I hate rear stands and agree PEI and PCV should have known better by 1945.
Aren’t you supposed to adjustment tightness on the Thackeray washers so the stand will stay up in position while you do up the T bar Same as the Thackeray washers at hinge holding up guard flapOne thing that annoyed me when I bought the Comet was how tricky it was to lock the rear stand. Compared to my WD16H which has a spring pulling it up.