Handbrake Ratchet

[Roger 912]

When I learned to drive in 1961 with the B.S.M the instructor said something to me on my first lesson, which was in an Austin A40 Farina, and that was never pull up the handbrake without pressing the ratchet release button. Well I have adhered to that instruction to this day and have never pulled up a handbrake and allowed it to go click, click, click, but pressed the button, pulled up the lever and then released the button.

 

What brought this matter to mind was my 89 Excel. I have noticed that the ratchet teeth are somewhat worn and on occasions, the lever will slip one notch or two and I have to be extremely vigilant as I don't want the car to roll and get damaged or worse damage someone else's car.

 

One other thing that has stuck with me since my driving lesson days and that is as I approach an intersection I wind down the driver's window. When my wife asked me why, I told her that it was to allow me to give the relevant hand signal. From what I recall, my driving test, which was my 6th 1 hour lesson with B.S.M., I was only allowed to use hand signals.

 

I bet most drivers today would not know how to do them.

[slewthy]

I was also told to press the button. Now, I loath 'clickers' !! Just so uncouth!

 

I was not taught hand signals formally but my mother was keen that when going straight on,  one indicated so by holding your hand up, as illustrated in your guide.

This, I don't do, for fear of invoking road rage from someone who thinks I think I know them when I dont!

 

I learned in 1987.

 

BTW, when oncoming cars have passed a speed trap, they often indicate by flapping their hand up and down, much like in your 3rd image. I'm guessing thats where it comes from. Illegal of course!

[Whirlybird]

I have learned many hand signals, don't think any of them are in the book though!   

[Roger 912]

Can you believe that I still have the book that I had when I was learning to drive. There were no more than 20 road signs that you needed in those days. My favourite was always "Halt at  Major Road Ahead".

[softlips]

I remember the hand signals, just. They are not in the Highway Code now (I think). Either that or they no longer test you on them.

[TimSportsTourer]

Latest highway code version is here. Just some of them still remain.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/222583/dg_070566.pdf

[basalte]

Would be nice if some people I meet while driving (or when I`m walking across a road )  the road actually indicated where they wanted to go, using those orange flashing lights on either side of their cars

...unfortunately they appear to think indicators are for uncool squares.

Near where I live there`s a small congested roundabout junction in a busy street ...it`s fun to see the small but significant number of cool, hip young daredevils / twats who seem to think not indicating right to turn right round it, is a good idea. 

[TBD]

I thought indicators ware a high cost option on modern cars, especially on premium models. Most owners seem to have spared that money because they never use them.

 

However my key gripe with that is not on town roads.Its much more frightening when they do it on the autobahn and pull over to the left lane without indicators, let alone looking in their mirror. Thankfully the Evora has good brakes. 

Edited October 23, 2013 by TBD

[Snoopy1969]

Well, you have to understand that the (esp SUV) Driver in town has no hand free to use the indicator because he/she has a mobile in one hand.... Also I guess that the sound of the indicator would disturb the phone call.....ha!

[basalte]

Sometimes coming home on the bus in the lighter evenings rush hours , to while away the journey,  I have counted how many drivers are coming the other way holding / calling on mobiles; (usually I go past about 300 cars in 5 miles ).

 

It`s worked out on average as about 6 drivers out of every hundred.

 

(Don`t know if the above fact is sadder than my mentioning it )  !

[obione]

Indicating is optional, and the round signs with the speed are advisary...

[Loose Cannon]

Would be nice if some people I meet while driving (or when I`m walking across a road )  the road actually indicated where they wanted to go

 

I think the modern test may be at fault here, or at least doesn't drum their use into empty heads.

 

A friend of my daughters (17) failed on "excessive use of indicators", and my daughter confirmed that her instructor (who taught me 27 years ago) said that if there is no traffic about you do not need to use them.

 

To which I say BOLLOCKS.....HTF do you know, esconced in a metal cage, what is going on 360 degrees around you at any one time? A lot of splitter islands double up as crossing islands at roundabouts, and as a pedestrian it really boils my piss when a car swings around the whole thing without indicating.

 

Use of indicators should be instinctive in given situation, not an optional extra you swivel your head around to check to see if you have to bother.....time to sort this one out Mr DfT

 

And breathe.

[basalte]

Too late Mark... this morning,  a driver turning off Muswell Hill Broadway (a roundabout) straight into a side road without indicating - while I (and others) were just about to walk / cross in front of them.

 

If you saw the (busy)  junction for yourself, you would instantly see that indicating would not only help pedestrians but would help drivers pulling out of the next exit as well.

 

I  stepped out in front of them like a demented Green Cross Code Man  and Yelled :  "INDICATE ! I CAN`T SEE WHERE YOU`RE GOING  !"

 

Of course  they drove off probably thinking I`m a species of shouty nutter but I would call it normal to get very angry at nearly being run over !   

[ramjet]

If it's a designated place to cross, don't pedestrians have right of way?

 

Sadly, the indicator thing is like that here in Australia as well. I indicate merging even when it is the only option on the road. It's just automatic with me.

 

At roundabouts, I indicate left if I am going left, and indicate right, then left to exit if I am not using the first left exit. This was how indicating at roundabouts used to be, but they changed it because many people could not seem to understand that simple principle.

They have now said tat you should treat a roundabout as an intersection, so if you are going straight through, don't indicate FFS.

How does that work if the roundabout is in a five way intersection?

 

I must admit in the Lotus, they are sometimes more easily negotiated as something more akin to a chicane.

Oh PS: I was also taught to hold the button in when applying the handbrake. Can't in the wifes CRV as it's one of those double action foot handbrake thingies. (Can you have a foot operated handbrake?)

[iainskea]

It's fairly common to see bike riders give hand signs as well as indicators, I know I do. It beats getting hit if your indicator bulb is out!

[USAndretti42]

I, too, press in the button on the handbrake when applying it.  It's not something I was taught to do.  I read it in a book or magazine and it seemed a sensible idea.

 

Regarding signalling, when I moved to California, I got the impression that a turn signal in the freeway was to tell the other cars what side you wanted them to pass you on.  When I would put on the right-hand indicator, for example, I seemed to have a flood of car passing me on the right.   Everywhere else, they are definitely sometimes used, sometimes not, particularly by those drivers who clearly haven't planned ahead as they make sudden moves and turns.