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I was going to put this in the “What don’t you like about the MDX” thread, but I deceided I would try it on it’s own to hopefully spark a discussion.
Hasn’t anyone heard a horror story about a child that has been killed by an automatic sun roof. I’m not talking about urban legend here, I’ve seen it on the local news. I’m not blaming Acura for not having this feature. I’m blaming the entire industry for not having this feature! Now my 200 Audi A6 has it. So I guess some manufactures do.
I’m not a big supporter of government mandates typically, but I really believe this kind of thing just needs to be tacked on to every car. Sure it will raise the price, but on every vehicle the cost will be considerably lower! Only the government can force the manufactures to work on an level playing field by making it the law.
By the way, you can move the sunroof within fifteen minutes of the MDX being shut off? Now if you believe the issue I brought up above is a serious one, you gotta believe this option greatly increases the possibility for an incident. Does anyone else remmeber palying in a car after it was park, pulling and pushing levers. All it takes is a sibling or a friend to have part of their body in the wrong place! While I appreciate the attempt at convience, I think it just makes me want to lock my vehicle in the garage to preven my children from getting hurt!
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Ya know....
I am more than a little fed up with manufacturers and desginers being responsible for stupid people.
Simply lock your car and put the key in your friggin' pocket. Watch your kids. Don't let them play in the car! BE RESPONSIBLE.
There are thousands and thousands of ways for kids to get hurt, getting caught in a sunroof is laughably remote.
How about stoves, dryers, etc?
Should we eliminate reverse gears in cars because of all the kids that get backed over??
Here's the problem:
One manufacturer puts in this useless feature. Pretty soon, everybody needs to put it in, because if they fail to, they will be sued when some stupid person lets their kid play in the car. So we all now need to pay for "safety" features that really have limited benefit.
Where do we draw the line? In my mind, if an adults reasonable action can eliminate the risk, then we don't need the "safety feature".
Ard
PS In case you think me an "anti lawsuit" type, I'd be perfectly behind the "class action suit" proposed here regarding Acura's misrepresentation on the towing capacity and required equipment...
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All I’m saying is that manufacturers needs assistance when adding costs to vehicles for safety items or they never propagate down the vehicle line.
I’m not at all worried about me, I am worried about the parents out there that don’t take these items into consideration. I think this type of discussion is advantageous to bring these issues to light. I’d love to hear how many MDX owners lock their vehicles when in the garage for safety reasons.
Am I supposed to shelter my child from any possible friendships until he can safely take care of himself because I can’t trust any other adult. I don’t guess 21 is too old to get out of the house for the first time. Ya know the same type of argument was waged regarding the use of three point seat belts in the rear of cars. The manufactures had to add a cost of like 10 dollars to make these available and refused it for years. That is until some network news show pointed out that children were being paralyzed by the use of the lap belt only. I guess those parent should just learn how to drive. I’m sure all the accidents were their faults.
By the way, the only people I know that know everything about children as you seem to don’t have any. I’d bet my last paycheck you don’t.
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Hey Whealy...
Man, I hope you make a lot of money...I'll email you my address, you can send the check.
Seriously though.
I've got two kids, 9 and 11. Plus 5 neices and nephews, from 18 months to 16 years. They don't play in the car. They would NEVER stand on the seats, even when they were 4 years old. (The 16 year old wants to drive, though.)
I can see the argument on a lot of safety items. Clearly, when a SIGNIFICANT number of injuries are occuring and a reasonable action can reduce those injuries, then a safety item is warranted.
How many kids WORLD WIDE are seriously injured or killed (not just pinched) by sunroof accidents annually? 5? 10?
That was my point. That, plus now if one manufacturer does it, plantiffs attorney will paint any other manufacturer as "uncaring" and willing to put profit in front of kids.
On the issue of sheltering your kids from other adults that might not be as vigilant: YES! Every parent must. It is a fine line. I walk it, I'm sure you do. I assess the risks of letting my kids do anything. Go home from school with some one. (What kind of car, who is it, what kind of play structures are at the home, what the child is like, balcony at the house? pool? etc etc.) Whether they have an "autoreversing" sun roof is not in that equation, simply because the risk is infinitesimal.
Having said that, I applaud the effort to alert folks to a potential risk. I just don't think manufacturers are responsible to protect against EVERY risk.
I'll stop ranting now....
Ard |
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| I think whealy is only trying to comment on the topic, sometimes enough people get together and can take actions individuals can't, per say initiate a letter campaign or otherwise persuade the manufacturers that there is enough public pressure that they should somehow acomodate this inexpensive features. I see it as an healthy alternative to goverment regulation (like if we are not overgoverned already) in that the customers get on the same wagon and push for change. After all this far regulation has been the only thing most manufacturers have reacted to, if it were not for regulation you will still be paying extra for the "optional" airbags, meaning that an item that costs $50 to integrate on the car and increases your chances of survival you end up paying extra $250 because it is optional and not mandatory. Fact of the matter is not all people that dies on accidents is stupid, you dont know whats on the mind on a child when they push the button, having being a child myself i will tell you many innocent things other than death are running through your mind when you are playing. It's insane to put a price on a life! think of it when you lose someone close to you! how much will you have paid to keep them alive???? |
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Number one. Airbags are still optional on some vehicles. (Specifically side/head/curtain)
Number two. It is NOT insane to weigh the relative risk versus cost. It is part of a risk/benefit equation all product designers grapple with. And customers, and parents.
Having said that, if it were my child- no expense would be too great for any enhancement or safety device that might have saved their life. But that's looking at it from the other way.
WHat if the MDX had some kind of electronic "MRI type" (or radar, or body mass) scanner that could detect when kids were in the car, and adjust accordingly: inactivate certain features, in conjucntion with VSC it could determine in an accident the best way to impact (based on where all occupants were seated) if an impact was unavoidable. All these "rocket science" features would improve safety. Would you be willing to spend the extra $ 1500, 5000, 10000? Why not? Where do YOU draw the line?
Anyhow, enough said. I guess we can and should request some enhancements. I just don't like the trend towards making the world a pillow (that is - a hypoallergenic, non-suffocating, Government Registered, don't remove this tag - pillow)
Ard
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ardvarkus,
I wonder if the banks are going to cash the check under that name …
Agreed, there is a practical line at which you don’t cross when it comes to cost/benefit on safety items in a vehicle. Of course everyone has their own idea of just where that line is. I also agree that the odds are infinitesimal. But I can guarantee you I will lock my MDX when in the garage to prevent one of the most important lives in my life from becoming an infinitesimal statistic. To each his own. I just hope no one ever needs to worry about the discussion in this thread.
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Ardvarkus, Are we long lost brothers or something? :)
Safety in vehicles is an important issue, but an anti-pinch in a sunroof so that someone doesn't get their head stuck? You really have to be kidding. Even with a child, I can't see how that could happen. I think designers should design a car for stupid people. It should start out with instructions on how to punch a ballot and be sold in West Palm Beach as a test market. :D
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