Minor things that bother you

[JayhawkCO]

And Much more expensive.

Mike

While body wash is more expensive, I buy a new bottle probably once every two months or so. If I'm paying double the price of soap, that's an extra $20 a year I'll pay for convenience (and not having to scrape soap scum/remnants out of the soap tray built into my shower).

[Scott5114]

Related to "smol," which I saw used to describe a font on a speed limit sign in "There is NO way that is MUTCD-Compliant" yesterday...

thicc

What's the point of the intentional misspelling?

"Thicc" is usually used to describe a person who is sexually attractive because they have wide hips, thick thighs, etc. thus distinguishing them from the standard rail-thin beauty standard. The difference in spelling is to signify that the person considers it a compliment/a good thing, as opposed to "thick" which could be taken as insulting (and in Britain means "stupid", i.e. "thick as a board").

Applying it to something that isn't a person is an attempt at being humorous.

[ethanhopkin14]

... as opposed to "thick" which could be taken as insulting (and in Britain means "stupid", i.e. "thick as a board").

[roadman65]

The short memory that your cars remote door lock has.  I hate when you press unlock to get into your car, then seconds later you realize you need to open your passenger back door. So you hit open a second time to unlock the rear door to only find that it's not opened requiring you to depress a third time. One more time than originally needed you end up doing all because the computer forgot the first command was already completed.

[GaryV]

It bugs me when I use the key fob to unlock the doors, and only the driver door unlocks. I can't come up with any scenario except fleeing an attacker that you might want that to happen. And if you're in a stress situation like that, you're probably going to be mashing on the button as fast and as often as you can to make sure the driver door is open. You're not going to take time to think about not letting them in the passenger side.

[mgk920]

I'm minorly annoyed that my current car does not have a mechanical key lock on the trunk ('boot' for the Brits here in the crowd) lid and that I must use the FOB to open it.  It's a royal PITA when the battery is run down and that's where the jumping cables are.   

Mike

[J N Winkler]

It bugs me when I use the key fob to unlock the doors, and only the driver door unlocks. I can't come up with any scenario except fleeing an attacker that you might want that to happen. And if you're in a stress situation like that, you're probably going to be mashing on the button as fast and as often as you can to make sure the driver door is open. You're not going to take time to think about not letting them in the passenger side.

I think the motivation for requiring a second click to unlock all doors (which, in my experience, is universal with all RKE systems) is to address situations where the driver is alone and a stealth attacker is waiting out of sight, next to the front passenger door, to get in with the driver and point a gun at him or her.  Few drivers approach their cars in a way that gives them a view of all four sides, which is what it takes to preclude this type of attack.

As for RKE-related annoyances, the one that really chaps my skin is rejecting the second click unless it occurs a precisely timed interval after the first.  The 2009 Honda Fit in the family has this issue.

[jakeroot]

As for RKE-related annoyances, the one that really chaps my skin is rejecting the second click unless it occurs a precisely timed interval after the first.  The 2009 Honda Fit in the family has this issue.

I think Subaru is really bad about that too. I swear, sometimes, it takes three or four punches just to get everything unlocked.

[US 89]

As for RKE-related annoyances, the one that really chaps my skin is rejecting the second click unless it occurs a precisely timed interval after the first.  The 2009 Honda Fit in the family has this issue.

I think Subaru is really bad about that too. I swear, sometimes, it takes three or four punches just to get everything unlocked.

I've never had an issue with that. The only thing about my Subaru's door locks that I wish were different is that they don't lock automatically when you start driving. The technology has long since existed but apparently it is some sort of Subaru culture thing to not implement it. If I want to lock them while I'm driving, I have to push the button on my door to do that. No big deal, since I'm used to it, but if someone else is driving for some reason, they never realize the doors don't lock on their own.

What does bother me is when I'm driving with other people and they take forever to get out of the car because they can't figure out how to get the door open. They'll pull the lever and then fumble around and panic when the door doesn't open. How hard can it be to flip the lock switch yourself once you realize pulling the lever isn't going to work? Quite difficult, apparently. Usually by the time they start messing with the switch I've already pushed the button to unlock the doors anyway.

[GenExpwy]

It bugs me when I use the key fob to unlock the doors, and only the driver door unlocks. I can't come up with any scenario except fleeing an attacker that you might want that to happen. And if you're in a stress situation like that, you're probably going to be mashing on the button as fast and as often as you can to make sure the driver door is open. You're not going to take time to think about not letting them in the passenger side.

Have you read the owner's manual? My 2009 Buick can be programmed (via the dashboard buttons) to unlock all the doors with either one click or two.

[JayhawkCO]

I fortunately have a proximity key, so assuming my fob is in my pocket, I just have to put my hand near either the driver's seat, passenger seat, or tailgate and it opens all doors.

[zachary_amaryllis]

I think it would be handy if the key could operate the lock both ways, say, turn to the left operates it electrically, to the right operates it mechanically. I drive and old(er) school car that doesn't do fobs and whatnot.

[J N Winkler]

I think it would be handy if the key could operate the lock both ways, say, turn to the left operates it electrically, to the right operates it mechanically. I drive and old(er) school car that doesn't do fobs and whatnot.

My daily driver is a 28-year-old Saturn, and while it has power locks, I am pretty sure RKE was not available even as a factory option.  Turning the key toward the front of the car locks; turning it toward the back of the car unlocks (mechanical action).  If the key is inserted into the driver's door lock, then turning the key toward the front of the door locks all doors, while turning the key toward the back, then toward the front, and then back toward neutral position unlocks all doors (electrical action).

Generally speaking, older cars are passively secure.  They do not communicate that the owner has money and a thief cannot be confident that they will run.

[jakeroot]

As for RKE-related annoyances, the one that really chaps my skin is rejecting the second click unless it occurs a precisely timed interval after the first.  The 2009 Honda Fit in the family has this issue.

I think Subaru is really bad about that too. I swear, sometimes, it takes three or four punches just to get everything unlocked.

I've never had an issue with that. The only thing about my Subaru's door locks that I wish were different is that they don't lock automatically when you start driving. The technology has long since existed but apparently it is some sort of Subaru culture thing to not implement it. If I want to lock them while I'm driving, I have to push the button on my door to do that. No big deal, since I'm used to it, but if someone else is driving for some reason, they never realize the doors don't lock on their own.

What does bother me is when I'm driving with other people and they take forever to get out of the car because they can't figure out how to get the door open. They'll pull the lever and then fumble around and panic when the door doesn't open. How hard can it be to flip the lock switch yourself once you realize pulling the lever isn't going to work? Quite difficult, apparently. Usually by the time they start messing with the switch I've already pushed the button to unlock the doors anyway.

I seem to recall most manufacturers have a setting in the car's infotainment system that allows the operator to modify the door lock settings, from "never" to "when in Drive" to "above [xx] mph", etc. In my Volkswagen, I only have two options (never and above a certain speed) as it's a stick-shift, but the idea is the same; I personally do not have auto locks on. Also, do Subaru passenger doors not open even when locked? In most cars (including my VW), the front two doors will open even when locked, though not the rear doors. This may be because (in my case) there is no manual switch for the door locks, just buttons on the front two doors that light up depending on whether the doors are locked or unlocked.

Another thing about Subaru's that drive me up the wall: the electrics completely die the moment the car is switched off. I don't mind the radio shutting off, but the wipers just freeze and windows won't keep rolling up either. In my VW, the windows stay active for a good few minutes, and the wipers complete a wipe and then recess into the hood (though both would also freeze if I opened the doors). The wipers thing isn't necessarily common in other manufacturers, but the window issue seems to be Subaru-specific; other manufacturers don't kill those electrics until a door opens.

[US 89]

As for RKE-related annoyances, the one that really chaps my skin is rejecting the second click unless it occurs a precisely timed interval after the first.  The 2009 Honda Fit in the family has this issue.

I think Subaru is really bad about that too. I swear, sometimes, it takes three or four punches just to get everything unlocked.

I've never had an issue with that. The only thing about my Subaru's door locks that I wish were different is that they don't lock automatically when you start driving. The technology has long since existed but apparently it is some sort of Subaru culture thing to not implement it. If I want to lock them while I'm driving, I have to push the button on my door to do that. No big deal, since I'm used to it, but if someone else is driving for some reason, they never realize the doors don't lock on their own.

What does bother me is when I'm driving with other people and they take forever to get out of the car because they can't figure out how to get the door open. They'll pull the lever and then fumble around and panic when the door doesn't open. How hard can it be to flip the lock switch yourself once you realize pulling the lever isn't going to work? Quite difficult, apparently. Usually by the time they start messing with the switch I've already pushed the button to unlock the doors anyway.

I seem to recall most manufacturers have a setting in the car's infotainment system that allows the operator to modify the door lock settings, from "never" to "when in Drive" to "above [xx] mph", etc. In my Volkswagen, I only have two options (never and above a certain speed) as it's a stick-shift, but the idea is the same; I personally do not have auto locks on. Also, do Subaru passenger doors not open even when locked? In most cars (including my VW), the front two doors will open even when locked, though not the rear doors. This may be because (in my case) there is no manual switch for the door locks, just buttons on the front two doors that light up depending on whether the doors are locked or unlocked.

Another thing about Subaru's that drive me up the wall: the electrics completely die the moment the car is switched off. I don't mind the radio shutting off, but the wipers just freeze and windows won't keep rolling up either. In my VW, the windows stay active for a good few minutes, and the wipers complete a wipe and then recess into the hood (though both would also freeze if I opened the doors). The wipers thing isn't necessarily common in other manufacturers, but the window issue seems to be Subaru-specific; other manufacturers don't kill those electrics until a door opens.

I think I looked in the manual once and I couldn't find any sort of auto-lock setting. And yeah, even the front doors don't open when they're locked. I guess thinking about other cars, in the front even if they don't open on the first try, they'll usually open on the second (i.e. the first try unlocks it, the second one opens).

The only thing that bothers me about the electrics issue is that the radio turns off - but I've discovered a fix for this! If you really want the music to keep playing until your song finishes, if you turn off the car before you put it in park, it kills everything but the radio (and then beeps at you to put it in park, of course). For windows, it's not that hard to just close them before you turn off the car, or if you forget, to turn the electrics on without starting the engine.

I guess this is how you know you know your car - when you've pretty much memorized all the idiosyncracies, solved the ones you can, and learned to deal with the ones you can't.

[Scott5114]

My 2009 Pontiac locks the doors when the car is in put in gear. It only unlocks them when the car is turned off. This was really irritating last month when my garage door opener went out and I had to back the car out, then get out of the car to close the door. When I remembered to, I would just grab hold of the door lock (one of those traditional up/down pin-type ones) and forcibly hold it unlocked while I put the car into reverse. But about half the time I would forget and then I'd be fighting the door to get out.

[1995hoo]

My driver's-side door is messed up right now. Pulling the handle on the inside isn't opening the door for whatever reason, so I have to put down the window and reach outside to open it, then put the window back up. I almost always forget, of course. While I can still put the window up or down for some short amount of time after I turn off the car, that only works one way–I have to turn the key to the accessory position to put the window back up.

I should just go get it fixed, but it's a relatively low priority at the moment because I'm not driving a lot.

[7/8]

This intersection, Courtland and Middle Block in Kitchener. Coming from the south, you can only see the left turn signals. Since Ontario doesn't use red arrows, it looks like the light is red until you get close enough to see the through signals. I think part of the issue is that one of the left turn signals is to the right of the median.

[ethanhopkin14]

This intersection, Courtland and Middle Block in Kitchener. Coming from the south, you can only see the left turn signals. Since Ontario doesn't use red arrows, it looks like the light is red until you get close enough to see the through signals. I think part of the issue is that one of the left turn signals is to the right of the median.

No doubt it's on purpose to make you slow down entering the intersection and not have you speed up to beat the light, because from far out, you can't tell if it's green to try and beat it.  I have seen a few like this. 

[ethanhopkin14]

This intersection, Courtland and Middle Block in Kitchener. Coming from the south, you can only see the left turn signals. Since Ontario doesn't use red arrows, it looks like the light is red until you get close enough to see the through signals. I think part of the issue is that one of the left turn signals is to the right of the median.

Wait, there is a railroad signal there on the sidewalk at the crosswalk between the sidewalk and the road?  I see that it is to keep people from crossing the road that leads straight onto the tracks, but I have never seen that type of setup before. 

[GaryV]

^ Here's RR crossing gates for the sidewalk in Royal Oak, MI:  https://goo.gl/maps/n6bXrqe42wpK5Zue8

You can barely see the sidewalk gate behind the "X" on the near side. You can see the gate a little better on the far side signal.

[ethanhopkin14]

^ Here's RR crossing gates for the sidewalk in Royal Oak, MI:  https://goo.gl/maps/n6bXrqe42wpK5Zue8

You can barely see the sidewalk gate behind the "X" on the near side. You can see the gate a little better on the far side signal.

I have seen that numerous times in my life.  What I am talking about is a signal for the sidewalk and directly behind the gate is the paved roadway, not the railroad tracks.  In other words, when the train comes, they won't even let you cross the street to get to where the tracks are.

It is actually the next intersection on Courtland I was talking about.  Google Maps is acting quite janky at the intersection and bouncing me all around when I want to advance it (even forcing me into the parking lot of the adjacent business).

[7/8]

^ Here's RR crossing gates for the sidewalk in Royal Oak, MI:  https://goo.gl/maps/n6bXrqe42wpK5Zue8

You can barely see the sidewalk gate behind the "X" on the near side. You can see the gate a little better on the far side signal.

I have seen that numerous times in my life.  What I am talking about is a signal for the sidewalk and directly behind the gate is the paved roadway, not the railroad tracks.  In other words, when the train comes, they won't even let you cross the street to get to where the tracks are.

It is actually the next intersection on Courtland I was talking about.  Google Maps is acting quite janky at the intersection and bouncing me all around when I want to advance it (even forcing me into the parking lot of the adjacent business).

This spot? I know what you mean, it does look odd.

[ethanhopkin14]

^ Here's RR crossing gates for the sidewalk in Royal Oak, MI:  https://goo.gl/maps/n6bXrqe42wpK5Zue8

You can barely see the sidewalk gate behind the "X" on the near side. You can see the gate a little better on the far side signal.

I have seen that numerous times in my life.  What I am talking about is a signal for the sidewalk and directly behind the gate is the paved roadway, not the railroad tracks.  In other words, when the train comes, they won't even let you cross the street to get to where the tracks are.

It is actually the next intersection on Courtland I was talking about.  Google Maps is acting quite janky at the intersection and bouncing me all around when I want to advance it (even forcing me into the parking lot of the adjacent business).

This spot? I know what you mean, it does look odd.

That is odd, but it was actually here.  I mean I get it, once you cross the road you are in the railroad tracks basically so when a train comes you might want to not cross the road entirely, but it's a setup I have never seen before. 

[hbelkins]

Use of the word "preventative" for "preventive."

That one bugs me about as bad as using the non-word "publically" for "publicly."