I think I've read this forum too much....

I left work today ready to jet off in my Prius and practice my techniques for better mileage.

But I couldn't get out of the parking lot. The car didn't want to go.

Now I've read threads about people not being in "READY" mode because they didn't actually start the car correctly (having foot on brake). So I looked, but it wasn't that. I was in ready.

I've read about people sort of "slapping" it into drive too fast and it actually not being there long enough to "register" that I want drive. So I look, and it is indeed in drive. Just to be sure, I try again to put it in drive, leaving the gear shift there for a second or two to be sure. No go.

My brakes! Maybe they've rusted as I recently read happened to someone who washed their car then left the car sitting for a bit. It did rain a bit the other day but I haven't washed the car recently. Hmmmm. Probably not that.

Hmmm.

I also read recently about whether you should engage the parking brake when parked. Some say it's bad for the car to always do it (it wears out). Some say it's bad to never do it (the mechanism gets out of sorts from lack of use.) The consensus seems to be to occasionally use it even if you aren't the type who uses it all the time. And I'd decided to do this today when I parked. Then promptly forgot. :embarassed:

Diagnosis: driver error, with too much reading of this forum as contributing factor to both the problem and to delay in diagnosis.

 

I think I'm going to do the opposite and not train myself to do something once in awhile when it may not matter. In other words, if it ain't broke...