Use your parking brake in traffic

[obi_waynne]

Keeping a parking brake on can be a life saver even on the flat. When hit from behind your car will not shoot forward.

I've seen some horrific accidents with drivers where this happened.

Many drivers rely on the foot brake but when hit from behind the natural instinct is to release the brake!

As a rule I also keep my wheels straight when turning right across traffic until I know I can move off so I can't be pushed into the oncoming traffic. There was a nasty smash a while ago in our town where this happened, a small rear end shunt turned into a near fatal front collision.

 

[TCJBOLDIE]

You must have read this in my driving tips posts???

 

[HDi fun]

Silly electric parking brake in the Passat - it's a rubbish car

 

[thornblade]

Also, when your brakes are hot putting the handbrake on instead of holding on the footbrake, helps to avoid distortion of the discs.

 

[TCJBOLDIE]

Also, when your brakes are hot putting the handbrake on instead of holding on the footbrake, helps to avoid distortion of the discs.

Dise warping is not usually a problem in normal daily commuter traffic. More likely to occur at track days or during a long downhill decent .
Do not park at the track with HB on and it helps to move/push the car a little forward/backward a few times as well to help prevent warping .

 

[st24]

Yes all the time seems like common sense to me.
That's a good point about keeping the wheels straight.

 

[st24]

Silly electric parking brake in the Passat - it's a rubbish car

I have one of those in the Insignia took a bit of getting used to.
Don,t mind it now although the day it fails I will be cursing it.

 

[turbonutter69]

When it fails, let me know.
I know how to release the brakes.

I have one of those in the Insignia took a bit of getting used to.
Don,t mind it now although the day it fails I will be cursing it.

 

[st24]

When it fails, let me know.
I know how to release the brakes.

Cheers buddy!

 

[turbonutter69]

My VX Line Astra failed twice leaving me totally stranded.
The first time me and the rac guy had to drag the car onto a flatbed. Vaux didn't know how to release it so we had to drag it off at Vaux too.
The second time it failed me and the same rac guy as the first time figured it out. We released the brakes, I drove it to Vaux. Then we informed them how to do it. lol

 

[st24]

This is progress I suppose.
I did not see much wrong with a handbrake lever and cable.

 

[turbonutter69]

I don't think it's a common fault. Mine was the first failure in the UK. That's the reason Vaux didn't know how to release them.
I still think it was Vaux that broke mine when they fitted the rear parking sensors that the manufacturer forgot to fit when they built the car.

 

[obi_waynne]

You must have read this in my driving tips posts???

It must have gone in then! I knew it must have come from somwhere!

 

[TCJBOLDIE]

Glad you/somebody took up one of my tips

PS the could be mistaken for "the bird "