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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:
Willmafrockfit · 18/04/2023 07:18

i was taught to park in neutral
my dm is 87 and always parks in gear,
when i borrow her car it always jolts as i forget she left it in gear!
no need to park in gear unless you are on a hill
even then how likely is it your handbrake will fail.

although this happened to a colleague when we were doing community care and the neighbours knocked on the door to advise about the car
eek!

SmileyClare · 18/04/2023 07:19

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.

😂

randomsabreuse · 18/04/2023 07:20

In gear. Manual or automatic hand brakes. One day at DH's work both the French cars decided to go on a little excursion for no reason (electric hand brakes) so it has stuck in my mind since!

Blanketpolicy · 18/04/2023 07:22

Parking in gear, or not, is irrelevant. You should always check you are in neutral before starting the car.

BrightBlueHue · 18/04/2023 07:22

Always leave in neutral except when parked on a hill, then I leave it in first gear.

MargaretThursday · 18/04/2023 07:25

In gear. Have had a handbrake fail. Luckily I was in gear.

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 18/04/2023 07:26

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.

Neither have I, but I'd rather park in neutral and save myself a lot of cost and hassle in case it does happen!

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 18/04/2023 07:26

That was meant to say "park in gear" 🙈

Runningslow · 18/04/2023 07:26

Always in gear. My hand break failed and my car rolled (slowly) into my in-laws house. Also know of a delivery woman who was seriously injured by her own vehicle when it rolled and trapped her against a doorstep. Always had drives on slopes so a natural habit got me, though I had a lot of arguments with my kids about it when they were learning to drive.

JenniferAllisonPhillipaSue · 18/04/2023 07:27

I learnt to drive 30 years ago - park in neutral on the flat, in gear on a slope. DH learnt to drive 10 years ago in a completely different area of the country - exactly the same, park in neutral on the flat, in gear on a slope. Can understand the reasons why some say to park in gear all the time (reduces the thinking process if it becomes a habit), it's a shame that the same approach isn't taken to indicating at a junction 😏

SoupDragon · 18/04/2023 07:29

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.

Always in gear. I have been driving a similar length of time and have seen two handbrakes fail.

It is irrelevant really as checking a car is in neutral before starting it is basic driving.

randomsabreuse · 18/04/2023 07:30

To be fair I don't think I've ever lived somewhere properly flat so in gear is very ingrained. Even East Anglia there was enough slope to make a car roll. Current driveway is definitely on a slant!

SkankingWombat · 18/04/2023 07:30

I always leave it in gear. DH didn't until he came out of a meeting one day to find his brand new company car (interestingly, given so many others have named it, also a Skoda) on the other side of the car park buried in a Land Rover. As a teenager, our neighbour opposite's handbrake failed and their car completely destroyed our front wall, so it isn't that rare an occurrence.

SoupDragon · 18/04/2023 07:30

I have to put my foot on the clutch to start my car and I still check it's in neutral before doing so. It's drilled into me more than the parking in gear.

user1492757084 · 18/04/2023 07:32

I park in first gear, with wheels to curb.
And handbrake on if on a hill.
I always remove the keys. I wobble the gear stick and check the hand brake of every car before I turn the ignition key.

wonkylegs · 18/04/2023 07:33

I've only ever had an automatic/electric handbrake fail and that was because all the electric systems went haywaire (was very frightening experience as it started when I was doing 60 on the dual carriageway)
It was on the flat though so wasn't an issue

I have an electric car now so it's automatic and you park in P - it switches to P if you forget when you turn off the power.

I used to park in gear when I lived on a steep hill but not otherwise.

ItWasntMyFault · 18/04/2023 07:34

I only leave it in gear if I'm parked on a hill.

blackteaplease · 18/04/2023 07:35

This happens in our house too. DH learnt in late 90s and parks in gear. I passed my test in 2004 and was taught to park in neutral. I end up with bunny hops after DH uses my car.

Beautiful3 · 18/04/2023 07:35

In my driving lessons I was taught to park in neutral, or 1st gear if on a hill. I have seen a handbrake fail, and the car rolled. I always park in gear, it's much safer that way. I have a steep drive and it's hilly, where I live, so it's out of habit, no matter where I park, it's always in first gear.

RiskyReels · 18/04/2023 07:35

Always in gear, though that didn't stop the neighbour's car rolling into mine when their handbrake failed!

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 18/04/2023 07:36

Always in gear. When I was (much) younger I owned a car with a very dodgy handbrake. I used to always carry a brick in the car to tuck behind a wheel for hill parking as well 🤣.

MechyMagic · 18/04/2023 07:37

Ex-Mechanic here.. I generally park in gear out of habit with customer cars. Sometimes I remember I'm driving my own and park in neutral.

But the one thing I always do, is foot on the clutch before turning the key. Then it doesn't matter if its in gear or not.

Mummyoflittledragon · 18/04/2023 07:37

Depends where you live. In Paris it is /was park in neutral, handbrake off to minimise damage from other cars as they parked. I have an automatic now. I used to park in neutral on the flat and in gear when on any kind of incline. I was also taught to start the car with the clutch depressed so wouldn’t have had this issue.

bigdecisionstomake · 18/04/2023 07:37

Always park in gear - why wouldn't you? Zero damage to the car by parking in gear and potentially a life saver - surely it's a no-brainer? I had a hand-brake fail on a mini-clubman at work once and luckily it just rolled into a hedge - the mechanic I took it to was aghast I didn't routinely park in gear for that exact reason so I have done ever since.

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 18/04/2023 07:38

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.

It wasn’t my car but I was stood next to a colleague’s car when it suddenly started rolling down the hilly car park. It had been sat there for a while before the hand brake gave way.

I always park in neutral but my current and last car wouldn’t start unless you had the clutch down so wouldn’t have bunnyhopped anywhere if they were in gear.

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