emergency brake cable question

Yes, if somebody else uses the car. Otherwise no.

I think your mechanic figures that having a working emergency/parking brake is important.

In cold weather they have a tendency to get water in the cables and freeze engaged. It is very hard on the rear disks and pads if you then drive. I got in the habit of parking in gear rather than using the brake, tho I did replace my cables this summer.

Frankly you should use it, but I doubt if you will start, until you find out why. BTW it is more properly identified as a "parking" brake.

Depends on when you use it. If I have an emergency situation and I need it, it then becomes an emergency brake :)

About 20 years ago I had to use my parking brake in an emergency. Trust me, in an emergency when the brake line fails it is a poor substitute. I got a lot more help from putting the transmission in first. Lucky for me and my 1970 VW Bug, no one was coming through the intersection at that time. However I see you pont.

Better than nothing though!

If misused you of course can lock the rear wheels. If you're trying to stop straight that's not so bad. If you've locked the rear wheels and you want to swerve, then you're in big trouble because you'll spin instead of swerving.

But it's still better than nothing.

In my case, it would have had to be ice freshly cleaned by the zamboni to lock the rear wheels. :-)