I think jeepien's right. I hadn't thought of it like that before. The R->N->D movement is semi-conventional, but P->R certainly isn't. The other reason for the beep may be the lack of mechanical interlock. Most automatic transmissions would need a lock release button or lever to be pressed to make a transition to reverse. In the Prius, R is just as easy to select as D.
I, for one (because I'm stupid I guess based on the tone of some of the posts) did have to reshape my brain for the "shift up for reverse from Park" design and I DON'T find it intuitive. Since the shifter and "lower case h" pattern (no matter which gear is up or down) is NOT like any other, one's brain is going to try to equate it to something. up = forward, down = reverse DOES make sense to my brain. Here are a few potential 'visualizations': Someone suggested I visually rotated it to the roof so D would be forward. I am GLAD they didn't make 5 separate pushbuttons. UGH! If you are hitting a hill and need B, it is easy to find with your hand while your eyes stay on the road. Just as easy to get back to D. While the "return to home" joystick did seem odd at first, I think it is great. No matter what gear you want it is ALWAYS the same motion to get there.
I also find the R-N-D arrangement counterintuitive. It doesn't work the same way as a normal automatic transmission, so that argument doesn't work for me. I just have to remember to look at what I am doing.
Ya know, to set this car apart, maybe Toyata did things as such...to set this car apart from all the 'non-standard' cars out there. EVERYTHING about the Prius is different. I think that's it's appeal. A new way of thinking about the automobile. Why stay the same, when that ain't evolving? Change for the better, that's a revolution...oops...did I just steal the stupid Chevrolet slogan of more brainless power, no new efficiency increase or low emissions? Love my Prius!
Oh, there's an interlock. It's called the brake pedal. If you try and shift from park to R or D without pressing the brake first, either nothing happens, or you go to Neutral. Same for going from D to R or vice versa while moving too fast.
Duh, yes. But it's symmetrical and exactly the same for D and R. You're not protected from going into R by mistake when you meant D.
KMO does bring up a point. might it be better if you have to "push in" or "pull out" to engage reverse? for some yes... for me, i would have tired of it very very quickly. another thing i noticed... (after a bit of experimentation, so i know it can be done) is that shifting doesnt always happen consistantly. i tried shifting while moving, foot on brake not hard enough to bring vehicle to halt, and sometimes it a) shifted like it was supposed to B) went to neutral c) remained in the same gear i guess this is all determined by variations in what i was doing. i varied 1)speed i was moving when shifting 2) timing of the shift to initialization of brake 3)actual time taken to shift i noticed that even when moving in one direction, i can still shift without stopping. this creates bad habits, because this speed is very low. also i realize that disabling the reverse beeps (remember when we all thought Toyota dropped the ball on this one...well as usual, WE were wrong, THEY were right) is a mistake for some. Thank you Toyota for letting us make that decision for ourselves!
On reflection I don't think its interlocks that's the problem. The system has interlocks sufficient to prevent dangerous shifts. The problem is just the symmetry. When pulling off in a normal automatic, it's one notch back for reverse, three for drive. Clearly different and distinguishable, and easy to remember. And if you're in N, then there's an interlock in one direction, so it's still asymmetrical. The Prius's D and R are symmetrical regardless of which gear you're currently in. Makes it harder to remember. And on top of that, it's only a small control - there's less "muscle memory" involved in putting it into a particular position. If it was a question of pushing a lever forward hard or pulling back hard you might remember it better. I have confused D and R a number of times so far (car is 7 weeks old), and I don't feel I fully have it down pat yet.
:idea: how about an aftermarket voice recording devise, instead of the factory beep, you could program it to say whatever you like. such as "that's not reverse big dummy thats drive!"
For some of us who have driven standard transmissions all of our lives, it is counter-intuitive: To move forward opne puts the transmission in first gear, to do this, the shift lever is pushed forward. I keep thinking that to go forward, I would want to push the knob up or forward... .
Just don't program the navigation system to shift via voice commands! Trying to engage "B" mode on the highway would result in the Prius shifting into Park!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DaveinOlyWA\";p=\"68499)</div> Maybe I would have but I've only driven Japanese 5 speed manuals. Never seen a 3 speed. Or "That command is only available on the Map screen"
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DaveinOlyWA\";p=\"68499)</div> Yeah, it's fun when a newbie tries shifting into Low on the move and grinnnnnnnddddd. For sheer fun, those "three on the tree" column shift things are hard to beat. My Uncle had an old - late 60's? - Chevy and he taught me to drive that thing when I was 10. The best place to learn to drive is a large farm, at worst you hit a fencepole. The cows and horses have enough sense to run out of your way.
what about the famous and VERY popular AMC Gremlin? now you cant possibly tell me that you never dreamed of owning one of those beauties?? it had a 3 speed floor shifted manual transmission
