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I can remember when turn signals were an option on some cars. When I got my license at age 15 the driving test included using hand signals to make a turn.
How are we still buying Coke without the cocaine additive? Why aren't Dr's prescribing cigarettes anymore?
Sometimes, old ways aren't always better
For a superbly "ancient," but genuine, factory-built, assembly-line car it's hard to beat one designed to mimic a 1920s race car, even if it did come with a contemporary (at the time) Vette engine. It lacks everything already mentioned, plus roll-up windows, movable seats/ pedals, trunk, glove box, console, defroster, and less... Yeah, I'm old, too and proud of it!
When I want to drive a car without all the new neat stuff I go out to the garage and put my 30-year-year-old Ferrari on the road. It's without power steering, with electric windows so slow that a snail could run almost as fast; with windshield wipers that are inferior, with lousy AC, with inferior exterior lighting until I brought them into 2018. The brakes are okay, but nothing compared to the last few generations of Corvettes.
I love my Ferrari, love driving it, particularly at speed, and while it's a truly great car (that's appreciating BTW) I have zero illusions about cars of the past.
My question to the OP is - what's wrong with having one's car operate more conveniently, with better vision - front and back - with better seats, better lighting, better brakes, more comfort, etc.?
When I want to drive a car without all the new neat stuff I go out to the garage and put my 30-year-year-old Ferrari on the road. It's without power steering, with electric windows so slow that a snail could run almost as fast; with windshield wipers that are inferior, with lousy AC, with inferior exterior lighting until I brought them into 2018. The brakes are okay, but nothing compared to the last few generations of Corvettes.
I love my Ferrari, love driving it, particularly at speed, and while it's a truly great car (that's appreciating BTW) I have zero illusions about cars of the past.
My question to the OP is - what's wrong with having one's car operate more conveniently, with better vision - front and back - with better seats, better lighting, better brakes, more comfort, etc.?
I'm 77 and I love the new stuff.....
I feel the same about my 1971 Datsun 240Z (sounds very familiar)... and progress.
To me, the safety advancements are just too big to ignore, but some of the "nannies" are a little much IMO.
Isn't it amazing that we are all still here safe and sound and able to enjoy this forum in spite of having driven so many miles over the years without the advantage of HUD, rear/front cameras, blind spot monitors, rear cross-traffic monitors.
Think of it, if not too upsetting, having to back up, change lanes without these devises and actually having to look down at the speedo/gauges. Scares me to death just to think about it.
How about you?
100%. Would not drive without HUD. The rear camera I all I use to back up, it's like a computer driving game! The front camera allows me to park facing forward where there is a concrete stop where with my 2014 without a camera I was backing into parking slots after having scraped a few times pulling up to far!
The other thing I love is Rev Match! All my DD's have been standard shifts starting with my 3 on the floor '41 coupe that I stuffed in an Olds engine! Quite good at heel toe (or toe side of foot when the pedal placement was good as in a Vette.) But that was when "driving in anger" and the next lower gear would bring the engine to high rpm. But I tried all the time, even for low rpm shifts like my common 5th to 3rd in the C7 when making a turn in town. The rpm in the lower gear may be only 2500 or 3000 and not so easy to modulate the throttle to get a perfect match. Probably hit that 50% of the time in my 5 speed S10 and 75% of the time in my 6 speed C6. Rev Match does it perfectly every time! When leaving the Interstate that 7th to direct drive 4th for the exit ramp is perfectly smooth!
They're called conveniences and yes some also add to safety. Your rant is like saying "how did we used to manage flushing the toilet before the invention of the automatic toilet flusher?".
I can remember when turn signals were an option on some cars. When I got my license at age 15 the driving test included using hand signals to make a turn.
Oh yes. I believe that the early turn indicators weren't considered legal in Ohio, just the hand signals.
I can remember when turn signals were an option on some cars. When I got my license at age 15 the driving test included using hand signals to make a turn.
My daily summer driver is my 71 corvette, I put it away when the snow starts as I don't want it to get hit. Then I switch to my 1980 truck. Last one that rear-ended it was a Honda Pilot - almost broke the tail lights - totaled a 2 year old pilot. The new cars have all wheel drive so it stops better on ice - my neighbor, 35 to 40 years old told me that.
I like the gang signs posted above - might get you shot.
First, the insurance companies love these safety items. Look how the insurance companies killed the Muscle Car era back in 70.
Next the manufacturer's have discovered a new strategy that you have to buy a new car to get the latest electronic gadgets as they do not have a clue or motivation to make software upgrades through the air (like Tesla). Car have gotten a lot more reliable recently and last longer than any previous era and they want you to upgrade! So to get a new software feature, you got to buy their newest
I also think driving has gotten a lot more dangerous than when I first drove. I can attest here in Central Florida, we have a lot of illegals that drive with no license and certainly no insurance. They get in an accident that is clearly their fault and they abandon the car and run away. This has happened to many of my relatives many time in recent years. Very common here.
Whatever I can get to help me is most welcome. I can always turn them off.
The insurance Companies? The EPA and the oil embargo killed the muscle cars in the early 70's not the insurance companies. I know because I had a new 70 Roadrunner and that was the last good year for them. All the emissions crap that was added to the 71 cars killed their HP and gas prices went through the roof.
They're called conveniences and yes some also add to safety. Your rant is like saying "how did we used to manage flushing the toilet before the invention of the automatic toilet flusher?".
I have two daily drivers, one a 1996 Toyota Tacoma (stripped down model; only has AC and an am/fm radio, even has crank windows and manual door locks) and a new 2018 Toyota Tacoma with every convenience you can get on a Toyota truck. I really enjoy and use the auto- headlight dimmer, cameras, reactive cruise control, blind spot monitors, rear cross-traffic monitors etc, etc. And I truly appreciable the added vehicle safety as a result of these features.
I believe you may have missed my point in creating this thread and I KNOW someone else did, which was to poke a little fun at how our driving experience has changed over recent years and will eventually end up with our vehicles driving on their own.
I for one am not looking forward to this as I have always enjoyed driving whether it be my sportcars or trucks.
Both my grand daughter and grandson love cars and trucks, and it's a bit saddening that they may never experience the "art of driving' and responcibility that has gone with such that we have all known and enjoyed for years.
So defaria, the end of my rant, and by the way, I still dive my '96 Tacoma more than my new one. I guess it's just something about owning it for 23 years and driving it 412,000 miles I just can;t get over.
It is amazing to me how a life long marathon runner (for example) can die of a heart attack while another drinks like a fish and smokes like a chimney and they live to a ripe ol' age.
The Hyundai commercial where the kid tries to open the back door and won't open b/c there is a car coming. Conditioning to not have to pay attention. So, tomorrow he is in mom's car that doesn't have that particular warning system, then what? There has to be a line somewhere
And while I'm here, why can't all wiper switches operate the same? I have six cars and I think they are all different.
12-31-2018, 07:59 PM
I'm a George, too.
It lacks everything already mentioned, plus roll-up windows, movable seats/ pedals, trunk, glove box, console, defroster, and less... Yeah, I'm old, too and proud of it!
100%. Would not drive without HUD. The rear camera I all I use to back up, it's like a computer driving game! The front camera allows me to park facing forward where there is a concrete stop where with my 2014 without a camera I was backing into parking slots after having scraped a few times pulling up to far! 
