Bill To Stop Keyless Ignitions From Killing Drivers

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I left my Mazda idling for about 1&1/2 hours while in church. I just called myself DUMB and it never happened again. You can't fix stupid but, you can fix dumb. If we run to the manufactures and government trying to save the world we will end up with cars that drive themselves-Ops we already have that. Ed
 
Originally Posted by Eddie
I left my Mazda idling for about 1&1/2 hours while in church. I just called myself DUMB and it never happened again. You can't fix stupid but, you can fix dumb. If we run to the manufactures and government trying to save the world we will end up with cars that drive themselves-Ops we already have that. Ed

Problem is actually that people DIE as result. I personally never had that issues as I am type of the person that makes sure everything in the car is off: ventilation, seats, AC etc. But, some people forget, do not care about cars etc. It is actual problem.
 
Originally Posted by Wolf359


Yes it is, it takes a few second to dig it out of your pocket and put it in the ignition. Saves about 5 seconds. Probably wasted a bunch typing.

Basically press the button on the exterior of the car, get in, put your foot on the brake and tap the button to start. There's never a long crank or short crank, it just cranks it enough automatically to start every time.

Mine shuts off easily, all you have to is tap the button. But it's smart in that it won't do it if you're in drive. Only shuts off if you're in park.


If you dig your keys out of your pocket while you are doing another activity, like walking to the car, then the time saved is zero.
I also crank it just enough to start, and if Im in a real hurry I can have it in gear as soon as it lights off by shifting it into gear with my left hand while my right hand is working the key.
 
Originally Posted by Colt45ws
Originally Posted by Wolf359


Yes it is, it takes a few second to dig it out of your pocket and put it in the ignition. Saves about 5 seconds. Probably wasted a bunch typing.

Basically press the button on the exterior of the car, get in, put your foot on the brake and tap the button to start. There's never a long crank or short crank, it just cranks it enough automatically to start every time.

Mine shuts off easily, all you have to is tap the button. But it's smart in that it won't do it if you're in drive. Only shuts off if you're in park.


If you dig your keys out of your pocket while you are doing another activity, like walking to the car, then the time saved is zero.
I also crank it just enough to start, and if Im in a real hurry I can have it in gear as soon as it lights off by shifting it into gear with my left hand while my right hand is working the key.


Yeah, but if you have stuff in your hand like bags and what not, then you've got to go dig for it. Also it's time saved in the car. The button is on top of the shifter, hit the button with the thumb and move it to drive, one handed operation.
 
Originally Posted by Eddie
I left my Mazda idling for about 1&1/2 hours while in church. I just called myself DUMB and it never happened again. You can't fix stupid but, you can fix dumb. If we run to the manufactures and government trying to save the world we will end up with cars that drive themselves-Ops we already have that. Ed


Don't forget Anton Yelchin who played Checkov in the last Star Trek episodes was killed killed by a car when he got out and forgot to put the car in park. I think he left it in drive or reverse and it rolled backward and pinned him against a wall killing him. I think they've since updated the software so that it goes into park when you open the door. Mercedes always put their car into park when the door opens when they redesigned the shifter so it was just a stalk on the column.
 
2019 I've move my car keys to my left pocket after years of having them in my right.

Makes the chances of me having a handful of groceries that I have to put down to unlock the car much more unlikely.

Interesting changing 35 years of hard wiring (keys in RHS pocket), but worth it.
 
The fob saves a lot of time if you just leave it in your pocket. For us, one push on the drivers or passenger button unlocks all the doors. The hatch is separate with its own button. I never touch the fob. That's the purpose of it.

The beeping alert has always been the signal to me that something is not right. Now that the headlights turn off automatically, the only other reason is that the engine is running. The alert is loud enough that I won't miss it.
 
Originally Posted by Wolf359
Originally Posted by Colt45ws
Originally Posted by Wolf359


Yes it is, it takes a few second to dig it out of your pocket and put it in the ignition. Saves about 5 seconds. Probably wasted a bunch typing.

Basically press the button on the exterior of the car, get in, put your foot on the brake and tap the button to start. There's never a long crank or short crank, it just cranks it enough automatically to start every time.

Mine shuts off easily, all you have to is tap the button. But it's smart in that it won't do it if you're in drive. Only shuts off if you're in park.


If you dig your keys out of your pocket while you are doing another activity, like walking to the car, then the time saved is zero.
I also crank it just enough to start, and if Im in a real hurry I can have it in gear as soon as it lights off by shifting it into gear with my left hand while my right hand is working the key.


Yeah, but if you have stuff in your hand like bags and what not, then you've got to go dig for it. Also it's time saved in the car. The button is on top of the shifter, hit the button with the thumb and move it to drive, one handed operation.

The start button is on the shifter?
 
Originally Posted by Colt45ws
Originally Posted by Wolf359
Originally Posted by Colt45ws
Originally Posted by Wolf359


Yes it is, it takes a few second to dig it out of your pocket and put it in the ignition. Saves about 5 seconds. Probably wasted a bunch typing.

Basically press the button on the exterior of the car, get in, put your foot on the brake and tap the button to start. There's never a long crank or short crank, it just cranks it enough automatically to start every time.

Mine shuts off easily, all you have to is tap the button. But it's smart in that it won't do it if you're in drive. Only shuts off if you're in park.


If you dig your keys out of your pocket while you are doing another activity, like walking to the car, then the time saved is zero.
I also crank it just enough to start, and if Im in a real hurry I can have it in gear as soon as it lights off by shifting it into gear with my left hand while my right hand is working the key.


Yeah, but if you have stuff in your hand like bags and what not, then you've got to go dig for it. Also it's time saved in the car. The button is on top of the shifter, hit the button with the thumb and move it to drive, one handed operation.

The start button is on the shifter?


On my 2008 Mercedes E-350 it's on the shifter. They moved it to the dash on the 2010-2016 W212 models. But the shifter/stalk is also on the column on the W212.
 
Originally Posted by Wolf359
. . .
As for the guy who wants to lock his keys in the car, yes mine is pretty smart about that too. The way to do it is to put the key in a faraday cage. Those anti-static bags also sometimes work to do the same thing. Or try wrapping it in aluminium foil.

Well of course, I don't WANT to lock the keys in the car for real. I just enjoy seeing if systems work as they claim -- or maybe if there's a weak spot to watch out for. The real point, of course, is that all this wonderful technology should never be taken as a replacement for a thinking, engaged human mind at the controls. I like many of the conveniences (some remain annoying...), but realize that none of them relieve me of responsibility for the safe and proper operation of my car.
 
Changes affect everyone differently. I for one got used to a push button start after decades of a key ignition. Now if you bring up diverging diamond interchanges, that is one I'm a bit nervous about until I actually drive through one. They are building one to the south of me.
 
Originally Posted by billt460
Originally Posted by Reddy45
Broadly speaking this is just a symptom of a larger problem. Cars have become appliances and as a result people who have no business owning a car have them. No different than people who claimed that loose floor mats caused their car to run on its own. But the auto makers love this because it means sales. Sigh.

Here I must agree. The only thing worse is calling on an already proven idiot government to pass laws, in some desperate, half witted attempt to prevent citizen idiots from continuing to act like idiots. I mean come on for God's sake, forgetting to shut your car off?? ...... In a garage no less?


The government straightened out the PRNDL shift pattern 50 years ago after a series of wrecks and confusion. Industry standardized the clutch, brake, gas pedals in the 1920s. Cars should behave the same.

We had a perfectly good keyed ignition switch that worked the same since the 1950s. Then, for marketing reasons, we got rid of it. Now the "on off" button works one way if you're in Park and a completely different way if you're driving down the road. (And, presumably, with subtle differences between auto makers.) I am amazed they don't yet require a standard red "emergency stop" button that mechanically stops spark and fuel, next to the hazard light switch, in the center where a passenger can reach it.

My prius shuts off all the dash lights when I turn off the ignition. Hard to miss. It shrieks a 2 kHz tone with a big red triangle lit up if I open the driver's door in gear. Again, hard to miss. I'm not opposed to progress but some standardization would be swell.
 
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