>It has always seemed to me that "just" leaving the car in gear on a hill 
>would be bad for the transmission in the long run.  Is this a myth?  It's 
>never stopped me from doing it but it just seems like a strain on 
>SOMETHING.  Kind of like putting an automatic in park and letting it roll 
>forward with a jolt.
>
Having seen a bus that went over an embankment after the seemingly good 
parking brake let go just enough to let it roll, I don't really care what 
long run damage may happen.  If I'm on a steep hill, I'll risk the 
long-term damage in order to avoid the short-term damage of my VW hitting a 
wall!
-Ron Salmon