When parking without turning off the engine, should you release the clutch or the foot brake first?
2 Answers
When parking without turning off the engine, first press the foot brake and then release the clutch. Below are relevant introductions about parking: 1. Signs: There are signs prohibiting temporary parking and long-term parking. The sign prohibiting temporary parking has a red cross in the middle. When this sign appears, it means that all vehicles are prohibited from parking on that road section. 2. Markings: A yellow and black dashed line indicates that temporary parking is allowed. Note that long-term parking is still not permitted. If the traffic police find a vehicle parked for an extended period without moving, it may be fined. 3. Temporary parking: If you need to park temporarily (for 1-3 minutes) while driving, the engine is usually not turned off to allow for immediate departure. In this case, first press the brake pedal and the clutch pedal (for automatic transmission vehicles, only the brake pedal needs to be pressed), then pull up the handbrake, shift the gear lever to neutral, remove both feet from the pedals, and both hands can also release the steering wheel. At this point, you can relax and rest completely.
When parking without turning off the engine, I usually release the clutch before letting go of the foot brake, but this carries significant risks. The first priority is to press the foot brake to bring the car to a complete stop, then shift into neutral, engage the handbrake to ensure the wheels are locked, and only then release the clutch. The entire process should be smooth. Once, I was in a hurry to park on a slope and forgot the sequence, causing the car to roll back a bit—scaring me into never cutting corners again. This habit protects the clutch plate from wear and tear. For temporary stops, like at a red light, this method saves fuel and ensures safety. After driving in the city for a long time and adopting this routine, my vehicle maintenance costs have noticeably decreased.
