Cars

Ours tells us when to change up or down gear - on a screen behind the steering wheel.

Often, though, it tells me to change up when I know full well that there's a bend just ahead where I'll have to change down.....

Teacheranne the control for the auto wipers may inadvertently be switched to off. The control for mine is on the indicator stick. It’s usually possible to select auto or off position.

My new car ( 4 weeks old) also has all these functions but I’m still trying to work out what the switches and buttons do as there is no paper manual! The full one is only available online and not very easy to use, also hard to read while in the car on a small phone screen!

I am having to buy some new driving glasses as I know need varfocals to see clearly at distance and also at close range to read the computer display!

I thought I had auto windscreen wipers but when it poured down the other day, I obviously did not. So, it’s off to sit in the car squinting at my phone while I work out what to do!

My car - 57 plate, so not new or modern by any means - beeps at me to tell me a seat belt isn't done up. It's always because I've left my handbag on the front passenger seat.

I had been telling my husband for years that he drifts out of the lane when he's driving. He, of course, was adamant that he didn't (but then again, his default position is to contradict everything I say) - until he got his brand new shiny car last September and it beeped at him for drifting out of the lane.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Quizzer

I was given a courtesy car by a dealer when my new car went in for its first service. The dealership was some miles from the nearest fuel station and I immediately noticed that the fuel warning light was on. Just over a mile down the road the fuel ran out, but luckily managed to pull over and park safely. I rang the dealership who suggested that it was my fault and I should call a rescue company. They eventually agreed to bring some fuel - it took them one and a half hours to do so. Needless to say I used a different company for subsequent car servicing!

It's pretty common to only have a minimum of petrol in a courtesy car, but they they should have warned you and told you where the nearest petrol station was.

"You can switch the road safety stuff off, but why would you?"

Because lane assist sounds positively dangerous in some circumstances such as roadworks.

Quizzer I had a curtesy car yesterday, car first service. Apart from being totally covered in promo signage the handover girl, when asked, told me it was diesel, text 45 mins later apologising, it’s unleaded. Good job I only did about 10 miles to the shops, so didn’t bother replacing the fuel.

Useless where I live all narrow country lanes they turned it off before I shad even driven it as it is best on motorways

sarahcyn

Modern cars are wonderful - but so bossy! Always telling you you’re wrong!

Hahaha, yes! I end up talking to my car - ‘I know there’s an obstacle in front, you don’t need to flash a red light and shriek at me!’

My lane departure system seems quite clever. I live in a country area and it knows when I’m on a narrow road, so it doesn’t activate then.

My car also parks itself and gets itself out of a parking place. I don’t use it much because I don’t want to lose those skills. All these things are very clever, though. I downloaded the app for my car and can do so much just from my phone that I reckon I could send my car to do the shopping while I stay in bed.

A couple of years ago i had a brand new car … this happened to me! frightened the life out of me… thought car was going to turn over… i immediately stopped and got manual out…. yes it was a saftey feature if you go over the white line!

kittylester

My car pulls to the left when I go over the central line without having indicated.

I think that, and the alarm, are in case you've fallen asleep and are drifting. I guess it's for safety but it's just one more aspect of cars that constantly nag you!

Just when I think they must surely have thought of everything, function-wise with cars, along comes something else to tempt us to upgrade!

The trouble is I get fond of cars and hate the thought of changing them!

Some newer cars are set to pull you back if you get too near a white line. It’s quite disconcerting.

DH's car is much obscure than mine. Mine is helpful rather tha bossy!

quizzer I thought it was common practice for loan cars to have very little fuel in.

Anyone else's car have window display for various info? I love that. Dh ignores it and looks at the normal display.

Mine tells me politely when I go over the speed limit. But only when I'm just about to come out of it.

I collected my car yesterday and a rather massive bill! Obviously I had to drive the courtesy car back to Oxford and it behaved as it had the day before! I spoke to the service people and they said this new feature doesn’t distinguish narrow or bendy lanes so will keep on beeping or pulling to the left! Quite a large section of the M4 has narrow lanes so that would be a pain to drive on.

Modern cars are wonderful - but so bossy! Always telling you you’re wrong!

Kittylester, I was going to say the same thing. I can't understand anybody turning off a safety feature. It is obviously the driver at fault and certainly a good thing to know that you doing this so you can rectify it.

I was given a courtesy car by a dealer when my new car went in for its first service. The dealership was some miles from the nearest fuel station and I immediately noticed that the fuel warning light was on. Just over a mile down the road the fuel ran out, but luckily managed to pull over and park safely. I rang the dealership who suggested that it was my fault and I should call a rescue company. They eventually agreed to bring some fuel - it took them one and a half hours to do so. Needless to say I used a different company for subsequent car servicing!

You can switch the road safety stuff off, but why would you?

I love all the stuff on mine, and it is a matter of honour with me that it doesn’t have to remind me on my trips. I always fail.

It does occasionally have a total mini-breakdown and switches itself off for a few minutes, largely when confusing plants for objects on narrow lanes.

I’m really grateful for my lane departure feature as I had a very close shave a couple of years ago. I was 10 miles from my destination and started to feel unwell and shiverish with a temperature. Driving along thinking I’ll be so glad to get home.

I drifted off to sleep at the wheel and was startled awake by the beeping when the car wheels drifted across the line. I dread to think what the outcome could have been without that alarm. I hadn’t even felt tired and it just happened without any warning.

I have lane departure on my car. You get used to it very quickly. The best way to stop it going off is to keep in lane, haha!

So does ours kitty. I’m not sure some of it really is a safety feature, more a distraction as it’s necessary to look down to see what the car is objecting to. Ours complains hands are off the steering wheel when when they aren’t, the garage says it’s because I don’t grip the wheel hard - no need to in my view. Lane departure is useful at times if a major pain on minor roads around here as to avoid potholes and overgrown hedges it’s necessary to position the car quite close to the centre of the road which lane assist doesn’t like. I do wonder if all the safety features could make for lazy driving in some people, relying on the car warnings just a little too much. Having said that I’m well known for being a dinosaur, bring back cars with flag trafficators . Hope ladyleftfieldlover is OK to retrieve her car today.