I wish to comment on the advice you gave to Nancy on turn signal volume which appeared in the May 13, 2011 issue of the RGJ. She complained that her dad could not hear the turn-signal flasher.
I happen to be one of those old geezers who do not hear my turn signal indicator (with very expensive hearing aids!). As you well know, as one grows older, hearing of the high frequencies decreases. The prime examples are the turn signals and the wife’s voice. However, my 2007 Buick has an alarm that goes off when the turn indicator has been on too long. This is VERY audible. The visual blinking light is not relevant when the driver is watching the road.
The problem is not with the old geezer, but with the sound frequency of the turn signal indicator. This problem could readily be corrected by the automotive engineers, i.e. change the audio frequency of the turn signals. It may avoid accidents.
Why do you need to hear the turn signals? You turn them on, so the fact that they are still on shouldn’t come as any surprise, right? Do you need a reminder that the engine is running too?
I always enjoyed the more European cars because the blinkers make a definite “click-click-click” when they’re on. Other than that, I’m happy with the vehicles I have now.
You could see if there’s a way to relocate the turn signal flasher to someplace that contacts the dash. That way, it resonates through the dash panels. I’m sure it’s possible…a plug to fit the socket, and a remote socket.
This one if for a truck, but it’s the same sort of thing.
Here’s another one. Use an old flasher that doesn’t work, and wire it together.
How fast are you going? Oh I forgot, you’re “watching the road” so I’ll wait until you can stop and look at the speedometer. How’s that rearview mirror treating you?
simply hold the turn lever down until it blinks, no need to lock the lever, just flash when needed. plus you do not wear out the mechanism. this way you do not need to hear it blink and never leave it on of you are deaf. works for me, my hand is right there anyway,chuckie
You guys clearly are not experiencing hearing loss. I’m not that old, but I can’t hear high sounds either, and hearing aids help but they aren’t perfect. So I have to keep checking the dash to make sure the signals are off. Mostly that takes care of it, but in busy traffic here in Northern California, where you can find yourself moving in very congested 5 lane highways at 65 or 70 mph, there’s a lot to watch, and sometimes the signals just get overlooked. I try to use the press to signal system, and it mostly works, but the polite signal clicker is just silly. Make it click loud. Why not?
For a couple of you here, and you will know which ones you are, you have no clue.
I too can no longer hear the turn signal clicking, but worse that that, in almost every vehicle I’ve driven lately, the turn signal indicator lights are hidden behind the steering wheel, so I can’t see them either.
I know I turned them on, I expected that turning the steering wheel to make the corner would turn them off, but sometimes if the turn is not sharp enough, the steering wheel is not turned far enough to turn them off. It would be a big help if manufacturers would close up that angle as steering wheel ratios become “quicker”. I don’t think that that angle has changed since my 55 Chevy, the steering has become a lot quicker.
I did drive a company vehicle once,1998 Caravan, that would set off the alarm buzzer after some period of time to let you know that the turn signals were on. The problem with that vehicle was that the turn signal indicators were not located in the instrument panel, but way out on each end of the eyebrow over the instrument panel. I actually had to pull into a rest area and get out the owners manual to figure out what was causing the noise, and find where the turn signal indicators were.