Leave in gear, or not ?
 

So this weekend had a few friends round and one thing led to another and
an alcohol fuelled night commenced, but not before I shuffled the cars on the drive around so the leavers could get out, and the drinkers could leave their cars happily until the morning.

All good, until the morning when the final leaver went to start her car and bunny hopped on the starter motor straight into the back of my D2.

It turns out that whilst she never leaves her car in gear, I absolutely always leave a car in gear, and thus absolutely always return the gearshift to neutral and press the clutch in before trying to start any vehicle. To me, it seems total common sense to protect at many levels accidently moving unintentionally. It really is second nature to me. But asking round other friends, particularly younger ones, the answers are not so clear cut.

So, I know we mainly have autos here, but opinions please:

Do we leave a car in gear when parked, or rely solely on the handbrake, and

Regardless of that, would you press the clutch in before starting ?


and I've already pre-empted some cheeky no-starting required comment from the electric car fan club...... ;)

This, always have and always will. Was taught that way. (Though I no longer have a manual.)
And I'd put my foot on the brake and wiggle the gear lever into neutral AND put my seatbelt on too, all before starting.

Plenty of hills/slopes round here so I "probably" leave a manual in gear more often than not, but to be honest it's not a conscious choice.
And I'll turn the steering to an appropriate position too.

Funnily enough a few days ago we found a car sitting across the side road that runs up the side of our back garden. It had rolled out of a sloping driveway onto the road and luckily stopped a few feet before it would have crashed through our fence!
A newish manual mini, not in gear, handbrake not on securely and steering set straight ahead. :tuttut:

And we have had a neighbours car, several years ago now, roll down that same side road, through our fence, and impale itself on our apple tree! Again inadequate handbrake, though it was an old Astra van. In that case it was parked on the road facing downhill.

I sometimes leave a manual in gear but usually only if it's parked on an incline or I feel the handbrake isn't sufficient .... Or if it's one of those weird Saabs that you have to put into reverse gear just to get the key out of the ignition.

By contrast, I rarely use the handbrake on my S8 or other autos. I just leave them in Park.

When I was younger and driving crappier cars that had dodgy handbrakes I was always leaving them in gear. These days I do not leave in gear but always ( well almost always to be honest) check before starting that it is in neutral, never pressed clutch though. I have to admit that I have tried to start the car in gear couple of times but it's never gone anywhere, handbrake always held it stationary.

I always leave the TT or the management's car in gear when I park it, she doesn't however, so I always make sure there is enough room should she lunge forward in the car. 10 years in, she still hasn't learnt, wheras I have mastered the loo seat, putting the toilet roll on the right way and how the cushions on the couch need to be "fluffed" at the end of the night... I fear the balance of power might be off...

If I'm driving a car with a manual box:

1. Always leave it in gear on an incline (have you seen some of the streets in Glasgow - they're almost vertical!)
2. Turn the steering wheel so it will run into the kerb if it does move
3. Don't usually put my foot on the clutch when starting it

Only in gear if on a hill

Generally a waggle and clutch press - in fact many modern cars won't turn over unless you press the clutch in!

That has to be the unluckiest D2 in history! Did someone stick a curse on it a few years ago?!

Only leave car in gear on a steep hill. I know I should, but I don't press the clutch when starting. Always shake the gearstick to check its in neutral before starting.

I'm mid 30s. Winds me up when I have to drive someone's car and they've left it in gear, on the flat, when their handbrake is fine. It's not the 1960s after all.... +++

I always, always leave a manual in gear whether on flat or a slope. Also pay attention to steering wheel angle when on a slope and always, always depress the clutch when starting the engine. It gives the starter and battery a much easier time without having to turn over all those cogs in that thick, cold oil as well as the engine.

In a manual my regime is get in the car, belt up, depress clutch, start engine and clutch out at same time as handbrake off. Parking up is reverse. Pull up, depress clutch, select first gear, handbrake on, engine off, release clutch and unbuckle. Just how I was taught by my Dad. Never failed me yet, but I have never had a handbrake cable go on me, but I have owned some cars with dodgy handbrakes that barely worked over the years, which is why I always park up in gear. +++

Don't understand why it's a hassle to depress the clutch to start the engine when you've got to do it anyway to select first gear to pull off. If it's already in first gear when you parked it's one less thing to do. ;)