It’s good to learn a few things about vehicles that you’ve always wanted to ask someone, but never got the chance. The parking brake! Is it necessary to push the button when pulling up on the handle? And does the grinding wear out the brake? This video explains, and shows, what happens when you pull on the brake, and the connection to the vehicle’s rear brakes.
It’s purely mechanical, and interesting to note that the majority of people watching this should have an “aha” moment. Pressing the button is only meant to release the parking brake. The video clearly shows that pulling it up, without pressing the button, does absolutely no harm to the brake or its mechanism. The mechanism on this car still works great after 17 years of continual service. Just consider it to be one more mystery that has been laid to rest.