Corolla driving position question

I prefer the "nearly straight-arm driving position". Twenty years of
hands on experience (OR) have led me to notice two things. Seat belts
stretch in accidents and air bags cause burns if you are too close. If
you have an older car without air bags and you like to drive with your
elbows bent (face closer to the steering wheel), your face may contact
the steering wheel in a frontal accident - some plastic surgeon will be
putting your face back to gether. If you have a car with an air bag,
you may get burns from the air bag in the same situation - some plastic
surgeon will be repairing the burn scars on your face. Muscles can be
conditioned to handle the "nearly straight-arm driving position", much
preferable (and less painful) than plastic surgery . . .

Matt Whiting wrote:

>
> I test drove a 2006 Corolla this weekend and like the car a lot, except
> for one thing: the position of the steering wheel. When I got the seat
> back to where my legs were comfortable, I found the reach to the
> steering wheel to be farther than is comfortable. The wheel seems very
> close to the dash and I suspect the nearly straight-arm driving position
> would get tiring over time. I own two Chrysler minivans and a Chevy
> pickup currently and all three allow me to use the door and seat
> armrests and still reach the steering wheel. This wasn't possible in
> the Corolla and it doesn't seem to offer a telescoping option on the
> steering wheel.
>
> Any Corolla owners who can comment on this? Do you get used to the
> driving position or is it tiresome on long trips?
>
> Matt
 >> Stay informed about: Corolla driving position question 

"ma_twain" <ma_twain RemoveThis @yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:431C6367.4050600@yahoo.com...
>I prefer the "nearly straight-arm driving position". Twenty years of hands
>on experience (OR) have led me to notice two things. Seat belts stretch in
>accidents and air bags cause burns if you are too close. If you have an
>older car without air bags and you like to drive with your elbows bent
>(face closer to the steering wheel), your face may contact the steering
>wheel in a frontal accident - some plastic surgeon will be putting your
>face back to gether. If you have a car with an air bag, you may get burns
>from the air bag in the same situation - some plastic surgeon will be
>repairing the burn scars on your face. Muscles can be conditioned to handle
>the "nearly straight-arm driving position", much preferable (and less
>painful) than plastic surgery . . .
>
> Matt Whiting wrote:
>

Most competition drivers also drive in the "straight arm" position, but then
the steering is not over 3 turns lock to lock.

As far as burns from an air bag leaving scars, that is an urban legend.
The vents on an air bag are positioned so that they vent towards the
dashboard and not towards the face or hands, although some early ones could
vent towards the hands. The gases generally will not cause more than a
first degree burn, about the same as a moderate sunburn. Airbag material
could cause abrasions similar to a rug burn, although these rarely cause
scarring. The pre-tesnsioning seatbelts in the Corolla would minimize
contact with the airbag, and if the crash is severe enough to stretch the
seatbelts enough to contact the airbag, then a mild rug burn is probably
preferable to a smashed face.

That said, ma twain's advice about sitting as far away from the airbag as
possible is right on!
--
Ray O
correct the return address punctuation to reply


>>
>> I test drove a 2006 Corolla this weekend and like the car a lot, except
>> for one thing: the position of the steering wheel. When I got the seat
>> back to where my legs were comfortable, I found the reach to the steering
>> wheel to be farther than is comfortable. The wheel seems very close to
>> the dash and I suspect the nearly straight-arm driving position would get
>> tiring over time. I own two Chrysler minivans and a Chevy pickup
>> currently and all three allow me to use the door and seat armrests and
>> still reach the steering wheel. This wasn't possible in the Corolla and
>> it doesn't seem to offer a telescoping option on the steering wheel.
>>
>> Any Corolla owners who can comment on this? Do you get used to the
>> driving position or is it tiresome on long trips?
>>
>> Matt
>
 >> Stay informed about: Corolla driving position question 

in minivans and (most)pickups you sit higher from the floor than in a corolla. this allows you to sit closer to the wheel and still have legroom as your knees are bent. try putting the seat in full upright position, or other varations to make yourself feel closer. also a lumbar pillow will inch you closer. I usually find the wheel to close in most cars, and the seat doesnt go back far enough so its hard to come up with how to reverse that. good luck
 >> Stay informed about: Corolla driving position question 

Ray O wrote:

> "ma_twain" <ma_twain DeleteThis @yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:431C6367.4050600@yahoo.com...
>
>>I prefer the "nearly straight-arm driving position". Twenty years of hands
>>on experience (OR) have led me to notice two things. Seat belts stretch in
>>accidents and air bags cause burns if you are too close. If you have an
>>older car without air bags and you like to drive with your elbows bent
>>(face closer to the steering wheel), your face may contact the steering
>>wheel in a frontal accident - some plastic surgeon will be putting your
>>face back to gether. If you have a car with an air bag, you may get burns
>>
>>from the air bag in the same situation - some plastic surgeon will be
>
>>repairing the burn scars on your face. Muscles can be conditioned to handle
>>the "nearly straight-arm driving position", much preferable (and less
>>painful) than plastic surgery . . .
>>
>>Matt Whiting wrote:
>>
>>
>
> Most competition drivers also drive in the "straight arm" position, but then
> the steering is not over 3 turns lock to lock.
>
> As far as burns from an air bag leaving scars, that is an urban legend.
> The vents on an air bag are positioned so that they vent towards the
> dashboard and not towards the face or hands, although some early ones could
> vent towards the hands. The gases generally will not cause more than a
> first degree burn, about the same as a moderate sunburn. Airbag material
> could cause abrasions similar to a rug burn, although these rarely cause
> scarring. The pre-tesnsioning seatbelts in the Corolla would minimize
> contact with the airbag, and if the crash is severe enough to stretch the
> seatbelts enough to contact the airbag, then a mild rug burn is probably
> preferable to a smashed face.
>
> That said, ma twain's advice about sitting as far away from the airbag as
> possible is right on!
>

Keep in mind, the more advanced air bag systems have the ability to
reduce the impact of the air bag based on body weight and height. This
idea was based on smaller adults and kids being killed or severely
injured by deploying air bag at full force. Sitting too close to the
steering wheel (bent elbows) does lead to a higher impact from the air
bag. I don't think the Corolla would have this advanced air bag system.
I have heard Mercedes advertising this system.

The next thing you know the car will be talking to you, telling you that
you need to go on a diet because your weight is too much for your height
It would in my case.
 >> Stay informed about: Corolla driving position question 

"ma_twain" <ma_twain DeleteThis @yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:431CF9C7.3010908@yahoo.com...
>
>
> Ray O wrote:
>
>> "ma_twain" <ma_twain DeleteThis @yahoo.com> wrote in message
>> news:431C6367.4050600@yahoo.com...
>>
>>>I prefer the "nearly straight-arm driving position". Twenty years of
>>>hands on experience (OR) have led me to notice two things. Seat belts
>>>stretch in accidents and air bags cause burns if you are too close. If
>>>you have an older car without air bags and you like to drive with your
>>>elbows bent (face closer to the steering wheel), your face may contact
>>>the steering wheel in a frontal accident - some plastic surgeon will be
>>>putting your face back to gether. If you have a car with an air bag, you
>>>may get burns
>>>from the air bag in the same situation - some plastic surgeon will be
>>
>>>repairing the burn scars on your face. Muscles can be conditioned to
>>>handle the "nearly straight-arm driving position", much preferable (and
>>>less painful) than plastic surgery . . .
>>>
>>>Matt Whiting wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>
>> Most competition drivers also drive in the "straight arm" position, but
>> then the steering is not over 3 turns lock to lock.
>>
>> As far as burns from an air bag leaving scars, that is an urban legend.
>> The vents on an air bag are positioned so that they vent towards the
>> dashboard and not towards the face or hands, although some early ones
>> could vent towards the hands. The gases generally will not cause more
>> than a first degree burn, about the same as a moderate sunburn. Airbag
>> material could cause abrasions similar to a rug burn, although these
>> rarely cause scarring. The pre-tesnsioning seatbelts in the Corolla
>> would minimize contact with the airbag, and if the crash is severe enough
>> to stretch the seatbelts enough to contact the airbag, then a mild rug
>> burn is probably preferable to a smashed face.
>>
>> That said, ma twain's advice about sitting as far away from the airbag as
>> possible is right on!
>>
>
> Keep in mind, the more advanced air bag systems have the ability to reduce
> the impact of the air bag based on body weight and height. This idea was
> based on smaller adults and kids being killed or severely injured by
> deploying air bag at full force. Sitting too close to the steering wheel
> (bent elbows) does lead to a higher impact from the air bag.
I don't think the Corolla would have this advanced air bag system.
> I have heard Mercedes advertising this system.
>

Very true! According to Toyota's web site, the 2006 Corolla is equipped
with front seat belt pre-tensioners and advanced airbag system for the
driver and front passenger. I beleive all vehicles have the advanced air
bag system now.

> The next thing you know the car will be talking to you, telling you that
> you need to go on a diet because your weight is too much for your height
> It would in my case.
>


--
Ray O
correct the return address punctuation to reply
 >> Stay informed about: Corolla driving position question 

I drive Corolla 94, and like the seating / steering wheel / instruments /
position so much better than in recent models. Hope my car is fine until
they re-design Corolla.
Why do put RPM gauge in automatics? Waist of dashboard space, the other
needed gauges are now smaller. See no sense.



"Matt Whiting" <whiting DeleteThis @epix.net> wrote in message
news:O0LSe.170$lb.24992@news1.epix.net...
>
> I test drove a 2006 Corolla this weekend and like the car a lot, except
> for one thing: the position of the steering wheel. When I got the seat
> back to where my legs were comfortable, I found the reach to the
> steering wheel to be farther than is comfortable. The wheel seems very
> close to the dash and I suspect the nearly straight-arm driving position
> would get tiring over time. I own two Chrysler minivans and a Chevy
> pickup currently and all three allow me to use the door and seat
> armrests and still reach the steering wheel. This wasn't possible in
> the Corolla and it doesn't seem to offer a telescoping option on the
> steering wheel.
>
> Any Corolla owners who can comment on this? Do you get used to the
> driving position or is it tiresome on long trips?
>
> Matt
 >> Stay informed about: Corolla driving position question 

This message is not archived
 >> Stay informed about: Corolla driving position question 

On Sun, 04 Sep 2005 23:01:02 +0000, Matt Whiting wrote:

>
> I test drove a 2006 Corolla this weekend and like the car a lot, except
> for one thing: the position of the steering wheel. When I got the seat
> back to where my legs were comfortable, I found the reach to the
> steering wheel to be farther than is comfortable. The wheel seems very
> close to the dash and I suspect the nearly straight-arm driving position
> would get tiring over time. I own two Chrysler minivans and a Chevy
> pickup currently and all three allow me to use the door and seat
> armrests and still reach the steering wheel. This wasn't possible in
> the Corolla and it doesn't seem to offer a telescoping option on the
> steering wheel.
>
> Any Corolla owners who can comment on this? Do you get used to the
> driving position or is it tiresome on long trips?
>
> Matt

I drove one today and thought about this post when I got in. For me, I
like too sit all the way back, and in this position the steering wheel
does not come down far enough, so my wrists are bent a bit forward, and it
is very uncomfortable. If the wheel came down two or three more clicks, it
would be nice.
 >> Stay informed about: Corolla driving position question 

vmkng wrote:
> I drive Corolla 94, and like the seating / steering wheel / instruments /
> position so much better than in recent models. Hope my car is fine until
> they re-design Corolla.
> Why do put RPM gauge in automatics? Waist of dashboard space, the other
> needed gauges are now smaller. See no sense.

I don't know, I always like having a tach even with automatic, but I
really prefer not to have automatic!

I suspect when they redesign the Corolla they will keep the wheel far
away given all of the airbags now in the car. I understand the logic
behind this, but it still makes for, in my opinion, an uncomfortable
driving position.

Matt
 >> Stay informed about: Corolla driving position question 

Matt Whiting <whiting.RemoveThis@epix.net> wrote:
> vmkng wrote:
> > I drive Corolla 94, and like the seating / steering wheel / instruments /
> > position so much better than in recent models. Hope my car is fine until
> > they re-design Corolla.
> > Why do put RPM gauge in automatics? Waist of dashboard space, the other
> > needed gauges are now smaller. See no sense.

> I don't know, I always like having a tach even with automatic, but I
> really prefer not to have automatic!

> I suspect when they redesign the Corolla they will keep the wheel far
> away given all of the airbags now in the car. I understand the logic
> behind this, but it still makes for, in my opinion, an uncomfortable
> driving position.

The 94 has air bags too...
 >> Stay informed about: Corolla driving position question 

<someone RemoveThis @somewhere.org> wrote in message
news:6QfWe.15303$Cc5.741@lakeread06...

>> I suspect when they redesign the Corolla they will keep the wheel far
>> away given all of the airbags now in the car. I understand the logic
>> behind this, but it still makes for, in my opinion, an uncomfortable
>> driving position.
>
> The 94 has air bags too...

In 1994 they didn't understand that air bags were dangerous explosive
devices that could kill people - particularly people who like to hang close
to the steering wheel.

Ed
 >> Stay informed about: Corolla driving position question