i know it as emergency brake and use it only rarely. at least in my old car the more you use it the less it holds, so if i want to have it running in case the actual brake breaks i have to save it. but if you put your car on gear you never need the handbreak, unless the angle is more than 30°. and if you drive a lorry (and want to find it where it was parked), you *always* use it, unless the angle is less than 1°
