Easy solutions to complex problems

- February 11th, 2010

Are we becoming too dependent on the systems in our vehicles?

Cars are becoming more sophisticated by the year – we now have systems to monitor our blind spots, start the engine from the kitchen, keep a safe distance from the car ahead and make sure we don’t stray from our lanes.

We don’t have to use keys to get into the vehicle or start the engine, we don’t have to lift or slam our trunk, we don’t even have to look behind us when backing up or pick the right spot into which to parallel park.

It’s all meant to make it more convenient for us to drive, even though all the disclaimers tell us to be aware of our surroundings and use proper care (but that’s just lawyer-speak so the company doesn’t get sued, right?).

And when a simple hiccup like a sticky accelerator throws a wrench into the driving exercise, we the drivers have no clue what to do. I would bet some system will soon address this problem.

Why? Because in today’s driving society, it’s easier to build cars for drivers who really don’t belong on the road than it is to educate those drivers on how to react in emergencies. Very few of today’s drivers know how a car works and every generation has to know even less.

Case in point – what do you do if your turn signals stop working?

Reportedly one of the triggers in Toyota’s humbling recall was a 911 call from a frantic driver whose rental car started accelerating. Was he requesting one of those movie armed forces rescues where a helicopter drops Charlton Heston into the cabin through the sunroof so he can stop the vehicle?

Instead of grabbing the phone and dialling (hopefully from a hand-held device) wouldn’t it have been a better idea to … I don’t know … step on the brake pedal (with both feet if he had to)? Or slowly engage the emergency brake (yes … it’s not just a parking brake!)? Or slap the transmission lever into neutral (who cares if the engine races to the point it blows … that will stop it!)?

We don’t have to deal with this situation on a daily basis and many of us will probably never have to deal with it, but from a driver’s standpoint it’s a simple and quick fix to safely stop a vehicle.

And if your turn signals don’t work, recall the hand-signals you were instructed to use when you learned how to ride your bike … or go back to riding your bike!

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1 comment

  1. journauto says:

    You know how to ride a bike, don’t you? LOL!

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