To P or not to P

I got my UK driving license way back in 1967, before any on those new-fangled laws came into being (I think they'd only just got rid of the law requiring the chap with the red-flag walking in front "LOOK OUT! DANGER! here comes Wil Davis! Beware!" )

 

This will minimise glare to road users behind until the traffic moves again.
Law RVLR reg 27 - Lighting requirements (113 to 116) - The Highway Code

Wow, on this side of the world, we can't even get clowns to give a damn about not blinding oncoming traffic or people in front of them, much less worry about someone behind them. So many fools on the road with 8 gigawatt 10zillionK headlights because they think it looks cool. Not to mention the same kind of headlights on some small brain(?) wannabe with a megalifted truck but doesn't know how to properly adjust the headlight angle and decides it's critically important to be 4 feet off your bumper.

 

Those fools driving the Dumbass monster pickups make me laugh. Imagine having to carry a stepladder around to get in and out of a vehicle that only goes off roading in the Nordstrom parking lot!

"Yee hah, Buffy! Y'all wanna come drifting over at Stonebridge Mall at midnight tonight?"

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Only the names are changed over here, but just the same mentality.

 

As I've mentioned elsewhere I've lived her in the NE USA since 1983, and I've noticed that there is a preponderance of pick-up trucks usually empty, and raised up (or is that lowered) running on wheels shod with great knobbly, noisy tyres, making the most fearful racket, so that I can only suppose that the bed in the rear of the truck is empty in order to leave enough room for the ego of the driver, who must be as deaf as a post, since nobody in their right mind, and with normal hearing would drive such a noisy piece of garbage!

 

I do that when driving a Manual, certainly saves wear on the throw-out bearing - somehow it's not as intuitive on an Auto, though I've done it with my VOLVO, as my mechanic suggested that the AISIN Warner box can wear the clutch packs (slightly) if left in drive when stationary.

 

Exactly! Lots of folks kinda do that. P @stops. Dangerous it is.

 

I checked this last night and mine still sits with the brake lights shining when stopped in traffic, so maybe another market difference?

 

Interesting - I must double check mine.

 

How is it dangerous?

 

Here you are, for all those readers with sensitive peepers, allow me to present you with a virtual pair of these:
- enjoy!

 

At up hills I mean. Car could just roll backwards

 

... so drivers have a harder time seeing everything else at night.

 

That's a good point and a time when you would not want to rely on the parking brake, although that's true in any event when you are parking on a hill. Also the brake light issue was mentioned by 2k1Toaster, which could be an issue when stopped at a light and there is no one behind you, someone approaching the intersection may think that you are moving. In theory they should be able to see that you are stopped but a brake light helps, especially at night. The "British rule" as posted above by Colin Jones does state that you put it in park after the car behind you is stopped.

Maybe it's because my ancestory is half British but I do put it in park at stop lights about half the time! Actually anytime when stopped and I will be taking my eyes off the road to look for something in the glovebox, check destinations on Google Maps, fiddle with the radio, etc. I put it in park. My concern is that if I inadvertently lessen pressure on the brake pedal and start rolling forward I won't notice it since I am not looking out the window for several seconds at a time. But I still pay attention to what is going on in the intersection, I am not one of those annoying people who aren't paying attention when the light turns green. And when the light does turn green, unless I am the first car there is plenty of time to put it into drive which takes less than second, since you have to wait for the cars in front of you to start moving anyway.

Also if I just missed a light, one where I know that I will be sitting there for two or three minutes, I often put it in park and take my foot of the brake. I find it's more relaxing, sort of like a mini-break. But again still paying attention to the surroundings.

I have been doing this for almost twelve years in my Gen II, apparently abusing my parking pawl all this time LOL but I just can't imagine that those things are that fragile. Yes I have seen pictures and they are small, but so are gear teeth and they handle a lot more load than a parking pawl. Yes I know this little pawl is holding back a ton of automobile, but so what you can push a car pretty easily, it's not that much force at the tiny speed we are talking about when a stopped car rolls forward an inch. If it was there would be parking pawls breaking regularly just from normal use when parking.

 

Refresh my memory, but I seem to remember on my Gen 3 Prius, if I stopped (parked) and hit the power button, the vehicle would automatically go into park.

Things haven't changed too much. Prius or otherwise, I use park, when I'm stopping and parking the vehicle.

I don't use park in any other dynamic.

 

Why doesn't my version have a dynamic Park button, I wonder?

 

Personally, I never put in park when I am at a stoplight, because I don't want to get rear-ended while in park. And if I need to move to avoid being rear-ended it would take longer to recognize, shift into drive, and hit the gas

I'm flabbergasted to learn that it's actually part of the road code in the UK to put a vehicle in park at any time other when, you know, ACTUALLY parking

 

You should use Park when you get out of the car. You'll get the continuous gonna die beep if you don't. Also, it's a good idea to put it in Park when passengers are getting in or out. If your foot slips people could be injured. Otherwise just drive the car.

 

It's in our Highway Code to apply the handbrake in certain circumstances, not Park.

 

Coming home today, I saw a raised up Jeep with oversize tires. It had a 4 ft "farm jack" on the back where the spare tire is usually located.

https://goo.gl/images/8B11zR