Using the brake pedal at traffic lights?

Strider590

vaio wrote: »

Modern cars where the handbrake won't hold the car on a hill?

That must make parking in Wales interesting

That's why you park in gear with the wheels turned toward the kerb.

Lum

Strider590 wrote: »

That's why you park in gear with the wheels turned toward the kerb.

Or away from the curb if you're parked facing uphill

slyracoon

vaio wrote: »

Modern cars where the handbrake won't hold the car on a hill?

That must make parking in Wales interesting

I thought the same. If your handbrake can't hold your car on a hill it will probably fail an MOT.

Obviously on steep hills its good practise to leave in gear and wheels to the kerb but the handbrake *should* be able to hold it on its own.

Amanita_2

pinkteapot wrote: »

It's laziness but I have to say, I've never been blinded by someone's brake lights. Or even that bothered by them. Only time it bothers me is if the lights are on a hill and they roll back before pulling off.

Headlights can be blinding - brake lights aren't really...

Depends on what you are driving - I have an MX-5 and most brakelights nowadays seem to be directly on a level with my eyeline. Waiting behind a culprit at traffic lights can be most unpleasant.

As can tailgating - many headlights shine directly into my rear view mirror and if they are that close the dip feature doesn't really help.

If you are following me at 6 inches trying to get me to go faster I can guarantee it will have the completely opposite effect.

Limey

Lum wrote: »

I put "warping" in quotes for a reason.

What actually happens when you bed in a set of brake discs is a fine layer of brake pad material becomes embedded in the disc surface, then when you brake the pad material sticks to this layer. Under normal circumstances this will be a nice even layer.

If your brake pads are nice and hot and then you sit there with your foot on the brake, additional pad material can become stuck to the disc, so you get a nice brake pad shaped lump on your brake disc. It's not something you can see with the naked eye, but it's there.

Once you get this, you're basically stuffed as next time you brake, the leading edge of the pad will hit that lump creating the thudding and vibration you feel when you have a "warped" disc. This impact will cause additional brake pad material to get torn off and stick to the existing lump.

You can clear that up if you catch it in time with some heavy braking but it's a bit hit and miss.

Something they tell you on trackdays is not to apply the handbrake for a few minutes after a session out on the track. I forgot once and had smoke pouring from my rear wheels, didn't do my rear disks much good. :rotfl:

vaio

Strider590 wrote: »

That's why you park in gear with the wheels turned toward the kerb.

Ahh, I always thought that was belt and braces in case of a failure rather than because modern cars have hand brakes that won't hold on a hill.

Maybe we should start a campaign to get a rule introduced that says cars should have handbrakes that work well enough to hold on a hill without the assistance of kerbs or foot pedals?

almillar

OP, you're just right - it's laziness, but I find it more relaxing to take my car out of gear and put my handbrake on than risk getting cramp holding down a brake and clutch pedal!
Sitting at the lights with your foot on the brake (I'll stick to manuals) can dazzle (or at least irritate) the driver behind you, will shorten the life of your bulbs (now THAT'S pedantic!) and, if you've been braking hard, risks warping your disks, as you're squeezing them in one place with hot pads, and since you're stationery there's very little cooling. You could get cramp, you could sneeze and go into the back of the car ahead etc etc!
Oh yeah, also any car with that ultra-green-eco start/stop technology - it cuts the engine when in traffic, usually when you stop the car and put it in neutral, and release the clutch, then when you depress the clutch again, the engine starts quickly and you're away - guess what, these brake-stampers will never take advantage of this amazing technology. Other drivers can, of course, switch their engine on and off manually...

fivetide

Lum wrote: »

I put "warping" in quotes for a reason.

What actually happens when you bed in a set of brake discs is a fine layer of brake pad material becomes embedded in the disc surface, then when you brake the pad material sticks to this layer. Under normal circumstances this will be a nice even layer.

Yes, and I simply asked a question. The point is that pads are always touching the disc. Where they touch will always cool less so even if you do use the parking brake, the same thing will be happening with your pads anyway, yes?

5t.

Lum

Touching the disc, yes. Pressed hard against the disc, no?


Almillar: If you're going to be pedantic, you don't wear out a bulb by leaving it on, on off cycles are what wear bulbs out, so it could be argued that sitting with the brakes on means one less off/on cycle.

StrangelyBrown

Strider590 wrote: »

And finally, if people didn't bend the rules and push the boundaries, you and I would not have ANY of the technology we have today.


There is no such thing as innocence, only varying degree's of guilt.

"Pushing boundaries" and "flaunting laws" are NOT the same thing. No new technology or innovation has ever come from speeding on a public road or misusing hazard lights.

I agree, there are many "pointless" laws around but the ones you cite are irrelevant and have a whiff of Daily Mail about them.

Yes, I've done 80 on the motorway and yes I've used my horn out of hours on a residential street, but what I'm talking about is when people start breaking the law by "convention" - it's just basic ignorance.