is it illegal to drive without a handbreak?

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is it illegal to drive without a handbreak?

is it illegal

  • yes

    Votes: 13 76.5%
  • No

    Votes: 4 23.5%

  • Total voters
    17
ok to drive for a day first what punnishment would i get?
any points?

I drove without a handbrake for about 9 months it was fixed repeatedly but never worked properly so ended up giving up on it until M.O.T.....as long as you can drive around it I don't see why you would get stopped and if you did unless its a VOSA check they probably wont notice. Probably Just be a rectification notice. Just don't let it roll into something remember it aint working and make allowances. Hill starts are best described as tricky.
 
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Any car must have hand operated mechanism which operates the brakes on at least 1 axle of the vehicle - if it doesn't then you would technically be driving an unroadworthy vehicle and as such would void any insurance you have :eek:
 
If the car is not roadworthy and you deliberately don't do anything about it I would suggest the insurance company will void the policy if they get to know about it. Only my opinion, not legal advice.
 
well they will know about it if you post it on a forum lol
by not do anything about it
what if you are in the middle of doing something about it
IE had car inspected confirmed problems going to get part
which is conveniently on way to college then driving it to night school several hours later and home again even more later
and possibly gym in between
 
I think if you can show you are going to get it fixed as soon as possible and you don't take too many unnecessary journeys in it you might be alright. I would leave it in gear and take a couple of bricks to chock the rear wheels, stop it rolling away.
 
All centos have crap handbrakes, mine usualy only works properly exactly 1 day before the m.o.t and 3 weeks maximum after it! Lol

Technically, yes, it is illegal to drive without one, but i wouldnt be driving without one.... just a hugely inefficiant one ;)

as said, get it booked into a garage if your not doing it yourself, and drive it as is until then. Just remember to leave it in gear when parking on a hill!! ;)

i do that even when my handbrake is perfect tbh, its a force of habit and good practice imo, so not having a handbrake doesnt affect me hugely, just hill starts that are trickier, but when you know the car and its clutch very well, its still not an issue :)
 
i once replaced the cables and shoes on a cento and it made bugger all difference, it still couldnt hold itself on a hill. i tried all sorts to make it work, but in the end i gave up (and it magically passed its MOT)
 
No handbrake or one that is below an acceptable standard is an offence under the Construction and Use Regulations. Compulsory 3 points and a fine.
 
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