On Mon, 15 Sep 2008 09:07:09 +0100, "M............"
 wrote:

>Following up to Mortimer  
>
>> and that you had to apply the 
>> handbrake between each change from forwards and reverse.
>
>thats the sort of pointless stuff that would irritate people. Impossible in
>one of those mad Mercedes manuals with a foot parking brake, I assume they
>only made them that way for a *very* short time? (I once drive a Jeep like
>that, you had to slip the clutch in hillstart conditions, nutty!) 

Isn't it forbidden to take your driving test in a Mecedes (or any car
with a foot operated parking brake)?

Or am I just imagining this.
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Following up to Petert  

>>thats the sort of pointless stuff that would irritate people. Impossible in
>>one of those mad Mercedes manuals with a foot parking brake, I assume they
>>only made them that way for a *very* short time? (I once drive a Jeep like
>>that, you had to slip the clutch in hillstart conditions, nutty!) 
> 
> Isn't it forbidden to take your driving test in a Mecedes (or any car
> with a foot operated parking brake)?

dunno, but you would fail in that Merc.
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"Petert"  wrote in message 
news:iusnd4h7uaqbbcfn9lbkj142thpvlfe51e@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 15 Sep 2008 09:07:09 +0100, "M............"
>  wrote:
>
>>Following up to Mortimer
>>
>>> and that you had to apply the
>>> handbrake between each change from forwards and reverse.
>>
>>thats the sort of pointless stuff that would irritate people. Impossible 
>>in
>>one of those mad Mercedes manuals with a foot parking brake, I assume they
>>only made them that way for a *very* short time? (I once drive a Jeep like
>>that, you had to slip the clutch in hillstart conditions, nutty!)
>
> Isn't it forbidden to take your driving test in a Mecedes (or any car
> with a foot operated parking brake)?
>
> Or am I just imagining this.

Are cars with foot-operated "handbrakes" actually legal in the UK (as 
opposed to the US where they are common) - do they satisfy the Construction 
and Usage regulations? How is one supposed to do a hill start in one - or 
are they only fitted to automatic cars?

Following up to Mortimer  

> How is one supposed to do a hill start in one - or 
> are they only fitted to automatic cars?

the one in question was manual and virtually undrivable, should have been
illegal IMHO. The Jeep I drove was also manual, you couldnt do a hillstart.
Crazy.
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Following up to Adrian  

> There's a hand-operated release on the dash.

there is on modern ones, there wasnt on the jeep and the merc owner told me
there wasnt on that.
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"Adrian"  wrote in message 
news:6k2c1nF5o3a6U3@mid.individual.net...
> "Mortimer"  gurgled happily, sounding much like they were
> saying:
>
>> Are cars with foot-operated "handbrakes" actually legal in the UK (as
>> opposed to the US where they are common) - do they satisfy the
>> Construction and Usage regulations? How is one supposed to do a hill
>> start in one - or are they only fitted to automatic cars?
>
> No, they're on manuals as well - and of course they're legal...
>
> There's a hand-operated release on the dash.
>
> To put it on - push the pedal down, and push the release in.
> To release - push the pedal down slightly, and pull the release, then
> release the pedal.
>
> You CAN just pull the release, but (at least, on the XM I'm used to it
> on) it's a nice way to get bits of dashboard in your teeth...

So even though it's got a hand release, it's inadvisable to use it on its 
own. So how do you coordinate releasing the handbrake with releasing the 
clutch (you need the same foot to do both)?

Whay do they make it so difficult for themselves? What's wrong with a 
conventional handbrake lever between the seats, a spade handle sticking out 
of the dashboard or an umbrella handle under the dashboard by the steering 
column? Any of those can be applied and released using the hand only - I 
know from having driven my dad's Citroen GS and my mum's Renault 6 year ago. 
Ok, so the spade handle on the Citroen GS had the release button on the 
wrong side, so you had to operate it with the little finger rather than the 
forefinger, or else turn your hand upside down (I did the latter!) but that 
was presumably a casualty of the car being designed for LHD, and someone not 
bothering to make an RHD variant.

Following up to Mortimer  

> So even though it's got a hand release, it's inadvisable to use it on its 
> own. So how do you coordinate releasing the handbrake with releasing the 
> clutch (you need the same foot to do both)?

on the wrangler i could find no way to do it. Its a minimalist vehicle and
(although its possible) I doubt I failed to find a hand release.
The situation has now moved on, the Audi A4 I was driving a few weeks ago
has a little flick switch for the handbrake, to release it you simply drive
away, there are other cars with the same technology. Just dont try to drive
off without your seatbelt on, the brakes will not release.
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