I always use my parking brake. I could park in the middle of the Bonneville Salt Flats and I would set my parking brake. It’s one of the few things my father told me that I have always done. It seems that lots of people don’t do this. Guy I work told an amusing story how his car rolled a few feet into a guard rail in the parking lot. That would never happen to me. 
So, do you and how often?
Every single time. Better to make a habit of it than risk forgetting it when it’s really necessary.
Every single time. Your frequency of use will be determined by what type of tranny your vehicle has, manual or auto.
I use it in the summer consistently. When the thermometer drops below 32F, though, it stays off.
(For those of you in warmer climates, the parking brake can freeze in the “on” position during the subfreezing weather…)
I think it was my sister-in-law’s sister drove her Buick Regal like 50 miles with the parking brake still on. “I wondered where the smoke was coming from.” She apparently did not know anything about a parking brake, so the thought of turning it off never occured to her.
Amp, I’ve driven mostly manual trannies, but I set in on the minivan too when I drive it. What has the transmission to do with it?
yep, but if you’re parked on an incline, you can leave the transmission in gear as a double measure. (if facing uphill, leave in 1st. if facing downhill, leave in reverse). don’t know if this is any strain on the tranny or not
Always in manuals, never in automatics.
Never. I know I’d forget the darn thing and be confused why my car wasn’t working properly. One amendment to that is if I’m back around home and parked on a mountain. This isn’t a problem in Texas.
Always. I have to. Most places I park are on an incline and I’ve got a manual.
I always use it, unless it’s freezing significantly, in which case I just leave the car in 1st or reverse. Which I also do in the summer, anyway.
I’ve been told it’s not advisable to use either when parking in downtown Paris, as people tend to nudge cars back and forth to get into a spot. 
I don’t think leaving a car in gear on an incline poses any significant wear on the transmission, but I can’t really vouch for automatics.
Always use it but when I borrow someone else’s car thye make fun of me for using it.
Then thye make fun of my spelling.
They do that in England too, or at least I did when I was there.
I’ve always used my parking brake, with both manual and auto. Every once and awhile I end up leaving it on but figure it out pretty quick.
This is more words from my father, but it irks me greatly to see it, but people who park their automatic transmission equipped cars and you see the car rock back and forth because they didn’t set the parking brake. Ouch! One time won’t hurt it, but geez, they park like that all the time that’s got to hurt something over time.
In the UK, where I learned to drive and nearly everyone drives a manual, it’s actually part of the test - if you don’t use it in driving at practically every occasion that you come to a standstill, you will fail your test. Reason being e.g. when stopped at lights, if someone rams you from behind you won’t fly out into oncoming traffic. As has been said, it’s also necessary for hill-starts when driving a manual.
When I went to buy a manual in the US, I used the parking brake as I was taught, during the test drive. The sales guy was freaking out. “What are you using that for?” he asked. “I just do,” I told him.
“Well don’t.” he said.
I still bought the car though.
Only on hills.
If I have to park partway down my sloped driveway, I’ll set it - it’s the only way I can get the car out of park when I want to move it again. In a manual - every time, every place. And since I’m in Florida, the freezing concerns rarely if ever apply.
When I started driving I always used it, although unless I’m parked on a heavy incline I prefer to let the car settle against the engine first. These days I tend to forget a lot. I’m working on it though.
The land is generally very flat here. I only use my parking brake when I park on a hill. That is so seldom that it had never been a problem for me to remember.
I always do, everywhere, because I once parked next to someone once and their car started rolling backwards. I pushed it back into place and secured its tires on some dirt, but it freaked me out.
Lately, though, my brake light has been staying on even when the brake is not set. :eek: I may go back to selectively setting it.