E brake deployed...

I call it a parking brake.

 

I've heard both terms used. I've never lived in an area where steep parking was required, so it wouldn't come naturally to me to think of it as a parking brake... on the other hand, I can recall at least one point in my life being in a car where the brake pedal failed and yanking on that handle was necessary to stop the car in an emergency situation. On the other other other hand, I think calling it an e-brake is going to confuse a bunch of people since these days an "e" something is usually an electric something.

 

In my native language, it's called a hand-brake. Obviously, it's not a hand brake in Prius (I hate this part). I used to use my hand brake all the time on the uphill starts.

 

It is a hand brake in the C though.

 

Ah yes... that's an older term also known in these parts.

 

Hand-brake! I like that name, it's precise and accurate. I may adjust my vocabulary now.

 

I know! It's a "hand brake for use in emergency or steep parking situations" though that is a bit wordy. I'm digging plain "hand-brake".

 

Interestingly the way I was taught to drive, it's not really for either of those situations. Emergency maybe if you're out of options. For steep parking, yes naturally you'll use it, but in these situations the wheels should always be turned into the kerb. This possibly is more of a manual transmission mindset, but it's just one of those "way I was taught" things I continue to do. I must say, if you see my c on a hill, I'll be the one and only car parked with wheels turned into the kerb, every time.

 

So I would call my previous Toyota Avalon "foot brake".

There are a lot of other vehicle using left foot so I prefer "parking brake".

 

I'll bite... if you were not specifically taught to use it in an emergency, and you were not specifically taught to use it for steep parking (as a backup to the wheels-to-the-curb thing)... then what were you taught that mechanism, whatever we may call it, was for?

 

I've never been in an Avalon, but if the "other" brake was engaged with a foot pedal, then it would make more sense to call it an emergency or parking brake. Interesting. Do we need to invent a new word for this seldom used safety device?

 

I've always used it to counteract the shift lock on automatic transmissions. Parking on a steep hill in an automatic and not engaging the brake is bad on the pawl. In manuals, I've always used it as a safety in case the tranny and the wheels don't stop it. I have had to use it in an emergency situation, I was bleeding my brakes and didn't turn the screw enough. After about 10 miles of driving it loosened enough to let fluid out. Pump pump pump, no brakes...

 

I had always known it as parking or hand brake. Then when I took my driving license test, the guy asked me to point out the Emergency brake. I had no idea what he meant and I kept pointing to the switch for the emergency lights. Luckily, he was patient and repeated the question several times saying "listen to me.." and he didn't fail me!

 

Parking.

As in, for every time you park, not only for hills.

 

"at the dealership..."

that should be your first sign that it's not called that.

 

I call it the E Brake, however I use it for every time I park regardless of incline. I live in Florida and use it in my garage even. I never used to do this but it's a habit I picked up from my wife. She's from Japan and apparently they're taught in driving school to use the parking brake when you park. They're taught that if you just put the car in park and walk away from it, there's a small but ever present chance that your car will be struck by someone's bad driving and ruin the transmission from the excessive energy going from the wheels to the transmission, possibly tearing up gear teeth.

This could be another overly cautious Japanese superstition, but I started doing it to make my wife happy (quiet) and it has stuck with me ever since. It is nice getting out of a parked car and not having it rock those couple inches back and forth.

On a side note, your hazard lights are also in a prominent spot in the toyotas thanks to the way they're used in Japan. Over there, they're not just used for when your car is disabled, but mainly used as a signaling device for saying thank you to someone who allowed you to cut into traffic. Also used for parking since you ALWAYS back into parking spots no matter how tight they are over there. Turning on your hazards is a way to signal those behind you to stay back because you're about to pull a three pointer to back into a spot.

 

Interesting. Here you use them when driving in fog but other than that you're not supposed to use them unless your vehicle is a hazard to other vehicles.