While on the subject of e-brakes, I find that I like to pull the handle as close to holding the car without over pulling it. The way I do it is not to let the button click while applying, but to pull till it feels it's good, then releasing the button to lock, reason being is the cable won't get stretched all to crap. And it will give you to practice for using a e-brake while driving with out locking the E-brake.
think of what it COULD have been