[03Jill]

I sure read a lot of posts from folks who seem to spend a lot of time watching their info screens. I sure hope that you are all looking up from time to time to check out the road in front of you. I only say this because I am hearing a lot of talk about doing away with the Nav screens because of accidents. We don't want the gov. coming in and telling the auto makers that they can not put anything in their cars that might prove to be a distraction (like the Vav or info screens). Just a thought.

Happy driving, Jill

 

[FredB]

Yeah, what would be really cool is a Prius HUD (heads up display) option :lol:

 

[DAVID]

After five and a half months, I have finally turned my screen off. I check it about once a day now. Since I do much of my driving at night, it really is much easier to drive with the screen off.

 

[bradca21]

We don't want the gov. coming in and telling the auto makers that they can not put anything in their cars that might prove to be a distraction (like the Vav or info screens). Just a thought.

Happy driving, Jill

You mean like AM/FM/XM/CD/DVD/MP3/Cassete players, mirrors in the sunvisors, map lights, the ability to plug in a phone/laptop/PDA via a 12v outlet, not to mention automatic seat adjustment devices, multiple button/dial setups for climate control and the ability to roll our windows up and down?

Jill, I ABSOLUTELY see the point you are trying to make, however if the government was truly concerned with "distractions," all the cars in the world, or at least this country would be little more than a milk crate seat, a glass bug shield and a motor. Every single thing I have mentioned in paragraph one can be distracting because it in SOME WAY involves your hands and/or eyes not being 100% on the wheel/road (respec.)

To clarify, I AM NOT one that is against cell phone conversations when you drive. Anyone that CAN in a safe manner handle a telephone call and driving simultaneously should have the right to do so. But it can be a "distraction" and certain areas have banned or restricted their use on the road. And consider MUSIC... Say you just got a new CD by your FAVE artist and you decide to crank your volume to MAX. Are you able to hear car horns and police sirens? NO. The rest follow my point of hands and or eyes not being entirely where they "should/ought to" be.

Everything in life is a distraction, from your bad hair day, to loud music, to a phone call to a tree shaped like Jay Leno on the side of a highway. Those that cannot handle these distractions should not drive, as the government will never get the authority to control freedom.

It's called democracy folks... Love it, or move to Iran. 8)

 

[Zach]

<sarcasm>

Dammit, are those my only two options? shazam!

</sarcasm>

I definitely hope people aren't getting into more accidents because of their NAV screens, but I also don't want to see it go away. I would imagine that it, in most cases, will help keep the driver's mind on driving more conservatively in order to become a more effecient driver. Can I say driving and driver again? Thanks. I know there are a few speed demons driving these cars, but I believe the majority are getting some fun out of the new Best MPG / Most Green Bars games.

 

[bradca21]

<sarcasm>

Dammit, are those my only two options? shazam!

</sarcasm>

Yes. :wink:

 

[03Jill]

My point is that there are watch dog groups out there that feel that it is their duty to do whatever it takes to "keep us safe from ourselves". I don't want to loose our freedoms, but I'll bet that it is just a matter of time before it is regulated that all cars have radio, CD and all the other things mentioned above controlled from the steering wheel like we have in the Prius.

BTW I am glad that DC has passed the $100 fine for not using a phone with an earpiece in the car. I'm SICK AND TIRED of people holding up traffic just to find out what they need to bring home from the market or should they pick up take out. Not because it's not safe but because its rude. And while we're at it, lets just outlaw those stupid walkie talkie phones. Who gives a s--- about that conversation but the person on the phone

 

[Richard]

After five and a half months, I have finally turned my screen off. I check it about once a day now. Since I do much of my driving at night, it really is much easier to drive with the screen off.

Do you have the brightness all the way up? There's a little dial on the left of the steering wheel that affects the brightness of the display and speedometer area when you have your lights on. If it's all the way up, then those things won't even dim at all when you activate the headlights. If you turn it all the way down, your speedometer area completely vanishes.

 

[DAVID]

I turn the screen off, and turn the dimming knob down so the speedometer is just right. Like I said, I do turn the screen on about once a day to check out my overall mpg. Otherwise, I'm too fixated on the screen, and I'd rather just enjoy the whole driving experience.

 

[CaPriusLover]

For the first couple tanks of gas, I was constantly looking at the screen. Now I look over every now and again to see what my current average MPG is. In a year, I may not even do that!

Like anything else, the coolness factor starts to ware off. When I first got the car, every thing I did while driving was geared toward getting the best gas mileage I could. At the time I was getting about 48-49 MPG. Now I'm not as worried about mileage and am getting about 46. Bottom line, I love the car but it is less a toy now and more a mode of transportatoin.