I think it has to do with how your body moves/weight shifts upon impact and the thumbs getting stuck under the wheel (that and if you fly out the window like someone else said )

I don't understand about having to wrap your thumbs around the wheel for the auto - its just the opposite for me, thumbs rest on top and press on the paddles to blip down the gears (and also to use the steering wheel controls).

 

Another way to talk about thumb placement is "thumbs up"

Let your arms hang down at your sides in a natural way and look at the how they hang. Raise them up as if your were driving and you will see that your thumbs are up. They are in a natural position helping to keep you relaxed while driving.

Even with power steering you don't want to hook your thumbs in the wheel because you may not be able to move them fast enough in a blowout or other altercation.

Hope this helps...

 

So, what we owners of automatics need is for some slick aftermarket prostheses to slip on our thumbs to be able to shift safely.

 

My thumbs are moving all the time,manual controls.But when my hands are at rest on the steering wheel,I grip the wheel,and since this thread started I have been paying attention to this.My arms are bent at about 45degrees,my hands are at 3 and 9,and I have my hands firmly on the wheel,thumbs wrapped.Now with my thumbs ahead of the airbag,how is this going to rip them off.And seeing as how I have been driving belted down for 35 years as a driver,my thumbs are the last of my worries if I go out the windsheild

 

For my $00.02, I am a "chick".


It drives me CRAZY when ANYONE sits that close to the wheel. I don't care how it feels, I am not concerned with yout feelings. You look rediculous! Move your seat back and look COOL while driving a wonderful machine.

Okay but for the record, your husband was wrong! Ha ha. Aren't we always right!

 

Well thats a bit harsh,not the husband bit,but the feeling part,you should feel comfy,Male,or Female.How you drive,where you drive,and how long you drive all play into how you are going to adjust your seat.
I'm just happy that after hours in the cockpit,my back does not hurt when I get out to streach,then get back in and motor home

 

The old advice not to wrap your thumbs around the wheel was because the spokes of the wheel would break your thumbs if the tires turned sharply and the wheel snapped around and caught your thumbs. It wasn't the airbag breaking them. No airbags on WWII one-ton army trucks. When I heard this sage advice as a little nipper back in the fifties I nodded respectfully to my older cousin, who was taught this in the army, and proceeded to keep right on wrapping my fingers around the wheel.

I've noticed many shots of drivers in the cockpits of racecars and they all wrap their thumbs. It would be better to have control of the steering wheel and avoid a crash than to crash because you lost control of the wheel. I think I'd take broken thumbs over some nasty alternatives that could happen in a crash.

 

Harsh? maybe, but I meant it in a playful why. In a society so concerned with feelings I was attempting to make a play at that.

Please accept my apologies to those I may have offended.

 

You are correct about the spokes breaking thumbs. They could also break your wrist.

Mind you, as a little nipper back in the fifties i also nodded respectfully to my driver trainer as I climbed into a 1967 Peterbilt cabover that had 8.5 turns lock to lock of the steering wheel. The much quicker turning (less turns lock to lock) cars of today are a lot easier to control. Again, the 'thumbs up' is now more about comfort than safety.

At the last HPD school that I attended our instructor, a CHP officer, was advocating driving whith the hands at 4 & 8 when ever possible because that way in the event of bag deploymet the hands would be forced down, not in your face.

By the time lunch rolled around I wasn't sure that being in a non moving car was even safe.

Hope this helps...

 

Lets try this on for size...

I'm 4'11''. I have to have the seat almost completely forward, and cranked all the way up. LUCKILY, the mini is the first and only car i don't need a pillow to sit on to see over the dash. In my miata, i needed two!

I sit dangerously close to the wheel (i can't drive otherwise, in ANY car) so i have a problem there. But i also have another... i'm only 87 lbs. When i take advil/tylenol etc. i have to take the 12 and under dosage. I feel the same rules apply for the car.. children 12 and under need to be weary of the front seat air bags. I still have the sticker on the passenger air bag with the air bag warning

I've been tossing the idea with both of my recent cars if i should find someplace that will disconnect my airbag. I freak that the airbag would kill me with the force and snap my neck or something, rather than save me. But then i think what if i bang myself up bad with the steering wheel? i'd have been safer with the airbag, should i get into an accident.

So what am i to do? :P

 

Don't disconnect your airbags, there is a less dangerous alternative: pedal extenders. I had a similar problem with my M Coupe, I could not sit correctly and comfortably depress the clutch all the way to the floor as needed. That didnt stop me from getting the car, just had to have it, so I searched and searched for a solution (even looked into moving the seat rails) and then found this -

http://www.pedalextenders.com/

I don't know why it isn't a more commonly known product, aside from those that require pedal extensions to reach the pedals at all there are lots of people that should use them for other reasons (short and sit too close, pregnant, etc) and they could save them from injury in the event of an accident. I see way too many people, just about every day, that can barely see over the steering wheel an sit nearly on top of it that are not only endangering themselves but often others as well since they cannot see or navigate as well as they should.

Anyhow, I hope that is of help to you. If you get them make sure that they are installed correctly and clamped on tight

Cheers :smile:

 

Just wondering, did anyone try the pedal extenders or are people still sitting too close? :smile:

Another aspect of sitting real close seems to be diminished visabily using the rear view and side mirrors (varies with type of car and placement of the above, of course). At least that is what it looks like from observing people on the road.

 

I never saw your reply... and i'm still sitting too close.

I had blocks of wood on the pedals of my go kart as a kid. At the dinner table, i sat on phone books. I figured i'd just get used to being 7 years old the rest of my life.

 

No, it's not just a chick thing. I sit wayy too close to my minivan steering wheel. It'll be interesting how I end up sitting in my mini when it arrives. I actually like sitting straight up in the seat --> it gives me a better view to see other vehicles.

John