Driving Test - Use of handbrake

bigfreddiel

Have things changed recently?

My friends son is learning to drive and his instructor has told them not to use the handbrake when stationary at traffic lights, or even on a slight incline. Surely they will fail the test?

I understand not to use the handbrake to actually stop with, or to apply it if you're only stationary for a few seconds.

Perhaps an instructor or tester could comment please.

Cheers fj

loskie

http://www.diaryofanadi.co.uk/?p=4700

bigfreddiel

loskie wrote: »

http://www.diaryofanadi.co.uk/?p=4700

Thanks for that, very interesting, not as clear cut as I recall from when I took the test in 1968!

Cheers fj

AdrianC

bigfreddiel wrote: »

not as clear cut as I recall from when I took the test in 1968!

Even if things haven't actually changed in the intervening FORTY EIGHT YEARS, I wonder if your recollection might be somewhat less than photographic...?

rainygreyhound

Quote from that link:

In addition, sitting with the footbrake on means your brake lights are on, and in modern cars – especially at night – that dazzles people behind you, and is inconsiderate.

If you’re going to be waiting for any length of time beyond a pause, use the handbrake. That’s what it’s there for. Not using it when you need to is as lazy as it is wrong.

It's one of my absolute pet hates to be honest. Stuck in traffic not moving and some inconsiderate person in front sits with their foot on the foot brake. Unfortunately so many people do it

BeenThroughItAll

rainygreyhound wrote: »

Quote from that link:



It's one of my absolute pet hates to be honest. Stuck in traffic not moving and some inconsiderate person in front sits with their foot on the foot break. Unfortunately so many people do it

BRAKE! Arrrrrgggghhh. It's RIGHT THERE in the paragraph you quoted!

One of MY pet hates.

rainygreyhound

MrPedant wrote: »

BRAKE! Arrrrrgggghhh. It's RIGHT THERE in the paragraph you quoted!

One of MY pet hates.

My humble apologies.

gpc273

You asked for an examiners viewpoint, I fit that criteria. The act of not using the handbrake when you come to a halt in itself is not a fault per se.
In all honestly if you didn't apply the handbrake whilst parked by the kerb on a level road would you like/expect your offspring to receive a driving fault, if that was the only thing that happened? Yes its a fault but its a not worthy of marking driving fault.
But it could lead to a fault, like rolling back on an incline ( the severity of the fault would be judged by the examiner using a variety of tools/guidelines).

A driving test is one of the most stressful life events that people undertake, take my advice and get them to apply the handbrake when at a stop. It gives them a chance to relax their feet and legs and it will make the subsequent move off easier to control.

TadleyBaggie

rainygreyhound wrote: »

It's one of my absolute pet hates to be honest. Stuck in traffic not moving and some inconsiderate person in front sits with their foot on the foot brake. Unfortunately so many people do it

If the car has Hill Start Assist, then using the foot brake is the only way to make it work.

[Deleted User]

When I was learning to drive I was taught to use handbrake when at lights or likely to be stopped for more than a few seconds and on hill starts.

In the real world I only use it when I park up or stuck at lights on an incline for a while. Flat road I don't bother with any brake.

Marktheshark

Is it a car with one of these extremely expensive to fix electronic handbrakes ?