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Horn position vs safety

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Technical Discussion' started by Nda3rdCar, Nov 12, 2006.

  1. Nda3rdCar

    Nda3rdCar Junior Member

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    <_< After owning German produced and/or designed cars since 1988, I find the horn on the Prius a difficult thing to access. It's in the center of the steering wheel. If a driver needs to hit the horn on an Audi or VW, the thumb does it. If needed on a Toyota prius, I have to remove one hand from the steering wheel and hit the center. ( Loss of emergency steering). There seems to be a space available on the steering wheel for thumb activated horn..... why not? Is this a Japan thinking vs Gernany thinking..... thing? -Nda3rdCar
     
    #1 Nda3rdCar, Nov 12, 2006
  2. dancekat59

    dancekat59 Member

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    That's a very interesting question. I can't remember which of my other Toyotas I've owned in the past, either a '74 Corona or '86 Tercel, did have thumb horn buttons. I think all new Toyotas have the horn button in the center now.
     
    #2 dancekat59, Nov 12, 2006
  3. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    My feeling about horns is that if it's an emergency, then it's too late to use a horn. When you use the horn, you are hoping to amend someone else's behavior to avoid a problem. I'd rather trust my own driving. About the only time I ever use a car horn is for a short beep if someone is backing into me in a parking lot, or something of that nature.

    Tom
     
    #3 qbee42, Nov 12, 2006
  4. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Toyota horns are in the centre. Our Camry that doesn't have steering wheel buttons, let's me use the horn by simply "rotating" my hand. IOW, if my hands are at 9-3, I just need to push the inner part of my hand inwards (the part that's at the base of the thumb). Too bad the Prius has controls between the rim and the actual horn. The first time I did that on the Prius, I ended up changing tracks because I was used to moving my left hand to press the horn lol.
     
    #4 Tideland Prius, Nov 12, 2006
  5. seeh2o

    seeh2o Prius OG

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    The horn on my 1979 Toyota Corolla station wagon was not in the center, there were elongated "buttons" on each side of the center cross of the steering wheel. I accessed them by using thumbs at either the 9 and 3 o'clock position.

    Though that was probably safer, I often find it cathartic and get a good deal of pleasure by smacking the center of my steering column. So far releasing one hand from the wheel has not been a saftey issue.
     
    #5 seeh2o, Nov 12, 2006
  6. Sho-Bud

    Sho-Bud Member

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    My former car had 2 buttons for the horn on the side of the centerpart of the steering wheel.
    In 90% of the emergencies, when I wanted to use the horn, I couldn't press the small buttons fast enough. I like the switch on the Prius better, just slam in the middle of the steering wheel and tadaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.
     
    #6 Sho-Bud, Nov 12, 2006
  7. Ghostrider

    Ghostrider New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sho-Bud @ Nov 12 2006, 12:29 PM) [snapback]347858[/snapback]</div>
    I remember about 20 years ago when we had horn buttons on turn signal stalks and stuff like that. Ford
    announced they were putting the horn back in the center of the steering wheel where it was intended to be. I thought the answer is that most people are expecting it to be there.
     
    #7 Ghostrider, Nov 13, 2006
  8. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    will chime in here and say my Corona and Corolla had two buttons on the outside edge of steering wheel for horns at the brace connection points. they were not at the 10-2 position though. they were at the 8-4 position

    i think Toyota went away from that based on the buttons that are there now.
     
    #8 DaveinOlyWA, Nov 14, 2006
  9. dreichla

    dreichla New Member

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    What happens if you're honking the horn and the air bag deploys? Can't imagine it would feel very good!?
     
    #9 dreichla, Nov 14, 2006
  10. seftonm

    seftonm Member

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    Interesting you bring up Japan vs Germany. My VW has the horn in the center of the wheel while my brother's Honda has the thumb buttons.
     
    #10 seftonm, Nov 14, 2006
  11. Nda3rdCar

    Nda3rdCar Junior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(seftonm @ Nov 14 2006, 01:13 PM) [snapback]349011[/snapback]</div>

    You make a good point.... I've only had the following models: Fox, Cabriolet, Vanagon, Passat, Golf and A4. I'm just speaking from what I've driven.

    All that aside, the center horn position still bugs me, being in LA traffic (street - not much freeway) Defensive, alert driving is needed for avoiding 4000lb rolling telephone booths(SUVs), pedestrians (especially Beverly Hills joggers), bikes that ride sidewalks into intersections, valet parkers dashing into traffic, cell phone talkers casually walking in front of street traffic..... you know, having a "beep" to keep others awake. An actual crash avoidence seldom gives time for hitting a horn anyways.

    Thanks everyone for your replies to my post. B)
     
    #11 Nda3rdCar, Nov 17, 2006
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