"Bob Eager" wrote in message
...
It was a *very* good brake. When I was at uni, I had this Series I. It
was habit among my circle, if boxed in, to inch up to the next vehicle
and gently push it against the effect of the handbrake. Those who tried
it on my LR just saw the car crumple.

I gather that it used to be the convention in French cities (especially
Paris) for drivers to park (on the level) with the car in neutral and the
handbrake off, to allow other cars to nudge them if they needed more space
when parking, and that people who didn't obey this "courtesy" were liable to
find their car dented when someone increased the force until something
gave - either your handbrake or your bodywork/bumpers.