Re: Group seeks law on window switches

If parents are too lazy or stupid to press the window lock-out button

> then they shouldn't have kids. I don't know about you, but I don't > like those Euro-style window buttons. > > --------------------

Perhaps some people don't like side direction repeater lights, rear red fog lights, rear amber directional signals and safety power window switches, after all it takes all kinds; but Europe has had these safety features for years and we still leave it up to the discretion of the builder to include them or not. And remember the builders wanted a cheaper alternative to the low tire pressure alarm system mandated finally in the states. The Federal District Court just threw out that option because data showed it does not work. The feds knew this but continued the tradition of giving Detroit whatever it wants.

Richard.

Reply to
Richard
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It is not always just what "Detroit" wants. Personally I don't want to be forced to buy tire monitoring systems, air bags, etc., etc. In fact I think the Feds have forced Detroit to include too many things as standard.

Regards,

Ed White

Reply to
C. E. White

I think in most cases the Feds have forced automakers to include the

*wrong* things as standard, or the wrong *types* of the right things.

DS

Reply to
Daniel J. Stern

I think in most cases the Feds have forced automakers to include the

*wrong* things as standard, or the wrong *types* of the right things.

DS

Reply to
Daniel J. Stern

I agree. Parents need to use the lock out switches, and not allow their children to play in their cars. I believe that only older models allow the windows to be activated when the ignition key is off, so that should not be a problem.

-Kirk Matheson

Reply to
Kirk Matheson

Again, wrong behavior. Loose animals in the back seat is nobody's idea of sanity.

You have a dog? Get a SUV or wagon and install a proper divider to keep the dog in the rear section.

Also, a child in their seatbelt would have to try HARD to get their chin over the half-closed window. I can't remember when the last year they had rear windows that went all the way down was.

1980? I know my 1981 Buick Regal had those only halfway down rear windows.
Reply to
Joseph Oberlander

Due to the design of the rear door to clear the rear wheel well, most likely.

--

Reply to
Mike Behnke

|I think in most cases the Feds have forced automakers to include the |*wrong* things as standard, or the wrong *types* of the right things.

Something about "standards" defined by a committee of politicians.

Rex in Fort Worth

Reply to
Rex B

Cars have a lock out switch now, what the problem? Any fool that lets their kids in the car with the keys in or that car running should be shot. It has nothing to do with safety it is just one more way for the Ralph Naders of the world to collect a few more millions from the manufactures in litigation. Like the the smokers suing the tobacco companies or the fat guys suing McDonald's. When are the wackos on these juries going to learn THEY eventually pay those awards in the price of everything they buy?

mike hunt

Rex B wrote:

Reply to
MikeHunt

There's nothing wrong with mandating this on all NEW designs. The problem is when the mandates are instituted across the board immediately, rather than phased in.

The direction of travel of the switch for on/off isn't standardized anywhere, I've been in plenty of homes where the builder put them in upside down and flipping the switch up turned off the lights, instead of turning them on. And what is this rot about different switches, it's the same switch in either design, it's just how it's wired.

Besides that, plenty of American cars have switches on the door itself for the window instead of on the armrest, and with these toggle switches, they work the way this group wants - up closes the window, down opens it.

This is a regulation that raises the costs for nobody, and could prevent a few senseless maimings and deaths. Keep in mind that it's the parent's fault not the children, if the kids are playing unsupervised in the car. The kids are the ones that suffer if the window chokes them, not the parents.

Ted

Reply to
Ted Mittelstaedt

Thank goodness the USA does not require rear red fog lights. There are enough people that misuse front fog lights. The few car models that do have RRFLs in the USA have many drivers that like to keep them on when they shouldn't be on. RRFL's are meant to be used in DENSE (pea-soup) fog only. Any better visibility conditions blind the driver behind them. Countries that require these, such as UK, have much foggier prevalent conditions than typically occur regularly in the USA.

I agree these are better than red. They do have one disadvantage though, when you are sitting behind someone with their bright yellow blinking light at night, it can be blinding. I've never experienced that with red lights.

Reply to
Fred Jones

This doesn't apply to SUVs; wheel well is too far back to make that kind of difference.

Reply to
Da Parrot-chick

My '78 Newport is an immediate example. If our '00 Intrepid has a lockout switch, I sure don't know where it is.

Reply to
Joe Pfeiffer

So... what are these euro-style seitches people are talking about?

Reply to
Joe Pfeiffer

Nope; half-opening rear windows was never any gov't requirement. It was wheel-well interference or costs. Like the early K cars that didn't even have opening rear windows on the 4-doors.

Reply to
Lloyd Parker

Not all -- Forester, for example -- very short wheelbase.

Reply to
Lloyd Parker

Right near the window controls. Check your owner's manual.

DS

Reply to
Daniel J. Stern

The PT Cruiser has the window switches in the middle of the car. This would be out of reach for a child to close the window and be in the window space also.

Reply to
indago

There's a message there somewhere...

Reply to
indago

Does that mean my Grand Cherokee is no longer and SUV?????

Reply to
RPhillips47

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