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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:
DustyLee123 · 18/04/2023 06:51

Neutral. In first on a hill when facing up it.
I always press the clutch when turning the ignition on, to stop it lurching forward and hitting a pedestrian. That’s what I was taught,

Figgygal · 18/04/2023 06:51

My parents park in neutral drives me nuts ive Almost put their car through a wall, another car, the garage too many times to remember

StamppotAndGravy · 18/04/2023 06:53

In Paris it's considered terribly bad manners to leave it in gear or with the handbrake on. Parking spaces are so small many people give the car in front or behind a gentle nudge to make room Grin

somewhereovertherain · 18/04/2023 06:53

Pootle40 · 18/04/2023 06:37

On a modern car this isn't needed.

disagree we’ve had a handbrake disengage on a 2017 Skoda Supeb and my bosses Audi A6 also failed.

always leave in gear. Have an automatic now so less of an issue as long as you put in park and not neutral like my dad. Then it rolls a 😂

CaptainMyCaptain · 18/04/2023 06:53

I always park in gear since an accident when the hand brake failed on my parked car. It could have been very nasty. You have to put your foot on the clutch when you start my car anyway so no bunny hops.

liveforsummer · 18/04/2023 06:54

I was taught to park in neutral however I always park in gear - as pp's say why wouldn't you give that extra layer of protection when you can as it's so simple and has no downsides (assuming you remember to take it out of gear before starting, which you will if you do it as habit)

WhineWhineWhineWINE · 18/04/2023 06:54

Absolutely 100% in gear. My car was once written off when someone else's parked car hand brake failed, rolled down the hill and into mine. Get in the habit of putting it in neutral before you start up.

WonderingWanda · 18/04/2023 06:55

I was taught neutral on the flat and in gear on a slope. I have an automatic now so it just goes into park but my drive is steep and my car is heavy and I do worry if this is enough to stop it rolling forward. I have no idea what the park gear actually does, just that you cannot turn off the ignition without it.

Sockloon · 18/04/2023 06:56

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.

Yes a friend of mine, I watched it happen as they got to my front door after parking. It rolled all the way down the hill and smashed In to an old lady's house and broke her front door open. She was frightened stupid from it, It went with a loud bang.

Badleg85 · 18/04/2023 06:56

I drove quite old knackered cars when I was young and their handbrake didn't work so it's ingrained in me to park in gear but I also work at a garage and the mechanics leave their cars in gear to

MerryHen · 18/04/2023 06:57

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.

Five years ago my neighbour's handbrake failed causing their car to roll into mine, which then shunted mine into a third car (mine was the most damaged of the three!)

In December my handbrake completely failed while driving into work, and a friend's handbrake failed while the car was parked on their driveway- they went out in the morning to find it in embedded in their garage door. So it does happen.

All older cars, 10+ years, so age could be a factor.

WonderingWanda · 18/04/2023 06:58

For info in case anyone else was curious. I've just googled and the park gear on an automatic is an extra failsafe according to the RAC.

Mortimercat · 18/04/2023 07:00

I was always taught to park in neutral and thought that was standard. I have seen signs saying to park in gear in hilly places and I assumed the sign was necessary because it is not something people normally do.

Ifailed · 18/04/2023 07:01

I drive DG's car a few times a year and today jumped in it and bunny hopped as I turned on the ignition

In gear or not, I was taught to press down on the clutch before turning on the ignition.

BooksAndHooks · 18/04/2023 07:01

Always park in neutral unless on a hill. Never seen or heard of anyone parking in gear otherwise and was always taught to park in neutral during lessons.

ChufftyBadge · 18/04/2023 07:02

I live in a hilly area and was taught to park in gear.

A few years ago a neighbours handbrake failed (theirs was not left in gear) and their car rolled down the hill into another car which then hit mine.

Seems to me that it's safer to leave it in gear. I have an automatic now so it's left in park!

Mortimercat · 18/04/2023 07:03

Ifailed · 18/04/2023 07:01

I drive DG's car a few times a year and today jumped in it and bunny hopped as I turned on the ignition

In gear or not, I was taught to press down on the clutch before turning on the ignition.

Yes I was taught clutch down before turning the key and I was always taught to park in neutral too.

DdraigGoch · 18/04/2023 07:04

Neutral unless on a hill. You should be in the habit of checking that it's in neutral before turning the ignition though

GrunkleStan · 18/04/2023 07:07

I always leave in gear.

I live on a hill. I've had a parked car roll back into mine wheb their handbrake failed. My handbrake isn't that great. My mechanic once returned my car, parked it outside the house, in neutral. It ended up rolling down the hill, fortunately there was nothing there to hit.

CrystalCoco · 18/04/2023 07:11

In gear on a slope/hill, neutral otherwise.

DH and mechanics at the garage always leave it in first and it catches me out every time.

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 18/04/2023 07:13

A retired Royal Navy Admiral said to me that you should always moor your car to a lamp post with a sturdy rope in case both the parking brake and gear box fail.

I think he may have drunk to much sea water over the years.

taxguru · 18/04/2023 07:15

I used to have a Saab and you had to park in gear - you couldn't remove the ignition key if you didn't!

Rosula · 18/04/2023 07:15

Always in neutral. In 40 years of driving, with a number of cars, I've never ever had a handbrake fail.

Timeforchangeithink · 18/04/2023 07:17

In gear with wheels turned towards the kerb.

DailyMailHater · 18/04/2023 07:17

It is recommended to park in gear on a hill.
My driving instruction said he just recommended you park on gear all the time as then you are less likely to forget when you park on a hill - parking in gear has no adverse affects, but not leaving it in gear on a hill could have consequences- so he said it is just a good habit to get in.
my DH laughs when I drive his car, as I always get in and one of the first things I do is check the gear stick….but his car is an automatic….it has just become habit 😬😂