Re: UI Comment

[Achille Riviello <acriviel@mailhost.ecn.uoknor.edu>]

At 09:40 PM 10/2/96 -0700, Robin Samms wrote:
>Al Powell <APOWELL@agcom.tamu.edu>
>Wrote
>
>> Dunno.  I heard that the #2 car for reports of UI was the Nissan 
>> 300ZX.  Here's what I note they have in common - they are both cars 
>> with very nice heel-and-toe pedal positioning.  At the time, these 
>> cars were the status models which were being bought by people 
>> graduating from cars like Olds Cutlasses....and my theory is that in 
>> the automatics, these drivers simply were not AWARE enough of their 
>> cars' design to hit the correct pedal.  More aware drivers don't do 
>> this - but the classic US dufus driver who only knows the general 
>> location of the ignition key and steering wheel is fully capable of 
>> hitting the wrong pedal.  I find this behavior more LIKELY to have 
>> occurred in drivers moving from "ho-hum" cars into status models 
>> which had cpabilities which they as drivers were not competent to 
>> exploit.
>
>I agree, I also submit the following for the group's consideration:
>
>The UI incident occurred during the time I owned my first Audi, an
>83 4KQ.  As we all know, that was a 5 speed (not available any other way)
>My Audi dealer used to periodically lend customers a spare car during
>services.
>On occasion, when loaned a 4000 FWD Auto model, OR a loaner VW,
>I found that the engines of these cars under cold start conditions would
>race..
>very unlike my 5 speed Quattro.  I also travel and rent cars, and have
>found 
>that this racing on cold start seems to be fairly prevalent in Auto
>transmission cars.
>
>With no shift+brake interlock, what happens if you, as a habitual user of
>auto transmission,
>shifts into drive while your engine is still in it's cold boot routine at
>2500rpm ? 
>And like 90% of habitual auto transmission drivers, do not routinely use
>your
>hand or, parking brake ?  
>
>II !    IDIOT ACCELLERATION !
>
>
>It should be noted that this was during the same period that Japanese
>motorcycles
>were surcharged to fund the recovery of Harley Davidson.
>
>Robin
>
>
>
Robin,

I think you have brought up a really good point.  I have noticed this as
well with many automatics I have driven (hated nearly every one of them,
too!).  It is certainly possible that your scenario is plausible.  You'd
think that the crack investigators would have thought of that, though.

Achille Riviello
acriviel@mailhost.ecn.uoknor.edu
83 4000s, 200+k miles,
96 A4Q, 156 miles,
HK USP45,
HK P7M13
"In a world of compromise, some don't"--HK