Uphill starts: parking brake vs riding clutch for a sec

[Summerwolf]

It was a serious question. I'm wondering if there is a correlation of age, location, who taught you etc....


Like say maybe if you're in San Francisco your dad taught you that technique to deal with hills. Something like that.


Where I was taught we don't have a ton of massive hills to deal with so maybe it was never a big enough thing to teach. We have hills and inclines around the town and massive traffic with overpasses obviously, but maybe not to the extent some others would have.

[Summerwolf]

I don't think I've ever "heel toe'd" a hillstart either. Just saying.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Summerwolf

It was a serious question. I'm wondering if there is a correlation of age, location, who taught you etc....


Like say maybe if you're in San Francisco your dad taught you that technique to deal with hills. Something like that.


Where I was taught we don't have a ton of massive hills to deal with so maybe it was never a big enough thing to teach. We have hills and inclines around the town and massive traffic with overpasses obviously, but maybe not to the extent some others would have.

My formal driver training was with the military and we were taught never to use the handbrake (if so equipped) to start on a hill. We had to be tested to qualify on each individual vehicle we drove and part of that evaluation was always a hill start. We are talking light weight jeeps to fully loaded heavy trucks here. I never tried it but bet if you used the handbrake then the best you could hope for would be a serious cussing out and the worst case a hard rap on the knuckles.

[Toyarzee]

Originally Posted by venturaII

Personally, I couldn't give a shit how you drive your own car. But the question was asked by the OP as to whether the ebrake was needed for hill starts, and the answer is no, assuming you're skilled enough. If you're not, then either practice more, or feel free to use that crutch.

/thread, yet again lol

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Toyarzee

/thread, yet again lol

Actually this has been pretty calm for this subject.

[KR-S]

Whatever method you choose will have no ill effect on anyone else unless you're still learning. Do what makes you feel better. I don't care if you're a god at accelerating uphill; it's not something to wave an e-peen around for.

This whole argument of needing/not needing the parking brake is pointless.

[venturaII]

The only time I've ever needed to use the ebrake on a hill start is in vehicles with engine problems and they were having trouble staying running on a flat surface, let alone the crisp response needed for a clean hill start. But again - those were extenuating circumstances warranting the use. The 86 has a ridiculously short first gear and is light enough and has (more than) enough torque off idle to not ever need help on a hill.

[KR-S]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Actually this has been pretty calm for this subject.

Eh. I felt like I was starting to pull a @Cole at one point.

[Ashikabi]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

My formal driver training was with the military and we were taught never to use the handbrake (if so equipped) to start on a hill. We had to be tested to qualify on each individual vehicle we drove and part of that evaluation was always a hill start. We are talking light weight jeeps to fully loaded heavy trucks here. I never tried it but bet if you used the handbrake then the best you could hope for would be a serious cussing out and the worst case a hard rap on the knuckles.

But in the military you didn't have someone stopped a foot from your bumper and if you did roll into the guy behind you it wouldn't hurt anything. I taught myself to drive a manual so no one showed me how to start on a hill with zero roll back. If no one is behind me, I don't use the hand brake. If avoiding an accident is, then I'll do what I have to, to protect my car from my atrocious driving habits. Sorry that offends people. (Someone earlier in the thread mentioned heel toe, that's why I mentioned it again)

[venturaII]

Originally Posted by KR-S 86

Whatever method you choose will have no ill effect on anyone else unless you're still learning. Do what makes you feel better. I don't care if you're a god at accelerating uphill; it's not something to wave an e-peen around for.

This whole argument of needing/not needing the parking brake is pointless.

So who's waving their **** around? Everyone who uses the ebrake on hill starts is getting sand in their vaginas when someone correctly points out that with proper technique, it's totally unnecessary. Cripes...if your manhood is that fragile, maybe you need to drive a Corvette or something...

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Ashikabi

But in the military you didn't have someone stopped a foot from your bumper and if you did roll into the guy behind you it wouldn't hurt anything. I taught myself to drive a manual so no one showed me how to start on a hill with zero roll back. If no one is behind me, I don't use the hand brake. If avoiding an accident is, then I'll do what I have to, to protect my car from my atrocious driving habits. Sorry that offends people. (Someone earlier in the thread mentioned heel toe, that's why I mentioned it again)

First off I am not offended at all by people that use it no matter how bad my first posts read. If people are more comfortable then they can go right ahead. My whole point was simply that you don't "need" to not that you shouldn't.

Secondly there is no time when you will have somebody closer behind you than military convoy driving. Not to mention the vehicles are usually crammed with people or things that go bang.

[KR-S]

Originally Posted by venturaII

So who's waving their **** around? Everyone who uses the ebrake on hill starts is getting sand in their vaginas when someone correctly points out that with proper technique, it's totally unnecessary. Cripes...if your manhood is that fragile, maybe you need to drive a Corvette or something...

And why are you so anal about such a mundane way of getting up a hill? Several people here have already chimed in with their exceptions on why the handbrake is necessary. Are you going to tell me next that I need to be perfect with double-clutching so that I don't unnecessarily wear my synchros faster?

Seriously. Get down here.

Oh, and nice way to stereotype 'Vette owners.

[Tcoat]

Meanwhile poor @pushrod is sitting at his computer:

[venturaII]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

First off I am not offended at all by people that use it no matter how bad my first posts read. If people are more comfortable then they can go right ahead. My whole point was simply that you don't "need" to not that you shouldn't.

Secondly there is no time when you will have somebody closer behind you than military convoy driving. Not to mention the vehicles are usually crammed with people or things that go bang.

And thirdly, if you roll back an entire foot, then you're doing it wrong...