#8 - Hand Brake

I bet you can relate to the following: you get into the car, start the engine, been driving for a while and suddenly you smell it. A distinct smell of something burning. The hand brake! You glimpse at the e-brake lever, and it’s engaged. “Oh dummy me,” you think.

Another one. In winter. Parked your car at night and as a matter of habit, you engage your e-brake. In the morning, when the brake pads froze to the rotors you can’t even move the car.

Well, rule #8 then: “Never, ever use hand brake for parking.” ¹

You better use a shifter and put it in first gear if manual, or in “P” if automatic transmission.