A love letter to the classic lever

As you may be aware I decided to spice things up a little and break my wrist, which inevitably resulted in me being unable to drive.

The timing of me not being able to use my car and mum being without one as her’s was having some body work done coincided very well.  

Mum isn’t a great lover of my car as it’s low to the ground and has the most shocking turning circle – the benefits of having a sporty car!

However, as my car is 18 years old (I’m hoping to celebrate it’s 20th birthday) it’s a good old mechanical car which dials you can get hold of to turn things up and down, my phone as my sat nav and best of all a good old fashioned handbrake!!

I’ve been so lucky this last month to have received lifts and been in a variety of car’s which are amazing and some very space ship like with screens, automatic headlights and parking sensors, but they all hand one thing in common – no handbrake.

Mum’s car is no different, it’s so lovely and comfortable, easy to drive, turns on a sixpence but then has a tiny little flap for a handbrake.  

What is all that about?  

Mum’s car is now ready and she’s very happy to have it back, however she’s really going to miss my handbrake (I did have a dream she was off doing handbrake turns when no one was watching).

Let’s take a trip down memory lane

Remember the good old days when pulling on the handbrake was as much a part of driving as the open road itself? 

Cue the violin, because we’re diving into the world of proper handbrakes and why some of us secretly miss them.

There’s something very satisfying about a solid handbrake . It’s like a handshake with your car, a tactile connection that makes you feel in control. 

Admit it – there’s a bit of a thrill in the physicality of pulling up that lever, especially when executing a perfectly timed handbrake turn. 

It’s like a secret language between you and your four wheels.

The simplicity of it all

Handbrakes are straightforward – up for on, down for off. No need to decipher cryptic symbols or worry about electronic glitches. 

It’s the kind of simplicity that makes driving feel like second nature, where muscle memory takes over, and you become one with your machine.

But wait, there’s more to this love affair with handbrakes 

Ever found yourself stuck in a tight spot on a hill, desperately trying to avoid rolling backward? 

The handbrake was your knight in shining armour, offering a reliable solution without the need for complicated sensors or buttons. 

It was a simple, mechanical solution to a real-world problem.

Sure, we get it – the world is all about progress and innovation. Electronic parking brakes are sleek, save space, and even come with some fancy features. 

But there’s an undeniable charm in the nostalgia of a proper handbrake, a reminder of simpler times when driving was more about the journey and less about the tech.

Here’s to the handbrake’s of yesteryear, the unsung heroes of parking maneuver’s and impromptu drifting sessions. 

While we may have moved on to buttons and switches, there’s a part of us that secretly longs for that satisfying click and pull of the good ol’ handbrake.

Sam ”must check the tyres for handbrake turn wear” Hobbs