manual transmission

Shawn

Lifer
Apr 20, 2003
32,236
53
91
Should I leave my car in gear whenI park or leave it in neutral? I've heard mixed things about this so I dunno which is correct. There are no hills around here so that's not an issue but I always use my parking brake regardless.....
 

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
8
81
Do you mean when you're parked, or when you're stopped at a light?
 

notfred

Lifer
Feb 12, 2001
38,241
4
0
I love when people make polls that don't include an option for say, someone who's response would be "I have no idea because I've never driven one", but instead force them to randomly pick one of the available choices and throw off the results.
 

DrumminBoy

Golden Member
Mar 10, 2002
1,995
0
0
Originally posted by: notfred
I love when people make polls that don't include an option for say, someone who's response would be "I have no idea because I've never driven one", but instead force them to randomly pick one of the available choices and throw off the results.

not to be a smartass....but couldnt they just not answer?
 

Shawn

Lifer
Apr 20, 2003
32,236
53
91
Originally posted by: notfred
I love when people make polls that don't include an option for say, someone who's response would be "I have no idea because I've never driven one", but instead force them to randomly pick one of the available choices and throw off the results.

happy?
 

snik

Senior member
Jan 6, 2003
759
0
0
Originally posted by: DrumminBoy
Originally posted by: notfred
I love when people make polls that don't include an option for say, someone who's response would be "I have no idea because I've never driven one", but instead force them to randomly pick one of the available choices and throw off the results.

not to be a smartass....but couldnt they just not answer?

That's what I do when a poll does not apply to me ;)
 

Pacfanweb

Lifer
Jan 2, 2000
13,158
59
91
Leave it in gear, preferably first or reverse. The emergency brake is exactly what it's name implies....for emergencies, e.g., a back up in case the car comes out of gear for some reason.

BTW, the reason you leave it in first or reverse is this: If you're on a steep enough hill, and you leave it in say, fifth gear, the car's weight will have a tremendous torque advantage on the crankshaft, and the compression of the engine won't be enough to hold the car, therefore, the engine can turn over and allow the car to move.
You could probably test this yourself: Let someone sit in the car, then turn the engine off and put it in high gear pointing up a hill with no e-brake.....you can probably get the car moving simply by pushing it.
 

notfred

Lifer
Feb 12, 2001
38,241
4
0
Originally posted by: DrumminBoy
Originally posted by: notfred
I love when people make polls that don't include an option for say, someone who's response would be "I have no idea because I've never driven one", but instead force them to randomly pick one of the available choices and throw off the results.

not to be a smartass....but couldnt they just not answer?

They could, but many people want to be able to find out to the question, and there's no way for them to see the results without voting.
 

Lithium381

Lifer
May 12, 2001
12,452
2
0
when on an incline, i put it in gear, around my house, no incline at all, so the ebrake is sufficient
 

Liken

Member
May 31, 2003
86
0
0
well, it's not exactly an emergency brake. it's also called a hand brake, or a parking brake.



i never put it in gear when parked. even when there are hills around. if there are hills, i'll chock my wheels, but otherwise, my handbrake works just fine. besides, i have one of those old cars where you dont have to push down the clutch in order to start the car. so it doesnt work well to start the car and try driving the gears using the starter motor. it's hard on the starter motor.

so to safeguard myself, (even though i do have a habit of pushing the clutch down as starting the car, i just leave it in neutral when parked. just the way i was taught, and the way i will continue to use.
 

Marshallj

Platinum Member
Mar 26, 2003
2,326
0
76
Originally posted by: Pacfanweb
Leave it in gear, preferably first or reverse. The emergency brake is exactly what it's name implies....for emergencies, e.g., a back up in case the car comes out of gear for some reason.

It's also called a parking brake. Not just for emergencies.
 

Liken

Member
May 31, 2003
86
0
0
Originally posted by: Marshallj
Originally posted by: Pacfanweb
Leave it in gear, preferably first or reverse. The emergency brake is exactly what it's name implies....for emergencies, e.g., a back up in case the car comes out of gear for some reason.

It's also called a parking brake. Not just for emergencies.

er... yeah, i already pointed that out. but if you were backing me up, it's cool. just dont stand that close behind me :Q
 

bigshot

Senior member
Feb 13, 2001
649
0
0
always put it in reverse and always use the e brake too.
if you put it in netrual and for some reason your e brake fails, you car still has a chance to move(on a hill or even if someone hit it and then hit another car)
putting it in gear limits it moving and is just another safeguard
 

thedarkwolf

Diamond Member
Oct 13, 1999
9,032
125
106
Why wouldn't you put it in gear? Its not like it hurts anything and it take no effort to do it.