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I have noticed that all of these features tend to make people worse and generally lazy drivers. I'm including myself in that statement until I realized. I think this is mostly because we learn to trust the nannies in the car instead of our own observations. I started relying on that little lane change light instead of looking in my mirror or turning to check my blind spot... until I almost ran somebody off the road because it didn't light up while they were next to me. I also backed into a ledge on a wall while parking (minor bump) because I couldn't see it in the backup camera and I didn't use my mirror or turn my head. I observe similar behaviors in other drivers all the time. I honestly believe that all these new advances in technology are making worse drivers. There may still be an overall benefit, but I'm not positive about that.
On a side note, I had to turn off the forward collision automatic braking in my car. More than once it almost got me killed in a similar scenario. I would be accelerating to pass on the highway with a car in front of me before I change lanes. As I start to change lanes, the car would slam on the brakes, I guess assuming I was going to hit the car in front of me and didn't register that I was going around it. Now I'm braking hard and slowing down in the left lane with highway traffic rapidly approaching from behind. It is also quite unsettling to have a car slam on the brakes with nothing in front of you when you don't expect it.
Mine doesn't do that, although I can see how that would be irritating. I just get the light in my mirror when there's a car there.
That's one that I kinda wish I did have. Sightlines in my new truck aren't all that great.. So i really have to rely on the mirrors, and I just don't trust mirrors 100%
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Originally Posted by Lagaroth
I have noticed that all of these features tend to make people worse and generally lazy drivers. I'm including myself in that statement until I realized. I think this is mostly because we learn to trust the nannies in the car instead of our own observations. I started relying on that little lane change light instead of looking in my mirror or turning to check my blind spot... until I almost ran somebody off the road because it didn't light up while they were next to me. I also backed into a ledge on a wall while parking (minor bump) because I couldn't see it in the backup camera and I didn't use my mirror or turn my head. I observe similar behaviors in other drivers all the time. I honestly believe that all these new advances in technology are making worse drivers. There may still be an overall benefit, but I'm not positive about that.
You've hit on why I think there will be far more parking lot incidents with the advent of backup cameras. People will rely on them, rather than looking, which they should be doing.. Those backup cameras are nice for straight back, but they do nothing for seeing what's coming towards you from the sides. I use mine, but I don't EXCLUSIVELY use mine. It's massively helpful if I were hooking up a trailer and when backing out in a tight spot, because I'm a horrible judge of distance for things like a curb I'm backing towards.. But it's not replacing my rear-view or my head-on-a-swivel looking.
One that kinda annoys me is that my truck has "Hill Start Assist".. It keeps the brakes on until you're on the gas.. Umm.. Ok.. except.. This is an automatic. I could see this totally for a manual transmission.. I think it'd be very helpful.. But on an automatic? Really?
One that kinda annoys me is that my truck has "Hill Start Assist".. It keeps the brakes on until you're on the gas.. Umm.. Ok.. except.. This is an automatic. I could see this totally for a manual transmission.. I think it'd be very helpful.. But on an automatic? Really?
I'm sure they planned on the fact that some people pull trailers. A heavy trailer will pull an automatic down a hill in some cases.
So I recently bought a new Explorer Platinum. It has all the bells and whistles, which I love. It also has every safety feature imaginable. I thought some of them would drive me nuts, but I've found that I quickly got used to them, and now I really like and appreciate them. But there was an added benefit that I didn't anticipate.
For years, I have quietly fumed while my husband never used turn signals, drove too closely to the person in front of him, etc. I used to point it out sometimes, but he always insisted that he didn't do those things. It wasn't worth the fight, so I stopped bringing it up years ago.
He doesn't drive my car much, but when he does, boy is it fun now. Warning lights and alarms go off all the time. Steering wheel vibrates and resists as he tries to switch lanes without a turn signal. I just smile to myself and let him get frustrated. So far, I've resisted the urge to say, "I told you so." You can turn some of these features off, but he hasn't figured out how to do that yet.
As amusing as this is, I will say that it makes him a better driver. Maybe there is something to these safety features after all.
O dear god,that is FABULOUS!.. and far more effective than screaming out to a stranger 'YOUR TURN SIGNALS AREN'T WORKING'.. as if that is even ever possible.
Now we gotta make it mandatory on all new vehicles
I have noticed that all of these features tend to make people worse and generally lazy drivers. I'm including myself in that statement until I realized. I think this is mostly because we learn to trust the nannies in the car instead of our own observations. I started relying on that little lane change light instead of looking in my mirror or turning to check my blind spot... until I almost ran somebody off the road because it didn't light up while they were next to me. I also backed into a ledge on a wall while parking (minor bump) because I couldn't see it in the backup camera and I didn't use my mirror or turn my head. I observe similar behaviors in other drivers all the time. I honestly believe that all these new advances in technology are making worse drivers. There may still be an overall benefit, but I'm not positive about that.
On a side note, I had to turn off the forward collision automatic braking in my car. More than once it almost got me killed in a similar scenario. I would be accelerating to pass on the highway with a car in front of me before I change lanes. As I start to change lanes, the car would slam on the brakes, I guess assuming I was going to hit the car in front of me and didn't register that I was going around it. Now I'm braking hard and slowing down in the left lane with highway traffic rapidly approaching from behind. It is also quite unsettling to have a car slam on the brakes with nothing in front of you when you don't expect it.
First bolded is on you, not the car. I still do all the old-fashioned eyeball things but lots pf people don't, so automated warnings are often better than nothing. A few times my rear cross-traffic alert spotted and warned of a pedestrian with a cart in a shopping lot before I could see a thing.. very cool. So this feature has actually made me a tad more patient and cautious 'cause whenever I hear the warning beep I automatically STOP.. and wait.. and boy I was once surprised by a dog trotting past my bumper!
The second bolded is a bit troublesome and may have to be disabled for some drivers.
I'm curious.. do you drive 'close' to the car ahead while accelerating into the next lane which triggers the alarm as your right front bumper passes his left rear? Does this always happen or only sometimes.. and maybe the feature needs some fine tuning till it's perfected.
I have noticed that all of these features tend to make people worse and generally lazy drivers. I'm including myself in that statement until I realized. I think this is mostly because we learn to trust the nannies in the car instead of our own observations. I started relying on that little lane change light instead of looking in my mirror or turning to check my blind spot... until I almost ran somebody off the road because it didn't light up while they were next to me. I also backed into a ledge on a wall while parking (minor bump) because I couldn't see it in the backup camera and I didn't use my mirror or turn my head. I observe similar behaviors in other drivers all the time. I honestly believe that all these new advances in technology are making worse drivers. There may still be an overall benefit, but I'm not positive about that.
On a side note, I had to turn off the forward collision automatic braking in my car. More than once it almost got me killed in a similar scenario. I would be accelerating to pass on the highway with a car in front of me before I change lanes. As I start to change lanes, the car would slam on the brakes, I guess assuming I was going to hit the car in front of me and didn't register that I was going around it. Now I'm braking hard and slowing down in the left lane with highway traffic rapidly approaching from behind. It is also quite unsettling to have a car slam on the brakes with nothing in front of you when you don't expect it.
I can imagine. I'm going to need a new car in the next few years and the idea of these affirmative safety features unsettles me more than anything. I sincerely like driving (am a pretty good driver with only 1 accident where I was rear ended), and like having control over the machine, not the other way around. Since most of my driving is in rush hour on the freeways in Phoenix, I can see things going awry especially when you have to improvise.
I suspect for the rare occurrence you are dodging debris, a little shimmy in the steering wheel is the least of your worries.
Actually, while I'm a turn signal fanatic, I did some testing in our car that has this feature and it really only kicks in on a gradual drift. If you change lanes quickly (or dodge debris), it does not trigger the alert.
I actually have the opposite problem as the OP in our car. If I'm on the right and catch up to someone I want to pass and a car is coming up faster than I'm going on the left, I'll wait until they pass and generally put on my left signal as they are passing, and then move to the left behind the car that just passed me. If I turn my signal on while the other car is passing me the car thinks I'm going to move over into them, and does all kinds of flashing beeping things. I've had to train myself to put on my signal later (like, as I'm changing lanes) to stop it from yelling at me. I could turn off that feature, but keep it on if in the event for some reason I miss a car in my mirrors -- not sure how or why I would miss a car, but figure better safe than sorry.
Where the heck do you live that "debris" is a RARE occurrence???
I suspect for the rare occurrence you are dodging debris, a little shimmy in the steering wheel is the least of your worries.
Actually, while I'm a turn signal fanatic, I did some testing in our car that has this feature and it really only kicks in on a gradual drift. If you change lanes quickly (or dodge debris), it does not trigger the alert.
I actually have the opposite problem as the OP in our car. If I'm on the right and catch up to someone I want to pass and a car is coming up faster than I'm going on the left, I'll wait until they pass and generally put on my left signal as they are passing, and then move to the left behind the car that just passed me. If I turn my signal on while the other car is passing me the car thinks I'm going to move over into them, and does all kinds of flashing beeping things. I've had to train myself to put on my signal later (like, as I'm changing lanes) to stop it from yelling at me. I could turn off that feature, but keep it on if in the event for some reason I miss a car in my mirrors -- not sure how or why I would miss a car, but figure better safe than sorry.
This just sounds annoying. I can only imagine what that sounds and operates like in gridlock where you have merge into tight spots to move around.
Also, our freeways are full of debris (tires, tumble weeds, potholes, misc. car parts, etc.).
I can imagine. I'm going to need a new car in the next few years and the idea of these affirmative safety features unsettles me more than anything. I sincerely like driving (am a pretty good driver with only 1 accident where I was rear ended), and like having control over the machine, not the other way around. Since most of my driving is in rush hour on the freeways in Phoenix, I can see things going awry especially when you have to improvise.
My wife moved from a 2001 to a 2018 just a few months back. It's every bit as bad as you fear. Thankfully the lions share of the nannies can be turned off. Some with a simple switch on the dash (indicates to me that they are expecting them to be switched off commonly), some in the "software" system. The only new system I like is the radar cruise, where the car will adjust speed to pace the vehicle ahead of you. No one around me knows how to use cruise or drive a steady speed (about a 20mph variance in any given vehicle), and I get a little testy/iritable when I have to constantly change speed on a 20-mile stretch of highway... the radar just does its thing and I get to skip the mood adjustment. Problem is, my main vehicle doesn't have that, almost got me in trouble once too.
But I agree, the "safety" things were put in place for the worst of the drivers, which has made ALL drivers worse. We are seriously considering selling the 2018 soon (had it for 4 months, thought it'd be a treat but hate nearly everything about it) and buying an older vehicle that gives us back better visibility and less "features" that'll invariably fail a month after warranty ends.
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