Parking in gear

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Parking in gear

Sounding obvious, & not wanting to cause offence, this thread has become pointless & tedious. It really has ran its course, in fact I know of forums that would have put a stop this sort of round & round repetitive talk long ago (Just saying)

This sort of subject has no right or wrong really, certainly not worth going into too much depth. COMMON SENSE is the only way forward here;) I suppose I'm falling into the trap simply because I'm commenting to this thread:D Just my thoughts.
 
I suppose I'm falling into the trap simply because I'm commenting to this thread


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Personally I choose either first or reverse based on which the opposite to which direction the car would roll if the handbrake failed. I take it this is a perfectly ok and harmless habit?
If I read this right, you are proposing to put into reverse if the car will roll forwards, and 1st if it will roll backwards. This is not harmless as it will try to turn the engine the wrong way. Already answered in post #3 on page 1.
Here it is again!
DVSA advice says when facing uphill select 1st gear, when facing down, select reverse. That will turn the engine the wrong way. That advice frightens me. There's no evidence that compression would be greater in reverse. However, timing chain or belt will now be untensioned, as the tensioner will be operating on the slack side. Perhaps that's the reason for the advice, as it moves away down the hill, the belt or chain slips, piston hits valve, mechanical stop prevents car rolling.

As others have said, from post 3, we are indeed going around in circles. It is time now to either accept the advice given, and leave the thread alone, or choose not to accept it, and leave the thread alone.

Having spent a lifetime working with cars, and spent two years at college on a full-time course learning about the science of how their made and operate, I think it is a very bad idea to turn the engine backwards. Some engines actually forbid it, especially when changing the cambelt, advising never to turn the engine backwards when working on it. That is when turning it by hand, slowly. An engine manufacturer clearly stating it is likely to do damage.
Go on, take a risk, it'll only cost thousands if you get it wrong.
 
If I read this right, you are proposing to put into reverse if the car will roll forwards, and 1st if it will roll backwards. This is not harmless as it will try to turn the engine the wrong way. Already answered in post #3 on page 1.
Here it is again!


As others have said, from post 3, we are indeed going around in circles. It is time now to either accept the advice given, and leave the thread alone, or choose not to accept it, and leave the thread alone.

Having spent a lifetime working with cars, and spent two years at college on a full-time course learning about the science of how their made and operate, I think it is a very bad idea to turn the engine backwards. Some engines actually forbid it, especially when changing the cambelt, advising never to turn the engine backwards when working on it. That is when turning it by hand, slowly. An engine manufacturer clearly stating it is likely to do damage.
Go on, take a risk, it'll only cost thousands if you get it wrong.

If this is correct it baffles me why so many professional drivers, mechanics, driving instructors and the DVSA recommend leaving a car parked in gear?
 
Also covered in post 3 here

still not bothering to read what people are saying and keep trying to stoke a very dead subject :rolleyes:

The answer to your statement Andy is covered in post 116.

I too can see that you are still not bothering to read what people are saying and keep trying to stoke a very dead subject.

Nowhere in post 3 does it explain why the advice of leaving a car in gear is so common, if it damages a car as badly as Bill claims.
 
The answer to your statement Andy is covered in post 116.
Didn't read it as it was nonsense.
I too can see that you are still not bothering to read what people are saying
yep
and keep trying to stoke a very dead subject.
good glad that you agree this is a very dead subject ;)
Nowhere in post 3 does it explain why the advice of leaving a car in gear is so common, if it damages a car as badly as Bill claims.

I didn't think we'd need to actually go back an explain the post to you, thought you could just read it and with some thought ascertain that the reason for the advice is unknown but a best guess is given.

Here we go....
"DVSA advice says when facing uphill select 1st gear, when facing down, select reverse. That will turn the engine the wrong way. That advice frightens me. "

Surmised with

"DVSA advice says when facing uphill select 1st gear, when facing down, select reverse. That will turn the engine the wrong way. That advice frightens me. "

If you have any further questions about this subject which has now extended to over 100 replies, then I will be happy to point out where in the thread they have already been answered.

You seem to be looking for some kind of absolute in answering any question, however when you were taught to drive (assuming you have learned to drive, although you know I have my doubts) you will have been taught to think about what you are doing assess the situation and then act accordingly. If you need to have a lengthy internet discussion every time you encounter something new, and you can't even park your car of hang an air-freshener without the collective advice of a forum, you definitely should not be driving ! :rolleyes:
 
Didn't read it as it was nonsense.

yep
good glad that you agree this is a very dead subject ;)


I didn't think we'd need to actually go back an explain the post to you, thought you could just read it and with some thought ascertain that the reason for the advice is unknown but a best guess is given.

Here we go....
"DVSA advice says when facing uphill select 1st gear, when facing down, select reverse. That will turn the engine the wrong way. That advice frightens me. "

Surmised with

"DVSA advice says when facing uphill select 1st gear, when facing down, select reverse. That will turn the engine the wrong way. That advice frightens me. "

If you have any further questions about this subject which has now extended to over 100 replies, then I will be happy to point out where in the thread they have already been answered.

You seem to be looking for some kind of absolute in answering any question, however when you were taught to drive (assuming you have learned to drive, although you know I have my doubts) you will have been taught to think about what you are doing assess the situation and then act accordingly. If you need to have a lengthy internet discussion every time you encounter something new, and you can't even park your car of hang an air-freshener without the collective advice of a forum, you definitely should not be driving ! :rolleyes:

So basically it is ok for you to make assumptions about someone’s motives without any basis but when someone does the same about you it is ‘nonsense’.

I asked the question why this advice is so common, when Bill claims it can damage the car. I HAVE READ AND DO NOT NEED YOU TO PARROT BACK BILL’S THOUGHTS ON THE SUBJECT.

Finally, I am more than happy to pm you a photo of my driving license if that puts your mind at ease :)
 
So basically it is ok for you to make assumptions about someone’s motives without any basis but when someone does the same about you it is ‘nonsense’.



I asked the question why this advice is so common, when Bill claims it can damage the car. I HAVE READ AND DO NOT NEED YOU TO PARROT BACK BILL’S THOUGHTS ON THE SUBJECT.



Finally, I am more than happy to pm you a photo of my driving license if that puts your mind at ease :)



If you don’t want me to explain all the past post that you’ve not understood and we’ve established that you agree this thread is just churning over old ground, then it’s definitely best for everyone, you just let it go.

As for sending me a picture of your driving licence? You’d have to be a total idiot to post an unknown person on the internet, a picture of your driving license?
 
If you don’t want me to explain all the past post that you’ve not understood and we’ve established that you agree this thread is just churning over old ground, then it’s definitely best for everyone, you just let it go.

As for sending me a picture of your driving licence? You’d have to be a total idiot to post an unknown person on the internet, a picture of your driving license?


Do you actually think I haven’t understood them? When I’m asking NEW questions ie why is it common advice can to leave cars in gear which hasn’t actually been answered?

Can you explain why you can’t just accept this is something I am ignorant on and interested in. Why’s do you think there is an ulterior motive?

Not that much of an idiot. I intended on blacking out most of the personal information first.
 
why is it common advice can to leave cars in gear which hasn’t actually been answered?

Only four reasons I can think of:

1. Parking it up for a long period (weeks/months/years) and not wanting the brakes to seize on.

2. Providing additional security when parking on a very steep hill.

3. Parking in very slippery conditions, such as a muddy off-road situation, where engaging a gear would lock more wheels than the handbrake alone. *

4. Because the handbrake is poor/broken.

All common sense really, other than number 3 which is not something most drivers will have to deal with.


I agree that this has been done to death, but some of us are just here for the craic ;) (bored at work)


* Had this happen a few times, even on tarmac. Parking my Jeep Cherokee at a friend's farm, on a very steep slope, if parked facing downhill, the rear wheels would start to slide, there just wasn't enough weight on the rear end to maintain friction. Parking in gear, with 4wd engaged, or parking facing uphill, would solve the problem. Or just not parking on the ~45° slope, we were only doing it to test the handbrake for the MOT!
 
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Had an interesting discussion with another instructor about this the other day. He always parks in gear except when parked between two cars in case it damages the transmission if hit by another car. So those that do park in gear would parking between two cars influence your decision and would you park in neutral in this circumstance or would you still leave in gear?
 
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Had an interesting discussion with another instructor about this the other day. He always parks in gear except when parked between two cars in case it damages the transmission if hit by another car. So those that do park in gear would parking between two cars influence your decision and would you park in neutral in this circumstance or would you still leave in gear?

Always have parked in gear, and have never thought about what would happen if someone hit the car, food for thought :confused:
 
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