Gear shifter orientation backwards?

aka007ii · 10-28-2005, 01:02 AM

For a while I've been wondering why they made the shifter with reverse in the up possition and drive is down. Doesn't it seem more logical to shift up to go forward and down to reverse? Maybe that's why they added the beeping warning when in reverse inside the cabin. I dissabled the beep and have more than once almost shifted the wrong way. I caught myself before stepping on the gas. Maybe my logic is bass ackward.

aaf709 · 10-28-2005, 01:21 AM

I thought so too at first, but I've learned to just "bat" the lever for Drive.

If you look at a column shift for an auto tranny for a conventional car, you move the lever down for Drive, in a way.

Wayne · 10-28-2005, 01:45 AM

Man, didn't you ever see "Independence Day"???? They set the standard for all modern space ships. Like you, someone thought forward was up, but Will Smith saved the planet by realizing forward was really DOWN. That standard was set 3 years before the first Prius was sold, just in time for Toyota engineering to adopt it!

Jack 06 · 10-28-2005, 02:18 AM

This argument just went on, in excruciating detail, for days, over on Prius 2G, one of the Yahoo lists.

They discussed every gear selector from every automatic and standard transmission ever made. :P Reverse on the right-hand side of neutral. Reverse on the left-hand side of neutral. Reverse to the far right and down. Reverse to the far left and down. Rotate the pattern 90 degrees.

If it were a mammal, the Prius would be a platypus.

Wayne · 10-28-2005, 02:36 AM

Well, all I can say is the members of Prius 2G just didn't properly qualify as geeks. They should turn their Prii in ASAP to the next qualified person...

maggieddd · 10-28-2005, 06:31 AM

it was a problem for me at first as well, but I got used to it very fast, and now I don't even have to look or think about it. If it was the other way around I would have a problem

MNPrius · 10-28-2005, 07:07 AM

Probably the designer was "ahem" directionally challenged?! I definitely qualify under that statement and the gear shifter has made perfect sense to me!

tomdeimos · 10-28-2005, 08:13 AM

Reverse has been up on every car I've ever owned, and on most cars I've ever seen that have conventional 3 speed gear boxes and a column shift.

First gear and the drive or third gear are down.
Reverse and second are up.

Prius just leaves out the second gear!

ScottY · 10-28-2005, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by aka007ii@Oct 28 2005, 01:02 AM
For a while I've been wondering why they made the shifter with reverse in the up possition and drive is down. Doesn't it seem more logical to shift up to go forward and down to reverse? Maybe that's why they added the beeping warning when in reverse inside the cabin. I dissabled the beep and have more than once almost shifted the wrong way. I caught myself before stepping on the gas. Maybe my logic is bass ackward.

[snapback]146542[/snapback]

"Normal" cars have their R gear before N, then D.
Like
P
R
N
D
I guess Toyota is trying to make the Prius as close to a "normal" car as possible. And that's why eventho I know how to disable the beep, I didn't do it. Just for safety.

Marlin · 10-28-2005, 09:03 AM

On every car that has an automatic transmission shift lever between the seats, you pull the lever back, towards the driver to get into drive. To shift from drive to reverse, you push the lever forward, away from the driver.

Just like it is on the Prius.

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10-28-2005, 01:02 AM	#1
aka007ii Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Santa Clarita, CA Posts: 482 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	For a while I've been wondering why they made the shifter with reverse in the up possition and drive is down. Doesn't it seem more logical to shift up to go forward and down to reverse? Maybe that's why they added the beeping warning when in reverse inside the cabin. I dissabled the beep and have more than once almost shifted the wrong way. I caught myself before stepping on the gas. Maybe my logic is bass ackward.

10-28-2005, 01:21 AM	#2
aaf709 Ravenpaw of ThunderClan Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 3,840 My Car: 2005 Prius Model: Package: #6 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts Friends: 0	I thought so too at first, but I've learned to just "bat" the lever for Drive. If you look at a column shift for an auto tranny for a conventional car, you move the lever down for Drive, in a way.

10-28-2005, 01:45 AM	#3
Wayne Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Fort Wayne, IN Posts: 680 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Man, didn't you ever see "Independence Day"???? They set the standard for all modern space ships. Like you, someone thought forward was up, but Will Smith saved the planet by realizing forward was really DOWN. That standard was set 3 years before the first Prius was sold, just in time for Toyota engineering to adopt it!

10-28-2005, 02:18 AM	#4
Jack 06 Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Winters, CA: Prius capital of US. 30 miles W of Sacramento Posts: 2,567 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	This argument just went on, in excruciating detail, for days, over on Prius 2G, one of the Yahoo lists. They discussed every gear selector from every automatic and standard transmission ever made. :P Reverse on the right-hand side of neutral. Reverse on the left-hand side of neutral. Reverse to the far right and down. Reverse to the far left and down. Rotate the pattern 90 degrees. If it were a mammal, the Prius would be a platypus.

10-28-2005, 02:36 AM	#5
Wayne Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Fort Wayne, IN Posts: 680 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Well, all I can say is the members of Prius 2G just didn't properly qualify as geeks. They should turn their Prii in ASAP to the next qualified person...

10-28-2005, 06:31 AM	#6
maggieddd Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Boston Posts: 2,081 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts Friends: 2	it was a problem for me at first as well, but I got used to it very fast, and now I don't even have to look or think about it. If it was the other way around I would have a problem

10-28-2005, 07:07 AM	#7
MNPrius Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Minneapolis Posts: 177 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Friends: 0	Probably the designer was "ahem" directionally challenged?! I definitely qualify under that statement and the gear shifter has made perfect sense to me!

10-28-2005, 08:13 AM	#8
tomdeimos Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Lexington, MA Posts: 995 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts Friends: 0	Reverse has been up on every car I've ever owned, and on most cars I've ever seen that have conventional 3 speed gear boxes and a column shift. First gear and the drive or third gear are down. Reverse and second are up. Prius just leaves out the second gear!

10-28-2005, 09:03 AM	#10
Marlin Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bucks County, PA Posts: 1,409 My Car: 2005 Prius Model: Package: #6 Thanks: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts Friends: 0	On every car that has an automatic transmission shift lever between the seats, you pull the lever back, towards the driver to get into drive. To shift from drive to reverse, you push the lever forward, away from the driver. Just like it is on the Prius.