3 ms·

I agree with your advice, but I'd probably suggest doing so in the opposite order.. that is, to put the car in a neutral gear first, then to use the hand/parkin

I agree with your advice, but I'd probably suggest doing so in the opposite order.. that is, to put the car in a neutral gear first, then to use the hand/parking brake to slow the car. Part of me wonders if the excessive revving will blow the engine, but in that kind of situation I'd take that over a fatality any day of the week. I'm not aware of how the hand brake electronics work here in the States, so I can't comment on that part.

beej71 15y ago
Every passenger car handbrake I've seen (in the US) is purely mechanical to the back brakes. You don't want to slam on the emergency brake--it can lock up the back wheels esp on a front-wheel drive car, and the braking force from the rear brakes is really low compared to the front. Skidding wheels have less control and actually slow you down more slowly than non-skidding wheels. If I were in the situation (because I'm such a hacker target--or something--wait, I drive a 2000 model year car!), I would not put the car in neutral until the engine began fighting the brakes. I'd aggressively downshift to use engine compression braking to help slow the car. Any time the engine is turning over faster than you're giving it gas for, it's sucking up energy. (I also haven't driven an automatic for some time--the effect is much more pronounced with a manual transmission.) Then I'd put it in neutral or disengage the clutch once the car was at an idle crawl. For practice, find an empty straight bit of road, and accelerate to 15-20 mph. Then put the car in neutral and very gradually apply the emergency brake, getting a feel for how it slows the car. You might be surprised at how slowly you slow down--and how quickly the rear wheels lock up!
- artmageddon 15y ago
  That's good information, I wasn't aware of how it was mechanically linked like that. My assumption was based off of an automatic transmission... I just figured it was better to disconnect the engine from the drive train and add in braking, but yeah, adding it slowly would be important. So happy I have anti-locks! And hopefully a car that isn't hacked by SMS(I just got a 2011 Honda Accord... looks like I have research to do haha)

beej71 15y ago

Every passenger car handbrake I've seen (in the US) is purely mechanical to the back brakes. You don't want to slam on the emergency brake--it can lock up the back wheels esp on a front-wheel drive car, and the braking force from the rear brakes is really low compared to the front. Skidding wheels have less control and actually slow you down more slowly than non-skidding wheels. If I were in the situation (because I'm such a hacker target--or something--wait, I drive a 2000 model year car!), I would not put the car in neutral until the engine began fighting the brakes. I'd aggressively downshift to use engine compression braking to help slow the car. Any time the engine is turning over faster than you're giving it gas for, it's sucking up energy. (I also haven't driven an automatic for some time--the effect is much more pronounced with a manual transmission.) Then I'd put it in neutral or disengage the clutch once the car was at an idle crawl. For practice, find an empty straight bit of road, and accelerate to 15-20 mph. Then put the car in neutral and very gradually apply the emergency brake, getting a feel for how it slows the car. You might be surprised at how slowly you slow down--and how quickly the rear wheels lock up!

artmageddon 15y ago
That's good information, I wasn't aware of how it was mechanically linked like that. My assumption was based off of an automatic transmission... I just figured it was better to disconnect the engine from the drive train and add in braking, but yeah, adding it slowly would be important. So happy I have anti-locks! And hopefully a car that isn't hacked by SMS(I just got a 2011 Honda Accord... looks like I have research to do haha)