Horn position vs safety

Nda3rdCar · 11-12-2006, 01:39 AM

<_< After owning German produced and/or designed cars since 1988, I find the horn on the Prius a difficult thing to access. It's in the center of the steering wheel. If a driver needs to hit the horn on an Audi or VW, the thumb does it. If needed on a Toyota prius, I have to remove one hand from the steering wheel and hit the center. ( Loss of emergency steering). There seems to be a space available on the steering wheel for thumb activated horn..... why not? Is this a Japan thinking vs Gernany thinking..... thing? -Nda3rdCar

dancekat59 · 11-12-2006, 02:06 AM

That's a very interesting question. I can't remember which of my other Toyotas I've owned in the past, either a '74 Corona or '86 Tercel, did have thumb horn buttons. I think all new Toyotas have the horn button in the center now.

qbee42 · 11-12-2006, 11:28 AM

My feeling about horns is that if it's an emergency, then it's too late to use a horn. When you use the horn, you are hoping to amend someone else's behavior to avoid a problem. I'd rather trust my own driving. About the only time I ever use a car horn is for a short beep if someone is backing into me in a parking lot, or something of that nature.

Tom

**Tideland Prius** · 11-12-2006, 01:01 PM

Toyota horns are in the centre. Our Camry that doesn't have steering wheel buttons, let's me use the horn by simply "rotating" my hand. IOW, if my hands are at 9-3, I just need to push the inner part of my hand inwards (the part that's at the base of the thumb). Too bad the Prius has controls between the rim and the actual horn. The first time I did that on the Prius, I ended up changing tracks because I was used to moving my left hand to press the horn lol.

seeh2o · 11-12-2006, 01:14 PM

The horn on my 1979 Toyota Corolla station wagon was not in the center, there were elongated "buttons" on each side of the center cross of the steering wheel. I accessed them by using thumbs at either the 9 and 3 o'clock position.

Though that was probably safer, I often find it cathartic and get a good deal of pleasure by smacking the center of my steering column. So far releasing one hand from the wheel has not been a saftey issue.

Sho-Bud · 11-12-2006, 01:29 PM

My former car had 2 buttons for the horn on the side of the centerpart of the steering wheel.
In 90% of the emergencies, when I wanted to use the horn, I couldn't press the small buttons fast enough. I like the switch on the Prius better, just slam in the middle of the steering wheel and tadaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

Ghostrider · 11-13-2006, 10:36 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sho-Bud @ Nov 12 2006, 12:29 PM) [snapback]347858[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

My former car had 2 buttons for the horn on the side of the centerpart of the steering wheel.
In 90% of the emergencies, when I wanted to use the horn, I couldn't press the small buttons fast enough. I like the switch on the Prius better, just slam in the middle of the steering wheel and tadaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.
[/b]

I remember about 20 years ago when we had horn buttons on turn signal stalks and stuff like that. Ford
announced they were putting the horn back in the center of the steering wheel where it was intended to be. I thought the answer is that most people are expecting it to be there.

DaveinOlyWA · 11-14-2006, 12:02 PM

will chime in here and say my Corona and Corolla had two buttons on the outside edge of steering wheel for horns at the brace connection points. they were not at the 10-2 position though. they were at the 8-4 position

i think Toyota went away from that based on the buttons that are there now.

dreichla · 11-14-2006, 12:18 PM

What happens if you're honking the horn and the air bag deploys? Can't imagine it would feel very good!?

seftonm · 11-14-2006, 04:13 PM

Interesting you bring up Japan vs Germany. My VW has the horn in the center of the wheel while my brother's Honda has the thumb buttons.

11-12-2006, 01:01 PM	#4
Tideland Prius Super Moderator Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 13,920 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: B Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 11	Toyota horns are in the centre. Our Camry that doesn't have steering wheel buttons, let's me use the horn by simply "rotating" my hand. IOW, if my hands are at 9-3, I just need to push the inner part of my hand inwards (the part that's at the base of the thumb). Too bad the Prius has controls between the rim and the actual horn. The first time I did that on the Prius, I ended up changing tracks because I was used to moving my left hand to press the horn lol. __________________ 2005 Tideland Pearl Premium Package as of 25th Oct 2004 VVT-i Emblem, Sport Pedals, OEM All-Weather Mats, Cargo Mat, EV Mod, JDM Prius Interior Footwell Lighting, DICE iPod Integration Kit, LED licence plate lights, Phillips Vision Plus 2008 smart fortwo passion coupé as of 28th Apr 2008 Foglights, dash pods, leather seats, OEM rubber mats, BRABUS alum. handbrake, LED licence plate lights & dome lamp

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11-12-2006, 01:39 AM	#1
Nda3rdCar Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 81 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	<_< After owning German produced and/or designed cars since 1988, I find the horn on the Prius a difficult thing to access. It's in the center of the steering wheel. If a driver needs to hit the horn on an Audi or VW, the thumb does it. If needed on a Toyota prius, I have to remove one hand from the steering wheel and hit the center. ( Loss of emergency steering). There seems to be a space available on the steering wheel for thumb activated horn..... why not? Is this a Japan thinking vs Gernany thinking..... thing? -Nda3rdCar

11-12-2006, 02:06 AM	#2
dancekat59 Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 220 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	That's a very interesting question. I can't remember which of my other Toyotas I've owned in the past, either a '74 Corona or '86 Tercel, did have thumb horn buttons. I think all new Toyotas have the horn button in the center now.

11-12-2006, 11:28 AM	#3
qbee42 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 5,690 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #7 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 6	My feeling about horns is that if it's an emergency, then it's too late to use a horn. When you use the horn, you are hoping to amend someone else's behavior to avoid a problem. I'd rather trust my own driving. About the only time I ever use a car horn is for a short beep if someone is backing into me in a parking lot, or something of that nature. Tom

11-12-2006, 01:14 PM	#5
seeh2o Prius OG Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 364 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #2 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	The horn on my 1979 Toyota Corolla station wagon was not in the center, there were elongated "buttons" on each side of the center cross of the steering wheel. I accessed them by using thumbs at either the 9 and 3 o'clock position. Though that was probably safer, I often find it cathartic and get a good deal of pleasure by smacking the center of my steering column. So far releasing one hand from the wheel has not been a saftey issue.

11-12-2006, 01:29 PM	#6
Sho-Bud Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands Posts: 141 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: B Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	My former car had 2 buttons for the horn on the side of the centerpart of the steering wheel. In 90% of the emergencies, when I wanted to use the horn, I couldn't press the small buttons fast enough. I like the switch on the Prius better, just slam in the middle of the steering wheel and tadaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

11-14-2006, 12:02 PM	#8
DaveinOlyWA Opps !! I Did it Again!! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: South Puget Sound, WA Posts: 9,667 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #4 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 5	will chime in here and say my Corona and Corolla had two buttons on the outside edge of steering wheel for horns at the brace connection points. they were not at the 10-2 position though. they were at the 8-4 position i think Toyota went away from that based on the buttons that are there now.

11-14-2006, 12:18 PM	#9
dreichla Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Connecticut Posts: 2,230 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	What happens if you're honking the horn and the air bag deploys? Can't imagine it would feel very good!?

11-14-2006, 04:13 PM	#10
seftonm Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Winnipeg, MB Posts: 46 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Interesting you bring up Japan vs Germany. My VW has the horn in the center of the wheel while my brother's Honda has the thumb buttons.