I have now driven the car several hundred miles, and every time I go to change lanes, I get frustrated. What's wrong with a good old mechanical turn signal lever? But NOOOOOOO, we had to get fancy and put in this software-driven turn-signal-by-wire. Half the time I don't trigger it right, and I have to FOCUS MY ATTENTION on the turn signal to do it right. That's just WRONG!

While I'm at it, the flying saucer key thing is also dumb. It does what, exactly, compared to a traditional key? Makes it impossible to start in the dark? Great, thanks, Mini designers! If I'm ever being chased by a horror movie monster, and have to start the car to save my life...I'm gonna die.

Every time I let someone else drive the car, they sit there in the driver's seat and just...stare at the dash, holding the key, trying to puzzle out what to do to get the car started. This has happened to 100% of the drivers. Hmm, I sense a pattern.

(Knowing what I know now, I might have sprung for the "keyless go" option. Then I wouldn't be griping about this particular point, at least.)

Oh, and the menu navigation for adjusting the audio system and other stuff? Bleh. Ridiculous complexity for its own sake. I can't change the bass, treble, fader, or balance while I'm driving; too dangerous. And it took me many days of driving before I could figure out how to change from one radio preset to another without accidentally wandering into some menu mode I didn't want.

Now I know some of you will say I'm inflexible or some kind of luddite. And it's true, I drive several cars so I'm not driving the Mini every day. But that just calls my attention to how annoying these details are in comparison to almost every other car on the market. I don't want my car to be like Microsoft Windows -- (motto: Alter Your Behavior to Suit Our Needs). The car should be ergonomic and intuitive to use.

On the plus side, I love driving the car. It's quick and fun, just like I hoped for, and it seems to be getting faster as it breaks in. So don't get me wrong, I love the overall car, I just get frustrated that the designers seem to have spoiled some parts in the name of...what? Difference for the sake of being different? "Progress"?

--Dan
Mach V
FastMINI.net

 

Just move to Maryland or NJ, where nobody uses the damn things anyway. Grrrrrrrrrr.

 

My wife is from Maryland and she says no one down here uses them.

 

LOL. Well when I lived in NJ I used to complain about how when I was in MD everyone signalled. Now I am back in MD and it's the same as in NJ. I really miss driving in Germany.

 

I thought the same thing about the turn signal when I took the R56 for a test drive. I found it highly distracting.

Once you get used to the newness of your MINI things should get better.

 

In MD turn signals are a double-edged sword. People complain that so few people use them. Problem is, far too often when one uses their signal to merge into traffic, you'll get shut out nearly half the time. Damned if you do, damned if you dont. If I hit my signal and the person speeds up to block, I make a quick slide over and punch the brakes to remind the jerk that what he was doing was not appreciated. Seems hardly a week goes by that something like this does not happen.

I used to enjoy driving so much.

 

I actually like the turn-signals on the new model. Press once before the detent.. three blinks.. hold down past the detent... a whole bunch of blinks - what's wrong with that?

 

Maybe the trick is to signal as you're changing lanes or merging, not before.

 

Press the lever as far as the resistance point.
Turn signal flashes once.
You can set whether the turn signal is to flash
once or three times.
1. Switch on the ignition, refer to page35.
2. Briefly press the button in the turn indicator
lever repeatedly until "SET/INFO" is dis-
played.
7. Press and hold the button until the display
This is a programmable function. I've included some parts of it from the manual.

 

do you have it set for 1 blink or 3?
I actually like the turnsignal thing.

my LandRover does the same thing.

 

I tend to do this. Still, you'd be surprised at the gall of some people who will even begin blowing horns and flashing lights and tailgating as if I just stole 'their' road.

Most often, I drive such that I make it impossible for such things to occur.

 

I didnt like it much either. Of all the features it bothered me the most. Now, Ive gotten used to it and hardly notice it.

 

If my handicapped son could master it , so could you. shame on you. stop complaining.

 

Change is so hard for some people...It's new, not dumb. get over it.
Man I hate complainers...

-John C
R56 Turn Signal Engineer/Designer/God

 

I got used to it rather quickly, except there's two things that bother me.

1. I have it set to do three blinks. I intend a lane change, I hit it, I can't change lanes, I'm not holding it to keep it blinking, so I instinctively think I need to swing it back down to stop it, and then I end up blinking the other way, and then try to stop that, so it blinks back the original way, and then I remember it will stop itself.
2. If you're waiting a long time for a turn, the blinker will eventually shut itself off.

 

In Florida , if you get caught, there is a large fine, but drivers generally use their turn signals to change lanes and the driver behind respects it .ever since the new law came into effect last year.

 

Amen brutha!

 

Dan what were you thinking actually having an opinion and expressing it?

 

Mach V Dan is a luddite!
I love the new turn signal - I've used my signals like that for years. With the new design, I have the option of few blinks to notify other drivers, as opposed to leaving the blinker on until the car decides that I've turned enough to cancel it.

 

I hate it when people don't use their turn signals.

 

A quick reminder to some of our newer members about our NAM Site Guidelines are very clear about treating fellow members with respect. If you disagree with someone's opinion, state your disagreement and make your own case... but calling another poster into "shame" or saying that you hate complainers, etc... is not conducive to a healthy online discussion forum.

 

What is a turn signal? Is that why I get flipped off so often? Could it be out of fluid or something?

I kid, I kid! I'm actually learning to use them in my MINI.

 

[
Two words...OPERATOR ERROR. But seriously, while I have no issues with the turn signals or key, I am still trying to figure out programming the darn upgrade stereo, and I can't even make the interior ambient lighting change. This thing sure has a TON of electronics compared to that 62 Mini Cooper I sold to help finance this 07 MCS. And you mention Microsoft Windows...I would have GLADLY bought this Mini with ROLLUP WINDOWS. My arms work just fine, thanks!

quote=Mach V Dan;1471125]I have now driven the car several hundred miles, and every time I go to change lanes, I get frustrated. What's wrong with a good old mechanical turn signal lever? But NOOOOOOO, we had to get fancy and put in this software-driven turn-signal-by-wire. Half the time I don't trigger it right, and I have to FOCUS MY ATTENTION on the turn signal to do it right. That's just WRONG!

While I'm at it, the flying saucer key thing is also dumb. It does what, exactly, compared to a traditional key? Makes it impossible to start in the dark? Great, thanks, Mini designers! If I'm ever being chased by a horror movie monster, and have to start the car to save my life...I'm gonna die.

Every time I let someone else drive the car, they sit there in the driver's seat and just...stare at the dash, holding the key, trying to puzzle out what to do to get the car started. This has happened to 100% of the drivers. Hmm, I sense a pattern.

(Knowing what I know now, I might have sprung for the "keyless go" option. Then I wouldn't be griping about this particular point, at least.)

Oh, and the menu navigation for adjusting the audio system and other stuff? Bleh. Ridiculous complexity for its own sake. I can't change the bass, treble, fader, or balance while I'm driving; too dangerous. And it took me many days of driving before I could figure out how to change from one radio preset to another without accidentally wandering into some menu mode I didn't want.

Now I know some of you will say I'm inflexible or some kind of luddite. And it's true, I drive several cars so I'm not driving the Mini every day. But that just calls my attention to how annoying these details are in comparison to almost every other car on the market. I don't want my car to be like Microsoft Windows -- (motto: Alter Your Behavior to Suit Our Needs). The car should be ergonomic and intuitive to use.

On the plus side, I love driving the car. It's quick and fun, just like I hoped for, and it seems to be getting faster as it breaks in. So don't get me wrong, I love the overall car, I just get frustrated that the designers seem to have spoiled some parts in the name of...what? Difference for the sake of being different? "Progress"?

--Dan
Mach V
FastMINI.net[/quote]

 

I'm not a luddite( had to look that up to find out )but I must be an idiot ,I didn't know they were different ,I guess thats why sometimes i'd be knocking it up and down to get it to stop blinking.Another hundred miles or so your radio/cd will make sense .I do like turning a **** or pushing a button to make something turn on or turn off instead of a whole sequence....maybe I am a luddite? Back to the manual.

 

While on a test drive, one thing I noticed that I simply don't get, is if the turn signal is on, and you wiggle the shifter while in neutral, the turn signal is turned off/canceled? Why??


-Paul?