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Almost a critical mistake!

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by harper42, Sep 10, 2006.

  1. harper42

    harper42 Member

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    I was driving along, singing along with my favorite CD, meant to reach down and shove the cruise up a notch, and ALMOST shoved the shift lever, instead of the cruise lever. Fortunately, I caught my absent minded error, before I actually did it. That got me thinking though.... I'll bet I could have reallly messed up the car, shoving it into reverse while it was going down the highway. Tell me, how bad could it have been/ (So I make sure and think twice before doing anything!!)
     
    #1 harper42, Sep 10, 2006
  2. mcbrunnhilde

    mcbrunnhilde Opera singin' Prius nut!

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    From what others have written (either based upon experimentation or accident), I believe it would just beep at you and go into Neutral (no pieces of transmission on the highway like with a conventional car....). Love the "by-wire" technology!!!
     
    #2 mcbrunnhilde, Sep 10, 2006
  3. ralphbongo

    ralphbongo New Member

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    you will shift into reverse and go into time warp never to be found again :lol: Now the true story nothing but a beeeeeeeeeeeeeep
     
    #3 ralphbongo, Sep 10, 2006
  4. nwprius

    nwprius Member

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    That is right, no damage done except to your ego, if observed by passenger. It is super intelligent. Someone knew we would occasionally do something like this and put in all the safeguards. Enjoy.
     
    #4 nwprius, Sep 10, 2006
  5. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    Because the car is software controlled, it is - as I put it - "Tony Proof."

    Attempting to do something like change gears while driving simply puts it into [N]. You retain steering control, brake control, and with any luck you ego. But somewhere in the bowels of the electronic system, all the individual computer units are snickering at you.
     
    #5 TonyPSchaefer, Sep 10, 2006
  6. Bill Merchant

    Bill Merchant absit invidia

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    Don't ya just hate it when bowels snicker?
     
    #6 Bill Merchant, Sep 11, 2006
  7. hobbit

    hobbit Senior Member

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    Not only snickering, but making a BKWRD DIR SHIFT entry in the
    Operation History Data, enabling the techs to later say "oh, this
    guy must be a total bonehead" ...
    .
    _H*
     
    #7 hobbit, Sep 11, 2006
  8. JimboK

    JimboK One owner, low mileage

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Bill Merchant @ Sep 11 2006, 01:41 AM) [snapback]317611[/snapback]</div>
    Is that where laughing gas comes from?
     
    #8 JimboK, Sep 11, 2006
  9. Michgal007

    Michgal007 Senior Member

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    What would happen if you accidently press the "park" button instead of "in distress" (the blinking lights)? :)
     
    #9 Michgal007, Sep 11, 2006
  10. etyler88

    etyler88 etyler88

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Michgal007 @ Sep 11 2006, 06:36 AM) [snapback]317642[/snapback]</div>

    Same beep as accidental reverse
     
    #10 etyler88, Sep 11, 2006
  11. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    And just to deflate a bit of this ego trip, I don't know of any automatic that would go into reverse at speed. Even the most stupid ones I've driven go into neutral until you're almost stopped.
    In fact, that's a teen trick - moving forward in drive, switch to reverse and when it shifts at about 2 MPH press the accellerator. You get a nice black loop on the road. NOT GOOD for the car. But teens are pretty stupid sometimes.
     
    #11 David Beale, Sep 11, 2006
  12. harper42

    harper42 Member

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    Thanks for all your replies. Just backs up what I've been saying along. This has got to be the smartest car I've ever seen.... Too bad someone else already took the name "Smart Car." I wonder how smart the Smart Car actually is.......
     
    #12 harper42, Sep 11, 2006
  13. Soylent

    Soylent The v isn't a station wagon! It's just big boned

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    I uh...I actually did hit the shifter to reverse while driving. It just popped into neutral, but not before I panicked!
     
    #13 Soylent, Sep 11, 2006
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