Car Instrument Panels & Accessories

[MTGuru]

I don't want a car that can converse with me.

sounds like my horse

Mr. Ed?

[Innocent Bystander]

The problem with standardising them would be that they would, inevitably, be standardised in a way that I wouldn't like.

For example, with the steering wheel on the wrong side.

Yes, in fact. There was a European standard for Car instruments, where the general consensus was to have the indicator control on the left side of the steering-column. They were about to suggest to the UK representative (the idiot) that the UK have theirs on the other side, when he upped and agreed with them. Possibly the man had been briefed to be as compliant as he could. One would like to be charitable.

If you drive on the right - damn that Napoleon chappie - your steering column is on the left-hand front seat and the gear-stick to your right. When you change gear, your right hand operates the stick and the left hand operates the indicators. You can do it with your fingers, without taking your hands off the wheel.

If you drive on the left, as is the natural order of things in a predominantly right-handed society, the steering column is on the right-hand front seat and the gear-stick to the left. Now that the indicators are standardised on the left-hand side of the steering column, you can't change gear and indicate at the same time. UK cars are just that little bit less safe, thanks to this careless cretin/punctilious craven.

[Nanohedron]

If you drive on the left, as is the natural order of things in a predominantly right-handed society...

You poor, benighted man.

...the steering column is on the right-hand front seat and the gear-stick to the left. Now that the indicators are standardised on the left-hand side of the steering column, you can't change gear and indicate at the same time. UK cars are just that little bit less safe, thanks to this careless cretin/punctilious craven.

Consider this: the layout by its nature actually ecourages safer driving practices. With the "British" layout, you must either signal before your turn and the shifting you need to do (which safety boffins will tell you is as the practice was intended to be performed in the first place), or you can signal after the turn and look like a total idiot. And such you would be. The whole point of signalling is not some flashing whizbang to belabor the obvious AS you turn, but to signal intent to others BEFORE your turn. Therein lies the driving safety: signalling's not for you, and it's not to make the law happy, it's for all those other poor people out there getting fair warning of what you're about to commit as you darken the road in your ton of jagged glass and steel. Whether they're paying attention is, of course, their problem, but it's advisable to be on the lookout in case in their somnolence or distraction they try something stupid. Someone always does.

The "US" layout, OTOH, allows you to wait to signal until the moment you begin your turn. And with automatic transmissions making it easy, so many of us do that anyway. That is not safe driving at all; I sometimes wonder if people think that signalling upon beginning the turn is supposed to magically facilitate the turn all the better, because otherwise there's no logic whatsoever to the practice. None.

So from another viewpoint the British system can be seen as proactively safer in the way it forces the driver to time the signal/turn process. Just a thought...

[dwest]

If I could eliminate everybody on the road who uses their phone while driving and doesn't use their turn signals, I'd have the roads all to myself, on both sides of the water.

[Denny]

With the "British" layout, you must either signal before your turn and the shifting (which safety boffins will tell you is as the practice was intended to be performed in the first place), or you can signal after the turn and look like a total idiot. And such you would be. The whole point of signalling is not some flashing whizbang to belabor the obvious AS you turn, but to signal intent to others BEFORE your turn. Therein lies the driving safety: signalling's not for you, and it's not to make the law happy, it's for all those other poor people out there getting fair warning of what you're about to commit as you darken the road in your ton of jagged glass and steel. Whether they're paying attention is, of course, their problem.

signal before

the natives here would have no idea what you were gonna do

[Nanohedron]

signal before

the natives here would have no idea what you were gonna do

Oh, dear. I have no guess as to what you are actually trying to say; maybe you could help me out here, even if it spoils the joke?

[Denny]

it is the custom, in this part of the world, to signal after everyone else has guessed what it is that you have decided to do

[Nanohedron]

it is the custom, in this part of the world, to signal after everyone else has guessed what it is that you have decided to do

Ah. I see. Does everyone conference-call and lay odds?

[Denny]

no conference calls that I'm aware of... the N/A have plenty of casinos.

If you signal first it just gives the other drivers a better chance at blocking you

[Nanohedron]

no conference calls that I'm aware of... the N/A have plenty of casinos.

If you signal first it just gives the other drivers a better chance at blocking you

I'll likely not be visiting the Northwest if I have to drive, then. Barbarians, the lot of you.

[Denny]

be it ever so bumble...


was a bit of an adjustment for me...

[Innocent Bystander]

no conference calls that I'm aware of... the N/A have plenty of casinos.

If you signal first it just gives the other drivers a better chance at blocking you

I'll likely not be visiting the Northwest if I have to drive, then. Barbarians, the lot of you.

Or our Northwest. Barbarians, aye. Come over here and say that.

[mutepointe]

At the time I made this poll, I thought this was a good idea. That's why I like asking you folks questions. You convinced me to change my mind.

I wouldn't so much want a car that could speak with me and follow my commands as much as I would like a car that could read my mind. I like being chauffered too.