Hypothetical Question: SKS or VSC

The SKS because VSC is outofsight therefore outofmind, much like myself. :blink:

 

VSC.

I would never choose a convenience over a safety feature.

 

Exactly. The SKS can perform day in and day out, saving lots of time and hassle, but the VSC only has to perform once in a critical situation, saving your life.

 

SKS easily. Because SKS you use every day, multiple times. VSC you hopefully won't ever need. Of course I want (and have) both, but given this choice, the most practical is SKS. Oh, and since I live in a warm climate (Houston) where snow and ice are rarely present, SKS is even an easier choice to make.

 

i have neither but i would also have to pick VSC... hopefully never to use it, but the additional peace of mind would be welcomed. SKS is just something cool, not needed in any sense. but still pretty cool

 

You win! Do you want the High Def TV or the piece of reflective tape?

SKS hands down. Gets some good "oohs." Going over the pass, the VSC kicked in a couple times. I was telling my passenger about it, and he's like "where?", so of course I had to decide how risky I wanted to be to try to get it to kick in. Luckily it didn't take much.
[Broken External Image]:http://mysite.verizon.net/res0ot4f/Art/SnowPrius.jpg

 

It puzzles me why VSC did as well as it did in this poll. From reading the boards, it seems like lots of people actually dislike it and wish they could turn it off. Whereas I can't imagein anyone disliking SKS. Can anyone provide first-hand positive impressions of VSC?

 

I would prefer VSC. My reason can be stated by butchering a Benjamin Franklin Quote:

"He who is willing to sacrifice safety for a small measure of convenience may end up with neither comfort nor safety."

 

even the gm of gm admits that VSC or some variation of it (possibly lane position sensing) will be the next required safety feature

 

Well, that's kin of a loaded question. VSC type systems are almost common now, whereas knee airbags are still reserved for usually the most expensive luxury cars. In the price range that includes the Prius, knee airbags are practically non-existant, so it's really irrelevant.

For the price, the Prius is loaded with safety features, which is why I bought one. If not for those, I would have gotten a Civic hybrid.

If there were other cars with significantly more safety features at this price, I would gladly trade some MPG for additional safety.

 

I adore SKS and wish it could be installed on my front door and my office door. I live in Southern California and like to look at the snow from afar. I know VSC would probably help in the rain too but I am a careful driver in the rain. I forget that other vehicles don't have SKS.... poor blokes!

 

I heard anti-lock brakes haven't reduced accidents, because people with them count on them and just follow closer or whatever. I drove on a long curvy snowy road today, and appreciated the VSC, but really it was just a convenience that helped me feel comfortable going a little bit faster. It seems like you can't keep people from driving at their set safety comfort level.

 

I have never had a safety feature WOW me . . .
that is until I repeatedly tried to make my VSC equipped Prius lose control in an empty, snow and ice covered ski resort parking lot. It held like Velcro!

 

I had one encounter on highway that the VSC (called DSC in Bimmer) practically saved my life(at least from severe injury) and itself. Some asked to present some real stories about VSC, so here I provide one. Hope you guys appreciate its value.

One day on highway I was driving with the flow of traffic (at 65+mph). I was at the #2 lane from inside. One Honda Civic was on the #1 lane. It was moving from #1 toward #2 (in front of me) virtually at the same time I was moving toward #1 from #2. Sort of switching lanes between us two at safe distance. At one split second, we were both on the dash-line between #1 & #2 lanes. It was slightly faster in moving toward #2 lane than I was toward #1. Suddenly, I saw a huge piece of tire tread (peared off from 18-wheeler tires) sitting right at dash-line of #1 & #2 in front me at about 50 feet. The Civic was able to avoid it because I bet he/she saw it at far distance. My vision of it was blocked by the Civic itself. Within 1/10 of a sec I had a decision to make: hit it or move toward #1 pronto!. I knew #1 lane was clear. If I had hit it, the car would have sustained a high damage (winder shield, fron end, hood, or underpan damage) My human instinct told me to take the 2nd choice! So I jerked the steering wheel to the left in an effort to avoid it. I was not sure I could make it even though I was in a fully opioned BMW 540. Within the following few tens of a second, the DSC(VSC in Toyota) kicked in. The system was braking my wheels selctively and quickly to maintain the vehicle at a very smooth curve. I actually avoided the huge tire thread without any tire screaming. My tires did not even touch the inner line at all. The vehicle was in such control that the guy/gal behind probably didn't know the dramatic decision I just made. Whew!

I know someone might say that I should have just hit it. Well, easy for you to say. I can only say that it is human nature to make decision to to take risk rather than committing to hit something voluntarily.

Ever since that event, I only buy vehicle with VSC/DSC. SKS to me is just a convenience. Like DocVijay said, I wouldn't trade my safety with convenience. Knee airbag is not even in the same category as VSC (passive vs active). If the footwell is well structured, a knee airbag provides marginal value to safety.

 

great story... and under those conditions, its impossible to say "just hit it". u r not thinking about anything, only reacting. there is no time to think and considering the outcome, you reacted correctly