Honda Car Forum

E. Meyer wrote:
> I agree with you. The only good reason to put buttons on the wheel is so
> you can control things without taking your hands off the wheel or your eyes
> off the road. If they need to be lit, I think it sort of defeats the
> purpose, since the implication is that the functionality is non-obvious and
> you have to move your hand away and stare at the wheel long enough to read
> the buttons.
>
> Consumer Reports was on a crusade a couple of years ago where they lambasted
> any car that didn't have a center mounted horn button. I never understood
> how it could be better to have to take your hand off the wheel and push the
> center hob in an emergency rather than simply press your thumb on the spoke
> mounted button, which does not require removing your hand. I guess they
> liked the idea that when the air bag goes off while your hand is in the
> center fumbling around for a horn button, it punches you in the face with
> your own hand.

LOL! You should become a writer for Saturday Night Live, they could use
the help.

I agree that after a couple of days I had learned what was where,
besides I use the radio/CD changer buttons 10 times as often as cruise
control. I really like them.

They rather push the horn than do evasive maneuver. My bro said that the drivers
in the East push that horn button very often. Here in SoCal, pushing the horn
might put you in the hole.

"E. Meyer" wrote:

> Consumer Reports was on a crusade a couple of years ago where they lambasted
> any car that didn't have a center mounted horn button. I never understood
> how it could be better to have to take your hand off the wheel and push the
> center hob in an emergency rather than simply press your thumb on the spoke
> mounted button, which does not require removing your hand. I guess they
> liked the idea that when the air bag goes off while your hand is in the
> center fumbling around for a horn button, it punches you in the face with
> your own hand.

On Sat, 16 Aug 2003 21:08:26 GMT, "Seth"
<seth_lermanNOSPAM@hotmail.com> wrote:

>"E. Meyer" <e.meyer@ieee.org> wrote in message
>news:BB63C653.BB1E%e.meyer@ieee.org...
>Well, here I do see things 2 ways. I agree with you in being able to hit
>the horn without moving your hand, but I think the horn should also work
>from the middle as a number of people still instinctively reach there as
>well in a panic situation.
>

The issue with spoke mounted horn controls is that they're not in a
consistent spot at all times, so if you happen to need to hit the horn
while making a turn, you may have to look where the spokes are to find
the horn button. By the time you can do so, it may be too late.

OTOH, with the horn control in the center of the steering wheel, it's
always in the same place regardless of whether or not the steering
wheel is in the straight ahead position.