What is the sequence of clutch and brake for hill start parking?
2 Answers
For hill start parking, press the brake first and then the clutch. Upon hearing the instruction: Turn on the right turn signal, steer the wheel appropriately to the right, allowing the vehicle to move slowly and straight along the right side of the road, while paying attention to the distance between the vehicle body and the right sideline. Approaching the target: When the vehicle is about 10 meters away from the parking pole, approach the designated target slowly, accurately, and steadily. Determining the target: Use a point on the parking pole and the windshield (or hood) as a reference. When visually aligning a point on the windshield with the parking pole, indicating that the vehicle's bumper is aligned with the parking pole line, stop immediately.
As someone who frequently drives on mountain roads, I feel particularly qualified to speak on the sequence of clutch and brake usage for hill starts. The correct procedure is: first, firmly press the brake pedal to bring the vehicle to a complete stop on the slope; then, depress the clutch to disconnect engine power, preventing stalling; next, engage the handbrake and pull it tight to secure the vehicle; only then should you gradually release the foot brake. The key point is not to release the foot brake prematurely before securing the handbrake, otherwise the car may roll back – I once made this mistake and rolled half a meter, nearly rear-ending the car behind. Since then, I always double-check that the handbrake is firmly engaged. Also, don't mix up the sequence when starting: keep the brake pressed, shift into first gear, gently lift the clutch to find the biting point, then release the handbrake while applying throttle – the entire process needs to be smooth, otherwise hill starts can be dangerous. Once this becomes habit, it's extremely stable and you won't feel nervous even when parking on steep slopes.
