merc
I was helping my mate empty his garage out and when we'd loaded up the trailer on the merc he chucked me the keys saying you drive that and i'll take the other car load. So there I am tootling along in a very unfamiliar car, got to some traffic lights which were red, stopped, put on the handbrake which was a pull out handle on the dashboard, lights go to amber I try and push the handle back in to find it won't budge..... Shit, how the fuck do you get the brake off in this thing? I'm being beeped at by now. I'm pressing random buttons hoping it's one of them. Nobody can get past me i'm listening to the sound of car horns... Only one thing for it, I got out and had to ask the bloke in a merc 4 cars back how to do it, oh the shame.
(Kip, Mon 26 Apr 2010, 13:32, 10 replies)

Let me guess
It's "clever" and does it for you when you hit the accelerator and/or put it in gear?
( wangmaster2000, Mon 26 Apr 2010, 13:36, closed)

No
it's a foot pedal, the stupidest driving invention this side of furry dice.
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Mon 26 Apr 2010, 13:50, closed)

Ha, I've had one of those
It's a Merc W123, made between 1976 and 1984, or thereabouts. A realy fucker for doing hillstarts with.
( Grrrmachine the indifference engine, Mon 26 Apr 2010, 14:55, closed)

I thought
The point of a "hand" brake was that you could control the gas and the brake at the same time for things like hill-starts. Foot operated hand-brake sounds like a major mistake to me.

Unless it'a an automatic I guess.
( Ugi , it's a game of give and cake, Mon 26 Apr 2010, 15:09, closed)

yes it was an auto.
think it was a e class, not sure of the age of it but it was under 10 yrs old.
(Kip, Mon 26 Apr 2010, 16:25, closed)

oh, in which case, Merc have had that stupid brake system for decades
it must be a cult thing.
( Grrrmachine the indifference engine, Mon 26 Apr 2010, 16:58, closed)

. l .. n
( Ugi , it's a game of give and cake, Tue 27 Apr 2010, 9:28, closed)

I'm confused.
I thought it was peddle-on then a button or lever to turn off? I know Jags used to have a pull-and-turn type handle and thought Mercs were similar?
(Me, I'm not... in any way intoxicated, Mon 26 Apr 2010, 18:31, closed)

prob a W124
great cars. Pedal where the clutch pedal usually is for handbrake on. Lever on dash pops it off with a big "CLONK".
(TheHorseWithSteelFrame Self-referencing comment in the third person, Mon 26 Apr 2010, 18:53, closed)

actually,
i think you're right there. It was years ago, may have it the wrong way round. Apologies.
(Kip, Tue 27 Apr 2010, 13:41, closed)