rip the van into park

[GUEST2008]

Hi

They'd been driving round and round trying to pick up the scent, but when they pulled past the same gas station for the third time, she'd driven into the parking lot, ripped the van into park and was now scowling at a dog that was sunning itself next to the air pump, only rising every few seconds to investigate its private parts.

I take it to mean she suddenly stopped the car?

 

[vil]

rip into = go / tear / rush [whirl away] at full speed; drive at top speed

 

[Rover_KE]

I take it to mean she suddenly stopped the car?

That's right, Guest.

She slammed the selector lever of her automatic car into Park with some force.

Rover

 

[Tdol]

rip into = go / tear / rush [whirl away] at full speed; drive at top speed

Not here- I agree with Rover's interpretation.

 

[bhaisahab]

Not here- I agree with Rover's interpretation.

Agreed.

 

[BobK]

...
I take it to mean she suddenly stopped the car?

:-? I hate to be at odds with everyone, and I have no experience with automatic gearboxes, but I imagine that putting the car abruptly into Park would slow it down rapidly (but not stop it dead).

b

 

[SoothingDave]

I'm thinking she stopped the van first, then put it into Park. Otherwise, you could do serious damage to the transmission.

 

[Rover_KE]

I'm thinking she stopped the van first, then put it into Park. Otherwise, you could do serious damage to the transmission.

Correct, Dave.

Perhaps a mechanic could tell us whether it's even possible to engage Park when the vehicle is moving.

Rover

 

[SoothingDave]

Apparently there is a good amount of idiot-proofing in the design of most cars nowadays, and may not be catastrophic to engage park while moving, but it is still ill advised.

 

[BobK]

I'm thinking she stopped the van first, then put it into Park. Otherwise, you could do serious damage to the transmission.

I was assuming that was why the writer used the word 'ripped'. Using a manual shift one could - at the risk of serious wear, if not damage - to the clutch, shift from 4th to 1st. It would take some jerky effort and emit heat and noise; I think 'rip' would be a fairly appropriate verb. (But I'm not a mechanic.) ;-)