Should the clutch and brake be pressed together when parking on a slope?
2 Answers
When parking on a slope, the clutch and brake should not be pressed together. You need to press the clutch first and then the brake. If you press the brake first when the speed is slow, it may cause the engine to stall. When making an emergency stop on a slope, pressing only the clutch will still allow the vehicle to move forward due to inertia. Therefore, generally, both the clutch and brake should be pressed all the way down simultaneously. When stopping at a fixed point on a slope to prevent rolling back, the clutch and brake should also be pressed down quickly at the same time. If the slope is very slight and short, you can simply use the brake to control the speed. If the slope is steep and long, you should shift to a lower gear in advance, using the engine to control the speed while also using the brake to assist in deceleration. Precautions: If you press the clutch all the way down when going downhill, it is equivalent to coasting in neutral. Due to gravity and inertia, the car's speed will increase. If there is an issue with the vehicle's braking system, the consequences could be very serious. Some experienced drivers claim that coasting in neutral saves fuel, but this was true for older carburetor-equipped models. Nowadays, most vehicles use fuel injection, and there is no fuel-saving benefit from coasting in neutral downhill. Moreover, pressing the clutch downhill can easily cause excessive wear on the clutch. Keeping the clutch pressed continuously will cause the release bearing to rotate at high speed constantly, significantly reducing its lifespan.
I remember when I first started learning to drive, I was particularly nervous about stopping on a slope. My instructor repeatedly reminded me to always press both the clutch and brake pedals together, and never separately. The reason is that pressing the clutch prevents the engine from stalling suddenly, especially when starting on a slope—if you only press the brake without the clutch, the car may jerk and stall, which is quite troublesome. Pressing the brake, on the other hand, ensures the car doesn't roll backward, maintaining safety. After practicing several times, I found that for brief stops like waiting at a traffic light, I should hold this position until ready to move again. For longer stops, it's best to shift into neutral or first gear and engage the handbrake for double protection against rolling. These tips have saved me a lot of trouble.
