Pressing P accidentally when driving

[Haggy]

Which leads me to my complaint that some things in cars should be standardized. If you want to indicate a turn, there should be a stalk on the left side of the steering wheel. The stalk on the right side should be for window wipers/washers. If you want to open or close windows, there should be buttons on the doors. Same for door locks. Settle on which side of a steering wheel will have certain functions (e.g., turning on automatic cruise control) and don't swap them on some models. These are important functions that should be allowed to be operated through muscle memory.

An auto manufacturer can leave these alone and still have gobs of other "features" to play with.

The problem is that making something standard should be based on something other than simply what you like. I've had plenty of cars with the windshield stalk on the left side, and given that EVs don't need a shift lever mounted in the center console, and given that the right side has been a standard location for shift stalks on steering columns for generations, it makes sense to me to put the windshield wiper stalk on the left with the turn signal.

But that's for the US. I have enough experience wiping my windshield because I wanted to signal a turn in New Zealand or Australia. Strangely enough, I don't recall having the problem in Ireland, showing that it's far from a worldwide standard. From what I understand, even though it's expected for the turn signal to be on the left in the US, in some countries it will depend on the particular car.

 

[levsha]

But that's for the US. I have enough experience wiping my windshield because I wanted to signal a turn in New Zealand or Australia. Strangely enough, I don't recall having the problem in Ireland, showing that it's far from a worldwide standard. From what I understand, even though it's expected for the turn signal to be on the left in the US, in some countries it will depend on the particular car.

I'm not aware of any left steering wheel car to have turn signal on the right. It only varies for cars with the steering wheel on the right.

 

[TGO]

Standards are not always practical and can lead to stupid design decisions. I have 2 Chevys, 1 Ford and 1 Lucid. The Bronco has window switches in the center console for obvious reasons (cost cutting being one of them), but in my Lucid and Silverado the placement of the window switches is to far up and I always mistakenly roll down the drivers side rear window first when I want the front one.

My point being is good and bad design has nothing to do with standards with or without them you still get both.

 

[inthewoods]

Morning

Was half asleep when I left the house this morning and it was raining. Rather than press & hold the left stalk to spray water on the windshield, which is what I wanted I accidentally pressed the right. To my surprise the car braked. I wasn't expecting that and had assumed that "P" didn't work until the vehicle was at a complete stop. Was that some kind of emergency brake? Also, I was only doing 35-40mph so I assume I didn't do anything bad to the vehicle (not warning lights came on).

Thanks.

I thought of you today as I, too, did the same.

 

[Ktw13]

Putting something in an unfamiliar place that doesn't make sense takes a long time to get used to. I recently had a Mercedes rental for a week. The controls to move the seat forward/back/up/down are on the door instead of on the side of the seat, unlike any car I've ever driven. I never once reached for that in the right place. I think I'd have to own the thing for a few months before I got used to that.
@borski, I put that book on my reading list.

I have my E class cabriolet as second car for almost 2 years and still not used to the location of seat adjustment being on the door.

MBZ justified the design so to give more lateral space in the cabin...oh well.

 

[RobertW23]

Morning

Was half asleep when I left the house this morning and it was raining. Rather than press & hold the left stalk to spray water on the windshield, which is what I wanted I accidentally pressed the right. To my surprise the car braked. I wasn't expecting that and had assumed that "P" didn't work until the vehicle was at a complete stop. Was that some kind of emergency brake? Also, I was only doing 35-40mph so I assume I didn't do anything bad to the vehicle (not warning lights came on).

Thanks.

I did that too about a year ago doing 30 mph, so far, I haven't noticed any issues other than never doing it again!