not saying you're not right, but have fun explaining that to your insurance company when your car gets bumped and then rolls into something else.

 

does the specific gear matter? i've always done first gear (or reverse if on a hill facing downward), but you say 2nd gear so specifically that i wonder if it's just your preference or does it actually make any difference...

 

I'm fairly new to manual transmissions and the person who taught me never told me that the car had to be in gear when parked. Whenever I park I have it in neutral and with the parking brake on.

What does being in gear do exactly?

 

It spares you the wrath of those who go on a crusade after reading the part of the owner's manual that says "Before leaving the driver's seat, always set the parking brake and make sure the shift lever is in P with an automatic transmission or in 1 or R with a manual transmission."

Ken

 

yea... wtf... who teaches some of these people to drive mannys? Comon, first thing the person taught me was when you park, pull the parking brake and put it in gear. When I was trading seats with the passenger with the engine on, i pulled the parking brake and the car drifted since i did not pull it hard enough. Luckily the passenger was still in, that was when my first hand experience of doing both came to me. Each covers the other to guarantee that it does not roll.

 

It could have been worse. That passage in the owner's manual does not say to turn the car off before putting it in gear and getting out.

Ken

 

So do we call it a parking brake or emergency brake? lol

Most say e-brake so that would mean its used for emergencies only?

 

Parking brake. People who mistakenly call it an e-brake have caused some confusion.

Ken

 

Technically, it's called the e-brake. Handbrake is just a nickname for the e-brake.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand_brake

 

it's no different than parking an automatic ... you HAVE to put an auto into park to get the keys out, right? well, they can't make you put a manual into 1st gear, but it's the same idea.

basically, and this is a very vague explanation, but if the car is in 1st gear, it thinks it's about to move forward. the drive gear is engaged so that literally the tires canNOT roll backwards. much the same, if you're parked downhill facing downward, you put it in reverse, b/c the wheels are ready to move backward in gear, so they physically cannot roll forward in this case. like others said, is is possible to override that, so you should always park with the parking break too (even in an automatic!!)

 

i don't know that i would believe anything from wikipedia

 

Ha Ha......true..........okay.....how about this......it's a f'ing brake, now use it!

 

now THAT i can agree with!!

 

I always use the hand brake, only time I dont is when I'm at the track just leave it in gear.

 

No - nothing is locked. Push the car and the engine will just turn backwards.

P on an AT locks the driveshaft, so you don't have to use the parking brake. An MT has no P position, so even if you put it in gear you need to use the parking brake.

Ken

 

I got into a habit with my Accord, Parking break, then put it in PARK. If you drive an AUTO and notice that if you do not use the Parking break, the car will rest on the Tranny when it is in park, but putting up the Parking break and THEN put it into park this will help reduce the weight of the car on the Tranny.

when you dont use the parking break sometimes its a noticable "CLUNK" sound when putting it out of park.

This transferred over to my MT RX-8, always parking break then put it into first gear.

 

I never put it in gear just e-brake pulled the whole way up never had a problem...unless on a steep hill then 1st and e-brake but mostly just e-brake

 

Wait. Someone sum it all. I'm confused.
When you park on a regular surface [flatland] leave in in 1st +ebrake?
When parking downhill facing DOWNHILL you leave the car in reverse because it thinks it is going reverse causing it not to roll forward? +ebrake
When parking UPHILL you leave the car in 1st because it thinks it is going forward causing it not to roll back? +ebrake

That right?
...and you do all of this BEFORE turning off the car?

 

You're not the only one. I think I'm just going to get a set of chocks.

It's either before or after. Maybe while.

Ken

 

i usually just pull into my spot on a hill and just jump out with it still running. it will eventually stop somewhere.. hello... physics???!!

 

^

Hahaha

 

ha ha voodoo, good one.

yes on all counts briann.

ken-x8 -- i know you're right, i was trying to explain it to allow someone to understand what leaving it in gear does.

if you park the car in first gear on a slight incline, and i mean slight, put the car in first gear, turn it off leaving your left foot on the clutch and your right foot on the brake with no *e*-brake, then take out the clutch pedal, THEN take your foot off the brake, the car should "catch". i know it's not "park" like in autos, but it's that same feeling of "catching" before it rolls.

anyway, always use the parking brake!

 

Briann, I think you've got it backwards. If the car is pointing uphill, put it in R, if downhill, 1st. If the car rolls a little, you want it to turn the engine forwards, not backwards (engines are generally not meant to turn backwards.)

 

The whole parking thing with a stick is really easy. Here's what you should do, NO MATTER WHAT, if you are a decent, careful, and loving driver.

On a Flat, Downhill, or Uphill.

(Note that just like an automatic, I am stepping on the car's brakes during the whole parking procedure, its a habit that keeps peace in mind)

Get in Parking position. Make sure the car is stopped and it neutral, ready to be turned off.
Pull the Hand brake up. Turn car off. Now that the Hand brake is up, and the car is off, push in the clutch and put the car in 1st Gear ( for flat or uphill), or R Gear (for Downhill).

When you get back in the car, you got two choices.

Take car out of Gear and into N. Stepping on brakes, put the Hand brake down and turn the car on. Put the car in gear and go.

OR the riskier but quicker way

Get in car, clutch in HOLD and brakes HOLD. Turn car on (keep the clutch pedal down for the car is still in a Gear), put the Handbrake down, and go. Quick and easy. But if you turn the car on, and let go of the clutch, the car will launch/stall. so be careful