What "surrounded"? In what universe is a few dozen rotting bodies like a wall or something? You have gotten too much of your zombie expectations from Hollywood!
As opposed to what, real-world empirical data?
Entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem
~
^[:wq
Motorcycles are just an easy way for them to swarm you, and pull you down.
Regarding the usefullness of power windows:
I drive a 1995 Buick LeSabre. That's a full-size car. If I want to roll down the windows, why should I have to reach over to every single door to do it? (It's a long stretch and awkward bend to get the back windows)
I've been that. my old 1981 Ford Fairmont wagon had manual windows. It's not quick, it's not convenient. You either have to do one-at-a-time at red lights, or pull over somewhere and stop to do it.
As far as reliability goes, well, I have a 1968 Lincoln Continental. 2 of the 4 power windows still work. As for the 2 that don't, it isn't the mechanism that's the problem. It's the switches. Which, btw, are easy to clean. And that's all they need.
Power windows are reliable.
If you want to save weight in a sports car, go manual.
If you want to save money on your new car, go manual.
If you really are that worried about driving into the lake or about the breaking, go manual.
If, however, you have to get manual windows because you can't afford the power option on a new car (and there are people who do it for this reason), then my question remains: Is buying a new car really the best financial decision for you?
On a related note: I hate the "safety" windows in the back that only go down halfway. Arrgh!
And I with newer cars had the feature my Lincoln has: A rocker switch that allows you to send power to the windows when the car is turned off. You don't even need to have the key in the ignition to put the windows up or down. They discontinued that feature due to fire concerns. I refuse to believe they can't solve that issue with today's technology.
I leave you with one more thought:
4) Why don't people carry spare door keys?
My wallet has a zippered change pouch in it. In this change pouch, along with the change, I carry a door key for my car.
Look, I have a very good friend who drives a tow truck. Lockouts are common.
It's easy to forget keys. I've done it a few times in my years driving. my sister normally does it 3-4 times per year.
The procedure it easy:
- Turn car off
- Reach for groceries/violin/laptop/briefcase/what-have-you in passenger seat
- Leave car
- Realize you don't have the keys
- Call tow truck
- Pay the nice tow truck driver $40 - $60
- Get back in car.
Really, for less than the cost of a single lockout call, you can have a key cut. Throw it in your wallet, or your purse. Or your cellphone case. Something you always have with you.
It's there if and when you need it.
(My sister, for the record, doesn't understand the point I'm trying to make here. Nor does she see why I have a problem with her habit of leaving here other keys on the passenger seat, in plain views. "But the car key isn't on there!" is her excuse. Yeah. Because the thieves will know that before they break in. )
Not that this doesn't apply for all cars.
Some newer high-end cars have keys you can't easily get cut. Jaguars, for instance, have these weird hexagonal keys.
And some cars don't even have key holes anymore.
But, for the majority of cars on the road, shouldn't this just be plain old common-sense?
Last edited by Rabid Monk; 11-02-2009 at 11:53 PM.
The preceding post brought to you by Rabid Monk (TM). Rabid Monk: informative, irreverent, interesting, random and downright odd posts, done with pride since 1983.
Our experiences differ . I'd imagine this varies a lot from manufacturer to manufacturer. I know electronics (including power windows) on VW's were very subpar (i.e. breaks all the friggin' time) for quite a long time. I don't know if they've worked that out or not yet, just an example....
If, however, you have to get manual windows because you can't afford the power option on a new car (and there are people who do it for this reason), then my question remains: Is buying a new car really the best financial decision for you?
This is certainly a very good point. Just saying I personally would not get power windows, even being able to afford them (unless I had a very large car, maybe. I've never really had the issue you've had with manual windows - perhaps because when driving by myself I've never felt the need to roll down any windows other than the driver's side).
"I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend, to the death, your right to say it."
To be fair, it takes a real underlying physical disorder to reach that level of obesity. Someone with a fully functioning endocrine system could make eating a full-time job and never come close to the rollin', they hatin' lady.
I used to be against power windows (ever since bad experience with '80 Chevy Blazer Silverado. Big, but "unreliability in motion") I just liked being able to roll the window up myself, and not worrying about the thing failing and giving me an expensive bill.
With more reliable cars I just can't be bothered by this anymore, and I appreciate being able to pull away from a tollbooth and raising the window with a single flick of my finger instead of turning the crank. I can instead focus on the idiots who don't know how to merge after the toll plaza.
Definitely car over motorcycle. I only want vehicles that don't fall over when I stop, and don't get me wet when it rains. Improved protection against zombies is a plus, even though hitting them can damage the paint job.
"In theory, theory and practice are the same, but in practice, theory and practice are different."
Still sold on power windows for the ability to lower the other windows in the car, but my old '99 Taurus' power windows semi-failed around 150k miles: The child locks got stuck "on" such that only the driver's panel would lower any window. O, the power over my helpless passengers!
I'm impressed that you got a ford to go 150k miles...
Only close call was around 130k when the transmission quit shifting out of first. Luckily it turned out it was just that the vehicle speed sensor'd gotten cooked. Replaced that and it ran good as new.
Why do you people bother, you know I always have the best pictures.
Now that I have seen both those pictures, I wonder how those ladies perform that task that Inq wrote that no man should learn. How do they reach? Is there a power tool for that also?
If, however, you have to get manual windows because you can't afford the power option on a new car (and there are people who do it for this reason), then my question remains: Is buying a new car really the best financial decision for you?
Well, I'm not sure this is much of an issue. The last time I went shopping for a new car I couldn't even find one that wasn't loaded with options I didn't want. I suspect that to get a new car with manual window cranks these days you would have to special order it from the factory. Otherwise you are at the mercy of what the dealerships think will sell best...
On a related note: I hate the "safety" windows in the back that only go down halfway.
Mine have less to do with safety than with the fact that the rear doors just won't let the windows go down into them more than a few inches, because of the way the doors are shaped.
4) Why don't people carry spare door keys?
I carry two spares. I am much too prone to lock keys inside the car to do otherwise.
Unfortunately, using an actual key in the lock rather than the "clicker" invariably sets off the stupid alarm. I hate that.
Use the Shift key, people! Keyboard manufacturers everywhere are ineffably saddened when you ignore what they made just for you!
I've like the Fords I've owned (2x 1981 Fairmont Wagons, 1x 1968 Lincoln Continental).
And some more thoughts for your consideration:
5) Why don't people take the time to learn their cars?
The other day, I had a customer upset because the car wash staff at the front end put his seat back (they do this for vacuuming), and he couldn't get it to move forward again. I took one look at his seat, pressed the toggle that operates the power seat, and the seat slid forward smoothly. He was amazed, and told me that in the seven years he'd owned the car, he's never figured out how to do that. He didn't even know his car had power seats!
Now, this might be an extreme example, but the general scenario of people not knowing how to work stuff on their car is common.
I routinely have customers ask me how I opened the rear glass on their SUV (many have hatches where you can open the whole hatch, or just the glass window). The same goes for power mirrors. Why would you spend tens of thousands of dollars on a car, and pay more for options like power seats, power folding mirrors, etc, and not learn how to use them?
I have a friend who drives a tow truck. He's had to help people with 4x4s who were stuck on ice. He takes one look, locks the wheels, and drives the 4x4 off the ice under it's own power.
What is it that prevents people from reading the manual that comes with their vehicle? Not the useless bits about how to do up seatbelts, and ow to drive in snow, but the sections covering the systems of your car. I am astonished that people would pay money for vehicles and options and not know who to use them, and in some cases not even know that they have the option!
6) Why don't more people back into parking spaces?
I suspect that many of them don't know how. Practice, people. In 90-degree parking (as opposed to parking lots with angled stalls), reversing in allows you to see when you pull out, and makes leaving quicker. Of course, getting a drive-thru spot is nice to, but in some places, driving thru a spot is illegal. Learn to reverse into parking spaces. I can back into a spot faster and more accurately than many people can drive into the same spot. I don't understand why. It's not difficult. It shouldn't require a half-dozen back/forth transitions.
The preceding post brought to you by Rabid Monk (TM). Rabid Monk: informative, irreverent, interesting, random and downright odd posts, done with pride since 1983.
Originally Posted by Inquartata
)
Is there a power tool for that also?
