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Change is in the wind....
On Fri, 22 May 2009 00:59:27 -0700, "Max Magister"
> wrote: >>As it struggles to find its way through bankruptcy, Chrysler Corp. has >>announced its most recent cut back. The automaker is eliminating turn >>signals from its vehicles. In a written statement, a Chrysler spokesperson >>said that with turn signal usage falling below 10 percent, slicing the cost >>from each car (estimated at $22) would save the Fiat division over $44 >>million a production year (based on sales of over two million cars in 2007). >>"Our studies of vehicle equipment usage found that sixty-five percent of >>drivers were unaware that their cars actually had a turn signal device," the >>press release revealed. "Of the thirty-five percent that were aware of the >>devices, only half even knew how to use them." To counter safety advocates' >>criticism of the equipment deletion, and bolster its case for a NHTSA >>waiver, Chrysler released the results of a driver survey. >> >> >>33% No free hand, one on the wheel other on cell phone >> >>28% I own the road, it's my way on the highway >> >>22% turn signals are so old school >> >>12% clicking sound is so annoying >> >>5% turned wipers on by mistake one too many times >> >>Professor James W. Faber of the Toronto Institute for Turn Signal Safety >>confirmed the integrity of the survey results. He said Chrysler's actions >>were not surprising; his own studies also showed little support in the >>United States for the usage of turn signals. >> >> On January 7, 2008, we had our test driver cover a twenty-two-mile track >>and count turns and lane changes for turn signal usage in West Palm Beach, >>Florida. The results were as follows: >> >> Total lane changes/turns: 107 vehicles >> >> Turn signals utilized: 37 vehicles >> >> Turn signals ignored: 70 vehicles >> >> The usage rate of 35% was surprisingly high. In some northeastern cities, >>we see rates of usage in the low 20 percent. In fact, the only areas where >>usage exceeds fifty percent is in retirement communities. However, it >>appears that some of the data may be skewed, as half of the vehicles >>appeared to have their turn signals permanently flashing. >> >>Professor Patterson stated that the results for his own country were vastly >>different than the states. In Canada, 103 percent of drivers used their turn >>signals. He attributed to the statistically impossible result by claiming >>that excessively polite Canadians signal even when they're not actually >>driving. >> >>Chrysler advised that it was not totally abandoning the use of turn signals >>in its vehicles. "We will provide each driver, upon written request, and >>with a small shipping and handling fee, an instruction manual showing the >>appropriate hand signals used for signaling turns and lane changes." The >>spokesperson kindly added that for the first forty years of driving cars >>didn't have flashing turn signals, and if it worked back then it should be >>okay today. >> >>Chrysler is not the only manufacturing addressing the use (or lack thereof) >>of turn signals in America. Volvo announced a prototype ESPS system. The >>Swedish brand's extra sensory perception signal system reads a driver's mind >>prior to each turn or lane change and automatically activates the signals >>requiring no driver intervention. >> >>Volvo says the ESPS system was currently being tested. It should be >>available for domestic use in 2012. They added that safety is neat and they >>were glad to solve this difficult problem with technology. >> >>BMW has already addressed one of the annoying problems with conventional >>turn signals. On most cars, the signal stalk is a physical move up for a >>right signal and down for a left signal and stays in either position until >>either a turn is completed or, in the case of a lane change, the driver >>manually turns off the turn signal. This design aesthetic was not in keeping >>with BMW's flame surface treatment introduced by head designer Chris Bangle. >> >>"Our signals are fixed oceans, only cresting for an instance to signal >>intent, and then returning to their level nesting place adding beauty and >>functionality to the over aesthetic while still maintaining the overall >>starkness of the vehicles interior," Bangle said. He declined to comment on >>whether this radical change to a sixty-year-old system would encourage less >>use of turn signals, instead referring readers to BMW's legal disclaimer >>page on their website. >> >>Will the turn signal go the way of the vinyl record, rotary dial phone and >>pet rocks? Only time will tell. But from this writer's experience its use is >>doomed to be one of the future lost arts. Will my son someday sit in a bar >>and brag how his old man was a "turn signal user" or will he be vilified by >>his peers for the cranky views of his safety obsessed father? We shall see. >> >> Something smells fishy here. I wonder if this is a doctored up release. Here in AZ it's the law and a fine is given if caught by a cop. I use mine even in a private parking lot. It's a good thing to have anywhere if noted by the police or witness's for your insurance company to get from you or your lawyer. I think a lot of state may have similar laws. Same goes for seatbelts. Doby |
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