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Topics: Cars, Driving, Reddit, Social Media
Tom Earnshaw
Mechanics have explained the very serious reason behind why you should always leave your car in gear when parked up.
Conversation around the issue came to light during a recent Reddit thread on why manual cars are 'always left in first gear' when you pick them up from a garage or dealership.
The thread, posted in the 'stickshift' subreddit that focuses on manual transmission vehicles (not automatic cars for those struggling), saw one user ask why their car was left in first gear with the emergency brake (e-brake), or handbrake, not applied.
And while some car experts in the thread said there was a liability reason for this, it quickly came to light that safety and security was paramount.
"I worked at a mechanic shop in high school," one user wrote.
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"We worked in older, cheaper cars. I was told never use a customers e-brake unless it was on when you got in it.
"Lots of cables get stuck in that area. So it was just a habit for me at work."
Another person who works on cars echoed this element of the reason why, saying that if it brakes when you apply it, you could end up being liable as the person who did it.
They wrote: "If you use it and it breaks because of corrosion, the customer will try to blame the shop.
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"If you're a mechanic, not only is the customer not always right, but they're most often flat out wrong."
And while corrosion and the handbrake cable snapping or breaking is clearly a real issue, it was secondary to a more important reason behind sticking it in first gear when parked up.
"Putting the car into gear will prevent it from rolling," someone else added to the thread.
"Many older drivers who drive stick would rather put it into gear than trust the e-brake. I had a 2000 Si and Mazda 3-speed that had a bad e-brake, so I used to put it in gear so it wouldn't roll."
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One user wrote: "With a manual, you always want to put it in gear when you turn the car off. E-brake also. This is because if it isn't in gear, the car could start rolling."
And a another, who works with cars, commented: "I do it even with my automatics. I use just enough parking brake first so vehicle doesn't roll on its own, then I put it in gear or park."
Experts at car insurance firm Rooster explained that first gear will simply stop 'unintended movement'.
They said: "Leaving your car in gear acts as a safeguard against unintended and potentially dangerous movement.
"Whether you're parked on a slope or a flat surface, leaving the vehicle in gear (especially when facing uphill) prevents the vehicle from rolling away if the handbrake fails or if there's an issue with the brake system. This simple step can save you from an unexpected and hazardous situation."