Cool safety features

[LSixer]

I had the chance to drive a 2009 jetta last week while my TT was being serviced and I noticed something about it. The car had additional indicator lights on the side mirrors. I realize there are a lot of models of cars that do also, I just have never driven one. It would seem to me that this actually has enormous benefits.





What cool features do you think are actually benefical?

[Roadkill]

More for the esthetical aspect then functionality I think. New BMW 5-series have their direction indicators on all the time, not blinking off course.

[Wagon Mafia]

I have personally talked to a crash investigator/road race car driver about safety features. You would be suprised at how many things make your car less safer. Like air bag on your steering wheel. But i wont get into that now. The guy himself has taken out the air bags in all his car, including his daily Grand Cherokee. Personally i can't stand safety features like Stability Control and Traction Control. Some cars even have them so you can't turn them off.

But if we are talking about Cool safety features i love the Cadillac DTS Reverse lights. (cant find any pics for some reason, but they are extremely bright white)

[LSixer]

You know, I mixed on airbags. But my TT has them and I will keep them in place just because they are too difficult to remove.

Like I mentioned, the additional turn signals. Those have a REAL impact on daily driving IMHO. I know there are others, whats your comments on additional safety features?

[clutch]

The first one to come to mind is seat belt pretensioners. Not only will they give you whiplash..er.....keep your body attached to your seat, but they almost act like a harness in normal driving conditions so that  you don't move as much under more involved cornering.

I think it is pretty neat that it can work like a dual feature for safety and functionality. As for others, I could list more, but its 2 and I am tired.

[LSixer]

Its funny, I have another short experience with airbags.

Recently my wife had a small fender bender, she was in a almost empty parking lot and managed to nail a light pole head on, the ones with the large concrete based. She hit it hard enough to blow the bags. It was nice to know they actually worked since my wife doesnt always were a belt.

Anyway, she called me to come get her. We figured since she hit a light pole, we decided to not file a police report, I mean, Im pretty sure the light pole did not have insurance so we were screwed that way. When I got there, she was shaken but not hurt so I told her to drive my car and I would try to drive hers. Upon arriving at the house, I got out of her car and she entered again to grab some things before going in the house. She then went on a tirade about me smoking in her car on the way home (I actually didnt). She was not listening to reason, but, after she calmed down, I was able to explain that the smell was from the charge that deploys the bags, not my cigarette.

We all calmed down shortly there after and the scratches on my face from her have healed nicely.

[S POWRD]

The first one to come to mind is seat belt pretensioners. Not only will they give you whiplash..er.....keep your body attached to your seat, but they almost act like a harness in normal driving conditions so that  you don't move as much under more involved cornering.

I think it is pretty neat that it can work like a dual feature for safety and functionality. As for others, I could list more, but its 2 and I am tired.

The pretensioner is the detonation that retracts the seat belt in an accident, one time use. The hard cornering, braking, or leaning forward too quickly ( ) is just like a brake that holds the belt from releasing more.

Adam, I find those turn lights annoying on my mkV. They're right in my peripherals and distract me. I DO like the bump the stock and get 3 light blinks on the turn signal stock though.

[clutch]

Well then I must be using wrong terminology, I speak of the feature that you pull your seat belt all the way out, and then it clicks back tight against your body.

[LSixer]

Well then I must be using wrong terminology, I speak of the feature that you pull your seat belt all the way out, and then it clicks back tight against your body.

Thats got me too. Not sure what the official tag line is for that.

[S POWRD]

Well then I must be using wrong terminology, I speak of the feature that you pull your seat belt all the way out, and then it clicks back tight against your body.

I'm not sure what that is called either. It's some kind of inertia brake for the seat belt.

5 IE points to the first person that finds the technical term!

[Polish Guy]

Well then I must be using wrong terminology, I speak of the feature that you pull your seat belt all the way out, and then it clicks back tight against your body.

I'm not sure what that is called either. It's some kind of inertia brake for the seat belt.

5 IE points to the first person that finds the technical term!

its a inertia reel or technical term:

ELR V (Emergency Locking Retractor - Vehicle sensitive): Single sensitive mechanism, composed of a locking mechanism activated in an emergency by deceleration or rollover of the vehicle. Thus, the seatbelt is sensitive to the vehicle's motion.

ELR VW (Emergency Locking Retractor - Vehicle and Webbing sensitive): Dual sensitive means a seatbelt retractor that, during normal driving conditions, allows freedom of movement by the wearer of the seatbelt by means of length-adjusting components that automatically adjust the strap to the wearer, with a locking mechanism that is activated by two or more of the following: