Had a little, uh, fun with the inertial lockers on the seatbelt retractors last night. The belts tend to lock under relatively mild deceleration and side G-force -- normally you never notice if you're not moving around in the seat. So last night I'm coming down a fairly bumpy on-ramp and trying to lean *forward* to see back into the highway lane in the side-view mirror -- yes, I've got them adjusted correctly but with the whole car still at an angle to the travel lane it's not enough to see down it without changing my viewing origin. Guess what, the belt locked and I couldn't lean forward for a few seconds! Normal human necks don't twist around quite far enough to clearly see back that far, so while as much of a direct view as possible is also prudent in this situation, I really needed the mirror right then. . This happens to me on occasion when trying to reach the EV button on the gauge panel, too -- mine is located just a bit out of arm's reach without leaning forward slightly; possibly a poor placement decision on my part but I don't need to get to it that often after the car's in stage 4. . I don't begrudge the car's engineering to ensure I'm a little safer; the belt-locking is almost the moral equivalent of the mom putting her hand out across the kid's chest in the passenger seat on a sudden stop, whether it would have any effect or not -- but maybe these are just a wee bit touchy?? . _H*
Had a little, uh, fun with the inertial lockers on the seatbelt retractors last night. The belts tend to lock under relatively mild deceleration and side G-force -- normally you never notice if you're not moving around in the seat. So last night I'm coming down a fairly bumpy on-ramp and trying to lean *forward* to see back into the highway lane in the side-view mirror -- yes, I've got them adjusted correctly but with the whole car still at an angle to the travel lane it's not enough to see down it without changing my viewing origin. Guess what, the belt locked and I couldn't lean forward for a few seconds! Normal human necks don't twist around quite far enough to clearly see back that far, so while as much of a direct view as possible is also prudent in this situation, I really needed the mirror right then. . This happens to me on occasion when trying to reach the EV button on the gauge panel, too -- mine is located just a bit out of arm's reach without leaning forward slightly; possibly a poor placement decision on my part but I don't need to get to it that often after the car's in stage 4. . I don't begrudge the car's engineering to ensure I'm a little safer; the belt-locking is almost the moral equivalent of the mom putting her hand out across the kid's chest in the passenger seat on a sudden stop, whether it would have any effect or not -- but maybe these are just a wee bit touchy?? . _H*
Seems to me what if your cutting it that close the problem is not the car or the belts. Hey what goes around comes around.... http://priuschat.com/Serious-hesitation-on...rid-t39960.html <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hobbit @ Sep 12 2007, 11:11 AM) [snapback]511284[/snapback]</div>
Lol I did this a few weeks ago in my new Classic, the seatbelt locked me securely against the seat as I tried to merge onto route 2 on one a short onramp. I almost ended up in the ditch, but some nice idiot slammed on her brakes to let me merge!
I deal with this everyday driving too and from work. I take local roads the whole way (no highways) and there are several intersections with really bad sightlines, so you stop as far forward as you can without getting hit by traffic coming from the left, and then lean way forward so you can see what's coming at you. I have learned to start the lean forward before I touch the brakes to stop at the stop sign, and that way the seatbelt lets me do what I want. If I break first and then try to lean, I can't do it. My '98 Camry was the same way, so this is old technology.
I've found my seatbelts are about the same sensitivity re locking on bumps, acceleration, etc. as my previous vehicles. It's a little inconvenient, but I suppose with these types of belts, necessary. It gets more convenient but also more exciting when you have "active" seatbelts and headrests. The belt tightens and the headrest shoots forward during an accident. Some even do this just before the accident, using a small radar unit in the bumpers (forward looking and aft looking). Some Lexus operate like this as well as some BMWs.
Glad to read you do head checks before moving into traffic and changing lanes, motorcyclist wish everyone was like you.
