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Wed Feb 03, 2010 7:23 am

Geez. :roll: All this "switch here" "light there" "wire this" and "connect that" could be solved if the owner/driver actually pays attention, looks to his right, and releases the parking brake before driving away.

Wed Feb 03, 2010 7:28 am

Well glad you never forget... as for me I never bothered with the parking brake until buying the VW and I drive it seldom. Will I put in a light? Nah, but I'm not so snobbish about it to assume I would never forget or to run someone else down for it.

Sometimes too people just like to tinker and mess about. Why not encourage that? The question is not always "should I?".

Wed Feb 03, 2010 8:38 am

SIGH

I come to the Samba as someone always has an answer to my questions, wether I ask them directly, or I do a search to find a post already done. I don't expect to be belittled for wanting to make my car a little better and to make me realize I didn't check the parking brake that morning after all. This doesn't mean I am going to leave the forum. Far from it. I have thick skin so I can ignore these comments. But there are others out there who probably would be turned off by these comments.

In a perfect world, we wouldn't need ANY of those warning lights on the dash. Generator, oil, or the master cylinder brake warning light. We would all be in perfect harmony with our cars and would know the slightest thing wrong with them and fix them immediately. We also wouldn't need seat belts or any other safety equipment becasue everyone would be driving defensivly and there would be no accidents. No drunk drivers, etc.

We all know people who have a bad day, or think they checked something and it wasn't so (including ourselves). The neighbor kid who puts it in drive and does a peel out, but it actually is in reverse and takes out the neighbors kitchen wall. The person who roatated their tires, but failed to tighten the lug nuts all the way and his wheel passes him on the street.

Thank you to all who actually gave me some ideas as to where to place the swtich. Once it warms up (It is 4 above zero this morning), I will pull back the rubber boot on the lever and see what is actually under there and figure something out. If, and I do mean IF, I go about this, I will post some pics here.

Wed Feb 03, 2010 8:48 am

Quote: If, and I do mean IF, I go about this
Let me know and I can tell you how to wire it up with only one wire. 8)

Wed Feb 03, 2010 9:23 am

GNandGS wrote: Well glad you never forget... as for me I never bothered with the parking brake until buying the VW and I drive it seldom. Will I put in a light? Nah, but I'm not so snobbish about it to assume I would never forget or to run someone else down for it.

Sometimes too people just like to tinker and mess about. Why not encourage that? The question is not always "should I?".

Some of the "tinkering" a lot of people here leaves a lot to be desired in terms of safety. A terrific example is those who want a lot of horsepower in the engine without considering to upgrade the brake; however, this thread has its own concerns with someone suggesting overriding the "B" button for a frigging parking brake light :roll: Seriously, if it can't become second nature to just reach over and release the brake, why are you people even driving?

Wed Feb 03, 2010 10:10 am

Quote: A terrific example is those who want a lot of horsepower in the engine without considering to upgrade the brake;
Brakes and stopping distances are more of a weight thing than horsepower of the engine difference. It takes just a long and far to stop going 70mph in a 40hp bug as it does in a 240hp turbo bug.

Wed Feb 03, 2010 11:51 am

Go buy a Honda, Kia, or some other car that does your thinking for you, then. For God's sake. :roll: Take some responsibility and just RELEASE YOUR DAMN HANDBRAKE before driving off.

Wed Feb 03, 2010 12:08 pm

runamoc wrote: Quote: A terrific example is those who want a lot of horsepower in the engine without considering to upgrade the brake;
Brakes and stopping distances are more of a weight thing than horsepower of the engine difference. It takes just a long and far to stop going 70mph in a 40hp bug as it does in a 240hp turbo bug.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I rest my case. A prime example of someone who does not know what he's talking about.

Wed Feb 03, 2010 12:13 pm

I rigged my car with a 400 decibel alarm horn and a spring loaded ice axe that's aimed at my temple. They're activated when I forget to release my hand brake. It's such a common problem that all my friends have had me install similar safeguards on their VWs as well. I can't believe that VW didn't equip cars like this from the factory.