Mr Cholmondeley-Warner wrote:Also, if you're pressing in the button, you're sort of acknowledging that you're being more mechanically sympathetic, and therefore also perhaps subconsciously not pulling the handbrake on as tight as you might otherwise do.
That's an interesting comment ... I get very annoyed when people pull on a handbrake tighter than is necessary. Perhaps it's because I've had cars where the handbrake effectiveness appears to diminish over time and especially when it's been repeatedly pulled up as far as possible. Maybe just blind prejudice on my part though
However I'm struck by two thoughts. The first is that if the handbrake holds the car, then is it being mechanically sympathetic to pull it on any further? The second is whether I, as a large and middlin' strong bloke, would be able to pull the handbrake on further than a person who has much less strength in the arm ... and if such a person pulls on the handbrake enough then what benefit is there in me (or anyone else) pulling the handbrake on further?
Finally and against all I've just written, I have driven cars where the handbrake operates one of the pair of pistons in each of the rear calipers, pressing the pads against the disks, and if the disks cool and contract then the handbrake may no longer stop the car from rolling. To counteract this possibility I invariably park
in gear and with the front wheels angled to minimise the distance they can roll.
there is only the road, nothing but the road ...