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Car features and other gadgets: was: my fixie doesn't need improvement



 
 
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  #1  
Old February 18th 18, 04:36 AM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
Joy Beeson
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,638
Default Car features and other gadgets: was: my fixie doesn't need improvement

On Fri, 16 Feb 2018 09:27:28 -0800, Joerg
wrote:

IMO there is stuff that mankind doesn't need so badly. Power windows,
power locks, automatic transmissions in cars. Or electric shifters on
bikes. I've got none of that and I don't want any of it.


Power seats are a deal-killer for me: I'm so fat that I have to slide
the seat all the way back to get in, and so short that I have slide it
all the way forward to reach the pedals. A power seat that could do
that in a reasonable length of time would be outlawed and the designer
would be sued.

But for people who drive all day every day, not having power seats
would kill the deal.

Power windows were a deal killer for my late mother-in-law. She
frequently had to wait in a parked car, and wanted to be able to open
a window without starting the engine.

I love power windows, because I always drive alone and hate air
conditioning. Being able to open or close a window on the other side
of the car without taking my mind off my driving is *very* convenient.

Power locks are a safety device. A fellow who had just retired from a
career that included helping to clean up bodies spattered on the
roadway assured me that a car is safer with the doors locked because
they are less likely to pop open in a crash. But who is going to lock
up every single time if you have to crawl all over the car to do it?

(I *am* a bit concerned that the doors can be *un*locked as easily.)
(I particularly don't like the way the car helpfully unlocks
everything the moment I put it in "park".)

I used to drive a stick shift. When I was learning to drive it,
people assured me that I'd have automatic shifting pretty soon, and it
was true. I got so accustomed to manual shifting that I found it
difficult to drive an automatic when we had to get rid of the stick
shift. But syncromesh was really, really worth having.

If our current car doesn't outlive me, I won't consider stick shift as
a replacement It takes a long time to adjust, and we'd have to change
both motor vehicles at once because I'm not at all good at switching
protocols in life-and-death situations. Trying to use word-processor
commands while typing a Usenet post does no harm; using the wrong
protocol on the highway could lead to headlines.

Electric shifters for bikes sound like something that has to be hauled
around, and an Ed Kearny lighting system was as far as I ever went in
the way of electrifying the bike. When it fell apart -- the
decades-old motorcycle bulb, as far as I know, is *still* working
fine, but it fell out of the housing -- I didn't replace it, but I did
keep my in-case-the-taillight-fails blinkie. I suppose I should go
out and turn it on to make sure the batteries are still good. It's
been a long time since I went out after dark in *any* vehicle, if you
don't count driving to the emergency room. (Argonne Road is weird at
three in the morning.)

Went out to check the blinkie, and remembered that I had to unscrew it
for some reason, and instead of putting it back, I dropped it into the
bag I was taking to Goodwill. I still have two red reflectors bolted
to my panniers, just in case.

Electric can openers are gadgets for making it awkward to open cans --
but there are lots of people for whom "awkward" is an improvement.

I can't see the appeal of electric carving knives. They chew up the
meat, and aren't as fast as a well-honed knife.

I suspect that the guys who use them like the noise they make.

--
Joy Beeson
joy beeson at comcast dot net
http://wlweather.net/PAGEJOY/



Ads
  #2  
Old February 18th 18, 07:42 AM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
John B.[_3_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5,697
Default Car features and other gadgets: was: my fixie doesn't need improvement

On Sat, 17 Feb 2018 23:36:53 -0400, Joy Beeson
wrote:

On Fri, 16 Feb 2018 09:27:28 -0800, Joerg
wrote:

IMO there is stuff that mankind doesn't need so badly. Power windows,
power locks, automatic transmissions in cars. Or electric shifters on
bikes. I've got none of that and I don't want any of it.


Power seats are a deal-killer for me: I'm so fat that I have to slide
the seat all the way back to get in, and so short that I have slide it
all the way forward to reach the pedals. A power seat that could do
that in a reasonable length of time would be outlawed and the designer
would be sued.

But for people who drive all day every day, not having power seats
would kill the deal.

Power windows were a deal killer for my late mother-in-law. She
frequently had to wait in a parked car, and wanted to be able to open
a window without starting the engine.

I love power windows, because I always drive alone and hate air
conditioning. Being able to open or close a window on the other side
of the car without taking my mind off my driving is *very* convenient.

Power locks are a safety device. A fellow who had just retired from a
career that included helping to clean up bodies spattered on the
roadway assured me that a car is safer with the doors locked because
they are less likely to pop open in a crash. But who is going to lock
up every single time if you have to crawl all over the car to do it?

(I *am* a bit concerned that the doors can be *un*locked as easily.)
(I particularly don't like the way the car helpfully unlocks
everything the moment I put it in "park".)

I used to drive a stick shift. When I was learning to drive it,
people assured me that I'd have automatic shifting pretty soon, and it
was true. I got so accustomed to manual shifting that I found it
difficult to drive an automatic when we had to get rid of the stick
shift. But syncromesh was really, really worth having.

If our current car doesn't outlive me, I won't consider stick shift as
a replacement It takes a long time to adjust, and we'd have to change
both motor vehicles at once because I'm not at all good at switching
protocols in life-and-death situations. Trying to use word-processor
commands while typing a Usenet post does no harm; using the wrong
protocol on the highway could lead to headlines.


Can you still walk into a car dealer and buy a car with a manual
transmission? Here I was told that an auto transmission would have to
be special ordered.

Electric shifters for bikes sound like something that has to be hauled
around, and an Ed Kearny lighting system was as far as I ever went in
the way of electrifying the bike. When it fell apart -- the
decades-old motorcycle bulb, as far as I know, is *still* working
fine, but it fell out of the housing -- I didn't replace it, but I did
keep my in-case-the-taillight-fails blinkie. I suppose I should go
out and turn it on to make sure the batteries are still good. It's
been a long time since I went out after dark in *any* vehicle, if you
don't count driving to the emergency room. (Argonne Road is weird at
three in the morning.)

Went out to check the blinkie, and remembered that I had to unscrew it
for some reason, and instead of putting it back, I dropped it into the
bag I was taking to Goodwill. I still have two red reflectors bolted
to my panniers, just in case.

Electric can openers are gadgets for making it awkward to open cans --
but there are lots of people for whom "awkward" is an improvement.

I can't see the appeal of electric carving knives. They chew up the
meat, and aren't as fast as a well-honed knife.

I suspect that the guys who use them like the noise they make.

--
Cheers,

John B.

  #3  
Old February 18th 18, 07:04 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
Joerg[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 6,016
Default Car features and other gadgets: was: my fixie doesn'tneed improvement

On 2018-02-17 22:42, John B. wrote:
On Sat, 17 Feb 2018 23:36:53 -0400, Joy Beeson
wrote:

On Fri, 16 Feb 2018 09:27:28 -0800, Joerg
wrote:

IMO there is stuff that mankind doesn't need so badly. Power windows,
power locks, automatic transmissions in cars. Or electric shifters on
bikes. I've got none of that and I don't want any of it.


Power seats are a deal-killer for me: I'm so fat that I have to slide
the seat all the way back to get in, and so short that I have slide it
all the way forward to reach the pedals. A power seat that could do
that in a reasonable length of time would be outlawed and the designer
would be sued.

But for people who drive all day every day, not having power seats
would kill the deal.

Power windows were a deal killer for my late mother-in-law. She
frequently had to wait in a parked car, and wanted to be able to open
a window without starting the engine.

I love power windows, because I always drive alone and hate air
conditioning. Being able to open or close a window on the other side
of the car without taking my mind off my driving is *very* convenient.

Power locks are a safety device. A fellow who had just retired from a
career that included helping to clean up bodies spattered on the
roadway assured me that a car is safer with the doors locked because
they are less likely to pop open in a crash. But who is going to lock
up every single time if you have to crawl all over the car to do it?

(I *am* a bit concerned that the doors can be *un*locked as easily.)
(I particularly don't like the way the car helpfully unlocks
everything the moment I put it in "park".)

I used to drive a stick shift. When I was learning to drive it,
people assured me that I'd have automatic shifting pretty soon, and it
was true. I got so accustomed to manual shifting that I found it
difficult to drive an automatic when we had to get rid of the stick
shift. But syncromesh was really, really worth having.

If our current car doesn't outlive me, I won't consider stick shift as
a replacement It takes a long time to adjust, and we'd have to change
both motor vehicles at once because I'm not at all good at switching
protocols in life-and-death situations. Trying to use word-processor
commands while typing a Usenet post does no harm; using the wrong
protocol on the highway could lead to headlines.


Can you still walk into a car dealer and buy a car with a manual
transmission?



Sure.

https://www.toyotaofgreensburg.com/b...-transmission/


... Here I was told that an auto transmission would have to
be special ordered.


Not in the US but the majority of vehicles on the lot will be automatic.
So your selection of color or trim might be reduced. In Europe it was
the other way around but that slowly changes where now they have 7-speed
which can be hand-shifted (no clutch though) or automatically.


Electric shifters for bikes sound like something that has to be hauled
around, and an Ed Kearny lighting system was as far as I ever went in
the way of electrifying the bike.



Wow, someone actually offered a real electrical system? I used to always
build them myself because the bicycle industry didn't get it, still doesn't.


... When it fell apart -- the
decades-old motorcycle bulb, ...



Well, there were better bulbs than that.


... as far as I know, is *still* working
fine, but it fell out of the housing -- I didn't replace it, but I did
keep my in-case-the-taillight-fails blinkie. I suppose I should go
out and turn it on to make sure the batteries are still good. It's
been a long time since I went out after dark in *any* vehicle, if you
don't count driving to the emergency room. (Argonne Road is weird at
three in the morning.)

Went out to check the blinkie, and remembered that I had to unscrew it
for some reason, and instead of putting it back, I dropped it into the
bag I was taking to Goodwill. I still have two red reflectors bolted
to my panniers, just in case.

Electric can openers are gadgets for making it awkward to open cans --
but there are lots of people for whom "awkward" is an improvement.

I can't see the appeal of electric carving knives. They chew up the
meat, and aren't as fast as a well-honed knife.

I suspect that the guys who use them like the noise they make.



That is one of the few gizmos I really like. We got one for free from
ACE Hardware more than a decade ago. It is the only way to cut barbecued
tri-tip into very thin slices without a lot of time spent or lots of
clean-up work. I love thin tri-tip slices on home-baked bread.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
  #4  
Old February 18th 18, 07:18 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
Frank Krygowski[_4_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 10,538
Default Car features and other gadgets: was: my fixie doesn't needimprovement

On 2/18/2018 1:42 AM, John B. wrote:

Can you still walk into a car dealer and buy a car with a manual
transmission? Here I was told that an auto transmission would have to
be special ordered.


We bought one four years ago. It had to be brought in from a different
dealer, but I don't recall if the reason for that was the manual
transmission.

And it occurs to me it may be time to redefine "standard" transmission.
That used to mean shifting for yourself. But like it or not, automatics
are now "standard"!

--
- Frank Krygowski
  #5  
Old February 21st 18, 03:34 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
NFN Smith[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 33
Default Car features and other gadgets: was: my fixie doesn't needimprovement

John B. wrote:
Can you still walk into a car dealer and buy a car with a manual
transmission? Here I was told that an auto transmission would have to
be special ordered.


I have a neighbor who had one of the Volkswagen diesels that were
recalled. He told me that he had to special order that one to get a
stick shift, and he wasn't happy when he had to surrender the car. He
just got another Volkswagen, but I get the impression that that there
weren't any options for sticks.


Smith

  #6  
Old February 22nd 18, 02:45 AM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
John B.[_3_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5,697
Default Car features and other gadgets: was: my fixie doesn't need improvement

On Sun, 18 Feb 2018 13:18:48 -0500, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

On 2/18/2018 1:42 AM, John B. wrote:

Can you still walk into a car dealer and buy a car with a manual
transmission? Here I was told that an auto transmission would have to
be special ordered.


We bought one four years ago. It had to be brought in from a different
dealer, but I don't recall if the reason for that was the manual
transmission.

And it occurs to me it may be time to redefine "standard" transmission.
That used to mean shifting for yourself. But like it or not, automatics
are now "standard"!


I think the "special order" probably was more a matter of "we don't
have one in stock" then some factory imperative, but the fact is that
most people, here, do not buy automobiles with manual transmissions.
Even the Taxi's are auto.

On the other hand nearly all pickups are manual shift. I have do an
automatic pickup but that was so my wife could drive it as she simply
cannot cope with a manual shift. It took a two day search of Bangkok
second-hand car dealers to find it :-)
--
Cheers,

John B.

 




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