Turn Signal Volume Modification for Seniors

hearing aids are called for, although we sometimes refuse to admit it.
i just got hearing aids, i can hear the turn signal again

instead of hearing just the turn signals, they change your life in all hearing situations

 

Agree bisco, got mine about a year ago and can hear things I didn't realize I couldn't any more, turn signals, clocks ticking, birds, and much more.

 

too much sometimes!

 

I listen to music turn up all the time and never hear the turn signals. It’s just remembering to turn them off, it became a habit. Also if you can’t hear turn signal, get some hearing aid. You’re putting other lives in danger by not hearing your audible traffic surrounding.

 

Maybe instead of a hearing aid, they should invest in a visual aid? You can always check whether that green indicator is flashing and then turn the indicators off.

 

Years ago there was a tv program here that had a deaf lawyer, her car had additional lights for her
turn signals somewhere on the dash where it was easy for her to see. At least I think it was that show.
Somewhere I saw them. 2 wires and a small mount with a bulb that stood out.
Yes, they SHOULD turn off after a turn. But on some turns the latch doesn't disengage the lever.

 

Hmm...
As we age, whether we like it or admit it, our hearing deteriorates.
I like to look at the "positive" side of my aging hearing, and that is that I don't have too much motivation to upgrade or install expensive sound systems, because I'm pretty sure at this point in my life, I can't really hear the difference. Good is "Great" to this pair of ears. "Great" is probably just a waste of money.

As far as turn signals?
Well...they are designed to turn themselves off in most turning situations. Yes, occasionally for whatever reason, they don't. We've all followed that car that has their blinkers on, and doesn't seem to realize it.
It's probably happened to me on more than one occasion, NOT based on hearing or NOT hearing, but more on just distraction.

I'm going to say, I'm not going to worry about it because...in most situations the signals will turn themselves off..AND it's also simultaneously a visual system. You should be looking at your dash occasionally and visually noticing that your blinkers are on. If the angry honking from passing motorists aren't a clue.

I'm guessing with seniors it may not be as much the volume but the frequency. Certain tones and frequencies become white noise, or just invisible to our hearing
I'm not against modification, but I've actually never "heard"-no pun intended- of anyone doing it. I would be curious as to how it works, cost and complication.

My problem is far more, that the Honda Fit has a light control stalk that activates the brights by moving it forward. Unfortunately, it's pretty easy to accidentally bump it forward while driving.
I've stupidly driven around, "imagined" people were flashing their lights at me, THEN got home and pulled in only to notice my brights were on the whole time.
Yeah, this is partly my fault for not noticing that it's happened. A big blue headlight symbol comes on when they are activated. But IMO also just a design failure of Honda's. IMO it's far too easy to accidentally activate the brights.

Should Toyota and other automakers be attentive to older drivers hearing deficiencies?
I'm afraid if they made the turn signal noise louder or more intrusive, you'd get far more complaints about the sound being annoying, than older drivers lauding that they can easily hear the blinkers.
So...I suppose modification it is, IF you want to change that reality.

 

Checking the dash and indicators is part of being a driver.

There are actual deaf people (that cannot hear at all) that drive.

 

they could have adjustable volume for not much i suppose. but with hearing correction, i found out just how loud they already are.
i also found out why some people find the back up and seatbelt beep obnoxious

 

I do have hearing aids, but my wife still has to remind me sometimes to turn of the blinker. My response: "I was watching the road."

 

The turn signal has two levels of activation. If you give it a light push, it'll bounce back (and off) as soon as you release. Push further, it stays on till you cancel by pushing the other direction. That light push technique is good to use sometimes,

 

I thought my post was already too long.
But that is a huge influence on my opinion.
I grew up with a Nephew who was deaf. I learned sign language, and just growing up around him, learned how he dealt with the reality of being deaf.
And yes, you use visual ques, and depend on vision in the absence of not being able to hear.

 

the biggest problem i find is that if i have them turned up high enough to hear the blinker, everything else is way too loud
also, my wife's hycam blinker is much loader for some reason

 

Also, the deaf's other senses are heightened, so a blinking turn signal indicator to a deaf person would be like a lighthouse beacon. (they use a flashing light as a wake up alarm). They notice things we don't not only visually but through smell, feel, etc. I worked for a few years with 2 deaf men and learned fingerspelling and later ASL at their urging and with their help. I once walked up behind one of the guys and he turned to see who it was. I asked him how he knew I was there and he said he could feel the air movement in the hair on his arms. Amazing.

 

I think the sound of the turn signal came from the flashing relay. In my opinion the easiest would be to connect a beeper to that relay.
(Two diodes from each direction to the beeper, and to the other side of the beeper to the ground.)