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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:
Mustardandchickensandwiches · 18/04/2023 07:59

I, am reliant on my memory for anything in this topic.

I'm very irresponsible, sometimes I'm in gest handbrake on, sometimes in neutral handbrake on, sometimes in neutral handbrake off and sometimes in gear handbrake off. It's also 50/50 wether I've locked the car or not 😂😂😂😂

knittingaddict · 18/04/2023 08:00

In gear. Always. Unless I forget of course

bigbluebus · 18/04/2023 08:01

Always in gear if parked on a hill - otherwise I leave it I'm neutral. I've been driving for 42 years.

mainsfed · 18/04/2023 08:02

ZeldaWillTellYourFortune · 18/04/2023 04:56

You are correct.

My dad was an automotive engineer for 42 years, and he taught me to park in neutral.

Is it better for the car?

AwaaFaeHom · 18/04/2023 08:02

So AIBU for being annoyed that he keeps doing this?

Of course you are. It's his car. He can park it in gear if he wants to. I'm surprised that anyone is saying yanbu.

On the flip side, you can park your car in neutral. Yanbu to do that.

AndIKnewYouMeantIt · 18/04/2023 08:03

CaptainMyCaptain · 18/04/2023 07:59

I don't know how it works but it definitely does. I know through experience.

Show quote history

Connects the wheels and engine so the engine needs to turn the wheels. Roughly speaking. Hence neutral in car washes.

ChocChipHandbag · 18/04/2023 08:04

Haha. Nope, they shunt you along as they parallel park!

@AndIKnewYouMeantIt did you mean "yep?"
rather than "nope" to my question "are you saying the French leave their cars without the handbrake on when they park?"

Smoky1107 · 18/04/2023 08:04

I had a handbrake fail an hour after I had parked up once. It was a hot day and as it cooled the handbrake loosened and the car rolled down the road! On any incline now in gear!!

DappledThings · 18/04/2023 08:05

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.

Yes this. We used to take a lit of ferries in the 80s and 90s and I remember my dad them explaining to me why there were signs saying go park in gear because there it wasn't normal practice to do it otherwise.

I had no idea anyone was doing this other than on a steep hill or a ferry.

Shade17 · 18/04/2023 08:07

Always park in gear and always start the engine with the clutch depressed.

Daffodilsandtuplips · 18/04/2023 08:07

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.

I know you asked so I’ll answer, it happened to me, pulled the hand break on and it didn’t engage, the cable had stretched. Luckily it was on our drive, I always left it in gear anyway so it wasn’t a problem there and then. I had it fixed the following day.
It also happened to someone on our street, it was a van, he hadn’t turned the wheels in towards the kerb, hadn’t put the hand break on or left in gear, the car rolled down the road, it veered to the right, crashed into the house directly opposite me, demolishing the front porch and caused structural damage to the house.

Verassata · 18/04/2023 08:08

My car won't let me start it unless I have the clutch in. Same with Dh's, so Hyundai and Kia. Ds passed his test recently, he was taught clutch in, check for neutral ie not in gear, foot on brake then start the car.

BadNomad · 18/04/2023 08:09

I was taught to only park in gear if on a hill and with the wheels pointing towards the curb. Park in neutral everywhere else.

mainsfed · 18/04/2023 08:12

AwaaFaeHom · 18/04/2023 08:02

So AIBU for being annoyed that he keeps doing this?

Of course you are. It's his car. He can park it in gear if he wants to. I'm surprised that anyone is saying yanbu.

On the flip side, you can park your car in neutral. Yanbu to do that.

This is true. If it's his car, OP, why are you annoyed?

AndIKnewYouMeantIt · 18/04/2023 08:13

ChocChipHandbag · 18/04/2023 08:04

Haha. Nope, they shunt you along as they parallel park!

@AndIKnewYouMeantIt did you mean "yep?"
rather than "nope" to my question "are you saying the French leave their cars without the handbrake on when they park?"

I suppose I did. Sorry!

Ersorrywhatnow · 18/04/2023 08:14

I was taught neutral unless on a hill.
dad keeps his in gear, in case he needs to make a quick get away or something… but then he doesn’t drive like a wannabe rally driver…

lashy · 18/04/2023 08:16

I was taught to park in neutral and always did so; until my handbrake failed, when parked in a public carpark, about a year after I passed my test. By pure luck, the space my car rolled [backwards] into, was a flower bed area, immediately next to the last parked car in the row behind. The car wheels went up the kerb and rested in the soil/bark, bringing it to a stop. Really lucky no one got injured and the car wasn't damaged.
I've parked in gear ever since, but move it out of gear before stating the engine.

MrsCarson · 18/04/2023 08:17

Always in gear.But you can't bunny hop my car as you need the clutch pressed down to start the engine. Facing uphill in reverse and facing downhill in first gear.

Friend at work didn't used to leave hers in gear, hand break failed and her new car rolled out of the drive and into the wall across the road.

Jonei · 18/04/2023 08:18

I always park in gear.

DRS1970 · 18/04/2023 08:18

I was also taught to leave if in 1st or reverse gear, depending on the direction of any incline. Again this was a safety in case the parking brake failed.

Rockfordpeach · 18/04/2023 08:19

I park in neutral at home and in gear at work because it's on a hill. DP always leaves it in gear and I do occasionally bunny hop if he's been driving my car

Topseyt123 · 18/04/2023 08:23

In neutral except if parking on a hill.

I ALWAYS check it is in neutral before starting the engine and would say that anyone who doesn't really needs to get that into their heads. The jumping forward could be extremely dangerous if in a car park and someone was walking past the front.

Also, clutch down to start if driving a manual car.

TheGoogleMum · 18/04/2023 08:25

In gear on a hill to prevent rolling back, neutral when flat

Snozzlemaid · 18/04/2023 08:26

MrsCarson · 18/04/2023 08:17

Always in gear.But you can't bunny hop my car as you need the clutch pressed down to start the engine. Facing uphill in reverse and facing downhill in first gear.

Friend at work didn't used to leave hers in gear, hand break failed and her new car rolled out of the drive and into the wall across the road.

Facing uphill car should be in first gear and facing downhill it should be parked in reverse.
The gear should be the opposite to the way the car would roll if handbrake failed.
Come from a family of car mechanics and taught to always leave in gear.
Yes I've known cars' handbrakes to fail.
Our neighbours did and car rolled into garage door, car at work car park rolled into another car.

MrsClatterbuck · 18/04/2023 08:28

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.

The only tine I know this happened was at our former hone. Our house were built on a hill and the houses at the top whose driveways were actually a hill. One of top hoses had a car whose handbrake failed and rolled down the hill past 4 hoses and hit a wall of the 5th house and knocking part of it down. Fortunately no-one was on the road or footpath.

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