The problem with new cars -

[TrudyM]

Because of the airbag I never can find the horn quickly. I don't use the horn very often and yesterday when someone ran me off the road I was too busy saving my ass and avoiding a dent to find the ... horn.
Now it is a rental but I have the same problem with my Honda accord. For most of my life I jammed my hand down in the center of the wheel now I do that and I miss the spot that sounds the horn.
I am showing that I am not a great driver I guess that I haven't adapted or that I am too nice as I don't use the horn often enough to know where it is. But driving around here I better get in practice I guess.

[missypie]

Glad that you are okay. I think I've used my horn twice in 3 years. You could perhaps put a sticker on the spot when the horn is so you can see it.

I really don't like horn blowers. Many times they are like bullies in their cars.

If you honk at an elderly person, they may not even hear you and they may not understand why you are honking.

If you honk at me....

[BarryRX]

When I was younger and had to travel a lot for business, I landed at the airport, rented a car, and started to drive to my destination. I got caught in a huge downpour that came on very quickly. I had trouble finding the windshield wipers and for a few scary moments couldn't see very well. Now, when I get in a rental, I make sure I know where the horn is, the lights, the windshield wipers, the emergency flashers, and which side the gas tank is on.

[TrudyM]

Glad that you are okay. I think I've used my horn twice in 3 years. You could perhaps put a sticker on the spot when the horn is so you can see it.

I really don't like horn blowers. Many times they are like bullies in their cars.

If you honk at an elderly person, they may not even hear you and they may not understand why you are honking.

If you honk at me....

Thanks I'm fine. Lost a little rubber on the sidewalls of the car as I almost ran up onto the grass avoiding the idiot that changed lanes without looking. He was behind me then cut out around and pulled in about three feet too soon. The person behind had dropped back so I didn't get hit when I slammed on the breaks. That makes three dumb moves by drivers and one by a golf cart but in six weeks I guess that's not too bad. Not as bad as I had feared reading all of your posts when preparing for the trip.

[Topspinmo]

I don't like all the controls on the steering column with the right and left handles. My wife has Honda and I still have trouble turning the windshield wipers, but I like the 35 MPH on the highway and 28 around town so I put up with it.

IMO some controls should still be on the dash like lights, windshield wipers, That why when something breaks you only have to replace that switch instead of tearing the steering column out and get charged 800 Plus. gadgets works good for 4, 5, 8 years or so then the Nightmare may start when wear, dust, and moisture rears it ugly head?? but I guess I am old school.

[bluedog103]

Because of the airbag I never can find the horn quickly. I don't use the horn very often and yesterday when someone ran me off the road I was too busy saving my ass and avoiding a dent to find the ... horn.
What? Your finger didn't work either?

[2BNTV]

Always a good idea to know where everything is, before taking off in a rental.

Another hint. They used to say to keep your hands on the wheel in the 2 and 10 clock configuration. It's now 4 and 8, as if you hit something, and the air bag goes off, your hands will not get knocked off of the steering wheel, and you retain control of the car.

Sorry this event happened to you.

[manaboutown]

When I was younger and had to travel a lot for business, I landed at the airport, rented a car, and started to drive to my destination. I got caught in a huge downpour that came on very quickly. I had trouble finding the windshield wipers and for a few scary moments couldn't see very well. Now, when I get in a rental, I make sure I know where the horn is, the lights, the windshield wipers, the emergency flashers, and which side the gas tank is on.

This is excellent advice. I have had all sorts of problems with rental cars. In Las Vegas in the eighties I rented from Hertz a Lincoln Town Car upon arrival late in the evening. It's dashboard display was an early digital, all lights. After I drove it a few miles at around midnight the entire display went out. I did not know how fast I was going, the temperature of the cooling system or how much gas it had, nada. Fortunately I was able to return it as I had to do some cross country driving the next day.

A couple of years ago I rented a car from Enterprise at MCO for a month's stay in The Villages. It was a Nissan having a keyless ignition. If the key is pretty much anywhere in the car one pushes the same button to start and stop the engine. One day I was driving outside TV and stopped at a restaurant to eat. The engine would not turn off, even after I removed the key from inside the car. I ended up driving the car to Enterprise in TV. No one THERE could figure out how to turn it off! Fortunately they had another rental available which they gave to me. I hung around long enough to see the car loaded onto a tow truck, engine still running, to be taken somewhere.

[Serenoa]

What? Your finger didn't work either?

One of my all-time favorite bumper stickers: "Horn broke. Watch for finger!"

[swimdawg]

One of my all-time favorite bumper stickers: "Horn broke. Watch for finger!"

That's it, Ser.............you get the coveted??? Swimdawg Post of the Day Award!!!! :eclipsee_gold_cup:

[batman911]

TV is a no horn or finger zone.

[swimdawg]

TV is a no horn or finger zone.

Too bad I already gave the coveted???? SPOTD Award out!!!

[villagetinker]

I read somewhere that the push button start/stop cars were supposed to stop the engine "no matter what" if the push button was held down for get this 3 seconds or more.

[jblum315]

Silliest rental car thing for me was in Scotland. Rented a car with 3 teenagers (daughter, son and son's friend). Obviously needed the back seat. Doors were locked. We figured out that it was a child-lock thing but couldn't find it. A week of climbing over the seats etc. ended when we returned it. The child lock was in the glove box.