<VV> Idiot-proofing cars, was: Neutral Safety switch (little Corva ir)

[kenpepke at juno.com]

When one thinks about it this started long before the Corvair.  The automatic neutral start switch is one example and overheating warning buzzers, another that were included before the Corvair was put on the development 'back burner.'  Designers and engineers, long before government intervention, have considered customer safety and convenience to be important factors.  Time changes lives and living and the average motorist of yesterday who was highly interested in his vehicle and its operation has evolved into today's modern, rushed driver that is only interested in start now, take me to my destination, don't bother me while I am on the phone, operator.  Somewhere along that road it was noticed that drivers paid a whole lot more attention to a red light on the instrument panel than to the gauges!  Lights replaced or enhanced gauges!  Such a deal ... lower build cost ... lower warranty claims ... higher customer satisfaction!  Like them or not, it turns out 'idiot' lights [and warning buzzers] pretty much matched the average motorist mentality.  It is not that surprising that more intervening [Idiot-proofing cars] devices, some effective, some not so much, are added on almost a yearly basis. 
Ken P


***********************
airvair at earthlink.net wrote:  [in part]

Thankfully! That would have been a downgrade, not an upgrade. I'm just glad
the Corvair is old enough not to have been a victim of the "we gotta
out-think the customer, 'cause he's an idiot" mentality that set in back
then, and has only gotten worse with age. 

-Mark

> [Original Message]
> From: kenpepke at juno.com <kenpepke at juno.com>
> Subject: Re: <VV> Neutral Safety switch
>
> Actually there was a 'depress-clutch to crank' switch on many later 60s
era U.S. cars long before government intervention ... 

____________________________________________________________
New MacBook for $23.72?
Learn How One Person Won a Computer for Under $25.
http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/4bee7bff9f2ef4e272est01duc