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Stupid Prius Tricks

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by philforman, Aug 15, 2005.

  1. philforman

    philforman New Member

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    So I'm driving home from the farmers market yesterday and I notice that the passenger seat belt warning light is on... I didn't even know it had a passenger seat belt warning light. Being alone in the car, I was intrigued so I pulled over and shut down and restarted. Same thing.

    I then noticed the watermelon (around 10 lbs) I had put on the seat was sitting dead center. I moved it an inch and the indicator went off. Moved it back, light went on. I guess there's a sweet spot on the the seat that the melon happened to hit.

    I like the idea of a warning light for the passenger, but I think it may be a little too sensitive when a 10 lb object can set it off. I guess I'll just have to put up with it (tongue firmly in cheek).

    Anybody else have any stupid Prius tricks?
     
  2. mikepaul

    mikepaul Senior Member

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    Nothing repeatable on-demand.

    Every once in a while, I shut the driver's door and push the lock button, and all I get is a long beep. I reclose the door, and it usually locks. One time I needed to close the hatchback, which hadn't been opened since the night before...
     
  3. kirbinster

    kirbinster Member

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    You should be arrested! You actually drive around without buckling up your watermelon :)
     
  4. dreichla

    dreichla New Member

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    Dora likes to lock and unlock herself while I wash her. I don't even have to touch the little pads on the door handles. Simply touching the car often works.

    I find that taking the key away from her usually calms her down.
     
  5. bookrats

    bookrats New Member

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    That poor watermelon! Oh, the humanity! :D

    I had the same thing happen this morning when I put my backpack (which contained some heavy groceries) in it on the seat. Light came on.

    I just ignore it, or put the backpack on the floor.
     
  6. Porridge

    Porridge New Member

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    There is a sensor in the passenger seat to detect if a child seat has been put on it. If so, the passenger airbag is then disabled. There have been occasions of the airbag going off and killing the child. The big warning sticker on the sun visor is not good enough it seems.

    Most modern cars have this, some such as Fords and GMCs have a switch to turn it off.
     
  7. mikepaul

    mikepaul Senior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Porridge\";p=\"116884)</div>
    If the Prius has such a switch, then all they need to provide is some sort of adapter for small adults to use to be able to sit in the front and not get bagged. Not a booster seat, but just enough to enable that switch.

    Short of an on/off switch (which trucks can have), it'd do...
     
  8. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(kirbinster\";p=\"116838)</div>
    In Illinois, all watermelons must be belted in the back seat facing the rear of the vehicle.
     
  9. tmorrowus

    tmorrowus Member

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    The one bugaboo that annoys me the most is that you can't turn the car off immediately when you come to a stop... you have to wait a second or so for the speedometer to fall down to zero.

    I can understand that they want to prevent you from turning the car off while it's in motion, and that they seem to be determining whether the car is in motion by the speedometer. It makes sense while driving for the speedometer to update slower than realtime so that you don't get jumpy readings.

    But this vehicle is has many other sensor systems that could instantaneously tell that the vehicle has come to a complete stop without the need to wait for the speedometer to come down. For instance the antilock brakes know the exact position of all wheels and sample the data many many times per second. If the turn-off interlock were tied into that system instead, you would be able to switch off as soon as you had stopped. rather than having to wait a second.

    The second I save by locking up with the smart key ends up getting wasted waiting for the car to let me power it down!

    Okay, I'm sure writing this message probably used enough seconds to last a year of Prius turn offs, so I will acknowledge this is a minor issue :)
     
    1 person likes this.
  10. bookrats

    bookrats New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer\";p=\"116918)</div>
    Though in some counties, seedless watermelons and musk melons are exempt.
     
  11. RetiredProf

    RetiredProf New Member

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    In New York State seedless melons are exempt if one has a proof of purchase indicating that the 20% tax has been paid. Melons with seeds are exempt only if one has a statement from Hillary indicating that all of the seeds have moved to the center.
     
  12. chanterelle

    chanterelle Member

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    Does Hillary have to write and sign the statement personally, or can one of her staffers respond in her place or sign Hillary's name to the statement?
     
  13. RetiredProf

    RetiredProf New Member

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    I understand that she has appointed Bill Whatshisname as her chief respondent and has authorized him to sign anything that she (read "HE") could (read "should") authorize. Other than that, if the wet finger seems to dry faster on the Right side than then the Left when held up, anyone can sign the statement.
     
  14. Blue

    Blue New Member

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    Usually if I forget my cell phone in the car (e.g. charging in the center console), I'm unable to lock my doors (I get the long beep mentioned above). Today for some reason, the car locked while the phone was charging. When I went back to the car to get my phone, it wouldn't unlock - using either SKS or the fob. I had to pull out the key to unlock the door.

    Everything worked fine after removing the phone from the car.
     
  15. philforman

    philforman New Member

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    Update... The melon survived the trip home, despite not being strapped in. However, after a couple of hours of chilling out at home, it developed symptoms which forced me to operate. Sad to say, it didn't survive the day. Maybe next time I'll take better care. :wink:
     
  16. reesdude

    reesdude New Member

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    if you hold down bass and tremble in the same direction, the equalizer in between both of them will move.
     
  17. AnOldHouse

    AnOldHouse Member

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    I believe in personal responsibility. In Connecticut, if the passenger fails to wear a seatbelt, it's the passenger that will be ticketed, not the driver. Therefore, it's up to the watermelon to decide for itself whether it buckles itself in or not.
     
  18. aaf709

    aaf709 Ravenpaw of ThunderClan

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dreichla\";p=\"116839)</div>
    Perhaps she's ticklish. :)

    Blue Belle does the same thing.
     
  19. bookrats

    bookrats New Member

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    I was about to ask about how you disposed of the remains... but it kept leading me to Stranger in a Strange Land analogies. :)
     
  20. wstander

    wstander New Member

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    Is the 'tremble' button only on the 'hip-hop' edition with the subwoofer :)