Curious: When parking, what do YOU do?

I used to push the park button until I figured out that pushing the power button does it for me. Why take the extra step?

 

Welcome aboard! I do B. I also leave the lights on too (auto off when doors open) and so when I press start, I am ready to rock and roll.

 

:welcome:
Greetings and welcome!

I also just press the power button.
I haven't figured out why I should bother with the 'Park' button---although some Prius enthusiast will probably enlighten us soon.
This option also leaves me with a nearly zero-percent chance that I will walk away from the car with the Power button still on, since Toyota didn't bother with the 'auto-off' feature that my dumb old pickup truck has.

I'd say: "Do it the way you want to."

 

Call me old fashioned but I always press Park. E brake, park, power. 1 2 3. easy. (oh and audio off somewhere in between)

I also always turn my headlights off. I know they are auto off but I don't like to leave the circuit open.

 

B. It's an important safeguard in case you get distracted and leave the car running in park (yes, it's happened to some people here). Pressing the power button automatically puts the car in park.

 

I use option B too. Like others point out, it keeps me from putting it in Park and then leaving the engine on. I still manually turn off the headlights.

 

Leaving the engine on? See this is what I don't understand from ppl like you. You put your other cars in Park and turn the keys. So why is it so difficult to put it in Park and press power on a Prius?

 

I go power > ebrake > out of car haha

 

People do get distracted (late for work, upset, etc.). Pressing two buttons are more easily confused than two totally different actions like physically shifting to Park and turning the keys. If you've hard-wired yourself just to hit the power button, that's one less button to miss while distracted.

 

Not difficult, just unnecessary. Why push a button that does nothing?

 

The keyless system and pushbutton Park is different enough from other cars that it is easy to lose track of what is needed, at least when still learning this car. I was happy to see that pushing the Power button parked it at the same time. I can remember the steps now that I've had it a few weeks, but why bother adding an extra step?

Vic

 

I'm not trying to change anyones habits because it's engrained in their motor memory, as is mine.

I just think it's lame to come up with excuses like "it's safer" because no it isn't necessarily, you're just an idiot. If youre that upset, rushed, or distracted you shouldn't be on the road putting everyones life at risk.

If that's the way you learned how to park the Prius then just admit that. But it's senseless to rationalize otherwise.

 

Why do I bother pushing the extra button? it's how I was taught and I've been doing it ever since. It's not inconvenient for me since it's part of my motor memory.

By the way, you think the button does nothing? It parks your car for crying out loud! Meaning you can leave your car on to change audio, nav, or climate functions. Would you guys even know what to do if you were stopped in a parking space and needed to adjust any of these components? LOL.

 

This is my plan as well, I really should make a habit of the e-brake as well, in case I ever park where it is not flat.

 

The Prius jerks forward/back if you don't engage the E brake prior to shutoff.

 

Where were you in the "Accident in Prius, engine would not shut off" thread? You missed your chance to call the OP an idiot to his face because he got distracted and forgot the 3 second rule. Same thing with the various threads in which the posters returned to the car only to find out it was left running because they got distracted.

We're not disputing the usefulness of the Park button. Of course, it's there when we want to park and get out of the car momentarily, but why push an extra button when hitting the power button automatically puts the car in park?

 

I do both. Here's something interesting. Back in Green Drive Expo in SF, I test drove the Prius PHEV. After the drive, I pulled up to the parking lot. I stopped the car and proceeded to push the power button directly. Before I could hit the power button, the Toyota rep who was sitting on the passenger seat quickly pushed the Park button. He said that Toyota policy requires the drivers to put the car in park before powering off when demoing the PHEV.

 

Ok you keep asking "why." Fair enough. Well as I've explained it's based on whatever you're used to. It would be difficult for me to untrain myself not to push it. There's that aspect of it.

There might be a better technical reason why though. Compare the Prius' electronics to that of a personal computer. When you shut down your computer you never try to do a hard shutdown by holding your power button down for a few seconds. Yes that gets the job done but it also could corrupt your disk. Though it hasn't been proven, I have an inkling the Prius On/Off works similarly. Not in that it corrupts your car's electronics, but it forces the computer to immediately shutdown. Pressing P in advance gives the electronic parking system to engage completely.

You may disagree but hell, even the dealer sprung for the Park button. Hey, maybe we're on to something after all.