructions so I assume it's up to individual instructors and their locations.

Show quote history

I'm a Londoner and have always parked in gear.

it has nothing to do with location 😂

SoupDragon · 19/04/2023 11:15

A slope doesn't have to be steep for a car to roll.

VisionsOfSplendour · 19/04/2023 11:19

SoupDragon · 19/04/2023 11:14

I'm a Londoner and have always parked in gear.

it has nothing to do with location 😂

Show quote history

Haven't you heard of the leveling up agenda for making the whole country the same height above sea level 😂