More stupidity

65 mph traffic, 2 lane (1 each way), I am back aways from 3 cars when
brake lights come on, slowing for a car ahead. They duck into the
breakdown lane and pass, as do I. He was turning left. Problem?

No turn signal.
On a highway notorious for rear enders
At an intersection that has had a fatality due to that very cause.

People who live on this highway have learned to stop on the right hand
shoulder until traffic clears before attempting a left turn. Except
on rare occasions it only takes a few minutes at most to get a safe
opening.

Manufacturers could save a bundle by leaving that unused stalk off the
car.

Harry K

On 5/29/2012 12:17 PM, Harry K wrote:
> 65 mph traffic, 2 lane (1 each way), I am back aways from 3 cars when
> brake lights come on, slowing for a car ahead. They duck into the
> breakdown lane and pass, as do I. He was turning left. Problem?
>
> No turn signal.
> On a highway notorious for rear enders
> At an intersection that has had a fatality due to that very cause.
>
> People who live on this highway have learned to stop on the right hand
> shoulder until traffic clears before attempting a left turn. Except
> on rare occasions it only takes a few minutes at most to get a safe
> opening.
>
During rush hour, I take the longer way home, just so I can avoid the
"unprotected" left turn into my sub-division by coming from the other
direction (at least when I am on the scooter or moto).

> Manufacturers could save a bundle by leaving that unused stalk off the
> car.

Then how would the too old to drive safely people go for miles down the
road with their turn signal on?

--
Tºm Shermªn - 42.435731°N, 83.985007°W
Post Free or Die!

On May 29, 7:24*pm, "Tom $herman (-_-)" <""twshermanREMOVE\"@THI
$southslope.net"> wrote:
> On 5/29/2012 12:17 PM, Harry K wrote:> 65 mph traffic, 2 lane (1 each way), *I am back aways from 3 cars when
> > brake lights come on, slowing for a car ahead. *They duck into the
> > breakdown lane and pass, as do I. *He was turning left. Problem?
>
> > No turn signal.
> > On a highway notorious for rear enders
> > At an intersection that has had a fatality due to that very cause.
>
> > People who live on this highway have learned to stop on the right hand
> > shoulder until traffic clears before attempting a left turn. *Except
> > on rare occasions it only takes a few minutes at most to get a safe
> > opening.
>
> During rush hour, I take the longer way home, just so I can avoid the
> "unprotected" left turn into my sub-division by coming from the other
> direction (at least when I am on the scooter or moto).
>
> > Manufacturers could save a bundle by leaving that unused stalk off the
> > car.
>
> Then how would the too old to drive safely people go for miles down the
> road with their turn signal on? *
>
> --
> Tºm Shermªn - 42.435731°N, 83.985007°W
> Post Free or Die!

Good point. I plead guilty to that one a couple times with my old
PU.
it is so noisy I can't hear the clicker

Harry K

On 5/29/2012 10:36 PM, Harry K wrote:
> On May 29, 7:24 pm, "Tom $herman (-_-)"<""twshermanREMOVE\"@THI
> $southslope.net"> wrote:
>> On 5/29/2012 12:17 PM, Harry K wrote:> 65 mph traffic, 2 lane (1 each way), I am back aways from 3 cars when
>>> brake lights come on, slowing for a car ahead. They duck into the
>>> breakdown lane and pass, as do I. He was turning left. Problem?
>>
>>> No turn signal.
>>> On a highway notorious for rear enders
>>> At an intersection that has had a fatality due to that very cause.
>>
>>> People who live on this highway have learned to stop on the right hand
>>> shoulder until traffic clears before attempting a left turn. Except
>>> on rare occasions it only takes a few minutes at most to get a safe
>>> opening.
>>
>> During rush hour, I take the longer way home, just so I can avoid the
>> "unprotected" left turn into my sub-division by coming from the other
>> direction (at least when I am on the scooter or moto).
>>
>>> Manufacturers could save a bundle by leaving that unused stalk off the
>>> car.
>>
>> Then how would the too old to drive safely people go for miles down the
>> road with their turn signal on?
>>
>> --
>> Tºm Shermªn - 42.435731°N, 83.985007°W
>> Post Free or Die!
>
> Good point. I plead guilty to that one a couple times with my old
> PU.
> it is so noisy I can't hear the clicker
>
> Harry K

I am used to canceling turn-signals, but sometimes I honk the horn
first, particularly in cold weather (easy to do on a Honda when wearing
fat thumbed gloves).

--
Tºm Shermªn - 42.435731°N, 83.985007°W
Post Free or Die!

On May 30, 1:35*am, "Tom $herman (-_-)" <""twshermanREMOVE\"@THI
$southslope.net"> wrote:
> On 5/29/2012 10:36 PM, Harry K wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On May 29, 7:24 pm, "Tom $herman (-_-)"<""twshermanREMOVE\"@THI
> > $southslope.net"> *wrote:
> >> On 5/29/2012 12:17 PM, Harry K wrote:> *65 mph traffic, 2 lane (1 each way), *I am back aways from 3 cars when
> >>> brake lights come on, slowing for a car ahead. *They duck into the
> >>> breakdown lane and pass, as do I. *He was turning left. Problem?
>
> >>> No turn signal.
> >>> On a highway notorious for rear enders
> >>> At an intersection that has had a fatality due to that very cause.
>
> >>> People who live on this highway have learned to stop on the right hand
> >>> shoulder until traffic clears before attempting a left turn. *Except
> >>> on rare occasions it only takes a few minutes at most to get a safe
> >>> opening.
>
> >> During rush hour, I take the longer way home, just so I can avoid the
> >> "unprotected" left turn into my sub-division by coming from the other
> >> direction (at least when I am on the scooter or moto).
>
> >>> Manufacturers could save a bundle by leaving that unused stalk off the
> >>> car.
>
> >> Then how would the too old to drive safely people go for miles down the
> >> road with their turn signal on? *
>
> >> --
> >> Tºm Shermªn - 42.435731°N, 83.985007°W
> >> Post Free or Die!
>
> > Good point. * I plead guilty to that one a couple times with my old
> > PU.
> > it is so noisy I can't *hear the clicker
>
> > Harry K
>
> I am used to canceling turn-signals, but sometimes I honk the horn
> first, particularly in cold weather (easy to do on a Honda when wearing
> fat thumbed gloves).

I consider the push the end of the stalk to honk horn switches to be
not only stupid but dangerous. Conventions exist for a reason.
Likewise steering wheels with little tiny horn buttons on the spokes.
Either put the button in the center of the wheel, or give me a big
obvious chrome ring. (the latter probably is never going to happen on
a new car, due to crash safety requirements and the presence of
airbags...)

Ages ago my mom had a Renault with that goofy turn signal stalk horn
switch. More than once someone did something stupid in front of me
and being used to driving other vehicles I'd find myself panic braking
while pounding on the center of the steering wheel and nothing
happened...

nate

On May 30, 5:45*am, N8N > wrote:
> On May 30, 1:35*am, "Tom $herman (-_-)" <""twshermanREMOVE\"@THI
>
>
>
>
>
> $southslope.net"> wrote:
> > On 5/29/2012 10:36 PM, Harry K wrote:
>
> > > On May 29, 7:24 pm, "Tom $herman (-_-)"<""twshermanREMOVE\"@THI
> > > $southslope.net"> *wrote:
> > >> On 5/29/2012 12:17 PM, Harry K wrote:> *65 mph traffic, 2 lane (1 each way), *I am back aways from 3 cars when
> > >>> brake lights come on, slowing for a car ahead. *They duck into the
> > >>> breakdown lane and pass, as do I. *He was turning left. Problem?
>
> > >>> No turn signal.
> > >>> On a highway notorious for rear enders
> > >>> At an intersection that has had a fatality due to that very cause.
>
> > >>> People who live on this highway have learned to stop on the right hand
> > >>> shoulder until traffic clears before attempting a left turn. *Except
> > >>> on rare occasions it only takes a few minutes at most to get a safe
> > >>> opening.
>
> > >> During rush hour, I take the longer way home, just so I can avoid the
> > >> "unprotected" left turn into my sub-division by coming from the other
> > >> direction (at least when I am on the scooter or moto).
>
> > >>> Manufacturers could save a bundle by leaving that unused stalk off the
> > >>> car.
>
> > >> Then how would the too old to drive safely people go for miles down the
> > >> road with their turn signal on? *
>
> > >> --
> > >> Tºm Shermªn - 42.435731°N, 83.985007°W
> > >> Post Free or Die!
>
> > > Good point. * I plead guilty to that one a couple times with my old
> > > PU.
> > > it is so noisy I can't *hear the clicker
>
> > > Harry K
>
> > I am used to canceling turn-signals, but sometimes I honk the horn
> > first, particularly in cold weather (easy to do on a Honda when wearing
> > fat thumbed gloves).
>
> I consider the push the end of the stalk to honk horn switches to be
> not only stupid but dangerous. *Conventions exist for a reason.
> Likewise steering wheels with little tiny horn buttons on the spokes.
> Either put the button in the center of the wheel, or give me a big
> obvious chrome ring. *(the latter probably is never going to happen on
> a new car, due to crash safety requirements and the presence of
> airbags...)
>
> Ages ago my mom had a Renault with that goofy turn signal stalk horn
> switch. *More than once someone did something stupid in front of me
> and being used to driving other vehicles I'd find myself panic braking
> while pounding on the center of the steering wheel and nothing
> happened...
>
> nate

A bit OT but....I wonder if they will ever make a decent passenger
side mirror. ONe that you can look into and tell how far back a
vehicle is. Europeans have done it for years.

Stupid to look in mirror and then still have to do a head check to see
if one has clearance.

Harry K

I brought this up numerous times but it was given little attn he Side view mirrors need to be as far forward on the driver's door as possible and as close to the window glass as possible.

This will allow them to be used as intended: to reveal vehicles to our sides that we might sideswipe - NOT as duplicates of what we see through the inside rear-view mirror.

Blindspot? I'll give you a frickn' BLINDSPOT!! The blindspot is the 3 to 4 inch GAP between the inside edge of the side mirror glass and the window glass! But mfgs just don't get that. They keep pushing the mirrors outward, forcing drivers to turn or crane their heads even further to see what's in 'em. Both Volvo and MB have demonstrated you can have folding mirrors that can also be set properly and seen out of.

On 5/30/2012 7:45 AM, N8N wrote:
> On May 30, 1:35 am, "Tom $herman (-_-)"<""twshermanREMOVE\"@THI
> $southslope.net"> wrote:
>> On 5/29/2012 10:36 PM, Harry K wrote:
>>
>>> [...]
>>>> During rush hour, I take the longer way home, just so I can avoid the
>>>> "unprotected" left turn into my sub-division by coming from the other
>>>> direction (at least when I am on the scooter or moto).
>>
>>>>> Manufacturers could save a bundle by leaving that unused stalk off the
>>>>> car.
>>
>>>> Then how would the too old to drive safely people go for miles down the
>>>> road with their turn signal on?
>>
>>
>>> Good point. I plead guilty to that one a couple times with my old
>>> PU.
>>> it is so noisy I can't hear the clicker
>>
>>> Harry K
>>
>> I am used to canceling turn-signals, but sometimes I honk the horn
>> first, particularly in cold weather (easy to do on a Honda when wearing
>> fat thumbed gloves).
>
> I consider the push the end of the stalk to honk horn switches to be
> not only stupid but dangerous. Conventions exist for a reason.
> Likewise steering wheels with little tiny horn buttons on the spokes.
> Either put the button in the center of the wheel, or give me a big
> obvious chrome ring. (the latter probably is never going to happen on
> a new car, due to crash safety requirements and the presence of
> airbags...)[...]
>
On three of my Honda's, the turn signal is by the left grip. Push
sideways in the desired direction to activate, and push in to cancel.
As you can see on the picture of the Elite 110, the horn button on the
bottom is rather close to the switch. If the turn signal switch was
moved up closer to the high-low beam switch, accidental horn sounding
would be less common, especially when wearing snowmobile gloves on 15°F
days.

<http://0.tqn.com/d/motorcycles/1/0/T/n/-/-/2010_Honda_Elite_left_grip.jpg>

Annoying non-convention is on Beemer's and Harley-Davidson's that have a
separate switch for each turn signal on each grip.

--
Tºm Shermªn - 42.435731°N, 83.985007°W
Post Free or Die!

On 05/30/2012 10:02 PM, Tom $herman (-_-) > wrote:
> On 5/30/2012 7:45 AM, N8N wrote:
>> On May 30, 1:35 am, "Tom $herman (-_-)"<""twshermanREMOVE\"@THI
>> $southslope.net"> wrote:
>>> On 5/29/2012 10:36 PM, Harry K wrote:
>>>
>>>> [...]
>>>>> During rush hour, I take the longer way home, just so I can avoid the
>>>>> "unprotected" left turn into my sub-division by coming from the other
>>>>> direction (at least when I am on the scooter or moto).
>>>
>>>>>> Manufacturers could save a bundle by leaving that unused stalk off
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> car.
>>>
>>>>> Then how would the too old to drive safely people go for miles down
>>>>> the
>>>>> road with their turn signal on?
>>>
>>>
>>>> Good point. I plead guilty to that one a couple times with my old
>>>> PU.
>>>> it is so noisy I can't hear the clicker
>>>
>>>> Harry K
>>>
>>> I am used to canceling turn-signals, but sometimes I honk the horn
>>> first, particularly in cold weather (easy to do on a Honda when wearing
>>> fat thumbed gloves).
>>
>> I consider the push the end of the stalk to honk horn switches to be
>> not only stupid but dangerous. Conventions exist for a reason.
>> Likewise steering wheels with little tiny horn buttons on the spokes.
>> Either put the button in the center of the wheel, or give me a big
>> obvious chrome ring. (the latter probably is never going to happen on
>> a new car, due to crash safety requirements and the presence of
>> airbags...)[...]
>>
> On three of my Honda's, the turn signal is by the left grip. Push
> sideways in the desired direction to activate, and push in to cancel. As
> you can see on the picture of the Elite 110, the horn button on the
> bottom is rather close to the switch. If the turn signal switch was
> moved up closer to the high-low beam switch, accidental horn sounding
> would be less common, especially when wearing snowmobile gloves on 15°F
> days.
>
> <http://0.tqn.com/d/motorcycles/1/0/T/n/-/-/2010_Honda_Elite_left_grip.jpg>
>
> Annoying non-convention is on Beemer's and Harley-Davidson's that have a
> separate switch for each turn signal on each grip.
>

Ah, that I can see.. I was thinking of vehicles of the four wheeled
variety, and I know that plenty of vehicles had those infernal turn
signal stalk horn switches back in the dark ages in that time period
around when airbags were first introduced. Jaguar gets special mention
because they did it way back in the day for no apparent reason.

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

On May 29, 1:17*pm, Harry K > wrote:
> 65 mph traffic, 2 lane (1 each way),
>
> People who live on this highway have learned to stop on the right hand
> shoulder until traffic clears before attempting a left turn.

What's the supposed advantage of that?

>*Except
> on rare occasions it only takes a few minutes at most to get a safe
> opening.

Don't you live in the Spokane area?

> Manufacturers could save a bundle by leaving that unused stalk off the
> car.

I expect qwerty keyboards embedded in the steering wheel in the not-
too-distant future.
-----

- gpsman