Faulty e-handbrake.. or just an idiot?
Discussion
Went to the IMAX in Birmingham yesterday to watch Tron Legacy. Enjoyed the film, came out to the car park to notice a 12 month old Vauxhall Insignia parked really closely to the rear bumper of my Corrado. I tutted a bit but as I got closer I realised it wasn't close - it was actually parked IN my car..
I stopped for a minute to take a calming breath and debated whether to do some damage to the Insignia but thought I had best not.. so instead started to write an offensive note to leave under the windscreen wipers (how British..!) One of my friends who was with me said "Move your car so we can check for damage..". As I moved my car forward, the Insignia began to roll as well - the handbrake wasn't on!!
My friend jumped in the way to stop it and we stood around scratching our heads. There is a load of building work going on next to the IMAX so I had a look through the fence and could see a pile of bricks so helped myself to one to wedge under his wheels, removed my offensive note and replaced it with a more friendly explanation of why there was a brick under one of their wheels.
Mercifully it's a small scrape on my bumper and might polish out.. but seriously, who the f@ck forgets to put on their handbrake?! I did wonder if it was one of those electronic handbrakes that I've heard various complaints about and whether it simply decided to deactivate? The car park was on a downward slope and unless the occupant abandoned the car in a hurry, they would have noticed it rolling forward.
My Corrado is in good shape cosmetically and mechanically and every time something like this happens, I get pretty pissed off! Already have scrapes on both edges of the rear bumper thanks to peoples inability to judge distances in car parks and now I have this! Not impressed!
I stopped for a minute to take a calming breath and debated whether to do some damage to the Insignia but thought I had best not.. so instead started to write an offensive note to leave under the windscreen wipers (how British..!) One of my friends who was with me said "Move your car so we can check for damage..". As I moved my car forward, the Insignia began to roll as well - the handbrake wasn't on!!
My friend jumped in the way to stop it and we stood around scratching our heads. There is a load of building work going on next to the IMAX so I had a look through the fence and could see a pile of bricks so helped myself to one to wedge under his wheels, removed my offensive note and replaced it with a more friendly explanation of why there was a brick under one of their wheels.
Mercifully it's a small scrape on my bumper and might polish out.. but seriously, who the f@ck forgets to put on their handbrake?! I did wonder if it was one of those electronic handbrakes that I've heard various complaints about and whether it simply decided to deactivate? The car park was on a downward slope and unless the occupant abandoned the car in a hurry, they would have noticed it rolling forward.
My Corrado is in good shape cosmetically and mechanically and every time something like this happens, I get pretty pissed off! Already have scrapes on both edges of the rear bumper thanks to peoples inability to judge distances in car parks and now I have this! Not impressed!
Unless they actually *were* selfish idiots who had already parked INTO my car.. and thus didn't realise that the handbrake wasn't on when they got out as my car was preventing it from rolling anywhere!
You'd think electronic handbrakes would automatically engage when the car was stopped and the ignition key removed for exactly this sort of purpose? Otherwise what actual benefits do they offer over the traditional handbrake lever?
You'd think electronic handbrakes would automatically engage when the car was stopped and the ignition key removed for exactly this sort of purpose? Otherwise what actual benefits do they offer over the traditional handbrake lever?
Sadly I have an Insignia- Company car, not my choice.
The handbrake is a pain in the arse, once parked, there isnt a notification etc to put the handbrake on, its down to the driver to remember, which generally shouldnt be a problem to most people.
You do however have to put your foot on the brake pedal to release the handbrake!
The handbrake is a pain in the arse, once parked, there isnt a notification etc to put the handbrake on, its down to the driver to remember, which generally shouldnt be a problem to most people.
You do however have to put your foot on the brake pedal to release the handbrake!
mpm1987 said:
Sadly I have an Insignia- Company car, not my choice.
The handbrake is a pain in the arse, once parked, there isnt a notification etc to put the handbrake on, its down to the driver to remember, which generally shouldnt be a problem to most people.
You do however have to put your foot on the brake pedal to release the handbrake!
All we need is an app on the iPhone to tell people to put the handbrake on. I'm surprised some people remember to breathe without their iPhone telling them. The handbrake is a pain in the arse, once parked, there isnt a notification etc to put the handbrake on, its down to the driver to remember, which generally shouldnt be a problem to most people.
You do however have to put your foot on the brake pedal to release the handbrake!
mpm1987 said:
You do however have to put your foot on the brake pedal to release the handbrake!
No you don't - Just drive. It comes off automatically.It is a pain that it does not auto arm on switching off, in the way that Renault's do. I always leave mine in gear, and often find that I have to push the handbrake button a second time.
davidjpowell said:
mpm1987 said:
You do however have to put your foot on the brake pedal to release the handbrake!
No you don't - Just drive. It comes off automatically.siwil1 said:
They offer none in my opinion. All it does is means you cant have fun in the Snow and have to have rear pads replaced by dealers!
When my Dad got a Passat company car a few years ago, the main 'benefit' they pointed out was that as they release automatically, you cannot roll back on a hill when setting off. Now I'm sorry, but if you can't carry out a successful hill-start with a manual handbrake, should you really be on the road?Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff